We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maddy Brocato a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Maddy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
In the middle of August 2019, I packed everything I owned and moved from my hometown of Nashville to New Orleans with hardly any plan. I had just turned 22. It was hot. I was broke. I had many unanswered questions about my life’s direction. But I knew one thing for sure: I loved New Orleans, and I had to be there.
With my car filled to the brim, I made my way south. 8 hours later I was met with helping hands attached to open arms. We moved my things into a house with cracks in the walls and celebrated with inexpensive champagne and a sage ritual. I ate lean cuisines. I thrifted all my furnishings. I went to one (1) day of training at a corporate job I knew I would hate and likely wouldn’t return for day 2. I was right. I walked in parks. I got bad hangovers. I saw live music with friends of friends. I wrote bad journal entries. I opened a credit card that I shouldn’t have. I sweat. A lot. I drove on empty. I printed photos at Walgreens and tacked them to the wall. This is not “what you have to do” when you’re 22, it’s just what I did. And the best part? I was doing all of it in New Orleans.
I like to believe that “taking a risk” is synonymous with “testing your passion.” For as long as I can remember, the pursuit of joy has been my life’s compass. It’s taken precedence over logic or playing it safe—almost to a fault on numerous occasions. In my solar system, New Orleans is the sun. A few days after my parents informed my siblings and me of their divorce, I drove 7 1/2 hours in a car with no AC just to spend a few days in this city. Moving here was not up for discussion; it was something I had to do to keep propelling forward. Choosing to “take a leap” doesn’t have to be met with the question “What if you fall?” or “What if you fly?” What if I land on two feet and keep going?
I had no idea just how much that pursuit of joy would set my future in motion. Risky as it may have been, the move inspired further risk-taking for me. It laid the foundation for my career, challenging me to say “yes” when I had a good feeling about something and to say “no” without needing a reason. It has allowed my creative mind to explore, to mature, to fail, and to flourish. It has made starting a business feel like something I can actually do. I love that I get to keep learning more about New Orleans with every passing day. I recognize how special it is to even remotely be a part of its extraordinary culture, complex history, and welcoming community. I’m lucky to be here. Thank you, New Orleans.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Maddy Brocato & I’m the Founder of Mad Cat Social.
Born & raised in Nashville, TN, I fell in love with NOLA through summer camp friends and visited for the first time at age 16. The small business community welcomed me with open arms and made New Orleans feel like home. After 3 years of working for local entrepreneurs, I came to understand that running a business while trying to stay active on social media can be difficult– and it shouldn’t have to be. Mad Cat is here to alleviate that pressure from business owners and creators.
Mad Cat is a social media agency dedicated to helping businesses thrive in the digital age. With a wealth of experience and a knack for innovation, we craft bespoke social media strategies tailored to a brand’s unique identity. From local retailers to health professionals, we partner with businesses of all sizes, driving engagement, amplifying influence, and fostering meaningful connections with audiences. Mad Cat specializes in crafting compelling content that resonates with your audience, designing eye-catching visuals that captivate, and implementing data-driven strategies that deliver tangible results. Whether you need to boost brand awareness, increase digital traffic, or drive conversions, we have the expertise to make it happen.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Post you being you, and post what you love.
Building community and retention on social media is not easy. People click the ‘follow’ button with a “what’s in it for me?” mindset, meaning they want to know what THEY can get out of following your account. If someone scrolls and sees a page full of cut-and-paste concepts that they can find on their own explore pages without having to look, they won’t stick around. Why would they?
The best way to grow, the way most of your favorite creators have grown, is through building yourself a community. That can’t happen if people don’t get to know you, or if you don’t let them “in” a little bit. Originality always outperforms being basic- with or without numbers in mind. When you post YOU in YOUR element instead of something that’s already been done thousands of times, you’re opening that window.. people will stick around and want to see more!
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
Be the boss you want to have.
When you manage from the perspective of those you’re leading, there’s a lot you can learn—the first lesson being that you’ll always be learning. I’m no flawless master team leader; I’ve made mistakes and will make more. That said, in my experience, the moments I’ve paused to consider “How might this come across?” or “How would I want to hear that message?” or “What if this were me?” have proven to be extremely effective. Believe it or not, you can be personal AND professional as a boss. Consideration is the hybrid.
One last thing: Continue embracing change, growth, evolution as positive things. “That’s how we’ve always done it” is not good enough. If that’s the only justification you can come up with, it might be time for an adjustment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.madcatsocial.com/
- Instagram: @madcatsocial
- Other: TikTok: @madcatsocial