In this episode, Rachell De Luna, the creative force behind Squarestylist shares her journey from an engineering career to entrepreneurship, driven by her passion for design and the empowerment of motherhood.

Rache discusses balancing business and family life, effective time management strategies, and the invaluable support from her husband and mother.

She also shares her transition from corporate life to freelance work, starting with calligraphy workshops and evolving into web design.

Rache then founded Squarestylist to help creatives build successful web design businesses on Squarespace and Shopify.

Her shift from aggressive growth to sustainability focuses on enjoying and maintaining her achievements which allows her to inspire and give practical advice for mompreneurs and creative professionals alike.

Highlights

• Career Transition: shifted from engineering to pursuing her passion in design, starting with calligraphy workshops and evolving into logo, brand, and web design.
• Founding Squarestylist: founded Squarestylist to help creatives build successful web design businesses on Squarespace and Shopify.
• Family Priorities: the decision to leave her corporate job was motivated by the birth of her son, aiming to focus on family while transitioning to freelance work.
• Support System: credits success to the support from her husband and mother, who helped with household and childcare duties.
• First Major Success: The first significant offering, the Linea template, gained traction and encouraged her to focus on developing plugins and templates for Squarestylist.
• Work-Life Balance: techniques like the Pomodoro method and setting strict boundaries to manage her time between work and family effectively.
• Marketing Strategy: emphasizing exceptional product quality and leveraging organic testimonials have been key to her marketing strategy.
• Personal Well-being: prioritizes self-care and continuous learning to maintain long-term success.
• Sustainability Focus: shifted her focus from aggressive growth to sustainability, enjoying and maintaining what she has built.
• Inspiration for Mompreneurs: the journey is an inspirational example of balancing professional ambitions with family life while delivering high-quality work.

Connect with Rache online:

• LinkedIn
• Website
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Standout Squarespace
• Standout Shopify

Connect with Kate Christy:

• Website
• Website (Podcast)
• Instagram (Podcast)
• Instagram

Emelie Sanders is the head honcho at Pass the Queso. She’s a copywriter turned copywriting mentor for coaches and creatives. When she’s not wrangling her five kids, she’s coaching business owners on how to lean into their unique voices and use humor to create a personality-packed copy.

In this episode, Emelie and Kate chat about the endless to-do lists, the challenge of maintaining productivity, and the myths of time management for moms.

Both Emelie and Kate emphasize the need for flexibility and constant adaptation, sharing relatable experiences and practical advice.

Emelie discusses the challenges of time management, setting boundaries, and evolving business strategies.

She also shares her unique blend of sales and launch copywriting skills used in her business, Pass the Queso, and reflects on the changing marketing landscape and 'done with you' services.

The discussion emphasizes the significance of authenticity, humor, and human connections in business, allowing listeners to gain valuable insights on personal branding, creating meaningful client interactions, and balancing multiple roles effectively.

Highlights

• Balancing Act: challenges of juggling motherhood and running her business, Pass the Queso, while providing valuable insights for working moms and entrepreneurs.
• Daily Hustle: reflections on managing endless to-do lists and the impracticality of a perfect, organized day amidst parenting duties.
• Productivity Struggles: difficulty of maintaining productivity amid the chaos of motherhood, with relatable anecdotes about fitting work into small pockets of free time.
• Time Management Myths: effectiveness of rigid time-blocking for moms and discuss the need for constant adaptation to fluctuating schedules.
• Pressure to Be Perfect: pressure to always be productive and the importance of redefining productivity to include personal well-being and hobbies.
• Personal Anecdotes: story about her son's observation of her lack of hobbies, leading to a discussion on the importance of personal time.
• Emelie’s Group Program: A six-week mentorship program aimed at enhancing sales copy and launching strategies for entrepreneurs.
• Community and Support: seeking support from fellow moms and entrepreneurs to navigate the complexities of balancing multiple roles.
• Adapting to Chaos: embrace chaos and adapt to the ever-changing demands of motherhood and entrepreneurship.
• Inspiration and Practical Advice: humor, personal stories, and practical tips designed to resonate with and inspire moms and creative professionals.

Connect with Emelie online:

• Website
• Instagram

Connect with Kate Christy:

• Website
• Website (Podcast)
• Instagram (Podcast)
• Instagram

In this episode, Abbey and Courtney of Duo Collective talk about their intertwined journeys in motherhood and entrepreneurship. They delve into the challenges of starting a business while caring for young children, transitioning to full-time roles, and balancing personal struggles such as fertility issues and miscarriages.

Both Abbey and Courtney candidly and courageously discuss their missteps, such as investing in business endeavors that just didn’t work out like they envisioned, and the critical lessons learned from those experiences.

This conversation highlights the importance of honesty with clients, community support, and focusing on what makes both your professional and personal life feel good.

Abbey and Courtney offer practical advice for working mothers, advocating for defining personal and professional goals without external pressures.

They also discuss the value of open communication with business partners and spouses, and how to navigate feelings of guilt when making difficult decisions.

Their story reminds us why we should stay true to what we love in business to find that balance that works for us. Consider this a must-listen if you’re seeking harmony between your professional and family lives.

