Unpacked with Ron Harvey
People Always Matter. Join Ron as he unpacks leadership with his guests.
Unpacked with Ron Harvey
Knowing Yourself Is the Foundation: Kimberley Brown on Resilience, Reinvention & Showing Up
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We sit down with Kimberely D. Brown to talk about the kind of leadership that’s forged through high standards, hard pivots, and showing up with character. She shares how self-awareness, trust, and relationships shape her path from banking and affordable housing to CDFI lending and community impact.
• tough leaders with high expectations shaping long-term excellence
• learning yourself through 20s, 30s, and repeated setbacks
• getting back up through upbringing, discipline, and perspective
• building trust by leading with ethics and consistent character
• having the hardest conversations with yourself before anyone else
• being qualified but unprepared, and what real readiness requires
• swallowing pride after a public pivot and planning the comeback
• relationships, mentorship, and legacy through how you make people feel
• avoiding burned bridges, especially on social media
• continuous learning to stay ahead of industry shifts and economic threats
• filling gaps as a way to find purpose beyond a paycheck
• choosing a go-to person who tells you the truth with love
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Just Make A Difference: Leading Under Pressure by Ron Harvey
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Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any organization or entity. The information provided in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Listeners should consult with their own professional advisors before implementing any suggestions or recommendations made in this podcast. The speakers and guests are not responsible for any actions taken by listeners based on the information presented in this podcast. The podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice or services. The speakers and guests make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in this podc...
Welcome And Leadership Focus
SPEAKER_01Welcome to Unpack Podcast with your host, Leadership Consultant, Ron Harvey of Global Core Strategies and Consulting. Ron believes that leadership is the fundamental driver towards making a difference. So now, to find out more of what it means to unpack leadership, here's your host, Ron Harvey.
SPEAKER_02Good afternoon, everyone. This is Ron Harvey, the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Global Course Strategies and Consulting. Of course, I'm back with you again. We own a been in business for about 13 years, and we spend all of our time. Honestly, it's helping leaders be more effective to take care of the people that get the work done in your co in your organization or your corporation, regardless of where you serve at. So we're across all industries, all different zip codes, and we work with pretty much every organization because leadership is universal. So we love doing it and we're excited about it. We're based in Columbia, South Carolina. We really pause and we bring a guest on every week. And I'm excited, good friend in the neighborhood. I think I've been knowing her for probably about three years, maybe. We've had coffee, we see each other at events all the time. So, Kimberly, excited that you're here. I'm going to invite you to the microphone and let you introduce yourself however you wish, and then we'll go into unpacking and having some fun. So let me hand you the microphone.
Kimberly Brown And CDFI Mission
SPEAKER_00Thank you, Ron, and thank you so much for inviting me. It's a pleasure to be here. Um, I've been listening to the podcast for quite some time now and honored to be a guest. Um, my name again is Kimberly Brown, and I am a community development loan officer with the South Carolina Community Loan Fund here in uh Columbia, South Carolina. We are a CDFI, um, a community development financial institution statewide. Um we are federally backed or federally regulated, not federally backed, um, but we um definitely established ourselves in the marketplace back in 2004, just celebrated 28 years of um of closing the gap in communities here and and providing capital to um individuals who um traditionally would not be um be able to be financed or traditional bank. So um I'm a it's a pleasure to be here and I'm looking forward to um unpacking with you.
SPEAKER_02Yes, yes. Thanks, Kimberly. I appreciate it. Um, you know, on the on the show, it's always fun to bring people on and they get to relax and have a good time. Um, and I know as we're in the green room, we're having conversations, you're in the community a lot.
Tough Leaders And High Standards
SPEAKER_02When you when you think of the the most amazing leader that you've ever had that that kind of helped you get to where you are, what what stands out? Who's that person and what did they do to help you, you know, get to where you are?
