Kimberly Watson-Hemphill, a globally recognized leader in the field of Innovation and Operational Excellence, founded Firefly Consulting in 2009. She is responsible for the vision, management, and long-term strategy of the company and is committed to driving high-impact, sustainable results for clients.
Kimberly has had the opportunity to work with business leaders at Fortune 500 companies in the US, Europe, and Asia where she has led engagements within a broad range of industries, from the automotive industry to the US space program. Her career has been defined by major successes helping leaders set and achieve their strategic objectives, navigate large-scale transformations, implement productivity improvements, and re-position themselves in a rapidly changing competitive landscape.
Previously, she served as a partner with Accenture and a Vice President of George Group Consulting. Kimberly is frequently invited to speak on topics related to leadership and continuous improvement both nationally and abroad, and has authored several books and publications. Her first book, Fast Innovation (McGraw-Hill, 2005), hit Business Week’s Top 10 business booklist. Her most recent book, Innovating Lean Six Sigma (McGraw-Hill, 2016), shares insights from her 20+ years of hands-on experience in operational excellence.
As an active leader beyond Firefly Consulting, Kimberly has served on the faculty of the Acton School of Business MBA program in entrepreneurship for over 10 years, where she teaches operations. She is a board member for Impact India 360 and the Girl Scouts of Central Texas and she acts as Technical Chair for the annual Lean and Six Sigma World Conference Committee.
Kimberly is proud of Firefly’s success at driving game-changing results for leading companies in multiple industries. Firefly Consulting has been awarded one of the “Top Women-Owned Businesses” in Austin, Texas, by the Austin Business Journal every year since 2014.
Kimberly's Publications and Insights
Education
- University of Texas at Austin
MSE Engineering Mechanics
- University of Michigan
BSE Aerospace Engineering
BA French
- Certified Master Black Belt
Innovating Lean Six Sigma
A comprehensive guide for business leaders to tailor and implement Lean Six Sigma in their organizations, offering strategies, tools, and insights to improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
Many business books talk about Lean Six Sigma. This one shows you how to make it work.
Download a free chapter Buy online
On the Right Path – A Quick Guide to Creating Customer Journey Maps
Published by ASQ, 2024.
AI Meets Quality – A Practical Approach
Presented to ASQ Austin, 2024.