The Business of College Consulting
The Business of College Consulting
Success in a High Volume, Low Touch Model with Kim Derrick
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Kim Derrick shares her unconventional model- a high-volume college consultant, revealing how she helps more students with fewer one-on-one meetings while maintaining exceptional results and strong relationships. Kim shares how she:
• Started as a volunteer in school settings, including 15 years with Georgia Tech's Stamps President Scholars Program
• Focuses on "the big four" pillars: college list development, grades/course selection, testing strategy, and authentic activities
• Structures business with yearly contracts rather than four-year packages, allowing flexibility for families
• Maintains over 90% client retention despite limited one-on-one meetings
• Delivers content through videos, emails, and targeted communication based on student needs
• Prices services according to grade level, with costs increasing as students approach senior year
• Founded the High Volume Low Touch Facebook group for IECs interested in alternative business models
• Emphasizes setting clear expectations with families through explicit contracts and sign-offs
• Uses technology tools like Loom videos to maintain personal connection without scheduling meetings
• Recommends new IECs focus on their strengths rather than trying to be experts in all areas
Check out Atomic Habits by James Clear for insights on making small changes that lead to remarkable results - a philosophy Coach Kim applies to both her business and her work with students!
Welcome to the Business of College Consulting podcast. I'm your host, brooke Daly, founder and CEO of Advantage College Planning and Advantage College Planning. Franchising, building and growing a business is not for the faint of heart. In this podcast, you'll hear incredible stories from successful college consultants about growing a thriving business. They'll share the secrets behind their remarkable growth and the trials and triumphs shaping their path to success. Welcome to the Business of College Consulting podcast. I'm your host, Brooke Daly, and I'm so excited to be joined today by Kim Derrick, otherwise known as Coach Kim Kim, welcome. Thank you so much for being here.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for having me. I'm honored and excited and I can't wait to talk about things.
Speaker 1:So it's funny, we have not had many conversations, but we're basically neighbors in the state of North Carolina, exactly right down the road. Yes, and I saw you recently at an IECA conference and I thought, oh my goodness, I need to connect with Kim more often. So I hope that this is the first of many conversations, kim, but I'm so excited to have you on because you have a slightly different take on this. You know, in our industry, in being high volume, low touch versus low volume, high touch. But before we get into the details of your business model, can you just share with us how you got into college consulting, or maybe how college consulting found you in so many ways?
Speaker 2:Yes, and it's funny you'll hear this as a theme through our conversation today that I've done everything backwards. I did not follow this nice linear path of step A, step B, and I do think the business and my business model really did find me. So my background is I went to Georgia Tech just like my dad a rambling wreck. I was a business major but a psychology minor, so it does speak to both sides of how my brain works. And so I worked in corporate America for a while doing the whole business thing, and then I became a mother, and so I became a stay-at-home mom and stayed at home for 20 years and in that time I worked really hard but I just didn't get paid for it.
Speaker 2:I did a lot of volunteering and it was always in the school space.
Speaker 2:So whether it was, you know, being president of the PTA, which I know is kind of a typical thing I also did a lot of volunteering in the admissions space. So you know I was an admissions liaison at a K-8 private school here in town, and so I was shepherding families as they navigated the process of just being admitted to a K-8 school, Gave me a lot of communication and insight from behind the scenes. But then for the past 15 years I have volunteered with Georgia Tech's Stamps President Scholars Program, so the big full ride, and I've done everything from semi-finalist interviewing finalist interviewing and I've been the regional chair basically for the state of North Carolina for about five years. So then, when my kids flew the nest and I had to re-find my identity, the thing that kept pulling me back was this interest in admissions and branding, and I'm like you know what this makes sense. This matches my skills and what I like to do. This makes sense. This matches my skills and what I like to do, and so that's how it all began.
Speaker 1:I love that so cool. So tell me about your business launch. What was that like? Like did you go full in right away? Did you kind of stick your?