SPEAKER_00Absolutely, and I love that question. Um, there they're actually two leaders. Um, I've I've been in banking um almost 24 years without telling my age. Um and I'll say that uh there are two leaders that I've had um that I've worked for in two different industries, one in banking and one in affordable housing, um, that at the time I thought was giving me a very hard time. Um I could never do anything right. Um, no matter how long I've studied this person or I've tried to do everything right, crossed all my T's, dotted the I's, um, they were it just constantly felt as if um I just could never do the job correctly. Um and I'm like, dude, this person must hate me at the time. But it's always, you know, when you're removed, you can't see the forest from the trees, and you realize that person really was dedicated and they were pouring into you. And people don't ride you that way um professionally unless they see something in you. And just looking backwards, you know, hindsight is 2020, it's just, you know, those are the voices that I hear echoing in my ear when I make top decisions because they wanted me to be top notch. And um those are the things that I'm reminded of when those are the two individuals who I thought maybe just hated me for whatever reason, but they turned out to be the best people. And we I still keep in touch with them to this day. Um, and I've and I've been fortunate to have the ability and the and and because we have that relationship, been able to go back and say, hey, you remember when we were like this and I thought we didn't get along, and they but this was just us building, this was character building, um, and this was um leadership um done the right way.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I love it. So so let me unpack a little bit of that. I mean, thank you for sharing that story. And and and oftentimes you're working for people that do ride you that are hard on you. Um, they do have high expectations. But let me make sure that we we unpack a little bit of that for people that are listening. They they weren't mean to you. I mean, it wasn't like they were being mean, it was just they were being really, really hard and and never felt like you can meet their expectation and they kept wanting more and more. Is that accurate or am I off base?
SPEAKER_00You're very accurate at the time um and at the level of professionalism that I had at that time. So this may have been uh 10, 15 years ago, um, I wasn't able and I wasn't established enough. Um, and I didn't know myself enough to understand where someone else may have come from. I didn't have that professional experience. But now being, you know, in this space currently, um, and and and having to pour into other people, I understand the expectation and the level of excellence that that they were at the time expecting from me.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I love it. I look, I want to uh so when you you mentioned earlier as you were talking, um, you said that I really didn't know myself.
Knowing Yourself Through Setbacks
SPEAKER_02When did you how did that help you grow? Because it's hard to, you know, when you're trying to be competitive, your resume looks good, you have the degree, and you want the position. How important was it for you to settle down and get to know yourself? Like literally spend time with knowing who Kimberly Brown really is and what was important to you?
SPEAKER_00And and and I'll say just in this moment here, at this age at 42, I know myself. Um, I think that we go through things in our 20s, we go through things in our 30s, and at even at those points, we think, okay, I've graduated high school, I'm out of college, I'm making money, I'm out of my parents' house, I'm making money, I'm good. I know I know who I am. Sadly, then something happens and it's just like maybe I don't know. Um, then you get to 30 and you're like, oh, for sure, 30s is just 20s with money. Um I have more money now. Surely I know what I'm doing. Um then then again, life kind of smacks you over the head and says, nope, there's there, there, there's like economic factors, there's outstanding things that you need to deal with. There are bills, there are family things, there are things that you need to be um in front of. And and and and it's important to get there, but how? At 42, I can say that I know Kimberly Brown and it's important because I've been knocked down at least three or four times. Um, and so it's it's important to sit with yourself, to be self-aware, to know who you are personally and professionally, because you must have a work-life balance and you must be able to show up if you're not yourself personally, if you don't know how to sit with yourself um by yourself, you will not be able to show up professionally um in the way that you need to in those spaces.
SPEAKER_02Wow, yeah. You give me so much, so, so much and so many questions. And and and and and thank you for sharing it. What you're
Getting Back Up Without Quitting
SPEAKER_02saying is is you've been knocked down a couple of times. And you you want to do a quick, like, like drive through Chick-fil-A, get it real fast in two minutes. I want to dial it back a little bit for us and say, how do you recover from getting knocked down in your 20s and getting knocked down in your 30s when you when you feel like you're at your best? I mean, you'll never be that young again, um, and and you feel like you got more energy and and more resilience. How did you recover from getting knocked down and not giving up?
SPEAKER_00Honestly, it has to be my parents, uh, my upbringing. Um, my mother was a very strong advocate of getting back up. Um, if there's not anything else I know what to do is to get up and go to work, to put one foot in front of the other um and see another day. Um, what she used to say is, you know, today is the day, but tomorrow has not been touched yet. And so you have another opportunity to be a better self than you are today. And and I what I find is all of the challenges that I endured over my professional career actually have evolved into the person I am today. When I look back upon all of the positions and the roles that I've had um with various levels of um authority, I wouldn't be who I am today if I did not take that same path.
