Building Community, Trust, and Impact Through Conscious Leadership with Kim Bode
Business can be profitable, outspoken, community-centered, and deeply human at the same time.
In this episode of The Bliss Business Podcast, we welcome Kim Bode, CEO and Founder of 8THIRTYFOUR, a communications and learning company built through more than 20 years of entrepreneurship, advocacy, resilience, and unapologetic leadership.
Kim joins us to explore how conscious capitalism can shape the way companies communicate, build trust, support communities, and create meaningful impact beyond the bottom line.
In Conscious Capitalism Through Communication, we explore:
• What conscious capitalism looks like in practice
• Why communication is central to trust and connection
• How small businesses can advocate for their communities
• Why authenticity strengthens leadership and culture • How failure, discomfort, and resilience shape entrepreneurs
• What it takes to build a business that reflects your values
🎙️ Hosted by Stephen Sakach and Tullio Siragusa
🎧 Produced by Martha Huerta
A conscious business does more than communicate its values. It proves them through the way it leads, serves, and shows up for its community.
CEO and Founder
Kim Bode brings 20+ years of experience as the owner of communications and learning company 8THIRTYFOUR. Her work has earned recognition as a Forbes Top 200 PR Firm (the only Michigan firm on the list), Crain's Grand Rapids Top Leader in DEI, Michigan’s Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year, Michigan’s 50 Companies to Watch, PRSA JEDI Communicator of the Year, among others.
A sought-after speaker, Bode has taken the stage at the Women in Defense National Conference, Small Business Association's ChallengeHER, American Marketing Association, HubZone National Conference, Michigan Manufacturing Association Workforce Solutions Summit, Michigan Celebrates Small Business Summit, Failure Lab, and more.
Her community involvement spans advocacy, policy, and nonprofit leadership. She serves on the board of the Small Business Association of Michigan, including its Legislative Action Council and Leadership Council Advisory Committee, and has held advisory roles with Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and Michigan Women in Defense. She’s also the founder of the Small Biz 4 Equality Annual Scholarship at Grand Valley State University, reflecting her long-standing commitment to small business advocacy and the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Bode’s work has been published in Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur, HuffPost, Scary Mommy, Thrive, and more. She hosts the Happy Hour Hustle podcast, writes at BodeSpeaks – both pair best with Cabernet on ice – and is fiercely passionate about personal branding, real-world survival skills, and finding …Read More
