Relationship First: Pamela Slim on Resilience, Purpose, and Sustainable Work
In this episode of CAMP Conversations, host speaks with Pamela Slim, CEO and Founder of the Pamela Slim Agency, about building a body of work rooted in purpose, relationships, and sustainability. Drawing from nearly 30 years as an entrepreneur, author, and coach, Pamela reflects on resilience through personal loss, community leadership, and navigating uncertainty in work and life.
What it means to build a “body of work” across different seasons of life
Why sacrificing yourself undermines meaningful work and long-term resilience
Relationship-first business models versus transactional, extractive approaches
Energy boundaries, burnout, and sustainability in caregiving and helping professions
Representation, visibility, and leadership for Indigenous and marginalized communities
How grief, loss, and major life transitions reshape priorities and purpose
The role of joy, creativity, and embodiment (including dance) in resilience
Why adaptability, problem-solving, and strong networks matter more than job security
Paying attention to what people need now—and responding with integrity
Trusting yourself to figure things out amid economic and personal uncertainty
Books & Resources
Escape from Cubicle Nation — Pamela Slim
Body of Work — Pamela Slim
The Widest Net — Pamela Slim
Buffalo Dreamer — Violet Duncan
Little House in the Hollywood Hills: A Bad Girl's Guide to Becoming Miss Beadle, Mary X, and Me— Memoir by Charlotte Stewart
Community Action Project (CAP) – youth program
Indigenous community creative learning lab
About Pamela Slim:
Pamela Slim is an award-winning author, speaker and agency owner who has spent three decades helping business owners scale their businesses and IP. The Pamela Slim Agency (PSA) specializes in productizing service businesses and the design and development of certification and licensing programs. Pam is the author of Escape from Cubicle Nation (Penguin Portfolio, 2009), Body of Work (Penguin Portfolio, 2014) and The Widest Net (McGraw Hill, November, 2021, winner of Best Sales and Marketing Book of 2021 from Porchlight Books).
Connect with Pamela:
