From Competition to Collaboration

In this episode, leadership experts Kim Andrews and Jada Willis come together to share how a chance meeting over coffee turned into a powerful professional partnership. What began as two competitive voices in the leadership development space quickly evolved into a friendship built on shared values and complementary approaches to guiding leaders.

Listeners will hear a dynamic conversation at the intersection of strategy, culture, and self-leadership. Kim and Jada unpack how balancing vision with practical steps can transform communication, strengthen teams, and drive organizational effectiveness. Their stories and insights provide reassurance to leaders who may feel isolated, offering practical tools, clarity, and confidence to face challenges head-on.

Whether you’re a seasoned executive or just beginning your leadership journey, this episode delivers actionable takeaways on how to lead with impact and build a sustainable path forward.

If today’s conversation resonated, connect with us and be part of the community of leaders who refuse to lead alone.

JadaWillis.com | KimAndrewsCoaching.com

Jada@jwillisconsulting.com | Kim@kimandrewscoaching.com

Transcript

00:04 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Okay, we're recording. 

00:05 - Jada Willis (Host)
This is really happening, it's happening. 

00:09 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Hey Kim, hey Jada. 

00:11 - Jada Willis (Host)
Man. 

00:12 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Our breakout episode. 

00:13 - Jada Willis (Host)
This is our first one, all right, so I'm really excited about this because we've really been trying to work on something for so long together. 

00:24 - Kim Andrews (Host)
We've been trying to figure out what it is we want to work on together Exactly. But, we're actually competitors. How does we're going to get into that? I think you're rushing ahead. Okay, that seems. Yes, right, that sounds right. Just Hi everyone, I'm Kim Andrews. Hey, I'm Jada Willis. And just 30 seconds ago, jada said, kim, you are in charge of this episode. And what did she do? I took over. 

00:49 - Jada Willis (Host)
She just hogged the mic. I'm going to try to not be that person. Hey, we're a team, we are a team, we're a good team, and I think that this also it sets the stage because we both really care about the same things when it comes to business, when it comes to you know our values and helping leaders and business owners, and so I think that this is just going to be the flow of things. Yep, because we are both badasses. 

01:18 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Oh, wow, what's interesting is that you just swore and you're the one with the clean mouth. It's only certain, certain proof word. So, anyway, listen at your own risk. Okay, what are we doing? 

01:31 - Jada Willis (Host)
Right now we want to really give the framework of what are our listeners about to. You know, explore what are they about to hear as they get episode after episode, we start interviewing the business owners, the leaders that actually have had to lead through it. So my hope is that this is just a small glimpse into who we are. Where do we come from, what are our backgrounds? But then also, what can our listeners expect on our upcoming episodes? 

02:02 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Yeah, I mean, I think the first thing is we're trying something new, we're kind of experimenting. We have listened to tons of podcasts. You've had a podcast before, that's right. Hr After Dark. I have been a passionate podcast consumer for a long time. Never really pictured myself here, but this is fun and I think that I think there look, there are a ton of podcasts. Every person has a podcast. So one thing I think it's worth kind of chatting about is why are we doing this one? Why should people listen to it? 

02:43
How is it going to be similar or different? 

02:46 - Jada Willis (Host)
to what's out there. Here's one of the things so I'm going to. I want to, I want to take the mic right there when I'm thinking about lead through it, right like. We all have those moments, though, in business and I just I feel like there's there is so much fluff and there's so much that noise whether it be podcast or all the information that we're getting and I want to talk about, like, what are, what are the serious things that we all go through as leaders, as entrepreneurs, business owners, like, but what are those examples? And just to also know that you're not alone in this. Yes, the others are going through it too with you. 

03:23
But then how did someone? I want to hear from someone else's experience of how did you show up, how was it messy and then great, what's the impact, what's the outcome? I want to know how did you actually lead through it? And it's going to give the practical advice. We're going to have these individual takeaways. We're going to help guide our participants, our flipping people that are coming on our podcast, Our flipping people, our flipping people but we're going to actually make sure that our listeners are getting to the root of their issues. But understanding, how do I show up in the situation for myself, for my people, for my business. That's what I think. 