Highlights

• Balancing Act: managing the demands of motherhood and running a business, highlighting the need for honesty and open communication.
• The Courage to Pivot: making the difficult decision to shut down a new business initiative that wasn't aligning with their passion or serving their clients effectively.
• Community and Support: the importance of having a supportive community, both personally and professionally, and how it helps navigate challenging times.
• Defining Success on Your Terms: advice on taking time to define what success looks like for you without the noise of outside expectations.
• Navigating Guilt: Addressing the common feelings of guilt when quitting something that doesn't work and understanding it's a part of the entrepreneurial journey.
• Practical Advice for Working Mothers: tips on managing both business and motherhood, including setting clear goals and finding a supportive network.
• Authenticity in Business: emphasizing the importance of staying true to what you love and are passionate about in business.
• Humor and Real Talk: a candid conversation filled with humor and real-life anecdotes about the intersection of professional and family life.

Connect with Duo Collective online:

• Website
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Facebook

Connect with Kate Christy:

• Website
• Website (Podcast)
• Instagram (Podcast)
• Instagram

Becca Wood is a Squarespace website designer and developer, host of Probably Bothered podcast, and a mom of one (now). Becca is the first soon-to-be mother on the podcast to let the listeners into how she’s prepping her solo business for maternity leave. Stay tuned for the second installment when Becca and Kate chat about what went as expected (or hoped) and what didn’t during Becca’s maternity leave.

Highlights

• Family Influence: Feeling pressured to follow her brother’s parenting style and finding her own path.
• Support Systems: Navigating different sets of rules within the family with involved grandparents.
• Multiple Right Ways: Embracing the idea that there are various right ways to approach parenting and business.
• Partner Involvement: Making space for partners to be equally involved in parenting decisions.
• Communication: Early and open conversations about parenting philosophies with her husband.
• Motherhood as an Asset: Believing that motherhood will enhance professional skills.
• Client Relationships: The support and flexibility from a predominantly mother-based client base.
• Real-Life Example: Negotiating the Tooth Fairy tradition with her husband.

Connect with Becca online:

• Website
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Probably Bothered Podcast

Connect with Kate Christy:

• Website
• Website (Podcast)
• Instagram (Podcast)
• Instagram

In this insightful conversation, Morgan Rapp and I delve into the complexities of balancing motherhood with entrepreneurship. We candidly discuss the pressures, challenges, and personal growth involved in navigating these dual roles.

Morgan shares her journey of reconciling professional identities and finding fulfillment beyond financial success, while I emphasize the importance of celebrating successes and reframing perspectives.

Together, we advocate for transparency, community support, and empowering women to make choices aligned with their values and circumstances.

Highlights

• The pressure tied to achievements
• Why we should be celebrating successes
• The journey towards fulfillment in slow progress.
• Advocating for holistic accomplishments
• Staying true and transparent despite life’s challenges
• Empowerment for women's choices
• Releasing societal success expectations
• Calling out systemic challenges for equality

Connect with Morgan online:

• Website
• Instagram
• Pinterest

Connect with Kate Christy:

• Website
• Website (Podcast)
• Instagram (Podcast)
• Instagram

Kayleigh Medeiros, Founder of Heritage Baby Designs shares her journey from retail management to creating her own babywearing brand. Kayleigh beautifully narrates how her multicultural background and her grandmother's influence inspired her to start the business. She also talks about the challenges of balancing motherhood, health issues, and entrepreneurship.

Their conversation highlights the importance of creating inclusive and culturally diverse baby-wearing products and provides practical insights into the realities of running a small business and managing time effectively.

Highlights

• Transition from various educational pursuits and retail management to entrepreneurship
• Challenges faced during postpartum and health issues while managing a business
• Practical aspects of running a business while balancing motherhood
• Importance of creating culturally inclusive and safe babywearing products
• Personal stories of resilience and support from her family in her entrepreneurial journey
• Managing time and energy effectively while raising kids and growing a business
• Juggling full-time work with business demands and setting strict boundaries
• Adjusting to the mental and physical demands of parenting multiple children
• The importance of flexible working arrangements and taking stress leave to prioritize mental health
• The significant role of partner support in managing family and work responsibilities
• Navigating the emotional and logistical challenges of expanding a family during a pandemic

Connect with Kayleigh online:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• TikTok

Connect with Kate Christy:

• Website
• Website (Podcast)
• Instagram (Podcast)
• Instagram

Haley Dagan is a self proclaimed agency owner by accident at The Written World Agency. After losing her corporate job in marketing inside the world of hospitality during the pandemic, Haley made a choice to give it a go at freelancing as a copywriter. As her client roster grew and her bandwidth did not after having baby number two—she slowly began to turn her solo gig into a team and full blown agency.

Now a mom of three, Haley is running her copywriting and content agency while still doing the things she started her business for in the first place (writing!) and making time to he the wife and mother she desires!

Inside this episode, Haley and Kate chat all about...

• Getting laid off
• Loving corporate
• Creating a mom-friendly culture at her agency
• Routines for kids (and adults)
• Traveling with kids
• Making mistakes and learning by doing
• Delegating and planning
• Asking for help
• Setting expectations
• And more!

Connect with Haley online:

The Written World Agency Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Haley's Instagram

Connect with Kate Christy:

• Website
• Website (Podcast)
• Instagram (Podcast)
• Instagram

In this episode Kate reflects on 2023 — what when right and what didn't. And how she's moving into the new year with lessons learned in tow (hopefully).

Connect with Kate Christy:

• Website
• Website (Podcast)
• Instagram (Podcast)
• Instagram