Meet Kim Smoyer | Innovation Catalyst & Change Agent

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

Hi Kim, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
I have learned so very many lessons throughout my 31 years in business. However, if I must narrow it down to the most important lesson, then I would have to say it’s – failure is a gift. To be able to see my own disappointments, mistakes and misdirection as an opportunity for growth has made all the difference in both my personal and professional life. That has not always been the case, when I first started my business at age 26, I did not have this perspective. It’s taken years of cultivation of my business ethos and personal mission to come to an understanding of the benefits that deficiency, misstep, and loss can have for regrowth, for betterment and for the evolution of myself and my business. For me, turning life-and-business challenges into opportunities has taken a willingness to be vulnerable, to be curious, to take risks and to continually learn and expand my knowledge and understanding of myself, others and the greater world. Finding not only peace but acceptance of my failures has provided the impetuous for going in directions that were not obvious or easy. Finally, I would say that this attitude has enabled me to follow my heart and that has led to a very satisfying and fulfilling life thus far.

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?
I’m a fund development, strategic planning, and innovation consultant, facilitator, and trainer. I facilitate strategic planning and idea generation sessions, consult on fund development, and on innovation process. I’ve worked with non-profits, educational institutions, governmental entities and small businesses including: Bureau of Land Management, Community Resource Center, Salida Creative District, Colorado Small Business Development Centers, Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Jemez Pueblo Housing Authority, Estes Park Nonprofit Resource Center, Estes Chamber, Memorial Hospital of South Bend, Adams State University, Marquette University, Lake County, Envision Chaffee County – and many others.

I started my business, Smoyer & Associates, in 1991 and have worked in communities across the country. My areas of expertise include innovation, strategy planning, meeting facilitation, fund and board development and large project management.

I also conduct trainings and workshops on creative problem solving, innovation, board and fund development and other custom designed sessions to address specific client needs.

I was part of the inaugural Certified Innovation Mentorship program, offered through the University of Notre Dame in partnership with Whirlpool Corporation and Memorial Hospital of South Bend. I also completed the Innovation Leadership Immersion program at the Pfeil Innovation Center in South Bend, IN. I’m a certified NxLevel Instructor, Kiln Innovation Facilitator and Matrix Leadership Facilitator. I’m currently participating in Community Leaders in Health Equity (CLHE) program (through The Colorado Trust) to grow her understanding of equity and oppression regarding race, class, gender, and nationality, while making local and statewide connections to help advocate for a more equitable Colorado.

I earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA) and a bachelor’s degree in Politics and Government, Women’s Studies and Philosophy from Ohio Wesleyan University (Delaware, OH).

I currently lives 10 miles west of Villa Grove, Colorado in the mountains of Saguache County.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve lived in a very rural, remote region of south-central Colorado at 9200 feet above sea level in the mountains of Saguache County for the last 16 years. The closest town, restaurants, shopping and other amenities, is 40 miles away so when visitors arrive we tend to stay put and enjoy the natural beauty and wonders of the region. A typical day might include breakfast at the Villa Grove Trade, followed by a hike in the Sangre de Cristo mountains or at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and finally a visit to Joyful Journey Hot Springs is a great way to soak those sore muscles. The San Luis Valley is known for some very unique attractions, including the UFO Watchtower (on the Cosmic Highway US17), Colorado Gators Reptile Park, and the historic Orient Land Trust mine where you can see 250,000 bats exit the mine shaft to feed each evening during the summer months.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My partner, Bill Hatcher, is always an inspiration and support to me. There have been many strong, independent and creative women who have provided encouragement, acted as examples, and offered guidance throughout my career. Pip Conrad, a certified life coach, was instrumental in helping me reinvent myself at a transitional time. The poetry of Mary Oliver, Billy Collins and Wendell Berry motivates me to appreciate life and all its beauty.

Website: www.smoyerandassociates.com

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kimsmoyer

Facebook: @SmoyerandAssociates

Image Credits
I took all these photos.