April 8, 2025 • 14 mins
Erin Clayton Kuhl is an executive and community leader. She is a finalist for the Confidence Award.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/erinkuhl
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Episode Transcript
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(00:05):
Welcome to the Inspiring Women of Iowa podcast,
a special series
amplifying the stories of the Inspiring Women of Iowa Finalists.
Inspiring Women of Iowa is an annual event hosted by Girl
Scouts of Greater
Iowa with the goal of celebrating women of courage,
confidence and character who are making the world
(00:27):
a better place.
Why does that sound familiar?
Well, because it also happens
to be the mission of the Girl Scouts,
where they believe society is better because strong
women show girls that anything is possible.
This event was created by Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa in 2017
to celebrate women in our community
(00:48):
and share their stories, while raising support
for the Girl Scout programs
that build the next generation of inspiring women.
16 individuals are celebrated annually with the Courage,
Confidence, Character and Inspiring Advocate for Women Awards.
I'm your host, Sarah Noll Wilson.
I am a business owner, a champion of women, and I'm
(01:10):
also a proud Girl Scout alum.
So massive love to troop 238.
And I am honored to have the chance to speak with these amazing,
inspiring women and to share their stories with you.
Joining me today is Erin Clayton Kuhl,
who is an executive and community leader
(01:32):
and is a finalist for the Confidence Award.
Thanks for coming to the show, Erin.
Thanks, Sarah, for having me.
Okay, before we get into the work
you do, the impact that you make and all of the legacies
of how you want to show up in this world.
What should we just know about you as a human?
All right.
Well, first
honored to be selected as a finalist for this
(01:54):
by Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa.
Wonderful organization.
In terms of, you know, maybe about me.
Personally.
I've lived in Iowa for about 15 years, probably
an honorary Iowan at this point, but
I am originally from Las Vegas, Nevada.
So I have so many questions.
(02:15):
I know, most people do.
Most people do.
A lot of my extended family still lives there.
I think I'm a fourth generation Las Vegan.
Okay.
A lot of a lot of family there.
And, I spend, you know, I'm there multiple times a year.
Just kind of seeing seeing my people and, a place
that, you know, is, we enjoy.
We enjoy as a family, too. So.
(02:37):
Yeah. No, I love that.
I love that
it is always interesting when you're like, so,
so why did you choose Iowa and why do you continue?
I mean, I love it.
I was born and raised here,
but it's not always the destination for a lot of folks.
Right?
So that's where I'm that's where I'm from. Yeah.
And like I said.
Iowa here for about 15 years.
I am currently enjoying a nice professional reset.
(03:01):
Break. Sabbatical.
Whatever you want to call it.
So I'm actually jobless at the moment, which is great.
I've taken some time off just to relax, reassess my priorities.
Do some thoughtful work on what might come next for me,
and enjoy just a different pace and,
you know,
pace of life,
(03:21):
spending time doing things
that haven't been possible for the last few years.
So I'm happy to talk to you about
kind of what I have done
in my career, prior to my current professional reset time.
I okay, can I, one, just hearing you talk about
how you're showing up in this moment
and I'm like, oh,
I understand why she was nominated
for this award of just like,
(03:42):
I'm going to be intentional about this time.
I
when if we
can have the privilege of a reset, excuse me
when we can have the privilege of a reset or sabbatical,
especially as women,
because we're always on the go, we're always
balancing so many different moving plates,
(04:04):
and I don't know, I'm mixing up my metaphors.
What has surprised you?
Like what has, like,
or what's become clear for you as you've slowed down?
I know this wasn't a question, but I was just really curious.
No. No. It's good.
I I'm surprised how much I'm sleeping.
I'll be honest.
Yes.
(04:24):
Like when you're not so crazy
busy all the time, the intensity, the I don't know.
It just. I'm, I'm more restful.
I'm getting great sleep and having less constraints on,
you know, when I have to wake up
and when I have to go to bed and what all I need to do.
So enjoying rest and a lot of the things
(04:48):
that in my busy life
for years and years, I've had to do at night
just because that's
when you have to squeeze it in or you have to get it done.
So I have been telling people all that stuff that for years
I was doing between 9 p.m.
and midnight, I'm now just doing during the day.
Yeah, yeah.
And allowing for just a more restful,
(05:10):
thoughtful, you know, evening time, so.
And just pace and not always being rushed and crazy.
Not always trying to make
three phone calls when I'm driving from one place to another.
Less multitasking.
And so it's been it's been good.
