We are so excited to have Kim Dodge on our podcast. You will hear her high energy and passion for life as we chat about Life, Leadership, and Legacies! Kim brings energy, enthusiasm, and a people-first mindset to the workplace.
As Brand Development Manager for Brin Glass Company, she specializes in crafting authentic messaging that strengthens connections between brands and their customers.
Beyond her professional role, she serves as a board member for CharitAbleMN, a nonprofit supporting cheer programs, spirit groups, and youth organizations. A proud mom of four, Kim understands the ever-evolving balance of career and family life. Whether she’s cheering on her kids in sports and activities or leading high-performing teams, she approaches every challenge with the same energy, teamwork, and commitment.
A passionate advocate for women in business, Kim believes in mentorship, continuous learning, and fostering a supportive community for working moms and future leaders. She is dedicated to helping women pursue ambitious careers while remaining present for their families.
Social Media Links:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Nonprofit Charitable MN
Transcript
John Simon 0:00
John, welcome to Simon Says, inspire a podcast about life, leadership and building legacies. I'm John Simon, SR
Dina Simon 0:14
and I'm Dina Simon.
John Simon 0:16
Our guest today is Kim Dodge. Kim is Brand Development Manager for Brin Glass Company. She specializes in crafting authentic messaging that strengthens connections between brands and their customers.
Kim 0:29
Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here today.
John Simon 0:32
Well, great. Why don't you take a minute or two, Kim and tell our listening audience a little bit about maybe where you live and what you like to do in your spare time?
Kim 0:41
Yeah, so my name is Kim dodge, as you guys said, I am a mom of four, and when I say four kids, I mean four kids. That's not a mistake. My life is very busy. My husband and I live in the north Metro, Minnesota. So I have two girls and two boys. I have a 13 year old, an eight year old, a five and a four year old, and it's girl, girl, boy, boy, and they are just amazing and keep me incredibly busy. On top of everything else in our life, my husband and I are high school sweethearts. We've been married now for 16 years, so we've been together more of our life than we've been apart, but we have just a blast with our family. So my two oldest are in all star cheerleading, and that keeps us very busy during the kind of summer, fall, winter months. My two youngest are five and four, and they are just starting into kind of sports and activities. They're both in T ball. They're going to be starting T ball here in the next month. And so they are just everything to me, truly. And they keep us, like I said, very busy. And being a mom is my favorite thing in life, in the world, they are the reason why I do everything that I do. And so when I'm not at work, I am doing something with my kids. It's truly never a dull moment. Our schedule is always packed,
Dina Simon 2:02
and will only get busier as they all continue to grow and get older and get involved in more stuff.
Kim 2:08
Exactly. I'm looking forward to, you know, the 13 year old, kind of leading the way, and she'll be driving in a couple years, and that's going to help us as we transition into that, like busy activity thing, where she'll, we'll have one driving eventually here.
John Simon 2:21
So Kim, the other day, I took an opportunity to take a look at the Brin website. And I really like your company core values, where we show up, we bring it, and we do it right, very, very succinct. And I think it's just a great core value to have for your organization?
Kim 2:43
Yeah, our core values are really strategic. So that's something that we've done work on in the last five years to really define who we are and make it simple, simple language, something that everybody can repeat, everybody can understand, and we can make it actionable. And that's one of the things that I love about Bryn, is our clarity around who we are. We're over 112 years old. We're a family of companies. We have a really proud, rich legacy in the glass and glazing industry, and we care about people, and we want to build on that legacy, and so by having really simple core values that we can tie into everyday activities at every level in every layer of our business, it's just unique, and it's one of the things that I love about the work that I get to do is really representing that internally to our teams and externally to our clients. And we hear that actually often, all the time, that people are like, I love your core values. They're simple, and that's what we want. We want them to be actionable. We want them to be livable. We want them to be recitable, so that we can do that in our everyday actions and the way that we show up for each other and for our clients.
John Simon 3:47
And, you know, we all know that words are important, that actions are much more important than the words are. And I would, I'm gonna make an assumption here, that for 112 year old company, you probably have very little turnover.
Kim 4:00
You know, we go through the struggles like anybody else, especially as we're continuing to grow. So like I said, the Brin family of companies is over 112 years old. The oldest company in our family of companies is actually Saint Germain Glass in Duluth, and they were founded in 1891, so they actually precede the Brin family of companies. So we have a really, really long standing legacy across everything that we do. And like any industry, we're changing glass and glazing and construction, I always say, is a little bit behind everybody else, but we are putting in the work to really be future proof and to set up the future. And so we have people that are absolutely super, super tenured. They have built a career at Brin, and we love that, and that's what we want to see more of. But we are all about right people, right seats. And so one of the things that lives within our core values of we show up, we bring it, we do it right, is that we start with bright people in the right seats. And so we're really strategic about that. And, you know, making sure that people live our values. They show up and they're willing to do things the way that we really feel proud of that they are in alignment with who we are as the company. As we continue to grow, we want to be in business for the next 100 years, and that requires a lot of change effort, specifically with just where we are in our world, business is changing. It's been changing for the last decade, and it's going to continue to change. So we're proud of what we've built. We have a lot of people who built careers and retire with us, and we want more.
Dina Simon 5:21
Yeah, that's awesome.
John Simon 5:23
And that that that tenure is so important whenever you're building the corporation. Because the newer people see that whenever they come in and they'll say, Wow, this is, this could be the last job I ever have, because there's a lot of people here with 20 - 30, years experience,
Kim 5:39
yeah, and glass and glazing is so unique. It was something I kind of fell into. And that's kind of the joke with the industry. You fall into it, you get bit with the bug, and you never leave. And I can understand that. It was something I started at Brin almost five years ago now, and it was something I never imagined working in. You know, you don't really think about glass until you're in the industry, but it's everywhere, and it's complex. It's way more in depth than people ever would give it credit for. And so that tenure piece is super, super important, because we have people that just know things because it's so specialized and it's so unique, and you don't see this situation until you see that situation. So we're really about building now that transfer of knowledge too, and getting interest into the industry at a young age, that's another thing, getting more women in construction, more women at glass and glazing. It's such a rich industry. It's been so welcoming to me. It was something that felt really daunting. In my past, I came from petrochemicals and lubricants, and that felt super daunting, and then I came into glass and glazing, I was like, Oh no. But the one thing that I've appreciated about as I've come into the industry is that if I didn't know something, people rally around you and they want to help you understand this, this unique art that they're so proud of that they call work. And so there's so much opportunity to learn and be supported in things you don't know. And it's just been a wonderful industry to come into.
Dina Simon 6:59
Nice, I love that. So Kim, this may surprise you that I'm going to ask this question, but because I know you are young, ambitious, and all the things that you've done so far in your career, and where you're headed, because you'll just continue to do amazing things, but with what you kind of just talked about, so that one of the questions we do like to ask occasionally is, what would you tell your younger self? So with that, with with how you have evolved in your career, and the cool different industries and stuff, what would you Kim tell your younger self?
