We were lucky to catch up with Kim Romain recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kim, appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

When I look back over my 20+ year career journey, I’d say I’ve taken a lot of risks. I didn’t necessarily recognize them as risks in the moment, but you can’t go through six major pivots and NOT take a risk.

I graduated with my BA in Theatre and Film, sure I was headed to LA to be a director and producer. I applied to the Director’s Guild of America Trainee program and made it to the final round. I was within inches of being part of the entertainment industry. It’s what I had been preparing for, mentally, emotionally, and educationally. But, as I sat there with the notification that I was being moved onto the final round of candidates, I felt a huge “NO” in my gut. “Not for me,” it said. I didn’t understand why. I just knew, to the fiber of my being, that what I had set my sights on was no longer what I wanted for myself. So, I declined the offer. It was risky, because at that time, I didn’t have a Plan B. Was I sad? Sure. There was definitely a period of grief and fear that I had made a huge mistake. Instead of taking the leap I was prepared to take, I took myself back to square zero.

It’s not 100% true I didn’t have anything else to fall back on. I definitely had skills that I could (and did) use to be able to pay rent and keep my head above water. But that passion, that calling that I was sure was mine was suddenly quiet. During that time of quiet and mourning what I stepped away from, I had an opportunity to use my skillset to support a couple of local law firms – doing research, writing, etc. Before I was aware of what was happening, the pull to go deeper was there. So, I took the next logical path – I enrolled in law school. (yes… that’s sarcasm… I realize most people would NOT make this decision.)

I loved law school. I loved using my mind in a new way, getting a better understanding of how systems and policies got to where they are. It was exciting to me to pull these ideas apart and think of ways to improve them, ways to help people. I threw myself fully into the law and where I wanted to make a difference. I advocated, negotiated, and crafted treatises to support those on the fringes of society, those who the laws were not truly set in place to protect.

There was only one problem. No matter how much I loved the law… lawyers were driving me batty. I was surrounded by toxic, divisive people and systems. I tried to find my way through to be able to start chipping away at them from the outside, until I got that loud “NO” in my gut again. “Not for me,” it said again.

At this point, I was pretty fed up with my gut telling me no. So, I pushed harder. I was determined to stay and fight the good fight. That’s when everything fell out from under me. I had multiple miscarriages, my marriage ended, I lost my job. My amazing therapist asked me “Is the Universe maybe giving you a message here?” Yeah… for sure.

So, instead of looking for another job at a different firm, I went off on my own. I focused on the clients I wanted to serve and how I wanted to serve them. I didn’t know much about owning a business at that point, so I ended up giving away more than I was making. But it was a great testing ground for me to see what areas of expertise I could pull forward from my work in a way that felt grounding and supportive for me and my clients.

Ultimately, I made two more pivots after that – first into non-profit management and then back into entrepreneurship, which is where I am now.

Did each of these risks pay off? You bet they did. As I said, in the moment, it didn’t feel risky because it felt like the only thing I could do to take care of and honor myself. Now, I get to take what I learned in each of those industries and roles to support amazing humans creating social change through their work. It was definitely not a straight path here, but I can’t imagine it any other way. I am truly grateful for all of these opportunities to grow and learn, and to listen to myself. It’s something I’ve come to realize not a lot of people do. And now, it’s a gift I get to give to them.

Kim, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi! I’m Kim Romain, a catalyst for positive change and conscious leadership.

I’ve honed my expertise as an attorney, nonprofit executive, and as a visual and performing artist, embracing a multi-passionate approach across various sectors.

Advocacy fuels my fire. I am deeply passionate about challenging the status quo to uplift and amplify marginalized individuals and their communities. I’ve successfully mobilized tens of millions of dollars and increased awareness for these crucial causes.

I believe in harnessing the visionary power within each of us to foster positive global change.

Within each of us lies a wellspring of untapped potential, a unique visionary force waiting to be unleashed. By recognizing and nurturing this innate power, we have the capacity to drive profound and positive transformations on a global scale. Herein lies the key to unlocking a brighter, more harmonious future for all of humanity.