I don't know if people are listening to this or watching it.
(05:33):
It was an immediate like deep breath from me
because when I took over my, when I started my own company
and started to be able to have like full freedom.
Not that it's not busy,
but like there is something glorious about, you know what?
Today I'm just going to sleep in
because that's what my body needs.
Or I'm going to work on this when I'm energized.
And that's and again, that's a gift that not everyone has.
(05:56):
So I love that you're experiencing it.
So, Erin, clearly you make an impact and,
inspired somebody enough or multiple people to nominate you.
What is the impact that you want to make
or what do you want us to know about the work you do
and what you're passionate about?
If I maybe
reflect on that in a professional sense first.
(06:18):
And through the different roles that I've had in my career, I’d
say a lot of the constant through many of the positions
that I've held
is that I really enjoy
solving problems, leaving things better than I found them.
I love leading groups of people through challenging situations,
whether it's a difficult transaction, or project,
(06:41):
you know, at a company.
And I've really
I enjoy the impact that I can make
when I am working to help to really ensure that each person
is in a position to maximize their contributions to the team.
So I'm a strengthsfinder maximizer.
Sure.
Yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah, For those who know about that.
(07:03):
So I'm always happiest
when I'm working in a group
where everyone is kind of in the right position for success.
And impact.
Love that.
Love that.
And if I maybe reflect on your question in my community,
or philanthropic type of work that I spend time doing,
I'm passionate about
(07:25):
just keeping front of mind that there are
so many skills that I have, given my professional background,
that can be really helpful to a nonprofit
or or an organization.
Sometimes it's easy to forget that.
And something that I do
five times a week at my day job,
(07:45):
you know, the fact that I can help a nonprofit with that
and it takes me 30 minutes or whatever it might be.
It's so impactful.
And so I'm passionate about just keeping that front of mind.
I often see people underestimate the impact
they can have on an organization, or they think,
I can't get involved or they don't, you know, I'm not,
(08:07):
you know, maybe smart enough or have the right skills
or influential enough to be on a board of a nonprofit.
I just try and remind myself and others that your brain,
your experiences,
your skills, just the way you are
can really help an organization.
And certainly you want to find
an organization that matches up with,
you know, what you're passionate about.
But the impact that just an engaged
(08:29):
smart brain can have on a community
or a nonprofit organization can be so helpful.
And I think I see a lot of people sell sell that short.
And so I'm passionate about just reminding people
that, you know, if you're engaged in your life
experiences are what make,
(08:50):
you know, these organizations kind of spin.
So it's great. Yeah.
I, you know, I'm making a connection,
on on our other podcast, we have
individual.
Her name's Neha Sampat,
and she does a lot of work on imposter syndrome or,
and one of the things that the reason I want to bring
this up is one of the ways
(09:11):
we can step into the doubt when we're in a situation
that maybe wasn't built for us
is like your experience is your expertise,
your background is expertise that you bring to the table.
So I really love hearing your message of like, maybe,
maybe you don't have these technical skills,
but you absolutely have expertise.
(09:32):
And when you're willing to engage and be committed,
that goes such a long way.
And and you've seen, I'm sure, in your work
and your volunteering that sometimes
what an organization needs
is to be validated, that what they're doing matters,
and that it matters enough
that somebody is willing
to invest their time to make it happen, is that is that a fair?
(09:53):
I mean, that's been my experience,
and I assume you've experienced that as well.
Yeah. And it it's just.
There's there's also so many organizations,
they don't have a full staff of people.
They might be working with a really limited number.
You know, one.
Or five full time employees,
and even just having a fraction of your brain for an hour
(10:16):
a week. It's just it adds so much.
And, and I think that it's important to remember the impact
that all of our collective experience
can have on an organization.
Love that.
So you've been identified as somebody who's inspiring,
Erin, who is who, like, who is somebody who inspires you?
(10:36):
Who inspires me.
So I'd say I have just an amazing group of,
of women in my life who are part of,
definitely part of my support system.
I think I'd be lost without.
Yeah, some of them are friends, colleagues, colleagues
who've become friends.
And that I'm just I'm so inspired
(10:58):
by, you know, they're out there kicking butt at work,
in the community.
They're growing as people, accomplishing their goals.
And, you know, I, I love that energy around me.
I spend a lot of time with my friends,
spend a lot of time
with that group of of women in my life
who provide a lot of inspiration for me.
And I'm just, I'm I'm proud of all of them.
