June 3, 2025 • 36 mins
Kim Peffley, Regional Vice President at Nation's Best, shares her journey from working at her family's True Value store to preserving business legacies across the hardware industry. Her story showcases how the building and construction industry offers incredible opportunities for making meaningful community impact while building successful careers.
• Began working at age 15 in her family's True Value hardware store in Granger, Indiana
• Managed multiple Ace Hardware locations before transitioning to consulting with NHPA
• Now oversees 14 locations across the Midwest as Regional VP at Nation's Best
• Nation's Best focuses on preserving legacy businesses while providing corporate support
• Currently has 64 stores in 18 states since launching in 2019
• Emphasizes the importance of mentorship for developing future industry leaders
• Believes in creating pathways specifically for women in the hardware industry
• Values the support of her husband in enabling her career success
• Encourages stepping into uncomfortable situations for professional growth
• Maintains work-life balance by enjoying lake life and unplugging when home
If you're interested in making an impact in your community or reshaping it through entrepreneurship, the building industry offers incredible opportunities to design the career and life you want.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Stefanie Couch (00:00):
Our industry, the building and construction
industry, the hardware industry.
It really is the start of theAmerican dream for most people.
Kim Peffley (00:06):
Anyone who's really interested in coming into this
industry should know that if youhave any bit of entrepreneurial
spirit, if you want to you knowredesign or reshape your
community, you can do that.
If you have a business sense,you can do that.
So it's like every single daywe get to work with our
co-workers, we get to work withgreat brands, but we also get to
really change our community,and so if you're wanting to make
(00:28):
an impact, you can definitelydo it in this industry.
Stefanie Couch (00:31):
When you look at these businesses maybe that
don't have a family successionplanning, which a lot of these
kids don't want to take themover, and the idea of that
legacy either dying so itdoesn't get passed on at all,
getting passed on and just taken, stripped down to parts it's
really, really disheartening.
But when you think aboutactually doing the opposite of
that taking that legacy andgrowing upon it, building
(00:55):
something with the tech and thebranding that you guys can put
behind it it's really cool.
Welcome to the Grit BlueprintPodcast, the show for bold
builders, brand leaders andlegacy makers in the
construction and buildingindustry.
I'm your host, Stefanie Couch,and I've been in this industry
(01:17):
my entire life.
Whether we're breaking downwhat's working in sales and
marketing, new advances in AIand automation, or interviewing
top industry leaders, you'regoing to get real world
strategies to grow your business, build your brand and lead your
team.
Let's get to work.
(01:38):
Welcome to the Grid BlueprintPodcast with Stefanie Couch.
Today I'm here, live in Orlando, with my friend, Kim Peffley.
Welcome to the show.
Thank you so much.
I'm so excited to be here.
Me too, and you and I have alot in common because we both
grew up in the hardware storeworld.
Your family actually owned aTrue Value hardware store
Correct, yeah, and you've beenthrough lots of different
(01:59):
iterations.
You've worked in this industrya long time doing amazing work,
but right now I think you'reworking for one of the most
exciting companies that's outthere Nation's Best and you're a
regional vice president there.
How long have you been withNation's?
Kim Peffley (02:12):
Best.
I joined Nation's Best inSeptember of last year, so I'm
going on about seven monthsAmazing.
Stefanie Couch (02:18):
So let's go a little rewind to your history.
Tell me a little bit about yourbackground your family hardware
store, when was it?
I want to know history.
Tell me a little bit about yourbackground your family hardware
store, when was it?
I want to know everything.
Kim Peffley (02:26):
Yeah, so my parents decided to invest in a local
business in our community, andthey weren't really sure what
business they wanted to do.
So they kind of did someresearch and a hardware store
was kind of what we decided on.
And so we were very green intothe industry, kind of had no
real experience on it, and mymom was actually going to be the
one running it.
So we hit a lot of roadblocksearly on when people were like,
(02:48):
you know, not sure if a womancould run a hardware store in
the 90s and of course it fueledour fire so we were like, let's
do that.
So it was in Granger, indiana,which is just outside of South
Bend, indiana so around NotreDame country.
And we found a piece of propertyright next to a grocery store,
and so we built from the groundup.
So it was really exciting to beable to see the building go up
(03:09):
brick by brick and see it getfilled, and so it was a True
Value store.
We called it Granger True Valueand we were there, for my
parents had it for 12 years, andso when I started, I was 15 and
I was a nights and weekendspart-time cashier.
I always joked.
I got all the hours that nobodyelse wanted to work and filled
the schedule wherever needed.
But I'm so thankful for thatand my parents, very much, were
(03:31):
like you will work everyposition, you will learn
everything.
And I'm so thankful because Ireally got the opportunity to
see the front side of thebusiness and the back side, and
anyone who owns a business knowsevery holiday, every dinner,
you talk about the familybusiness.
Stefanie Couch (03:46):
Yeah, there's never like a reprieve when, when
you're you know, I worked formy dad's lumberyard and hardware
store and my mom always used tosay that, like can we just not
talk about business?
Kim Peffley (03:55):
And it's like well this is literally a big deal in
every aspect of our life.
Stefanie Couch (03:59):
Uh, the dinner table is always about you know
someone who came in or someorder or something, and we did a
lot of weekends giving sendingout statements you know I did a
lot of file sorting.
That was my least favoritechildhood job.
Kim Peffley (04:13):
What was?
Stefanie Couch (04:13):
your favorite job as a child in the Harper
store?
I'm wondering.
Kim Peffley (04:16):
Yeah, so I I always love, I always have been drawn
to lawn and garden, so when Iwas in on the register I wanted
to get to the sales floor.
So we all have seen everybody'slike get me out on the floor.
So, we did that, and then myparents expanded and built on to
the store and they added a lawnand garden center.
I just wanted to run it.
I just was like, let me runthis building.
And so they gave me theopportunity to kind of be the
(04:37):
lawn and garden manager whichwas super fun, and with that
came the first real time that Inot only managed an entire
department but also people, andso I just absolutely fell in
love with managing folks and sowe just had an incredible time
out there managing that group offolks and we grew the business
significantly and it helped mereally learn about category
(05:00):
management and, obviously,people management.
Stefanie Couch (05:02):
Do you have a green thumb?
I do?
Yeah, I do.
Well, that's handy, it helps alittle bit.
Kim Peffley (05:06):
I learned so much, though.
You know we we always kind ofjoke that we got into the
business and if you can learn toread the labels faster than the
customer.
Sometimes that's how quicklyyou learn it.
Stefanie Couch (05:14):
And then, once you know, you know but there's
so much new stuff coming out allthe time.
Like I just went down on thefloor and demoed some new bits
and some new things and there'salways so much innovation
happening, which I think is alsoreally a fun part of our
business, because these productsand the manufacturers are so
innovative.
You know, my side is the doorand window.
I love that part of it.
(05:36):
And they just came out withsomething called smart glass,
which has actually clear glassand then you click a button on
the remote and it turns intoprivacy glass.
Like that's such a cool thing,because people they don't want
privacy all the time, they wantit when they want it and now you
can get that.
You can have both.
So that's awesome.
That is after your time at TrueValue, your family sold their
(05:57):
store.
Kim Peffley (05:57):
Yeah, tell me a little bit more about your more
recent career and some of theexperiences that you've you've
had there sure, yeah, so when myparents sold the, they sold it
to a fourth generation familythat ran an Ace store and they
had seven locations.
So it was really greatopportunity to go from kind of a
single store to a multi-storeand learn kind of some of the
additional things that areavailable to you, right?
(06:18):
So not only was it just abigger dynamic and bigger
opportunities, but we just wereable to connect and learn so
much more.
So it was instantly like ournetwork grew and we were able to
, you know, attend a lot of theACE shows.
And so I quickly became amanager of several locations and
then became the general manager, overseeing operations of seven
stores.
And I love multi-storemanagement, I love kind of that
(06:38):
general manager role.
And so I did that for about 25years between the True Value
store and my parents' store andthe ACE stores, and then, after
about 25 years, between the TrueValue store and my parents'
store and the Ace stores.
And then, after about 25 years,I was getting a lot of questions
on like how do you do this, howdo you do this?
And I said I think it might bea natural transition to kind of
switch into a consulting role,and so I did a lot of consulting
and then I partnered with NHPA,the North American Hardware and
(07:06):
Paint Association, which wasgreat.
So I got to do really aninteresting take on the position
because it was kind of creatingit as we went so created, kind
of created the consultingdivision there and worked
directly with retailers so flewout to their stores and helped
them, you know, become betterand more profitable businesses
and work on the culture side.
And then I also got to do a lotof speaking at like public
trade shows and education andtraining, so got to visit and
attend almost every market orshow.
They are to visit and attendalmost every market or show.
Stefanie Couch (07:26):
They are everywhere.
We were just at the NationalHarbor Show in Vegas this week,
yeah, and it's been a busy weekfor both of us, so you actually
received an award there, socongratulations.
We hosted the very first everhow Women Rise in Leadership
Summit for the National HarborShow and Build Women.
My company was able to be thereand help host that and co-host
(07:48):
it.
You were an amazing woman andwe'd actually never met, so
we've been LinkedIn friends, butnow I feel like we've known
each other a whole life.
