Staff Report
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Kim Hodous was presented with The Quilly⢠Award at the Academy of Best-Selling Authors Annual Golden Gala in Hollywood on September 28th.
Kim Hodous, a stay-at-home mom turned CEO and motivational speaker, has now added the title of Author of the Year as named by the Academy of Best-Selling Authors. She is entrenched in the Fayetteville community — her husband’s a local dentist, her children go to the University of Arkansas and public schools and her jewelry business, Rockwood Jewerly, has been here for 11 years. As a local successful business woman she wants to share the secrets she has learned through her years of experience and also shares in her book “Show Up, Be Bold, Play Big.”
What does it mean to you to be a businesswoman?
For me, it means that I get to be a woman of influence in so many different ways. Every day I get to make an impact on the business world, I get to be a role model for my daughters, and I get to show other women how they can have it all. I don’t want a life of compartments such as ‘work life,’ ‘family life,’ ‘play time,’ and ‘me time.’ Being a businesswoman means that my life is integrated. I can run a successful business, be surrounded by a warm and loving family and live a life of success and true happiness.
What has been your strongest personal attribute that’s led you to success?
There are two very different personal attributes that have played a large part in my success. The first is my unquenchable optimism. I find good in every situation and I make the best out of any circumstance.
My signature keynote presentation is “Everything’s Perfect and You Are Too.” I believe it and I live it.
The other personal attribute that has led to my success is my consistency in taking action. Every day I do a minimum of two things before 10 a.m. that take me closer to my goals. I’m very goal-oriented and I am consistent about accomplishing things on a daily basis that get me closer to my goals. All books on success mention taking action; chapter three in my book, Show Up, Be Bold, Play Big is about taking CONSISTENT action. I believe the key is consistency.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned about society from being entrenched in the business world?
The most precious lesson I’ve learned from society about being in business is that people are basically good. My personal experience has been — and I honestly believe — that most people really want to help you and see you succeed. I don’t believe in competition because I think we live in an abundant world and there’s enough for all of us. I trust that whatever gift I bring to the world, and whatever gift you bring to the world, there’s someone out there yearning for it.
What does being “bold” in a business setting mean to you?
Being bold means to stand out — like bold text or bold type. So being bold in business means standing out from the crowd and separating yourself from everyone else out there. It is making the customer experience as much fun as possible and loving what you do more than anyone else in the world. It means over-delivering and finding ways to surprise and delight your customers.
What has your success allowed you to do for your community that you may not have otherwise been able to accomplish?
The greatest thing my success has allowed me to do is Give Back! That’s strategy #32 in my book — Give Back. Give back in HUGE ways. Through my speaking and coaching I get to give back in a non-material, but oh-so-valuable way. I have the opportunity to inspire hundreds of people every year by speaking to service organizations and charitable organizations. I especially love it when I get to speak to young women or any group of women that have had to face difficulties. Everyone has challenges and it’s my greatest joy to help people overcome those challenges and move forward in life.
And through my jewelry business, every holiday season we donate thousands of pieces of jewelry to various charitable organizations. It is a company tradition that every year inspires my entire team and reminds us of the importance of a giving heart. In fact, if there’s an organization out there that could use jewelry for this coming holiday season, please contact us, we would love to add you to our list.