(11:19):
And it's great to reflect on the people
in that sort of circle around you and just be,
you know, be inspired and be in awe of what they're doing in
whatever it is.
That they're doing,
whether at, like I said, at work, at home, in the community.
Your your language is really provocative.
(11:39):
And what was coming up for me was this idea of surround yourself
with people who are in awe of you
and then like,
how do you like step in and be in awe of what other people do?
There's something
there was something so provocative for me in that, like visual.
Who do you have in your corner
and who's corner can you be in to just lift up?
So I love that.
(12:00):
Erin, for people who are listening to this conversation today
and who are exposed to the work
you're doing through this award and the the event in May,
what is something you want to leave
people with thinking differently
or doing differently as a result?
I think I just want to share my, I don't know.
And this some of this has come from
(12:21):
the time that I'm taking off now, with a little bit
of a different headspace than being in the day to day.
And I think the importance of
staying curious
about,
you know, and that can be
that can mean a lot of different things.
So, you know,
staying in the mode of learning, and learning doesn't mean
necessarily technical knowledge of something
(12:43):
at my job, or that might not mean a class.
It could be leadership growth,
it could be personal work,
it could be therapy, it could be any sort
of other growth and learning.
And I think it's just so important to have the humility
and the curiosity
to stay in that mode of no matter what that might mean for you.
(13:05):
You’re, I mean you’re speaking to my heart,
one of my big beliefs and values is to be chronically curious.
And I like
I really appreciate that,
just that humility of just always learning and growing.
For people who might want to connect with you or,
you know, follow the work you're doing,
what would be the best way for people to, connect with you?
(13:26):
I think just, you know, connecting with me on LinkedIn.
Erin Clayton Kuhl.
And I'm happy to to chat there.
Awesome. Erin.
Thank you so much for stopping by
and saying hello and sharing your story with us.
And congrats again on on being a finalist for this award.
Yeah. Thank you for having me, Sarah.
(13:49):
The 2025 Inspiring Women of Iowa event will be held
on May 9th at the Meadows Events and Conference Center.
To purchase tickets
and get more information about supporting this event, please
visit Inspiring Women of Iowa dot com and all proceeds
from this fundraising event stay 100% local
to benefit Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa and their mission
(14:12):
to build up girls of courage, confidence
and character who will make this world a better place.
Thank you for listening and thank you for your support.
Welcome to the Inspiring Women of Iowa podcast,
a special series
amplifying the stories of the Inspiring Women of Iowa Finalists.
Inspiring Women of Iowa is an annual event hosted by Girl
Scouts of Greater
Iowa with the goal of celebrating women of courage,
confidence and character who are making the world
(00:27):
a better place.
Why does that sound familiar?
Well, because it also happens
to be the mission of the Girl Scouts,
where they believe society is better because strong
women show girls that anything is possible.
This event was created by Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa in 2017
to celebrate women in our community
(00:48):
and share their stories, while raising support
for the Girl Scout programs
that build the next generation of inspiring women.
16 individuals are celebrated annually with the Courage,
Confidence, Character and Inspiring Advocate for Women Awards.
I'm your host, Sarah Noll Wilson.
I am a business owner, a champion of women, and I'm
(01:10):
also a proud Girl Scout alum.
So massive love to troop 238.
And I am honored to have the chance to speak with these amazing,
inspiring women and to share their stories with you.
Joining me today is Erin Clayton Kuhl,
who is an executive and community leader
(01:32):
and is a finalist for the Confidence Award.
Thanks for coming to the show, Erin.
Thanks, Sarah, for having me.
Okay, before we get into the work
you do, the impact that you make and all of the legacies
of how you want to show up in this world.
What should we just know about you as a human?
All right.
Well, first
honored to be selected as a finalist for this
(01:54):
by Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa.
Wonderful organization.
In terms of, you know, maybe about me.
Personally.
I've lived in Iowa for about 15 years, probably
an honorary Iowan at this point, but
I am originally from Las Vegas, Nevada.
So I have so many questions.
(02:15):
I know, most people do.
Most people do.
A lot of my extended family still lives there.
I think I'm a fourth generation Las Vegan.
Okay.
A lot of a lot of family there.
And, I spend, you know, I'm there multiple times a year.
Just kind of seeing seeing my people and, a place
that, you know, is, we enjoy.
We enjoy as a family, too. So.
(02:37):
Yeah. No, I love that.
I love that
it is always interesting when you're like, so,
so why did you choose Iowa and why do you continue?
