Episode Nine: Meet Michelle Keller, CFMC’s new director of programs and community relations

Transcription:

Kim Cole:

Hi, everyone, and thanks for joining me. I’m pleased to be with our new Director of Programs and Community Relations, Michelle Keller. Hi, Kim.

 

Michelle Keller:

Thanks for having me.

Kim Cole:

Hi, Michelle. Thanks for joining us. Want all our viewers to meet you and welcome you, and it’s not going to be news for many people because so many people in the community know Michelle, not just because she’s an active business owner, but also for all of the community involvement that she and her husband Chip have had over the years. Tell us a little bit about your background, Michelle, for those people who are not aware of Michelle Keller.

Michelle Keller:

Well, thank you.

So again, Michelle Keller, and have been born and raised in Martinsville, lived in Bloomington for a brief period with girlfriends, and that’s when I opened a hair salon in Bloomington. I’m a hairdresser by trade, was in Bloomington about 28 years, and then decided, Chip, my husband, has a office supply in Martinsville, and I just saw how much, you know, how involved he was with the community, and so decided to come back and open a couple of businesses in town. Saw the growth in Martinsville, so I was very excited about that, and we raised both of our kids here, and so we have children, two children, Emma and Ben, and they are grown, but they’re still at home, and I just thought it was time to come back to the city that I love so much and serve there, and it was just time to get out of doing hair.

So yeah, so been back in Martinsville about seven years with both businesses and event venue and a boutique hotel.

Kim Cole:

And they are?

 

Michelle Keller:

Brick House on Main and then Brick House Loft boutique hotel, and they’re both located downtown Martinsville.

Kim Cole:

Right, and they’re a gorgeous, gorgeous facilities and a great addition to the community, and I know that you were a very successful hairstylist and your salon going strong for almost 30 years. And you really hurt a lot of people when you quit doing hair, including myself. But everything you touch, Michelle, is a success and turns to gold, so to speak, and I know that you are, I don’t know how you find all the hours in the day, but you do. So how are you going to manage this work for the community foundation and your businesses? I know that’s on people’s minds, so I want to talk about it here today.

Michelle Keller:

Absolutely. That is something that has been brought up a lot in the last few weeks. If you know me and you know me well, I don’t require a ton of sleep. When I do sleep, I sleep hard, but no, I firmly believe that when you’re doing things that you love, you’re not really working. And I kind of tell myself a 35-hour-a-week job is really only about a day and a half as far as a total week span. So there’s a lot of hours to be able to give back to the community, the city, the county, or anything that you love to do. So it makes it easy for me when I enjoy the different kinds of things I do in my life. And I definitely love serving others, and I think that goes back to being a hairdresser. It’s all about relationships. It’s not just hair. With having the venue and the hotel, again, it’s hospitality. It’s serving others, taking care of people. And being offered this position at the community foundation, I felt like it naturally fit for me. I love taking care of people. I love reaching out to people, building relationships. And to me, it was just a natural fit, and the hours were just kind of on the back burner. So I wasn’t concerned about that. I do feel like this job will make me more efficient with my businesses.

I will be spending less hours as far as the weekday there, but it makes me a better event planner and host on the weekends. So I think it’s going to be a good balance for me. I like to stay very active, so I’m not scared about it. And I want all of our clients to know we’re still going to be taking care of them, but I’m going to be able to make a difference in the community with the work that the foundation does.

Kim Cole:

And you have fantastic staff.

Michelle Keller:

Absolutely. And that is something, too, that I should have already mentioned them. They’re very competent. So if I can give them a list of things to do, they can take care of it for me. And yeah, I’m not nervous about it at all.

Kim Cole:

And we’re not nervous either. And I’m glad that you spoke to your draw for community service, because I know, I mean, you and I have been friends for many, many years, and you had talked about volunteering. So it’s just a blessing that we’ve been able to figure this out and bring you on. We are excited. Our grant application goes live next Monday, July 7. So all the nonprofits in the county, go to our website and give us a call in advance or while you’re in there, and I can help you. And Michelle is going to be alongside as well. And besides you and I being friends, we also do business together.

Michelle Keller:

Absolutely.

Kim Cole:

I mean, we love to have an event at Brick House. So tell me about the events and the feedback you’ve been giving with 100 Women and the StrongHer event that we’re going to have with Amy Bennett in August. And of course, the Lilly Scholarship Dinner.

Michelle Keller:

Yes. So when I opened seven years ago, the president then of the Community Foundation had reached out to host the Lilly Scholarship Dinner. And that’s when I really started seeing the difference that the foundation makes in all of these students’ lives. And so since then, we have hosted every year. And I always look forward to that event. It’s just such a, everybody is just so grateful for the opportunity to even be a finalist for that scholarship. And then when you came on about a year ago, I really started seeing things in the community kind of awaken. And one of those things, we had an event, the 100 Women Who Care. And I just saw the difference of how quickly you can raise funds to make a difference in a nonprofit’s organization and how they can go out into the community with that money. And so it just got me fired up again about the events. And we’re going to have a StrongHer money management, I believe. Is it a money management event?

Kim Cole:

Financial.

Michelle Keller:

Financial planning. Yes. And so I’m excited about that. I just feel like there’s going to be more opportunities for people in the community to see how much the foundation does.

 

Kim Cole:

Well, we’re certainly trying. And we love the collaboration with Brickhouse. And you mentioned the Giving Circle, the 100 Women Who Care. And that is an event where women, four times a year, throw in $100. And this year, we’re tripling that. And we take nominations from members, any nonprofit that they’re wanting to nominate. We draw three out of the hat. Those three that are called, they give a five-minute sales pitch, and then we take a vote live there. It’s very exciting. It is hard to describe the level of suspense and excitement. And then it’s just so powerful.

Michelle Keller:

It is.

Kim Cole:

These women come together. At our last one, by three votes, Churches in Mission won the over $30,000 because our numbers have grown now over 100 women. We have 103 women and six guests. So that’s an exciting event that I know we will continue to grow that group and meet and award these nonprofits. This falls outside of our grant cycle. So it’s in addition to. So we love studying Johnson County’s system because this is a group that they’re everywhere. They’re national. They’re in several different counties in Indiana. We studied Johnson County’s. We think it’s a super easy business model and it just makes sense for us to do. We are very excited at not only those events, but other fundraising events that I know you’re going to be helping us come alive with.

 

Michelle Keller:

I cannot wait.

Kim Cole:

We are thrilled to have you on board. We need this kind of energy and experience and collaboration.

Michelle Keller:

I’m excited and thank you for the opportunity.