Speaker 2:toe in the water. Basically, I probably stuck my toe in the water and so when I started, when my own children were in high school, especially my son, my oldest Again I was very fascinated with admissions. Even at the high school, where I was BTA president, I helped coordinate an admissions forum, because I'm like people just don't understand, and so I tried to get admissions reps from five or six different schools to do a panelist type program, which also gave me some connections to some admissions reps. But I knew that college consultants were out there, but for me at that time they felt kind of bougie. It really did. It felt like something that I was like wow, that is big time. I also felt like I had a grasp. So, especially once I saw my son go through it and helped him and I put all these things together. I'm like you know what I really think? I'm pretty good at helping kids brand themselves. So and that really starts with the essays to me so I kind of threw it out there to a few people. People kept asking me questions all the time and I'm like, why not just float a line? And so I put it out there to a few people. You know, I think I'm going to do this, and pretty quickly.
Speaker 2:In that first year I had you know, several people use me, but it was strictly essays, and so I'm like this is great, this is going to be a great side hustle for me. I'll do this in my spare time is great, this is going to be a great side hustle for me. I'll do this in my spare time. How fun.
Speaker 2:I knew there were certificate programs, but at that time I'm like wow, that's, I'm not important enough for that. That's truly how I felt, and so I did the essay things. But then I just realized, gosh, people's needs. They don't understand anything about this process. And so then, every year that my business grew, I grew in what I offered.
Speaker 2:I started hourly. I started very low because I felt like that's what I was worth it was. I didn't have all the experience, and so I started low and slow and then just gradually added what matched my values as a mother, and I think that's kind of important. I think there's certain topics and admissions that everyone has to know. You have to understand what I call the big four of the process, and so I made sure that I incorporated that while teaching life skills and making sure I was imparting that kind of wisdom and then everything just kept growing, and so I've always been kind of lucky that I had a good business funnel and I'm kind of chasing it to make sure that my offerings match that. So yeah, toe in the water for sure.
Speaker 1:Love it. So can we go back to the big four? I'm sure people are wondering what are Kim's big four? I love the big four.
Speaker 2:Okay, so take essays out of it. Essays obviously is a piece of it when you're a senior, but I do start with kids when they're in the ninth grade, so I start anytime in high school. To me, the big four are your college list that is the first thing to me and making sure I'm big on educating as well. I want you to understand the process. I don't want to just shepherd you through it. I want you to know the why, because I'm trying to protect your heart. That's also kind of motherly of me, I guess. And so I always start with you know, building that college list, but making sure that families understand the pieces that are in play so they don't overvalue certain things to think that they're going to be able to alter their success as much as they think they're going to be.
Speaker 2:So, college list understanding data uncontrollable, uncontrollable, that's big with me. Grades and schedule, understanding rigor, how to pick your classes, making sure you're being true to yourself that is also huge to me. Testing, understanding the impact of test scores, but basically just understanding the data impacts. I don't do like test prep or anything like that. And then activities understanding how to be your authentic you and again, understanding how to be your authentic you and again creating your personal brand. And the whole time I'm preaching this message, I'm like these are life skills you are going to use some of this stuff for the rest of your life Amazing.
Speaker 1:Thank you for explaining that, kim. I love it. So when we talk about being a high volume, low touch business, can you define what is high volume to you?
Speaker 2:Well, high volume to me is I do work with more kids in a cohort than most, and so I take a lot of kids and when I say low touch, I think that can be deceiving. The touch part to me is the one-on-one meeting. Like you and I are meeting right now, I do less of that. Do I communicate with them 100%? I do you know emails, videos, things like that but I do things in mass because, going back to the big four, there are certain things that everyone needs to know. I don't care where you're applying, you all need to know this. And so I have a lot of efficiencies and I think that does go back to my business mindset. That definitely helps me here, and so I went to your session on the KPIs, the key performance indicators. That's a huge thing for me. I'm watching the magic, I'm watching where people are really going to benefit from what I'm giving them, and so my touch is low in one-on-one meetings. But I don't know that my clients necessarily think I'm low touch, because they hear from me all the time.
Speaker 1:Right, and that's funny. That was going to be. One of my next questions is when you are marketing your services or when you're talking to a family, how is that conveyed? Is it different from any other college consultant or do you feel like your services are very similar?
Speaker 2:I feel like what I'm ultimately giving them is similar. I just give it in a different way. And so one thing you know this is probably a little of the imposter syndrome coming in, but I always like people to know. You know, my kids are just as successful as other consultants. Like I have kids get full rides, they go to service academies, they get into Harvard and Yale and Duke and all this stuff. I just I just do it a little differently.
Speaker 1:I was thinking about, like your consultations and when you're describing to families like what your service is.
