{"id":33935,"date":"2021-08-17T08:12:28","date_gmt":"2021-08-17T12:12:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smps.org\/?p=33935"},"modified":"2023-06-16T10:10:52","modified_gmt":"2023-06-16T10:10:52","slug":"smps-member-kim-pipkin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smps.org\/2021\/08\/17\/smps-member-kim-pipkin\/","title":{"rendered":"SMPS Member Kim Pipkin"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SMPS<\/p>\n

In our member spotlight, Kim Pipkin takes time out of her busy day to chat with SMPS. Kim is founder\/principal of Black Kite Consulting and president-elect of SMPS San Francisco, and sits on the SMPS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. In this spotlight, Kim shares the rewards of her career and the benefits of being an SMPS member.<\/p>\n

How did you decide to have a career in the A\/E\/C industries? <\/strong>I wanted to be an architect and attended UC Berkeley\u2019s College of Environmental Design Graduate program. However, I decided instead to focus on marketing and business development. This was due to having worked closely with a design firm principal (prior to grad school) who mentored me in marketing and client relations. I realized I preferred business, money, strategy, negotiations, competition, and working with people. Sitting at the drafting table wasn\u2019t for me.<\/p>\n

How would you describe your role\/job? <\/strong>I\u2019ve been in every position possible, from a marketing assistant to the director.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your favorite part of the job? <\/strong>Strategic business and pursuit planning are my ministry. I especially love client retention and development because it involves engagement with people from all walks of life. I was born for selling in all its facets.<\/p>\n

What have been the challenges and rewards of your career? <\/strong>When I started my career, I was one of two Black women (my boss Gwen Powell Todd and me) doing marketing and business development. I had to overachieve and work harder to be taken seriously \u2026 despite my successes. I had two advanced degrees, and was most often one of the smartest people in the room. However, I was compensated the least and considered overhead even though my contributions were a priority. Frequently, I felt voiceless and expendable.<\/p>\n

Another challenge is working for firms that don\u2019t value marketing and treat it as a support function. It\u2019s difficult to do your best when marketing isn\u2019t funded properly or needed resources are overlooked.<\/p>\n

Despite the challenges, the rewards of my career are many. I\u2019ve been able to make a good living, hone specific skills, develop new interests, and establish an amazing network of like-minded colleagues and many personal friends. Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of my career has been the ability to mentor, coach, and advocate for those entering the profession.<\/p>\n

What has been your most meaningful project? <\/strong>It\u2019s true that I feel a degree of pride seeing certain projects I\u2019ve pursued be designed and ultimately, built. That said, identifying new opportunities and clients are what matter most to me because it involves strategy, partnerships, collaboration, focus, and bit of magical thinking. Meaningfulness for me is human-centered. Additionally, I\u2019ve worked for several small, local, women and minority-owned firms. Stewarding these organizations and positioning them to win new work and compete with larger firms is priceless.<\/p>\n

Why is membership in SMPS important to you and how has it helped you to advance your firm and your career? <\/strong>I began my career years ago as a marketing assistant at a blue chip architecture firm in San Francisco. I learned about SMPS through a new career opportunity to become a marketing coordinator. My boss Gwen was president of SMPS San Francisco, so I helped with a range of SMPS activities, including setting up events, making follow-up calls, and preparing and sending out documents.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m here today, 25 years later, crediting SMPS with my career journey. I\u2019m putting a bow on things by becoming president-elect of SMPS San Francisco in September 2021.<\/p>\n

What has contributed to your success? <\/strong>Contributions to my success include having a great education, personal drive, and the opportunity to work at a variety of firms across all disciplines. It\u2019s always been about learning for me. I\u2019m grateful for having a few key mentors (and some adversaries) who ignited my career and helped shape my character.<\/p>\n

What advice would you give someone about to enter marketing or business development? <\/strong>Be bold. Take risks. Do everything. Raise your hand. Focus. Gain clarity. Roll up your sleeves. Speak out. Push yourself. Know your worth. Ask for help. Bring someone along. Discover your passion. Take on leadership roles. Seek out mentors and coaches. Be of service to others.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the best advice you\u2019ve received regarding your career or working in A\/E\/C? <\/strong>The advice I\u2019ve received hasn\u2019t been verbal but through the action of others. My top four are: Don\u2019t worry about making mistakes, because the value of what you learn is immeasurable. Chase purpose, not money by being exemplary in everything you do. Stand your ground on the things you know are right. You belong in the room where important conversations happen.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the best career advice you\u2019ve given? <\/strong>Believe in yourself and surround yourself with the best and brightest people possible. Establish lofty goals and make them happen.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s on your bucket list? <\/strong>Redeem the airline ticket to Canada that I couldn\u2019t use due to COVID-19 (Quebec City).\u00a0 Travel to Japan. Become a real estate investor and philanthropist. Own a nice property with a beautiful home designed by me with an amazing garden. Get a Ph.D or Ed.D and become a multi-millionaire by the age of 70.<\/p>\n

Guilty pleasure: What can you not live without?<\/strong><\/p>\n