Kim is the CEO and Co-Founder of Repeat, an eCom tool that helps CPG brands better serve their customers by making reordering everyday items easier. The platform works with category-defining brands like Jot, Hydrant, Huron, and Lemon Perfect. This past summer, Repeat closed a $6 million Series A from Battery Ventures.
On early mornings.
I’m usually up between 5:30 and 6 am every day.
Before I check my phone, I get fully out of bed and drink at least 16 ounces of water + take a bunch of Ashwagandha to wake up my body.
Most mornings start off with a 3-4 mile walk with my co-founder, who is also my partner. We live close to the beach, so it’s the perfect setup.
Some days, our walks are more meditative, but we often tend to talk about complicated problems and challenges that we are facing with our business.
I realized early on that the health of my business would mirror my own, and morning walks have truly changed my life and made a positive impact on me mentally.
After my walk, I’ll hit a quick 10-minute meditation before starting my workday.
On upgrading her focus.
When I drink water, walk, and meditate every morning, I find a big difference in my day.
Most notably, I am much more focused throughout the day.
If I’m not following that routine, I find myself to be more anxious, and not as organized or productive as I’d like to be.
On making self-care a priority.
As a leader of a startup, it’s on you to take care of yourself, deal with your stuff, and ensure that you’re not projecting your personal life into your business.
One of the biggest impacts of this can be seen in communication.
For instance, if you’re tired or not taking care of yourself, you’re likely to be less discerning with your words and as a result, they can be easily misconceived. This can lead to points of contention or confusion within your business.
To avoid a situation like that, I’m always sure to make self-care a priority.
On overcoming anxiety.
If I’m ever feeling stressed or anxious, I’ll immediately step away from my work and go for a walk.
When I feel those inputs rising, like shallow breathing and tense muscles, I don’t try to push through work.
I tend to walk to someplace where I can sit and just breathe. It helps bring me back to a baseline.
A long walk away from my screen helps me stay present, and allows me to process whatever is going on.
On finding the right tribe.
This has a lot to do with my work and focus on self-actualization.
I spend a lot of time thinking about my own journey of self-actualization, which requires reflecting on whether I’m making decisions from a position of strength or fear.
I love hiring folks who know more than me.
This may be scary for most, but I love surrounding myself with incredibly talented people as it will benefit the business in the long run.
The secret here is to hire the best, then stay out of their way.
Within a 10-15 minute conversation in an interview, I can tell if someone is on a journey of self-actualization or not based on their response to questions centered around self-awareness + emotional intelligence.
We all have the ability to be on this journey, but most of us never take the initiative or are not aware that it is in our control.
On her evening routine.
I try to stop working at least two hours before bed, otherwise, I sleep terribly.
The last hours before going to sleep are either spent reading or watching mindless TV. Both are great ways for me to easily wind down before heading to bed.
Finally, I’m in bed with lights out by 9:30 pm most nights. I am pretty passionate about getting my 8 to 9 hours of sleep.
