ABOUT ME
Somewhere between guru and gal pal
About a month into starting Caldwell Connect, my daughter Allison asked me during breakfast “Mom, is your business helping people make friends?” Immediately I felt concern. I hadn’t talked to her directly about what my new business was, so if she picked up on this, what else had she been picking up on?
Then I felt grateful. She had done the work for me of boiling down the impact of my business into terms a five-year old understands: I help people make friends. And friendship is a powerful form of connection. I teach communication that opens people up to the creating relationships that will change their lives, their companies, their fields and the world.
Connection has been a huge part of every job I’ve ever held - the ones I was paid to do and the ones I have done just for the joy of doing them. I’ve watched master connectors captivate a room. And I have seen people too fearful or self-absorbed to be present lose their audience and the opportunity to make an impact. I have felt the electricity of leading people to create something that didn't exist before we started, and I have learned from my communication failures.
In developing my trainings and workshops I have named what works to build connection and created frameworks to help everyone access their most authentic and powerful communicator.
You have a story to tell. Your team has a story to tell. Your work and community leadership can be transformed through connection; so let’s get started.
EVEN MORE ABOUT ME
Kim Caldwell is a native Austinite with a passion for connecting people. For the last 15 years she has partnered with mission-driven people and organizations across the country to plan their bold steps forward. In 2019 Kim founded Caldwell Connect to provide consulting and workshops that facilitate values-based planning, communication, and storytelling.
During the 2018 election cycle, Kim trained more than a thousand women to run for office through workshops across the state as the Program Director at Annie’s List. Previously she provided capacity building as a Senior Program Manager at the No Kid Hungry Center for Best Practices in DC and as a consultant at Mission Capital. In her glorious 20s, Kim served on the boards for local Young Nonprofit Professionals Networks in Austin and in Little Rock, and spent five years on the board of the national organization. She has earned a Master of Public Service, a BS in Public Relations, and a B+ in adulting.
In 2020 Kim joined the City of Austin Homelessness Priority Communication Team to engage the community in a compassionate conversation around ending homelessness. Kim serves on the Board of All Girls Considered and volunteers with Family Eldercare.
Kim lives in central-ish Austin with her two energetic daughters and perfect puppy dog. When she isn't working, Kim spends her days parenting, adventuring mildly, wandering HEB, practicing yoga and completing small tasks for her mother.