We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Katie Wilson-Barge. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Katie below.

Katie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with 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

I think we all feel like we could use a “reset” button from time to time. And while I don’t regret my professional path, there are a few things that I would do differently given the chance.

First things first, forget everything you thought you knew about higher education. Yes, a degree looks good on a résumé, but don’t feel like you have to go to the most expensive university to earn it. Community colleges are a seriously underrated and viable alternative for those looking to save capital on their professional journey. And remember, first impressions are everything. You don’t always have to be the most knowledgable person in the room, just the hardest working.

Katie, 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?

My name is Katie Wilson-Barge and I am a Lease Administration Transitions Manager for a Commerical Real Estate industry giant by day, a small shop owner and creative by night, and a Montessori-(ish) mom twenty-four-seven. I have a bit of a unique path as I went to school for Cultural Anthropology but ultimately I ended up falling in love with Commercial Real Estate and have a job I love onboarding clients, both globally and domestically, and leading the implementation of comprehensive database portfolios. In my downtime, I operate my small shop, Kindred Spirits, where I sell vintage, thrifted, and intentionally curated goods. I’m hoping to expand in the next few years and hire an employee or two but in the meantime, I love having a personal hand in every item that we list.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

The best advice I can give is to be consistent. We’re all so busy and it can be easy to forget to check in but when we choose to make those connections a priority, we’re building that client relationship that is so imperative to a successful business. So don’t be afraid to make an effort and message clients periodically to touchbase with them on a personal level. No one wants to feel like they are making 100% of the effort in a connection, and that applies to your clients as well.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Over the years I’ve made a point to be as open and honest as I can on social media. That’s what resonates for me when I’m deciding who I want to engage with online and I hope my approach resonates with others too. That being said, just remember it’s healthy to have boundaries around what you choose to share with your audience and if it makes you uncomfortable, it’s not worth it. Lastly, try not to take it too seriously – it’s supposed to be fun – not something we endlessly stress about and overthink. Be yourself and the right audience will find you over time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://anthroapologist.wixsite.com/website
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthro.apologist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatieWilsonBarge/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-wilson-barge-5ab157122/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=OirceArmr2zxTzpWoMFBiA
• Other: https://linktr.ee/anthro.apologist

Image Credits
N/A – all my own photos