EMILY KIM

Give her a follow and say hello!

1. Tell me a little bit about you, who is Emily outside of work?

Outside of work me is actually pretty similar to work me! I love people, so I am always trying to connect with friends, family or new people I want to meet! I also spend a lot of my outside of work time volunteering and learning about what’s going on in my neighborhood or larger community. I spend time baking, reading and watching lots of rom coms and bingeable Netflix shows!

2. What do you do for work?

I just recently stepped down from my leadership role at Molly Moon’s as the Social Impact Director. At Molly Moon’s I managed the company’s nonprofit, the Anna Banana Milk Fund and our relationships with food banks, I coordinated all of our partnerships and collaborations, I also managed events and worked on creating marketing materials and social media content. I am now full time at the company I cofounded – The Pastry Project, where I am cofounder and Community Impact Director. Because we recently started this social enterprise, title is kind of meaningless because both Heather (my cofounder) and I do every job imaginable, and even jobs you probably can’t imagine! But overarchingly I manage our hiring partnerships, our recruiting partnerships, our creative collaborations, our sponsorships, our social media, and coordinate our classes and workshops! I also manage our donation programs, like ‘Baking for Good.’ Oh – and I do all of our kit mailing and customer service work, which actually takes so much time!

3. As a female and entrepreneur blazing the trail with The Pastry Project, what are some of the biggest obstacles you have faced within your industry / the workplace?

Honestly one of the biggest obstacles in building out our business, was literally building out our kitchen space/business. Everything was new and pretty confusing and expensive. It was an area both my cofounder and I had no experience in. Contracting and construction is also a very male dominated industry, and we felt really out of our element. We’re still dealing with some construction aftermath!

4. What women in your life inspire you and why?

I’ve had so many inspirational women in my life! Every boss I’ve had and the women colleagues I’ve worked with have all been so smart and caring and inspiring to me. I’ve been able to get to where I am because of encouragement and mentorship from them! My mom is a small business owner and worked so hard to finish school and build her own company, and that’s been super inspiring to see. Every single one of my girl friends inspires me, and the friends I’ve met through social media over the last few years just kicking ass and building their own things!

5. What advice would you give to women who want to pursue a new life direction -- whether that be moving to a new city, pursuing a new career path, starting a side hustle or choosing a new major in school?

I tell this to my friends, because I truly believe it – I tell them that I think they are so smart, and so amazing, that any decision they make is the right decision. Follow your gut, follow your heart and do the thing that if you didn’t do, you know you’d regret it! I also think reaching out to people that have gone down a path you’re thinking of and asking advice is always good! It’s so easy to reach out to anyone over social media these days!

6. How do you balance a job, personal life and passions? Is there such a thing as balance?

I’m learning that right now! I work so much that right now even half of a day of doing nothing work-related feels luxurious. But it’s also confusing, because I genuinely love doing what I’m doing and know that I’m building something I’m so proud of. So a lot of times it doesn’t feel like work.

You know that saying, do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life? I saw someone say the flipside of that once, where basically if you do what you love, you’ll always be working…I’m still processing that!

I do want to find time to travel more, and my cofounder and I have been building vacation time into our schedules, so hopefully that will happen later this year!

7. What are some ways you implement self-care?

The way I selfcare these days is: shower, slather on almond lotion and lavender essential oil, put on fresh pajamas, make hot cocoa and curl up on the couch to binge rom coms. This is literally my dream night! My dream morning is walking to a coffee shop to get an iced americano, and taking a walk along the waterfront while listening to one of my favorite podcasts.

8. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders, movers and shakers?

I’d tell them to connect and network with as many people as possible, even if it’s just through social media! And connect with people in the area that you’re interested in. It sounds stressful, but real connections, and learning about opportunities is how we were able to start The Pastry Project. I volunteered for community boards and grant committees and learned all about the ways we could raise money for The Pastry Project. You can have an idea, but it’s so much easier, when other people are also excited about it and want to help you make it happen!

9. How can women advocate for each other?

I’m all about advocating for other women! I think it’s so easy to see someone you know, and think, they’re amazing and deserving while sometimes it’s hard for them to see it in themselves. I love to pump the women in my life up, and constantly tell them how great they are, and that they deserve that raise, that promotion, that support, whatever it may be!

10. What is your power color and why?

I once told someone it was glitter – or carousel sprinkle – and they wouldn’t allow it. Can I say it here?!

11. What is your female anthem – the song that hypes you up and makes you feel like a girl boss and that you can take on anything in the world?

Dolly Parton’s 9-5, is a really good wake-up and dance song!

Portrait illustrations are by Hailey Coral.

WOMEN ARE MAGIC | Emily Kim