But you won the LeadershipExcellence Award, so
congratulations for that.
And I was speaking with ChrisMiller that is the CEO of
Nations Best, and he was talkingabout just how incredible you
are, not only just your attitudeof just let's go out and do
(08:11):
amazing new stuff and get thosebig ideas in, but really the
fire and the energy that youbring into the room and into the
organization.
So you are so highly thought ofin this industry and I always
love to see other amazingleaders like you, but also women
, that are really showing peoplethat you can get in there and
you can rock it and you can doall the things, and you don't
(08:33):
have to have grown up in thebusiness.
I know mentorship is reallyimportant to you and I would
love to hear just some storiesabout how you feel like the next
generation.
What should they know?
What do you want those20-year-old people out there
that are looking for a career tosee about our industry, and how
do you mentor others?
Kim Peffley (08:51):
Yeah, thank you so much for all of your kind words,
and mentorship is so incrediblyimportant to me because I was
very fortunate to have a greatdeal of mentors that really
cared about me as an individualand also my growth within the
industry.
Stefanie Couch (09:06):
And.
Kim Peffley (09:07):
I tell everyone, like I started, you know,
knowing nothing and kind of cameinto this.
And we can teach anyone anything, but your energy and your
spirit and your drive are reallythings that it's like, if
you've got that talent, like wewill do everything we can to get
you there.
And you know, in my role withNations Fest too, it's like you
know, we face certain challengesand we face certain things that
I would have never been able toface, you know, early in my
(09:29):
career and someone was veryfortunate to teach me that.
So I tell people all the timelike I will breathe confidence
into you, I will believe in you.
Like you see a magic in someoneor a spark in someone that they
have no idea about themselves.
And and I always say, I'll behere to support you.
And I think anyone who's reallyinterested in coming into this
(09:50):
industry should know that if youhave any bit of entrepreneurial
spirit, if you want to redesignor reshape your community, you
can do that.
If you have a business sense,you can do that.
So it's like every single daywe get to work with our
coworkers, we get to work withgreat brands, but we also get to
really change our community,and so if you're wanting to make
an impact, you can definitelydo it in this industry.
Stefanie Couch (10:09):
I love that so much because I believe so
strongly that our industry, thebuilding and construction
industry, the hardware industry,it really is the start of the
American dream for most people.
And it is obviously, you know,getting more difficult for kids
to do a lot of these, you know,get a first time home and all
those things.
But it is still the core of theAmerican dream, absolutely.
(10:31):
And, at the end of the day,when you think about what is a
community, it's usually built upwith people and homes, yes, and
all the other businesses andthings that are going in.
But, like you said, if someoneis entrepreneurial, like I've
always thought that I would ownmy own business, and now I'm
living that dream, which isreally cool.
And I think if you want to opena business home services,
(10:52):
construction, these boringbusinesses well, first of all,
they're not really very boring.
Kim Peffley (10:56):
No, not at all.
Stefanie Couch (10:57):
They're pretty action packed and also there's
just so much opportunity andthere's a lot of people that
will be selling their businessesand retiring soon.
So if you're interested ingetting into a business, I would
say start asking localbusinesses around you.
Are you Tell me about yourbusiness?
Are you open to selling?
Would you sell or finance someof these more nontraditional
(11:17):
paths?
Or someone that wants to sellcould call your employer at
Nation's Best and we just spoketo Chris earlier this morning
what you guys are doing in theindustry.
I want to just dig in a littlebit so for someone who maybe has
never heard of Nation's Best,doesn't know what's going on in
the industry, tell me what isthe idea, what are you doing
differently?
(11:38):
And you guys have literallybeen a rocket ship.
So, you are going to from 2019,no Nation's best.
It didn't even exist and nowyou have 64 stores in 18 states
and you're continuing to grow.
But what I love the most isthat you have a long-term hold
model.
So you're not like a lot ofthese other companies that buy
(12:00):
and they're ready to make moremoney, dump them in three to
five years.
You want to hold these thingsand grow them for the long haul.
So tell me the story of whatyou guys are doing.
Kim Peffley (12:08):
Yeah.
So I think it's an amazingstory really, and I kind of got
the opportunity to watch alittle bit from the outside and
was like man, what's going onover here at Nation's Best?
Because there was thiscrossroads of time, right.
So like post COVID, when, youknow, obviously a lot changed
(12:30):
through COVID and a lot ofpeople were getting about this
point where they either wantedto buy or they wanted to sell,
and so I think the timing cametogether really perfectly.
And Chris is incredible.
He really is such an amazingleader and he has guided this
great group of folks to say howcan we make a difference in the
communities?
And so I think what I love mostis that we're looking to help
folks that would like to stepout of the business but really
have worked so hard.
Some of the businesses we ownyou know we just celebrated like
(12:50):
90 years at Crafty Beaver andlike several different brands.
They want that legacy to carryon.
And you know we really are verybig about continuing to support
the community, keeping the samestaff and keeping the same
leadership team there as much aswe possibly can and keeping the
same name.
So the main goal is to have nodisruption to the community to
continue to be able to serve andkeep the family legacy going on
(13:14):
.
And to me, I think what hasinspired me so much is to say I
have gotten the greatopportunity now, working with
Nations Best, to meet incrediblepeople and incredible
communities and we bring ourmanagers together and they tell
stories about their towns, andso I think of Nations Best as an
opportunity to really continueto serve your local community,
(13:35):
to keep your brand alive and toknow that you know we're going
to.
It's a company with a greatculture that takes care of its
folks.
So you know we're reallypassionate about saying like how
can we make a difference todayand help others?
Stefanie Couch (13:47):
What I love is you guys are taking the best of
the big corporate structure.
You have money, you areinvesting in these businesses,
you are taking the support oftech and all those things, but
you're not big corporate,correct?
Kim Peffley (14:01):
Yeah.
Stefanie Couch (14:01):
And so the best of both worlds really is what
you're doing, and I don't seethat anywhere else.
I think it's a pretty uniquevalue proposition that you're
bringing.
But when I think about my dad'slumberyard, my granddad's
lumberyard, my uncles have alumberyard I think about that
legacy.
The word legacy means a lot tome.
I think about what they workedfor.
(14:23):
And when you look at thesebusinesses, maybe that don't
have a family successionplanning, which a lot of these
kids don't want to take themover, you know, maybe they don't
have kids Neither one of us doand so if I owned my dad's
lumberyard right now, what wouldI be looking at for the future?
And the idea of that legacyeither either dying so it
doesn't get passed on at all, orgetting passed on and just
(14:44):
taken, stripped down to partsit's really, really
disheartening.
But when you think aboutactually doing the opposite of
that taking that legacy andgrowing upon it, building
something with the tech and thebranding that you guys can put
behind it it's really cool.
So I love what you're doing.
I'm totally bought into theidea.
(15:04):
If you can't tell yeah.
But the independent businessesyou know we're here at, do it
Best.
They are the champion ofindependence.
You guys are partnered withthem Absolutely and they have
great products and people andthey sort of have the same
mentality of how do we serve thecommunity, serve our members,
and that's what you're all aboutat Nations.
Best, tell me a little bitabout your talent pool, because
I know you're actually working.
(15:26):
Tell me about your day to day.
What are you doing?
Because I want to know all thatyou're doing in your region.
Kim Peffley (15:31):
Yeah.
So you know we're reallyexcited about that and I agree
it's all about legacy and makingsure that we can continue to.
You know, uphold the hard work.
I would say we're standing onthe shoulders of greatness,
right, and that there's somebodythat's really carved the way
for us to be able to be here.
So I think of it very much, sothat we do have that we kind of
say corporate support.
(15:51):
We're very much.
We always call ourselves thesupport team because we truly
believe that, and so my goalultimately is is I serve the
North region, so I havecurrently have 14 locations that
start from upper Michigan,indiana, illinois and Kentucky,
and so I consider my job everyday is to just help support
(16:11):
those stores and eliminateroadblocks, and so our managers
are incredibly talented.
They are basically the CEOs oftheir own stores and their own
businesses, and so I just sayyou know, what can I do to
support you?
What can I do to help make iteasier for you to do the things
that you need to do?
Every single day, I want to bethe safest place for them.
So we all know that we're goingto run into things that happen,
(16:32):
issues, problems and atdifferent, like varying, levels
of our careers that hitsdifferently.
So the farther you're in like,you kind of have gotten a little
bit better at handling those,and so I always just say I will
be your safest place to callwhen anything goes wrong, so
that you know you can come to meimmediately, and then we have
the power of the company to sayhow can we resolve this.
(16:52):
You know what do we need to do,and that comes from not just
our internal support team, butwe partner very closely, like
you said, with Do it Best, allof our vendors and everyone else
that we've connected withnetwork wise that we always say
we don't have to do this alone.
We have power in numbers.
So my day to day is just reallyserving my stores and the
amazing teams and making surethat they can be successful.
Stefanie Couch (17:13):
I love that.
How many times do you thinkabout?
I think about this a lot.
25-year-old Stefanie would havehad a total meltdown if this
happened.
I'm almost 38.
38-year-old Stefanie is like oh, it's Tuesday.
