Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kim James. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kim, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Although I am not the founder of the organization, I have the honor of serving as Executive Director for Young Leaders Council (YLC), a nonprofit organization focused on providing high-level training for young professionals (age 25-40) to help them develop the essential skills, knowledge, and connections needed to effectively serve on local nonprofit boards. The work that we do ensures a robust pipeline of well-trained individuals are ready and able to help our nonprofit community thrive.

As a graduate of the program, I have witnessed firsthand the transformational effect of YLC’s training program. YLC helped me truly understand the role that nonprofit boards play in the long-term success of the organization, and how important it is for young people to play an active role as leaders in our community. Through the successful service of our alumni, which is now quickly approaching the 3,500 mark, YLC has the ability to indirectly impact hundreds of local nonprofit organizations by making sure they have well trained volunteer leaders to support their missions.

Kim, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Kim James, and I am the Executive Director for Young Leaders Council here in Nashville. I relocated to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Fisk University for my undergraduate education. After graduation, I attended Tennessee State University where I obtained my Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA). Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, I have benefited greatly from the level of determination, community engagement, and leadership shown by my mother, who raised me and my two sisters as a single parent.

My mom always showed the utmost integrity and excellence in her professional and personal life and inspired me with her unique ability to find time to help any and everyone who needed it. Throughout my career, I have used these life lessons to fuel and drive me in overcoming challenges and accomplishing my professional goals.

Now, as a mother of three, I am committed to showing those same qualities to my own children and hope that it will serve as a positive source of inspiration for them as they chart their own path in life. I love the work that I do, and I truly enjoy knowing that, each semester, I am able to meet a new group of young professionals – all with a deep desire to do good and make this community better. Through them, I am able to expand YLC’s reach and leverage their time, talents, and treasures to make a broader impact for this community.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Fortunately, and sometimes unfortunately, I have often had to pivot. My remarkable husband has enjoyed a thriving 21+ year career with a major fortune 500 company. In doing so, we have moved several times, which always required me to resign from the position I held at that time. This, at one point, caused me a great deal of anxiety as I thought I would never be able to do anything impactful professionally or build a solid career as a leader in the nonprofit world.

I’m a woman of faith, and one day realized that all of the different experiences I’ve had, coupled with the friendships and network I’ve built in the communities I’ve lived in, have added to me. They have helped make me who I am today and provided me with a unique understanding of the power of connection. All the many lives that I’ve lived while supporting my husband and family through this journey have given me so much joy, determination, and confidence. Now in my third year with YLC, I realize daily how these unique professional and life experiences have fed my resilience and give me the ability to pivot and rise to the occasion no matter the challenge.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Early in my career, I believed that you should find one job and stick with it for the rest of your life. Because that never seemed to be my situation, every time I had to transition to a new job, I felt like a failure. I felt like I couldn’t grow professionally and would never truly find my way. My mom, uncle, aunts, and grandfather worked in the same industry and with the same company for all or most of their career. I had not seen anything different and thought that this was the way of things.

My path has been somewhat inconsistent so it took me some time to accept that my journey is not a straight line. In fact, I’ve learned to expect and enjoy the varying twists and turns that my professional and personal paths have taken. Each of those experiences is meant to prepare me for that next level and in the greater scheme of things will power my advancement. I admire those, like my husband, who are able to build a career with the same employer for decades. He is able to see the fruit of his many years of labor, and I’m beyond proud of the life he has provided for our family. But I’ve learned to not judge my joy or success based on the experiences of others. Teddy Roosevelt once said that “comparison is the thief of joy.” I fully believe that and even remind my children of this often. My journey is my own and that’s perfectly OK.    

Contact Info:

• Website: www.youngleaderscouncil.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ylcnashville/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YLCNashville
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/youngleaderscouncil

Image Credits
Photos taken by Emanual Roland with Roland’s Photography and Padrion Scott with P. Scott Photography