Latest / Executive Alliance Podcast / E9: Unintimidated with Kimberly Prescott of Prescott HR Solutions

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E9: Unintimidated with Kimberly Prescott of Prescott HR Solutions · Executive Alliance Podcast

• Rebecca Snyder: Welcome everyone. I am so delighted to have Kimberly Prescott with me today. Kimberly is the founder and president of Prescott HR, which is a HR consulting firm she launched after recognizing that many organizations need advisors that are willing to tackle difficult workplace issues. So she advises growing companies on HR strategy, employment law, organizational structure, leadership, and culture. while she also serves in a multitude of civic leadership roles. So Kimberly, I'm so excited to have you here. Welcome. Kimberly Prescott: Thank you. Thank you for having me. I'm really excited. Rebecca Snyder: Well and and you're also a member of Executive Alliance and I think the way you kind of move through our organization, the world is just sort of y your tagline for the company. unintimidated HR. And so I know I can always count on you to sort of give me the straight opinion scoop, have really strong considered opinions. Does that just come naturally to you or or did you have to develop that vibe? Kimberly Prescott: It definitely comes naturally to me. and I was a diamond in the rough in my, I guess, early corporate days. So had to really tip off some of the the rough and really refine what I bring to the table now. So but it's always been there. Rebecca Snyder: So when you had to grind down the the diamond into the lovely facets that you are today, like what did that process look like? 'Cause you know, I'm a person without a lot of filters myself. and it can be a challenge for all of us, but how did you 'cause HR is such a smooth and silky kind of trade. So how did you become who you are in that way? Kimberly Prescott: I think that at the end of the day, I don't believe that HR should be as smooth and silky as it is. So I'm just gonna put that out there. Unpopular opinion, right? I think that I learned it through a lot of bumps. I mean, I got tired from jobs. not because I wasn't technically good at my job. I don't have the bedside manner that everyone would want and quite honestly expect. And you know, unintimidated HR, it was it it it was a part of my journey where unintimidated came from. I worked at corporate, I worked for a very large corporation, and I was told several times by leaders that I was intimidating, that I'm intimidating, I'm intimidating. And as a younger person, you know, late 20s, early 30s in my career, really at a point where I was ready. to move into real leadership. I didn't really know what to do with that. And when I would ask people, okay, well, what does that mean? they couldn't really tell me. So I internalized it a lot. And one day my husband, who is not an extremely intuitive person in many ways, right? He's been in the transportation industry his entire career. He came home one day. I would tell him about it. And he didn't understand corporate America. But he came home one day. He had a Dale Earnhardt hat. Baseball cap. First of all, I don't wear a baseball cap. Second of all, I don't watch NASCAR. I was like, what is this? And he was like, Dale Earnhardt was known as the intimidator. He was like, so if you're gonna be intimidating, own it. And so I kept that cap. I've had that hat about 13 years now. It's literally right there on my shelf. it's on my vanity wall if we all have one. But that hat is front and center because That helped me to kind of take away the negative pieces of being called intimidating because that's always how I internalize it. I was like, I really don't know how to be any other way. but what I learned was it a that's a you problem. That's a you problem. Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: but also that I can be the way that I am. And I can have the message that I have, but I need to be a little bit more thoughtful about the way I do it. And so that's really what I've worked on along the way. And then when I started my business, I went to a market, a branding firm, and I was like, okay, I'm ready to brand my firm. She went through some exercises with me. The very first tagline that she showed me was unintimidated HR. And I was like, done. That's it. Because she didn't even know about the Intimidator story. She didn't know about the Dale Earnhardt hat. And so when that landed in front of me, I was just like, This was meant to be I didn't even look at anything else. I was like, This is the tagline and it's been, you know, off to the races. Rebecca Snyder: I love that. And but I wanna go back to because I think a lot of women and and I would posit also women of color have to struggle with that. Are you aggress are you the angry angry black woman? Are you, you know, are you too aggressive? Are you too assertive? And being intimidating, like if you're moving in space with confidence and clarity in your voice, help Kimberly Prescott: Yes. Rebecca Snyder: me unpack that because I feel like there's a l you said earlier. If you're intimidated, it's a you problem, not a me problem, but you're also existing in a framework where women are not celebrated often for being strong and clear. So how how do you balance that? Kimberly Prescott: Yeah, in in the organization that I was in was a very white male dominated sales organization, right? And right, and so not a lot of women, not a lot of women in leadership, certainly not a lot of people of color and absolutely not women of color, right? Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: And so that was it was challenging, but ultimately because I've always been the kind of person that believed Hey, if you ask me a question, I'm gonna give you an answer. If you did, you can do whatever you want to do with the answer. Like you don't have to listen to me, but if you ask me, I'm gonna give you an answer. Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: and so what I found was in that environment, it really just wanted me to co-sign. And I'm like, well, that's not what I'm here for. I'm not Rebecca Snyder: huh. Kimberly Prescott: here to co-sign. So if you're gonna just go off and do what you want to do and you wanna hear what you want to hear, please don't drop through my door because I'm gonna tell you what you need to know. Which is actually what unintimidated HR means. It means we tell our clients what they need to know, not what they want to hear. At the end of the day, you're the decision maker. You do what you want to do. and it was very difficult for me to, I guess, process, but what I ultimately decided. So my dad, my dad, baby boomer, Vietnam vet, he loves golden corral. He thinks that's the best thing in the world. He just thinks that going to Golden Corral is the best thing in the world. Not my thing, okay? But I'll go with my dad because why not, right? But what I Rebecca Snyder: You're a good daughter. You gotta do it. Kimberly Prescott: exactly. And so what I realized is that cause I personally love a nice fillet from, you know, a Morton's or, you know, a Roof's Chris, something like that. And what I realized is that I was trying to give Ruth Chris fillet. that golden corral. They didn't appreciate it. It was nothing wrong with what I was bringing to the table. But it took me a long time to recognize that I just needed to go somewhere where people were willing to value what I brought to the table and pay a premium for it. So now I'm getting roof crisp rates. Rebecca Snyder: That's perfect. Well and and sort of knowing so there's two sides to that, like knowing your audience and also meeting people where they are. So 'cause you still you know, you love going to the Golden Crow with your dad. But you know that that's a space and time and you're going Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: because you're meeting him where he wants to be. And you know where your talents are bringing you, sort of metaphorically in the workplace. Kimberly Prescott: And I don't get a stay. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: And I just I kinda wanna touch on because this was something that I didn't fully realize until I got to to know you a little bit better, sort of the full spectrum of what you advise on, because we have talked a lot about legislative work and you're so knowledgeable about sort of making your voice heard in that space. And so and that also is so how does kind of legislative advocacy fit in for you? Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. I think it's really important. So again, I have a lot of unpopular opinions about what HR is and what HR should be, right? And I find that many times HR leaders are reactive to the laws that pass at pass and then have to figure out how to implement it and make it work. I Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: find it's a lot easier when you're on the front line, you're helping to shape it. You know what it is from the beginning, you know what it should look like so you can help inform legislators on hey intentions but in practice it's not really gonna work like that so let me kind of walk you through what we would have to do to make this work practically right and then that way when the law passes I already know what it is, you know where it came from, can advise my leaders, hey this is coming down the pike. So we're not, you know, April, whatever sunny die is, okay, April 16th, 19th, whatever day Rebecca Snyder: Changes, right. Kimberly Prescott: it is that year. Yeah. And waiting on, you know, then the and the governor signs it and it goes into effect on July 1st. We've already known about it. And so I think that from that perspective, it is responsible HR to understand what's coming down the pike, what the impact is going to be, and to educate legislators on the impact of it. But also as a consultant, it's important for me to help. other small businesses. I'm a small business, but all of our clients are small businesses. They're heads down running their business. They don't have time to look around and like what's going on in Annapolis? You know, they don't have time for that, right? Or whatever state they're in, right? And so for us, it's like, hey, what's the impact going to be to you? Did you know that this was going to happen? How what information can I take on your behalf to help shape this? So it's a value proposition for us as a firm. But also it's just to me responsible HR. Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. there's a in our conversation thus far you've you've talked a little bit about how you have some hot takes on HR. So what do you think HR should be and and where's the gap right now? Kimberly Prescott: Yeah, I I I think that HR is should be the place that is advice and counsel. So the pulling people up on dress code, having conversations, t sitting in on termination meetings, to me that is not the role of HR. Managers get paid to manage. You get the extra whatever dollars it is to be a manager. Please do that job. That's what it is, right? And so I find that a lot of times HR professionals are in every meeting. Well, if you're in every meeting, what's the escalation point? How do people feel safe coming to you when you're in every single meeting? When they see you coming, they know someone's in trouble or someone's getting fired. So ultimately, my position is that I'm only gonna terminate you if you report to me, right? Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: And I'm only gonna have a conversation with you about dress code or whatever else it might be. You report to me. Because that's your manager's job. It's your manager's job to manage. It's your manager's job to do those things, right? Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: And I don't know that that's how business thinks that HR should be leveraged. In fact, I'm sure that a lot of businesses not think that. They think that HR should just do the dirty work. And there are far too many HR professionals that are willing to do that. and not enough that say, no, I will give you guidance, I will help you manage risk all the way up until you walk in that room. I will give you a script, I will give you some FAQs, and I will be at my desk waiting for you to tell me how it went. Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Well and and so like shifting from that sort of tactical I'm gonna be in every conversation to the more coaching strategic, how and of course your clients are choosing you because that's the glory of being a consultant, so they're already Kimberly Prescott: Mm. Rebecca Snyder: leaning into that vibe. But How do you how do you coach people to have those really difficult conversations? You know, I I think back to times where, you know, you've had once had to have dress code conversations, which seems so like, my gosh, why are we having this conversation? Or, you know, thi things that managers are not always taught to manage really well. So how do Kimberly Prescott: Yes. Rebecca Snyder: how do you do that coaching? Kimberly Prescott: Yeah, so you know, if a manager comes to me and is like, you know, hey, I've at a point we're ready to make a move, we're gonna look at everything we've done up to it, and then it's gonna be like, hey, this is how we're gonna have this conversation. Now there are managers that are like, I know this person has a kid in college and I just can't be responsible for doing X, Y, and Z. And I'm like, at the end of the day, I can't love somebody's family more than they do. I can't want them to pay their bills more than they do. And ultimately, I am doing nothing more than facilitating a decision that they have already made. When you don't correct your behavior after we've given you every opportunity and the roadmap to correct it, if you can't come to work on time after we've advised you that the next time you're not going to be able to you come to work late, this is what's going to happen. At the end of the day, they have made a decision. They don't want to work here anymore. Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: Great. I'm just gonna facilitate that for them. So I am not one of those people that feels like I'm doing something to somebody. I feel like we if we've done what we're supposed to do, we're just facilitating the decision. So I try to help the manager get into that mindset and get out of the, you know, I'm doing something to someone. and even if it's giving someone feedback, at the end of the day, the longer you let someone either underperform or not. Do or not meet expectations, the more you are saying to them it's okay, and you're telling everybody else, see what they're doing? You can do that too. You know? So Rebecca Snyder: Right. Kimberly Prescott: you're not doing anybody any favors. And so the more that you just kind of change the paradigm and just say, We're doing it because it's what's best for them. And sometimes what's best for them is just for them to not be here. And that's what's best for us too. And Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: so when you can help them kind of see it from that perspective versus I'm the big bad me manager, it sometimes helps. Doesn't help everybody, but it helps a lot. Rebecca Snyder: Well, in what strikes me about that philosop for framework really is that it is sort of a systems framework and it's and it does distance it creates some distance and sort of emotional space in the workplace. And Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: So I I kind of you're also a super empathetic person that's really fun and kind to be around. So how do you balance that in the way you work with people that you mentor, people that you that you engage with, so that idea of of distance versus personal connection. Especially as a leader. Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you know, I try to be just transparent, right? And I've had to have, you know, as a leader, as a business owner, you know, i I it's very personal for me when I have people on my team because that this is my baby. This whole thing is my baby, right? Rebecca Snyder: It's pressed out HR. Kimberly Prescott: Exactly. so I had to have difficult conversations with people, but you know, think that when you have trust when you build the relationship along the way. it makes it a little bit, not a lot, but it makes it a little bit easier to have the conversations. And, you know, I always try to approach things straightforward. There are a lot of people who believe in the sandwich method, like, you say something nice and then you say the criticism and then you say something nice. No, because people hear only the parts that they want to hear. Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: If we're here to have a conversation about this thing, that's what this conversation is gonna be about. It's not gonna be, well, you did this good, but you didn't do this good, but you're still good. Like, no, let's talk about this, right? and so it's about having those relationships leading up to it and then just really being clear about what the challenge is, being clear about what needs work, being clear about, okay, here's what I see, and this is where I could see you going. But here's the work that you have to do. And I do that whether it's, you know, in my personal friendships, in my work relationships, you know, with my mentee, who, you know, calls me strict. But I I'm not, I just try to make sure when I tell you what I wish I had known. You know, I wish that someone had told me not to do that thing or not to say that thing. because I'd be a lot further along. I would have been a lot further along a lot sooner, right? so it's just about being to the point, not beating around the bush, don't put a dress on it. my intent is not to hurt anyone's feelings, but also we are adults and so we have to just say the thing that needs to be said and hope that they know that the reason why you said that based on the relationship that you've built with them is because you want them to be better. Rebecca Snyder: Yeah. So actually I'm I'm tr I like to ask a lot of our guests the question of what would you tell your earlier in career self that you wish you had known? What what do you wish somebody had told you? Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Somebody did tell me, but it was it was after I had been fired a couple of times. they told me to because I'm the kind of person I can look at something, can assess it very quickly and be like, This is what you need to do, this is what the Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: challenge is, this is where you need to go. But when you're in a corporate environment and you're in a room of people who all bring their own perspectives. She told me, let people go through their process. You might know the answer. You may have to sit in this meeting three more times with these people. Because they gotta go through their process. Let them do it. And then you can say, okay, we've done this. Now let's, you know, you know, look at a different approach where I was very much a bull in China shop. Like, This isn't gonna work. Like, why are we talking about this? Like, let's just do this and and it just didn't work. And I wish that I had learned that earlier on in my career because what I found was it doesn't matter how right you might be. If people can't hear what you have to say because of the way that it's being delivered, it doesn't matter. And Rebecca Snyder: Mm. Kimberly Prescott: so that's something I wish I had learned earlier. Rebecca Snyder: And it is I just wanna take a moment and honor how hard it is to sit in a meeting when you feel like you have the right answer and you're like, We're wasting time, we could move on. And so I also sort of feel like people are like you're often trying to maybe not like heal the wound sounds so dramatic, but like you're trying like you pay forward in the way that you wish that you had been taught. And I wonder if that like clarity of what of how you relate to others kind of comes out Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: from that experience of not being sort of letting you wander in in being too directed. Is that do you think I'm off Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: base? Kimberly Prescott: No, I think so. I think that it does come through definitely in the way that I my my mentor style for sure. I am very and and and ironically I have a c client that I do executive coaching for, which I I know people are like, What? Somebody's listening to her, like her executive coach. But yes, and so I find myself in those like when they bring me something and I I'm like, my gosh, yes, I know exactly what to do. But what I've learned is to ask questions. Like, okay, so what do you want to accomplish from this? What do you think this person meant when they brought it to you? Do you think that that and then they'll tell me what they're thinking? I'm like, well, do you think that's really what it's about? Could it be this? Could it be that? So I find myself doing more trying to lay it out for them so that they can walk through the process. And hopefully in those moments take the time to go through the process and or acknowledge that other people may have a process they need to go through versus Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: just jumping to conclusions because that's what I've seen in my executive coaching as well as my mentor relationship. Like, okay, I know this is what it is. I'm like, well, do you? Let's talk about it. Rebecca Snyder: Right. Right. Well, and since you brought up your your mentee and you had a terrific mentoring relationship. Executive Kimberly Prescott: Yeah, yeah. Rebecca Snyder: Alliance, for those of of you listening that don't know, Executive Alliance runs a program a mentoring program for women at the mid level of their career. And our members act as one-on-one mentor have really deep mentoring relationships throughout the nine month program. And I you know, and you were fantastic and I appreciate your your the relationship you developed with your mentee. What what's your secret sauce cause your mentee loves you? What's your secret to building that mentee relationship? Kimberly Prescott: I think A, we were just very, very fortunate we were paired together. I can't necessarily say that it was anything on my part, but what I will say is that she reminds me so much of a younger me, just Rebecca Snyder: Mm. Kimberly Prescott: so eager, so like I can do this, the sky is the limit. and I just saw so much of me in her. And so It was just a great match, but also I will say that she was very open to hearing and very much like was willing to be vulnerable. And I think that's important. And in turn, I was vulnerable. I was like, let me tell you about all the times I failed, right? Let me tell you about the time that I did this thing and it did not work out. So let Rebecca Snyder: Right. Kimberly Prescott: me just tell you all about it. And so I do think it's about being vulnerable, not about having all the answers because there were some things that she came to me with and I was like, yeah, I don't know, because there's so many variables in this equation that I can't give you an answer. But what I can do is try to hopefully give you a rubric to navigate. Right. And so I think it was just it it was great match, but also being vulner both of us being willing to be vulnerable. Rebecca Snyder: But I do feel like that's such a like if everybody's kind of fronting then you're never breaking through that shell. And I think what makes women leaders powerful is is their ability to share like this is when it didn't work for me. This is like this is real. We're making it in in actual real time together. And so I and and I love that that you had when we make those matches, we s we center in the mentee and what they write and what they say we need. they need and then we look at our membership and say who can fulfill what that mentee needs? And and so it's it is a really organic process for sure. Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: So you also bring that sort of I guess love of other organizations and that consultative approach to your civic leadership and you do like you have built a wonderful network, you're engaged in so many positions of leadership. Talk to me about that strategy. Is it a strategy or just are you going where your heart takes you? Kimberly Prescott: some of it is strategic, some of it is where my heart takes me, right? you know, I have been on the board of the Girl Scouts for almost six years, and I was not a Girl Scout. My daughter was not a Girl Scout, but it was just something about the organization that made me want to be a part of it and has led me to continue to be a part of it. But then there are other things that are very strategic. So like the legislative roles that I play in the different chambers. I've always wanted to be on the commission for on civil rights. Like that's something I've wanted to do for years. So when that became an opportunity for me, I was extremely honored and happy to do that. and so I would say that I do try to put myself in places where I can use my strengths. but also where I can information and learn and meet new people, because I think that's important as well. So so I think it's a mix of strategy and where my heart takes me. Rebecca Snyder: Well and and I'm