Kellyn Kuhlke

Executive Director, Hilco Diligence Services (HDS)

Biography:

Kellyn Kuhlke is an executive director with Hilco Diligence Services (HDS). Kellyn joined HDS’ Chicago office in 2014 as one of the first members of the HDS team.  At its inception, HDS had teams based in New York and Chicago and has since grown to include teams in several major cities including Boston, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and London. 

Kellyn relocated to London in 2016 and spearheaded HDS’ international growth, managing complex, international diligence assignments that span the commercial, industrial, and retail industries across the globe. Kellyn is an ABL subject matter expert in multiple jurisdictions globally, and that, together with her leadership, analytical insight and complex project execution skills, she enjoys the respect of all those she works with, both internally as well as amongst her clients, who have trust and confidence in her and her work product.

Kellyn began her career at Baxter Healthcare International in a management development program and held four positions in the finance organization, gaining international industry experience. Kellyn graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a BS in business administration with a major in finance from the Mendoza College of Business.

What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry?

Commercial finance is multi-dimensional so take the time to understand how you, your role, and your firm fit into the broader industry. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and be curious about the bigger picture; understanding the context in which you are working will help you add value in a multitude of situations.  Use this framework and understanding to start building a network of trusted contacts that can help you expand your impact; because the industry is relatively small and niche, building rapport, with the various players in the market will lead to opportunities for growth and development in unexpected ways. Last, invest in your peers by getting involved in industry associations; there are so many opportunities to have a long career in the industry and having a strong network of advocates will help you grow and progress through the various stages of your career in the industry. 

Studies have shown women are more reluctant to tout their accomplishments in the workplace. What advice would you give to help women be more comfortable with speaking up?

Finding the right balance and the right context for speaking up about accomplishments is something that may not come naturally, but I’ve found there are ways to make it more comfortable. I think it’s important to remember that no one is a better advocate for yourself than you are, and if you don’t highlight your achievements, often times no one will. Before speaking up, take the time to reflect on what was accomplished and why it was an accomplishment, not only for yourself but for those around you; acknowledge the hard work that went into the achievement, give credit where credit is due, and express gratitude for the opportunity and support you received. Sticking to these principles will help build a confident yet tactful message that is well received by others.

How have you approached big career decisions?

When faced with making a big career decision, I think about my short, medium, and long term goals, and evaluate the skills and experience I have, and, more importantly, the skills I need to achieve those goals. I try to make a habit of revisiting these goals regularly to make sure I am on course. Often times, I find that my goals have changed or been reprioritized along the way, but this process helps me keep sight of what I am aiming to achieve. Having this process in place has helped me build the confidence to make the career decisions that are challenging or difficult because I can fall back on knowing that the decision has been intentional and purposeful. 

What do you enjoy most about your role?

Working in a professional services role gives me exposure to a breadth of clients and transactions, which makes every day different. I enjoy the challenge of coming into a new transaction and having to quickly figure out what is going to matter to the client and how to come up with meaningful solutions to address problems unique to the transaction. More specifically, I enjoy working on large, cross-border transactions that require collaboration, perspective, and collective expertise to get it done. I find these deals exciting because they often push the boundaries of traditional asset-based lending and help expand the possibilities for the industry.