We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kathy King. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kathy below.

Hi Kathy, thanks for joining us today. One of the toughest things about entrepreneurship is that there is almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

So, my coaching business was initially created to solve the problem of dance professionals needing guidance, support and mentorship during the global pandemic of 2020 that shut down the dance industry for months on end. As so many studio owners and freelancers were facing an epic struggle like never before, I was proud to be able to jump in and help ease the panic a bit during that time. My group coaching programs and membership community were growing. It was awesome! I had a global clientele, was profitable in the business, and eventually made the decision to expand my audience reach to start coaching creative entrepreneurs across all industries, not just dance.

As a serial entrepreneur, I always expect that there will be bumps in the road when growing a business. It just comes with the territory.

Little did I know, I would be thrown some major life-changing curve balls and have my grit seriously tested.

About a month after making the official decision to begin working outside of the dance industry, my father (aka my greatest mentor in life and business) was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Just when I was stepping into the excitement of expanding my business, this punch to the gut made me pump the breaks on my business so that I could be present with my dad and help get him to and from appointments.

Just four short weeks later, my father unexpectedly died the morning he was supposed to go into surgery to remove one of the tumors causing him debilitating pain. This put a screeching halt to everything I was doing inside my coaching business (and my passion job of teaching dance). I took 6 weeks off work completely. No emails with clients, no teaching, no coaching, no business of any kind. Just existing and fumbling my way through grief.

This unexpected “problem” of being faced with one of the most difficult events my family has ever faced has truly shaped not only how I prioritize my life, but also how I help my clients navigate their own growth.

This also presented another interesting problem I had not faced much in my career… imposter syndrome.

After all the time I took off following my fathers death, and the continued challenges of living with grief, I totally transformed my business. I shut down my monthly membership community. I tried to run a few virtual group coaching events, but I wasn’t in the right headspace. I found myself needing to reschedule one-on-one coaching sessions to help my mom more. Everything inside my coaching business seemed to be failing.

Was it a mistake to leave my comfort zone of working with dance professionals (the industry I have spent my lifetime in)? Did I make a huge mistake by expanding my niche? Who was I to coach entrepreneurs in fields that I have never worked? Why would anyone want to work with a coach who is balancing so many personal issues?

The imposter syndrome tried its best to break me, but I’m pretty stubborn. Thankfully, my dad taught me to be a solution-focused person. When a problem arises, look for the solution rather than wallow in the misery.

To overcome the imposter syndrome that was holding me back from attracting new clients and growing my business, I took action. I read some amazing professional development books (DM me for recommendations) and completed some new coaching certification courses. I became more active in my local networking and referral groups, and started working with a few of my ideal clients.

Action begets action. Do the thing. Do it scared. Do it even if your voice shakes. Do something… ANYTHING… to move the needle forward. When you’re passionate about designing the life of your dreams, you must embrace failure as a learning opportunity and continue to simply take action as often as possible.

What felt like the potential end of my coaching business actually became the beginning of the next amazing chapter of this career I’m building for myself. Even in the face of the most unexpected challenge of my life, I leaned into my ability to focus on the possible solutions and that is what pulled me through.

P.s. Cancer sucks. My heart goes out to anyone facing the battle today.

Kathy, 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?

Hey y’all! I am a success coach for creative entrepreneurs, specifically working with women in the early stages of launching a new business or experiencing major transition in an already established business. I have spent the past two decades as a professional dance educator, director, producer, choreographer, performer and mentor. My entrepreneurial career began when I launched my first venture (a professional nonprofit performance company) at the age of 21. Since then, I have founded an international dance festival, built a robust freelance teaching portfolio, re-branded and re-launched a decades old dance education organization, and launched Kathy King Strategies, LLC, my success coaching and consulting company.

Kathy King Strategies, LLC was birthed out of the need for more business support and mentorship in the dance community during the 2020 pandemic. I was able to provide virtual programs to equip dance professionals with a more business-focused approach to their careers, and ultimately feel more empowered to build a sustainable life inside the dance industry. Eventually, women in all types of industries were reaching out for guidance in their own ventures and I decided to expand my reach to begin working with creative entrepreneurs of all types.

I love helping entrepreneurs feel empowered to build, launch and grow the business of their dreams. My typical client is passionate about making the world a better place by creating purpose-driven products and services.

My coaching process involves getting to know my clients and the challenges they are facing in their businesses. We then create strategic plans for achieving the goals they have laid out, and find ways to celebrate their successes along the way. I have a down-to-earth, holistic approach to how I work. As a coach, my biggest job is helping my clients simply get out of their own way. I ask lots of questions, offer support and feedback when needed, and provide a level of accountability that most entrepreneurs need, especially in the early stages.

In addition to one-on-one coaching, I offer group coaching 6-week sessions a few times each year. In 2023, I’m excited to be launching a mastermind group for female/female-identifying entrepreneurs, and I’m in the works of pulling together an inspiring women’s weekend retreat with the perfect mix of work and play. I also offer staff/board meeting facilitation for companies seeking to shake up the energy during these key gatherings, and I always love sharing my story as a motivational speaker at events and seminars.

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

“You have to fake it till you make it!”… this is something I’ve heard a million times in my dance training and professional journey. I’ve even said it myself to my students in the past. But, I’ve learned over the years that it is actually much more beneficial for everyone involved if you admit when you don’t know something, and learn to be okay with asking for help. The best entrepreneurs I know are really great at identifying what they do well, and delegating the tasks that they don’t do well. This is much more useful and efficient than “faking it” just for the sake of protecting your ego.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

My best source of new clients is referrals! Something my father said that has stuck with me was “don’t chase clients, chase relationships”. This simple shift of how I think about attracting new clients has made all the difference in the way I run my business. Nurturing your already established relationships in a really genuine way is a game changer if you’re struggling to find new clients. Treat your current clients really well and they will be much more likely to refer you to their networks.

Also, get out into your community and get to know people! It is easy to get wrapped up in the social media marketing game, but the simple act of having a face-to-face conversation with a real person is a really powerful way to build brand recognition. While I do attract a lot of business from my social media presence, my most profitable transactions have come from connections I have made in real life. Don’t overlook the benefits of a good old fashioned networking event or a coffee date with a friend of a friend!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kathykingstrategies.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/kathykingstrategies
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/kathykingstrategies

Image Credits
Tana Helene Photography Lauren Smith Photography