Kim Pickett was featured recently on the Vancouver Entrepreneur podcast, which shares resources and inspirational stories of aspiring or accomplished entrepreneurs in the Lower Mainland of Vancouver. Interviewed by Robert Szmigiel, Kim talked about a range of topics from how she grew KIMBO Design into a successful Vancouver branding and design agency, to how she manages to maintain a healthy work-life balance, and the importance of mentorship.
Here is a full transcript of the interview.
Hi Robert, thanks very much for having me today. Looking forward to our little talk.
Good. Okay, well, I want to just first of all tell us about yourself, where you’re from, your background and give us the details on your business or businesses.
Sure. So, my name is Kim Pickett. I’m from Oshawa, Ontario originally. I moved here to Vancouver 13 years ago, and started my business called KIMBO Design. KIMBO design is an award winning, branding and advertising agency. And we specialized in web design integrated communications and marketing for web and print.
Okay. Now, did you need financing to start your company and how do you currently make money in your business now?
No. So, in terms of financing, I started with my own funds. Originally, when I moved here, I had $3,000 in my bank account. And I knew two people in Vancouver. So, I just did some hassling, did some moonlighting as a freelance graphic designer, and it was just myself running the business out of my bedroom in Kitsilano. So, everything was funded by me. And I just slowly grew the company year by year. And now, we have nine people and we’re in a location in downtown Vancouver.
Fabulous, yes, it’s definitely a treat to watch your company grow isn’t it, overtime, especially in Vancouver?
Yeah, it is. It’s great place to live and it’s great place to work and, you know, I planned that I was going to have a good working lifestyle and a sustainable lifestyle too. So, I’ve really practiced that in my day to day.
Okay. What is the long term vision and what were you company look like in the future? Do you see the company expanding into the areas and where beyond Vancouver B.C. or even Canada?
So, in terms of any expansion plans I have for KIMBO design, there is kind of two ways I can go about growing KIMBO, and that is grow it myself and expanding to different provinces, you know. One dream is to have a location in Toronto, also, maybe the states down south. So, I’m looking at those growth plans but they’re still on the works. And so, that’s kind of the first option I have. The second option is possibly being attractive to a bigger holding company that might be interested in what KIMBO does. So, typically, smaller agencies are bought by the bigger holding companies and that’s how they can get to the growth and be bigger as well. So, I’m looking at those two options in, you know, exploring those roots.
So, you’re talking like WPP predecessor or some large company like that.
Exactly. I’m not too sure how all that works. It’s just I’ve, you know, I’m looking into it. It’s not set in stone. I don’t like to have everything set in stone. I want to be flexible and adaptable and be able to change my course along the way.
Okay, good. Okay, well, we talked a little bit about you and we talked a little bit about your company. We’ll talk a little bit more about Vancouver now. What are the biggest benefits for you in being an entrepreneur here in Vancouver B.C.? I want you to give us some of the good points about starting company here but I also wants you to give us some of the tough things or challenges for listeners so they can keep an eye off for them.
Sure. So, I’ll start with the good things about Vancouver because that’s given and it’s very easy for me to talk about. Again, I love the work lifestyle that we have here. And I love the mountains, the beach. And I’m a very active person, so I love being able to go to the beach after work, go to the mountain after work. I love to snow board. I love to play beach volleyball. So, these surrounding area is perfect for me and in my lifestyle and how I want to setup my life. Some of the challenges in Vancouver are, you know, living day to day, well, it’s an expensive place, right? So, that means that you have to earn more money, right? So, in terms of the pressures, I would say that there’s a pressure to have certain things in the lifestyle that you want here and in order to do that, you do have to make more money to survive. So, I would say that that is a challenge but it’s also, you know, a good thing. It’s good to have that pressure too.
It’s a good motivational incentive. Yeah. Okay. Now, you mentioned you’re very outdoorsy person. We do some of our best work outside the office. Is there a place in the lower mainline close to where you live or where you work, where you like to go recharge or getting inspired or just think about your business? And does that change with the season considering all the rain we get here?
Yeah. So, in terms of a place that I go to recharge and kind of calm down, there’s a few places I go. I love the beach, so, Kitsilano Beach. You know, I play amateur beach volleyball. So, I love just getting disconnected in getting out of the office and thinking about other things like playing beach volleyball. I also like culture. So, I live by the art gallery. So, I like going to the exhibitions there and looking at different artist. I have an artist background, so, different ideas that I can think about and then kind of bring in those ideas into my work here in branding and advertising. It’s something that I do as well. Yoga, while I yoga a lot to meditate and de-stress. And, you know, when it rains outside while yoga is great to go too. And also, you know, a coffee shop, I love having a coffee and sitting on my computer and reading the book. So, those are the ways that I de-stress in Vancouver. If there’s rain or if there’s not rain, there’s always something to do.
