Growing with Purpose: Kimberly Schultz on Her Career at IDS and Life After Acquisition

When Kimberly Schultz first joined IDS in 2000, she found a business with a balance she valued: professional structure and a warm, people-first culture.

Over more than two decades, Kimberly has built a career spanning customer support, implementation, and leadership. She has also helped guide the business through change, including its acquisition by Perseus Group in 2009.

In this Q&A, Kimberly reflects on what those experiences have taught her about preserving culture, supporting customers, and continuing to grow within a business she knows well.

What first brought you to IDS?

I found my way to IDS through school. I was attending college at night to finish my degree, and three of my professors worked full time at IDS while teaching part time. All three encouraged me to apply. I joined as a traveling trainer for a product called IDS Lynx.

The management was great, my co-workers were great, and the company felt very family oriented. There was also structure. I’ve always described it as “corporate with a warm feeling.” It felt right. 

What has kept you at IDS for more than two decades?

The opportunities, the people, the experiences, and the challenges. I started over on the Help Desk and IDS has given me the chance to keep growing ever since.

Every time I felt ready for something more, there was a new opportunity or challenge waiting. Through all of it, the people have made it a place I never wanted to leave. When you’re still learning and surrounded by people you enjoy working with after two decades, you stay. 

What has working directly with dealerships taught you about building useful software?

You have to understand the workflow of every person who touches the software: the parts counter, the service writer, the salesperson, the accounting office—all of them.

A dealership can appear organized from the outside while dealing with inefficient processes internally. The ones that use software as a central tool tend to stay organized. When they rely on disconnected systems, a lot of unnecessary time and energy can go into getting things done.

Software should help people do their jobs more efficiently. If you don’t understand how they work day-to-day, you can end up adding complexity. Understanding those workflows is where we can make a difference.

What creates lasting trust between a dealership and its technology provider?

Dealers need to know you care and that you hear them. They also need to see that you’re working to improve your product and evolve with the times. Just as important, don’t oversell. Be honest, even when it means a dealer might not buy an add-on feature or might not buy the product at all right now.

If you’re upfront, you’ve earned their trust. You may still have that opportunity three to five years down the road. Dealers have long memories, and honesty is what they remember.

What do you remember about learning that IDS would be acquired by Perseus?

By that point, I had moved from the Help Desk into Support and later into a role overseeing Support and Implementation. This wasn’t my first acquisition at IDS; we had previously been sold to Brunswick.

As one of the managers, I learned about the discussions early. I was one of two people interviewed by Dexter and Daniel during the process, so I had a close view of it. I was excited about the opportunities for the company.

If I was hoping for anything specific, it was more structure: better processes, more resources, and more definition, while keeping the warmth that made IDS special.

What did you most want to preserve, and how did the business change after the acquisition?

The culture, without a doubt. I wanted more structure and guidance, but I also wanted the business to keep feeling like a family. Structure and warmth don’t have to be at odds.

Before the acquisition, we could be unorganized at times, and decisions ultimately came down to one decision maker, regardless of how many ideas were in the room.

Today, multiple voices are heard, and decisions are made by a team. There are clear expectations and goals to work toward. That’s the kind of change I was hoping for, and we’re better for it. 

What does being a part of a larger software organization mean in practice?

The resources are there when we need them. Just as valuable is the shared knowledge. Ideas move across businesses: what works, what doesn’t, and what others have already tried. We don’t have to figure everything out alone anymore. That’s a big part of what being in a larger software organization gives us.

How has your own career developed since the acquisition?

When Perseus acquired us, I was given the opportunity to move into the Director of Professional Services role. I’ve stayed because I love the work, and every day brings fresh challenges for me and my team.

I’ve continued to develop through company-paid courses and in-person events, including a Financial Accounting certification through Harvard Business School Online. There’s room to explore other career paths within the organization, but I still have plenty to learn and contribute right where I am.

After all these years, what keeps you looking forward?

There are still new things to learn and new ways to help our customers. AI has opened up a whole new world for us and re-energized the team. We’re able to do more, in a much faster time frame.

Twenty-six years after first joining IDS, I’m as excited about what’s ahead as I’ve ever been.

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