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Today Kimberley and Darren are talking about the W word. Wealth. Talking about money is hard for everyone. People who have it, people who don’t have it, and everyone in between. Is there a dollar amount that means you’ve arrived and are now wealthy? Do you have a number in mind? Kimberley and Darren explain that they really can’t answer with a number. Hitting one financial goal sometimes means it’s time to set a new one. How much is enough? The better question is: how do you create a life that you want while pursing wealth?  Kimberley and Darren share how they figured this out: Even when they didn’t have much money, to always create special experiences The path is not a straight line and it’s not always up. What does it mean to have worth and value as a person? This impacts your financial wealth. If you are using money (or food, or alcohol etc.) to fill a void, you will never have enough. Kimberley explains how embracing opportunities in life helped her see that experiences as well as resources were important to her. Darren explains how he sees things differently now, embracing time and experiences. If not now, when? If you aren’t building a life you love, then what is it all for? Don’t miss the final thoughts. Both Darren and Kimberley drop some wisdom and advice that will help anyone looking for answers to the building wealth question. 

You’ve asked about the kids so in this episode Kimberley and Darren share about their blended family. The kids were young when they met and married. When they brought their 2 families together, it was a challenge. Both were the primary care giver of their children when they married. Darren has two daughters and one son, and Kimberley has a son as well.   The early years were very intense. Feeling under attack regarding custody and other issues, they share how they often felt like they had no choice but to fight back. Family was (and is) everything for them, so giving up or giving in wasn’t something they considered. Emotions surface as they recall how hard and emotional it was to keep their family together. They also dealt with loss, separation, grief, and the challenges that came with co-parenting. All of this created a huge financial strain and a large amount of debt. Darren shares how at the time, he wondered if they would ever recover financially. Through it all they focused on their family values and did what they thought was right, especially for their children. This episode is a peek into Kimberley and Darren’s story; the early years.

The steps to growing wealth are often steep, slippery and sometimes you can fall along the way. Kimberley and Darren go back to the “penny” days of their early years. Living paycheck to paycheck was their norm when they first married. Buying their first home, was the beginning of connecting to their money. It wasn’t easy. Darren explains the hoops they had to jump through to get approved for that first mortgage. At the time, it didn’t feel like the first step to growing wealth. Kimberley shares how it was the first time they could see a new way to grow wealth beyond a bigger paycheck. A big change in mindset happened when they purchased that first home. Kimberley and Darren said this was the shift from pennies to dollars. Coming up, dollars to hundreds of dollars! 

Why family business? Kimberley and Darren have had 3 (so far) and they explain how that’s worked for them. Is a family business a good idea for you? Kimberley explains that she wanted to raise her children to be independent, but they hoped they would stick around and work in the businesses. Everyone wants their kids to succeed and Kimberley and Darren are no different. It’s a blessing to work with your family but it doesn’t come without challenges. Seeing the growth in your children is rewarding and heartwarming. There is a concern that they feel obligated or trapped which isn’t what they ever wanted. Now they are encouraging them to branch out, do their own thing and be confident to do what’s right for them. They also unpack: Does working together make you a tight-knit family? How do you manage family get-togethers and avoid talking about work? Hear how gender roles have impacted how family members interact.   How great would it be to hear with their kids think about working with mom and dad? Let them know (we vote yes!) and come back for the next episode to find out if they are going to make an appearance on the podcast.    

Kimberley and Darren are talking about big life changes. Find out what it’s like when you stop working (at the only job you’ve ever had) and find yourself wondering what do I do now? How do you create space for the things you want in life? Darren shares that his default was to work, stay busy and be active. Making time for other things (like recording this podcast) didn’t come easily. Find out why it was initially hard for Darren to slow down, and the realization that it was time to make different choices. How do you create a life you love? It’s not always clear exactly how that can happen. Find out the question that Kimberley asked almost daily so they could figure out what their next chapter would be like. How do you change your mind-set? Darren shares how he’s still living his dad’s money story and how it continues to show up. When Kimberley asks him if he can accept his wealth the answer isn’t what you’d expect. Subscribe so you can get more of their story including dealing with illness, big life changes, and how to do it together.

Darren and Kimberley are back with a couple of aha moments realized when they were on a walk. Darren shares how he fell into his career of 43 years. It brought him money and esteem in the community. In case you don’t live in Edmonton, he’s the “door guy” and spent 43 years at his (one and only) job. It wasn’t always easy to be part of a family owned business. Darren shares how he quit many times, and why he always ended up coming back. Aha moment: This wasn’t a career he picked, and not one that he really wanted. He shares what he really wanted to do, and what Kimberley would have guessed he wanted to do – they are not the same! Kimberley created a program called Women with Edge. It’s designed to help people move forward. She doesn’t want people to be stuck in their stories, and sometimes that isn’t easy to hear. Aha moment: She realized that for many years, she was softening her edge (to please others) and she doesn’t want to go back to that. These two are on a mission to help others see the possibilities in life. This episode will give you a behind the scenes look at how they ended up where they are today.

Kimberley and Darren are sharing it all on their podcast. You’re going to love hearing how they navigate a busy, successful life and almost 30 years of marriage. It wasn’t the easiest beginning, but you’d never know that now. After 3 months (give or take) they eloped! No one knew what they were up to. They explain how they merged their wedding with a company event and drove home in a bit of a daze. Blending a family of 4 kids and two households meant taking care of a few things. First up, new beds and a new car. You have to know this about both Darren and Kim; they were (still are) very independent people who both had a strong opinion about the new car. Lesson: Discuss big purchases before you get to the dealership. When they married, Kim had a great job and was making good money. The needs of 4 kids and a busy household meant they needed to make some changes so Kim quit her job and Darren was financially supporting the family. Lesson: Everyone has a money story. Family finances aren’t always easy to discuss. Kimberley shares how an innocent trip to the ATM years ago has stayed with her. Humble beginnings were truly their reality. It’s great to hear how they felt then, and how they can look back now with a new perspective. Subscribe to hear the next chapter!