Today’s guest is Kim Riley, President at Hylant, a full-service, family-owned insurance firm that stands out from the crowd. Kim is an outstanding leader, gifted speaker, and coach, and today we talk to her about the qualities that she manifests in herself to find the energy and deal with the responsibility of operating at such a high level. Our conversation kicks off with some information about Hylant and the challenges Kim is dealing with as a leader in this new remote working environment. She highlights the need for good communication and talks about how much she prioritizes staying in touch with her staff. We then take a deeper dive into Kim’s upbringing and she talks about growing up in a town without many prospects and the role that a mentor played in encouraging her to dream bigger. On the subject of success, Kim weighs in on the value of taking big risks, getting out of our comfort zones, and being persistent if we want to grow. We then zoom in on the topic of diversity and Kim speaks to her experiences working in a male-dominated industry and shares her advice for men who would like to help to equal the playing field. Toward the end of our conversation, Kim shares some golden nuggets of advice about the dangers of stepping on others as we pursue our dreams. She has made a special habit of helping others in her life and she shares a few details about the role that her solid networks have played in her career. Tune in for sterling insights about being a great leader and person with Kim today!

Key Points From This Episode:

Introducing Kim, her background in insurance, and the services offered by Hylant.
The challenges leaders are facing right now as far as keeping company culture intact.
Overcoming the challenges of the pandemic through communication, agility, and more.
A window into Kim’s childhood and the role of her mentors in her success.
How many failures successful people experience on their path to success.
The value of taking risks and the growth that comes after doing so.
How Kim has dealt with being in the male-dominated insurance industry.
Kim’s advice for men as far as helping corporate spaces to become more equal.
The habit Kim practices of connecting with strangers and giving them free help.
A recent hurdle Kim was able to overcome with the help of her CEO.
Mid and long-term goals of Kim’s regarding advocating for diversity and post-retirement work.
What it takes to make a good board leader in Kim’s opinion.
The idea that passion comes from working hard and what this means as we retire.
How to keep younger people in jobs considering their tendency to job hop and take risks.
Advice from Kim about growing your network and not stepping on people.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Kim Riley on LinkedIn

Sheer Clarity on Twitter

Communication, Risks, Kindness, and Persistence with Kim Riley, President at Hylant