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Marshalltown native honored for business prowess

Baeth

URBANDALE — Marshalltown native Kimberly Baeth is living proof that a person can take an idea for a new business concept and turn it into a lucrative reality.

Baeth is the founder and president of Golden Openings, Inc., a national company headquartered in Urbandale, that provides one-stop shopping for grand opening, ribbon cutting and ground breaking ceremonial events. Whether it’s giant scissors (which she pioneered), banners, balloons, red carpets, ceremonial keys or golden shovels, Baeth offers it all. She will be recognized for her business prowess as one of three finalists for the National Association of Women Business Owners’ (NAWBO) Woman Business Owner of the Year Award, in a ceremony held on Oct. 17 in Minneapolis.

Baeth, the daughter of LeRoy Morford and the late Patti Morford, is a 1989 MHS grad. She completed several writing internships, including at the Times-Republican. She earned a degree from Iowa State University, with a double major in journalism and public relations. In 1996, she began developing not only an idea for a new business, but an idea for a new business concept.

One evening, over deep-dish pizza with her husband Kevin and some college friends, Baeth got inspired.

“I was working at the North Hennepin Chamber of Commerce and was getting multiple requests to host and coordinate Grand Opening events for new business openings in the community,” she recalled. “Because the Chamber did not provide this service, the new business owners had nowhere to turn.”

She added: “I was told to bring little scissors, and a ribbon that would be no bigger than one you’d wear in your hair. But the whole symbolism wasn’t there. I made a template of a giant scissors, then finally had my dad make a giant pair out of wood, with razor blades — we use stainless steel now, and they’re much safer.”

The rest is history.

Baeth has provided grand opening services and products to clients all over the world, with high-profile customers including: Oprah, Warren Buffet, President Donald Trump, Lady Gaga, NBA teams, NFL teams, MLB teams and others. The company is on track to increase revenue by another 30 percent this year, to achieve revenue of over 1.6 million dollars.

“There are thousands of exceptional women business leaders in this country, and to be recognized among them is very humbling,” Baeth said. “I’m also thankful and happy for my team, as they deserve lots of the credit for Golden Openings’ success. NAWBO has propelled my success by making me feel like I am a key part of a movement of influencing women who are passionate about working together to affect social change and make direct and tangible differences within our communities and entire nation.”

In addition to the NAWBO nomination, Baeth recently won the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award, as well as its Community Excellence Award, presented in Washington, D.C.

To learn more about her business, visit: https://goldenopenings.com

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Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at 641-753-6611 or sjordan@timesrepublican.com

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