Rather than blasting your ears with more marketing rants today, I'm shifting focus to a much more personal topic: My maternity leave! With our second baby due in June 2022, I am faced, yet again, with planning for a 3-month leave. Because many of you are soon-to-be mothers or hope to be, you might be wondering how (and if) it's actually possible to take 12 weeks off when you have your baby while also running your own business. 

The short answer: Yes.

The long answer: Well, that's why I'm making this episode. 

Today on The Kate Show, I'm sharing how I plan for maternity leave without reducing revenue or short-changing my agency's clients. In fact, if you are a client or member with us, you'll feel reassured after listening to this episode. Even though I'll be re-prioritizing my time this summer, you will remain a high priority to my agency. I couldn't do this without my team and a whole lotta automation. Let's dive into it.

How I'm Preparing My Business for Maternity Leave as a Mom of Two

The Kate Show is a marketing podcast for interior designers, home stagers, professional organizers and window treatment specialists.
In every episode, Kate explains simple, no-nonsense ways to effectively market your business online. To learn more or read the show notes, go to www.katethesocialite.com.

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Have your leads slowed down in 2024? As the economy recovers from inflation, sometimes it feels worse even while it’s getting better. I say this not to discourage you, but to let you know that you're not alone. If your business lacks leads when you previously had plenty, it might not be “all your fault.” It could just be the ebb and flow of business.That said, control what you can control. If you want to ensure you’re doing everything you can to nurture the growth of your business in the home industry, you need to remain proactive. If nothing else, put your extra downtime to good use by drilling down on your marketing and making it worth every penny.On the other hand, if you continue to experience a steady number of quality leads coming into your business, don’t let yourself become apathetic toward marketing. Savvy entrepreneurs who understand the requirements of building long-term success will market their businesses non-stop, though the method will vary from season to season. If you want your business to stay in its growth season, this is the episode for you.

Here's What to Do if Your Interior Design, Staging, or Organizing Business Needs More Clients

I once thought I could have it all — run a business, be a supportive spouse, keep my kids with me 24/7 until they started preschool, and still (somehow) squeeze in enough self-care to help me remember who I was apart from all those roles. Ha! Needless to say, I was incredibly naive. For the first few years of becoming a mom, having already established the business, I thought I could work while the kids took a nap or played. I thought I didn’t need to “waste time” on doing things for myself out of pure enjoyment and frivolity. I thought I could be a great wife, mom, and CEO all at the same time. It was a lofty goal and, as I eventually — begrudgingly — had to admit, it was not a realistic goal to have.In February 2023, I had reached a complete state of utter burnout after nearly four years of trying to do it all by myself, as though I were trying to earn a badge of honor for requesting and accepting the least amount of help possible. I was a natural at doing things the hard way, and I turned myself into a martyr. I kept a secret scoreboard of who was actually doing more around the house — me or my husband — and I felt the overwhelming desire to insert myself into every situation. I didn’t know it then, but I was incredibly controlling. It almost cost me my marriage, and it certainly didn’t make me a good mom or role model for my son and daughter.I knew there had to be a better way to live, but I didn’t think I had the time or ability to slow down and figure it all out. How could I fix it when I wasn’t sure what the problem was?“It shouldn’t be this hard!” and “I have no time!” and “I’m just trying to help!” were a few things I constantly said to myself between moments of lucidity and chronic exhaustion. After all, I had (and still have) a tremendous number of blessings: My family, their health, my health, a beautiful home, a successful business. Complaining about anything sounded very pretentious and entitled, so I tried not to say much. I just became a quietly bitter, stressed-out human being. If you feel pulled in too many directions and if you constantly berate yourself for struggling so hard, or if you keep a personal scoreboard between you and your spouse (and frequently find them to be lacking) this episode is for you. The year 2023 was transformative for me, and I’m so excited to share with you what I learned in the hope that you will be able to avoid some stress and heartache.

CEO, Wife, and Mom Hacks: 10 Things You Need to Know

Bad marketing advice is the reason I am developing frown lines. You should see me sitting at my desk, squinting at my laptop screen and doing a double-take. “They’re telling designers to do WHAT?”I’m pretty protective of you guys. I want your businesses to succeed. But when I first started, I fell for (and probably promoted) marketing advice that didn’t fit the home industry, too.You might have realized in the course of running your own business that design firms, home staging companies, and pro organizing businesses aren’t like other companies. You’re offering, most often, an in-person service that is tailored to each situation and further customized to each person in that situation. Some of you are literally sorting through your clients’ underwear drawers (love you, organizers!).Marketing such an intimate, high-ticket business means that general marketing tips might not be as effective for your business as they might be for the bookstore or restaurant down the street. If you’re wondering which marketing tactics you can avoid, this episode of The Kate Show is for you. Today, I’m reading through and reacting to some really poor marketing advice. And I’m providing alternative advice for every bad piece of advice that I address.

Professional Marketer Reacts to Terrible Marketing Advice

“Marketing feels gross,” I used to think. In the early years of business, I didn’t know how to communicate my brand message…and I didn’t even know what a brand message was anyway. I felt so overwhelmed and drained by one steady thought: “How do I know if I’m doing any of this correctly when I can’t see the results yet? Am I just wasting my time and money on marketing?”Ruminating on those negative thoughts felt awful, as you might have also experienced, and I knew there had to be a simpler way to find and convert clients that I actually liked working with. Fast forward a decade (yes, it took that long), and I finally had answers.After providing countless marketing consultations, marketing plans, and strategies for interior designers, home stagers, professional organizers, and window treatment specialists, I was able to lay out a framework of marketing laws that can help nearly any home industry business make marketing easier. If you’re ready to apply these laws to your own business, let’s dive right in.

The 4 Laws of Marketing that You Need to Start Following Today

Knowing what to say in your marketing is only half the battle. What about the words, phrases, or ideas you should completely avoid? Today on The Kate Show, I’m talking about the two key phrases you shouldn’t include on your website, your blog posts, your email marketing, or your print advertising. I’m also sharing exact verbiage you can use to market your business in other ways, beyond everything you might already be doing online or in print. So, today, I’m laying it all out there…no fluff, just tough love and action steps that will benefit you and your business long-term.Ready for some real talk?! Here it is…

How I'm Preparing My Business for Maternity Leave as a Mom of Two

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