Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Viramontes.
Kayla, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story actually started in high school. I took a graphic design class my senior year and absolutely fell in love with it. I discovered that I had a natural talent for design, and it was something I genuinely enjoyed doing. By 18, I knew two things: I loved being creative, and I wanted to be an entrepreneur and build something of my own. So, I took a chance and went for it!
I started The Bold Orange in 2007, initially focusing on graphic design and print services. Over the years, as the marketing industry evolved, so did my business. I started getting more involved in the bigger picture of my clients’ businesses and realized that what I really loved wasn’t just creating great designs. It was understanding their goals, solving problems, developing ideas, and helping them grow.
That realization gradually shifted The Bold Orange from a design and print business into the marketing strategy and consulting company it is today. I now work with businesses and organizations in a variety of capacities, from marketing strategy and planning to ongoing execution and fractional Chief Marketing Officer services.
One of my favorite parts of this journey has been the relationships I’ve built along the way. I’ve become deeply involved in our local business community, the Chamber of Commerce, and several nonprofit organizations. Those experiences have not only helped me grow professionally but have also reinforced how much I value collaboration, connection, and supporting the people and businesses around me.
Of course, nearly 20 years of entrepreneurship hasn’t been without its challenges! I’ve had to adapt, reinvent, learn some lessons the hard way, and continually push myself outside my comfort zone. But I think that’s part of what makes entrepreneurship so rewarding. You’re constantly learning and evolving.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh goodness, NO! Haha! I don’t think there’s been much about my entrepreneurial journey that I would describe as a smooth road. But looking back, some of the most difficult experiences have also been the ones that shaped me the most.
I started The Bold Orange with a business partner, and that partnership ultimately became one of the most challenging experiences of my life. It’s a chapter of my story that I tend to keep private, but it taught me some incredibly valuable lessons about myself, my resilience, and the kind of business owner and leader I wanted to become.
And of course, I started my business in 2007, so just as I was getting my feet underneath me, the 2008 recession hit. Talk about timing!
In 2013, I took another huge leap and moved into my first commercial office space. Financially, it was probably more than I should have taken on at the time, but it was also a pivotal step in moving forward independently and building the business I envisioned. During that chapter, I hired my first employees and operated a customer-facing retail store alongside my graphic design and print business. It was exciting, overwhelming, and a crash course in just about every aspect of running a business.
In 2015, I relocated The Bold Orange to Gresham, which brought an entirely new set of challenges. Most of my existing clients were now nearly an hour away, and I essentially had to rebuild my local client base from scratch. That experience pushed me to get involved in the community, build relationships, and find new opportunities. Looking back, it was one of the best things that could have happened for my business.
Then came motherhood! I welcomed my first son in 2016 and my second in 2022. Both spent roughly their first year and a half coming to work with me, which was a whole adventure of its own! Balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood has definitely required a lot of creativity, flexibility, and occasionally a sense of humor.
And then there was December 2019. Just a few days before Christmas, my office flooded. It was devastating. We had damaged equipment and client projects, expensive repairs, construction delays, and the challenge of keeping the business running while our space was being rebuilt. I was also trying to stay positive and provide stability for my employees while figuring out how we were going to get through it all.
After months of dealing with the aftermath, I finally got the green light that renovations were complete and we could fully move back into our office. And then… COVID. Suddenly, I was working remotely with a toddler at home, paying for an office I couldn’t use, and once again trying to figure out how to adapt my business to circumstances completely outside my control.
Those are just some of the highlights!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
The Bold Orange is a marketing strategy and creative services company, but I like to think of what I do as helping businesses connect the dots between where they are and where they want to go.
I work with small and growing businesses, nonprofits, and organizations that have big ideas and ambitious goals but don’t always have the time, resources, or in-house expertise to make everything happen. My work ranges from branding, graphic design, social media, and digital marketing to developing comprehensive marketing strategies, consulting, and serving as a fractional Chief Marketing Officer.
Over the years, I’ve found that my favorite place to be is somewhere between big-picture strategy and creative execution. I love sitting down with a business owner, hearing all their ideas, understanding their challenges, and helping them turn everything into a clear, actionable plan. But I also love rolling up my sleeves and bringing those ideas to life!
I think one of the things that sets me apart is that I understand both sides of marketing. I started my career in design and production, so I have a strong creative and technical foundation. But nearly 20 years of owning a business has also given me firsthand experience with the challenges my clients face. I understand budgets, staffing, customer relationships, growing pains, and the reality that business owners are often wearing a dozen different hats.
I also don’t believe in one-size-fits-all marketing. What works beautifully for one business might make absolutely no sense for another. I take the time to get to know my clients, understand their goals, and develop strategies that actually fit their businesses. Sometimes that means building a comprehensive marketing plan, and other times it means identifying a few small changes that can make a big difference.
I would say I’m probably known for my creativity, big ideas, and ability to see possibilities that others might overlook. I love thinking outside the box, finding unique ways to connect with people, and making marketing feel exciting instead of overwhelming. I’m also a pretty enthusiastic person by nature, so when I get excited about an idea, I tend to go all in! Haha!
As for what I’m most proud of, it’s honestly the relationships I’ve built and the trust my clients place in me. There is something incredibly rewarding about having a business owner invite you into their world, share their challenges and aspirations, and trust you to help them move forward. I don’t take that lightly.
I’m also proud that I’ve continued to evolve. The Bold Orange looks very different today than it did when I started at 19, and I think that’s a good thing. I’ve never wanted to stop learning, challenging myself, or finding new ways to provide value.
At the end of the day, I want to be more than someone my clients hire to handle their marketing. I want to be a trusted partner who genuinely cares about their success, celebrates their wins, and helps them see what’s possible for their business.
How do you define success?
I think my definition of success has changed quite a bit over the years. When I was younger, success probably looked more like the traditional milestones of entrepreneurship: growing my business, having employees, a beautiful office, and building something that people recognized.
And while those things are still exciting and important, I’ve learned that success is so much bigger than that.
Today, I think success is about building a business and a life that I’m genuinely proud of. It’s having the freedom to pursue things I’m passionate about, being financially secure, continuing to grow personally and professionally, and having the ability to make a positive impact on the people around me.
It’s also about relationships. I feel incredibly fortunate to work with people who trust me, value my perspective, and allow me to be part of their journey. Watching a client gain confidence, accomplish something they’ve been working toward, or see their business in a whole new way is incredibly rewarding.
And as a mom, success has taken on a whole new meaning. I want my kids to see what it looks like to work hard, take chances, follow your passions, and keep going when things get difficult. But I also want to be present for them and enjoy the life I’m working so hard to build.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ww.theboldorange.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theboldorange/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBoldOrange
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylaviramontes/