04:09 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Yes, ditto, I think you just said this. The like, loneliness of it all, I think is worth kind of underscoring a little bit, because I expect most of the people listening are leading organizations and that is kind of heads down. You're really focused on the people, the teams, the company that you are in charge of, and something I hear and we'll get in a little bit into a little bit of like who we are and what we do. But I hear over and over again from clients how isolating and lonely it is, especially for those executive leaders, because everybody like reports to them You're absolutely right or a board. 

04:56
So they oftentimes hire people like you and me because they need a trusted thought partner a confidant, somebody who can help them figure out how to navigate tricky moments, big and small, yeah, and I think that's something you and I that I hope we bring. We have the perspective of being leaders ourselves, but we also talk to so many leaders. 

05:23
So many. But we also talk to so many leaders, so many, and we are able to see kind of across different types of organizations for-profit, nonprofit, big, small, everything in between and help people kind of normalize, learn about what other people are doing or not doing. That's helping, yeah. So to bring some of that like hey, I'm not alone, Other people are dealing with this and, like you said, some of the practical like I hope we can combine some storytelling with some. Okay, here's how to make sense of it and apply it to your situation. 

05:58 - Jada Willis (Host)
Exactly so. I told you, I told you all she's a badass. That's what I said from the beginning. But the other piece is that, absolutely, it's oh my goodness, it's such a lonely. So business owner leaders, it is a lonely job, right. But in addition to that, it's that we only have a little bit of time, and that's the thing I want to make sure, like in life. 

06:21 - Kim Andrews (Host)
That was deep. 

06:22 - Jada Willis (Host)
That got really deep In our day. We want to do all the things, we want to show up for all the people in our lives, all that, and so I don't know about you, but, like, how much time is the average CEO, the average business owner, giving to listening to podcasts and listening, and how are they getting that external type of either learning or growing? And so I want our podcast, though, to get to it right. So that's why we decided on Lead Through it. Yeah, it's getting really quickly into what is the it, what's the background on the story, but also how do you get through it, what happens on the other side, and so I want to make sure that, from a time perspective, I hate wasting time. It's one of my pet peeves. 

07:10 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Hate it, hey listeners, just so you know. I waited for her for 45 minutes to start recording. Just want that for the record. 

07:18 - Jada Willis (Host)
First off, she's not wrong. She's not wrong and that's why we're also going to be truthful and transparent. It's a part of our podcast journey so played that was so well played. It's all about the pivot. It's all about the pivot. My newsletter is about to come out. It's about the pivot, so I just want you know, shameless plug that's what will happen to you. So I think I think right now it, but it makes the most sense of telling a little bit more about who are we Well wait. 

07:47 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Can I say one other thing on the time piece and this is something I experienced for sure and a lot of my clients experience. They want time for reflection, for listening, for learning all that stuff. But I think we all grossly overestimate how much time is needed on those kinds of step back exercises. Like I'll think, like oh, I need a day, I need a week or even I need several hours, but at the end of the day 15 minutes of kind of thoughtful reflection, away from the pings and the people, can be really productive, can be really fruitful. I completely agree. So I also want to challenge the idea that like we all need to set aside like hours and hours for like deep reflection. That's just not the reality for a lot of people and so I hope through these kind of short episodes and conversations we can also underscore the point that like a little bit goes a long way when it comes to reflecting, thinking kind of bigger picture and long term. 

08:57 - Jada Willis (Host)
Yeah, that's my point. No, you get so busy and I hope that folks working with me at least get to the point where they are prioritizing self-leadership and prioritizing that intentionality in their day. But let's just say we haven't gotten there yet and listen, you're just trying to show up and survive and you're in survival mode. Well, listen, sometimes it's like that five minutes in the shower, but like you can, I mean, you can play our podcast, you can play whatever it is, but you can actually spend that five to 15 minutes and it doesn't have to be this big ordeal of I need to have pen and paper. Sometimes, guess what, you're going to have to listen to it again and you're like I want to take these nuggets away. But listen, this is about showing up and I like this, it's chipping away. Let's do what's. What's one small thing you can do, one inspired action or one question. 

