Meet Kathleen Sarpy

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kathleen Sarpy. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kathleen , so great to have you sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our readers and so let’s jump right into one of our favorite topics – empathy. We think a lack of empathy is at the heart of so many issues the world is struggling with and so our hope is to contribute to an environment that fosters the development of empathy. Along those lines, we’d love to hear your thoughts around where your empathy comes from?

Since I was a young child, I’ve always had the feeling that I was an empath, someone who was highly attuned to other people’s emotions and feelings. That has been one of my “super powers” in my life and career as I could use that skill to read a room during a presentation, address employees nonverbal and verbal cues with kindness and ultimately be a more authentic and transparent leader that valued people’s personal stories and journeys. Working in public relations for the past 32 years, I recognized that understanding the “human side” of my colleagues and clients was often just as important as understanding the fundamentals of doing my job promoting some of the world’s most recognizable brands and companies. When you can appreciate what others are feeling or acknowledge the emotions someone is experiencing, it helps make you a more thoughtful and caring leader.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

After working for some of the world’s most prestigious public relations firms in my 20’s and rising the ranks quickly to senior leadership, I made the tough decision to leave it all behind at the age of 29 and go out on my own. I founded Agency H5 nearly 24 years ago without a single client – but with the tenacity to leverage my contacts and connections to build a business that would allow me to never apologize for being a working mom. At the time, I was seven months pregnant with my second child and had no back up plan if my entrepreneurial plans didn’t pan out. Early on, I decided I would unapologetically base my business on the values that had always, well, made me “me” – leading with kindness, offering unbridled creativity, showing passion for the client work, being efficient and putting “hustle” into everything I do and lastly leading with integrity and truth. Establishing those early tenants served Agency H5 well as my team substantially grew over the years and our five core values became the ultimate litmus test for recruitment, employee performance evaluations and ensuring that we maintained a happy work culture every day. Due to my initial desire to create an agency that was focused first on the values and the good people behind the work, we’ve not only been profitable, but we’ve risen over the past two decades to become one of the most respected PR, digital and integrated communications firms in the country and have the privilege of working with global brands like Henkel Brands, Ferrara Candy Company, Great Wolf Lodge Resorts and Ronald McDonald House Charities among many others. We develop strategic integrated marketing strategies and PR/social campaigns for brands that create buzz, encourage consumer engagement and ultimately help grow clients’ bottom line.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The three qualities that impacted my professional journey most have been resilience, humility and a strong curiosity. All of our personal and professional lives are certainly filled with many ups and downs and to stay sane and flourish, you have to be able to navigate challenges and survive them to try again another day. I always tell my team and my children that “resilience is a muscle” so you have to exercise it daily so you’re ready when things aren’t going as you hoped or planned. Sometimes life is so unpredictable so being able to dust yourself off and get back up again is something I have tried to witness firsthand to others so they feel hope and encouragement when things go off the rails.
Humility is a trait that I had to learn as I matured. As an overachiever in every way – from graduating Phi Beta Kappa in less than three years from Purdue University 32+ years ago to giving birth to five (and being the parent now of six) children, you must be able to not take yourself too seriously and leave your ego at the door. There is truly no way I could have built a thriving business, took care of aging parents and raised my kids without a serious does of humility (and often laughter). When you practice grace and have true perspective on what you do well and what you need to improve upon – and let others know you have the guts to admit it – you will do well.
I have naturally been an incredibly curious individual since I was a young child. I love the spontaneity of life and crave learning about new people, places, trends and breaking news – which has made my career in PR so fulfilling. Although most of us end our formal education in our 20s, we should always be striving to explore new ways of doing things, breaking the mold and brainstorming innovative solutions to keep growing. I love asking the question “why do we do it this way?” or “how could I have been better in that presentation?” or “what would make this idea even more impactful?” I’d encourage people to never settle for the status quo, but instead challenge yourself to expand your mind, your knowledge and your world views every single day.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

I was very fortunate to have two incredible role models for parents whose example I always tried to follow. My father, a lifelong employee of the cookie and snack leader Keebler Company, always conducted himself with integrity and kindness both inside and outside the office. Throughout my childhood and teens, he would invite my mother and I to tag along on occasional business trips and I witnessed him treating everyone he met with kindness and respect. I saw firsthand that you didn’t have to be the loudest in the room to be heard and that other professionals in his orbit responded so positively to my father’s gentle but firm way of communicating. He made friends and fans wherever he went throughout his 86-year life because of his exceptional character and his ability to make everyone feel seen and heard – a wonderful trait of empathy. My mother was certainly no different. As a pediatric nurse for 40 years, I would visit my mother in between shifts at the local hospital and would see her loving, nurturing spirit around the new mothers and their precious newborns. My weekend trips for dinner with “mommy” at the hospital cafeteria likely inspired me to give birth to five kids of my own decades later. Both of my parents were great examples of empathy, showing kindness to everyone and living by the Golden Rule. They both passed away within three months of one another six years ago – a testimony to their 67-year love story.

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