Speaker 2:Thank you, okay. So, yes, expectation setting in a volume business is paramount. You have to be clear. So, rather than telling people what I'm not, I tell them what I am. Here's what I give you. Here's my background, here's the services that you're gonna get from me. Here's what I give you. Here's my background, here's the services that you're going to get from me. Here's how I'm going to give it to you. And then I do have them do a little sign off. I have a contract, of course, but I also have a Google Doc, a Google form where I've pulled out the high points, and so if there's something I really want you to know, like that I'm virtual, I want you to. I really am virtual, so you need to sign off on that. But the other thing is saying that my business model is not set up for volumes of one-on-one meetings, and but I always include that as intentional because I'm really care about college readiness. So for me, that's what works.
Speaker 1:I love that and I love how you can communicate that in a positive way, that you really care about that student probably being independent and owning the process and starting to do things on their own so that they can be successful in that next step.
Speaker 2:Absolutely right. Absolutely right Because I think it's as a parent too, again, of two kids who have gone through it it's natural to want to find someone who's really going to cradle and shepherd your child. But that's normal, and so I think that's a piece of the method to the madness, too, is I'm trying to make sure that parents know that I'm doing this for a reason, because I'm ultimately trying to help your kid, because in a year, especially right now, they're on their own.
Speaker 1:So Right, right. Do you have an ideal client?
Speaker 2:no, that's a great question. It runs the gamut for me, like and I think you've said in other podcasts before about the whole 90%, 10% thing and you know you have a few people that are going to take up a lot of your time and I think that makes people nervous with volume, like gosh, what if there's more? But the same kind of bell curve holds true An ideal client for me? The same kind of bell curve holds true, an ideal client for me? I don't think so, because ideally, if you really engage with my content, yeah, that's great, that's super easy. But I kind of like the challenge of those that don't, because then I can basically I don't want to say call them out because I don't mean it like that, but I can say, okay, I've told you this is what we're doing here. So let's, let's get ready and be empowered. And the thing that makes me the most prideful is, at the end of senior year, the growth I see and how proud they are of what they've accomplished is just huge to me.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's so cool, kim. I love that, and I think that's what any college consultant is striving for right, definitely.
Speaker 2:Definitely there's just more than one way to do this, and I think that's why now I've just kind of become a poster child. My journey into being low touch was kind of weird because I felt really insecure about it for a while. Weird, because I felt really insecure about it for a while.
Speaker 1:Oh, can we talk a lot about imposter syndrome on the podcast and how it never goes away. Really right, Like you always, yeah.
Speaker 2:But the imposter syndrome piece of it, I think, is what has? That's what kicked it up for me a notch. In this past year I went to my first IECA conference. I'd been a consultant for like seven years but had not joined IECA and then I did and I'm like I'm going to go to the conference I did not know a single solitary soul, not even a little bit. So I'm like I'm going to be a big girl and go and then I start trying to meet people and talking about my business and people really looked at me like you're doing what? And I'm like, well, yeah, I help a lot of kids and I think that little not humbling but kind of rocking my world a little bit made me dig deep and now it's turned into this great thing of kind of being a representative of this kind of business model.
Speaker 1:I love it. You are the poster child, kim, so talk to me about what, like are there challenges that you think you have with your model that maybe others don't? And then, conversely, like, maybe what are some of the benefits of your model that a more like high touch consultant doesn't have?
Speaker 2:I think the challenges are it takes a minute. I think it takes a certain kind of person. You definitely have to have some organization and time management and so if that's not your forte, then you might want to step lightly into this. But talking about, like, growing my business, you know I took a certain number of kids that first year and I'm like, oh wow, this, this is a lot, I should not take more. But then I realized I totally can take more and so then basically the challenges was trying to figure out how do I set up this business where I take a lot of kids.
Speaker 2:But I'm very clear how I can help you and I know I just told you about the sign off and all that but I also tier my roster and so I think some people hear tier and they think I mean tiered level of service, but that's not really it. It's more that if you start with me late in the game, the people who've been with me the longest have the most assured access. So this protects me from the procrastinator. If you start with me late and you want to put it off to the last minute, I may not have time available, but the way my pricing works is I likely haven't charged you for something I can't for sure deliver. So that's helpful. And the benefit? I think there's several benefits and I think that's why I feel so strongly about at least sharing pieces that all IECs could incorporate into their business model. The benefits are because I haven't promised a lot of hours or charged a big ticket upfront.
