Karen Bailey

CEO, The Resource King International, LLC

As C.E.O. of The Resource King International, LLC, Ms. Bailey connects individuals to resources that they need to overcome barriers and achieve their goals. She is on a mission to teach small business owners how to have *Legacy Businesses by preparing and positioning them for Government Contracts and Grants. She created the SWaM, I Am™ Accelerator Program to help small, women and minority business owners take advantage of Virginia's 40% discretionary spend goal, win more contracts and increase their success rates. She combines teaching, training, motivation and support to successfully engage clients. The Resource King International, LLC is a conglomeration of Business Services that provides Procurement & Diversity Certification Consulting, Professional/Business Training & Development, Technical Assistance, Resource Coordination, and Outreach & Engagement. It has a growing number of Legacy Business Builders©, Service Partners and Technical Consultants who work together to build clients' capability and capacity. Ms. Bailey believes building Legacy businesses are imperative to the success of the local, domestic and global economy.

Ms. Bailey is a natural born teacher, motivator and strategist. As a Motivational Speaker, Consultant and Trainer, she has a gift for inspiring career seekers, professionals and business owners to see past their current situations; create winning strategies; and work toward their goals. She encourages audiences to prepare and position themselves for their opportunities! She advises that they surround themselves with positive people, read, visualize, use affirmations, and enjoy the journey. She believes we all need individuals in our lives that motivate us and hold us accountable. Her business and career training sessions are conducted on site at her business incubator, the A.A.C.E. Business Career (Training) Center, located in Norfolk Virginia. It is the host site of numerous think tanks, seminars, meetings and strategy sessions. She believes that each one of us has a purpose and she believes her role is to inspire individuals to re-discover theirs, despite obstacles, issues and difficult beginnings.

Ms. Bailey received her degree in Business Management with an emphasis in Human Resources. She has honed her public speaking and leadership skills through her tenure as President/Board Member of Toastmasters International, Small Business Administration (S. B. A.) Faith-Based/Community Initiatives' Dream Team, Public Policy Board Chair of the National Association of Women Business Owners-South Eastern Virginia (NAWBO SEVA), Public Relations Committee Chair of the Urban League of Hampton Roads, Committee Chair of Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) and serving as 1st Vice-President of Old Dominion University's Black Alumni Council. Due to her commitment, business acumen and community involvement, Ms. Bailey has been interviewed on Chicago's WVON AM 1690 and the Warren Ballentine show, quoted in Black Enterprise Magazine, and presented Old Dominion University‘s Woman Business of the Year, Inside Business' Top 40 under 40 and Top 100 MBE awards. Ms. Bailey currently serves on a number of Boards including the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Women Business Owners-South Eastern Virginia (NAWBO SEVA), the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), Chesterfield Heights Community Development Corporation and the Three Letter Club of Toastmasters International. Her memberships and professional affiliations are many, including Gethsemane Community Baptist Church, the Urban League of Hampton Roads, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and the Greater Hampton Roads Black Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Bailey is a graduate of the Norfolk Public School System and an alumnus of Old Dominion University. She has a daughter who graduated from Howard University and two sons who are currently enrolled in Norfolk Public Schools.

*Legacy Businesses - businesses that are able to be passed from generation to generation.