"Entrepreneurs are the big picture thinkers."
Kim Marie Branch-Pettid is the driving force behind the world’s largest privately-owned business networking organization, LeTip International, Inc. Just watch her in action; meeting, greeting, making connections (and sparks fly), and you’ll understand the true meaning of an indomitable spirit. Kim Marie gallops into life, her mile-wide smile engaging all who meet her, her passion for LeTip obvious. Kim Marie is known for her commitment to building relationships and her inspiring, collaborative style. “Bringing people together just makes me happy,” she said. “LeTip is really a way of life for me.”
Kim Marie spent 30 years in the banking industry and culminated her career in mergers and acquisitions where she drove the M&A of over 30 banks. Kim Marie became a LeTip member during the last two years of her banking career and she loved LeTip so much that she decided to join the company and became the Regional Director of Arizona. She was promoted to the LeTip National Training Director in 2003. In 2004, she was promoted to Executive Vice President and became the President of LeTip in 2005. In February 2008, Kim Marie purchased LeTip and became the CEO/Owner.
Check out more interviews with entrepreneurs here.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET FEATURED?
All interviews are 100% FREE OF CHARGE
Table of Contents
Thank you so much for giving us your time! Before we begin, could you introduce yourself to our readers and take us through what exactly your company does and what your vision is for its future?
Kim Marie Branch-Pettid: First, I’d like to say to the small business owners and hopeful entrepreneurs reading this that they should be proud of themselves for working hard to bring their passions to fruition. One of the most effective ways to be successful is to spend time talking to and reading about your role models and others who are doing something similar, to what you do. That’s actually, something all members of LeTip do on at least a weekly basis.
My name is Kim Marie, I am the CEO and owner LeTip International, Inc., we’re the world’s largest privately-owned professional business networking organization. As business owners and entrepreneurs, we’ve all done some sort of networking to get to where we are today. LeTip has hundreds of local chapters with thousands of members nationwide and it provides a structured environment for networking with loyal, hardworking, and like-minded business professionals. All members are responsible for regularly exchanging business tips among other members. LeTip is different from other types of networking organizations in that only one representative of any given profession is accepted into a chapter, so referrals and tips for any services or products are funneled to that member representing that industry. LeTip is open to those working in virtually every industry, including home services and real estate, banking and finance, health and medicine, insurance, travel, fitness, business services, legal, public relations, event planning, creative services, technology, and more. To date, we have over 740 categories than can join LeTip and more added as needed. It is for everyone!
I’m proud of all members of LeTip for supporting each other through the challenges of a global pandemic. We were so resilient this year, and we will keep that momentum going in 2022 and beyond. LeTip will continue to invest in small business owners and their communities, helping them stay connected with new technology and relationship-building innovations.
NO child ever says I want to be a CEO/entrepreneur when I grow up. What did you want to be and how did you get where you are today?
Kim Marie Branch-Pettid: When I was younger, I actually wanted to be an Olympic swimmer. I love to swim; my first job was teaching swimming lessons to kids and adults. But that, of course, did not end up being my career path. I’ve always wanted to help people. When I was first introduced to LeTip, I was a member in the banking category. I was doing well at passing tips and making connections with the other members in my chapter. I felt like I belonged, it was a natural fit. The founder, and at the time owner, of LeTip, Ken Peterson, personally asked me to interview for the job of Regional Director in Arizona. During my interview, I told Ken that I would someday own LeTip, he thought I was joking. I was dead serious and worked toward that goal from day one on the job. In less than 8 years, I was purchasing LeTip from Ken and here I am today. I’ve absolutely loved every second of it, bringing people together just makes me happy. LeTip really is a way of life for me.
Tell us something about yourself that others in your organization might be surprised to know.
Kim Marie Branch-Pettid: It is no secret that I like to teach by example, but a do have a story from a time when I was on the receiving end of a teach-by-example lesson. When I was first starting as a member of LeTip, I attended a business mixer at a local Chamber of Commerce and set up my tabletop display, my “showboat” as we call it. I lit a candle as having that scent was part of the display. I did not ask for permission, and I was not aware we weren’t allowed to light candles. The scent had been wafting through the air for only a few minutes. Suddenly, the fire department showed up and used a fire extinguisher on my display absolutely ruining it. They could have blown out the candle, but they were using me as an example to others. While I had done a decent job of showboating, they were not happy with me as I could have caused a fire and never asked for permission. I learned for the next time to ask first and listen.
