The Oklahoma Venture Forum (OVF) is starting 2025 with an engaging and informative presentation by experienced entrepreneur and marketing strategist Kyle Golding. During the January Power Lunch, Golding will share valuable insights and practical advice to help both new and established businesses succeed. The event will feature a keynote presentation followed by a Q&A session, offering plenty of opportunities for learning and interaction.
Golding’s entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 15 when he started his first business in the music industry. Over the years, he has built a dynamic career spanning creative design, corporate leadership, nonprofit work, and strategic consulting. Most notably, Golding co-founded Golden Group, a marketing and strategy firm with offices in Oklahoma City and Philadelphia, serving clients in 15 states. Earlier this year, he transitioned into education as the Director of Corporate Relations at Oklahoma City University’s Meinders School of Business.
Drawing on his extensive experience mentoring startups and consulting for established businesses, Golding has identified five common mistakes that hinder businesses at all stages. He plans to delve deep into these pitfalls, emphasizing the importance of going beyond surface-level strategies and truly understanding audience identification and engagement. His goal is to push participants out of their comfort zones, encouraging them to move past simply meeting basic requirements and instead focus on more targeted, in-depth efforts to attract and retain specific clients.
“I think you’ve probably heard this type of advice before, but not as specific as we’re going to have the conversation here,” Golding said. “I’m going to give very specific actionable advice that everyone could take advantage of, whether it’s someone who is a startup or even maybe an idea phase and hadn’t even started their business yet, could take advantage of this all the way through companies that are performing extremely well. I don’t think anyone out there will say that they’re performing at a hundred percent of their capacity. And I often find really well-performing companies are still making these same mistakes, so beginners and high performers are kind of making the same mistakes. And so what we’re going to cover both ends of the gamut at the same time, again, with really specific actionable advice that every single person in the room could take back to their business to improve it.”
As an OVF member for over eight years, Golding also highlighted the organization’s unique collaborative environment. He emphasized that at OVF, everyone in the room is a decision-maker who is open to learning and helping others. This inclusivity of the OVF community will make you feel welcomed and valued, regardless of your business background or experience.
“There could be four CPAs standing there, or four lawyers or four CEOs in the same industry, all understanding that they were learning from each other and benefiting each other and they’re not competing with each other,” Golding said. “And everyone had an open mind and was looking to help each other and benefit each other for the good of the city and the state, which rising tide that lifts all boats. You don’t find that that often in business. But OVF really attracts and retains that type of person. So it’s not just about coming to a meeting, hearing a presenter, but really getting to meet people, extend your network, be collaborative, and then be able to go back and ask someone for a favor or ask someone to hire you or to do business with you.”
Don’t miss your chance to hear from Kyle Golding at the January Power Lunch on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, from 11:30 am. at the Metro Technology Center Economic Development Building (1700 Springlake Drive, Entry 13, Oklahoma City). Whether you’re a startup founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, his insights will inspire and elevate your business strategies. Join OVF to network, learn, and grow with Oklahoma’s vibrant business community.
Golding emphasized that his talk would be different from typical OVF and members can also look forward to an engaging Q&A session.
“A lot of our presenters are very gentle with the audience, and I’m going to be very challenging,” Golding said. “Whether you agree, disagree, or have questions, I encourage you to join the conversation. I’d like to interact as much as possible with everyone in the room in January.”