09:48 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Yeah, I think we will. We'll do, I think we'll make a concerted effort to leave people with some open, reflective questions that they can consider that's a good goal and we don't have all the answers, like we have suggestions we can share with you. Trends we're seeing across clients, but we don't know what's best for you and your business and your organization, so we'll offer some questions for you to think about that. 

10:14 - Jada Willis (Host)
Exactly. And so then you get to put it through your own individual funnel. How does it apply? It's not just a, it's not just black and white, right Plug and play. You get to decide I've been it's like that aha moment or like, oh, I need to remember that. But then how does that work with what you're doing in your life? Yeah, all right, you promised me that we can now talk about. In summary, Ourselves. 

10:48 - Kim Andrews (Host)
In summary, this project is all about talking with leaders about challenging moments, big and small. That's what we mean by lead through it. You might even say lead through shit, what's the hard stuff that you've had to navigate. So we'll talk to leaders about that, what they learned, what they tried, what worked, what didn't, and then we'll weave in some of our own kind of thoughts, recommendations, things to try. 

11:13 - Jada Willis (Host)
So yeah, we hope you'll listen, I think that was perfect. 

11:14 - Kim Andrews (Host)
I couldn't agree more. Okay Now, would you like to talk about yourself now, Jada? I actually would like to ask about you. 

11:20 - Jada Willis (Host)
Kim Kim Andrews, that's me. Can you just tell me how did you get here? What do you do for a living? 

11:35 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Who do you work with Great questions. Well, I'll start with what I do now. I am a leadership coach and I work with mission-driven CEOs who are trying to do a couple of things. They're trying to take back control of their time. They're trying to build really high-performing teams with strong, healthy cultures and they are trying to make their way through change. And they're trying to do big things. They're trying to achieve big, ambitious goals without burning out. So I never in a million years had going out on my own on my bingo card. 

12:15 - Jada Willis (Host)
Oh really. 

12:16 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Oh never. 

12:16 - Jada Willis (Host)
I know you always have I never have. 

12:19 - Kim Andrews (Host)
I spent my career working in public education in a variety of roles, so I started as a middle school English teacher in South Texas, a tiny rural border town, and I got there Maybe I'll just take one quick step before that. 

12:40
I got there, I think, because of a really pivotal volunteer experience, or set of experiences in high school and college, with an incredible nonprofit called the Appalachia Service Project. 

12:55
It's an emergency home repair organization that works in central Appalachia helping make homes warmer, safer, drier, and I honestly like I tagged along on a trip one summer with some of my friends because their church was sending a group and I needed some volunteer hours for high school, and so that was that first summer. 

13:21
And then I went back the next couple of summers and then I was on staff for a couple of summers and it just kind of set me on this path and I this path of service, this path of working with communities that are struggling and just trying to I mean, as cliche as it sounds like do good, you know, make a difference like how do we do that? You know what? What does it look like? How do we do that? You know what? What does it look like, how do we do it? And so I was sitting with that question in college trying to figure out like, okay, what, what? I have this kind of general set of interests and values around social good and justice and service. What do I, what do I do with that? And I crossed paths with an organization called Teach for America. 

14:13
And it was sort of like yep this is it. 

14:15
I had never thought about being a teacher, studying political science, but I just felt intuitively that this was going to be a meaningful and powerful way to be of service. Meaningful and powerful way to be of service so started in the classroom and then that kind of set me on a path in education. I worked for education nonprofits in the US and in the UK and I worked in the central office at Washington DC public schools for a number of years, in the central office at Washington DC public schools for a number of years, working on all things teacher leadership, teacher effectiveness, and then another nonprofit. So I was kind of on this education path and it was rewarding, it was challenging. I had the opportunity to develop and grow teams to support clients. So at my last role at a nonprofit. 

15:19
Our clients were large public school districts all over the country who were trying to do professional development for teachers better. A lot of professional development for teachers is not good and not only do teachers suffer through that, but so do students. So in my last quote unquote regular job I was working at an nonprofit called Leading Educators. We were helping school districts train, develop, grow their teachers in new ways and create leadership opportunities for teachers. 

