Introducing the Newest Member of the Cultivate Team

Friends, it is with great joy and a happy heart that I’m writing today’s blog post. I am thrilled to be introducing you to the newest member of the Cultivate team-Kaylee Hobbs!

We’ve had the privilege of working alongside Kaylee for the past two months, and I’m so excited for you to get to know her!

First, I want to tell you a little background about the interview process with Kaylee. When we went through the first round of interviews with all the amazing candidates from our job posting, I remember thinking, “Can’t we just hire them all?” It wasn’t until then that I truly realized how difficult it was going to be to choose just one new member of our team (Spoiler alert: we didn’t just choose one!)

Nicole and I joked throughout the process that we weren’t just hiring a new team member; we were hiring a new friend. One of the greatest joys of the work we do day in and day out is doing it alongside the women with whom we work. What makes our company unique is that we’re invested in one another outside of our work lives. It’s no surprise to find Lara and Amber sending garden pictures back and forth, Kristin and Marissa feverishly texting about the new Lilly markdowns, or Emily sending Nicole and myself her newest favorite recipes. A company culture that fosters this kind of team unity has become one of the biggest blessings of my life. All that to say, we knew this was a big hire, and I’d be lying if I said we didn’t experience some nerves about it.

During one of our video chats with Kaylee, she started sharing her heart for the Cultivate What Matters brand, particularly for encouraging women right where they are, regardless of their season, and it touched me to the point of tears. Luckily, I was working remotely that day and behind a computer screen, so I could be sneaky. Kristin and I almost simultaneously texted each other with some form of “I want her!” I’m sharing that to tell you this woman’s heart for the work that she does is BIG, and it’s been evident during the past two months on the team. Her expertise and enthusiasm has enabled us to continue to serve each of you and cheer you on as you cultivate what matters.

 

We had a close call during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship where we (Kristin and I) thought we wouldn’t be able to hire her if UNC lost to Kentucky (Kaylee’s an avid Kentucky Wildcat fan). Lucky for us (and UNC) that didn’t happen. (I’m only partially kidding). What a gem this lady is to our team! Now, without further ado, meet the lovely Kaylee Hobbs!

Tell us how you joined the team in a few sentences: I was introduced to the Cultivate brand when I was working for a bridal shop in Kentucky. At the time, I was spending my final summers as a student interning for a large corporation in Texas and enjoyed the challenge, learning opportunities, and people I worked alongside. When it came time to say yes to an official job offer, I couldn’t ignore that my heart desired more purpose-filled and intentional work. I applied to Southern Weddings and Cultivate What Matters and immediately felt like it was a great fit! It all happened very quickly-I interviewed in March and become a North Carolinian two months later!

What’s your title? Customer Delight and Shop Manager

What have you been doing over the past two months? In office, I have been assisting with the launch of Cultivate, managing the affiliate program, soaking everything in at the Team Summit, learning a lot about Gracie’s Garden (from Grace, herself), sending lots of happy mail from the office, and helping out behind the camera during live broadcasts (some of you might have caught a glimpse of me when I accidentally turned the camera around once!) At home, I have been trying to manage the transition from college to the working world, finding community in North Carolina, and learning how to budget my finances and new found free time (I was quite the busy bee in college).

What else will you be doing? In the months ahead, I am looking forward to managing everything Cultivate Shop-related: the affiliate program, Amazon shop and our shipping team. I’ll also be joining Jess writing on the Cultivate blog and delighting all our wonderful customers.

You know we’re going to be fast friends when you show up twinning

Hometown: This question always gets me. I grew up moving around quite a bit, so here’s a list of places I have called home over the years: Houston, TX; Benicia, CA; Baton Rouge, LA; Beaumont, TX; Dallas, TX; London, England; Vienna, VA; Lexington, KY

Birthday: May 24

Something you might not know about her: I would eat Panera Mac and Cheese for every meal if I could!

Favorite part about NC: I am going to try to choose just one here… I love that where I live in North Carolina is within an hours trip to the beach. I can pack up and take a beach day on the weekend without having to make many plans beforehand!

Friends, please help us give Kaylee a big CWM welcome in the comments below! She’s been such a delight to our team and me personally, and we know you are going to love her just as much as we do! You can also say hi and get to know her on Instagram.

Photos by Ally and Bobby and Olivia Suriano of Nancy Ray Photography.