Pink, Purposeful and Profitable: Living Your Flamingo Advantage in a World of Crocs and Sharks

4 hours ago
3 min read

By Katie Hornor

When I started my first business from a dusty corner of Mexico with a baby on my hip and a vision in my heart, I didn’t look like what the world told me a “successful entrepreneur” should be. I didn’t have a business degree, a corporate background, or a sleek brand. What I had was something far more powerful: purpose.

Today, I’m an international keynote speaker, founder of The Flamingo Advantage®, and recently honored as the 2025 Visionary Coach of the Year by Insider Weekly. My books have earned multiple Book Awards. And I’m still that same woman—boldly living out my God-given purpose in full flamingo color.

Here’s the truth: the world is full of crocs—copycats who blend in—and sharks—those who lead by fear, competition, or aggression. But flamingos? Flamingos stand tall. They gather in supportive communities. They are unashamed of their color. And most importantly, they live aligned with their design.

If you want to lead a business that’s both purposeful and profitable, it’s time to embrace your Flamingo Advantage. Here’s how.

1. Show Up in Full Color

Flamingos don’t ask permission to be pink. They don’t apologize for standing out. How often do you dim your light to fit in with the industry norm?

Bold leadership starts with owning your uniqueness. That includes your personality, your faith, your voice, and your values. Your quirks aren’t liabilities—they’re your edge. When I began including flamingo metaphors into my trainings, some said it was too “out there.” But those same metaphors are now what I’m known for. They’ve opened the door to stages, podcast interviews, and even a billboard in Time Square.

2. Protect Your Purpose

Flamingos often stand on one leg—not because they’re quirky, but to conserve energy and allow them to stay aligned with their design. You too must protect your energy and your purpose.

That means setting boundaries around your time and attention. It means saying no to opportunities that look good but don’t feel aligned. And it means anchoring your business decisions in your core mission, not the marketplace noise.

In my coaching work with successful business owners and event hosts, I see this repeatedly: the more alignement with their divine purpose and mission, the more profit follows—because their message carries conviction, not confusion.

3. Gather with the Right Flock

Flamingos thrive in flocks. And yet, too many entrepreneurs try to do business alone, or worse, they surround themselves with “crocs” who don’t celebrate their differences.

If you’re called to do business differently, you need a community that honors that. That’s why I created the BOLD program—a safe space where leaders can grow without compromising their faith, family or values. Find your people. It changes everything.

4. Bold Is Better Than Big

Success isn’t about being the loudest in the room—it’s about being the clearest in your conviction.

When I began speaking about blending faith and business—in boardrooms, stages, podcasts, even TEDx—I wasn’t the biggest name. But I was bold. That boldness has led to more visibility, trust and clients than any marketing tactic I’ve ever tried.

Bold doesn’t mean brash or obnoxious. It means being brave enough to live intentionally and with integrity.

In a world full of crocs and sharks, your greatest advantage is being a flamingo: uniquely created, fully expressed, and faithfully aligned with your calling.

Be pink. Be purposeful. Be profitable.

And above all, be bold enough to stand in the place only you were created to fill.

Connect With Katie