This article is a part of our monthly Women Evolve(d): How She Did It Series
Each month we feature inspirational women who are undergoing career reinvention or have made it to the other side. Read about how they did it and take away usable tips from their career journeys! This month, we're featuring Kim Healy, marketing consultant & copywriter.
What is your personal mantra, mission or manifesto?
KH: To connect likeminded individuals who want to celebrate each other and spread positive energy
What inspired you to launch your current career/launch your business?
KH: I've always been passionate about helping people realize their potential and working with them to share it with the world in a way that they are comfortable with and makes them proud. A few years ago I entered the world of interior design and I kept being asked to lunch so people could "pick my brain." We'd talk about their brand and what they were struggling with in their marketing and, for the price of a gourmet chicken salad, they'd walk away with actionable advice or sometimes an entire marketing plan. People started asking if I'd consider opening my own firm, which bolstered my confidence and confirmed that, if I did go for it, I had the client base to draw from.
What is unique about returning/pivoting in midlife? Challenges & opportunities?
KH: I'm so much more confident now than I was when I was younger — and I'm a pretty confident person to begin with. I feel like I had tried enough fields and industries and roles to look up the corporate ladder in an industry I love and say, "I don't want to be any of these people. So what does success look like to me?"
What’s one intention you have for your work in 2020?
KH: To create more high-touch experiences that allow me to share my knowledge while connecting other savvy business owners who can benefit from knowing and supporting one another.
Who’s your “tribe” when it comes to professional inspiration or support?
KH: My mom is a huge source of professional inspiration and support. She and my dad are also entrepreneurs and she raised my sisters and I while helping him start and run their business, so she gets it. As I mentioned, my husband is incredibly supportive and very good at playing devil's advocate, which I tend to really need. I've also been incredibly fortunate to work with some amazing clients who are also mothers and entrepreneurs and our support of each other is what makes this all worthwhile.
Favorite book, app or podcast?
Tough question! I'm a content junkie, so this is always changing. I think I'd have to go with "You Are a Badass" by Jen Sincero. It helped me break through some limiting beliefs (both personally and professionally) early on and I'm really grateful for that. I recommend it all the time!
You’re granted an extra hour in the day, how do you spend it?
KH: If I didn't already workout, I spend it taking a spin class. I also love an epsom salt bath with some easy reading, a practice I was much better about when I was pregnant.
The advice I wish I had given to my 20 year old self is…
KH: The competition isn't as tough as you think it is. You are your own worst critic. Focus on you and how you can be the best version of yourself.
The advice that I want to give to my 75 year old self is...
KH: Keep fit. Mentally, physically, emotionally. They're all tied together, don't let one slip.
Your theme song that played every time you walked in a room would be?
KH: "You're So Cool" by Hans Zimmer. My husband came up with that one for me and once I stopped blushing, I totally embraced it.
Best career advice for other women?
KH: Never say "I don't know" or "that's not my job." You'll find out or you'll connect them with the person who can help. Always be a bridge instead of a roadblock.
When did you feel you got “you” back?
Interestingly enough, I feel like it happened when I became pregnant. I quit my job in February and was finally starting to feel like myself again when I got pregnant later that summer. I spent a lot of time thinking about what kind of mom I wanted to be and it really helped me settle in to the new version of myself that I had been working on for quite awhile. It feels really good to be comfortable in my own skin, I don't see myself ever going back.
What’s up next?
KH: More small group experiences and workshops where I can really dig in on a personal level and help people. If we all share our light with one another, there's no telling what we'll accomplish.
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