Think Like the Entrepreneur You’re Meant to Be

5 Steps to Think Like an Entrepreneur

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Kimberly Anderson-Matich

President and CEO, Anderson Security Agency, Ltd.

When Featured Lady Kimberly Anderson-Matich launched Anderson Security in 1994, the industry had the reputation for employing untrained, unprofessional rent-a-cops. She was determined to change that with the goal of becoming the most professional security company in Arizona. Today, Anderson Security is one of the largest privately owned security firms in Arizona providing customized security programs for small, medium and large scale urban and suburban projects. With its new Las Vegas location, Anderson Security boasts almost 500 employees and generates $20 million in annual revenue.

Kimberly was introduced to the security industry at a young age. Her father was very successful in the industry and she grew up in the business. As a child Kimberly wanted to be a wife and mother, but as she got older and watched her father she aspired to have a career, too. “A career in security seemed like an obvious choice,” Kimberly explains. She learned the security business from the ground up as a receptionist, a dispatcher and an accountant, first working for her father’s company and then her older brother’s. Kimberly was inspired by her father to start Anderson Security.

To finance and grow her organization, Kimberly developed a business plan that included the use of Small Business Association loans and forged a close working relationship with Arizona Business Bank. “I learned early on to surround myself with experts and individuals that could help answer questions and guide Anderson’s growth,” Kimberly says. One of those experts includes her father. “He was my mentor and still consults and advises me today.”

Immediately before she launched Anderson Security, Kimberly was a wife and mother to five children. Although the transition back to work for her was fairly easy since she had been in the security industry for several years prior to being at home, Kimberly believes it’s always difficult to be a working mom, and being a business owner can increase those challenges.

“I started my business when my youngest child was just a year old. In some ways they have grown up together,” explains Kimberly. “I have been very blessed to have an extended family that provides support when I or my kids have needed it. I think it is very important to set aside time that is non-negotiable for my family. It is hard but the reward of that is immeasurable.”

Kimberly’s father heightened the standards for quality and professionalism in the security industry and she continues to focus on raising that bar. “I admired his dedication and determination to make the security industry more professional,” she says. As a nod to her father’s dedication to the industry, Anderson Security houses in its Tempe, Arizona corporate headquarters the H.P. Anderson Security Museum. This museum is dedicated entirely to the history of private security and named after Kimberly’s father.

With the mission to continually strive to meet or exceed the requirements of its clients by providing the highest quality of private security services, Anderson Security had gross revenue of over $1.2 million before finishing its first year. “My vision is for Anderson to be the most professional security leader in the industry,” Kimberly says.

Since its founding, Anderson Security has enjoyed swift growth. In 2001 Kimberly had a very large client begin service with her company. “The contract doubled my business overnight and my team was able to come together and do whatever it took to make it work,” she explains. “I am proud to say that the client is still with Anderson Security and we have developed a great working partnership.”

In 2003, Anderson Security received notification that it had achieved certification as a member of the Women’s Business Enterprise Council – West and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). The WBENC is the nation’s leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America’s corporations.

As a woman in a male-dominated field, Kimberly has been instrumental in introducing women into the security industry. She has hired, trained, and promoted women to equal positions with the men in the company. “Security is a predominantly male industry and I have worked hard to establish and maintain a professional reputation,” Kimberly says. “You can do anything you set your mind to.”

In addition, under Kimberley’s leadership Anderson Security introduced Arizona’s first privately-owned emergency command unit, which is a multi-purpose vehicle used for on-site training, human resources, emergency and strike situations.

Kimberly was selected as the ASIS Phoenix Chapter’s Security Professional of the Year in 2000 and as a regional finalist in the Bank One Working Woman Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards for Customer Care and Client Service. In 2007 she was a finalist in the Arizona State University William P. Carey’s Spirit of Enterprise Award and was a 2010 Enterprising Women of the Year finalist.

What we learned from Kimberly: “Surround yourself with people who are more experienced in different areas than you are and don’t be afraid to take advice from them.”

Drive for the Top
“At Anderson we do not settle for ‘status quo.’ We also don’t strive to be the biggest security agency, but we do strive to be the best. It is that drive that keeps us at the top of our game.”

Father Knows Best
“My father encouraged me to focus on my dream, instead of the obstacles to achieving it.”

The Whole Employee
“I try to see the talents that each individual possesses and offer them the opportunity to use those talents in the business arena. We offer ongoing training opportunities in many areas of life including security.”

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