Many readers may wonder how to become an entrepreneur but what is an entrepreneur? How would you define it?
Kim Marie Branch-Pettid: Entrepreneurs are the big picture thinkers. They motivate and lead others to make the right decisions. They uplift and encourage their teams to be the best they can be. They are truly happy when an employee takes another position or job outside of your business that furthers their career.
It’s the easiest and the hardest job at any company. It’s easy because it’s so rewarding seeing someone rise above a challenge and use the skills you taught them to make good decisions. It’s also hard because you can’t be afraid to voice your opinion. While the day-to-day work still happens, you are ultimately responsible for the well-being, of every single member of the team. That means occasionally going to bed at night worrying if one member is struggling or not. We hold it all on our shoulders.
What is the importance of having a supportive and inclusive culture?
Kim Marie Branch-Pettid: As business leaders, we have to prioritize diversity in our workplaces. It starts with your company handbooks and culture. Your employees, members, and stakeholders need to be on the same page when it comes to your mission and values. From there, having a multitude of perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences in the room will strengthen decision-making and allow us all to practice empathy.
How can a leader be disruptive in the post covid world?
Kim Marie Branch-Pettid: A leader can make the biggest impact in the post covid world by being the opposite of disruptive—they should create space to listen to others and try to understand the other sides’ perspective. In the post covid world we need more leaders who are excellent listeners. Talk to people whom you want to learn more about, ask how their day is going. I believe this will inspire you to help others and create a more kind, tolerant, and understanding world.
If a 5-year-old asked you to describe your job, what would you tell them?
Kim Marie Branch-Pettid: I would tell them my job is to help people! I would ask them to name a time they felt proud of themselves or when they accomplished something great. I’d ask them “what did your friends and family say to you?” They probably cheered them on and said they were proud of them. Well, that’s my job, I’m like the cheerleader of the team, motivating my staff and LeTip’s members to reach their goals. And with some luck, they’ll someday be that person for someone else.
Share with us one of the most difficult decisions you had to make for your company that benefited your employees or customers. What made this decision so difficult and what were the positive impacts?
Kim Marie Branch-Pettid: I don’t like firing people, but something I dislike even more is when people don’t live up to their promises. When I started leading LeTip, I gave every field employee a set of goals and they had nine months to meet them. All the goals were easily attainable. At the end of nine months, no one had completed their goals. Some employees said I was bluffing and that I would not fire them. However, I was serious about the goals and when they weren’t met, I had to let them go to keep with the integrity of the company. Was it right? Was it wrong? I will never know but it happened, and we must hold ourselves to high standards because who else will? That’s why I only hire people who care and work hard to make our members experience the best possible.
Leaders are usually asked about their most useful qualities but let’s change things up a bit. What is your most useless talent?
Kim Marie Branch-Pettid: Well, I’ve certainly never been asked this question before! I supposed my most “useless” talent—in the sense that it has little to do with the work I do at LeTip—would be travel. My husband and I have a goal to visit every national park in the United States as well as every light house! A lofty goal but something we will accomplish!
Thank you so much for your time but before we finish things off, we do have one more question. If you wrote a book about your life until today, what would the title be?
Kim Marie Branch-Pettid: If I were to write a book, the title would be “Give, Get, Grow… Repeat!: An Untold Story of Success”. I would start by sharing my life experience and what formed me into the person I am today, good, bad and ugly. I would outline the lessons I’ve learned at LeTip. Lessons like surrounding yourself with a talented team, hiring an attorney and a CPA from the very beginning of my LeTip journey, and how your biggest cheerleader or your toughest critic is often yourself. I would share how I believed in myself even when others did not. I would also share you should NEVER give up!
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Kim Marie Branch-Pettid for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Kim Marie Branch-Pettid or her company, you can do it through her – Linkedin Page
Did you enjoy this article? Check out similar stories:
Jocko Willink: From US Navy Seal To Millionaire Coach And Best Selling Author
Disclaimer: The ValiantCEO Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.
