Germany Kent is a media personality/reporter/host/producer, and over the last six years has been working in a variety of new media roles and building an impressive journalism portfolio working in Los Angeles.
A previous Miss Teen Mississippi finalist and Hal Jackson’s Talented Teens “Miss Personality”, she has interviewed over 200 celebrities on the red carpet (in a Top 5 market), all while working as a commercial talent, appearing in dozens of commercials and print ads.
Featured in Fast Company, The Examiner and INC.Magazine, Germany is a social media guru who has appeared on national TV and radio as a social media etiquette expert, including appearing on Scripps’ syndicated magazine show “The List”. In 2015, Tech giant Onalytica named Germany as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People on Twitter. She was also included in their Top 100 Brands in Social Media Marketing and was listed in the Top 50 by SEO.com for an article she penned on Twitter Marketing and Social Media Ethics.
Germany has a Master’s Degree in Administration with a minor in Public Relations from The University of Alabama and a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Marketing from Mississippi State University. There, she was heavily involved in student media groups, and was the first African American woman ever elected to the MSU Student Association, serving as the Attorney General.
Well-versed and well-respected, Germany also has experience in marketing, public relations, and has been an award winning college administrator and human resources executive at two Fortune 500 companies.
A well-rounded journalist with a print background, her written works have appeared in national syndicated columns and on-line with an audience reach of 2 million readers. In 2015, Germany received the Readers Choice Gold award for her 10th social media critically-acclaimed book, You Are What You Tweet.
Germany is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, the International Women’s Writers Guild, Southern California Writers Association, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, SAG/AFTRA, the LA Press Club, and is a volunteer with the Producers Guild of America and several local charities.
In your own words what do you do?
I inspire people to be better. I give them hope and spread light. People always tell me that I have good energy. I aspire to inspire – that’s who I am, and that is the legacy I’ve always wanted to leave behind. My credentials would say that I’m an award-winning and best-selling author, long-time journalist and social media professional. But, for those who know me best and to those whom I’ve crossed paths with – I’m just Germany!
What led you to your career?
I’ve always been intrigued with writing. I love to write – I think it is a way to reflect and provides an outlet for venting. I’ve always been a writer first in print working as the editor of my school newspaper, onto contributing to stories in college. And lately, as a contributor to Business 2 Business, Business Know How, Yahoo! News, and Monster.com. I never dreamed of being an author, but apparently it was in the cards for me to write on an international scale and put stories out to the world. I’m so grateful to have had the CEO of web-hosting giant Media Temple, Russell P. Reader, to offer a foreword for my latest book. There are so many wonderful opportunities happening that I’m just grateful to be in this moment.
Did you encounter any particular difficulties in the beginning and how did you overcome it?
In the beginning the most difficult part (for me) was finding people to trust. I have had my share of dealing with unethical people who did not practice fair business deals. I lost, learned and built an empire as a result of “bought sense” as my grandmother would say. It was those lows and trials that strengthened me and allowed me to be more resourceful, bold and audacious. I am so thankful for the setbacks that I have experienced because they set me up to be the astute businesswoman that I am today.
What is your long term plan?
In the years to come, I see myself anchoring a news magazine show and possibly teaching social media 101 at a college. I will continue my philanthropic efforts and wherever the path leads, I hope to motivate and encourage as many others as possible along the way.
Could you share with us some industry insights?
Regarding social media and business, one of the most important lessons I’ve learned and work very hard to convey this message to others: You Are What You Tweet. This carries over to all platforms on social media – Linkedin, Facebook, Snap Chat, etc. Your twitter profile is your business card and your social media profiles are your public image. Plain and simple, when it comes to your brand, what you post on social media can be incredibly helpful or seriously harmful. Always think before you post.
What are some important lessons you’ve learnt about entrepreneurship?
Some of the most important lessons I’ve learned about business are simple things that date back to as far as I can remember: Hard Work Pays Off. Always have something in the pipeline that you’re working on. Every successful person that I know started somewhere and they built from there. Remembering that the ark wasn’t built overnight. The biggest thing is to just start. Walk in your purpose and do not procrastinate. Also, hold on to anything that’s good and workable for you and drop anything negative where you find it. The other thing I’ve learned is that you have to “keep it real” with yourself and set realistic goals striving for things that are within your human reach. It’s good to dream big, but it is also wise to be realistic. And, lastly keep in mind that “the outcome is not up to you, but the outlook is.”
Any tips for achieving success?
The key to having it all in life is being happy in the space where you are currently. One of my personal mottos is “Be positive. Stay happy and don’t let the negativity of the world get you down.” Meaning, keep a positive attitude and define your success on your own terms.