I mean, I love it.
I was born and raised here,
but it's not always the destination for a lot of folks.
Right?
So that's where I'm that's where I'm from. Yeah.
And like I said.
Iowa here for about 15 years.
I am currently enjoying a nice professional reset.
(03:01):
Break. Sabbatical.
Whatever you want to call it.
So I'm actually jobless at the moment, which is great.
I've taken some time off just to relax, reassess my priorities.
Do some thoughtful work on what might come next for me,
and enjoy just a different pace and,
you know,
pace of life,
(03:21):
spending time doing things
that haven't been possible for the last few years.
So I'm happy to talk to you about
kind of what I have done
in my career, prior to my current professional reset time.
I okay, can I, one, just hearing you talk about
how you're showing up in this moment
and I'm like, oh,
I understand why she was nominated
for this award of just like,
(03:42):
I'm going to be intentional about this time.
I
when if we
can have the privilege of a reset, excuse me
when we can have the privilege of a reset or sabbatical,
especially as women,
because we're always on the go, we're always
balancing so many different moving plates,
(04:04):
and I don't know, I'm mixing up my metaphors.
What has surprised you?
Like what has, like,
or what's become clear for you as you've slowed down?
I know this wasn't a question, but I was just really curious.
No. No. It's good.
I I'm surprised how much I'm sleeping.
I'll be honest.
Yes.
(04:24):
Like when you're not so crazy
busy all the time, the intensity, the I don't know.
It just. I'm, I'm more restful.
I'm getting great sleep and having less constraints on,
you know, when I have to wake up
and when I have to go to bed and what all I need to do.
So enjoying rest and a lot of the things
(04:48):
that in my busy life
for years and years, I've had to do at night
just because that's
when you have to squeeze it in or you have to get it done.
So I have been telling people all that stuff that for years
I was doing between 9 p.m.
and midnight, I'm now just doing during the day.
Yeah, yeah.
And allowing for just a more restful,
(05:10):
thoughtful, you know, evening time, so.
And just pace and not always being rushed and crazy.
Not always trying to make
three phone calls when I'm driving from one place to another.
Less multitasking.
And so it's been it's been good.
I don't know if people are listening to this or watching it.
(05:33):
It was an immediate like deep breath from me
because when I took over my, when I started my own company
and started to be able to have like full freedom.
Not that it's not busy,
but like there is something glorious about, you know what?
Today I'm just going to sleep in
because that's what my body needs.
Or I'm going to work on this when I'm energized.
And that's and again, that's a gift that not everyone has.
(05:56):
So I love that you're experiencing it.
So, Erin, clearly you make an impact and,
inspired somebody enough or multiple people to nominate you.
What is the impact that you want to make
or what do you want us to know about the work you do
and what you're passionate about?
If I maybe
reflect on that in a professional sense first.
(06:18):
And through the different roles that I've had in my career, I’d
say a lot of the constant through many of the positions
that I've held
is that I really enjoy
solving problems, leaving things better than I found them.
I love leading groups of people through challenging situations,
whether it's a difficult transaction, or project,
(06:41):
you know, at a company.
And I've really
I enjoy the impact that I can make
when I am working to help to really ensure that each person
is in a position to maximize their contributions to the team.
So I'm a strengthsfinder maximizer.
Sure.
Yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah, For those who know about that.
(07:03):
So I'm always happiest
when I'm working in a group
where everyone is kind of in the right position for success.
And impact.
Love that.
Love that.
And if I maybe reflect on your question in my community,
or philanthropic type of work that I spend time doing,
I'm passionate about
(07:25):
just keeping front of mind that there are
so many skills that I have, given my professional background,
that can be really helpful to a nonprofit
or or an organization.
Sometimes it's easy to forget that.
And something that I do
five times a week at my day job,
(07:45):
you know, the fact that I can help a nonprofit with that
and it takes me 30 minutes or whatever it might be.
It's so impactful.
And so I'm passionate about just keeping that front of mind.
I often see people underestimate the impact
they can have on an organization, or they think,
I can't get involved or they don't, you know, I'm not,
(08:07):
you know, maybe smart enough or have the right skills
or influential enough to be on a board of a nonprofit.
I just try and remind myself and others that your brain,
your experiences,
your skills, just the way you are
can really help an organization.
And certainly you want to find
an organization that matches up with,
you know, what you're passionate about.
But the impact that just an engaged
(08:29):
smart brain can have on a community
or a nonprofit organization can be so helpful.
