We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kate Saffle a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kate thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

When I was 10 years old, my parents took the biggest risk of their adult lives (up until that point): starting their first business. My dad was given notice that he could either relocate or would be out of a job. My parents chose to prioritize keeping my brothers and I in our same community and schools, while my father leaped on his dream of becoming an entrepreneur.

Although I was just a child, I saw my parents model what it looks like to believe in your dream and take action toward it. Day by day, we were all in it together as a family, and I got to witness them problem-solving, managing cash flow, and facing fears. Whether it was a customer who hadn’t paid their invoice or a rush job that kept my father out of town for another day, my parents never wavered in their vision for a better life for our family.

Consequently, when I started my own business in 2018, I wasn’t afraid of the entrepreneurial journey. Even though I’m in a vastly different industry than my parents, I’ve taken heart from their courage and commitment as I am now walking this journey out with my family. When I started getting my first few sales, my mom bought me this quite large bookkeeping record book and taught me the old school way how to balance my books. (I’ve since elected to hire an actual bookkeeper, which felt like a win to me!)

The really cool part is that when I’ve hit rough patches in my business, I can go to my parents for reassurance. When I’ve had a huge sales month, they not celebrate with me, but don’t bat an eye when we talk numbers. I know this isn’t the case for most entrepreneurs, but I’ve had their support the entire way. I’m incredibly grateful they made the decision 28 years ago to leap on their dream and hopefully my kids will feel the same way about me someday.

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?

In early motherhood, I was profoundly struggling with two things: adjusting to the daily overwhelm and shifts in my identity as well as the unfulfilled longing to live out my own dreams. It didn’t seem possible that I could be the kind of mom I dreamed of being and also not lose my own aspirations in the process. I had taught at the university level since I finished graduate school, and before that, I taught social studies at a private high school; however, I was feeling uninspired and going through the motions.

Soon after my second daughter was born, a former colleague offered me the opportunity of a lifetime to help him start and be one of the founding deans for an innovative new school. I was flattered — and also had the sharp realization that if I helped him with fulfilling his dream I wouldn’t have the capacity to act on my own. The only problem? I was lacking clarity around what I actually wanted. So I said no and took baby steps: I dove into inner work, personal growth, devouring all the books and podcasts. I started a minimalism lifestyle podcast with a friend in 2015 called Cohesive Home, and I even wrote a children’s book.

In 2018, we took action on my first big dream: to travel full-time around the US in an RV. By this time, we had added a 3rd kid, and the more my life expanded and improved, the more I realized it was ACTUALLY possible to feel happier in motherhood. After getting certified as a coach, I launched my podcast, FULLY IN IT, and began helping other moms overcome their overwhelm, simplify their homes, and create meaningful lives WITH their families.

Now, five years later, I primarily help mom entrepreneurs create more profit in their business without cutting into family time. What I found (both within myself and with my clients) is that mom entrepreneurs have additional challenges to overcome as they are balancing multiple roles and heavy responsibilities. My goal is to help these women simplify their home life and businesses and structure all of it to be the financial foundation for their families. I love asking — how could your business be the catalyst for the family life you dream of? Then we find a way to make it happen in the most supportive way for her family.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

About 18 months after I started my business, my oldest child started exhibiting alarming behavioral changes. We had recently moved into a rental home and within 6 weeks, these scary symptoms began kicking in. As a parent, you start going through the mental checklist of everything that could possibly help your child and wondering, what could’ve caused this? We had the help of an incredible doctor whom was able to diagnosis her with an acute neurological syndrome most likely caused by hidden mold in our 1950s rental home. I was so relieved to know what was the cause of my daughter’s symptoms, but it also meant we needed to move out. Our doctor recommended we completely start over with our possessions for risk of taking mold with us.

This all started unfolding in March 2020 at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The next month, my husband was furloughed, creating unexpected financial instability. There were so many problems to solve, and I began to see my business as the solution forward. The only problem? My sales weren’t steady, and my revenue was not high enough to support a family and also move into new housing.

Have you ever faced a challenge that just feels insurmountable? Instead of spiraling into how difficult it all felt (even though I wanted to give up), I decided to focus on my vision for my family. What if my daughter was robustly healthy and back to her normal? What if my husband didn’t have to work 60+ hours a week or worry about being furloughed again? What if instead of moving into another home, that could impact my daughter’s health, we started traveling full-time again, in a brand new RV (no mold), and turned massive lemons into lemonade?

I put all of my energy, intentions, and significant action behind my business, trusting that this was our path forward. It worked! I had my first completely sold out launch in August 2020, we moved into our brand new RV, and my husband quit his job. By the end of 2020, I was completely booked out with private clients and fully financially supporting my family. And the best part? My daughter healed in the new environment and with copious amounts of time out in nature. We homeschooled, went on long hikes, and bonded deeper as a family over the course of two years. Although this was one of the hardest seasons I’ve ever faced as an entrepreneur and mother, it was the exact catalyst I needed to change our family story.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

One of the best business decisions I ever made was to start a podcast. Of course, when a friend and I launched our podcast in 2015, we had no intention of running businesses. Instead, we saw a need that wasn’t being addressed in the minimalism movement by the leading voices at that time. We felt so compelled to be that voice that we took the leap to start our own show, supporting other moms who wanted to live simply and by their values. We told personal stories, shared tips and encouragement, and basically lived out our lives, in real time, via our podcast and Instagram.

I didn’t realize, at the time, that by showing up consistently for our community for years that I was also building an incredible reputation. By telling my story and being vulnerable, I inspired trust with the moms in our community. When I launched my own business in 2018 and my solo podcast, much of that built-in community followed me into my new endeavor. I didn’t rest on my laurels, however, and I continued to offer so much free value and support through my business: a Facebook group, weekly free group coaching calls, my podcast, and resources.

My goal has always been to create supportive and safe environments for moms to focus on their own personal growth as well as for their families. I continue to evaluate my offerings and the way that I run my community to ensure that my people feel they are receiving far more back than what they invested. My favorite repeat comment from clients is, “working with you changed my life.” It’s an honor to do so, whether someone enjoys my free content or comes into a space with me, I aspire for them to walk away feeling that level of transformation as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.happierinmotherhood.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/happierinmotherhood
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Happierinmotherhood
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fully-in-it-motherhood-business-home/id1436254835

Image Credits
Jillian Pancini Photography