Title: Business Development Manager, The Americas
Company: Bose Professional
Location: Houston, TX
Overtime: He has a fascination with words, rhyming, and the artistry of hip-hop. He even recorded a couple of tracks in a studio. “Even though the hip-hop career never took off, I still, to this day, have a deep love for the genre, but now I engage with music in a different way, one that’s just as exciting and meaningful,” he said.
Why You Need to Know Him: Xzavia Killikelly is continually discovering ways to harness the impact technology has on people and experiences, assisting individuals in connecting, engaging, and innovating with it. “The mix of creativity, technology, and problem solving makes every project unique,” he said.
Killikelly mentioned that his entry into the industry is not much different from that of many others; it was not a planned career choice but stemmed from his passion for giving back to the community. His cousin owned a live events AV company in San Diego and hosted a free movie night at the Jacobs Center. Killikelly served as the MC for the event and assisted his cousin with setting up and taking down the AV equipment. “That was the first time I really saw the impact technology could have on a community—the way it could bring people together and create joy,” he said.
That experience led him to become a sales manager for live events at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, which he reflected on as a significant moment in his life. “Going from being an inner-city kid to wearing a suit in the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills was surreal,” he said. “It’s hard to put into words what that experience and transition were like, but it was one of the best things that ever happened to me, and I’m grateful for everything I learned there.”
Throughout his journey, he remained curious about the diverse facets of the industry, which led him to work in distribution and integration, and now in business development on the manufacturing side with Bose Professional. “Each move has been a stepping stone, and with each step, I’ve gained new knowledge and skills,” he added.
He hopes to apply these skills in a leadership position one day, which he envisions as his next step within the industry. “I would love the chance to lead, but I’m loving the process of becoming someone who is fit to lead, and I know the chance will come when the time is right,” he said.
Killikelly believes there is always something new to learn in our constantly evolving and advancing industry. He genuinely enjoys learning from and connecting with the individuals he collaborates with across various industries. Plus, he strives to understand what matters to them, their challenges, and seeks ways to help them. “More importantly, I’m always searching for opportunities, especially opportunities to bring people together,” he said.
As a first generation Guyanese-American, one of his proudest opportunities is collaborating with professionals in his home country. This chance arose after he attended an “Economic Development in Guyana" session at a conference. He was amazed to learn about his country’s growth and recognized a need for AV technology in the evolving economy. Since then, he has been working with the moderator of that session on several initiatives there.
“One of the moments I’m most proud of was having the opportunity to speak with local kids at a camp in a village much like the one my father grew up in,” he said. “I encouraged them to dream big because anything is possible; you just have to ask the right questions!”