15:55
Historically there's like one path Like you either teach for decades or you become a school leader, and there hasn't always been a ton of other ways to think about leadership as a teacher. So that was kind of my first playing field, so to speak, in terms of leadership, like what does it look like in schools and in school districts and how do we um grow and develop teachers in ways that help them have a greater impact on their peers, on their students? So that was all. That was all great. It was great. I was on a path, I loved that path, I was pretty, pretty good at that path, and then a couple of things like kind of came together at once. One COVID, which you know, say no more. Yeah, like COVID was happening Right and I think a lot of us were kind of taking a step back and thinking about like, okay, and I think a lot of us were kind of taking a step back and thinking about like okay what am I doing? 

16:55
What do I want to be doing? Where can I be of greatest kind of service and value? And so that was happening. My family was growing right now so I have three young kids. They are eight, six and three. At the time I had two and we were talking about a third. So our family was growing. I was trying to figure out, like I've been on this path for about 15 years, like do I want to stay on this path? Do I want a new path? That kind of like you pick up your head and you're like what am I doing Right? 

17:25
Um, so I did the things you do, I got a coach, I was in therapy, I did all the reflection and the introspection and I just, similarly to that moment in college, I think, I had a moment where I was like I know, I need something different but, I don't know what it is. So what do people do? 

17:49 - Jada Willis (Host)
They like consult while they quote figure it out Exactly. I'm glad you said that. I'm so glad you said that. 

17:56 - Kim Andrews (Host)
I'm sure that that was just so validating for someone listening. Okay, I was like, oh, I'll just do. I had a. I had a longtime mentor, former boss shout out to Jill, who has her own company, and she said I could give you some consulting work while you figure out what your next move is. And that was about four years ago and it has just kind of grown organically since then. 

18:22
I've experimented with different clients and organizations and focus areas and blah, blah, blah. I feel like I'm blabbing on, but I have kind of, after some experimentation, landed in this place where I just love working with senior leaders in mission-driven organizations who want to lead well, who want to develop healthy, high-performing but also good teams to be on, and it's a mix. It's a mix of one-on-one executive coaching and then I also love some team-based work, because in my last role at the Ed nonprofit it was a lot about how do adults learn, how do we help adults learn in effective ways that reach real outcomes, and all of that applies inside and outside education nonprofits. So so, yeah, adult learning like how do we help adults learn and how do we help teams learn and grow together. Thank you for coming to my TED talk. 

19:23 - Jada Willis (Host)
I'm so proud of you. I am so proud of you and you know, think about this. We haven't known each other honestly all that long, but what I will say is that we have been working at some time with similar clients or the same clients, and so I have actively heard about you. I have solicited my own feedback from said clients and I was like, all right, who is this chick? And I can honestly say that you, just you, you really do. You have a really neat approach to executive coaching one-on-one coaching, um, as well as the uh facilitation, and uh and and team, uh, I say team building, but not in the traditional sense um the team collaboration, and so I'm really impressed by you and, in all seriousness, and that's the reason that's one of the reasons why I really wanted to work with you in some capacity, Jada. 

20:20 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Well, I have to say I mean I've admired Jada since before. Look, it's time. I've been talking a lot, it's time to talk about you. 

20:33 - Jada Willis (Host)
I think the listeners should know I actively pursue Jada. Okay, not that kind of podcast people. 

20:39 - Kim Andrews (Host)
I have long admired you and your work and Columbia is a small town entrepreneur. I've been very curious to meet, learn about, learn from the other folks in the kind of leadership development space. And it doesn't take but a moment of Googling to learn that Jada Willis is front and center. And so I remember I sent Jada a LinkedIn request and she sent me back the kindest response. We scheduled coffee and it was a little bit far out, I think. We kind of went back and forth for a couple of months but I was like oh Jada, she's a big shot. We finally got a coffee scheduled and you're nervous meeting somebody new, somebody you admire, somebody you think is doing good work. We met for coffee and we hit it off. We hit it off and I think we've been trying to figure out what's that thing? Yeah, are we competitors? 

21:51 - Jada Willis (Host)
Oh yeah, we are. 

