Student Storage Specialist of the Week: Kimberly Hirsch

Meet our 'Student Storage Specialist' of the Week Kimberly Hirsch! Kim joined the Storage Scholars team in the summer of 2022 and hasn't looked back since. She's lived all over the country with her family, but southern New Hampshire is where she calls home now. She lives in a fancy log cabin in the woods with her husband and two young boys. She loves adventuring, baking, reading, writing, and being a boy mom

‍My Role at Storage Scholars

     For most of the year, I work as a writer for Storage Scholars. I write blog articles on behalf of the company with topics ranging from DIY college care packages and study tips to a spotlight on our college partners. I also work on revising and rewriting website copy, an ongoing project, to continuously improve our story here at Storage Scholars as our company grows. 

     For about three months out of the year, I work as a Customer Success Team Member. College move-out and move-in are hands down our busiest times of the year. During these times, I switch gears to assist customers with their move. I also work behind the scenes to logistically ensure all the steps are in place, so those services are rendered flawlessly.  

A Little About My Background

     My background is in Education and Writing. I started my career as an elementary teacher after graduating with a Bachelor's Degree from Providence College. I taught third grade for ten years in one of the largest school districts in the country and received my Master's Degree there too. However, once I started a family, my priorities and passion shifted. I decided to stay home and raise my children, but as they grew, I contemplated which direction I wanted my career to take.

     Creative writing has been a passion of mine since I was in elementary school. I used to write stories and "publish" them for my family and teachers to read. In college, my favorite classes were creative writing and grammar (I know, who likes grammar?). The jump from teaching to writing full-time seemed entirely out of reach, and turning a passion for writing into a career seemed even more challenging. But I was determined.

      Before 2020, my family and I moved temporarily across the country for my husband's job. With the pandemic came lots of free time, so I got to work almost immediately on a lifelong dream of becoming an author. I published my first children's book, "Our Best Friend Karma" in 2021 and went on to publish a second book, "Journey to the Bright Side" in 2022. My goal for 2023 is to have two more books published.

     During the day, I work on my author stuff, and in the evening, I switch to content writing and copywriting. It is a fun balance, and I get to do what I love the most. 

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A Typical Day at Storage Scholars

     Since I wear two hats at Storage Scholars, my daily tasks look entirely different from one part of the year to the next. When I am wearing my Customer Success hat, you'll find me working for hours without coming up for air. During our busiest season, customers are reaching out with questions, and I work hard with our team to ensure every customer question is answered before the day is over. Despite working remotely, I am connected to my Storage Scholars Team from the minute I log on until the end of my work day. We all rely very much on communication with each other to get our jobs done, so staying connected is key! 

     When wearing my writer hat, I work more independently and around my family's schedule. I write when my kids are at school or in bed. I spend the day brainstorming, researching, and writing on fun topics. Some days the inspiration is there, and I could write for hours. I tend to be a night owl, so many nights, I have to force myself to stop writing and sleep! 

     When I have writer's block, I pause until inspiration comes! On those days, I explore copywriting, SEO and digital marketing strategies to increase traffic to our website. Ultimately my goal is to have more people read what I write. This part of the job is new to me, so I'm working hard to educate myself and become an asset to the company. My job is fun, creative, and flexible, and it's for those three reasons that I absolutely love what I do. 

     Although my writing role keeps me mainly working solo, I still connect with the team daily, so they're in the loop with my projects and vice versa. We also connect "face to face" via video meeting every Friday to reflect on our week together. Although most of us have never met in real life, we are an incredible team! We have a great work environment, and I leave our meetings with big goals for the next week. 

How I started Working with Storage Scholars

    I was a stay-at-home mom for nine years before starting with Storage Scholars. After many years of being out of the workforce, I found it challenging to step back in. So much had changed in education since I was last a teacher and my passion wasn't there. I had always loved to write but didn't know how to get started in making that a career. I wasn't confident in my skills, and it seemed far out of reach. I found Storage Scholars at a pivotal time when I didn't know which direction my career would take me.

     A close friend of my husband and I, Robert, had worked for Storage Scholars for almost a year when he told me about an opportunity within the company that he thought would be an excellent fit for me. Being a great friend, he encouraged me to apply for the position. After several interviews with the team, I was offered the job. I was ecstatic! Originally It was only a temporary position to fill during August and September, the peak of the busy season at Storage Scholars. When my contract was up, I was offered a permanent position as the company's professional content specialist and copywriter. I really feel blessed at the opportunity I've been given to do what I love.  

On Working Remotely 

     This is the first time in my life that I have worked remotely. It's a perfect fit for me at this stage of my life. I have a husband who works from home and two kids in elementary school. Working remotely with Storage Scholars, I can make a flexible schedule. I can work around school pick-up, drop-off, sports, and sick days. I get to work out, do laundry, and still put in my work hours. Living in southern New Hampshire, the best part is not having to drive to work on cold, snowy mornings! I get to be productive while drinking coffee in my pajamas and on my couch. What's better than that?

The Hardest Part of the Job

     Upset customers–no question! I was born a people-pleaser, and I really work hard to make our customers happy with the service they are getting. However, many things are out of anyone's control that can be upsetting to our customers– a flat tire on a moving truck, a broken mirror, or a website glitch. It's challenging when you're dealing with a situation that doesn't have an immediate resolution. Fortunately, we have some of the coolest, most understanding customers around! So when situations don't go as planned, people are kind and compassionate. 

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The Best Part of the Job

     Definitely the pajamas and the couch. I'm kidding! It's tough to pick one thing. First is the creativity that I am given. I get to write about engaging topics. Once I wrote about my entire experience studying abroad in France. Another time I wrote all about my boss, Sam Chason. I got to interview him for about an hour and then write all about it. It was super fun. There is a sense of pride that naturally comes along with a creative job like mine. While scary, working tirelessly on a piece until it's perfected and then presenting it to the world brings genuine pride. It's rewarding when you have a job you are proud to tell others about. 

     The second thing I love about my job is the work that happens "behind the scenes" here. I have only been with Storage Scholars since the summer of 2022, but wow, am I proud of this little company! My bosses (Sam and Matt) are really amazing guys and have a great story about how they got started. Their work ethic is incomparable to others, which is why they've had so much success at a young age. I am in awe each week when I hear about the projects they are working on. And the other employees on our team are just as talented! Together I get to hear about all the incredible goals they crush week after week–meeting with University Administrators, partnering with higher-level companies, empowering college students in business and marketing internships, and the latest–getting a deal on Shark Tank! Each sets the bar incredibly high for what we are trying to accomplish, and I've never been more proud to work for a company. 

-Kim

Want to see for yourself what Kimberly is working on when it comes to storage for college students? You can check out her blogs here or send her an email to say hello and share your thoughts about her latest project!

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