Kim 7:30
Oh, that's a great question. Be yourself. Be authentic. One of the things early on, I was told in my career, because I was young and ambitious, because I had this drive. It didn't always rub people the right way, and I tried to change who I was to fit the mold of what I thought I needed to be in that scenario, to be in that situation. And it created so much frustration within me, because I wasn't my most authentic self. And once I was able to really lean into who I was and figure out what that what my superpowers are, what makes me great, that helps me be an asset, as you know, somebody on a team, within an organization, and then again, just within myself. That's where the magic happened. And when I was really able to find that and be supported in a culture that understood who I was, and then was able to really bring out the best of me to help the business be better. That was when I found my magic. And so I would tell that, you know, young version of myself, just to keep being new, be authentic and don't give up.
Dina Simon 8:31
Right, easy to say, but a whole lot harder to do.
Kim 8:36
Yes, yeah, it's it's been an interesting ride. And I always say, you know, really the magic for me in my career happened when I became a mom. I became a really young mom. I was 24 when I had my daughter, and it was such a big moment in my life. So I was a first time mom, and I didn't have, at that stage in our life, the ability to stay home. And I have this beautiful little baby girl who was my entire world, and I'm like, I have to leave her to go to work, like, what is this? And it was really them that I shifted in the mindset that, you know, if I'm gonna work, I'm gonna give it my all, I'm gonna show her that when mom went to work, it was with purpose. When mom went to work, it was because she was able to accomplish whatever she put her mind to. And so becoming a mom, when I look back on my life was really the trajectory, and that was that moment in my timeline that set me up for who I am today, because I wanted to be able to look in my children's eyes and show them like, this is what I did while I was away. And it was a complex that I've I've developed, you know, over my life, like I don't feel that same guilt that I did at 25 about being a working mom, but it was something that helped me really establish myself early on, that I have purpose, and it's okay to have purpose, and it's okay to show up for myself and show up for my family and really give it my all, because when I have my kids look at what I've done with my life, they're so proud of me, and they can look at my accomplishments, and know that when mom left, it was with purpose.
Dina Simon 10:03
Yeah, and in I love that, because I feel that that was very similar in my career, knowing that I was going to be working mom like I wanted to make sure the work I was doing was meaningful. And when my daughter saw me go off to work, it was, you know, that she knew that it was meaningful for me to go off and do the work that I was doing, and it was important. And so I love that the because then as you come home, not that you don't have bad days, but when you come home, you're not completely just exhausted. You're not bitching about work, like they see all the amazing things. And as you said, they're so proud of you. And so then they, you know, as as our young generation coming up gets to think of all the cool things that they get to do one day and dream big and know that they'll have your support.
Kim 10:52
Yeah, it's been really fun because they understand the moments that I have to flex and give more at work than I have to give at home. And that was hard for me early on, it was one of those things that as a working mom, you feel immense guilt about I'm missing this event, I'm missing dinner, I'm missing bedtime. I'm putting in 10 days, or, you know, 10 hour days in the office, and I'm missing something. And I really had to work within myself to say that there are days that I'm gonna have to work a 10 hour day, or there are days that I'm gonna miss bedtime. But my kids know that in the moments that matter, I'm going to show up, I'll make it up to them. I'm never going to miss a school concert. I'm never going to miss an opportunity to have lunch with them. I'm going to make it up to them. And they know that if I'm gone, it's with purpose, and it's not because mom doesn't care. It's because mom's doing something that mom loves, and they're excited about that, they're curious, they ask questions. They're invested in what I do, and it's been fun, because as I've grown into this industry that's new and different, in construction and glass and glazing, my girls ask about what I'm doing, and they're very curious about the industry, and want to know what it means. And yeah, to make glass is what my eight year old says, you make glass. I'm like, well, yes, and no. And then my boys, you know, they see my hard hat in the car, and they're like, Can I Can I come with you? Can I put on your construction hat? Can I be a construction worker when I grow up? And so it's fun for them to see other sides of me, outside of mom. Although mom is my most important role, it's the one I love the best. But for them to know that it's I'm a multi faceted person at a very young age, also gets them to think of like, what does that mean for me when I become grown up? So my eight year old is the most ambitious of all of us. She wants to own a candy store. She wants to be a teacher. She wants to be a cheer coach. She wants to also be a parent. She has like, 17 jobs she wants. And I'm like, You go, girl, yeah, she's, she's gonna, she's gonna outpace me.
John Simon 12:38
So Kim, tell us a little bit about how you met Dina at the collective group.
Kim 12:41
So Dina, I am so fortunate to know her, so it was very serendipitous. So last year, we were really where I was at in my career. Was really looking to expand my network of women, coaches, mentors, inspiration beyond kind of the walls of my business. And I'm incredibly fortunate to have a leader who believes in the value of mentorship and the value of networking. It set her up for success in her life, and she knew of the wired collectives and said, You know, I really think you should get involved. And so it was very again, serendipitous, because I met Dina and was connected with all of these incredible, like minded women who are entrepreneurial in spirit, you know, high achievers, really driven women. And it was the first time in my life that I ever felt seen and like understood, and I and I don't mean that in a negative way, it was just as a working mom, as someone who's high achieving who has kind of this really high, high paced go getter mentality. Sometimes you just don't always meet women that are like, get that and understand that. And so I'm so grateful that we met Dina and was connected with her as kind of our cohort leader. And I just have just been inspired ever since she is somebody who has just brought a friendship into my life and challenges me and and just all of the women in our collective group, and so although we haven't known each other, not even, gosh, a whole year, it's just been incredibly satisfying and just gratifying to have women that see me and care about me and support me and understand who I am and what I'm trying to achieve in every area of my life as a person, individually and in my corporate career.
John Simon 14:25
Well, I can say one thing, your energy is contagious.
Dina Simon 14:29
It is, thank you, right? It is, I appreciate that absolutely. Yes, yeah, it is. It's so contagious. And what's so fun, and it's just even kind of an experiment, right? So like we've had in this season on the podcast, we've had a few of our cohort members and with eight women, so there's me plus eight. And what's so interesting, John, is that even that entrepreneurial spirit so some of the women own their own businesses. And then the women that don't own their own businesses that actually work for a corporate company, similar to what Kim is just sharing like she's working for a leader that values, you know, you being a part of this, similar with Mindy. So MyTech supports her being a part of it like and so the organizations that you ladies work for very much lean in and on that support. How do we get you, you know, all the tools that you need to be successful and and you can still have your entrepreneurial spirit that you're bringing to your corporate job on a day to day basis. And so that's really some of the magic amongst all eight women in that room. Is just that entrepreneurial spirit, regardless who's writing the paycheck, and then John, the other super fun part is, so Kim is the youngest and I'm the oldest, so then we've got a lot of people in between, and so generationally, like it's just super fun with it from the decades of perspective and how lovely it is to come together and and you know that we're all sharing our life experiences and and leaning in to support each other.
John Simon 16:06
And I'm sure a lot of them there, a lot of the women in the group, the which you talked about earlier, Kim have battles, between career and family. And I'm sure you share a lot of those ideas with each other to make sure that not only are you doing it, but we're doing it the right way?