SPEAKER_02Yes. I I love the fact that you know you you you couldn't continue to get up. When when you think about so much change happening and people are frustrated, I mean, organizations not trusting people, people not trusting the leaders in organizations. Can you speak to how important it is for you to keep showing up so you can build trust with the person that's that's that's your leader or the people that are following you if you are
Trust, Ethics, And Character
SPEAKER_02the leader? How important was trust in helping you get to where you are?
SPEAKER_00I've been in a lot of positions where you must be an ethical moral person. And at the end of the day, I question myself am I being a human, a basic, decent human being? And I operate always from that scenario. I'm a human being first, um, I'm a daughter, um, I I have strong faith. Uh am I acting as my true self? And as long as I show up willing and able and all that I am in any situation, because you can't control everything else around you. The only thing you can control is yourself and the decisions that you're going to make. Um and and really just how your perception, you can't even control that either. Um, but you know, there will be times where people will say things and and and there will be situations you can't control. Um, but at the end of the day, if someone who really knows your character um hears something or learns of something, they'll say that's not who she is, because she operated from this space. So as long as you are a trustworthy human being showing up to a trustworthy or an untrustworthy situation, your character is what comes through.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I agree 100%. I think I think your character is what you build every day, block by block, you know, activity by activity, action by action. So I don't think it's something that you know you get from going to get a degree. Um, I don't think it's you need to get it from the work experience. Those are great and you need to have them, but I think your character you build when your back is against the wall. And how do you how do you recover from from when you can make an easy decision that's not the best decision, but you do it and you take a shortcut? I I totally agree. Your character will come before you. I want I want to go back a little bit.
The Hard Talk With Yourself
SPEAKER_02Can you speak of a time when when you had to deal with difficult conversations and you didn't really want to do it, but it was in the best interest of you or the person that you were talking to? How did you do that and still take care of the person?
SPEAKER_00I would have to say, Ron, the most difficult conversations are are the ones that I have with myself. Wow. Um it is because you know, every day there the time is taken. And we want to, I want to make sure I have goals. And when I get knocked back down, um, I try to make myself I try to pivot as quickly as possible. And I and I'll tell you a little bit about my my story and my and my background. And you know, most of it is banking, but I did have a stent with um affordable housing. I was there um just seeing how that all laid out, um, working really in the higher ranks of the affordable housing um realm. And then from there I went on to to work at a state organization to help underwrite um developments, um, the developing of these affordable housings. So I was in rooms, I found myself in rooms where we're signing NDAs and we're doing this, and I'm having I'm hearing conversations. So it's caritability. Then I'm pivoting again and it's it's COVID and it's you know, I decide I'm gonna get my real estate license. I'm gonna sell houses. Um during a time where demand was super, super high, um, and and and maybe the economy was not that um the best, but the factors at play weren't working well for me. I had the experience of showing homes and working with um residential um individuals and builders and customers and clients, and was proud of myself to have that. Um, but the conversation was are you making money? Um you you you spent all this time um during COVID going to real estate school. Um, I took the PSI two times um and passed the national and the state. Um, but you're not making money. You're you're spending a whole lot of money that looks good, marketing, promo. Um, everybody knows you as a realtor, but are you making money?
SPEAKER_02Yes, and I said that's a question that we got to answer. I mean, hey, I all this money going out. Where's the return on investment?
SPEAKER_00No return on investment. I didn't sell not one house, Ron. Um, how long were you doing that? How long did you how long were you a realtor? Probably one year, at least a year.
SPEAKER_02You didn't sell a house in that one year.
SPEAKER_00No, four quarters of a lot of fees.
SPEAKER_02How did you manage that? That's an interesting conversation. You put all this into it, you had your hopes in it, you knew there was the next path for you. Interest rates are super super good for everybody. People were buying houses, but you weren't selling. I was kind of conversation did you have with yourself?
SPEAKER_00You were not prepared, you saw everyone else doing it, you saw the shows, you were you looking at TV shows and you saw how it looked. You were more, I was more, you know, excited about being a realtor than actually understanding what a realtor has to have to do. Because, you know, you graduate from the the school real estate school, you graduate from the PSI, and then day one, you are your business. Yes. And I wasn't prepared. I didn't have a sign, I didn't have a business card, and then you know, life just knocked you over the head saying you need to be this, you need to show up here. You have to market yourself. If you don't market yourself, nobody's gonna know who you are. Wow.
