Five minutes with… K.Kommunications’ Karen Ko
Meet the founder and directorBorn and raised in Hong Kong, Karen Ko never imagined she would one day start her own company. After gathering work experience at a range of advertising and PR firms, she discovered her calling – to help small businesses flourish in Hong Kong’s competitive market.
In 2018, she founded K.Kommunications with the mission to support small to mid-sized establishments that may not have the budget for traditional advertising campaigns. Wanting to give adequate attention to these lesser-known businesses, today Ko still works with her clients personally. Without the burden of maintaining a team, she is constantly on the go. Ko feels a great sense of satisfaction and pride when she sees the impact her work brings to her clients.
Focusing specifically on the F&B sector, the entrepreneur lends a voice to local restaurant owners. She also helps workers who contribute to the Hong Kong food scene. Sometimes without praise or acknowledgement. “Food might not seem essential, but perhaps during tumultuous times, it’s what keeps people hopeful and together, and reminds us all what ‘home’ is.”
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Ko’s passion and persistence for her work have been the main driving force for her business over the past year. Despite the numerous restrictions Covid-19 posed to the industry, she has not only survived, but thrived. By expanding her PR services to include media relations, brand strategy and social media, Ko successfully turned K.Kommunications into a one-stop-shop for restaurant PR services. “I’ve honed my abilities to increase value to my clients even in difficult times and to showcase that PR is an indispensable realm in their businesses.”
In her free time, Ko is an enthusiastic origamist, comparing the process of selecting papers and folding them to yoga. Yoga for the mind. She is also a marathon runner and always makes time for a jog after a long day at work. Although origami, long distance running and PR are very different in nature, she notes that all of these activities require preparation, patience and determination. Crucial traits to have as an entrepreneur.
At the end of the day, every step Ko takes contributes to her mission of helping brands maximise their media exposure and gain the recognition they deserve.
“I’m motivated to help clients overcome new challenges. In the F&B industry, you can’t always control what might happen to your brand. What you can control, is how you deal with it,” she says. “And that’s all that matters. That’s the power of PR.”