Kim 16:23
Yeah, absolutely. Some of them have family. Some of them have kids in college, like Dina was saying, we kind of have all different layers. You know, there's a few that are in kind of the same age stage with me. And then we have, we have collective babies. And so we have some, you know, people that are just having newborn babies in our group too, and are starting out as working mothers, and so I'm so appreciative of it. One of the things early on in my life and in my career as a as a young mom, and then somebody who chose to work my circle in my life at that time, was they gave up their careers to raise their families, which is incredibly admirable, and I love that. But I very much felt alone and on an island, and I didn't really have that mentorship in my life at that time to help guide me through those really pivotal stages. And so it was one of the things that I had to really dig down deep and find within myself. And thankfully, my husband is an incredible champion and cheerleader and supporter of that. He's always been my number one fan in really supporting who I am and what I want to be, and helping to balance out the needs of our family as a couple as a unit, which I think is also to be commended. And I think that's something that like generationally, we're starting to see shifts in, is that he holds as much parenting cards in his deck, as I do and so, and that's how we're both successful, and that's how we've both been able to aspire to greatness in our careers. So really, one of the big things for me is having this parenting deck that my husband and I really workload share when it comes to the kids and just our family accountabilities, which generationally is something that I think is shifting, and it's different as a millennial parents, you know, that's really something that he's been a big champion of, that, you know, let me step in and fill the gaps where I need to, and we do that for each other right now, he has a little more autonomy in his flexibility to work where I need to be more present in person in the business. And so it's really I couldn't be who I am without him, and he couldn't be who he is without me. And it's really cool that as a family, we're able to demonstrate that to our kids as well.
Dina Simon 18:29
Yeah, that's so huge. And you said, so you guys are high school sweethearts. So did you grow up in the area?
Kim 18:36
Yeah, we did. So North Metro kids, we met in middle school and then started dating when we were in high school. I was in college for two years in Tulsa, Oklahoma, so we did long distance for two years, but pretty early on, we always joke we were way too serious as kids, but it set us up for success in life. We just really knew early on that we were each other's it, and we did a lot of the like work that most people do in their 20s, in our teens, and, you know, being apart from each other for two years really proved that we definitely cared about each other and we wanted a future together. And so I graduated from my two year program in 2007 we got engaged that fall. We got married in 2008 and the rest is history.
Dina Simon 19:20
I love it, and with a 13 year old who is beautiful and growing into her, you know, teen years. So how do you feel about being a mom that met her high school like you met your middle school, high school sweetheart, right? You were young. So are you ready for that mama?
Kim 19:35
For sure. I mean, she's very much like us. We always joke she's like, the best and worst parts of both of us, but, yeah, it's, it's kind of crazy to think I was only two years older than she is when I started dating her dad. And so that's a very real reality. She's such a great kid. Everybody always is like, oh, teenager, you're in for it now, but we're really lucky. She's a great, great kid. She's a really dedicated athlete. She works hard at her sports, works really hard at school, and just is all around wonderful to be around. I mean, not every day, most days, but she's just so sweet and kind hearted. And so the teenage years is a new era of parenting for us, but having kind of this age gap and these layers within my kids, it really gives me a different perspective with my youngest, who's four, because I look at my 13 year old and I'm like, I was just holding you like you were just this age. And so living in the duality of like teen and toddler is really wild, but it's really sweet. And she always jokes that I baby the baby too much, but I'm like, I really soak up all of those moments with him, because I just know I'm gonna blink and he's gonna be as big as she is.
Dina Simon 20:45
Yes, it happens fast, doesn't it? Yes. So tell us about the nonprofit that you sit on the board, because I know that you're also recruiting board members. So we could give a shout out when we post the podcast about that. Yes.
Speaker 1 20:58
So I am a board member for CharitableMN, they really started as a couple moms who really wanted to make cheerleading accessible and affordable to families in our community, and so they really invested in how do we take care of the people in our community? And they do that through charitable gambling. And really have built this incredible organization from an idea that two moms had. CharitableMN, I found out about them because my daughters go to Amp Athletics in Coon Rapids, which is basically birthed. It was birthed from CharitableMN, they decided to spin it up and create an actual All Star cheerleading gym from their nonprofit. And so that's how I was introduced to them. And they save families tons of money every year, but giving them access to high quality All Star cheerleading. And so it was something that impacted my life, very obviously. A couple years ago, my daughter's now in her fourth season, our third season, fourth. I don't even remember time flies, but hearing about their mission, it just really resonated with me, and it was something that I wanted to be able to give back of my time and my talent, and they've just been a wonderful community of women, and we're looking to do more. So outside of cheerleading, they want to be able to support youth in our community too, and other sports. So whether that's, you know, Special Olympics or, you know, clinics for anything that we really want to be able to fund the majority of it for the families and make it super affordable, so that kids have the opportunity for equal accessibility to high quality sports. And that started through cheerleading, but we have many different offshoots. So we're looking for board members. We're looking for just even people to join committees and just be part of what we're trying to do. And so the website will have, I think, leaked here in the podcast, and I'd love to chat with anybody who's interested, because it's a mission that is so worthy, and we just need more people to kind of help us grow and scale to the next years of what they want, CharitableMN to be.
Kim 21:10
And when you say charitable giving, that's like the pull tabs, right?
Yeah. So tabs Bingo is another way that we do so they have locations in the north Metro that essentially fund the what we're trying to do our mission. So,
Speaker 1 23:09
yeah, John, do you guys in Texas have pull tabs?
John Simon 23:13
No.
Dina Simon 23:13
You know what they are from being up here,
John Simon 23:15
yeah, yeah, but we don't have any of them here.
Dina Simon 23:19
Yeah, it's crazy the amount of money that they make. So with the nonprofit, there's probably a few places in town that have, they're just, you know, that that's when you go get pull tabs. You give 50 bucks to get pull tabs, and at, you know, the local bar, restaurant and and just the dollars that are associated with that. It's such an awesome it's an awesome setup. I know a lot of organizations that have benefited from that, so that it's just great that they were able to figure that out, and then the business plan, and, as you said, just making high quality sports accessible to children that might not otherwise get that.
Kim 23:53
Yeah, it was something that when we started Emma in cheerleading, it was, by far, we were saving two, $300 compared to somebody else in the you know, equivalent, but giving her all the ability to shine and grow and learn. And so it was something that I wouldn't have been able to invest in her had they not invested in that program. And so it wasn't. It was a no brainer for me to be able to be part of their their board and their mission and help them in what they're doing, because it makes an impact. It's made an impact in my life, nice
John Simon 24:23
Well, and the dedication that those young ladies have that are involved in in the chairs and all that is second to none also.
Kim 24:32
Cheerleading is such a misunderstood sport. It is something I did, like sideline high school cheerleading and watching the athleticism of my daughters who are involved. So my 13 year old, again, it's it takes everything from everything that they have to come to every single practice and give it their all. There's a mental toughness to it. There is a strength component to it that is really undervalued. And it's not a bench sport, so they have to have 100% team participation in order to be successful. If someone doesn't come to practice, they can't practice. So it teaches them really high levels of accountability and leadership. And I've just loved to see as my daughter has gone through the pre teen years and now as a teenager, by her being in cheerleading, it's also helped us to have conversations around like, how does it set her up for success in life, and why does it matter when you show up and when you give everything? And, you know, I always say, like, if I came to work and I didn't want to give my all, like, that's going to be shown and that's going to be known, and it's going to hold us back the same way that if your team member doesn't do their part, you know, then the whole stump falls. And so that's it's it's really allowed us to have great future life conversations around something that she's passionate about and she enjoys and she loves.