21:52 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Get them. Well, it's funny because in our first meeting you said, oh, I, yeah, we are. Well, it's funny because the first one of the in our first meeting you said, oh, I know who you are. And I was like, what is she talking about? She's like my people have been doing like competitor research and you came up and I'm like, first of all, this lady's got people. Second of all, like I, I have like Like I hacked together like a little baby website myself, kind of against my will. I like just barely started to even dabble with LinkedIn. I'm like very low tech, so that I was like flattered, but also like, oh God, like is this woman going to like does she think I'm going to come after her? 

22:37 - Jada Willis (Host)
business. Is she going to try? 

22:38 - Kim Andrews (Host)
to come after, like what's going on. 

22:40 - Jada Willis (Host)
So we were like feeling it out for a while and, I think, just growing a really natural friendship yeah, professional colleague respect thing hey we don't have to label it so, but we immediately though I, I I felt I was like I'm impressed and why that's important is like I do, I hold myself to a high standard, I have high expectations and I don't and I've already shared I really don't like wasting time, but I love meeting new people, especially that are in my space and that are in the area and I've heard great things about you. 

23:17
So my reflection point I was like dang, I was like, oh, she's a mover and a shaker, I'm going to have to step up my game a little bit. We really did energetically align, but learning more about you, our values align, who we help, but we are competitors? For sure we are. But I have always had the belief that competitors are collaborators, or I hope to make them. If we align and just in learning more about you, we eventually will be working on a client together and being able to help, because we come at it from different backgrounds, a different approach. 

23:56 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Yes, different backgrounds, a different approach, yes, and I think when a leader is bringing somebody on for support, guidance, it has to be a good match and some of that is a little bit hard to define and it's a feel, it's rapport, and I think you and I are really aligned in so many ways and also we're different, so some leaders are going to naturally gravitate towards one of us or the other. We also, I think, and we can get into this, I think, as the episodes go but have different kind of sweet spots. 

24:33 - Jada Willis (Host)
Oh, totally, but I think that's fair to mention right now, though, sure, because it's relevant to what I do today. 

24:40 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Yeah, let's get into it, this woman, she's grown businesses, she's sold businesses. I mean, tell us, tell us, your story. 

24:49 - Jada Willis (Host)
Well, I'll tell you. First, I never thought that I would be sitting here today as a growth coach and workplace culture specialist. Why not growth coach and workplace culture specialist? Why not? Because I've kind of and I've let go of this rigid view. But you have to understand, I'm a dork. I am, that's what I'm fixed. I don't know. 

25:06
Yeah, I'm fun, but I'm a dork and I have known since the seventh grade that I was going to be an HR professional so good and business owner. I never changed my major. I talked to in seventh grade. I went to my guidance counselor Shout out, mr Kohlberg, facebook friends so and I said I love psychology, law and business. What am I going to do with my life? I need to know. 

25:31
And he's like all right, let's just get out the dictionary occupational titles and spend some time together. And he decided, yeah, he's like no, this is real. He's like I think you should be an HR professional. I was like I don't know what that is, let's explore. So at this point, I was also president of FBLA school store manager. Stop, these are such fun facts. She doesn't know it. She doesn't know it. And so my I was very focused. I couldn't wait to get to college and get on with my career, and so, as an HR professional, as an HR professional, but I also knew that I wanted to be a business owner. I've told you the story. I had a, I had a lemonade Kool-Aid stand. I think I've heard it. But our listeners yeah. 

26:14
Well, just quickly, growing up, I was like it's so stereotypical of an entrepreneur, but and I loved all the sales projects with school oh, my goodness, please Couldn't wait to sell you wrapping paper because I was going to crush it. But I had a Kool-Aid slash lemonade stand because I really felt like we had to diversify. People need choice. Yeah, our offerings. But then there were a couple competitors in my neighborhood yeah, man, and I was like huh. I was like I don't like that. I don't like that because they're taking business away from me. 

26:48
So I went to the two other competitors and I gave them $5 and I said come work with my stand. No, I did, I'm buying their supply. I wouldn't buy their supply, have them come over, because I really needed. You know, I did, I'm buying their supply. I wouldn't have buy their supply, have them come over, because I really needed. You know, like shifts, I need to make sure that it was covered. Yeah, well, that's my parents say. It's when I fired my first employee. It's my little friend. I'm not going to say her name because we got to protect her identity. I'm hoping that she turned it around her attendance. 

