THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE DREAMS, IDEAS AND GOALS COME TO FRUITION, IS THE CORE OF WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE BECAUSE OF THE FREEDOMS THAT ARE OURS IN AMERICA.

- Denise Burnett Stewart

SMALL BUSINESS DRIVES THE AMERICAN ECONOMY. IT THRIVES AND SURVIVES NO MATTER WHAT MAY BE GOING ON IN THE MAIN ECONOMY.

- Dick Gadomski

UNLESS WE PROMOTE ENTREPRENEURSHIP, WE WILL NOT HAVE AN EXCITING BUSINESS ATMOSPHERE IN OUR COUNTRY.

- Allen B. Morgan, Jr.

Kim HEATHCOTT

Clarion Security
CEO

Kim Heathcott founded Clarion Security, a security guard services company in 2009. Ms. Heathcott started Clarion Security with one employee and no customers and built the company to be the largest women-owned business in Memphis for 5 years until she sold the business in 2020. Prior to starting Clarion, Ms. Heathcott had an 18-year financial services career in corporate and asset-based lending. In 2013, Ms. Heathcott was named President of the Memphis Chapter of The National Association of Woman Owned Business (NAWBO). In 2015 she founded the NAWBO Memphis Women’s Business Accelerator which has graduated three cohorts of 15 women the past three years. In July of 2013, Ms. Heathcott was named a “Superwoman in Business” by Memphis Business Journal. In 2007 She received the national NAWBO women business of the year and in 2018 Heathcott was inducted into the Society of Entrepreneurs. Ms. Heathcott also currently serves on the Methodist Hospital Foundation board. Ms. Heathcott holds an undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in Economics. Additionally, she earned an MBA from Southern Methodist University through its Executive MBA program in 1996.

Description of Business

Provider of security guard personnel for commercial and municipal accounts in the Memphis Mid-South region.

Thoughts on Entrepreneurship

There’s always an idea, a process, a new product, and new approach out there to improve our world. In a large corporate environment, those thoughts might not be realized or encouraged if not in the mainstream of that company’s strategic plan. What an amazing marketplace we have today to nurture those ideas into reality in an entrepreneurial ecosystem to see what becomes out of the ingenuity and drive of individuals who see a new and better way. It’s not ever easy or clear-cut, but for those who choose the path of entrepreneurship, it ultimately benefits the many. And once someone becomes an entrepreneur, the world is seen in the lens of new ideas and what else can become.