Indiana 250: Katie Culp

Katie Culp is CEO of KSM Location Advisors, which is accounting firm Katz Sapper & Miller’s site selection and incentive consulting practice. She joined KSM in 2015 after spending a decade with Cassidy Turley (now Cushman and Wakefield), where she led the location advisory and incentives services group. Before that, Culp was director of Indianapolis economic development for Indy Partnership and served as executive director of the Boone County Economic Development Corp.

First job

I did the usual babysitting thing as a kid but my first paid, W2 job was working for a movie theater (actually, two movie theaters). I am dating myself significantly here, but I worked at the General Cinema theaters at Glendale Mall in the early to mid-1990s when there were two cinemas, so I’d flip back and forth between them. I was horrified to learn the impact of taxes on gross vs. net pay and thrilled by the concept of employee incentives, which included free movie tickets. And in spite of taxes, I LOVED the independence I felt from earning an income. I was only 15 at the time and needed parental permission to take the job, and my folks gave me advice that annoys me still (because they were so right): “Once you start working, you’ll never stop.” I probably should have listened!

Favorite thing about being a leader

Every once in a while, people listen when I speak. I do my very best to maximize these opportunities: to speak candidly and honestly and to attempt at speaking up for those who weren’t invited to the table. Still working on delivery.

Something surprising

On a vacation out west, I had my first opportunity to go skeet shooting and loved it! I even got the blue ribbon for highest score. Unfortunately, when our KSMLA team tried it for a teambuilding day, my beginner’s luck did not hold. But I’m not giving up—onward and upward!

Admires most

My kids, Jameson and Ace. They are incredible people and overcome daily challenges I never faced until my college years and beyond. They are smarter, funnier, stronger, braver, more vulnerable, more thoughtful and rational than I was at their age and even later. So grateful to be their mom and to learn from them every day. On the days I feel like I’m out of strength I think of them and man up.

Favorite device

My Oura ring—it’s like a Fitbit but is a ring. I’m a bit obsessed in following my sleep scores and stress levels and heart rate, etc. That’s how exciting my life is.

Advice for a young person

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Actively solicit specific guidance on how you can perform your job better. If your boss doesn’t give that feedback, then solicit it. Regularly solicit feedback and eventually even the most conflict-averse folks will give you meaningful guidance.

Align yourself with professionals you respect. Shy away from the ones you don’t, no matter how lucrative an opportunity might be.

When you start reaching new levels of wealth or power, don’t turn into a jerk.•