27:15 - Kim Andrews (Host)
But yeah, she just kept wanting to play and not show up, so we have customers right. 

27:22 - Jada Willis (Host)
So I don't know how we got here, but I always knew that I would be a business owner, right? Yeah, picture myself in a business suit, all the things. Anyway, get to college. Undergraduate degree, human resources, minor in psychology people perfect. 

27:38
Everyone should minor in psychology, everyone, everyone and then, um, I have my master's, immediately went on to my master's in industrial and labor relations, concentration, human resources, and then I said, okay, that was, that was a lot of schooling. It is time, um, it is time to officially be an hr professional. Actually, what I didn't share is that simultaneously, I was actually an HR assistant for Ponderosa Steakhouse while going to college. You know this story right. 

28:06 - Kim Andrews (Host)
No, I don't think so. 

28:08 - Jada Willis (Host)
Oh my God, I begged for an internship with our director of HR. I was a server and all the things at Ponderosa Steakhouse. 

28:14 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Okay. 

28:16 - Jada Willis (Host)
And she kept coming in, you know, every week, and you know now you know that's not really a good thing. She was doing investigations, but anyway, and so, and then I was like I, so I wanted to. I started, I kept waiting on her and I was just like, listen, I'm actually going to be an HR. And she's like how old are you? So this is whenever I was 16 years old oh wow, I was 16 years old I was like, no, seriously, I'm going to be in HR. 

28:41
I do need like, do you need an intern? Actually, you do need an intern. And she's like I can't afford an intern, we don't have what. And I was like listen, listen, um, you can pay me in chicken wings and mashed potatoes and I'm going to be the best intern you've ever had. I didn't exactly know what an intern was, but I found that term Like I don't know. But anyway, and she was thrilled, I spent the summer traveling to I'm from Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, and so I spent it traveling to West Virginia, ohio, and doing like yeah, manager, in your intern duties. 

29:07
Yeah, wow, she realized really quickly. 

29:09 - Kim Andrews (Host)
I was like no, no, no, you were driving yourself around. 

29:11 - Jada Willis (Host)
Yes, I was driving myself around. 

29:14
I've never gotten that question from the story, like, oh, my mom was totally against this. She was like what, what? No, you don't even know this woman. I was like, well, I'm employed. I mean, technically, I get chicken wings and mashed potatoes, like so good, what'd you learn? Oh, my goodness, that was the foundation of my HR career. Yeah, participating, eventually had to participate in investigations. I led new hire orientations. Yes, when I was 17, 18, like I, yeah, and so it was really neat, I started going to my first conference. Um, michelle, michelle, thank you, thank you so much. I actually I send her thank you notes still to this day because I would not be the professional I am. Anyway, long story straight. That's the early days, okay. 

30:03 - Kim Andrews (Host)
All right, we've caught everyone up to age 20. Now what? At this pace, it's not going to be tight. 

30:09 - Jada Willis (Host)
This is a fast forward. All right, I better go faster, so okay. So then I actually accepted an HR position at Snooker Products Company. That's how I moved south to Hartsville, South Carolina, and then I proceeded to take on various HR roles after that with Target and Verizon, so I had the corporate life right and I just I really wanted to still be a business owner and I was like how do I do that? But then I also I don't know how, looking back, I really knew this. But I knew that there was a market for small business owners and how they needed HR support, but also nonprofits and I'm like that's where I want to go. I want to get into that. So I started. I actually left my six-figure big girl HR job in April of 2016. And then I April 19th 2016 is my first full day as an entrepreneur and I was like, okay, so what do I do now? And I started HR. I started HR consulting. So I started Willis HR and I grew that business to a seven figure business and I sold that business in 2022. I, oh my goodness, it was a journey. I've learned so much. 

31:16
But what I actually realized in the last year or so of owning Willis HR is. I started actually providing more of that growth coaching and executive coaching under the guise of HR being that sounding board, and realizing that I had also so much knowledge when it comes to even the business development aspects of it and how do I diversify my service offerings? I'm like, wait a second, I don't think this is HR anymore. So whenever I said I didn't think I'd be here it's because HR has been such a part of my life. But only to realize is that every business problem is rooted in a people problem Totally. Let's just repeat that, yeah, Every business problem is rooted in a people problem. Yes, and sometimes that people problem Totally. Let's just repeat that, yeah, Every business problem is rooted in a people problem. Yes, and sometimes that people problem actually lands with the CEO or the business owner. Right, that could be their people problem, yeah. So now it's like I get to bring together the HR piece and solving people problems with really looking at. 