Just another day, yeah, so Ithink that we, as with
experience comes that, but Ialso think you know these
(17:34):
younger talent pools that arecoming in.
They're so innovative, sothoughtful.
I spoke at an event with BoiseState University two weeks ago
with ninth through 12th gradegirls and women, young women,
and some of the questions andthe ideas and the dreams they
had just set me ablaze, thinkingabout, okay, this next
generation.
We talk a lot of smack.
(17:54):
The older generations alwaystalk smack about the next
generation right.
So Gen Z is getting lauded aslazy and all these things, but I
actually think that they haveso much to offer us and
obviously I'm a millennial whichwe, when I remember, when I
started at my corporate job,after I left my dad's lumberyard
, they're like, oh, millennials.
And now I see all thesestatistics about how managers
(18:15):
want to hire millennials,they're like we're the golden
goose of all, hiring talent toshine.
Kim Peffley (18:19):
Yeah, we will step into the limelight.
Stefanie Couch (18:22):
But at the end of the day it's funny to think
about that.
So what do you see in thisyounger generation?
I know you mentor a lot ofpeople.
What excites you the most aboutthem?
Kim Peffley (18:34):
Yeah.
So I love the generationalconversation because I think I'm
a big study of people, right.
So I'm always trying tounderstand and try to get a
better idea.
And so, with the generations asthey come in, every time if I
hit something that I'm like whatan interesting question, and
sometimes I'm like, interesting,it might be the kind way, right
.
So I think, well, gosh, Ishould really probably pause,
because if this seems differentor foreign to me, it probably
(18:57):
means I really need to lean inand understand.
And I think a lot of timesthey're asking questions that
might seem obvious to us, right.
And so, you know, when I thinkabout that, I think, oh, my
goodness, here's an opportunityfor me to mentor or for me to
learn as well.
So, you know, I was meetingwith somebody that was looking
at an additional opportunity inthe company and they asked a lot
of questions that I, you know,was like, oh, that's great that
(19:18):
you brought those up.
We probably should build thatinto our system and we should be
more clear and we should givemore direction on what the next
steps are, because I know thatwhen I first started, like when
we didn't really know much, Iwanted to be able to ask
questions and be able to do that.
So anytime when I talk with thenext generation, I'm always just
like learning as much as I canfrom them and saying, you know,
(19:38):
keep me motivated, keep mesparked, because I I never want
to be that person that says, no,we already tried that, no,
we've already done this, and Inever, ever want to be somebody
who shuts down ideas.
I want all sorts of innovationto be within within our business
and within the way that Iapproach leadership.
So I ask questions where I'mlike that's a great question,
like what can I ask?
(19:59):
What sparked that?
You know how are, how would youlike me to lead you?
Because obviously we're fromdifferent generations and what
have you heard about me and mygeneration and what can I learn
about some things from you?
So I think it's it's assumingthat it's.
I think it's important to sayit's okay to ask questions both
ways and I can guarantee youthey're full of great ideas and
we need them.
So I'm excited.
Stefanie Couch (20:19):
I agree, and you know it's funny because I do
still think there's so much tolearn from the outgoing
generation as well.
So you know, we we kid a littlebit sometimes, like okay,
boomer.
But you know, I'm getting a lotof questions when I do these AI
talks and I do these talks aboutmarketing and some of the
technology that's coming out.
They're very intrigued.
They are ready to learn.
(20:39):
They are sometimes more adeptto change than I am, you know.
That's the thing is.
I think we can never countanyone out because of where
they're at in their journey, andalso I think there's a lot to
learn from those legacy peoplethat we need to soak up like a
sponge before they're gone.
Kim Peffley (20:55):
Absolutely.
Stefanie Couch (20:55):
So it's really fun to see the four or five
people generationally in theworkforce now and watch how
that's coming about and what'shappening with those people, and
I think we should just keeptrying to get the most amazing
new talent we can.
You guys are doing trainingprograms.
You have a very cool roadmapthat you're actually showing
people where they can start,where they can go.
I think that's the mostimportant part.
(21:17):
The training is the thing Ithink keeps me up at night.
It keeps other people up atnight because there isn't a lot
of training in our industry andthere's not a lot of succession
planning.
So you guys are really coveringa lot of bases there I want to
talk a little bit more about.
We talked a lot about work.
Sure, we both have anotherthing common we're obsessed with
our dogs, absolutely.
(21:38):
So I have a golden retrievernamed Heidi Pearl, and you have
also another female dog with twonames, so Lula Jane is your
miniature dachshund.
And tell me a little bit aboutwhat you and your husband I
actually got to meet him at theNHS show Tell me about your day
to day at home and what that'slike for you?
Kim Peffley (21:54):
Sure, yeah.
So we were very fortunate about10 years ago to be able to buy
my husband's grandmother's house, and so she lived on a lake.
And so she bought the propertyin the 40s.
They went by horseback in the50s to buy the property.
So we're the second owners ofthe home.
So we love to be at home,especially because I travel so
much.
(22:14):
So Lula, jane, who's our little, you know adopted wiener dog
and my husband, we love to justbe at home and be on the water
and just ice fish.
We fish in the regular season,we go pontooning.
We love to just be out on thewater or in the garden and just
spend as much quality timetogether as we can and I think
it's so fun that you know wejust all love to be there my, my
(22:37):
dachshund traditionally causethey're kind of longer dogs they
don't swim so well, but she's,like, actually a really good
swimmer, so she's swimmingaround in the lake and having a
good time and we are allfloating around and just
relaxing and it's so important,I think when you work as hard as
you do and you know you've thesame, like you're one of the
hardest working people I've evermet in my life and when you
(23:06):
have to say at a certain pointyou need to pause, reflect,
unplug, turn the phone down,most things can wait.
And so I think for me we lovebeing on the water because we
literally put our phones downand say let's go out on the lake
and just take some time.
It can wait a little bit.
It's magical, it is.
Yeah, there's something.
Stefanie Couch (23:12):
there's like a psychology around being around
water and all of that.
I think there really issomething to that and I'll put
it out into the universe becauseI have a dream similar to yours
.
There's a lake near our house.
It's called Lake Rabun.
There's also another one calledLake Burton.
We live really close to a greatlittle town in North Georgia
and my dream and Ben's dream wewant to have a little farm slash
(23:34):
lake area house.
Same thing.
I mean we work really hard.
Like you said, there is a lotof going and a lot of shows.
We've now been traveling forwhat?
Seven days straight.
Kim Peffley (23:46):
I don't even know what day it is.
Stefanie Couch (23:47):
I think it's Sunday, but.
I think you're doing this for areason, and when you get home,
to be able to turn off and justbe home.
And then also I want to talk alittle bit about and this is a
total, just interesting topic tome.
Your husband obviously is verysupportive, so is mine.
He's in the business with me.
Your husband works at NotreDame, which is super cool job,
(24:08):
and what does it mean to have aspouse that is pretty ride or
die for you, no question, allowsyou to be exactly who you are
and supports that, because I sawthat with him last week.
What does that mean to you andhow important do you think it is
to choose the partner or thespouse that you end up being
with in life to your success?
How important is that?
Kim Peffley (24:28):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's been probably I'll
probably get emotional one ofthe most important things to me.
Like, my husband absolutelymeans everything to me.
I know I couldn't do what I'mdoing today without him and it's
such a unique thing and youknow this really well, being a
woman in the industry that itfeels like you're always
fighting against something.
(24:49):
You're like I can prove myself,I can help you in this
department, I can run a business, I can do these things and my
husband is 1,000% behind me.
He's always like no you, and hereally lifts me up.
Or if I start to beat myselfdown, he's like you have no idea
you have no idea and and it'syou know, it's an I, I travel
quite a bit, I'm on the roadquite a bit, as you are as well,
(25:09):
and so it just to know that hehas my back completely, has full
support.
And I think you know, a lot oftimes people look at things
maybe from traditional.
You know historically howthings are and, and you know the
same, we don't have childrenand so it's changed kind of the
direction that we've gone andwe're incredibly close and so he
just every single day supportsme in everything that I do, both
(25:32):
internally and externally, andI'm forever thankful for him.
So, I said always look forsomebody that could be, that
really is always rooting for youand thinks about you.
You know being successful andhe's, and he will eliminate a
roadblock or anything for me inany way that he can.
So I think he's like myfavorite human in the whole
world.
Stefanie Couch (25:51):
No question the same for me.
I can't.
We've been through.
We've been married almost 18years now.
That's amazing, and we're youknow we're ride or die for each
other, and that's the thing Isay a lot.
Now we have this businesstogether.
Kim Peffley (26:08):
We ride or die for each other, and that's the thing
I say a lot.
We now, we have this businesstogether.
We're married.
Obviously, people are likedon't you get tired of each
other?
How could he ever get tired?
It's not possible.
Stefanie Couch (26:12):
But it's really true.
It's like we are going to wartogether every day to try to win
and live the life we want tolive.
We have big dreams and I thinkit's the most important decision
you make in your life.
I agree.
And it can actually allow you toeither go so much more,
exponentially greater than youwould, or it can actually tether
you down.
So I'm very grateful and Ithink I didn't realize how
important it was until westarted this business together,
(26:35):
because it is.