Mm-hmm, exactly. Okay. I want you to use your imagination here for a second. I want you to imagine you’ve never been to Vancouver, right? If you were to start all over again and you’d just moved here to Vancouver B.C. but this time, you don’t know anyone, what would you do and how would you go about starting all over again as an entrepreneur?
Yeah, that’s a great question Robert. And I was thinking about that before I got on this call. And I would do everything the same. I have no regrets in what has happened to me along this journey. And I wouldn’t change anything that I did in the past. So, even if I didn’t know those two people, you know, the way my business grew, it didn’t really matter about knowing people or not knowing people. So, I would do the same things.
Okay. So, did you do a lot of meet ups, networking things like that?
Yeah so, because I only have $3,000 in my bank account, there was again, there was that motivational pressure to make money. And every opportunity that came in front of me, I jumped on it. I didn’t hesitate. There’s no time and I needed, you know, to live. So, there, you know, you had to do what you had to do to get by. So, jumping on the any opportunity and every opportunity, I did. And if it was a risk, there was a risk involved but — Yeah, that was kind of the way that everything unfolded here for KIMBO Design.
Good. Okay, we will talk a little bit about your routine now. What is the first hour look like for you when you get up in the morning? Do you have a specific routine that helps you get motivated to start your day?
Sure. So, I do a workout before I go into the office. And that really helps me get energized, lifting weights, doing a little cardio, and then, coming into the office and having, you know, my coffee and having a little a fruit or whatever and get right into it.
Okay. Do you think entrepreneurs have to be weird or unique in a positive way or wired differently?
I think entrepreneurs are wired differently. I really agree with that statement because when I was exploring having my own business in making my own money, I did a lot of personality testing because I did a lot of research in terms of owning your own business and being an entrepreneur, and what kind of resilience one would have to have in order to survive. And I did a lot of test and from experience, I knew that I was not an employee or have an employee mindset. I wanted to have my own business and make my own money, and be on control of my future.
Okay. We’re going to talk about the books you read. What books you’re reading now and why? Or even audio books? And can you recommend any books for our listeners who are also aspiring entrepreneurs?
Yeah. So, books that I would recommend, I would love to have time to read but I don’t. So, audio books is really where it’s at for me. When I go on vacation, I’ll read a light book but I subscribed to audible. So, right now, I have about, you know, five different books on the go. So, right now, I’m reading Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff, Richard Branson’s book, The Virgin Way, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, Crucial Conversations, I’ve read that book but now, I’m listening to the audio book. And When Friends and Influence Others by Dale Carnegie.
It’s a very famous book. It’s — and I think if — almost the partner to that one will be Thinking Grow Rich. That’s another good one you know. Any online or offline tools you like to use?
So, online tools that I like to use in order to upgrade my skills in anything in terms of business or software is linda.com. I use that a lot. It keeps me on edge and it keeps me on the know, up to skills that I need you know, every day.
Okay. Now, I want to take you away from work for a second here. How do you balance work and how do you relax not even think about work? What is your sanctuary and what are your favorite activities to do here on B.C. with or without your family? Do you ski? Bike? Kayak? Hike? Or simply go for drive?
In terms of getting away from work, I do drive. I find driving is actually relaxing if I’m going up to Whistler for the weekend or to snowboard. Driving actually helps me kind of settle down, de-stress as well. I get some of my best ideas when I’m in my car which is kind of odd. Running the seawall, that’s a great outlet too. And hiking too, sometimes do the Grouse Grind. And I just love — just being outdoors and taking it all in.
I’m surprise you weren’t born here. You’re at your activity. And when you described your lifestyle, it’s like you’re made for this province.
I know and I knew that when I came to visit, I wasn’t too sure if this was the place I was going to live but then, I compared it to where I was in Toronto and I was just in my car most of the day in Toronto and I just didn’t want to have that lifestyle, that commuter lifestyle. And so, I set myself up here.
Okay. If you weren’t doing what you do now, what would you like to do for a profession?If you weren’t doing a graphic design, KIMBO Design, what would you — kind of profession would you like to do?
Yeah. That’s a great question. If I wasn’t doing this, I would be maybe a professional athlete. Yeah, that’s what I would be wanting to do, or, in architecture or in interior design.
What kind of a job would you not like to do?
Anything to do with science or math. So, accounting, any sort of scientific, science job.
Anything to do with an Excel document.
My mind doesn’t think that way, so.