Speaker 2:I'm a worrier by nature. I go to bed at night probably some worry on my heart. I wake up in the morning and think now what was I worrying about? So I can start worrying about it again. That's me. So if I felt super beholden and people were thinking you know what? I've paid you a lot of money and here's my expectation of what you're going to deliver to me with my personality, that does not work. So there's that. Another benefit is I think the way I do things helps me be a little bit more sustainable.
Speaker 2:If a recession, if AI takes over a lot of this, I feel like the services that I'm offering will stand, and so that's a huge benefit in just the way I deliver things, I think.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's so interesting and, yeah, so helpful to hear you say that. I think one of the things I was thinking about is so you've talked about organization and time management being critical if you're working high volume, of course, because a student could easily probably slip through the cracks if you're not careful and you're working with large volume. So tell me about your systems and processes, like what is critical for you to have in place in order to handle the high volume. I'm sure you have many of them, but what do you think is most important, and I'm thinking systems, tools like your work.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can think of a couple things. One thing that you know I was saying before we even started recording this podcast that I kind of have a person that just kind of throws it out there. I am very need-driven in my communication, so one tool I have that helps me manage the process is, instead of saying, I'm going to give you a weekly, monthly, every 10-day newsletter especially let's use senior season I do. I communicate weekly, but if I have questions that I feel like are ebbing or flowing earlier or later in the season, then I just will address it right. Then I usually can anticipate what they're thinking, and so I definitely communicate that way.
Speaker 2:One tool that I've used more recently is and this is especially relevant to seniors is I have a lot of recorded content and so I may teach them something live and in person, but I also have it recorded. I did that for mainly because I thought maybe I could offer DIY for people who come to me late and I can't take. I feel I hate turning people away, but I always turn people away, but that has been a real benefit for my current students, because here's a little lesson on how to do the activities from my voice we all know you can find this kind of stuff online, but it's from me and my method, so I think that helps me feel connected. A huge question that people ask me is how do you have any relationships with these children? And I do.
Speaker 2:I get invited to grad parties. They text me, things they're feeling, and so I feel connected. But one tool I use and I'm sure a lot of other people do too is if someone emails me a question that's going to take me 15 minutes to type out an answer, I'll often record a limb and then I can record my answer and be talking directly to Brooke and it feels connected and I think that's a great tool. But otherwise I'm deep into Google, Google Sheets, Google Docs, Google, this Google that I do use. Cindy's spreadsheets, Cindy Allerman's College Companion that I've enjoyed with my students and, yeah, so Google. I don't know nothing can happen to Google or I'm in big trouble.
Speaker 1:I know right, and me too. That's awesome, so tell me about how you market your services and maybe how it's evolved since you started.
Speaker 2:Yes, okay, so again, and a lot of times. Just to be clear for especially new IECs who are listening to this podcast right now, trying to glean information on how to get started I think there's so much information out there and that can just be very overwhelming. I need to do this, I need to do that and I think, if you just sit back and I was fortunate enough to be able to do that when I started working, as I said, it was a side hustle, I wasn't trying to feed my family and that is significant, but it allowed me to kind of grow into how I needed to market. But everyone's going to be different. So one thing that was different for me because I had a little I don't want to say name recognition, because that makes me sound like famous but because I volunteered actively in the schools, some people knew who I was, some people knew who I was, and so I started on Facebook, my personal Facebook page. I started posting college tips of the week. Whatever I was thinking about, I'll just tell people. I did that equally to help people, anyone who is reading. I wanted you to be able to get some free information, free content, but that's subtle marketing because it kept my name in people's head space. I still try to do that weekly, and so that was the big. That's the was the biggest start of my marketing.
Speaker 2:And then I word of mouth is tremendous. That's super helpful, but other than that I haven't done anything. I know that's crazy, but I don't have a website. That's a little insecurity. I have, but I haven't had it. I just don't. The only reason I want to have one now is just to, I guess, maybe legitimize myself in the business world, but I think little free things myself in the business world, but I think little free things. Social media is great and if you are comfortable putting your face out there, put your face out there. People love faces. But if not, you have so much knowledge in your head, give a little bit of that away and get people talking and it's just amazing what can happen from that.
