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

Kate, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

There are two defining moments that build on each other.

I launched the Journey Beyond Betrayal Community on October 14, 2022–exactly 10 years to the day from when I discovered by husband had been unfaithful. I flipped the date and gave it new meaning. Now October 14th will no longer be known as the day I learned my husband had broken our marriage vows, instead, it will be known as the day I shared with the world how my deepest pain provided a path to a God-given purpose.

How I got to the moment of launching is a God story of its own. God knit those pieces together in a way that I didn’t see happening until it culminated with the idea to build an online membership community to support women who were going through what I had been through. I was in a course to learn how to launch an online business, and while I assumed I would launch a fitness/wellness-related community (because that is what I had been doing for the last 15 years), I couldn’t gain any excitement around that idea. So, I went back to the idea brainstorming section, and the lightbulb went on at 11 pm on a Saturday night–I knew God had dropped it on my heart, and I was so excited I started jumping up and down on my bed.

It sounds strange–being excited to publicly expose your most painful life experience. But it was also a great awareness of how far I’ve come on my own healing journey. In that moment, I could see how God had fully put the pieces of my broken heart back together in a mosaic that was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. I could see the way He had prepared me for this. The people and situations in my life that led to this moment, and how much post-traumatic growth I had experienced! It was so amazing.

Of course, I wanted to confirm that my husband was okay with this idea because it uncovers the things he is least proud of. But he has been very supportive since the day I got the idea. He understands the purpose of it all and the value of helping women heal.

I began to work on the foundation of the business in the spring of 2022 and launched the idea to the world via a Facebook live post on October 14th, 2022. There was about 6 months between those two moments, but both were pivotal to get me to where I am now.

Kate, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I launched the Journey Beyond Betrayal from my own story overcoming the pain of infidelity five years into marriage. Using my darkest moments to help others is something I believe God asks all of us to do, and I have never shied away from using my experience for the benefit of others. Now almost 11 years after the worst day of my life, I am passionate about making sure nobody has to walk through this heartache without support. Too many women navigate infidelity alone, and therefore don’t understand what is normal and how to work through the trauma and grief. I created the Journey Beyond Betrayal to serve and support the millions of women who will experience the pain of an unfaithful husband, but don’t want to stay stuck in it forever.

I help women get unstuck in two ways–through a membership community and personalized coaching. I believe that no matter what choice a man makes, all women have the choice to pursue putting the pieces of her heart back together again.

The Journey Beyond Betrayal Community provides women facing the pain of an unfaithful husband a community that understands! The online membership community exists to encourage, educate, equip, and empower women as they walk through the trauma of marital infidelity and find healing.

Journey Beyond Betrayal Coaching includes personalized support to work through every step of the healing process after infidelity, from where you are to where you want to be–with the ultimate goal to experience post-traumatic growth.

I am passionate about helping women overcome shame, build confidence, and believe the truth that we all have something valuable to offer the world. I live confidently in those truths and that’s what sets me apart and motivates me to get up and keep working at this every day. I want every woman to believe that she is ENOUGH!

I am most proud of turning my deepest pain into not just a job, but a purpose, that helps other women experience positive transformation through their pain.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

There are two primary ways I have found effective for reaching the women who need what the Journey Beyond Betrayal offers.

Like many businesses, I utilize social media. This is essentially free advertising that has the potential to reach millions! It does take time to create content, and I have a Virtual Assistant who helps me create images and edit videos, but there are no other upfront costs. Initially I viewed this as a “long-play” and didn’t intend to see results until I had spent enough time to build up a large audience, and developed some familiarity and trust with my audience. However even with less than 500 followers I have already had women sign up because they found me on Instagram.

I also utilize networking. I have had meetings with or sent emails to over 100 individuals in my first year of business. I started with people I know, and then branched into networks of people I found online who are more likely to interact with the women I’m trying to reach. Counselors, other coaches, Pastors, marriage ministries, etc. I send them an info sheet about the Journey Beyond Betrayal, and let them know how to share it with a woman in their sphere who needs it.

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

I think my entire business journey illustrates resilience. I took my deepest pain, the most difficult thing I have ever walked through in my life–learning my husband was unfaithful–and I’m now using it to provide an opportunity for other women facing that same pain to find healing.

Because of what I walked through, I want women understand that one situation does not define you, no matter what that situation is. My husband’s past choices do not define me; nobody’s choices or words get to define who you are. I live confidently in who I am…who God created me to be. I know that I was refined by the fire and pain of my experience, but I am now standing in grace, extending a hand to other women, with a desire to help them through and point them to hope on the other side of heartbreak.

I know that no woman chooses to have infidelity invade her marriage, and when it happens, you can feel powerless about what to do next. I chose to pursue healing my own heart. My husband chose to pursue healing his. And then we chose to work together to heal our marriage. While you can’t control anyone else, I want women to know that you do have the power to choose how YOU move forward; you do have the choice to pursue healing your own broken heart.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.journeybeyondbetrayal.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeybeyondbetrayal/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journeybeyondbetrayal/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateconwell/

Image Credits
Janna Slaback, Portraits by Janna Sara Jones