It's really hard some days and,like you said, you do feel like
you're fighting against thetide and when you have someone
pushing behind you that's nevergoing to let you fall back, it's
pretty, pretty positive stuffand it's, you know, it's amazing
.
Kim Peffley (26:47):
I think about it too, like I met my husband when
I was in my twenties.
And so we had our twentiestogether.
We had our thirties together.
We have our forties together.
He's now in his fifties, and soit's like when you're you know,
decade after decade, get tocontinue to be a cheerleader for
that person you care the mostabout and see them really
transition and live their dreams.
So it's like I know your dreamsto live on on the water as well
(27:08):
too, and it's like we wrotethat dream down and we said in
three years we will be on thewater.
And we said we are committed tothis and and it's the same thing
, he he knew my dream was tocontinue to grow in the industry
and he just you know it's thesame thing in my 20s, 30s and
40s, he supported me in everyway he could.
Stefanie Couch (27:24):
So that's amazing.
So I want to touch on thatwriting down your dreams because
I do that every single day.
I talked a little bit aboutthat in my wants list, but I
want you to talk about some ofthat.
What power it has to know whereyou're going, because you're a
very driven person.
You've obviously accomplished alot in your career.
I know you're not very drivenperson.
You've obviously accomplished alot in your career.
(27:45):
I know you're not finished yet,yeah.
So what is the power of that?
And then how do you tell youngpeople that you're mentoring,
and even people, mid-career,that maybe feel like they've hit
a snag.
They're not sure how they'regoing to get to where they want
to go?
What do you say to people inthat situation?
Kim Peffley (27:59):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's really important to
know where your long-term goalis and then break it down a
little bit, because I'm allabout small victories, right.
I think sometimes people make agoal which is great to have
this big goal, but it's to say,you know, where could I be in,
you know, three months, sixmonths, a year, and so I'm
really good about saying this ismy vision and then this is
(28:20):
where I want to get to.
You know, a really good friendof mine gave me some advice that
says anytime you get someonethat sends you like an email or
a compliment or something that'slike, you know, you really
helped me in this way.
It's like take a littlesnapshot, put it in a little
folder, on icon on your desk andjust on those hard days, remind
yourself what you're doing.
You know, one of my big goalshas always been to support, you
(28:40):
know, future women, or futurewomen in the industry, and just
to do what they can, and notjust in our industry, but really
anywhere.
So I'm really passionate aboutsharing what I do, and so I, you
know, even if it means steppinginto the hard and like being
uncomfortable, I'm totally finewith that, because I just want
everybody to know like this iswhere I've been successful, but
I could make it look like justthe highlight show and so I like
(29:02):
to share, like everything thatI make a mistake, I tend to
share those as well.
So every new employee that Iget the opportunity to mentor,
anyone that I mentor in oroutside of work, I always say
you are the version of you todayand I was like but you're going
to be great and I'm going tohelp you get there and be like,
just so you know that I makemistakes every single day and I
face challenges, but I'm goingto get back up and I'm going to
(29:23):
keep on trying and I'm 100% okaywith making mistakes because I
will learn from them.
And I always say I call themopportunities and I'm thankful
for them.
And so I really just wantedeveryone to know that, no matter
where you are, no matter whatmistake you make, it's
completely fine.
It's not career ending.
This isn't school where there'slike a permanent record, which I
don't think there was everreally a permanent record which
(29:44):
I don't think there was everreally a permanent record Like
you can let it all go, like,shake it all off and just know
that you know your career willbe whatever you want it to be.
And when you start it wasinteresting when I did a lot of
presenting it's like you have tobe able to kind of and you did
as well, so you have to be ableto in a short order.
That kind of this is what youdo.
And when you have to pause andsit back and look on your career
in that way, it's really just acollection of a lot of little
(30:07):
moments.
And I tell everyone that I waslike sometimes you flip the coin
one way, sometimes you flip itthe other, but I promise that
even though you're sitting inhard now, you will be so
thankful for it.
And if you're sitting in hard,I always say look around,
because you're here to learnsomething.
Stefanie Couch (30:21):
Absolutely Some of my worst moments in my life,
my career, have actually endedup preparing me or either
teaching me something that Iabsolutely had to have in the
next step or down the road, andI didn't.
You it's hard to see that whenyou're in the muck like when
you're in the muck, you'redrowning and you feel like this
is the worst day of your life.
It really is hard to feel thatway, but if you can look at it
(30:41):
that way, and then anothersaying that I really love and
this is one of my mentors abusiness mentor, alex Hermosi.
I watch him a lot.
On his content he says thisit's no silver bullets, only
golden BBs.
Kim Peffley (30:54):
And.
Stefanie Couch (30:54):
I think that you really think in your life like
if I can just get this one thing, if I can just get to this, or,
you know, as a speaker, as abusiness owner, if I can just
speak here, if I can just getthis contract, or if I can just
get this title, but the truth isthat it's almost never that
moment.
It's all the little things thatgo into that that then make you
(31:14):
allowed to do well in that job,or it's all the little moments
that will come after that thatwill get you to the next thing.
Silver bullets don't exist,only golden BBs, and so I try to
remember that.
I also try to remember that totake pressure off of a situation
, you know, if you have a, we'lluse a speaking engagement,
because people are terrified bythose.
If you have something, anopportunity that you are
(31:35):
actually out in front and you'renot sure if you're ready, take
it.
Yes, take it, because if youdon't, it might not come back
again.
But if you do and it's notperfect, it still will allow you
to do the next one and the nextone.
And I think a lot of timespeople get so caught up in well,
what if I don't do it perfectly.
You won't yes correct Ever, youwill not.
Kim Peffley (31:56):
Yeah, so guarantee that no one hit it off.
You know, no one was perfectthe first time.
Stefanie Couch (32:00):
And that's the cool part about life is that all
you have to do is just try andtake action, and you'll probably
get some really good fruit fromit.
And if not you'll get a goodlesson, yeah.
Kim Peffley (32:10):
I remember when I started doing speaking
engagements and just even beingasked, I was so like, oh my
goodness, of course I'd behonored and it was.
You know, I remember the veryfirst room and it was like 20
people and I was like blown away.
I was like I can't believe 20people are in here.
And then, you know, as theycontinue to grow, all of a
sudden you're like, oh mygoodness, this is, this is
really something.
And but I was like I would havenever been able to do.
(32:31):
You know, I got to be thegeneral session for True Value a
couple of years ago and it wasreally amazing.
It was kind of the last thingon my, on my, on one of my
bucket lists, but I said I wouldhave never been able to do that
had I not done this, this andthis.
And I think so many times thatyou forget is like even in the
room where it was the 20 folkswhich I was blown away, there
was five retailers in that roomthat I still continue to network
(32:53):
with to this day and reallycare about their businesses.
And every single time you putyourself out there, it's
completely worth it, I say, ifyou're not stepping into the
hard every single day, or tryingsomething that makes you a
little bit uncomfortable, thenyou're probably not growing, and
so I just I continue tochallenge myself in that way.
Sometimes at the end of the dayI'm like, ooh, you really
stepped in the hard today, maybeone step back tomorrow, but
(33:17):
it's worth it.
Stefanie Couch (33:17):
Let's figure that out for next week, give a
little break, yeah.
And you know, that's the thingis that I think we continue to
do that because we know thefruit that comes from that if
you do.
But you also have to giveyourself grace.
So I love that.
Well, you are an incrediblewoman.
I want to know what gets you upin the morning, what's exciting
to you right now that you'redoing in your career and what's
(33:40):
next for Kim, yeah.
Kim Peffley (33:42):
So thank you, and I think you are an amazing,
amazing person as well and I'mso thankful for you and our
friendship.
Thank you, you know we.
What gets me up in the morningis I love the people that I work
with.
I literally love them with likeeverything that I have, and so
every single day I'm like let'sgo, let's get after this, and I
can't wait to connect with themand talk with them and and see
how they're doing.
And you know, I just think if Ican just continue to bring
(34:04):
energy and bring positivity forthem and help them and support
them, I know they'll besuccessful and I want to see
them live their dreams.
And so I think what's next forme is to just continue to see
how I can mentor others, and Ireally want to go back more now
and touch base and thank morepeople, because I think that we
don't go back enough to thankthe people that have really had
(34:25):
an impact.
So I've been trying to kind ofgo and really just reach out to
people.
I'm writing more letters, I'mtrying to be more reflective on
my career, and then I think thebig next push for me is just to
really continue to find ways andeliminate roadblocks for future
leaders, future women leaders,to get into this business and
say what can I do today toensure that five years from now,
(34:47):
10 years from now, that there'smore and more people that are
standing on those stages andcollecting awards and leading
stores and growing this industry?
Because I truly believe thatwe're the future of it, and so
that's my big next thing iseliminate the roadblocks and
make it easy for women to besuccessful in the industry.
Stefanie Couch (35:04):
Well, you are a trailblazer and I have no doubt
that you're going to besuccessful in that, and I hope
I'm right there alongside you,just pushing together, so I love
it Well thank you so much forjoining me on the Grit Blueprint
.
Kim Peffley (35:15):
It's been an amazing conversation and I'm not
sure what trade show we'll seeeach other at again, but I know
it will be soon, so thank you somuch.
Thank you.