Speaker 1:Yes, I love it. Well, and Kim, I mentioned before we started recording that you, you have a fabulous social media presence. I think it's so relatable and you're so fun and you make it look fun and I think that's um, that probably is attractive for students and parents too. You know, it's not stuffy, it's, it's very think probably on brand for you. So I love it.
Speaker 2:I think so. I think in that you bring up a really good point, and this is also a little bit about the way I run my business. I don't take myself too seriously. Part of that is a gift of being older, and we talked before, too, about struggles. You've experienced hard times in life or business. It does make you fearless, and so one thing that's super important to me is we teach our students, our clients, to be authentic, to be real, to just put yourself out there. So why shouldn't I be doing the exact same thing? I should be modeling that behavior for my students, because I think, you know, sometimes I think there's just people think there's such a process to college consulting. We have to get them from point A to point B to point C, and that is true, but we also want to teach them to be super comfortable just being who they are, because they all want to try to stand out and have some gimmick, and it's like you don't have to do that. You're unique because you're you, and I think that's been my social media. Take One thing, if it's okay with you.
Speaker 2:I would like to talk a little bit about the Facebook page I started for iVolume Low Touch. Yes, go for it, okay. So it's an interesting way that that happened After I went to that IECA conference and I told you I left feeling kind of like my world was rocked. One thing I do and this is another tip for IECs too is I watch people on these Facebook pages other IECs and if I see someone that I like what they're saying, I will reach out and ask them questions, see if I can pay for an hour for them to help me. I think that's just the best way to do things. So once I did a little bit of that after I came home and felt bad about myself and then I realized you know what? I have a thriving business. Why should I feel like I'm not doing it right? And so I decided to create this Facebook page with the intention of I'm going to find other people like me, and y'all are going to validate me and make me feel better. We're going to talk about it. I look for validation a lot, and so that's what I did.
Speaker 2:I started this page and what's been amazing is, I would say, a small percentage of the people on that page operate this way. Everyone is curious and in the past week alone, I posted about this yesterday In the past it was like 48 hours we got 60 new members. People are just fascinated with how in the world do you do this? So I love that that kind of turned into a service and I've done webinars on that too. But talking about the contradiction of two conferences, when I went to the conference where I saw you, that conference was the most amazing polar opposite experience. People would come up to me like, oh my gosh, you're the high volume girl and I loved it. I loved it, not for the attention of it, that's fine, but I love that. I'm like, oh my gosh, you are interested in what we're putting out there and that just made me super proud.
Speaker 1:I love that, kim, you should be very proud. Love it, love it, and I think it's so important in our industry. Sometimes, when you stick with people in the industry, you think about the same things the same way over and over and over. Right? So for you to have a different perspective, and I think it's awesome and great, and I think the industry needs more of that creative thinking.
Speaker 2:So well, and I think too I noticed, I would notice on a lot of these Facebook pages, which I think are amazing sources of information by the way, it's a great group, think. But what I also would find is a little bit of a vibe sometimes of right versus wrong, and so that was the other thing, and anytime I post on the high volume page, I'm like this is a positive, collaborative space. No one's doing anything wrong. We all just have different takes and that's just super important to me.
Speaker 1:I love that, Kim. I fully support that. Thank you, Love it. So can you talk? You mentioned that you work with students as early as ninth grade. I am curious about how you structure your services and maybe how that's different from someone who is more high touch.
Speaker 2:Yes, okay, so that's something from someone who is more high touch. Yes, okay, so that's something. Again, I talk about everything being backwards. That is also something that I kind of started doing, something that I thought would work, offering what I think thought was needed, and then each year I would have to tweak it and be like, okay, no, I need to switch pricing, I'm undervaluing this, people aren't using that and so, basically, I don't do full four-year contracts, I do yearly contracts because for me and volume, if you don't like this, if this doesn't work for you, more power to you Go, do your thing. Now I will say I have a really good retention rate. It's way over 90%.
Speaker 2:I don't lose a lot of people, which is wonderful, but each year I'm basically meeting with these kids yearly. Once a year we sit down, we talk one-on-one. I know it's shocking, but again, I'm supplementing in the in-between, but in every year we are talking about the big four, big four, big four. But you know, every year of high school that hits different. A ninth grader doesn't need to learn a lot about testing right now. They do need to learn the importance of their grades. They do need to learn the importance of being open-minded to possibilities and consider things that they love to do and start embracing that. And then each year, even though we talk about the same things, the conversation is different. Now, when they're juniors, they hear from me a lot more, but it is still, and it's still just the one one-on-one and then supplemented, which I know that makes people.