John Simon 25:44
Yeah and you know, so many times you can be involved in a sport, but that's truly a team sport.
Kim 25:50
Yes, yeah, it really is. It requires everybody to be on the same page and and you're throwing girls up in the air, and so they have to have massive amounts of trust in people that they're working with. And so it's, it's a sport that I love and I'm passionate about because I enjoy it, but what I what it's able to instill in my kids, is second to none. And so it's, it's my favorite thing. I'm, I am that to your mom, I'm the one that's like, super loud and excited every competition. My daughter's like, can you not, right? And I I'm always like, I'm just so proud of you. And I said I could not cheer, and that would probably make you feel worse, right?
Dina Simon 26:28
Exactly. Then she thinks, what's going on? Mom's mom's being pretty quiet. There must be something going on, exactly. Oh my gosh, that's awesome. So I love the two girls and the two boys. And so do the girls? Do they mother the boys?
Kim 26:42
Yes, they do. I think bossing around is a better way to say it. You know, they definitely it's it's funny, because my oldest is five years older than her sister, so she she basically my husband. I joke she's an only child. Essentially, she had all of the tendencies of an only child, and then the rest fall in birth order, you know. So like, number two follows number one and so on. But it's just, they're such a blessing. So it's, you know, my fourth was a total surprise. We were not planning to have any more kids after my third. And, yeah, that's a whole different story for another day. But four is, it's quite a blessing. And I'm really glad my boys have each other, because they are truly the best, best of friends. They don't know what to do without the other. They're side by side, hip by hip. And kindergarten, my five year olds going into kindergarten in the fall, and so that's going to be an interesting dynamic shift, because they've never been apart, but they definitely try to mother their brothers, but it's more bossing around than.
Dina Simon 27:39
Yeah, because the two you said, are five and four, so they're super close in age.
Kim 27:43
Yeah, they're 14 months apart. So we did the two under two during COVID, during massive career change. That was when I had just left and started at my current organization, and then found out I was pregnant. And when I found out I was pregnant, I was already over six months pregnant. So that's that was quite the shift in life. Oh yeah, not only were we going through COVID, my husband was finishing his last year of his college degree, and then we found out we were gonna have another baby and we were gonna have another baby really soon. So we went from one kid to four kids in about three and a half years. Has been wild ride all while. Like I said, my husband was in the process of completing his college degree. We were both working at new corporations. We both left our long tenured companies for new jobs and trying to figure it out on top of COVID. And my oldest at that time was in elementary school, so she was doing remote learning and at second grade level, and it was just chaos in our life. So now, I mean, with four, even though it's chaotic, it's not that level of chaos.
Dina Simon 28:46
Right? Exactly. It's it's mess. It's balanced out a little bit. Yeah, if we can make it through that, we can make it through anything. Yes, yes, I love it. So we talk about life, leadership and building legacies, and so we've talked you know, about your life, about a lot, about your current company, and just leadership, and what you would tell your younger self. So the legacy piece. So we talk about legacy not as something that you know you do. We talk about when somebody's gone as to what you're doing on a day to day basis, living out your legacy. And so much of obviously, what we've talked about is you living out that legacy, being a working mom, being an example for your children, being an example for other working mothers, you're passionate about helping other working moms navigate through things. Is there anything else that you know that from a legacy perspective, that maybe pops up in your mind about what you feel about legacy and what you're doing in your life?
Kim 29:39
Yeah, legacy is so important. So one of one of the parts of my story is I lost my mom really young. I'm the youngest of five. I lost my mom when I was 26 years old, very suddenly, and it completely shifted my mentality in life. So not only were they going through this, you know, who do I want to be? I'm this working mom. I need to have purpose. And then now I'll. Still lost my mom at a really young age, and so all of those things kind of happening within, you know, 18 months of each other were super pivotal in who I was, and really helped define myself at 26 you think, oh my gosh, I'm gonna have so much more time with my parents. And my mom was really young. She was only 65 when she passed. And so at that time, not only was I building who I wanted to be for my children, I also was acutely aware of the just limited amount of time you have in life, but you always think you're going to have more time, and that's a blessing if you do, but it's not a guarantee. So at that point in time, I really made a decision to just live every day to the fullest and really truly invest in the relationships that matter and give everything to what I have within my wheelhouse to give. And so whether that's showing up for family, friends, whatever my circle, I keep small because I'm busy in life, and as you grow, you get a smaller circle, but it's so much more intentional, and I love that. But we always figure out. My husband, I always say, if it matters, we're gonna figure it out. If it's a moment that matters, if it's someone that matters, we're gonna figure out how to show up for that person. And we've tried to instill that in our kids and in our family, and then everything that we do that we're gonna give 110% to the things we love, the people we love, the things that matter, because we don't know what tomorrow holds. And as much as we would love to think like we're all gonna have this really long life, and I hope that's the case, we're not guaranteed that, and so I don't ever want to look back at my life and wish I would have done something different, given something different, showed up differently, not been afraid to do something and just take the risk and take the chances, because life is too short to do it any other way. And so that's one thing that I really hope is part of my legacy, and what I try to do, whether I show up in my life and my career as a person, it's one of the things that I know forever changed, and molded my trajectory, because it's something I look back on, and I'm like, gosh, I just wish I would have had more time, you know. And we're, I don't, we're always gonna think that, regardless of where life brings us. But I know that every day I can look and be like, I gave my best today. I gave everything I had to give today.
Dina Simon 32:19
Well, your mother is very proud of you for that being part of the lesson and that loss, right? Because life is short, and so for you to pour in to the people, and if it matters and love that, your husband leans in with that as well. But so, but somebody in one of your small circles, I know that to be true, so I love, I love that that is what you shared in that conversation. Thank you. So anything else that you wanted our podcast listeners to know about you?
Kim 32:46
Oh my gosh, there's so much, so much, right? No, I just really appreciate the opportunity to come on here and share today, John and Dina, you've been just wonderful. And thank you for giving a chance to tell my story, and I appreciate the important conversations that we're having and shining light on just all of these wonderful people that come into our lives and the impact that they have. So thank you so much for having me.
Dina Simon 33:10
Well, you're welcome and John, wouldn't it be nice to just bottle up that energy?
John Simon 33:13
Wow, that's what I was just thinking. Because people that listen to this year, hopefully they will pick up on your energy, and it'll be important to them also, yeah, well,
Kim 33:22
thank you. Sometimes I, you know, like I said, I've been told I'm too much, but you know what? It serves me, well,
Dina Simon 33:28
You're not too much. You're perfect. You. Thank you.
Yeah, well, thank you so much. It's been an awesome conversation.
Kim 33:35
Yeah, I appreciate both of you.
John Simon 33:37
Thanks Kim.
