In this mini-episode of “Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,” Ellen and Kat catch up on personal updates and discuss tips for hosting effective workshops or classes online or in person. They note many service-based businesses feel pressure to create workshops or “evergreen” courses as alternative income, but underestimate the time and energy required and the challenge of filling the room. They emphasize building workshops around genuine expertise, clear value, and real audience demand, and suggest partnering with existing communities or events to reduce risk. Kat shares she’s preparing to lead an in-person workshop at a Point Reyes retreat and is adapting her creative operations content for broader business owners. 

Don't forget to⁠ submit your business questions⁠ for future episodes! 

Kat is the Founder of  kat&co, a Creative Operations Consultant, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at Benchwork Fabrication. She helps interior designers and creatives turn ideas into streamlined, sustainable businesses. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, she’s known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download.

Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting and SAGE Women. She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠.

Kat and Ellen kick off season two of ‘Good Ideas + Bad Decisions’ with PR strategist KJ Blattenbauer, founder of Hearsay PR, who makes a bold case that real PR should cost you nothing because earned media means borrowing audiences, not buying them. KJ breaks down how to spot red flags when vetting PR help (run from anyone promising guaranteed placements) and why a business without clarity or operational readiness isn't PR-ready yet. Drawing from an accidental start in crisis communications, she shares the winding path that led her to entrepreneurship and building her own agency. KJ closes with advice to get clear on what you want to be known for and where your audience is, and protect your mornings from tech.

KJ Blattenbauer is a publicist and brand strategist with nearly three decades of experience helping founders, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders move from respected to widely recognized. As the founder of Hearsay PR, she specializes in shaping clear narratives the media actually wants to tell, with a track record spanning consumer brands, sports, and crisis communications, placing clients in Forbes, Architectural Digest, Inc., Fast Company, and beyond. She is the two-time bestselling author of Pitchworthy and Pitchworthy: The Workbook, and her own insights have been featured across business, lifestyle, and design media.

Kat is the Founder of kat&co, a Creative Operations Consultant, and the Co-Owner and Director of Operations at Benchwork Fabrication. She helps interior designers and creatives turn ideas into streamlined, sustainable businesses. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, she’s known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download.

Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting and SAGE Women. She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, ⁠The Quiet Wins⁠.

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:47 Season Two Kickoff

01:53 Meet KJ Blattenbauer

02:40 PR For Anyone

03:48 Astronaut PR Explained

04:57 Pay To Play Exposed

07:18 Free PR Channels

10:18 Choosing A Publicist

12:29 PR Myths And Red Flags

16:42 When PR Makes Sense

20:09 KJ Origin Story

21:36 Clarity Drives Recognition

22:07 Small Town Reputation Lessons

23:17 Why Some Stars Stick

23:49 Breaking Into PR

25:12 Crisis to Wellness Pivot

26:02 Leaping Into Entrepreneurship

27:01 Mob Wife Loyalty Mindset

28:01 Fear, Regret, and Taking Risks

30:18 Doing It for Younger You

33:42 Two Books and Daily Routine

39:31 Protect Your First Hour

42:45 Parting PR Advice and Wrap

In this mini-episode of “Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,” Ellen and Kat share business updates, including their Thursday recording rhythm and a shout-out to Cereal Dreams ahead of market season. Ellen also books a library room to catch up after a hectic few weeks. Kat announces a new venture, Benchwork Fabrication, a custom furniture and millwork company she’s co-founding, and walks through early steps like securing shop space, building a website, creating sales materials, and setting up the business structure and partnership agreement.

Don't forget to submit your business questions for future episodes! 

Kat is the Founder of kat&co and a Creative Operations Consultant, helping interior designers and creatives turn ideas into streamlined, sustainable businesses. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, she’s known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download.

Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting and SAGE Women. She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, The Quiet Wins.

In this special episode of 'Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,' hosts Kat and Ellen celebrate their one-year anniversary by reflecting on how they launched the show from opposite coasts, never having met in person, and figured it out as they went. They cover their evolving workflow, hiring an assistant, and why they chose long-form conversation over social media, with a recurring theme of starting before you're ready. They also revisit early nerves, growth as co-hosts, and season two plans including YouTube, Substack, and guest ads, closing with words of wisdom from one year as podcasters.

Kat is the Founder of kat&co and a Creative Operations Consultant, helping interior designers and creatives turn ideas into streamlined, sustainable businesses. With a background in psychology and deep experience in creative business operations, she’s known for navigating the intersection of creativity and systems with both strategy and empathy. Join her newsletter, The kat&co Download.