SPEAKER_02So totally certified and qualified, but not prepared, but not prepared. So, how do you speak to that for people that are listening? So, you want this promotion or you want this job or you want this career, you want to be an entrepreneur. I think we all have these things you want to be. And and you may be totally qualified. You just said that for us. What choice did you? You have two choices in my head, and I could be wrong. You have two choices either start doing it or get out of it.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_02Is that the conversation you have to have with yourself? And how did that go?
SPEAKER_00That's the conversation. It's just okay, we're in the thick of it. We've already invested ourselves, our money, our time, we've already promoted ourselves on social media. Um, do we want to take that emotional hit to say, I'm out, and let everyone else know that I'm also out? And I was okay with that because I knew there's something greater for me. And that's how I ended up at a CDFI.
Turning Failure Into A New Role
SPEAKER_00Um, as a lender, I had never been a lender before, but I'm I'm so grateful for Deborah and Nate for for taking a chance on me based on my background, on my resume that said, yes, you know affordable housing. Yes, you've been an underwriter for for a state organization, um, yes, you have banking background, and yes, we're willing to invest in you to teach you um to so that you can go to these classes, Girl America, um, Novel Gradic, and build into you. And that was three years ago. Three years ago with almost three million dollars in capital deployed to small businesses.
SPEAKER_02How important is it for people, Kimberly, to make sure that that you know people that will give you a chance when you know you're not you you're new to it, you know it's what you're supposed to be doing. How important was it for you to get an opportunity to prove yourself? And it sounds like you had more to learn when you got there, but how important was it for someone to believe in the ability that you could bring even though you didn't have the experience?
SPEAKER_00It was immense. It but I the the thing about it is I felt no pressure. Um as long as the space is welcoming, which which which South Carolina Community Loan Fund was very welcoming to me. Um to be a lender um with zero experience, but just tenacity to want to learn and to be a sponge around people who are very experienced in the TDFI community. Um, it was it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And I would be remiss to not immerse myself um in learning all things small business, all things, you know, bringing my affordable housing background into this. Um, I had all of the tools that I thought were were broken. I thought I just had random nails and screws and and pens and and a hammer, but it wasn't until I joined this organization to realize that I could build something so much greater with everything that I thought was no good.
Pride, Social Media, And Comebacks
SPEAKER_02How do you talk to leaders that that because you know you you got into real estate because you know you saw everybody doing it and all these things that I can I can do this because everybody's doing it, and having to to kind of swallow your pride and your ego, which is hard, and you gotta tell the whole world, especially in social media today. Everything I tell people they don't like talk about themselves. I say that's not true. Just go to any any social media platform, they'll tell their whole life story, they'll tell you where they are, what they're eating, what they're driving, what they bought, they'll tell you everything, um, but they don't want to talk to you in person. How important with social media the way it is, and people are gonna talk, and you gotta you get past your ego and your pride. How hard was that for you? And how did how did you manage it? Because that's a hard thing to to swallow your body.
SPEAKER_00It is, it is to to to put yourself out there, and the internet is forever, and they never forget.
SPEAKER_02Um remind you when you don't want to be reminded.
SPEAKER_00Yes, yes. I I would just say to anybody who is is debating um whether to switch, pivot, you know, to appear in in some form or fashion as if you are defeated or um had to capitulate your your image in some way. Um always be thinking, always, how can I come back? What is the greater way for me? You know, I may take a pause, but when I come back, you're gonna see a different Kimberly or a different Ron or a different person. So, you know, the defeat is internal. No one knows about that but you.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_00Um you're what you you're you're thinking forward and you're thinking, how can I come back better? It's not about patching up where I messed up, it's about what is the comeback gonna look like.
SPEAKER_02Yes. Can you speak to Kimberly?
Relationships, Mentors, And Legacy
SPEAKER_02How important were relationships as you went through all these transitions, 20, 30 to where you are now? You know, how important was it for two things? Were relationships, professional relationships for you, and uh advocate or a champion or a mentor? I think one of those you can choose each one. I think all of them are different, but I think it's important. Can you speak to relationships and mentorship or sponsorship?