Yeah. Okay. In business, what is your favorite word, quote or sentence that you like to use?
In business, my favorite quote to use is — geez, that’s a good question.
Maybe you use something with your employees or clients or something that you like to use.
“Let’s get started.”
Okay, “Let’s get started.” What is you least favorite word or sentence you do not like to hear?
“No, I can’t get that done on time.”
If you had to pick one word or two words to describe yourself, what would be and why?
Competitive and progressive. So, I think the competitive nature comes from the sports activity that I do and progressive is — I always want to be a step ahead in terms of the design and business, and in the know. So knowing before something actually happens.
Okay. What keeps you up at night if anything?
The things that keep me up at night is, you know, some of the things that happen in a business which there’s conflict sometimes with your business and problems with your business. So, solving those problems if there’s a real problem at work, you know, sometimes that does keeps me up. So, I’ll think about solutions and how to solve that problem.
Okay, I want you to give us the top three things on your inspired life list. This could be what we call sometimes a bucket list or things that you want to do moving forward, to be reading books, travel, philanthropy, charity events, things like that, anything on your top three list? See the world.
The top three things on my bucket list is to travel for sure. I have some destinations, hit list that I like to travel to explore and finding that time that I can get away in my business that I can do that. So, that might be bringing in, you know, a manager like me to trust and for them to run the shop while I’m traveling. So, that would be kind of a goal. The second one — I would like to run a marathon. And third is learning how to cook really well, having the time to cook. That would be great.
Like fine dining like a really high-end cooking kind of stuff, sauces and things like that.
Yeah. Well, just cooking in general.
Oh, okay, boil an egg?
Boil an egg though. No, I know how to do that. I’m okay at breakfast. Maybe lunch and dinner.
Do you have any advice that you may have received that you can pass on to aspiring or existing entrepreneurs in Vancouver and throughout B.C.?
Yeah, advice that I’ve received from some mentors is, you know, enjoy your life, right? And make every moment count and create your life a way that you want to have it. Don’t let the business take control of you. Also have outlets to de-stress and also have people to talk to and support you. That’s really important. And if you have growth plans, have a team in place to help you with those growth plans and ideas that you might have in order to expand.
Okay, good. Okay, I want to use your imagination for a second at the end here. And as you know entrepreneurs are always connected, alright? It’s on a smartphone, were always talking to people whether it’d be employees, clients, things like that. We’re going to take you away from all of that Kim. There’s a small tropical island, just off a Fiji that only has one phone booth there. There is no internet. We’re going to drop you out there. You won’t have a computer or smartphone or tablet. You can use the phone located there anytime to call the boat. We can pick you up. How long would you last before you made that call? And what would you do while you were there?
Well, that would be a great situation to have. I think maybe two weeks, well, would I have no food?
Well, we’re going to put you on island I mean, there’s a phone there, so, it’s got to go somewhere. So, it would be — imagine there must be something on the island, right?
Right, okay. So, then there would be either it’d be food. So, yeah, I know I would survive there probably for about two weeks before I would pick up that phone.
And tell a boat they can pick you up.
Exactly.
Good. Okay, Kim, how can our listeners get hold of you? And is there anything you’d like to add before you leave us today?
So, how the listeners can get a hold of me by going to my website which is kimbodesign.ca. And in terms of adding anything to this conversation about helping and inspiring other entrepreneurs is, you know, before you set out to build the business really look within yourself to make sure that you are at the right personality for, to be an entrepreneur. So, go through test online, personality test before you go that way because I’ve seen a lot of entrepreneur just get a little bit scattered and not focused on their business and that has to do with different personality traits, and you could lose a lot of money that way. So, you really want to look within before you start to build a business and become an entrepreneur because it is hard work. There’s no doubt to put it. It’s not for the faint of heart.
I know, there’s a lot of up and downs too, so.
Right, lots of ups and downs and learning how to build and your resilience is key.
Right, good. Okay, Kim, well, thanks for coming on the show. I’ve learned a lot about you and I’m sure our listeners have as well.
Great. Thank you very much Robert. I really enjoyed this conversation today.
Okay. Well, see you next time.
Okay, awesome, thanks.
It’s the vancouverentrepreneur.ca podcast. Hello, this is Robert Szmigiel, coming to today with a vancouverentrepreneur.ca where we talk to the entrepreneurs. We’re making it happen here in British Columbia. Kim Pickett is the creative principal of KIMBO Design, an award winning in Vancouver design firm, rank number 86 in the 17th annual W100 list of Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs. She’s been featured by TELUS Talks Business in Arlene Dickinson’s YouInc.com. Well, Kim, welcome to show. Thanks for taking the time today to be here for all our listeners.