I'm incredibly honored to behere and it's just such an honor
to know you as well too.
Thank you for everything you'redoing.
You're really.
You are really changing thedirection for women in this
industry and and everyone.
Stefanie Couch (35:37):
I believe so.
Thank you so much.
That means a lot to me.
That's it for this episode ofthe Grit Blueprint Podcast.
For more tools, training andindustry content, make sure to
subscribe here and follow me onLinkedIn and other social media
platforms To find out more abouthow Grit Blueprint can help you
grow your business.
Check us out at our website,gritblueprintcom.
Our industry, the building and construction
industry, the hardware industry.
It really is the start of theAmerican dream for most people.
Kim Peffley (00:06):
Anyone who's really interested in coming into this
industry should know that if youhave any bit of entrepreneurial
spirit, if you want to you knowredesign or reshape your
community, you can do that.
If you have a business sense,you can do that.
So it's like every single daywe get to work with our
co-workers, we get to work withgreat brands, but we also get to
really change our community,and so if you're wanting to make
(00:28):
an impact, you can definitelydo it in this industry.
Stefanie Couch (00:31):
When you look at these businesses maybe that
don't have a family successionplanning, which a lot of these
kids don't want to take themover, and the idea of that
legacy either dying so itdoesn't get passed on at all,
getting passed on and just taken, stripped down to parts it's
really, really disheartening.
But when you think aboutactually doing the opposite of
that taking that legacy andgrowing upon it, building
(00:55):
something with the tech and thebranding that you guys can put
behind it it's really cool.
Welcome to the Grit BlueprintPodcast, the show for bold
builders, brand leaders andlegacy makers in the
construction and buildingindustry.
I'm your host, Stefanie Couch,and I've been in this industry
(01:17):
my entire life.
Whether we're breaking downwhat's working in sales and
marketing, new advances in AIand automation, or interviewing
top industry leaders, you'regoing to get real world
strategies to grow your business, build your brand and lead your
team.
Let's get to work.
(01:38):
Welcome to the Grid BlueprintPodcast with Stefanie Couch.
Today I'm here, live in Orlando, with my friend, Kim Peffley.
Welcome to the show.
Thank you so much.
I'm so excited to be here.
Me too, and you and I have alot in common because we both
grew up in the hardware storeworld.
Your family actually owned aTrue Value hardware store
Correct, yeah, and you've beenthrough lots of different
(01:59):
iterations.
You've worked in this industrya long time doing amazing work,
but right now I think you'reworking for one of the most
exciting companies that's outthere Nation's Best and you're a
regional vice president there.
How long have you been withNation's?
Kim Peffley (02:12):
Best.
I joined Nation's Best inSeptember of last year, so I'm
going on about seven monthsAmazing.
Stefanie Couch (02:18):
So let's go a little rewind to your history.
Tell me a little bit about yourbackground your family hardware
store, when was it?
I want to know history.
Tell me a little bit about yourbackground your family hardware
store, when was it?
I want to know everything.
Kim Peffley (02:26):
Yeah, so my parents decided to invest in a local
business in our community, andthey weren't really sure what
business they wanted to do.
So they kind of did someresearch and a hardware store
was kind of what we decided on.
And so we were very green intothe industry, kind of had no
real experience on it, and mymom was actually going to be the
one running it.
So we hit a lot of roadblocksearly on when people were like,
(02:48):
you know, not sure if a womancould run a hardware store in
the 90s and of course it fueledour fire so we were like, let's
do that.
So it was in Granger, indiana,which is just outside of South
Bend, indiana so around NotreDame country.
And we found a piece of propertyright next to a grocery store,
and so we built from the groundup.
So it was really exciting to beable to see the building go up
(03:09):
brick by brick and see it getfilled, and so it was a True
Value store.
We called it Granger True Valueand we were there, for my
parents had it for 12 years, andso when I started, I was 15 and
I was a nights and weekendspart-time cashier.
I always joked.
I got all the hours that nobodyelse wanted to work and filled
the schedule wherever needed.
But I'm so thankful for thatand my parents, very much, were
(03:31):
like you will work everyposition, you will learn
everything.
And I'm so thankful because Ireally got the opportunity to
see the front side of thebusiness and the back side, and
anyone who owns a business knowsevery holiday, every dinner,
you talk about the familybusiness.
Stefanie Couch (03:46):
Yeah, there's never like a reprieve when, when
you're you know, I worked formy dad's lumberyard and hardware
store and my mom always used tosay that, like can we just not
talk about business?
Kim Peffley (03:55):
And it's like well this is literally a big deal in
every aspect of our life.
Stefanie Couch (03:59):
Uh, the dinner table is always about you know
someone who came in or someorder or something, and we did a
lot of weekends giving sendingout statements you know I did a
lot of file sorting.
That was my least favoritechildhood job.
Kim Peffley (04:13):
What was?
Stefanie Couch (04:13):
your favorite job as a child in the Harper
store?
I'm wondering.
Kim Peffley (04:16):
Yeah, so I I always love, I always have been drawn
to lawn and garden, so when Iwas in on the register I wanted
to get to the sales floor.
So we all have seen everybody'slike get me out on the floor.
So, we did that, and then myparents expanded and built on to
the store and they added a lawnand garden center.
I just wanted to run it.
I just was like, let me runthis building.
And so they gave me theopportunity to kind of be the
(04:37):
lawn and garden manager whichwas super fun, and with that
came the first real time that Inot only managed an entire
department but also people, andso I just absolutely fell in
love with managing folks and sowe just had an incredible time
out there managing that group offolks and we grew the business
significantly and it helped mereally learn about category
(05:00):
management and, obviously,people management.
Stefanie Couch (05:02):
Do you have a green thumb?
I do?
Yeah, I do.
Well, that's handy, it helps alittle bit.
Kim Peffley (05:06):
I learned so much, though.
You know we we always kind ofjoke that we got into the
business and if you can learn toread the labels faster than the
customer.
Sometimes that's how quicklyyou learn it.
Stefanie Couch (05:14):
And then, once you know, you know but there's
so much new stuff coming out allthe time.
Like I just went down on thefloor and demoed some new bits
and some new things and there'salways so much innovation
happening, which I think is alsoreally a fun part of our
business, because these productsand the manufacturers are so
innovative.
You know, my side is the doorand window.
I love that part of it.
(05:36):
And they just came out withsomething called smart glass,
which has actually clear glassand then you click a button on
the remote and it turns intoprivacy glass.
Like that's such a cool thing,because people they don't want
privacy all the time, they wantit when they want it and now you
can get that.
You can have both.
So that's awesome.
That is after your time at TrueValue, your family sold their
(05:57):
store.
Kim Peffley (05:57):
Yeah, tell me a little bit more about your more
recent career and some of theexperiences that you've you've
had there sure, yeah, so when myparents sold the, they sold it
to a fourth generation familythat ran an Ace store and they
had seven locations.
So it was really greatopportunity to go from kind of a
single store to a multi-storeand learn kind of some of the
additional things that areavailable to you, right?
(06:18):
So not only was it just abigger dynamic and bigger
opportunities, but we just wereable to connect and learn so
much more.
So it was instantly like ournetwork grew and we were able to
, you know, attend a lot of theACE shows.
And so I quickly became amanager of several locations and
then became the general manager, overseeing operations of seven
stores.
And I love multi-storemanagement, I love kind of that
(06:38):
general manager role.
And so I did that for about 25years between the True Value
store and my parents' store andthe ACE stores, and then, after
about 25 years, between the TrueValue store and my parents'
store and the Ace stores.
And then, after about 25 years,I was getting a lot of questions
on like how do you do this, howdo you do this?
And I said I think it might bea natural transition to kind of
switch into a consulting role,and so I did a lot of consulting
and then I partnered with NHPA,the North American Hardware and
(07:06):
Paint Association, which wasgreat.
So I got to do really aninteresting take on the position
because it was kind of creatingit as we went so created, kind
of created the consultingdivision there and worked
directly with retailers so flewout to their stores and helped
them, you know, become betterand more profitable businesses
and work on the culture side.
And then I also got to do a lotof speaking at like public
trade shows and education andtraining, so got to visit and
attend almost every market orshow.
They are to visit and attendalmost every market or show.
Stefanie Couch (07:26):
They are everywhere.
We were just at the NationalHarbor Show in Vegas this week,
yeah, and it's been a busy weekfor both of us, so you actually
received an award there, socongratulations.
We hosted the very first everhow Women Rise in Leadership
Summit for the National HarborShow and Build Women.
My company was able to be thereand help host that and co-host
(07:48):
it.
You were an amazing woman andwe'd actually never met, so
we've been LinkedIn friends, butnow I feel like we've known
each other a whole life.
But you won the LeadershipExcellence Award, so
congratulations for that.
And I was speaking with ChrisMiller that is the CEO of
Nations Best, and he was talkingabout just how incredible you
are, not only just your attitudeof just let's go out and do
(08:11):
amazing new stuff and get thosebig ideas in, but really the
fire and the energy that youbring into the room and into the
organization.
So you are so highly thought ofin this industry and I always
love to see other amazingleaders like you, but also women
, that are really showing peoplethat you can get in there and
you can rock it and you can doall the things, and you don't
(08:33):
have to have grown up in thebusiness.