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. The relationships that I have built over the past 20 years, they all come, they have come full circle. And to me, that makes me feel like I'm in the right place. When I walk into places and it feels like a family reunion, literally, whether you're in this industry, whether I met you in a previous industry, the fact that I can call on you, the fact that you trusted in me, and that we are now resource partners, um is a is an amazing feeling to me. Um, as you know, the CDFI and the lender business and the banking business, financial business is relationships. Um you don't get a referral from everybody. You're not getting leads from everybody, you're getting leads and referrals and resources from individuals who trust you, who have a relationship with you, who know who can look back on a time and says and say, oh, Kimberly made me feel this way. Kimberly closed the loop on this. Kimberly showed she stand, she stood in the gap here. Um, you know, there there is is a saying about legacy um resumes and then and um professional um resumes, I believe. And it's just do you want to have, do you want people to remember how you made them feel? Or do you want people just to understand? Oh, she had this role, she held this title after that, she went here. I would much rather people look at me when it comes to relationships and remember how our interaction was and how far we went together rather than my title and my role.
Never Burn Bridges Online
SPEAKER_02Wow. So when you think about, you know, what would you share with the the generation that's coming behind you or that's going alongside you about, you know, because people get to get frustrated and they'll fire off on LinkedIn or they'll fire off on social media, any platform, if you will, and and burn bridges. How important is it for you not to burn bridges? Because you just never know who you're gonna need, when you're gonna need them, or who they know that you do need. How important is it for you not to burn bridges in the heat of the moment?
SPEAKER_00It's very, it's very important. But Ron, I would have to say sometimes it it takes people to get knocked over the head once to realize you gotta get your hands clapped. Have I been the most um professional and I've made the best decisions? Not always. Um, at times I've almost burnt a bridge and realized, let me go back and make it, you know, let me make this right, let me make this whole. In the heat of the moment, you cannot react. You sometimes you don't even need to respond. Take a couple minutes, breathe. Um, by all means, never go to the internet. There is never a reason to go to the internet. Um, my mom used to say, if you need to call three or four people to explain the same problem, um, then you just you're looking for a different answer. Um, you're looking for what you want to hear instead of the truth. Um, so do not take a bullhorn and go to the internet and tell everything. Sit with yourself, find a trusted person or a trusted mentor that you trust and have those conversations. Someone that you know has your best interest in mind, even if it's just you, talk to that person. Get some insight and then execute.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I love it because I mean people grab a bullhorn real quick. I mean, all of us have the opportunity to get in front of a camera and a microphone today. I mean, AI is out there, social media is out there. Anybody at any day can get on the internet with a camera and a microphone. And sometimes they're burning bridges that they have to cross and it destroys our community. So I love that you're speaking
Keep Learning As Conditions Shift
SPEAKER_02to that. Can you speak to how important it is for all our leaders listening, regardless of where you are, whatever level you've made it to, how important is it for you to keep learning and keep doing professional development? And what role did it play in your life?
SPEAKER_00Everything changes yearly, daily, almost, hour by hour, especially in today's economy. Just right now, for example, just a few weeks ago, the CDFI fund was gutted by the current administration. We need to find a way to pivot. There are ways that CDFIs can be still in existence without the CDFI fund, but there are other CDFIs who heavily depend on that federal funding. So when you realize what you're facing, you want to be 10 steps ahead of things that could come down the pipeline, a trickle-down effect. So if you are not constantly learning, you're not constantly pivoting, you're not constantly being aware of threats that could come your way, you may find yourself just, you know, caught off guard. You never want to be caught off guard by too much. I'm not saying be um fearful of the things you can't control, but be educated upon all the factors that is within your industry, um, things that make you capital, things that um that that deplete your your capital, or things that just take away from your business. Make sure that you have a solid foundation, um, and that you're you're as steady as you can be, because external factors are going to happen, but are you prepared?
SPEAKER_02Yes, yes. And and change is constant, I mean, even faster than ever before.