Speaker 1:Own it, Kim. I say own it. I think it's amazing.
Speaker 2:I love it. I absolutely love it, and another thing that I think is important to know is that, basically, the way I'm marketing this is I'm going to try to give you everything you need in that one meeting in my group content. If I don't, please call me. We will have a meeting, we absolutely will do that, and so this is especially relevant for seniors. Not every senior needs volumes of hours on essays. If they have a straightforward path, that's going to be shorter. My senior packages are different, by the way, that they're not.
Speaker 1:Well, I was going to ask how do you approach essay review, Like how does that work?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So that's everyone can't believe I actually review essays. I think I'm really proud. This year I've had an essay system of brainstorming that I've really liked, but I think this year it really hit on all cylinders and it's going great, and so I definitely I have a nice pre-work that they do to get inside their own heads and then we talk it through and map things out and then so when they're writing, you know same thing kids will just send me their essays and I edit them just like everyone else. But I think we've got a lot of good efficiencies going into it.
Speaker 2:And then also, some people won't use me for the editing and that's fine, I don't worry about it. I know that's a thing, for consultants are like, how do you let go of that piece? It's easy, Without a problem. I just let go of it and it's fine and it's okay. Yeah, yeah, it's okay and so but yeah, when you're a senior, I obviously do more with them there's, but I do some in group and obviously you can buy hours for essay editing. But some people might need to do interview prep. Well, obviously I love doing that and you can do that, but you're not prepaying for something that you may not need, but you are going to pay for the things that everyone needs.
Speaker 1:So Right, so it sounds like that's how you've structured your services in that, and can I say the big four? Like everyone, these are the things that everyone needs to hear, and then you can add on on should you need interview prep or more essay support.
Speaker 2:I would say it works really well. And, again, that's why I need to keep mentioning I have the high flyers and I have the people who will go to community college, who don't even need to start at a four-year college. It runs the gamut, but I feel like through these different ways of communicating whether it's a video, an email, a one-on-one or additional one-on-one the message gets out there. Because I do think we all have to know we have to be a little cynical here we know what this process entails, and so I'm trying to be as straightforward and streamlined as possible, because you know, like I mentioned a minute ago, iecs have a barrage of information coming at you. Do you know about this? Have you learned about that? Do you know about this? And at first I was like, oh my gosh, okay, well, no, but I know about this.
Speaker 2:I've found that when IECs give so much to the students, I've got to tell you so much. I've got to tell you every aspect of college admissions. They're tuning some of that out, and so I like to. Just when I speak, I want you to listen and we'll tell you something good. But if you need more from me, I'm here for it.
Speaker 1:So can I ask when you're? So? If you have one meeting a year and then I'm assuming you're almost doing like drip content throughout the year to each grade level? Yes, do you have some kind of schedule? Like, are you? Do you just release your content at certain like months that you know? Now you have a schedule every January. This is what I send to freshmen sophomores.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, Kind of yes, and I guess that's what I was saying about how I roll with the tide, and so and I am very clear about this as well Ninth graders are going to hear from me less. How much is there for me to say? And I really feel strongly about that, because the more I talk, the less you're going to listen, right.
Speaker 1:Exactly.
Speaker 2:A student is going to tune me out if they're like here's another, and seniors probably do think that about me. But if I say something, it's because I think it's really important that you be thinking and they will need it.
Speaker 1:Eventually, they'll go Kim. Where was that video on? Yeah?
Speaker 2:A hundred percent. But ninth graders I'm not going to send them monthly content because I think I should. Right, and I charge accordingly.
Speaker 1:I love that. So is it safe to assume that your packages increase in price as the process gets closer to senior year?
Speaker 2:Yes, that is exactly right. It increases in price and that's something, to be honest, I play with that every year. I mean I'm still. You know I had there was a method to my madness and how I determined my price. I very much care about, you know, industry averages. I care about my experience and knowledge level and how much I'm giving them, but I very much care about affordability because I'm I'm filling a lane. You know there's there's people at all ends. I mean a lot of stuff you could potentially get from a guidance counselor and I work well with guidance counselors too to to kind of be that extra layer that you know they can't do, they don't have the time, right yeah absolutely Good.
