Meet Kim Carlson | Co-Founder, BreakAway Meetings

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kim Carlson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kim, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Accountability is one of our key core values. As a partner to our clients, it’s very important that we can be relied upon. When we set a deadline, we do everything we can to meet it, and in the off chance that something delays us, we make sure to have great communication and set realistic expectations that they can count on. The nature of our business is fast paced and we understand that quick, reliable information is incredibly important to our client’s success and we do everything within our power to ensure they have everything they need, when they need it.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our business is called BreakAway and we do all sorts of custom gifting. From welcome gifts at hotels to client & employee appreciation gifts, we’ve got something for every need! We specialize in completely custom gifting for businesses & events and our customization is what really sets us apart. From the items in the box to the packaging and the branded notecard, we can customize as much or as little as our clients are looking for and we do it based on their recipients, budget, themes, and goals that we find out from an initial Zoom call with them. We’re very proud of the way that we’ve pivoted and continue to pivot with all of the needs that our clients bring to us – we never have to say no! We’ve put together some really creative gifts that make teams feel valued, win business with clients, and create connection to host cities by utilizing hyper-local gifts from small businesses.

We got here by turning what could have been a terrible situation into a super successful one. In March of 2020, we were both laid off from our positions as hotel event managers in Downtown Denver. After listening to our friends & colleagues describe the rough transition to Zoom meetings and virtual conferences, we knew that we could help add a touch of fun and bring people together by providing all of the things that they would have received at in-person events (energizing snacks and beverages, conference swag, relaxation techniques, etc). We started by focusing on virtual events and have since added in employee appreciation, client gifting, hotel welcome gifts for in-person conferences, holiday gifting, and anything else that our clients are looking for. It certainly hasn’t been easy, but it has been so fun and rewarding!

Our biggest lesson has been that communication is incredibly important. People just want to know how things are moving along, if you need more time, if something goes wrong – it’s so much better to let them know what’s going on than to keep them in the dark! Communication builds trust, and we aim to be a very trusted partner for our clients.

When you work with BreakAway, you’re supporting a small, women-owned business and all of the small business partners that we utilize for our gifts. We have incredible options from a vast array of small business vendor partners that will create the perfect gift for whatever occasion you’re looking for!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We love to explore a new place through food & drinks! We’d be sure to hit the Honey Hill Cafe for a latte and breakfast sandwich, Stanley Marketplace for some shopping & snacks, Tacos Tequila Whiskey for a paloma & a pollo agave taco, Lowry Beer Garden for a local brew, Birdcall for the best chicken sandwich, and Uchi for sushi & sake. The great part about Denver is that there’s so much more to do than just the restaurant and bar scene too! We’d walk around City Park, rent some bikes and ride the Cherry Creek Trail, head for a hike in Chautauqua, check out the Botanic Gardens, and have a picnic in Wash Park.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We were both trained in the hospitality industry by Hyatt Corporation and would like to dedicate this shoutout to all of our mentors that we had along the way. The long hours and crazy situations that you get put into while working the Front Desk at a hotel, which is where we both started, really test your limits and teach you patience, accountability, problem solving, and empathy. Our hospitality backgrounds fine-tuned our customer service skills that we rely upon to run our business. Our mentors taught us that it’s important to understand where people are coming from and to not take things too personally when somebody treats you poorly – you never know what happened to them in the time leading up to your interaction. They taught us that it’s important to hold yourself accountable when something goes wrong, and that people don’t always necessarily want anything other than to be listened to and offered an apology. We long ago learned that “making it right” is different for everybody, and we always use the approach of asking what would make it right for each of our clients rather than assuming what they want if something doesn’t go to plan.

Website: https://www.breakawaymeetings.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakawaymeetings/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/breakaway-meetings

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BreakAwayMeetings/

Image Credits
From The Hip Photo