Small Biz
Here you will find tools, resources, understanding, and motivation on all things small biz. It can be tough to be a small business owner – you’re not alone.

Bode’s Top 5 from 2025
2025 was a year of reckoning for me both personally and professionally. I got to experience the joy that is perimenopause, continue navigating my ADHD,

Amy Poehler Got Me Obsessed with the Enneagram and Now Everything Makes Sense
Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang makes me ridiculously happy. Go listen to every single episode. I’ll wait. In every episode, she talks about the Enneagram;

The Names Have Been Changed to Protect the Not So Innocent
8THIRTYFOUR is hosting the Community Capital Conversation on November 19th, because enough is enough. Bring your stories. This isn’t the story about the quarter of

The Trauma that Built Me
I have the phrase “find comfort in the uncomfortable” tattooed on my arm; it’s a reminder that growth happens in the uncomfortable, and while this

Own Your Quirks
I am the most unathletic person you will ever meet. If you don’t believe me, watch the video of me rollerblading—it’s on my Instagram. I’m

We Don’t Do Marketing
(If I hear this one more time, I’m gonna throat punch someone.) If I had a dollar for every time a technical or contracting company
Hi, I'm Kim.
The face behind the sarcasm.
Thank you for being here. For being open to being a part of an exploration of all things small business.
Mostly thanks for tuning into the musings.
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Hello employers. People are the hardest part of our jobs, am I right?
We convince ourselves we have everything figured out and then a new generation comes along and it feels like we start all over. Lately it seems we’ve just decided that we’re done and I’m here to tell you that is not an option. Punishing your business because you’re unwilling to change or adapt isn’t what got us here. Come talk about it on April 28th.
#personalbranding #smallbusiness #kimbode #genz
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Business owner success, by the world’s standards is always boiled down to one thing and one thing only - revenue. We are constantly working towards the $1 mil, then the multi-million milestone. Maybe it’s my neurodivergent brain, or maybe it’s the fact I’ve never been one to go with the flow, but I think this is bullsh*t.
...and yes I realize you have to make money, but to me, it’s not that one line on your P&L; it’s the people, the communities you invest in and the impact you have.
You can’t grow and build at the same time, not if you’re a small business, something will have to give - maybe it’s relationships, revenue or your health.
It’s the point I was making in the
Inc. Magazine article on this very topic.
“When you invest in growth, your profitability will take a hit. You can’t simultaneously grow and post record profits, especially when you are a small business. This past year, I had to take a step back to build, which meant I wasn’t out there selling, and as a result, our revenue is down. It’s your responsibility as the business owner to anticipate trends, read the economy, and plan for the worst. It’s why we expanded our business to add a complementary offering, but it’s going to be a hefty lift and require additional capital to build. Growth is painful but worth the risk. You need to believe in yourself because no one else will..”
Don’t measure your success on someone else’s definition. You get to make your own rules.
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Just getting a little painting done between meetings. Gotta be ready for the April 28th, Uncomfortable Conversations: The Skills Crisis.
I’m very handy.
@8thirtyfour #personalbranding #bigdealenergy #smallbusiness #softskills #Idoallmyownstunts kimbode
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Everyone hates Gen Z...or so say employers. It really doesn`t matter if it`s true or not. Perception is reality.
Businesses are actively choosing not to hire you because of the frustrations they`ve had with your generation.
You can change, if you get real acquainted with personal branding or as I call it, your Big Deal Energy. Use your voice, story, experiences and weird to stand out - it matters.
Now...Gen X on the other hand, we`re perfect...nothing but trauma over here.
#bigdealenergy #personalbranding #kimbode #yesihashtaggedmyself #smallbusiness
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