Speaker 1:So what would you recommend for a new IEC, let's say someone who just went through one of the you know the college counseling programs online. They're just starting out and they're intrigued, they're interested, they think that this is what they want to do. What would you recommend they do? How do they approach their work differently or present their services? What words of wisdom would you have?
Speaker 2:I think the first thing that everyone needs to do is pause, take a breath and then find your lane. So one thing that's been fun, that's been a byproduct of the high volume, low touch pages. I've done some business consults, which I love it because I think I can talk to people about where they feel they're strong. So, like I led with, I felt like I was strong with branding and essays. So that's how I started and I didn't try to become an expert at career planning or an expert at this. That is just not me. I don't want to and so I just didn't.
Speaker 2:And I feel like don't assume you have to be all things to all people. Start simple, do what you know is going to help most people and then grow. You don't have to go from zero to 60. And also, I really feel strongly about not investing in 50 different systems before you even know what you're doing, which has been kind of a that if we talk about a challenge. I had a big business before. I had systems, crms and all that stuff. I didn't have any of that, but I'm business minded, so that helped me. But I think don't go and buy everything, just see how it goes and then grow into yourself and then you'll find your natural lane and you'll be true to yourself as a person.
Speaker 1:I love that Kim gold Okay. So what have we not talked about that you think everyone should know about? High volume, low touch?
Speaker 2:Well, even high volume, low touch, I mean just definitely to close out that you're still going to have relationships, you're still going to be servicing, and I do think that everyone probably needs to reflect on what these kids and families need and put your eggs in that basket. And then just a tip for IECs in general this really doesn't have to do with volume is don't be afraid to ask, don't be afraid to make the calls. Like I said, if you see an IEC that you like, well, reach out to them and talk to them and make connections. If I want to go talk to the head of admissions at a school, I don't care, I'll just call and ask.
Speaker 2:A funny side story is when I was trying to get my validation to be a NACAC and you have to have your letters, and so I'm kind of a go-getter, and so I had a letter from a college admissions person and I needed one more letter and I'm like you know what? I'm going to go for it and I emailed Rick Clark. Everybody knows Rick Clark because he's my alma mater. I got in my car, I drove to Atlanta for five hours. It was a win-win because there was a whole testing conference that I got to listen to Jeff Salingo and Akil Bello and Rick Clark talk about testing. But I also said you know what. I really know that I know what I'm doing. Will you write me a letter? And I volunteered for tech and he happily did it and that's just. You just got to go for it, just throw what you know.
Speaker 1:So cool, kim. Thank you for sharing that story. Do you can I ask, do you have any book recommendations? Like you strike me as a person who may have a couple of book recommendations.
Speaker 2:I do love books and I read them all. I mean, that's basically how I educated myself. You know one thing I think obviously we've all read the same books. We've all read Jeff Salingo, rick Clark's books. Those are all amazing books, but some that I've enjoyed are like Atomic Habits. Have you read Atomic Habits?
Speaker 1:My favorite. I've read it like three times because James Clear is amazing.
Speaker 2:Amazing, and I know when I first saw the title of that book, when I think of atomic, I guess I was thinking of an atomic bomb, so it'd be a huge change. And then, when you think about these little things I think I've incorporated that into my business model of these little subtle changes, with students teaching them to read their email, the most basic of things, little habits. And again, I'm constantly thinking about impacting these students for a lifetime, not just this college admissions process, because we all know we only have no control over it. We don't, and so I think Atomic Habits is a great one for everyone to read.
Speaker 1:Everyone. We covered so much and this was so fascinating. I think there are so many takeaways. Regardless of whether you're high touch, low touch, I love your philosophy in business in general and being true to who you are and your values. That alone is gold. I love that, kim. So thank you so much for taking the time to be on today. I really hope that our next conversation happens in North Carolina and not at the next ICA conference, so let's do it again.
Speaker 2:No, I really appreciate being here and I hope it was helpful and people learn some things today.
Speaker 1:I know they will Thanks again, kim, thank you. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Business of College Consulting. I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I did. If you did enjoy it, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or share it with a friend in the college consulting industry. I'll see you next week on our new episode and, in the meantime, take care.