At Kim Romain Life & Business Alchemy, we are dedicated to empowering both for-profit and nonprofit founders and leaders on their journey towards conscious leadership. We believe in equipping leaders with the tools and mindset needed to lead with heightened awareness, unwavering alignment, and purposeful intention. Our approach centers around the belief that an organization’s true strength lies within its people. By tapping into the unique perspectives and passions of each member of your leadership team – whether your a solopreneur or a midsized organization – we facilitate transformative change that resonates at a deep level.

What sets us apart is our holistic approach that blends intellect with intuition, and integrates both the masculine and feminine aspects of leadership. We craft a comprehensive approach that engages every facet of your team, and indeed, every facet of you as an individual. Our services encompass facilitation, coaching, leadership development, strategic planning, executive alignment, team building, and mindfulness.

With a diverse background and a wealth of experiences, we are uniquely positioned to guide leaders through this pivotal moment in history. We believe that now, more than ever, the world needs purpose-driven individuals, conscious leaders, and heart-centered entrepreneurs. Together, we can disrupt outdated paradigms, embracing growth, reflection, and deep awareness to step into authentic, vulnerable leadership rooted in our shared human experiences. It’s time for a new way forward, and we’re here to help you navigate it.

Kim Romain is not only a consultant, coach, and strategist; she’s a unicorn fairy godmother here to make magic happen so you can create a future filled with lasting success, crystal clear purpose, and boundless impact.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

I’ve always had a side-hustle. When I was a practicing attorney, I was also an event planner, which was what opened the door for me in the nonprofit sector. When I was a nonprofit executive, I was a leadership coach, which is what fueled my passion for the business I currently have. Such is the life of a multipassionate individual.

When I parlayed into nonprofit management, I came with a background of over 15 years as a lay leader in the sector. From sitting on committees to chairing boards, I had the opportunity to become quite versed in the nonprofit world from multiple angles. It’s through that various work with multiple nonprofits that led me to do some leadership coaching for other lay leaders in the sector. Executive Directors would call me and ask if I could coach their incoming Board President and do trainings with the Board as a whole to help them deepen their fiduciary understanding and capacity.

I fell in love with it. I saw how much better these leadership teams were working together, and what an impact that had on the organization as a whole.

That’s when I hired my first business coach. They helped me understand ways I could craft offerings and develop business systems. I flopped, hard, the first many times I went to market. Eventually, after about 3 years of balancing this growing business with my full-time day job, I had to make a decision. I’d like to say it was my choice, but honestly, it was my boss at the time that asked me where I saw myself a year or two from then. I saw myself fully in my own business, so that’s what I put into place. I continued to work with my employer for another 6 months as I transitioned out of side-hustle mode and into business owner mode. It was a great time to play with how I wanted to work with my clients moving forward.

I’ve been operating my business for 6-1/2 years, and full-time for almost 3. There have been a lot of ups and downs during that time. Some of it has been learning curves for me, and some of it has been driven by the market. But, the one thing I know is that I am a career entrepreneur. This is exactly what all of my other career pivots has led me to. If that means I continue to reinvent myself over time, I’m fine with that. It’s actually refreshing to be in a position where I can keep doing just that.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

One of the things I learned primarily from my time in the nonprofit sector is how to cultivate and steward individuals. The process of donor cultivation is very similar to customer cultivation and acquisition.

One I way I foster brand loyalty is through connecting my clients to their deeper mission. Whether it’s through their own organization or some other philanthropic enterprise, I give 10% of new revenue from referrals made to the referral partner’s organization of choice. I also give 10% of all revenue to three charities each year and let my clients be a part of deciding which charities they would like me to be supporting. This way they know they are not only investing in themselves and their businesses, but society at large, as well.

I check in with former clients at least twice a year with a friendly, personalized note to see how they’re doing. This sometimes leads to additional work together, but the point here is not always to close a sale. It’s to build and deepen the relationship over time.

It is my ultimate goal to be my client’s thought partner in multiple instances throughout the lifetime of their businesses or careers. The only way that’s possible is to have true, authentic, genuine relationships with them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kimromain.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekimromain
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekimromain
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimromain/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@yourkickasscareer

Image Credits
Meka Hemmons