Finding Purpose By Filling Gaps
SPEAKER_02You you talk you talk about you know the different paths you went down and where you are in your career now. How do people that that are listening finally find, or how did you find what mattered to you that you enjoy doing, and it wasn't just for a paycheck? Because you know, people are paying, you can be unhappy or you can be miserable, you're just not living your purpose. How do you help someone that's listening say, hey, this is how I found like what I enjoy doing that I'll stick with, and I'm not chasing all these other things that I see on social media or I'm not chasing money. Now I want people to get paid and you should be compensated, but you should also be doing something that that matters to what your purpose is. How did you do it?
SPEAKER_00I did that by paying attention to things that I would like to change. Um, I found myself in real estate because when I bought my first home, my realtor wasn't wasn't the best. Um, she almost took advantage of me. It was not a great experience. Um, although I did get my home, I had to go through probably two different interviewing two different real estate agents. And so that spoke to me and said, okay, there's something broke here, there's something broken here. How can I fix it? Um, so most of those situations have come from some type of gap that needs to be filled. And if I feel strongly enough that I'm the one to do so, I feel like it isn't within my purpose to at least show up, learn more about it, see how I can be a resource. And if it turns into a career, perfect. Um and and and as I sit here today as a community development loan officer, um my hours are I I they should be nine to five, but it does not feel like work. And and as you know, you see me as I don't mind. I don't mind. I will be in Charleston one day, I'll be in Greenville, I'll be in Spartanburg. I will show up um to help because I know that what I do is so
Showing Up And Mentoring Others
SPEAKER_00important.
SPEAKER_02I love the fact that you said, you know, that you unpacked it because that was the thing, like importance of showing up. Um, and it's not convenient, it may not always be the your ideal thing to do, but but people are counting on you. How important is it for leaders to show up and be present for others um even when it's inconvenient?
SPEAKER_00It's very important. Um, you never know who you can impact, even when it's when it's you don't think you're impacting them. Um I actually um had a um a great conversation with one of our interns, and we were talking about mentorship. And I said, you know, do you have a mentor? And he mentioned um one name, and I said, That's great. And he said, you know, I actually look to you as a mentor as well, and I had no idea. I was taking it back. I I wasn't asking for that conversation, but you know, the fact that people are always watching, um, the fact that there are I'm in, I am in a position to make decisions for people that can either make or break future legacies to build generational wealth. And how you show up in this position, in this role, how you advocate for other people, people watch that. Um, and and you have to with that, when you're entrusted with that level of decision making, um, you have to, number one, it's so so important, know yourself and execute from that um from that realm and and just make sure that you understand the capabilities that you have and realize that you're always inspiring someone because someone is looking to you to say, I can do that, I can follow in those footsteps. Um, and I'm impressed by that. Somebody, you are the gap for someone else, just like I saw the gap with the realtor situation. So, you know, being a gap filler is an inspiring, it's an inspiring role, and it continues to have um impact beyond my control.
SPEAKER_02Yes, yes.
Who You Call When Stuck
SPEAKER_02Two more questions for us, you know, and for those of you that are hanging hanging in with us, we're gonna do two more questions and we'll we'll do contact and uh information for Kimberly. When your back is against the wall, you have you have a dilemma and you gotta address it and it's tough. Who you go to, people? When you you it's it's like it either direction could could it it can it push you in this place of man, I want to do this, but but I need to bounce it off. Who you go to, people when you're back like Oprah where if we call Gail King. How important is it for you to have a go-to person that you can go to without being judged, without looking at like you, you should know uh or don't you know better because you're not perfect and you're gonna make mistakes and this person doesn't destroy you. How important is it to have that person in for?
SPEAKER_00It's it's so important because when we are making key decisions, when we feel like our back is against the wall, automatically you want to come out swinging. Yes. Um, experience has taught me that that's not the way to go. So, number one, I check in with myself. How am I feeling? Am I am I taking something, a situation, and and and making it more than it should be? Um, is this detrimental to my career? Um, is it detrimental to my person? Um, what actually what is happening here? Um, so let's just check in with ourselves. The second person I'm gonna check in with is my mother, who has known me 42 years, um, has no idea what I mean, she knows what CDFI is, but she's as unbiased as you can get. All I have to do is tell her the facts of the situation, and she knows me well enough to either give it to me straight and without including my personal feelings. And but it's in a loving way. So, you know, it's incorporated and in love, it comes from love, but it also comes from I want to make sure that you make the right decision. Um, I want to see you thrive. Nobody wants to like I trust everybody, I trust a good amount of people, but your mom, I don't think she wants to have you. It's you only get one mom, and she wants to see you at your greatest. So that is 100% my number one. I'm gonna check in with her. I have to make sure. Number one, I'm giving her the facts to go with, not the emotional. This is how I'm feeling. These are the facts they're working with. What do you recommend?