I know mentorship is reallyimportant to you and I would
love to hear just some storiesabout how you feel like the next
generation.
What should they know?
What do you want those20-year-old people out there
that are looking for a career tosee about our industry, and how
do you mentor others?
Kim Peffley (08:51):
Yeah, thank you so much for all of your kind words,
and mentorship is so incrediblyimportant to me because I was
very fortunate to have a greatdeal of mentors that really
cared about me as an individualand also my growth within the
industry.
Stefanie Couch (09:06):
And.
Kim Peffley (09:07):
I tell everyone, like I started, you know,
knowing nothing and kind of cameinto this.
And we can teach anyone anything, but your energy and your
spirit and your drive are reallythings that it's like, if
you've got that talent, like wewill do everything we can to get
you there.
And you know, in my role withNations Fest too, it's like you
know, we face certain challengesand we face certain things that
I would have never been able toface, you know, early in my
(09:29):
career and someone was veryfortunate to teach me that.
So I tell people all the timelike I will breathe confidence
into you, I will believe in you.
Like you see a magic in someoneor a spark in someone that they
have no idea about themselves.
And and I always say, I'll behere to support you.
And I think anyone who's reallyinterested in coming into this
(09:50):
industry should know that if youhave any bit of entrepreneurial
spirit, if you want to redesignor reshape your community, you
can do that.
If you have a business sense,you can do that.
So it's like every single daywe get to work with our
coworkers, we get to work withgreat brands, but we also get to
really change our community,and so if you're wanting to make
an impact, you can definitelydo it in this industry.
Stefanie Couch (10:09):
I love that so much because I believe so
strongly that our industry, thebuilding and construction
industry, the hardware industry,it really is the start of the
American dream for most people.
And it is obviously, you know,getting more difficult for kids
to do a lot of these, you know,get a first time home and all
those things.
But it is still the core of theAmerican dream, absolutely.
(10:31):
And, at the end of the day,when you think about what is a
community, it's usually built upwith people and homes, yes, and
all the other businesses andthings that are going in.
But, like you said, if someoneis entrepreneurial, like I've
always thought that I would ownmy own business, and now I'm
living that dream, which isreally cool.
And I think if you want to opena business home services,
(10:52):
construction, these boringbusinesses well, first of all,
they're not really very boring.
Kim Peffley (10:56):
No, not at all.
Stefanie Couch (10:57):
They're pretty action packed and also there's
just so much opportunity andthere's a lot of people that
will be selling their businessesand retiring soon.
So if you're interested ingetting into a business, I would
say start asking localbusinesses around you.
Are you Tell me about yourbusiness?
Are you open to selling?
Would you sell or finance someof these more nontraditional
(11:17):
paths?
Or someone that wants to sellcould call your employer at
Nation's Best and we just spoketo Chris earlier this morning
what you guys are doing in theindustry.
I want to just dig in a littlebit so for someone who maybe has
never heard of Nation's Best,doesn't know what's going on in
the industry, tell me what isthe idea, what are you doing
differently?
(11:38):
And you guys have literallybeen a rocket ship.
So, you are going to from 2019,no Nation's best.
It didn't even exist and nowyou have 64 stores in 18 states
and you're continuing to grow.
But what I love the most isthat you have a long-term hold
model.
So you're not like a lot ofthese other companies that buy
(12:00):
and they're ready to make moremoney, dump them in three to
five years.
You want to hold these thingsand grow them for the long haul.
So tell me the story of whatyou guys are doing.
Kim Peffley (12:08):
Yeah.
So I think it's an amazingstory really, and I kind of got
the opportunity to watch alittle bit from the outside and
was like man, what's going onover here at Nation's Best?
Because there was thiscrossroads of time, right.
So like post COVID, when, youknow, obviously a lot changed
(12:30):
through COVID and a lot ofpeople were getting about this
point where they either wantedto buy or they wanted to sell,
and so I think the timing cametogether really perfectly.
And Chris is incredible.
He really is such an amazingleader and he has guided this
great group of folks to say howcan we make a difference in the
communities?
And so I think what I love mostis that we're looking to help
folks that would like to stepout of the business but really
have worked so hard.
Some of the businesses we ownyou know we just celebrated like
(12:50):
90 years at Crafty Beaver andlike several different brands.
They want that legacy to carryon.
And you know we really are verybig about continuing to support
the community, keeping the samestaff and keeping the same
leadership team there as much aswe possibly can and keeping the
same name.
So the main goal is to have nodisruption to the community to
continue to be able to serve andkeep the family legacy going on
(13:14):
.
And to me, I think what hasinspired me so much is to say I
have gotten the greatopportunity now, working with
Nations Best, to meet incrediblepeople and incredible
communities and we bring ourmanagers together and they tell
stories about their towns, andso I think of Nations Best as an
opportunity to really continueto serve your local community,
(13:35):
to keep your brand alive and toknow that you know we're going
to.
It's a company with a greatculture that takes care of its
folks.
So you know we're reallypassionate about saying like how
can we make a difference todayand help others?
Stefanie Couch (13:47):
What I love is you guys are taking the best of
the big corporate structure.
You have money, you areinvesting in these businesses,
you are taking the support oftech and all those things, but
you're not big corporate,correct?
Kim Peffley (14:01):
Yeah.
Stefanie Couch (14:01):
And so the best of both worlds really is what
you're doing, and I don't seethat anywhere else.
I think it's a pretty uniquevalue proposition that you're
bringing.
But when I think about my dad'slumberyard, my granddad's
lumberyard, my uncles have alumberyard I think about that
legacy.
The word legacy means a lot tome.
I think about what they workedfor.
(14:23):
And when you look at thesebusinesses, maybe that don't
have a family successionplanning, which a lot of these
kids don't want to take themover, you know, maybe they don't
have kids Neither one of us doand so if I owned my dad's
lumberyard right now, what wouldI be looking at for the future?
And the idea of that legacyeither either dying so it
doesn't get passed on at all, orgetting passed on and just
(14:44):
taken, stripped down to partsit's really, really
disheartening.
But when you think aboutactually doing the opposite of
that taking that legacy andgrowing upon it, building
something with the tech and thebranding that you guys can put
behind it it's really cool.
So I love what you're doing.
I'm totally bought into theidea.
(15:04):
If you can't tell yeah.
But the independent businessesyou know we're here at, do it
Best.
They are the champion ofindependence.
You guys are partnered withthem Absolutely and they have
great products and people andthey sort of have the same
mentality of how do we serve thecommunity, serve our members,
and that's what you're all aboutat Nations.
Best, tell me a little bitabout your talent pool, because
I know you're actually working.
(15:26):
Tell me about your day to day.
What are you doing?
Because I want to know all thatyou're doing in your region.
Kim Peffley (15:31):
Yeah.
So you know we're reallyexcited about that and I agree
it's all about legacy and makingsure that we can continue to.
You know, uphold the hard work.
I would say we're standing onthe shoulders of greatness,
right, and that there's somebodythat's really carved the way
for us to be able to be here.
So I think of it very much, sothat we do have that we kind of
say corporate support.
(15:51):
We're very much.
We always call ourselves thesupport team because we truly
believe that, and so my goalultimately is is I serve the
North region, so I havecurrently have 14 locations that
start from upper Michigan,indiana, illinois and Kentucky,
and so I consider my job everyday is to just help support
(16:11):
those stores and eliminateroadblocks, and so our managers
are incredibly talented.
They are basically the CEOs oftheir own stores and their own
businesses, and so I just sayyou know, what can I do to
support you?
What can I do to help make iteasier for you to do the things
that you need to do?
Every single day, I want to bethe safest place for them.
So we all know that we're goingto run into things that happen,
(16:32):
issues, problems and atdifferent, like varying, levels
of our careers that hitsdifferently.
So the farther you're in like,you kind of have gotten a little
bit better at handling those,and so I always just say I will
be your safest place to callwhen anything goes wrong, so
that you know you can come to meimmediately, and then we have
the power of the company to sayhow can we resolve this.
(16:52):
You know what do we need to do,and that comes from not just
our internal support team, butwe partner very closely, like
you said, with Do it Best, allof our vendors and everyone else
that we've connected withnetwork wise that we always say
we don't have to do this alone.
We have power in numbers.
So my day to day is just reallyserving my stores and the
amazing teams and making surethat they can be successful.
Stefanie Couch (17:13):
I love that.
How many times do you thinkabout?
I think about this a lot.
25-year-old Stefanie would havehad a total meltdown if this
happened.
I'm almost 38.
38-year-old Stefanie is like oh, it's Tuesday.
Just another day, yeah, so Ithink that we, as with
experience comes that, but Ialso think you know these
(17:34):
younger talent pools that arecoming in.
They're so innovative, sothoughtful.
I spoke at an event with BoiseState University two weeks ago
with ninth through 12th gradegirls and women, young women,
and some of the questions andthe ideas and the dreams they
had just set me ablaze, thinkingabout, okay, this next
generation.
We talk a lot of smack.
(17:54):
The older generations alwaystalk smack about the next
generation right.