And I think I see a lot of people sell sell that short.
And so I'm passionate about just reminding people
that, you know, if you're engaged in your life
experiences are what make,
(08:50):
you know, these organizations kind of spin.
So it's great. Yeah.
I, you know, I'm making a connection,
on on our other podcast, we have
individual.
Her name's Neha Sampat,
and she does a lot of work on imposter syndrome or,
and one of the things that the reason I want to bring
this up is one of the ways
(09:11):
we can step into the doubt when we're in a situation
that maybe wasn't built for us
is like your experience is your expertise,
your background is expertise that you bring to the table.
So I really love hearing your message of like, maybe,
maybe you don't have these technical skills,
but you absolutely have expertise.
(09:32):
And when you're willing to engage and be committed,
that goes such a long way.
And and you've seen, I'm sure, in your work
and your volunteering that sometimes
what an organization needs
is to be validated, that what they're doing matters,
and that it matters enough
that somebody is willing
to invest their time to make it happen, is that is that a fair?
(09:53):
I mean, that's been my experience,
and I assume you've experienced that as well.
Yeah. And it it's just.
There's there's also so many organizations,
they don't have a full staff of people.
They might be working with a really limited number.
You know, one.
Or five full time employees,
and even just having a fraction of your brain for an hour
(10:16):
a week. It's just it adds so much.
And, and I think that it's important to remember the impact
that all of our collective experience
can have on an organization.
Love that.
So you've been identified as somebody who's inspiring,
Erin, who is who, like, who is somebody who inspires you?
(10:36):
Who inspires me.
So I'd say I have just an amazing group of,
of women in my life who are part of,
definitely part of my support system.
I think I'd be lost without.
Yeah, some of them are friends, colleagues, colleagues
who've become friends.
And that I'm just I'm so inspired
(10:58):
by, you know, they're out there kicking butt at work,
in the community.
They're growing as people, accomplishing their goals.
And, you know, I, I love that energy around me.
I spend a lot of time with my friends,
spend a lot of time
with that group of of women in my life
who provide a lot of inspiration for me.
And I'm just, I'm I'm proud of all of them.
(11:19):
And it's great to reflect on the people
in that sort of circle around you and just be,
you know, be inspired and be in awe of what they're doing in
whatever it is.
That they're doing,
whether at, like I said, at work, at home, in the community.
Your your language is really provocative.
(11:39):
And what was coming up for me was this idea of surround yourself
with people who are in awe of you
and then like,
how do you like step in and be in awe of what other people do?
There's something
there was something so provocative for me in that, like visual.
Who do you have in your corner
and who's corner can you be in to just lift up?
So I love that.
(12:00):
Erin, for people who are listening to this conversation today
and who are exposed to the work
you're doing through this award and the the event in May,
what is something you want to leave
people with thinking differently
or doing differently as a result?
I think I just want to share my, I don't know.
And this some of this has come from
(12:21):
the time that I'm taking off now, with a little bit
of a different headspace than being in the day to day.
And I think the importance of
staying curious
about,
you know, and that can be
that can mean a lot of different things.
So, you know,
staying in the mode of learning, and learning doesn't mean
necessarily technical knowledge of something
(12:43):
at my job, or that might not mean a class.
It could be leadership growth,
it could be personal work,
it could be therapy, it could be any sort
of other growth and learning.
And I think it's just so important to have the humility
and the curiosity
to stay in that mode of no matter what that might mean for you.
(13:05):
You’re, I mean you’re speaking to my heart,
one of my big beliefs and values is to be chronically curious.
And I like
I really appreciate that,
just that humility of just always learning and growing.
For people who might want to connect with you or,
you know, follow the work you're doing,
what would be the best way for people to, connect with you?
(13:26):
I think just, you know, connecting with me on LinkedIn.
Erin Clayton Kuhl.
And I'm happy to to chat there.
Awesome. Erin.
Thank you so much for stopping by
and saying hello and sharing your story with us.
And congrats again on on being a finalist for this award.
Yeah. Thank you for having me, Sarah.
(13:49):
The 2025 Inspiring Women of Iowa event will be held
on May 9th at the Meadows Events and Conference Center.
To purchase tickets
and get more information about supporting this event, please
visit Inspiring Women of Iowa dot com and all proceeds
from this fundraising event stay 100% local
to benefit Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa and their mission
(14:12):
to build up girls of courage, confidence
and character who will make this world a better place.
Thank you for listening and thank you for your support.
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