SPEAKER_02Yes, I love it. You give it a you give it a real, the good, the bad, and the ugly. You give it all to her and say, here's all the facts. And some of these are not gonna feel good when I tell you, but they they are it is what it is. Here are all the facts, so you can get a real answer. And I think oftentimes when we go to people for guidance, we give them enough to give us the answer we want versus give them everything so you can get a true a true assessment of what you're going through. Um, and we'll decorate and give them flowery stuff. We don't we leave out these things that that are not gonna lean in our favor. So I would tell people that are listening, give all the facts, like everything that they need to know, give it all to them as she says she does with her mom. And I'm excited because even throughout this whole this whole conversation, you you you talked about your number one mentor, your number one cheerleader, your number one advocate, your go-to person is your mom. Everybody has to have someone. Find that one person that you need. I I want to I want to walk through and do do a rapid fire, if you will, around with you.
Lightning Round Fun Questions
SPEAKER_02So a lightning round, yeah. Just ask you some fun questions so we can get to know who you are, and then we'll we'll ask you to do your contact information. Um, so would you if you if you could go on a vacation anywhere that you could go, would you choose the mountains or would you choose the beach?
SPEAKER_00The beach, cobs, go uh to be honest. That's my next one. That's the next vacation.
SPEAKER_02So we already know when you're headed at next. I do. If if if all of a sudden you you became a millionaire overnight, what organization would you donate money to that matters to you?
SPEAKER_00Oh my goodness. Uh and I and I'll say this. Uh my one of my prayers to God is God, if you were to bless me to be a millionaire, I will be the most responsible and and cheapest millionaire you've ever met. I will still look at price tags. You don't have to worry about it. If you bless me with my portion, please. Um, I would say just in this climate, it the food banks, um, the nonprofit industry is is what's really needed. As we can see with this federal shutdown, um, anybody that is that is um a recipient of federal funds can be stripped of everything that they know um by a decision that is is not theirs. So if I could, you know, fund, I'm starting at the bottom um to help that those individuals become self-sustainable.
SPEAKER_02Yes, love it, love it, help help feed those that need our services, um, to make sure that everybody should have a meal in front of them. So I love that. Um, the the other question for you, uh fun fun fact uh about you. If if you can go out, someone's taking you out to eat um to have a good time. Would you like to do pizza or burgers or would you like a sit-down fine dining?
SPEAKER_00Pizza and burgers, pizza and burgers, meals I've had were over pizza and burgers, and I'll be honest. Yes, it's too much. You know, when do we order now? Is it is it gonna be a la carte? Um, do I order my salad first? No, just let's have fun. Let's take all of the professional. I mean, we could be professional, but let's just not worry about all the yes.
SPEAKER_02We had a bank this weekend and and people look like, well, which glass do I get? Which four is that yours is that mine?
SPEAKER_01Just get something we'll be okay.
SPEAKER_00Truly, um and honestly, we've been to enough conferences and enough play, they they all taste the same. Give me a good word.
SPEAKER_02Would you would you what would you enjoy most? Uh getting on on the tallest roller coaster or skydiving?
SPEAKER_00So, truth be told, I've never been on a roller coaster. I'm actually afraid of them. I am afraid of them. Um, at probably five years old, I rode the first roller coaster. Never again state fair, and the man yelled at me because I wanted to get off, and I said, Well, I will never get on again. So we're gonna go with the skydiving. I've actually had quite a few friends who've done that and said it's been very liberating. So I would try that.
SPEAKER_02You'll try skydiving. I will awesome. So so on our way out, I mean you you shared a lot of great information. Um, and of course, people listening and want to be in contact. What is the what is the is there anything first before we get into to your contact information?
Empty Table Theory And Authenticity
SPEAKER_02Is there anything that I didn't act that you want to share um about your journey or or about leadership or something that just stands out? Say, I would love to lead this with the audience. Let's see it.