So Gen Z is getting lauded aslazy and all these things, but I
actually think that they haveso much to offer us and
obviously I'm a millennial whichwe, when I remember, when I
started at my corporate job,after I left my dad's lumberyard
, they're like, oh, millennials.
And now I see all thesestatistics about how managers
(18:15):
want to hire millennials,they're like we're the golden
goose of all, hiring talent toshine.
Kim Peffley (18:19):
Yeah, we will step into the limelight.
Stefanie Couch (18:22):
But at the end of the day it's funny to think
about that.
So what do you see in thisyounger generation?
I know you mentor a lot ofpeople.
What excites you the most aboutthem?
Kim Peffley (18:34):
Yeah.
So I love the generationalconversation because I think I'm
a big study of people, right.
So I'm always trying tounderstand and try to get a
better idea.
And so, with the generations asthey come in, every time if I
hit something that I'm like whatan interesting question, and
sometimes I'm like, interesting,it might be the kind way, right
.
So I think, well, gosh, Ishould really probably pause,
because if this seems differentor foreign to me, it probably
(18:57):
means I really need to lean inand understand.
And I think a lot of timesthey're asking questions that
might seem obvious to us, right.
And so, you know, when I thinkabout that, I think, oh, my
goodness, here's an opportunityfor me to mentor or for me to
learn as well.
So, you know, I was meetingwith somebody that was looking
at an additional opportunity inthe company and they asked a lot
of questions that I, you know,was like, oh, that's great that
(19:18):
you brought those up.
We probably should build thatinto our system and we should be
more clear and we should givemore direction on what the next
steps are, because I know thatwhen I first started, like when
we didn't really know much, Iwanted to be able to ask
questions and be able to do that.
So anytime when I talk with thenext generation, I'm always just
like learning as much as I canfrom them and saying, you know,
(19:38):
keep me motivated, keep mesparked, because I I never want
to be that person that says, no,we already tried that, no,
we've already done this, and Inever, ever want to be somebody
who shuts down ideas.
I want all sorts of innovationto be within within our business
and within the way that Iapproach leadership.
So I ask questions where I'mlike that's a great question,
like what can I ask?
(19:59):
What sparked that?
You know how are, how would youlike me to lead you?
Because obviously we're fromdifferent generations and what
have you heard about me and mygeneration and what can I learn
about some things from you?
So I think it's it's assumingthat it's.
I think it's important to sayit's okay to ask questions both
ways and I can guarantee youthey're full of great ideas and
we need them.
So I'm excited.
Stefanie Couch (20:19):
I agree, and you know it's funny because I do
still think there's so much tolearn from the outgoing
generation as well.
So you know, we we kid a littlebit sometimes, like okay,
boomer.
But you know, I'm getting a lotof questions when I do these AI
talks and I do these talks aboutmarketing and some of the
technology that's coming out.
They're very intrigued.
They are ready to learn.
(20:39):
They are sometimes more adeptto change than I am, you know.
That's the thing is.
I think we can never countanyone out because of where
they're at in their journey, andalso I think there's a lot to
learn from those legacy peoplethat we need to soak up like a
sponge before they're gone.
Kim Peffley (20:55):
Absolutely.
Stefanie Couch (20:55):
So it's really fun to see the four or five
people generationally in theworkforce now and watch how
that's coming about and what'shappening with those people, and
I think we should just keeptrying to get the most amazing
new talent we can.
You guys are doing trainingprograms.
You have a very cool roadmapthat you're actually showing
people where they can start,where they can go.
I think that's the mostimportant part.
(21:17):
The training is the thing Ithink keeps me up at night.
It keeps other people up atnight because there isn't a lot
of training in our industry andthere's not a lot of succession
planning.
So you guys are really coveringa lot of bases there I want to
talk a little bit more about.
We talked a lot about work.
Sure, we both have anotherthing common we're obsessed with
our dogs, absolutely.
(21:38):
So I have a golden retrievernamed Heidi Pearl, and you have
also another female dog with twonames, so Lula Jane is your
miniature dachshund.
And tell me a little bit aboutwhat you and your husband I
actually got to meet him at theNHS show Tell me about your day
to day at home and what that'slike for you?
Kim Peffley (21:54):
Sure, yeah.
So we were very fortunate about10 years ago to be able to buy
my husband's grandmother's house, and so she lived on a lake.
And so she bought the propertyin the 40s.
They went by horseback in the50s to buy the property.
So we're the second owners ofthe home.
So we love to be at home,especially because I travel so
much.
(22:14):
So Lula, jane, who's our little, you know adopted wiener dog
and my husband, we love to justbe at home and be on the water
and just ice fish.
We fish in the regular season,we go pontooning.
We love to just be out on thewater or in the garden and just
spend as much quality timetogether as we can and I think
it's so fun that you know wejust all love to be there my, my
(22:37):
dachshund traditionally causethey're kind of longer dogs they
don't swim so well, but she's,like, actually a really good
swimmer, so she's swimmingaround in the lake and having a
good time and we are allfloating around and just
relaxing and it's so important,I think when you work as hard as
you do and you know you've thesame, like you're one of the
hardest working people I've evermet in my life and when you
(23:06):
have to say at a certain pointyou need to pause, reflect,
unplug, turn the phone down,most things can wait.
And so I think for me we lovebeing on the water because we
literally put our phones downand say let's go out on the lake
and just take some time.
It can wait a little bit.
It's magical, it is.
Yeah, there's something.
Stefanie Couch (23:12):
there's like a psychology around being around
water and all of that.
I think there really issomething to that and I'll put
it out into the universe becauseI have a dream similar to yours
.
There's a lake near our house.
It's called Lake Rabun.
There's also another one calledLake Burton.
We live really close to a greatlittle town in North Georgia
and my dream and Ben's dream wewant to have a little farm slash
(23:34):
lake area house.
Same thing.
I mean we work really hard.
Like you said, there is a lotof going and a lot of shows.
We've now been traveling forwhat?
Seven days straight.
Kim Peffley (23:46):
I don't even know what day it is.
Stefanie Couch (23:47):
I think it's Sunday, but.
I think you're doing this for areason, and when you get home,
to be able to turn off and justbe home.
And then also I want to talk alittle bit about and this is a
total, just interesting topic tome.
Your husband obviously is verysupportive, so is mine.
He's in the business with me.
Your husband works at NotreDame, which is super cool job,
(24:08):
and what does it mean to have aspouse that is pretty ride or
die for you, no question, allowsyou to be exactly who you are
and supports that, because I sawthat with him last week.
What does that mean to you andhow important do you think it is
to choose the partner or thespouse that you end up being
with in life to your success?
How important is that?
Kim Peffley (24:28):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's been probably I'll
probably get emotional one ofthe most important things to me.
Like, my husband absolutelymeans everything to me.
I know I couldn't do what I'mdoing today without him and it's
such a unique thing and youknow this really well, being a
woman in the industry that itfeels like you're always
fighting against something.
(24:49):
You're like I can prove myself,I can help you in this
department, I can run a business, I can do these things and my
husband is 1,000% behind me.
He's always like no you, and hereally lifts me up.
Or if I start to beat myselfdown, he's like you have no idea
you have no idea and and it'syou know, it's an I, I travel
quite a bit, I'm on the roadquite a bit, as you are as well,
(25:09):
and so it just to know that hehas my back completely, has full
support.
And I think you know, a lot oftimes people look at things
maybe from traditional.
You know historically howthings are and, and you know the
same, we don't have childrenand so it's changed kind of the
direction that we've gone andwe're incredibly close and so he
just every single day supportsme in everything that I do, both
(25:32):
internally and externally, andI'm forever thankful for him.
So, I said always look forsomebody that could be, that
really is always rooting for youand thinks about you.
You know being successful andhe's, and he will eliminate a
roadblock or anything for me inany way that he can.
So I think he's like myfavorite human in the whole
world.
Stefanie Couch (25:51):
No question the same for me.
I can't.
We've been through.
We've been married almost 18years now.
That's amazing, and we're youknow we're ride or die for each
other, and that's the thing Isay a lot.
Now we have this businesstogether.
Kim Peffley (26:08):
We ride or die for each other, and that's the thing
I say a lot.
We now, we have this businesstogether.
We're married.
Obviously, people are likedon't you get tired of each
other?
How could he ever get tired?
It's not possible.
Stefanie Couch (26:12):
But it's really true.
It's like we are going to wartogether every day to try to win
and live the life we want tolive.
We have big dreams and I thinkit's the most important decision
you make in your life.
I agree.
And it can actually allow you toeither go so much more,
exponentially greater than youwould, or it can actually tether
you down.
So I'm very grateful and Ithink I didn't realize how
important it was until westarted this business together,
(26:35):
because it is.
It's really hard some days and,like you said, you do feel like
you're fighting against thetide and when you have someone
pushing behind you that's nevergoing to let you fall back, it's
pretty, pretty positive stuffand it's, you know, it's amazing
.
Kim Peffley (26:47):
I think about it too, like I met my husband when
I was in my twenties.
And so we had our twentiestogether.
We had our thirties together.
We have our forties together.
He's now in his fifties, and soit's like when you're you know,
decade after decade, get tocontinue to be a cheerleader for
that person you care the mostabout and see them really
transition and live their dreams.
