Today we’d like to introduce you to Andie Robbins
Hi Andie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started as a third grade teacher in Athens, but after 3 years I decided to branch out on my own. I quickly found a passion for graphic and web design, so I began teaching myself every day after I got home from teaching. I quickly knew I had true potential in this industry as I grew my skill set, experience, and services.
A few things I love — the city Athens, dogs (Go Dawgs!), and connecting with people.
When considering how I wanted to build my business, I wanted to tie these three loves of mine into one. Cali + Ko is named after my two fur-babies (Cali & Koda). With that being said, I started reaching out to local businesses in Athens to see if they needed support in telling their brands’ story through Social Media Management, personalized Content Strategies, or Web Design. I quickly met amazing people to surround myself with, support, and work alongside in telling their story. I have since then left teaching to pursue my business full-time, and I couldn’t be happier about my decision. I am doing something I love, meeting new people, and helping to tell different brands’ stories.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are always going to be bumps in the road no matter where you go or what you are doing. I have definitely faced some struggles along the way, but I am better because of them. For starters, teaching myself all of the necessary skills, platforms, and methods was my first struggle. Another hard part of course is rejection. As I was putting myself out there in order to discover who my ideal client was, there were times where people would say they found another person better suited for them to work with. Though this was hard to hear at the time, it forced me to keep putting myself in front of people who ended up being my ideal client. No one likes rejection, but it definitely made me work harder to get where I am. I heard another amazing business owner say “rejection just means redirection… take it as an opportunity”. This has helped me truly change my mindset as I continue to look for new opportunities, even in times of rejection. It took me a long time to fully master the skills needed for my business to succeed, and I am still learning new techniques, but I am thankful for the bumps I have hit along the way.
We’ve been impressed with Cali + Ko, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Cali + Ko, we specialize in Social Media Management, building Content Strategies, and Web Design. We focus on building strong relationships with our clients in order to show their brand’s voice exactly how it is intended. Helping to shape a brand and the story behind it is the first step in a business’s journey. For this reason, I am most proud of the relationships we build to ensure we are helping a brand scale in a way that is purposeful and personable. Without careful consideration by someone who truly knows the brand, the business will not be understood by prospective clients, and therefore won’t be as successful.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
When I was growing up, I was always a risk taker, full of energy, and fearless. My parents often say I was the crazy one out of all my siblings because of the bold things I would constantly try to do. Leaving a secure job that I planned for my entire life and building my own business from the ground up is definitely a risk younger Andie would be proud of me for taking. I smile looking back on how I grew up because it makes sense that I would take such a big leap into this industry on my own.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cali-ko.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caliandko?igsh=czA3MXF0YnFxNDNu&utm_source=qr
- Other: [email protected]
Image Credits
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