Episode 117: Kim Damron

Women Leaders in Sports Podcast

Hello, and welcome to the Women Leaders podcast! I’m Patti Phillips, CEO of Women Leaders in College Sports, and today I’m talking with Kim Damron, CEO of Paciolan, a leader in ticketing, fundraising, marketing, analytics, and technology for live entertainment organizations. Kim has been at Paciolan for 16 years, initially as the COO, a role she loved. In fact, she never imagined herself as a CEO, and you need to listen in to hear how her jump to CEO in 2017 happened. As the leader, Kim has navigated enormous change, including an acquisition and the Covid-19 pandemic. Through it all, she says communication, transparency, and being there for employees were keys to maintaining trust and a healthy culture. In fact, many practices started during the pandemic, such as company-wide town halls, have been continued because of their positive results. Paciolan was founded based on an inclusive culture, and Kim has carried on that legacy. 69% of Paciolan employees are women and minorities, which is fabulous. She shares tips on her hiring practices that help achieve this. Kim is a leader with a growth mindset and her team reflects that. In the process of managing a diverse workforce, Kim has learned a lot about being a leader. We cover topics like the need for confidence going into a new role, gaining followership from employees, being an empathetic, authentic leader but also having thick skin, and prioritizing time to care for oneself so you can perform at your best. Don’t miss a moment of this great conversation! And remember, we are Women Leaders!