Member: Kim van der Heijden

Can you give us a brief introduction of who you are and what you do at your current organization?

I’m a National Marketing Director with The JuicePlus Company. My passion is to educate people/families on the importance of nutrition and specifically the power of fruits and vegetables. I love providing a solution to a problem most of us have, which is eating enough fruits and vegetables daily. I also believe that women should have the ability to be home with their kids and have a thriving career. I love helping women launch and build their at home virtual business around their families lives.

Why did you join BPW?

When I first moved here 3 years ago, I was searching for a way to be around like-minded empowered women. I met Marcy Stahl at a networking event and she inviting me to a meeting. I loved it and join that night.

What hobbies/interests do you have outside of work?

I love to workout out especially outside – running, tennis, boot camp. I also love to watch my kids basketball games. Most weekends you will find me in a gym.

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?

Oprah – I think she is an amazing role model and inspiration.

What is your favorite superhero and why?

Again, 2 boys and the first thing that came to mind was the Transformers and I just remember watching them and they all had their own different powers but together they could stand together and pretty much conquer anyone and so kind of made my think of women when we band together we can do anything together.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

How much time do we have? I think probably the biggest thing for me would be to be authentic with your word. I have a hard time with people telling me that they are doing something and then don’t follow through with it.

What would you do for career – if you were not doing this?

This will come as a shocker but I would be a basketball coach.

What is your favorite game/board game?

Cribbage - I grew up in a family that played a lot of cards if I was really being truthful, I would say poker but with my kids I don’t play poker with them at the dinner table.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

I would love to be a good photographer.

What can BPW do to support you in your business?

I would say that in the business I am in it is all about awareness and understanding. Everyone in the room knows of fruits and vegetables are good for us so just having that good understanding you might be more apt to see the people that are looking for ways to improve their health and introduce me. Or even knowing other women that may also be looking for a way to get home and be with your kids and having a career and family. If you are open to education, please contact Kim at kj.vanderheijden@gmail.com.

How did you end up in your current career?

In college I had the privilege of playing basketball in Europe and my body broke down because I was I was not nutritionally fit even though I was physically fit, I was not nutritionally fit. Came back to the States and had a great career starting off with Reebok, traveled the world and landed in high tech recruiting. I did that for about 10 years and just been working outside of the house in raising kids was fine for a while until it wasn’t – long commute, working for a boss, not having time for you and then I thought there has to be a way for women to be able to have a thriving career and be home with our kids, why do we have to choose. I looked for 2 years and could not find anything and then a friend called me one day and said I found what you are looking for and I said – no you didn’t because I had been looking for 2 years. Fortunately, she was persistent and I went and took a look and just absolutely fell in love with the company. Left corporate, cut my family’s income in half and got to work.