So it's like I know your dreamsto live on on the water as well
(27:08):
too, and it's like we wrotethat dream down and we said in
three years we will be on thewater.
And we said we are committed tothis and and it's the same thing
, he he knew my dream was tocontinue to grow in the industry
and he just you know it's thesame thing in my 20s, 30s and
40s, he supported me in everyway he could.
Stefanie Couch (27:24):
So that's amazing.
So I want to touch on thatwriting down your dreams because
I do that every single day.
I talked a little bit aboutthat in my wants list, but I
want you to talk about some ofthat.
What power it has to know whereyou're going, because you're a
very driven person.
You've obviously accomplished alot in your career.
I know you're not very drivenperson.
You've obviously accomplished alot in your career.
(27:45):
I know you're not finished yet,yeah.
So what is the power of that?
And then how do you tell youngpeople that you're mentoring,
and even people, mid-career,that maybe feel like they've hit
a snag.
They're not sure how they'regoing to get to where they want
to go?
What do you say to people inthat situation?
Kim Peffley (27:59):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's really important to
know where your long-term goalis and then break it down a
little bit, because I'm allabout small victories, right.
I think sometimes people make agoal which is great to have
this big goal, but it's to say,you know, where could I be in,
you know, three months, sixmonths, a year, and so I'm
really good about saying this ismy vision and then this is
(28:20):
where I want to get to.
You know, a really good friendof mine gave me some advice that
says anytime you get someonethat sends you like an email or
a compliment or something that'slike, you know, you really
helped me in this way.
It's like take a littlesnapshot, put it in a little
folder, on icon on your desk andjust on those hard days, remind
yourself what you're doing.
You know, one of my big goalshas always been to support, you
(28:40):
know, future women, or futurewomen in the industry, and just
to do what they can, and notjust in our industry, but really
anywhere.
So I'm really passionate aboutsharing what I do, and so I, you
know, even if it means steppinginto the hard and like being
uncomfortable, I'm totally finewith that, because I just want
everybody to know like this iswhere I've been successful, but
I could make it look like justthe highlight show and so I like
(29:02):
to share, like everything thatI make a mistake, I tend to
share those as well.
So every new employee that Iget the opportunity to mentor,
anyone that I mentor in oroutside of work, I always say
you are the version of you todayand I was like but you're going
to be great and I'm going tohelp you get there and be like,
just so you know that I makemistakes every single day and I
face challenges, but I'm goingto get back up and I'm going to
(29:23):
keep on trying and I'm 100% okaywith making mistakes because I
will learn from them.
And I always say I call themopportunities and I'm thankful
for them.
And so I really just wantedeveryone to know that, no matter
where you are, no matter whatmistake you make, it's
completely fine.
It's not career ending.
This isn't school where there'slike a permanent record, which I
don't think there was everreally a permanent record which
(29:44):
I don't think there was everreally a permanent record Like
you can let it all go, like,shake it all off and just know
that you know your career willbe whatever you want it to be.
And when you start it wasinteresting when I did a lot of
presenting it's like you have tobe able to kind of and you did
as well, so you have to be ableto in a short order.
That kind of this is what youdo.
And when you have to pause andsit back and look on your career
in that way, it's really just acollection of a lot of little
(30:07):
moments.
And I tell everyone that I waslike sometimes you flip the coin
one way, sometimes you flip itthe other, but I promise that
even though you're sitting inhard now, you will be so
thankful for it.
And if you're sitting in hard,I always say look around,
because you're here to learnsomething.
Stefanie Couch (30:21):
Absolutely Some of my worst moments in my life,
my career, have actually endedup preparing me or either
teaching me something that Iabsolutely had to have in the
next step or down the road, andI didn't.
You it's hard to see that whenyou're in the muck like when
you're in the muck, you'redrowning and you feel like this
is the worst day of your life.
It really is hard to feel thatway, but if you can look at it
(30:41):
that way, and then anothersaying that I really love and
this is one of my mentors abusiness mentor, alex Hermosi.
I watch him a lot.
On his content he says thisit's no silver bullets, only
golden BBs.
Kim Peffley (30:54):
And.
Stefanie Couch (30:54):
I think that you really think in your life like
if I can just get this one thing, if I can just get to this, or,
you know, as a speaker, as abusiness owner, if I can just
speak here, if I can just getthis contract, or if I can just
get this title, but the truth isthat it's almost never that
moment.
It's all the little things thatgo into that that then make you
(31:14):
allowed to do well in that job,or it's all the little moments
that will come after that thatwill get you to the next thing.
Silver bullets don't exist,only golden BBs, and so I try to
remember that.
I also try to remember that totake pressure off of a situation
, you know, if you have a, we'lluse a speaking engagement,
because people are terrified bythose.
If you have something, anopportunity that you are
(31:35):
actually out in front and you'renot sure if you're ready, take
it.
Yes, take it, because if youdon't, it might not come back
again.
But if you do and it's notperfect, it still will allow you
to do the next one and the nextone.
And I think a lot of timespeople get so caught up in well,
what if I don't do it perfectly.
You won't yes correct Ever, youwill not.
Kim Peffley (31:56):
Yeah, so guarantee that no one hit it off.
You know, no one was perfectthe first time.
Stefanie Couch (32:00):
And that's the cool part about life is that all
you have to do is just try andtake action, and you'll probably
get some really good fruit fromit.
And if not you'll get a goodlesson, yeah.
Kim Peffley (32:10):
I remember when I started doing speaking
engagements and just even beingasked, I was so like, oh my
goodness, of course I'd behonored and it was.
You know, I remember the veryfirst room and it was like 20
people and I was like blown away.
I was like I can't believe 20people are in here.
And then, you know, as theycontinue to grow, all of a
sudden you're like, oh mygoodness, this is, this is
really something.
And but I was like I would havenever been able to do.
(32:31):
You know, I got to be thegeneral session for True Value a
couple of years ago and it wasreally amazing.
It was kind of the last thingon my, on my, on one of my
bucket lists, but I said I wouldhave never been able to do that
had I not done this, this andthis.
And I think so many times thatyou forget is like even in the
room where it was the 20 folkswhich I was blown away, there
was five retailers in that roomthat I still continue to network
(32:53):
with to this day and reallycare about their businesses.
And every single time you putyourself out there, it's
completely worth it, I say, ifyou're not stepping into the
hard every single day, or tryingsomething that makes you a
little bit uncomfortable, thenyou're probably not growing, and
so I just I continue tochallenge myself in that way.
Sometimes at the end of the dayI'm like, ooh, you really
stepped in the hard today, maybeone step back tomorrow, but
(33:17):
it's worth it.
Stefanie Couch (33:17):
Let's figure that out for next week, give a
little break, yeah.
And you know, that's the thingis that I think we continue to
do that because we know thefruit that comes from that if
you do.
But you also have to giveyourself grace.
So I love that.
Well, you are an incrediblewoman.
I want to know what gets you upin the morning, what's exciting
to you right now that you'redoing in your career and what's
(33:40):
next for Kim, yeah.
Kim Peffley (33:42):
So thank you, and I think you are an amazing,
amazing person as well and I'mso thankful for you and our
friendship.
Thank you, you know we.
What gets me up in the morningis I love the people that I work
with.
I literally love them with likeeverything that I have, and so
every single day I'm like let'sgo, let's get after this, and I
can't wait to connect with themand talk with them and and see
how they're doing.
And you know, I just think if Ican just continue to bring
(34:04):
energy and bring positivity forthem and help them and support
them, I know they'll besuccessful and I want to see
them live their dreams.
And so I think what's next forme is to just continue to see
how I can mentor others, and Ireally want to go back more now
and touch base and thank morepeople, because I think that we
don't go back enough to thankthe people that have really had
(34:25):
an impact.
So I've been trying to kind ofgo and really just reach out to
people.
I'm writing more letters, I'mtrying to be more reflective on
my career, and then I think thebig next push for me is just to
really continue to find ways andeliminate roadblocks for future
leaders, future women leaders,to get into this business and
say what can I do today toensure that five years from now,
(34:47):
10 years from now, that there'smore and more people that are
standing on those stages andcollecting awards and leading
stores and growing this industry?
Because I truly believe thatwe're the future of it, and so
that's my big next thing iseliminate the roadblocks and
make it easy for women to besuccessful in the industry.
Stefanie Couch (35:04):
Well, you are a trailblazer and I have no doubt
that you're going to besuccessful in that, and I hope
I'm right there alongside you,just pushing together, so I love
it Well thank you so much forjoining me on the Grit Blueprint
.
Kim Peffley (35:15):
It's been an amazing conversation and I'm not
sure what trade show we'll seeeach other at again, but I know
it will be soon, so thank you somuch.
Thank you.
I'm incredibly honored to behere and it's just such an honor
to know you as well too.
Thank you for everything you'redoing.
You're really.
You are really changing thedirection for women in this
industry and and everyone.
Stefanie Couch (35:37):
I believe so.
Thank you so much.
That means a lot to me.
That's it for this episode ofthe Grit Blueprint Podcast.
For more tools, training andindustry content, make sure to
subscribe here and follow me onLinkedIn and other social media
platforms To find out more abouthow Grit Blueprint can help you
grow your business.
Check us out at our website,gritblueprintcom.
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