so glad that you're using your talents and your skills in that way. and as with everything it's kind of a two way street. So are there what elements from your civic leadership are you bringing back to your business? I mean the legislative part is probably pretty straightforward, but what about Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: the other things? Kimberly Prescott: I will say this. in I I I I've been I sit on the board of a lot of organizations, not just the Girl Scouts, but in my board roles, we've navigated a variety of real organizational leadership challenges, like real ones, right? And I've learned a lot through watching other leaders. So like when you run a business, you it's it's you, right? And yeah, I I've worked in corporate, but I was in different roles and different layers. So watching other leaders on the board navigate these these these challenges, I've learned so much. I've seen what quiet leadership looks like, because that's not my leadership style, but just seeing how that works and what it does, that it ha I've taken some things and said, okay, I can probably quiet down in some moments and learn something. So just learning patience, you know slowing down. Just I'm the Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: kind of person I like to just get stuff done. Like I'm my disc profile high D, high I. Like, I don't think anybody's probably surprised by that. But yeah, I was Rebecca Snyder: Thank you. Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: gonna say I don't think anybody surprised that's met me. But sometimes just learning and having watched other leaders just I'm like, sometimes you just have to slow down and let things play go. so I've learned that as well. So I've definitely taken some things back from some of the civic work that I've done because I've worked with some amazing leaders and professionals on the various boards. Rebecca Snyder: Yeah. Who do you admire as a leader? Like do you have an aspirational leader out there? Kimberly Prescott: There's so many people, right? But I will say specifically a person that I watch some really hard work. And being on a board, you're a volunteer well, on a nonprofit board, but maybe one day. Rebecca Snyder: Or before. Kimberly Prescott: exactly. But y you know, you're a volunteer, but we were dealing with some tough stuff and I will say, Darlene Smith, who is currently the interim president, outgoing president at Frostburg State University. And she and I were on a board together for several years through some transition and just watching how she did that. I was like, I I aspire to be that type of leader and show that much grace under pressure. Because we were in as a board, we were kind of in a pressure cooker for a little while, right? Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: honestly, publicly, just it was a lot of stuff going on. And just watching her do that made me really think, rethink quite honestly, what leadership can look like. It really did. Rebecca Snyder: So what what did you feel that grace under pressure, what did that look like in the moment? Kimberly Prescott: Yeah, 'cause like for me, I would be I would have been if I had been the board chair during some of those things, I probably would have just been like F bombs and like we don't have to do this, like all of this can go. You know, I probably would have just been like, Let's just burn this down and start from scratch. She was more methodical. with it. And I don't know if it's her PhD brain or what it is that made her duke, but she was so methodical and intentional about the way she approached it, the way she communicated, some of the things that she put in place because I didn't personally feel the need to what I at the time was perceiving to placate a group of people that weren't necessarily stakeholders. What Darlene decided to do was create a communication loop with them to help bring them into the fold, which was the right thing to do. Rebecca Snyder: Mm. Kimberly Prescott: Even though technically we didn't have an obligation to do it that way. But if I had done it the way I would have done it, it it just would have caused unnecessary strife. I'm gonna be honest with you. My approach would have just been like, all right, you know what? Done. You go over here and be unhappy. We're going to go over here and do what we need to do. And that's not what she did. She created a communication loop. She created really just a way to have them have their voice be heard in a way that allowed them to feel like I'm being heard. I know that my ability to impact change is limited, but at least I'm being heard. And that was the right thing to do. And I really learned a lot of lessons from that. Rebecca Snyder: KP, I am rapturing back to the advice for your younger self to let the process come through and to make sure Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: that you're getting sort of buy-in and people at the table. Is the universe kind Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: of presenting that lesson over and over? Kimberly Prescott: That yeah, it seems to be and maybe I need to keep getting it 'cause I might not be getting it. Rebecca Snyder: it's all interconnected. I want to go back to the Commission on Civil Rights, though, because earlier you said that was sort of like a goal board and commission. So I want to unpack that a little bit. But I also for people who aren't really familiar with the process around state boards and commissions, that's a real deal. Governor Moore you know, has to appoint, has to to recommend you. It's a whole process. So Tell me a little bit about or I I wanna know why it was such an important place for you to spend your time and talent. Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. it's twofold. And it's honestly it's a strange the the twofold reason is a very strange dichotomy, right? Because I truly do believe that we need to do more work to ensure that there is that decisions are made for legitimate business reasons and not for reasons That are discriminatory. I truly believe there's a lot of work that we need to continue to do. and it's not just employment, although my perspective is always employment. The Civil Rights Commission has responsibility for housing, education, and employment, right? But my brain always goes to employment. but I have to say that because if I don't, Cleveland will say, You missed an opportunity. So I said it. But I I've always thought that. But at the same time though. I do feel like there are times where employers don't know what their responsibilities are in a real way. Small employers, employers that don't have HR, which in Maryland there are a lot of small employers. So Rebecca Snyder: Absolutely. Kimberly Prescott: I also felt like, you know, one of the things that I could do as a commissioner is to support their outreach efforts and to support getting them in the places where employers are, because a lot of the outreach effort has definitely been on the making sure that individuals know their rights, which is great. But if we are in the goal with the goal is prevention, we have to also get in front of the decision maker so that it doesn't happen. So, you know, it was kind of two reasons. Rebecca Snyder: Well and and it also feels like it goes back to that idea of being a partner in educating y the workplace or or the people in in power before it becomes a crisis. So 'cause you can educate individuals but you're looking for systems change. Kimberly Prescott: Yes. Yes. Yes. And Rebecca Snyder: No, that Kimberly Prescott: that's the only real way that change happens is if it's systematic. You can't just necessarily hit it one at a time and be playing whack a mole with it. You you can't it doesn't it Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: doesn't make big change that way. Rebecca Snyder: Yeah. And then you had said earlier your your your heart board that you're serving on right now is is the Girl Scouts, but you're not a Girl Scout. And your daughter wasn't a Girl Scout. Kimberly Prescott: Well I am I am a an adult member. I am an adult member. Rebecca Snyder: Okay, so you are now. Kimberly Prescott: but I was not as a girl. I was not growing up and my daughter did not have the desire to be a Girl Scout either. But yes. Rebecca Snyder: So how did you get involved with the Girl Scouts? Kimberly Prescott: Someone, my executive coach actually was on the nominating committee for a little while and she recommended me and I, you know, had a conversation with the then president and I was like, you know what, this sounds like something that I'm really interested in because working with women and advancing the platform of women has always been something that I've been interested in. And Girl Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: Scouts, while their platform is girls. But girls grow up to become women, right? And so getting in front of them and helping to create that the the making sure that the organization on the back end is is is is set up for success so that they can deliver the programs the way that they need to to have the impact that they're supposed to have. I felt like that was a place that I could really add value because I will say this and I'll tell anybody, being on the front lines. of the work that these wonderful nonprofits do is not my ministry. I am absolutely more impactful in the boardroom. Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: I really am. This is good work, but I I I that that's not something I have found that I'm really Rebecca Snyder: Well, it g it feels I mean that that really clo checks for me because you are a systems thinker. You know, you're looking at an organization, how things are flowing through, you know, like maybe you're not gonna be jamming on the cookie sales or something like that. Although who doesn't Kimberly Prescott: Right. Rebecca Snyder: love a good Girl Scout cookie? Kimberly Prescott: I know. I definitely buy them. I definitely buy them. But yeah, you know, being out or doing program stuff, even for some of the other nonprofits that I, you know, do work with, it's just I mean, er there's a place for everyone, right? Rebecca Snyder: Absolutely. Well, I wanted to go back. You had earlier mentioned that your executive coach had connected you with the Girl Scouts and I kinda wanted I wanted to know at what point did you feel like you needed an executive coach and what were you trying to get out of that relationship? Kimberly Prescott: it's been about eight years now that I've had this coach and what I wanted to get out of it was I just wanted to know what I didn't know. I had never done a business before. I do HR. I feel like I'm a very good HR parti professional, but I don't know anything about running a business. I didn't know anything about the thing, you know, margin and budgets and creating a budget for a whole company. I know how to manage a budget for a department, right? and you know, I just was like, I really need someone to help me if I want to make this a real business. And I will tell you, when I when I first went to her, I was calling myself the principal consultant. I didn't feel like I was the president of my organization. I didn't feel like I was an executive. And I told her that. And within a year of working with her, I changed my title to president because I felt like okay now I know what I'm working toward. I I mean I don't know that any particular day I can tell you I know what I'm doing. Rebecca Snyder: Ha ha ha. Kimberly Prescott: But I know that I'm working toward. And I knew that I just needed someone to to help me, you know, identify what do I need to grow? What are the questions that I need to ask? You know, what systems do I need to put in place because I didn't know any of that. I just knew how to do HR. Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Well, and you would think, you know, the HR company is doing HR, but there's so many other things that are in involved in that. but I'm most interested in the inflection point of when you decided I'm gonna be president rather than principal consultant. Like what changed in your mind about that? Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. I felt like I could answer questions. So I am anybody who is like a C CNBC person, then you know Marcus Lamonis. And I have like a huge business crush on Marcus Lamonis, right? So he was on the show, The Prophet. And so basically he would ask businesses, he would come into their business to decide if he was gonna invest in them to help them to grow. And he Rebecca Snyder: Okay. Kimberly Prescott: would ask people their numbers. He's like, you don't know your numbers, I don't want to work with you. And I didn't know my numbers. I didn't know what my cost of business acquisition was. I didn't know what it was how much it cost for me to break even on a client. I didn't know what our profit margin was or even how to determine our profit margin. I just knew I charged more than I paid the consultants, so I must be making money. And so I realized once I was like watching a couple of episodes of The Profit. And Marcus Lamonis was asking these people questions and I was like, I know that. I know that. I know that. I know that. I know that. You know? And I was like, I think I've turned the corner. I think now, I know my numbers. I can answer these questions. I think I'm ready. I think I'm the president of my company now. That's a really weird answer, but that's really what it was. Rebecca Snyder: That's a great story. I hope you DM'd Marcus to let him know how seismically Kimberly Prescott: Sure. Rebecca Snyder: life changing that was. Kimberly Prescott: Should I Rebecca Snyder: 'Cause I think sometimes, you know, and women sometimes have this this like, we just need to work harder or I need to do more or but if y it's not w like your numbers really are where it's at. You know, you're not working For free. You want to make a viable business. I think there's so many small businesses, side women tend to be inside businesses. The comtroller's gonna come out with a state of women in the economy report this fall, which I'm really excited to talk to the data scientists about. But preliminary reports are really talking a lot about the sort of the undercover economy that women really participate in, partly because that's caregiving, doing hair, you know, childcare, whatnot. But having the courage to really confront your numbers and build a business is a skill. And so what kind of prompted you to build that muscle? Kimberly Prescott: Yeah, so it was the I had a a coach that I had for just a little while right before I got my current executive coach and he asked me a very specific question and he recently passed, but and that was the first thing that I thought of when I read that I was like when I saw that he had passed, I was like, wow, I learned such a valuable lesson from him. You know, I was the only person in my company for a while before I started having consultants and that was when I was with him and he said, Are you just gonna do this? thing every day and I was like, what is this? He was like, you know, which catch. I was like, I hadn't really thought about it. He was like, I was like, but you know, it's Prescott HR and people want Prescott. And he was like, when you think about Apple, who do you think of? I was like, Steve Jobs. He's like, Steve Jobs is dead. So if Steve Jobs can be the face of a company, somebody else can be the face of your company. And I was like, no. And so I was like, I can go find somebody else. to to to represent Press got HR. And so that was kind of when I started to think, okay, I can do this. Then I was introduced to an organization called XPX, Exit Strategy Planning Exchange. And that's where I learned about people building businesses to sell them. I'm like, wait, what? That's a thing? Like I can build this business ASF. Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: Which was a mind blowing as an independent proprietor myself, I was like, Wait, I could how you sell them? I thought it was just something I'd do. Kimberly Prescott: Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. So then I started thinking, all right, well, I need to build this thing to sell it. So then I'm like, okay, recurring revenue, gotta have W-2 employees, no more 1099 systems and processes, da da da da da da. So then I started really systematizing things and making things scalable, making things repeatable, and really being very intentional about the work that we did. Work that we didn't do. I am very much a Jim Collins, you know, hedgehog person. Like we literally, if somebody brings something on my team to me, I'm like, what is our hedgehog? How does this fit into our hedgehog, right? the hedgehog Rebecca Snyder: Wait, what's our hedgehog? I don't understand what that is. Kimberly Prescott: concept. So in Jim Collins, good to great, he talks about the hedgehog concept, which is what is the thing that you're the best in the world? Right. And so in good to great, he talks about all these businesses that are great and successful, why they were successful, and the ones that were successful but then fell off the things that they did. And a lot of it is because they strayed away from their hedgehog. They started to do things that were adjacent but weren't connected to their hedgehog, right? And so for us, HR is our hedgehog, not head hunting and recruiting, not training, not you know, compensation analysis. Now If it's light and it's related to our engagement, okay, but not as a standalone. And so that's something that I've really been focused on because that way I know we can really focus in on that, build systems and processes around it, and be the best in the world at it. I have partners that do other things. We'll refer to them. We're gonna be the best in the world at this. Rebecca Snyder: Mm, I love that. Okay. Thank you. I had not heard the hedgehog. Useful for everyone. so I wanted to your visibility has grown like you're a master networker. In fact, we have you teach our networking module in our mentoring program. And I wanna get your philosophy. I wanna want you to talk to me about sort of how you approach that networking because you are everywhere, but in a good way. but you're also really strategic. And so as as women are growing their network, we always Kimberly Prescott: Mm. Rebecca Snyder: encourage them to do it with intentionality and authenticity. And I feel like you really f have that that nexus down. So can you tell us about networking? Kimberly Prescott: Yeah, sure. And I can't talk about networking without saying that how important having your own personal brand is. Rebecca Snyder: Yeah. Kimberly Prescott: And I find that there and and I think that through the last several years it's shown us that it's extremely important to have your own brand, not I'm the so and so of this organization, because that might not be who you are next week. Okay. Rebecca Snyder: Very true. Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: So Have your own personal brand and bring that to the table. So when you're going somewhere, whatever it might be, like I know people know me from my nails and my tennis shoes, right? but I mean of course Yes, okay, and the podcast, Rebecca Snyder: And now your podcast too. Don't forget I wanna hear more about that. Kimberly Prescott: yes, and the podcast. And so, you know, just taking the time to work the room, having something that you can't that, you know, asking questions if you can Get the list in advance, but just go not sticking with people that you already know, but just going up to people, asking them a question. You know, tell me a little bit about what you do. you know, how do you work, you know, with whomever their, you know, constituents might be. And I always ask people, is there anything I can do to help you? Is there anything that you, you know, need? you know, can I connect? Can you do you want to look at my LinkedIn and see if there's anyone that I know so that I can make an introduction to you? I'm all trying to help someone because that way you start sexual conversation and it becomes less like let me just give you your my card and you know i it it it just creates more of a conversation. Rebecca Snyder: Well and and I feel like sometimes networking it shouldn't I I don't like collecting all those cards 'cause then I have to do something afterwards with them. I wanna have better conversations in the moment and see, okay, is there is there some way that I can be useful or some some way that this person can answer a question that I have? And it's so much Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: easier to kinda do that in the moment than it is to remember to follow up and go to coffee later. Kimberly Prescott: yes, yes. And usually you're not gonna go to coffee anyway. So I'm not you personally. I know. Yeah, Rebecca Snyder: I know, I know. I have coffee at home and I have a busy life. Kimberly Prescott: exactly. So it's all I why are we even saying that? Rebecca Snyder: Agreed, agreed. So as we as we wind up, I have one last question. And Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: I would love to know what you're still learning about yourself as a leader. Kimberly Prescott: I I I I'm learning that it's easy to advise clients on what they need to do and how to have conversations. But then when it's time for me to have the conversation, my husband is always like, Did you have that conversation? I'm like, No, I didn't have it yet. No, I'm I'm gonna do it. And so It's easy to give the advice. I am absolutely a person that's like, this is what you need to say, this is what you need to do. I'm real matter of fact. And then when it's time for me to do it, I like wake up in the middle of the night and I'm like, okay, let me make sure that I'm gonna say that right. Okay, how am I gonna say it? And I'm like writing it out and I'm overthinking it. So I'm learning about me that even though I might seem like the person that's just like, do it, it's not that hard, get it done. Honestly. I'm I'm the exact same as y'all. Like I'm I'm I'm you know, dreading the phone call, dreading the Zoom, and I'm I'm I have the exact same manager challenges as everybody else, as much as I probably don't want to admit it. Rebecca Snyder: Yeah. Well, thank you for being vulnerable because I feel like now, whew, okay, we know that KP has these problems too. Do you think though that's like that emotional distance that we talked about earlier, is that just difficult to put into practice or what what kind of what do you think holds you back from practicing what you're preaching? Kimberly Prescott: I think because I do try to build personal relationships and because I take very seriously that people trust me to feed their families, that people are willing to, you know, sometimes forego a much larger salary out here in the world to do the work of Prescott HR. Like I truly am honored that people have decided to do that. Do not take that lightly. And for that reason, I really work hard to build those relationships. So when I have to have a conversation or I need to make a transition, I am doing it from a place of, you know, they've trusted me. They've Rebecca Snyder: Mm-hmm. Kimberly Prescott: allowed, they, they, they, they gave me, they gave part of them to me to allow me to do the work that I do. Because I get to be the face of the company. They're doing the the hard work. with the clients, you know, I get to be on podcasts, I get to, you know, do that stuff, but they're in the they're really getting the work done. And so I take that very seriously and I think that it's that that I'm thinking about when I'm having those conversations. Rebecca Snyder: That makes that makes perfect sense. And before we go, tell me about your podcast. So it's it's always nerve-wracking Kimberly Prescott: yeah. Rebecca Snyder: when podcast hosts come and talk to me because I'm like, ooh, I hope I did it okay. But tell me about yours because you Kimberly Prescott: Yes. Well yes. Rebecca Snyder: have cocktails. I don't have cocktails. Kimberly Prescott: Well, it's okay. We could have. We could have. We just would have it would have been a BYO C. Rebecca Snyder: Yeah. Kimberly Prescott: yeah, so I have a podcast called HR and Cocktails. and it's available on YouTube and any other streaming platform where you can get a podcast. And we talk about all things to HR, so it could be anything from the AI to onboarding to benefit strategies to just having difficult conversations, anything at all, right? But we also make a cocktail. So my guest, they always tell me what cocktail they want. I make sure we have everything. We make the cocktail and we drink the cocktail while we're talking about HR topics. Rebecca Snyder: That's so fun. All right. And truly, this is my last question, but I want to know what you're drinking this summer. What's your summer cocktail? Kimberly Prescott: yeah. So I have two. it's an Aperol Spreads Rebecca Snyder: love it. Kimberly Prescott: and I know, it's so good. And a gin and tonic with lime, just straight up gin and tonic with Rebecca Snyder: Basic. Kimberly Prescott: lime. Yep. Yep. Rebecca Snyder: Classic, solid, straight to the point, unintimidated. Kimberly, it Kimberly Prescott: Yeah. Rebecca Snyder: was a delight to talk to you. Thank you so much for coming and. Kimberly Prescott: Thank you, thank you so much for having me.