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Authentically Kimmy
Authentically Kimmy
Being an ultra-achiever from a young age and retaining your humility shows character.KimmySingh doesn't strive to be super woman, but she does acknowledge being an A-type personality.
'My parents always said you that you should never study to pass an exam. An exam is a man-made benchmark. You should study to acquire knowledge,' she says of her academic success. The product of a middle-class family, her parents inspired her. 'They taught me that there are no stereotypes. They have been very inspirational in their thinking: different. That helps me to see life through a different lens compared to many of my peers.'
Kimmy admits that her parents initially favoured the idea of her becoming a doctor. During the school holidays in Grade 11, young Kimmy would be at Greytown Hospital at the break of dawn, ready to accompany her father's friend who was a doctor. But in the end she decided that a medical career was not for her.
A good work ethic was entrenched at home. 'My mom had a home industry. Our family sometimes worked together through the night helping her make samosas and rotis for delivery the next day. My dad is a PVC rubber technologist, who completed his studies after marriage. His dedication and commitment to studying inspired me to aspire ever higher.' Her younger sister is also a chartered accountant [CA(SA)], and her youngest sister is a private banker, so the financial gene is strong.
Kimmy considers herself blessed on several levels. 'I was privileged that Deloitte gave me a bursary while I was in matric.' She then attended the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and was exposed to some of the best business minds in the country. 'I received the Chancellor's Scholarship every year and graduated summa cum laude.'
Nothing was handed to her on a platter: 'I work hard and put in the hours. If you are not giving 100%, where is the respect and where is the fulfilment '
Her three- year- old daughter, Ariana, is showing the same leaning towards excellence as her mother. 'She is going to give me a run for my money - she has such an enquiring mind!'Kimmy says, bursting into laughter at the prospect. 'The other day I made her a paper boat, and she drew it in 3D!'
Kimmy completed her training contract at Deloitte Durban in 2001. Two years later, she was invited to become a manager, and in 2007 at the tender age of 27, she became the youngest partner at Deloitte Durban. The blessing came with some challenges: 'It took a lot of emotional intelligence to not take things personally and just to put my head down and prove myself.'
Her current high powered role keeps her on her toes. 'I have had fabulous clients and I have had challenging experiences, in addition to successes at dizzying heights and disappointments that came with significant lows.'
In retrospect, the tougher times have made her stronger and she sees a bigger picture behind challenging circumstances. 'These experiences made me question what is important. At the end of the day, I may be Kimmy the partner, the mommy, the wife, the daughter, the sister, the loyal friend, but I find that focusing on my life within the context of different "roles" is limiting because then I'm forced to divide myself. Instead, if I focus on myself as a whole individual, I am authentically me and I just need to integrate the different parts of my life so that my heart is happy and my spirit is fulfilled.'