Kim 33:38
Yeah, thank you guys.
Dina Simon 33:41
Kim is the brand development manager for Brin Glass Company. She also serves on the board for CharitableMN, and in the notes, we will make sure you know how to get in touch with her if you would like a conversation, because they're expanding their board and have an opportunity to get engaged, not just as a board member, but join committees and are doing really important work, and want to make sure we share that shout out. As always, I thank my father in law, John Simon, for being my co host, and our podcast is a member of the C suite radio, and until we talk again.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
John, welcome to Simon Says, inspire a podcast about life, leadership and building legacies. I'm John Simon, SR
Dina Simon 0:14
and I'm Dina Simon.
John Simon 0:16
Our guest today is Kim Dodge. Kim is Brand Development Manager for Brin Glass Company. She specializes in crafting authentic messaging that strengthens connections between brands and their customers.
Kim 0:29
Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here today.
John Simon 0:32
Well, great. Why don't you take a minute or two, Kim and tell our listening audience a little bit about maybe where you live and what you like to do in your spare time?
Kim 0:41
Yeah, so my name is Kim dodge, as you guys said, I am a mom of four, and when I say four kids, I mean four kids. That's not a mistake. My life is very busy. My husband and I live in the north Metro, Minnesota. So I have two girls and two boys. I have a 13 year old, an eight year old, a five and a four year old, and it's girl, girl, boy, boy, and they are just amazing and keep me incredibly busy. On top of everything else in our life, my husband and I are high school sweethearts. We've been married now for 16 years, so we've been together more of our life than we've been apart, but we have just a blast with our family. So my two oldest are in all star cheerleading, and that keeps us very busy during the kind of summer, fall, winter months. My two youngest are five and four, and they are just starting into kind of sports and activities. They're both in T ball. They're going to be starting T ball here in the next month. And so they are just everything to me, truly. And they keep us, like I said, very busy. And being a mom is my favorite thing in life, in the world, they are the reason why I do everything that I do. And so when I'm not at work, I am doing something with my kids. It's truly never a dull moment. Our schedule is always packed,
Dina Simon 2:02
and will only get busier as they all continue to grow and get older and get involved in more stuff.
Kim 2:08
Exactly. I'm looking forward to, you know, the 13 year old, kind of leading the way, and she'll be driving in a couple years, and that's going to help us as we transition into that, like busy activity thing, where she'll, we'll have one driving eventually here.
John Simon 2:21
So Kim, the other day, I took an opportunity to take a look at the Brin website. And I really like your company core values, where we show up, we bring it, and we do it right, very, very succinct. And I think it's just a great core value to have for your organization?
Kim 2:43
Yeah, our core values are really strategic. So that's something that we've done work on in the last five years to really define who we are and make it simple, simple language, something that everybody can repeat, everybody can understand, and we can make it actionable. And that's one of the things that I love about Bryn, is our clarity around who we are. We're over 112 years old. We're a family of companies. We have a really proud, rich legacy in the glass and glazing industry, and we care about people, and we want to build on that legacy, and so by having really simple core values that we can tie into everyday activities at every level in every layer of our business, it's just unique, and it's one of the things that I love about the work that I get to do is really representing that internally to our teams and externally to our clients. And we hear that actually often, all the time, that people are like, I love your core values. They're simple, and that's what we want. We want them to be actionable. We want them to be livable. We want them to be recitable, so that we can do that in our everyday actions and the way that we show up for each other and for our clients.
John Simon 3:47
And, you know, we all know that words are important, that actions are much more important than the words are. And I would, I'm gonna make an assumption here, that for 112 year old company, you probably have very little turnover.
Kim 4:00
You know, we go through the struggles like anybody else, especially as we're continuing to grow. So like I said, the Brin family of companies is over 112 years old. The oldest company in our family of companies is actually Saint Germain Glass in Duluth, and they were founded in 1891, so they actually precede the Brin family of companies. So we have a really, really long standing legacy across everything that we do. And like any industry, we're changing glass and glazing and construction, I always say, is a little bit behind everybody else, but we are putting in the work to really be future proof and to set up the future. And so we have people that are absolutely super, super tenured. They have built a career at Brin, and we love that, and that's what we want to see more of. But we are all about right people, right seats. And so one of the things that lives within our core values of we show up, we bring it, we do it right, is that we start with bright people in the right seats. And so we're really strategic about that. And, you know, making sure that people live our values. They show up and they're willing to do things the way that we really feel proud of that they are in alignment with who we are as the company. As we continue to grow, we want to be in business for the next 100 years, and that requires a lot of change effort, specifically with just where we are in our world, business is changing. It's been changing for the last decade, and it's going to continue to change. So we're proud of what we've built. We have a lot of people who built careers and retire with us, and we want more.
Dina Simon 5:21
Yeah, that's awesome.
John Simon 5:23
And that that that tenure is so important whenever you're building the corporation. Because the newer people see that whenever they come in and they'll say, Wow, this is, this could be the last job I ever have, because there's a lot of people here with 20 - 30, years experience,
Kim 5:39
yeah, and glass and glazing is so unique. It was something I kind of fell into. And that's kind of the joke with the industry. You fall into it, you get bit with the bug, and you never leave. And I can understand that. It was something I started at Brin almost five years ago now, and it was something I never imagined working in. You know, you don't really think about glass until you're in the industry, but it's everywhere, and it's complex. It's way more in depth than people ever would give it credit for. And so that tenure piece is super, super important, because we have people that just know things because it's so specialized and it's so unique, and you don't see this situation until you see that situation. So we're really about building now that transfer of knowledge too, and getting interest into the industry at a young age, that's another thing, getting more women in construction, more women at glass and glazing. It's such a rich industry. It's been so welcoming to me. It was something that felt really daunting. In my past, I came from petrochemicals and lubricants, and that felt super daunting, and then I came into glass and glazing, I was like, Oh no. But the one thing that I've appreciated about as I've come into the industry is that if I didn't know something, people rally around you and they want to help you understand this, this unique art that they're so proud of that they call work. And so there's so much opportunity to learn and be supported in things you don't know. And it's just been a wonderful industry to come into.
Dina Simon 6:59
Nice, I love that. So Kim, this may surprise you that I'm going to ask this question, but because I know you are young, ambitious, and all the things that you've done so far in your career, and where you're headed, because you'll just continue to do amazing things, but with what you kind of just talked about, so that one of the questions we do like to ask occasionally is, what would you tell your younger self? So with that, with with how you have evolved in your career, and the cool different industries and stuff, what would you Kim tell your younger self?
Kim 7:30
Oh, that's a great question. Be yourself. Be authentic. One of the things early on, I was told in my career, because I was young and ambitious, because I had this drive. It didn't always rub people the right way, and I tried to change who I was to fit the mold of what I thought I needed to be in that scenario, to be in that situation. And it created so much frustration within me, because I wasn't my most authentic self. And once I was able to really lean into who I was and figure out what that what my superpowers are, what makes me great, that helps me be an asset, as you know, somebody on a team, within an organization, and then again, just within myself. That's where the magic happened. And when I was really able to find that and be supported in a culture that understood who I was, and then was able to really bring out the best of me to help the business be better. That was when I found my magic. And so I would tell that, you know, young version of myself, just to keep being new, be authentic and don't give up.
