Welcome Kim Dolbeer, Curran’s newest office assistant! Kim’s professional journey has taken her from oil futures to service dog training, but the common thread has always been her gift for helping others and making life easier for those around her. As someone who knew Curran’s culture firsthand through the firm’s Humane Society sponsorship, Kim jumped at the chance to join a team that values people as whole humans, not just workers.
How did you come to Curran?
I used to work at the Humane Society for Hamilton County, and Curran was a big sponsor. I knew they were good people. When I saw this position come up, I jumped on it. At this point in my life, culture and identity matter more than anything. I just want to exist, be happy, and have others around me happy. There’s so much more joy in giving.
What kinds of roles have you held before joining Curran?
I’ve worked everywhere from oil futures to training service dogs—a lot of different companies and industries, but always in administrative roles. I’m a helper, and that’s my identity. I go where I’m needed. The coolest position I ever had was working at Ultimate Canine, because we trained a lot of celebrities’ dogs. There was travel to LA involved, and you just never quite knew what you were going to do or who you were going to see.
What does a great workday look like for you?
A great workday is honestly where I’m able to help someone and make a difference—whether that’s giving advice, suggesting something, or doing something for somebody that really helps them out. That’s what I consider a good workday.
How do you stay organized when you’re juggling multiple tasks?
I use Microsoft Planner. Using a digital planner helps me keep conversations and tasks together, know the status of projects, and be able to share progress with others. I’m also a big fan of Rocketbooks—My handwritten notes are converted to digital files that I can easily search.
What happens when priorities shift unexpectedly or something urgent comes up?
I actually thrive in that environment. When things come up unexpectedly or things change, it doesn’t bother me. You just do what you’ve got to do and make sure people have what they need.
Where did your helper identity come from?
We grew up homesteaders, and we lived off the land. I was the oldest child, so my job was to help with everything. It’s just something that got instilled in me when I was a kid, and I still do it to this day. I don’t want to be the one that makes the big decisions—I want to be the one that carries out those decisions.
What are your communication preferences?
I like to have all communications electronically. That’s simply because I can go back and see everything in writing and reference it easily. Written communication helps me remember information better, too. I’m not a big fan of phone calls for this reason.
What specifically drew you to Curran’s culture?
It’s really nice to work for someone that has your back and cares about you as a human, not as a product. The team cares about the person as a whole instead of just the work person, and they encourage you to be yourself.
What would you want people to say about working with you?
My favorite thing people say is “She makes life easier. Things are easier with her around.” I love when people say “I need a Kim!” That’s what makes me feel really good, when someone says you made our day better, you saved me so much time, or you really helped me. Helpful and joyful, those are the two things I really want to be.
What do you enjoy when you’re off the clock?
I’m a recent empty nester, and my partner and I are starting to enjoy this new phase of life. We share our home with a cockatiel named Sauerkraut who’s my best friend, a cat named Mary Grayson (after my grandmother who gave her to me), and our funny, short dog, Danny DeVito. We just love to go seek joy wherever we can – whether that’s going for a walk, going to a museum, or petting some animals. If we’re stressed out, we go to the bird store and pet some birds.
We love having access to museum passes through our local library. Libraries are amazing. We get garden seeds, can dabble with 3D printing, and have opportunities to explore art and creativity in the community through our library.
My favorite thing to do, though, is bike on the Monon with Danny DeVito, in a backpack. I call it stealing smiles and spreading joy on the Monon, because everybody just smiles when they see his little head poking over the side.
What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?
You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you react to it. That’s true for work, for personal life, for everything. You can’t control if something goes wrong—some things are out of your control—but you can control your own reaction to it.