Don’t Go It Alone

By Kim Pipkin

I am an only child. A singleton. Dead giveaways that I am a mono-progeny include being independent, needing alone time, having overachievement tendencies, and knowing how to keep myself amused. The lack of siblings didn’t doom me to be anti-social or self-absorbed. I spent many childhood hours chatting away with friends on my white Princess telephone while laying on my bedroom’s white shag carpet.

But what does me being an only child have to do with SMPS and my professional career in marketing for the A/E/C industry?

Going back a few decades, I recall being reluctant to join a professional association. Classic only-child behaviors were triggered when I landed my first “real” marketing job and it was a non-negotiable that I participate in SMPS activities. My boss was, after all, President of the SMPS San Francisco Chapter.

My primary role with SMPS was in membership. I checked members and guests in at events. I kept track of who worked where, their roles, and fielded questions about membership status. Today, the Membership Committee remains my favorite and the one I always recommend to others to get involved with.

As we recover from the pandemic and address social justice issues, I’ve reflected on my career, I keep coming back to membership in SMPS as the golden thread in my professional journey.

Professional associations are essential for building social capital and a place where its members help to spur new ideas and energize thinking. Below are a few reasons to get involved with a professional association:

Professional Development
Are you looking for professional contacts? Do you need a mentor? Are you looking for educational opportunities, certifications, and seminars that will further your industry knowledge?

Networking and New Business
Do you want to deepen your existing business relationships? Forge new contacts regularly?

Support System
Do you wish you had more people to talk to who do what you do? Members of a professional organization can share their insights and offer guidance when you face a challenging situation in your career. Also, having a support system will boost your confidence.

Working from home this past year has put a dent in our ability to network and connect. New research shows that employees and teams are becoming much more siloed and even lonely.

In my current role as Diversity and Inclusion Advisor for the SMPS SF Chapter, I realize how much belonging matters. What I’m getting at is: Don’t Go It Alone. Find a group of colleagues who challenge and inspire you, and then watch your life change for the better.

Paraphrasing lyrics to one of my favorite songs “The Room Where it Happens” by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the wildly successful play, Hamilton:

If you stand for nothing then what'll you fall for?
I wanna be in the room where it happens
The room where it happens
I wanna be in the room where it happens
The room where it happens

SMPS, especially these days, is the opportunity for you to be involved with a community of like-minded people… in the room where it happens.

  Kim Pipkin is the SMPS SFBAC Chapter Advisor For Diversity & Inclusion.