Dina Simon 8:31
Right, easy to say, but a whole lot harder to do.
Kim 8:36
Yes, yeah, it's it's been an interesting ride. And I always say, you know, really the magic for me in my career happened when I became a mom. I became a really young mom. I was 24 when I had my daughter, and it was such a big moment in my life. So I was a first time mom, and I didn't have, at that stage in our life, the ability to stay home. And I have this beautiful little baby girl who was my entire world, and I'm like, I have to leave her to go to work, like, what is this? And it was really them that I shifted in the mindset that, you know, if I'm gonna work, I'm gonna give it my all, I'm gonna show her that when mom went to work, it was with purpose. When mom went to work, it was because she was able to accomplish whatever she put her mind to. And so becoming a mom, when I look back on my life was really the trajectory, and that was that moment in my timeline that set me up for who I am today, because I wanted to be able to look in my children's eyes and show them like, this is what I did while I was away. And it was a complex that I've I've developed, you know, over my life, like I don't feel that same guilt that I did at 25 about being a working mom, but it was something that helped me really establish myself early on, that I have purpose, and it's okay to have purpose, and it's okay to show up for myself and show up for my family and really give it my all, because when I have my kids look at what I've done with my life, they're so proud of me, and they can look at my accomplishments, and know that when mom left, it was with purpose.
Dina Simon 10:03
Yeah, and in I love that, because I feel that that was very similar in my career, knowing that I was going to be working mom like I wanted to make sure the work I was doing was meaningful. And when my daughter saw me go off to work, it was, you know, that she knew that it was meaningful for me to go off and do the work that I was doing, and it was important. And so I love that the because then as you come home, not that you don't have bad days, but when you come home, you're not completely just exhausted. You're not bitching about work, like they see all the amazing things. And as you said, they're so proud of you. And so then they, you know, as as our young generation coming up gets to think of all the cool things that they get to do one day and dream big and know that they'll have your support.
Kim 10:52
Yeah, it's been really fun because they understand the moments that I have to flex and give more at work than I have to give at home. And that was hard for me early on, it was one of those things that as a working mom, you feel immense guilt about I'm missing this event, I'm missing dinner, I'm missing bedtime. I'm putting in 10 days, or, you know, 10 hour days in the office, and I'm missing something. And I really had to work within myself to say that there are days that I'm gonna have to work a 10 hour day, or there are days that I'm gonna miss bedtime. But my kids know that in the moments that matter, I'm going to show up, I'll make it up to them. I'm never going to miss a school concert. I'm never going to miss an opportunity to have lunch with them. I'm going to make it up to them. And they know that if I'm gone, it's with purpose, and it's not because mom doesn't care. It's because mom's doing something that mom loves, and they're excited about that, they're curious, they ask questions. They're invested in what I do, and it's been fun, because as I've grown into this industry that's new and different, in construction and glass and glazing, my girls ask about what I'm doing, and they're very curious about the industry, and want to know what it means. And yeah, to make glass is what my eight year old says, you make glass. I'm like, well, yes, and no. And then my boys, you know, they see my hard hat in the car, and they're like, Can I Can I come with you? Can I put on your construction hat? Can I be a construction worker when I grow up? And so it's fun for them to see other sides of me, outside of mom. Although mom is my most important role, it's the one I love the best. But for them to know that it's I'm a multi faceted person at a very young age, also gets them to think of like, what does that mean for me when I become grown up? So my eight year old is the most ambitious of all of us. She wants to own a candy store. She wants to be a teacher. She wants to be a cheer coach. She wants to also be a parent. She has like, 17 jobs she wants. And I'm like, You go, girl, yeah, she's, she's gonna, she's gonna outpace me.
John Simon 12:38
So Kim, tell us a little bit about how you met Dina at the collective group.
Kim 12:41
So Dina, I am so fortunate to know her, so it was very serendipitous. So last year, we were really where I was at in my career. Was really looking to expand my network of women, coaches, mentors, inspiration beyond kind of the walls of my business. And I'm incredibly fortunate to have a leader who believes in the value of mentorship and the value of networking. It set her up for success in her life, and she knew of the wired collectives and said, You know, I really think you should get involved. And so it was very again, serendipitous, because I met Dina and was connected with all of these incredible, like minded women who are entrepreneurial in spirit, you know, high achievers, really driven women. And it was the first time in my life that I ever felt seen and like understood, and I and I don't mean that in a negative way, it was just as a working mom, as someone who's high achieving who has kind of this really high, high paced go getter mentality. Sometimes you just don't always meet women that are like, get that and understand that. And so I'm so grateful that we met Dina and was connected with her as kind of our cohort leader. And I just have just been inspired ever since she is somebody who has just brought a friendship into my life and challenges me and and just all of the women in our collective group, and so although we haven't known each other, not even, gosh, a whole year, it's just been incredibly satisfying and just gratifying to have women that see me and care about me and support me and understand who I am and what I'm trying to achieve in every area of my life as a person, individually and in my corporate career.
John Simon 14:25
Well, I can say one thing, your energy is contagious.
Dina Simon 14:29
It is, thank you, right? It is, I appreciate that absolutely. Yes, yeah, it is. It's so contagious. And what's so fun, and it's just even kind of an experiment, right? So like we've had in this season on the podcast, we've had a few of our cohort members and with eight women, so there's me plus eight. And what's so interesting, John, is that even that entrepreneurial spirit so some of the women own their own businesses. And then the women that don't own their own businesses that actually work for a corporate company, similar to what Kim is just sharing like she's working for a leader that values, you know, you being a part of this, similar with Mindy. So MyTech supports her being a part of it like and so the organizations that you ladies work for very much lean in and on that support. How do we get you, you know, all the tools that you need to be successful and and you can still have your entrepreneurial spirit that you're bringing to your corporate job on a day to day basis. And so that's really some of the magic amongst all eight women in that room. Is just that entrepreneurial spirit, regardless who's writing the paycheck, and then John, the other super fun part is, so Kim is the youngest and I'm the oldest, so then we've got a lot of people in between, and so generationally, like it's just super fun with it from the decades of perspective and how lovely it is to come together and and you know that we're all sharing our life experiences and and leaning in to support each other.
John Simon 16:06
And I'm sure a lot of them there, a lot of the women in the group, the which you talked about earlier, Kim have battles, between career and family. And I'm sure you share a lot of those ideas with each other to make sure that not only are you doing it, but we're doing it the right way?