32:15
So I provide clarity sessions, I provide the. I don't call it executive coaching, I call it growth coaching. And then you know trainings as well. But I love we always start. Every client with me starts with a clarity session and it's a process of I'm going to give you a personalized survey. I'm going to make sure that we dig in, because usually the problem you come to me with is not really the root of the issue and I'm identifying what are the hurdles, what are the issues that are keeping you stuck and that are causing you to slow down your momentum as a professional and, most importantly, with your business and your team. So I love helping business owners get unstuck. So that's my sweet spot. I love business owners. 

32:56 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Yes, I also love business owners. All right, you acted like I'm spot. I love business owners. Yes, I also love business owners. All right, you acted like I'm sorry, I did point at her. She's like pointing at me like I don't, I just don't know. Okay, that absolutely no. I think this is worth teasing out a little bit. Okay, like you, your sweet spot? People who are building growing, scaling businesses. Yes, true, I businesses. Yes, true, I think my sweet spot would be leaders within organizations. 

33:22 - Jada Willis (Host)
Yes. 

33:22 - Kim Andrews (Host)
And that could be the CEO or executive director. 

33:25 - Jada Willis (Host)
I work with a lot of nonprofits not solely nonprofits, sure, but look, nonprofits are businesses, oh please. 

33:35 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Okay, that's an underlying bold moment right there. Well, they are right. It's just something different happens with the money. 

33:38 - Jada Willis (Host)
right, Exactly, but I Still you think like a business, act like a business. 

33:42 - Kim Andrews (Host)
And that's where I think you and I, like I, can learn a lot. We can learn a lot from each other, and I certainly learn a lot from you. 

33:49 - Jada Willis (Host)
Completely yeah. 

33:49 - Kim Andrews (Host)
So executive directors and senior teams, I think that that kind of every business problem is rooted in a people problem. Again, maybe we're saying for the third time and that's been something that's been really fun about going out on my own my whole career I was deep into public education and what I've learned? Very, very few of my clients since leaving that work work in education not. I've had maybe one, one client from at an education non-profit, but other clients have have kind of spanned all different mission areas and focus areas. But what they do have in common, what do they have? I know it, they have people. That's right. People problems too. People problems. 

34:45 - Jada Willis (Host)
But as you were talking, there are so many transferable skills in your background, oh, totally. 

34:50 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Well, and I'll say this too, about like people problems. I think I spent the first chunk of my career very like strategy first, like goals first, data first, results first, people second. That sounds bad, that sounds bad. I've always been naturally kind of good at people. You are good at people, you are good at people. Well, my dad when I was about 12. That very much forced me, against my will, to read Dale Carnegie how to Win Friends with People. I know We've talked about that, have we? 

35:33 - Jada Willis (Host)
I'm sorry, I remember I just did that Now I have not read that book in a while. 

35:36 - Kim Andrews (Host)
I don't know. I'm sure there are things in there that might not like, might fall a little hard on the 20, 25 years, but the principles are, it's a lot of them. True, the principles are, it's a lot of them Showing genuine interest in other people, asking, being curious, caring what other people care about. This kind of this story aside, it's not to say, in the earlier part of my career I didn't care about people, sure, but like culture, relationships, trust, that was not something in my kind of greener leadership days. That was like number one on my agenda. I would say. It is now Absolutely. I would say I've completely flipped that around and I really believe that if your organization doesn't have and your team doesn't have, kind of a strong enough foundation of trust and I know maybe we can talk more about that, I think that's a word people throw, especially consultants. 

36:43 - Jada Willis (Host)
You know what is it. 

36:44 - Kim Andrews (Host)
What is it? How do you build it? I think we should talk about that. If you don't have it, I do not think you can do much else. You just can't, you cannot, not if you don't have a scale. 