SPEAKER_00Well, what I if it's not then be true to yourself. Um that that would be my ultimate message. Um I I I read something recently about um the empty table um theory of just being able to sit with yourself. If you could be an individual that can take yourself to lunch and sit alone um and and sit with even all of your failures, all of your your wins, um, that's tough for a lot of people to do, to face the things that they could not do or things they you know wish they could change. And so I think a lot of people are they they fill their day up with things that you know that that keep them busy so that they don't have to sit with that. And so I I would always encourage any any individual to sit with yourself and learn yourself so that you can always make sure that you're being true to that and that you're showing up always as your authentic self.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, which is probably one of the most difficult things now, especially with so much social media and so many, how many friends we got on on these social media platforms that don't really know you, we're looking for the next like, or you know, we post things and you know it's just like no get to know you, spend time with you, and be okay with being with you. I totally agree with you. Can you be by yourself? Do you like yourself enough to be with you to be with you?
SPEAKER_00Yes, my goodness.
SPEAKER_02Yes. If you don't like you, what makes you think we're gonna get along with each other? Do you like you? I'll just check it. Do you like you? Yeah, so I love that. What is the what what is the best way for people that that are interested in you know you're you're the C D Fi?
Contact Info And Closing CTA
SPEAKER_02What is the best way? So give your your organization again and the best way for people to contact you.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. Um, I'm with the South Carolina Community Loan Fund, um, C D Fi, of course. Um, the best way to reach me is probably via email, and it's Kimberly with the Ease, extra E. So that's K-I-M-B-E-R-L-E-Y at the or sorry, at sc community loanfund.org. It's a mouthful. Um, but that is the best way to reach me directly.
SPEAKER_02Awesome.
SPEAKER_00Or you can find me on LinkedIn.
SPEAKER_02I'm gonna say, yeah, LinkedIn too. I mean, because you know, you're very responsible on LinkedIn, so you know you can always drop a mess message over there as well. Would that be fine for people to send your message? Then you guys can take it offline after you get on LinkedIn.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely, please. And and honestly, that's a a great tool. If you're not on LinkedIn, please join. Um, meet me there. Um, I've a lot of referrals, a lot of resources, and a lot of relationships have been formed via LinkedIn for me, especially in the past two years.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely. I mean, we we connect on LinkedIn and then we take it offline. You know, I think she has like a twin sister or something because she's everywhere doing all kinds of stuff. Like, how does she get this much time in this many locations? I mean, so she's everywhere. I mean, she'd be in two different uh parts of our state in one live. Like, she got a driver or private jet, but she's all over, and that's because she's committed. So I really appreciate it. Um, and thank you for joining. Thank you for sharing. Um, and as everyone that's listening, you know, continue to follow us, reach out to Kimberly, ask all the questions. I will tell you that she's down to earth, she's patient, she's gonna take all of your questions. Um, like when I say all, she will sit there until she gets through your questions and make sure you clearly understand what you're what you're getting into and what you're signing up for, and the best option. And whether it's her or someone else, she's still gonna answer your questions. So um, thank y'all for joining us. Thank you for hanging in with us as we share, just unpack with Ron Harvey about life, about leadership, about relationships, about burning bridges or building or social media, all those things that that are impacting all of us. None of us are exempt from it. But I love that she said, please get to know yourself, learn to like you, and it'll be easier for the rest of us to like you. So until next time, Kim and I will sign off and tell y'all thank y'all for joining us. We hope you enjoyed the show. Please like us, please give us some reviews, and please share it with some people that you know that can enjoy learning from us as we have fun. But we do want to have fun, but we want to get it done, and we want to make sure we're making a difference. Um, we want you to be better, and honestly, we expect for you to be better. So, hopefully, this show is making you better and you're practicing what we talk about versus just talk about it. Please get better. Thank y'all. Until next time, Kimberly and I will sign off.
SPEAKER_01Well, we hope you enjoyed this edition of Unpack Podcast with leadership consultant Ron Harvey. Remember to join us every Monday as Ron Unpacks Sound Advice, providing real answers for real leadership challenges. Until next time, remember to add value and make a difference where you are or the people you serve. Because people always matter.