Ellen Hockley is a three-time entrepreneur, small business consultant, community builder, and the founder of Ellen Hockley Consulting and SAGE Women. She guides female founders to build intuitive, values-driven businesses aligned with the life they want for themselves and their families. Join her Substack newsletter, The Quiet Wins.

00:00 Podcast Welcome
01:06 One Year Milestone
03:31 Why We Started The Podcast
07:19 Remote Partnership
08:54 Tools And Workflow
12:09 Learning As You Go
13:59 First Publish Nerves
17:52 Sticking With It
21:23 Sharing And Listeners
25:37 Hosting Growth Lessons
27:38 Authentic Flow and Timing
29:48 No Script Guest Format
31:09 Co Hosting Chemistry
34:45 Moments That Stuck
36:51 Coffee Chats Come Back
40:14 Editing Help and Systems
43:52 Do It Differently Next Time
46:27 Season Two Experiments
50:42 Parting Words of Wisdom
53:53 Season Two Send Off

In this mini-episode of 'Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,' Ellen and Kat recap their weekends on a tired Monday after the time change, including a trip to see Spamalot,  and they encourage supporting local theater. They discuss recalibrating when Q1 results don't match projections. Kat skips rigid quarterly planning, instead protecting her time (no meetings Mondays/Fridays) and helping clients pinpoint what's driving resentment or stagnation. Ellen is excited about new offerings but worried about client growth while managing caregiving. Kat advises clarifying your ICP, defining success on your own terms, and avoiding urgency-driven marketing that makes business owners feel like they're failing. 

Don't forget to submit your business questions for future episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Business Question Link⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠

Kat is the Owner + Operator of  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

In this episode of ‘Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,’ hosts Kat and Ellen talk to Carrie Sporer, co-founder of SWAIR, a clean, non-aerosol “showerless shampoo” created to work on very sweaty hair with no residue after she and her co-founder Meredith struggled with constant hair washing during marathon training. Carrie shares her shift from luxury accessories sales and operations into product entrepreneurship, how they found a nearby manufacturer willing to develop a custom formula, and the 11-month development process plus early formula and label iterations. She discusses building a mostly bootstrapped business with $75,000 in angel funding, using a 3PL from day one, later switching 3PLs, and relying on freelancers while Meredith keeps a full-time job. Carrie also covers expanding from a hero product to a brand with a leave-in conditioner and a 60-second pre-wash hair mask, handling negative reviews through customer education, and her advice to founders: ask questions and find partners who welcome them.

Carrie Sporer is the co-founder of SWAIR, a clean haircare brand for active people best known for its Showerless Shampoo — a first-of-its-kind formula that removes sweat and oil without suds, rinsing, or a blow dry. A Penn graduate with a background in luxury fashion sales, she launched SWAIR in 2020 with co-founder Meredith Krill after the two couldn't find a product that solved their shared post-workout hair frustration, and set out to make it themselves.

Kat is the Owner + Operator of kat&co and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!

Ellen is the Owner of Ellen Hockley Consulting and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast

01:12 Meet Carrie and SWAIR

03:30 From Running to Product Idea

04:19 Marathon Life as Parents

06:41 Finding the Right Lab

10:39 Clean Formula and Hair Talk

11:41 Packaging and Fulfillment Setup

15:01 Bootstrapping and Angel Money

16:51 Co-Founder Boundaries and Agreements

19:42 Founder Time and Sanity Checks

21:27 Why Legal Framework Matters

21:38 Partnership Agreements Matter

22:59 Contracts Protect Everyone

24:31 When Agreements Save Friendships

25:43 From Hero to Brand

26:25 Leave In Conditioner Benefits

27:00 60 Second Speed Mask

29:17 Handling Negative Reviews

30:50 Fixing Product Education

34:14 3PL Logistics Switch

35:26 Future Product Roadmap

37:41 Founder Superpower Questions

39:29 Outsider Mindset Imposter Syndrome

40:44 Where to Find Swear

41:22 Final Thanks and Sign Off

42:03 Podcast Outro and CTA

In this mini-episode of 'Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,' Ellen and Kat reunite after a month apart to recap a hectic February marked by dark winter weather, travel disruptions, and family chaos. Ellen shares launching a Substack, redesigning and relaunching her client offerings with help from her VA, managing sick kids, and getting stranded in Dallas during a blizzard, including a stressful aquarium meltdown with her children. Kat describes weeks of nonstop California rain leading to black mold issues, a busy month with a spa visit and an Ohio install, and Valentine’s Day gifts including at-home blood typing kits and a blind wine tasting workshop that felt unexpectedly stuffy. Recording while Ellen is on a jury duty lunch break, they answer a business question about where they do their best work, citing airplanes, airport lounges, libraries, cars, and even hospitals.