Kim 16:23
Yeah, absolutely. Some of them have family. Some of them have kids in college, like Dina was saying, we kind of have all different layers. You know, there's a few that are in kind of the same age stage with me. And then we have, we have collective babies. And so we have some, you know, people that are just having newborn babies in our group too, and are starting out as working mothers, and so I'm so appreciative of it. One of the things early on in my life and in my career as a as a young mom, and then somebody who chose to work my circle in my life at that time, was they gave up their careers to raise their families, which is incredibly admirable, and I love that. But I very much felt alone and on an island, and I didn't really have that mentorship in my life at that time to help guide me through those really pivotal stages. And so it was one of the things that I had to really dig down deep and find within myself. And thankfully, my husband is an incredible champion and cheerleader and supporter of that. He's always been my number one fan in really supporting who I am and what I want to be, and helping to balance out the needs of our family as a couple as a unit, which I think is also to be commended. And I think that's something that like generationally, we're starting to see shifts in, is that he holds as much parenting cards in his deck, as I do and so, and that's how we're both successful, and that's how we've both been able to aspire to greatness in our careers. So really, one of the big things for me is having this parenting deck that my husband and I really workload share when it comes to the kids and just our family accountabilities, which generationally is something that I think is shifting, and it's different as a millennial parents, you know, that's really something that he's been a big champion of, that, you know, let me step in and fill the gaps where I need to, and we do that for each other right now, he has a little more autonomy in his flexibility to work where I need to be more present in person in the business. And so it's really I couldn't be who I am without him, and he couldn't be who he is without me. And it's really cool that as a family, we're able to demonstrate that to our kids as well.
Dina Simon 18:29
Yeah, that's so huge. And you said, so you guys are high school sweethearts. So did you grow up in the area?
Kim 18:36
Yeah, we did. So North Metro kids, we met in middle school and then started dating when we were in high school. I was in college for two years in Tulsa, Oklahoma, so we did long distance for two years, but pretty early on, we always joke we were way too serious as kids, but it set us up for success in life. We just really knew early on that we were each other's it, and we did a lot of the like work that most people do in their 20s, in our teens, and, you know, being apart from each other for two years really proved that we definitely cared about each other and we wanted a future together. And so I graduated from my two year program in 2007 we got engaged that fall. We got married in 2008 and the rest is history.
Dina Simon 19:20
I love it, and with a 13 year old who is beautiful and growing into her, you know, teen years. So how do you feel about being a mom that met her high school like you met your middle school, high school sweetheart, right? You were young. So are you ready for that mama?
Kim 19:35
For sure. I mean, she's very much like us. We always joke she's like, the best and worst parts of both of us, but, yeah, it's, it's kind of crazy to think I was only two years older than she is when I started dating her dad. And so that's a very real reality. She's such a great kid. Everybody always is like, oh, teenager, you're in for it now, but we're really lucky. She's a great, great kid. She's a really dedicated athlete. She works hard at her sports, works really hard at school, and just is all around wonderful to be around. I mean, not every day, most days, but she's just so sweet and kind hearted. And so the teenage years is a new era of parenting for us, but having kind of this age gap and these layers within my kids, it really gives me a different perspective with my youngest, who's four, because I look at my 13 year old and I'm like, I was just holding you like you were just this age. And so living in the duality of like teen and toddler is really wild, but it's really sweet. And she always jokes that I baby the baby too much, but I'm like, I really soak up all of those moments with him, because I just know I'm gonna blink and he's gonna be as big as she is.
Dina Simon 20:45
Yes, it happens fast, doesn't it? Yes. So tell us about the nonprofit that you sit on the board, because I know that you're also recruiting board members. So we could give a shout out when we post the podcast about that. Yes.
Speaker 1 20:58
So I am a board member for CharitableMN, they really started as a couple moms who really wanted to make cheerleading accessible and affordable to families in our community, and so they really invested in how do we take care of the people in our community? And they do that through charitable gambling. And really have built this incredible organization from an idea that two moms had. CharitableMN, I found out about them because my daughters go to Amp Athletics in Coon Rapids, which is basically birthed. It was birthed from CharitableMN, they decided to spin it up and create an actual All Star cheerleading gym from their nonprofit. And so that's how I was introduced to them. And they save families tons of money every year, but giving them access to high quality All Star cheerleading. And so it was something that impacted my life, very obviously. A couple years ago, my daughter's now in her fourth season, our third season, fourth. I don't even remember time flies, but hearing about their mission, it just really resonated with me, and it was something that I wanted to be able to give back of my time and my talent, and they've just been a wonderful community of women, and we're looking to do more. So outside of cheerleading, they want to be able to support youth in our community too, and other sports. So whether that's, you know, Special Olympics or, you know, clinics for anything that we really want to be able to fund the majority of it for the families and make it super affordable, so that kids have the opportunity for equal accessibility to high quality sports. And that started through cheerleading, but we have many different offshoots. So we're looking for board members. We're looking for just even people to join committees and just be part of what we're trying to do. And so the website will have, I think, leaked here in the podcast, and I'd love to chat with anybody who's interested, because it's a mission that is so worthy, and we just need more people to kind of help us grow and scale to the next years of what they want, CharitableMN to be.
Kim 21:10
And when you say charitable giving, that's like the pull tabs, right?
Yeah. So tabs Bingo is another way that we do so they have locations in the north Metro that essentially fund the what we're trying to do our mission. So,
Speaker 1 23:09
yeah, John, do you guys in Texas have pull tabs?
John Simon 23:13
No.
Dina Simon 23:13
You know what they are from being up here,
John Simon 23:15
yeah, yeah, but we don't have any of them here.
Dina Simon 23:19
Yeah, it's crazy the amount of money that they make. So with the nonprofit, there's probably a few places in town that have, they're just, you know, that that's when you go get pull tabs. You give 50 bucks to get pull tabs, and at, you know, the local bar, restaurant and and just the dollars that are associated with that. It's such an awesome it's an awesome setup. I know a lot of organizations that have benefited from that, so that it's just great that they were able to figure that out, and then the business plan, and, as you said, just making high quality sports accessible to children that might not otherwise get that.
Kim 23:53
Yeah, it was something that when we started Emma in cheerleading, it was, by far, we were saving two, $300 compared to somebody else in the you know, equivalent, but giving her all the ability to shine and grow and learn. And so it was something that I wouldn't have been able to invest in her had they not invested in that program. And so it wasn't. It was a no brainer for me to be able to be part of their their board and their mission and help them in what they're doing, because it makes an impact. It's made an impact in my life, nice
John Simon 24:23
Well, and the dedication that those young ladies have that are involved in in the chairs and all that is second to none also.
Kim 24:32
Cheerleading is such a misunderstood sport. It is something I did, like sideline high school cheerleading and watching the athleticism of my daughters who are involved. So my 13 year old, again, it's it takes everything from everything that they have to come to every single practice and give it their all. There's a mental toughness to it. There is a strength component to it that is really undervalued. And it's not a bench sport, so they have to have 100% team participation in order to be successful. If someone doesn't come to practice, they can't practice. So it teaches them really high levels of accountability and leadership. And I've just loved to see as my daughter has gone through the pre teen years and now as a teenager, by her being in cheerleading, it's also helped us to have conversations around like, how does it set her up for success in life, and why does it matter when you show up and when you give everything? And, you know, I always say, like, if I came to work and I didn't want to give my all, like, that's going to be shown and that's going to be known, and it's going to hold us back the same way that if your team member doesn't do their part, you know, then the whole stump falls. And so that's it's it's really allowed us to have great future life conversations around something that she's passionate about and she enjoys and she loves.
John Simon 25:44
Yeah and you know, so many times you can be involved in a sport, but that's truly a team sport.