36:53 - Jada Willis (Host)
If you want a scale, you're going to have to have what Trust yeah. 

36:57 - Kim Andrews (Host)
And I think that's one of the realizations I had towards the end of my nonprofit career is the more senior my clients got and they were chief academic officers, instructional superintendents, deputy superintendents of large school districts the less they needed to talk to me about teacher professional learning and the more they needed to talk about their team. That's perfect. And I was like, wow, this is important, this is interesting, I like this and this is foundational, and so it's been fun to see kind of how universal some of those challenges are and some of the lessons and some of the just good practices. It's not just like happy hours and trust falls Exactly. 

37:42 - Jada Willis (Host)
Oh, my goodness, Pizza parties. I hate that crap. Listen, not just happy hours and trust falls. I mean I love pizza. I mean I love pizza. 

37:47 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Listen, I'm just happy hours and trust. I mean I love pizza. I mean I love pizza, I love this marriage. Right, like strategy and culture have to be married. They go together, they need each other and like I'm not the first person to say this, but I think it's a lot of the stuff that I work on with clients is how to kind of meld these. 

38:06 - Jada Willis (Host)
This is tangentially related. Meld these yeah, this is tangentially related, but it just brought it up for me whenever I'm thinking about clarity sessions. And why I said that? Because I agree, I'm focused on the strategy, but then also overall impact. What I say to my clients is I frequently want to help them with balancing the 30,000-foot view to the 3,000-foot. 

38:26
Yeah that's good and that's what you have to do constantly as a leader. There's no day where you're spending it just in 30,000 foot view versus 3,000. That's just not. That's not realistic. But the thing is, is that from a from a even a clarity perspective, is I'm passionate about self-leadership? I'm passionate because guess what, if you as a business owner, as a CEO, feel waffling, unclear, you don't have that vision and then also even have some of the nuts and bolts of how to bring that vision to life, or the action steps, your team will feel that and guess what? It's going to lead to greater people issues. I bet that you're not going to be communicating correctly. I bet you're not going to be able to show appreciation and value in your team. You're not going to be able to focus on how are you impacting your clients and service offer, like everything. So think about I'm really passionate about helping my clients. Self-leadership because it lends into and getting clarity lends into every other part of the business. Do you agree with that? 

39:27 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Totally and I think every other part of the business, do you agree with that Totally? And I think, um, and I think you know C CEOs, eds, like they have so many people coming to them, it is very easy to default to kind of a reactive like you're. You're getting your people are pulling on you all day for all kinds of problems. And so I think carving out a little bit of time to develop that vision, you know, in your terms, kind of that self-leadership, those values, those priorities, is going to help you kind of get your hands back on the wheel instead of just twisting in the wind with the issues. 

40:07 - Jada Willis (Host)
Oh, I love it. So we could, I mean we could spend, I know. 

40:10 - Kim Andrews (Host)
We better land this episode one. 

40:12 - Jada Willis (Host)
That's exactly what we were doing at the same time, but I do think this is a really good sneak peek into the types of conversations we're going to have, the types of issues we're going to unpack and explore together, and even in just reminding folks, you're not alone in this. There are others going through the same thing. How are they handling it? And maybe they're handling it better, faster, stronger. What can we learn from each other? Right, love it. I'm excited. This is the sneak peek. 

40:39 - Kim Andrews (Host)
We made it, we did it. We've been stalling listeners. We've had several stalled attempts at this first episode, including Jada's rather weak one of today she lost her charger, but here we are. We did it. We don't share secrets. We did it, we were committed to being transparent. We're not perfect, but hey, thank, thank you for listening. Yeah, thank you for listening. 

41:00 - Jada Willis (Host)
See how this goes, I being along the ride with us, I want you, no, no, no, we're not going to see how this goes. This is going to be epic. Okay, I love it. 

41:08 - Kim Andrews (Host)
I need you that optimism You're going to subscribe. 

41:12 - Jada Willis (Host)
You are going to share with at least one other person. This is going to be our rooted message that we're going to refer back to for years to come. But I promise you you're going to be a better leader, you're going to be a better business owner. You're going to be a better person after you listen to. 

41:29 - Kim Andrews (Host)
Lead Through it, boom. All right, see you next time.