Creating Good Stuff from Vegan Stuff with Aimee Kilmer

Pivot! A Vegan Business Interview Series

Aimee Kilmer, Founding Partner & Creative Director of Good Stuff Partners, has spent more than 20 years in the creative industry advocating for brands that prioritize the well-being of people, animals, and the planet. From designing for VegNews and V-Dog to working with Habitat for Humanity, Aimee’s passion for purpose-driven work has always been at the forefront of her career.

In this episode, Aimee shares how her dissatisfaction with traditional creative agency work led her to co-found Good Stuff Partners whose mission is to work with clients that align with her values. She discusses how staying authentic to her principles drives the work she does and helps her deliver the most meaningful results for her clients.

Beyond her professional achievements, Aimee talks about her commitment to the vegan lifestyle, her volunteer work with the Marin Humane Society, and the importance of standing up for animal rights in her community.

Tune in to hear her inspiring journey and how she embodies the values she promotes through her agency.

Get to know Aimee and Good Stuff Partners better here: https://www.goodstuffpartners.com/

Quote:

Just listen to your gut. If you have a bad feeling about something, run for the hills. Find a different client, because it never really works out. And I think that's just something as women we need to do – trust our gut more. It’s something I wish I'd done early on. And it also goes the other way; when you have a great feeling about someone, you can really start to build great relationships.

– Aimee Kilmer

Show notes timestamps:
▶️ [01:12] Seeing your long-term impact: creating "Good Stuff Partners" and helping both non-profit and profit organizations.
🌺 [02:46] Supporting vegan brands that need help with their communications: working only with purpose-driven companies.
💼 [05:38] Learning about business in a small agency: find a great mentor and decide what you want to stand for.
3️⃣ [10:25] How Aimee chooses clients: three filters they use when deciding which companies to work with.
🤓 [13:26] Branding means combining verbal positioning with strong visuals: capturing the core essence of the company.
📊 [16:23] Key aspects of branding: brand positioning, voice, naming, taglines, identity, and the digital application of graphic design.
🎯 [18:00] Transitioning to a four-day work week: increasing productivity, creativity, and helping employees recharge.
🆓 [23:05] Free advice for businesses, designers, and purpose-driven companies: email Aimee.
😇 [25:03] Connecting with like-minded people is crucial: trust your gut – it will save you time, money, and health.
⚠️ [27:22] Continuing under pressure is rarely effective: experiences teach us, but they aren’t always ideal for making big changes.

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Thanks for listening to Pivot, our vegan business interview podcast. This is recorded as a live-streaming session, so I hope you’ll join us for future interviews as well! If you are feeling inspired but unsure of how to take actionable steps to improve your business, I invite you to explore our two premium paid podcasts, Going Solo and Fix It.