Kim 25:50
Yes, yeah, it really is. It requires everybody to be on the same page and and you're throwing girls up in the air, and so they have to have massive amounts of trust in people that they're working with. And so it's, it's a sport that I love and I'm passionate about because I enjoy it, but what I what it's able to instill in my kids, is second to none. And so it's, it's my favorite thing. I'm, I am that to your mom, I'm the one that's like, super loud and excited every competition. My daughter's like, can you not, right? And I I'm always like, I'm just so proud of you. And I said I could not cheer, and that would probably make you feel worse, right?
Dina Simon 26:28
Exactly. Then she thinks, what's going on? Mom's mom's being pretty quiet. There must be something going on, exactly. Oh my gosh, that's awesome. So I love the two girls and the two boys. And so do the girls? Do they mother the boys?
Kim 26:42
Yes, they do. I think bossing around is a better way to say it. You know, they definitely it's it's funny, because my oldest is five years older than her sister, so she she basically my husband. I joke she's an only child. Essentially, she had all of the tendencies of an only child, and then the rest fall in birth order, you know. So like, number two follows number one and so on. But it's just, they're such a blessing. So it's, you know, my fourth was a total surprise. We were not planning to have any more kids after my third. And, yeah, that's a whole different story for another day. But four is, it's quite a blessing. And I'm really glad my boys have each other, because they are truly the best, best of friends. They don't know what to do without the other. They're side by side, hip by hip. And kindergarten, my five year olds going into kindergarten in the fall, and so that's going to be an interesting dynamic shift, because they've never been apart, but they definitely try to mother their brothers, but it's more bossing around than.
Dina Simon 27:39
Yeah, because the two you said, are five and four, so they're super close in age.
Kim 27:43
Yeah, they're 14 months apart. So we did the two under two during COVID, during massive career change. That was when I had just left and started at my current organization, and then found out I was pregnant. And when I found out I was pregnant, I was already over six months pregnant. So that's that was quite the shift in life. Oh yeah, not only were we going through COVID, my husband was finishing his last year of his college degree, and then we found out we were gonna have another baby and we were gonna have another baby really soon. So we went from one kid to four kids in about three and a half years. Has been wild ride all while. Like I said, my husband was in the process of completing his college degree. We were both working at new corporations. We both left our long tenured companies for new jobs and trying to figure it out on top of COVID. And my oldest at that time was in elementary school, so she was doing remote learning and at second grade level, and it was just chaos in our life. So now, I mean, with four, even though it's chaotic, it's not that level of chaos.
Dina Simon 28:46
Right? Exactly. It's it's mess. It's balanced out a little bit. Yeah, if we can make it through that, we can make it through anything. Yes, yes, I love it. So we talk about life, leadership and building legacies, and so we've talked you know, about your life, about a lot, about your current company, and just leadership, and what you would tell your younger self. So the legacy piece. So we talk about legacy not as something that you know you do. We talk about when somebody's gone as to what you're doing on a day to day basis, living out your legacy. And so much of obviously, what we've talked about is you living out that legacy, being a working mom, being an example for your children, being an example for other working mothers, you're passionate about helping other working moms navigate through things. Is there anything else that you know that from a legacy perspective, that maybe pops up in your mind about what you feel about legacy and what you're doing in your life?
Kim 29:39
Yeah, legacy is so important. So one of one of the parts of my story is I lost my mom really young. I'm the youngest of five. I lost my mom when I was 26 years old, very suddenly, and it completely shifted my mentality in life. So not only were they going through this, you know, who do I want to be? I'm this working mom. I need to have purpose. And then now I'll. Still lost my mom at a really young age, and so all of those things kind of happening within, you know, 18 months of each other were super pivotal in who I was, and really helped define myself at 26 you think, oh my gosh, I'm gonna have so much more time with my parents. And my mom was really young. She was only 65 when she passed. And so at that time, not only was I building who I wanted to be for my children, I also was acutely aware of the just limited amount of time you have in life, but you always think you're going to have more time, and that's a blessing if you do, but it's not a guarantee. So at that point in time, I really made a decision to just live every day to the fullest and really truly invest in the relationships that matter and give everything to what I have within my wheelhouse to give. And so whether that's showing up for family, friends, whatever my circle, I keep small because I'm busy in life, and as you grow, you get a smaller circle, but it's so much more intentional, and I love that. But we always figure out. My husband, I always say, if it matters, we're gonna figure it out. If it's a moment that matters, if it's someone that matters, we're gonna figure out how to show up for that person. And we've tried to instill that in our kids and in our family, and then everything that we do that we're gonna give 110% to the things we love, the people we love, the things that matter, because we don't know what tomorrow holds. And as much as we would love to think like we're all gonna have this really long life, and I hope that's the case, we're not guaranteed that, and so I don't ever want to look back at my life and wish I would have done something different, given something different, showed up differently, not been afraid to do something and just take the risk and take the chances, because life is too short to do it any other way. And so that's one thing that I really hope is part of my legacy, and what I try to do, whether I show up in my life and my career as a person, it's one of the things that I know forever changed, and molded my trajectory, because it's something I look back on, and I'm like, gosh, I just wish I would have had more time, you know. And we're, I don't, we're always gonna think that, regardless of where life brings us. But I know that every day I can look and be like, I gave my best today. I gave everything I had to give today.
Dina Simon 32:19
Well, your mother is very proud of you for that being part of the lesson and that loss, right? Because life is short, and so for you to pour in to the people, and if it matters and love that, your husband leans in with that as well. But so, but somebody in one of your small circles, I know that to be true, so I love, I love that that is what you shared in that conversation. Thank you. So anything else that you wanted our podcast listeners to know about you?
Kim 32:46
Oh my gosh, there's so much, so much, right? No, I just really appreciate the opportunity to come on here and share today, John and Dina, you've been just wonderful. And thank you for giving a chance to tell my story, and I appreciate the important conversations that we're having and shining light on just all of these wonderful people that come into our lives and the impact that they have. So thank you so much for having me.
Dina Simon 33:10
Well, you're welcome and John, wouldn't it be nice to just bottle up that energy?
John Simon 33:13
Wow, that's what I was just thinking. Because people that listen to this year, hopefully they will pick up on your energy, and it'll be important to them also, yeah, well,
Kim 33:22
thank you. Sometimes I, you know, like I said, I've been told I'm too much, but you know what? It serves me, well,
Dina Simon 33:28
You're not too much. You're perfect. You. Thank you.
Yeah, well, thank you so much. It's been an awesome conversation.
Kim 33:35
Yeah, I appreciate both of you.
John Simon 33:37
Thanks Kim.
Kim 33:38
Yeah, thank you guys.
Dina Simon 33:41
Kim is the brand development manager for Brin Glass Company. She also serves on the board for CharitableMN, and in the notes, we will make sure you know how to get in touch with her if you would like a conversation, because they're expanding their board and have an opportunity to get engaged, not just as a board member, but join committees and are doing really important work, and want to make sure we share that shout out. As always, I thank my father in law, John Simon, for being my co host, and our podcast is a member of the C suite radio, and until we talk again.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai