We recently connected with Katie Grimes and have shared our conversation below.

Katie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

The last time I thought about going back to a 9-5 job was when my income dropped to less than $5,000/month and I had to ask my landlord if I could pay my rent in a month. I was embarrassed that not only did I have to ask, but I had to work a part-time job just to make sure I could pay my bills. I decided to show up at that part-time job (at a laundry mat) as if it was my business. I showed up early, I asked questions when I didn’t know the answers and always had a smile on my face. Even that time a friend walked in and was like “are you working here?” (in that tone of voice that she was as surprised as I was).

Within 4 days, my whole life changed. I posted one video of 1,780 that I’ve posted since 2019 and it went viral. My confidence soared. My level of trust in my ability to write, market and sell increased and just like that I had a $20,000 month.

I made sure to dance, to celebrate with friends and with those who follow my Instagram page and really let people in on it. I can’t tell you how many people, in person or via text, have said how proud they are of me and they know I have been working hard to get to a place where I felt like it was all paying off.

That may mean that next month I make $2,000 or $20,000 or heck even $200,000 in 1 week, not a month. Whatever it ends up being I have learned that people ARE watching. They ARE listening and they ARE rooting me on.

I just have to make sure I keep showing up and rooting myself on, even when I doubt.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started my coaching business in 2019 after getting fired from my full-time job in Commercial Real Estate. I had been coaching and doing public speaking events on the side (which my company knew about) but they felt like it was taking priority over my day to day, responsibilities. In a way…they were right. talking about anxiety and stress and pretending like everything was okay, when it really wasn’t was what I was most passionate about. Just this ability to relate to other people in a way – when we are all trying to act like we have our shit together. I started my business not knowing I would be a coach or even what to call myself. I just knew I wanted to talk to people like I did when I was in 12 step recovery. I wanted to have phone calls and be available, now and again, to pick my brain, get my advice or just be there for someone to celebrate or deal with the tough stuff. I built my business off of the 12 step process and began teaching zoom class about self worth, career changes, taking a break from dating, dating again, and starting a business.

Because I took that leap of faith of just being myself and being honest with people, they became clients. I started to notice that they were changing – they were more confident, happier, able to deal with their emotions (even the tough ones) and thanking me for being like a big sister to them and being there for them.

It’s what I am most proud of – that bond that I’ve built with each client. It’s unreal!

From there, I started a podcast, private coaching and doing live events (pre-2020) and my business really took off because I kept showing up on Instagram talking about my business, my struggles, my celebrations and more people were doing the same.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn has been overspending. When I first started my business, I didn’t hire a coach because I felt like I could just do it myself, but once I was introduced to someone who was doing what I wanted to do and seemed to have success – I wanted to know how.

From there I became obsessed with hiring coach after coach looking for the next person who could help me make more money than I ever dreamed was possible.

Only, I overspent and I stressed myself out that I had to pay all these medical bills to heal my gut. Damn! That was a hard lesson.

I had gone into debt building my dream business, but had no concept of how to manage money or predict when I would get paid again.

Now, I am able to carve out time during the day and week to focus on marketing, selling, destressing and understanding how much money is coming in and going out.

I feel like a legit business owner now and I’ve been able to teach my clients who are business owners what to do and (what not to do).

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

Initially, I started my business using $20,000 I had in my bank accounts. I had $20,000 from unused vacation time that my former company paid me out for, plus my last pay check and a bonus. Over the years, I took $!50,000 USD from retirement to pay for trainings, educations, retreats and hiring help. It was worth every penny and as I am now back to contributing to my savings and retirement, the only thing I would have done differently was ask for a line of credit from the bank, a bank loan and even do a go fund me fundraiser first.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katiegrimes.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kg.katiegrimes/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katiemgrimes/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemgrimes/

Image Credits
headshot is @rayaonassignment – Raya Al Hashmi