Don't forget to submit your business questions for future episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Business Question Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Kat is the Owner + Operator of  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

In this episode of 'Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,' hosts Ellen and Kat welcome Nadya Pierre, a fractional HR consulting expert and founder of Soleo Strategies. Together they dive into the complexities of running a business, focusing on the crucial aspects of HR for early-stage startups. The discussion covers the importance of setting up people systems, the challenges of hiring the right talent, and how company culture impacts business outcomes. Nadya shares her personal journey, the significance of having a supportive community, and offers practical advice on managing multiple clients while maintaining work-life balance. Tune in for valuable insights on entrepreneurship, mental health, and the rewarding chaos of making your own path.

Nadya Pierre is the founder of Soleo Strategies, partnering with tech, biotech, and AI founders to build scalable leadership, culture, and talent programs. With over a decade leading people operations and human resources from seed through Series B, she specializes in designing inclusive, high-performance cultures and coaching leaders through growth. SHRM-SCP certified and a Bridges Method executive coach, Nadya believes that leading with intention and kindness creates the conditions for lasting success.

Kat is the Owner + Operator of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

00:00 Welcome to Good Ideas + Bad Decisions
01:08 Meet Our Guest: Nadya Pierre
02:44 Nadya's Journey and Business Insights
04:38 Challenges in Hiring and HR
12:11 Navigating the Job Market
19:59 Scaling Your Business
26:48 Setting Goals for the New Year
27:38 Balancing Work and Family Time
29:35 Managing ADHD and Productivity Tools
32:15 Time Management Strategies
33:38 Focus Tools and Techniques
44:20 Words of Wisdom and Final Thoughts

In this mini-episode of 'Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,' the hosts discuss their recent activities, including TV show recommendations and an in-depth look at their business strategies. Ellen shares her structured approach to planning with her husband, touching on their detailed annual meetings. The conversation shifts to 'woo woo' elements as both hosts delve into their experiences with tarot readings, human design, and astrology, exploring how these tools influence their professional and personal lives. Their discussion highlights the importance of self-awareness and alignment in business and life.

Don't forget to submit your business questions for future episodes! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Business Question Link⁠⁠⁠⁠

Kat is the Owner + Operator of  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

In this episode of 'Good Ideas + Bad Decisions,' hosts Kat and Ellen sit down with Ronniesha Rivera, the owner of Vetted By Design and founder of Alder and Stone.

Ronniesha shares her journey from interior designer to business community builder, discussing the challenges of managing multiple enterprises, the importance of trustworthy outsourcing, and the need for authentic connections within the design industry. The conversation covers the intricacies of running a business while balancing personal life and parenthood. Ronniesha also gives insights into her passion for curating a supportive professional community and talks about the value of day-blocking for productivity. The episode concludes with Ronniesha's words of wisdom for entrepreneurs: keep going and see your vision through, emphasizing persistence and dedication.

Ronniesha Rivera is the founder and CEO of Vetted By Design, a centralized platform she created to help interior designers easily connect with vetted industry professionals. She also owns and operates Alder and Stone, a full-service interior design studio specializing in mountain homes for active families, a passion influenced by her upbringing in Washington's Pacific Northwest surrounded by natural beauty. 

Kat is the Owner + Operator of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kat&co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and brings a unique perspective with her psychology background and experience in creative business operations, making her adept at discussing the intersection of creativity and structured processes. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join her newsletter The kat&co Download!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ellen is the Owner of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellen Hockley Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and offers valuable insights from her extensive experience in building successful small businesses and empowering female entrepreneurs, providing practical advice on business strategy and growth. 

00:00 Welcome to Good Ideas + Bad Decisions
01:17 Meet Our Guest: Ronniesha Rivera
02:34 Ronniesha's Journey: From Interior Design to Vetted by Design
03:56 The Challenges of Running Multiple Businesses
06:13 The Birth of Vetted by Design
10:42 The Importance of Community and Trust
15:31 Navigating Business and Personal Life
19:08 The Struggles and Rewards of Entrepreneurship
23:54 The Unique Value of Vetted by Design
26:19 Embracing Fluidity in Business and Life
27:38 Finding Community and Fulfillment
28:52 Understanding the Vetted Platform
30:53 Balancing Multiple Ventures
33:33 The Importance of Outsourcing
39:54 Technical vs. Creative Aspects of Design
44:35 Words of Wisdom and Final Thoughts