Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kate Zills. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Kate , thanks for joining us today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today

Oof, this question gets me. We as creatives and business owners always think of things we would have done differently if we knew this or that or had more money, etc. I think it’s helpful to think that way at times, but I also think it’s important to recognize that you did your best with the resources and knowledge that you had at the time. I always remind myself of this before criticizing my past self and decisions. What I would do differently is completely hypothetical, because many of the things I would do today, if starting over, come from the knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained from struggling through my industries the past few years.

That said, I would focus on making my skincare products out of the gate. Retail is a hard business with not much markup that requires volumes in sales to really make a profit. If you make your own product, you can control every aspect of it (quality, look, feel, price, etc.), so it’s easier to have a profitable business as a solopreneur with limited space. I would also get a large business loan as soon as I started my beauty business to give it the best chance possible to start on the right foot.

As far as photography is concerned, I wish I could tell myself to loosen up. It took a long time for me to actually call myself a photographer, because I was so concerned with what others thought of my work and with my work being “perfect”. There is no perfection when it comes to art. It’s all subjective, so create what feels right to you.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am a licensed professional engineer turned photographer and beauty business owner. I know, those professions don’t really make sense. I am not simply “right-brained” or “left-brained” – I am both. I got a civil engineering degree, then worked as an environmental engineer for four years, got my license, and quit my comfortable path to success to bet on myself and chase after my dreams.

I started Made Simple Living (Made) in 2019. Made is an online clean beauty store that carries the best brands in clean beauty. I saw that consumers were interested in using products with less-harmful ingredients, but they often had no clue where to start or even what ingredients to avoid. I created an online store where the products were vetted for ingredients and efficacy, so consumers could confidently shop clean beauty.

In 2021, I started a skincare line under the Made label. We always start with natural, nourishing ingredients and enhance
the formula with potent actives when necessary to address common skincare concerns. The skincare line started with one product, Florence. Florence is a rich, moisturizing balm infused with blue tansy, vitamin e, and ceramides. This balm is perfect for skin that needs a little TLC and for maintaining the skin’s natural protective barrier. I quickly realized that I had to manufacture the product myself to control quality. In late 2021, I began formulating and manufacturing the skincare products myself. The second product in the skincare line, Magic City, was introduced in 2022. Magic City is a lightweight vitamin c oil that was formulated to restore hydration, even skin tone, reduce inflammation, and brighten dull skin.

When I quit my engineering job, I knew I would need something to supplement the income I was losing and the income I may not see from Made for a few years. I had been a photographer for 4 years at that time taking photos for friends and family, so I decided to officially start a photography business. I intended for photography to be a side business (I didn’t even bother with branding or a fancy website), but it quickly became a business I couldn’t ignore. I love taking lifestyle family photos and specialize in lifestyle newborn photography. My clients come to me specifically for the way I capture genuine and authentic emotion.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Clients sharing their photos on social media is the best source of new clients for photography. When you deliver a product that the client truly loves, they can’t help but tell the whole world about your business.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I started my online beauty business 8 months before the pandemic. I quit my comfortable engineering job to manage my beauty business 5 months before the pandemic. I laugh thinking about the timing of that now, because I know I would not have quit my job had the pandemic happened before. Because of the amount of times I had to pivot my business in that first year, those pivots started looking like an intentional dance. When the pandemic hit, I no longer could rely on markets and pop ups to get the word out about my business. I had to find new ways to connect and sell to my customers. Customers were now inside and on social media more than before, so I started selling on Facebook lives. I truly think that this jumpstarted my business. I also offered free delivery to the Birmingham metro area and spent many days driving around Birmingham with my pup delivering orders.

Contact Info:

• Website: madesimpleliving.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/madesimpleliving
• Facebook: facebook.com/madesimpleliving
• Other: Photography: Website: katezillsphotography.com Instagram: @katezills

Image Credits
Kate Zills Photography