Jan. 5, 2021

Starting And Managing A Business From Home With Kids - Katie Brinkley

#018 -  Sometimes getting laid off from your dream job can lead to creating your own dream business. If you're considering starting your own business from home or need to balance multiple people working from home, you'll want to listen to this one.

In this episode, we chat with Katie Brinkley of Next Step Social Communications. We learn how she was able to start her own business from home with two small kids and how she's navigated the challenges of 2020.

For show notes, transcription, and more, visit:

https://www.workinghomeparents.com/18

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Transcript
Amanda Norton:

Happy New Year, everybody.

Daniel Norton:

Yeah, finally a fresh start. It feels like Right, yeah. But we know that a lot of the same uncertainties for 2020 still exist. And we don't really know, you know what to expect from this year. But what we do know, we can expect the unexpected. We didn't really start that last year. And now we can actually expect it. So in this particular episode, we are going to be talking with Katie Brinkley, who started her own business long before the pandemic, has been able to build a business working from home. And we not only talk about how she was able to do that, then, but also what she's had to change throughout this year, also, while her husband is now working from home, right, it's a lot of the same scenarios that we have. And for you listening, whether you have started your own business, or you're thinking about starting your own business, or you're just working from home, there is a lot of tips that are valuable in this. So I think it's going to be valuable for all of us.

Amanda Norton:

Definitely.

Daniel Norton:

Let's get into

Bumper:

this episode. Welcome to working home parents helping you find stability between client calls, and potty training, because we're all figuring this out as we go. And now, your hosts, Amanda and Dan Norton. Hi, Katie,

Amanda Norton:

thank you so much for joining us on our working home parents podcast. Before we get started, we want to get to know you just a little bit about your story on how you're doing with this whole pandemic with your family.

Katie Brinkley:

Yeah, 2020. It was the year of change and the year of pivoting. It's definitely so I'm a social media strategist. I started a social media agency or company about four years ago when I was laid off from my dream job. And it was definitely something where I kind of back pedaled my way into it. I've been doing social media for businesses for 15 years now. But I was always on the corporate level. And I was I was laid off from from my dream job. I was a marketing manager for the Colorado Rockies television station out here in Denver. And I had a great boss, I loved what I did. I had great coworkers, it was a great perks. And I was laid off, and I was devastated. And two weeks after I was told that I was going to be laid off. I found out I was pregnant. And so I then, okay, well, a bad situation. But now I'm How am I going to find a new job? And then say thanks for hiring me. I'm going to be taking six months maternity leave. So I was so excited to be pregnant. But then devastated would be like, well, how am I going to find a job right now. And I was able to then start my own company working from home. Taking I have a I had a an older daughter, she was three. And so I was able to be at home with her. Have my child, my second daughter at home, and then I was like, Okay, well, after six months, then I'll start finding, finding a new job looking at going back out on the job market, trying to get back into the corporate world. But by that time, I was making more money at home than I was at a television station at my dream job. So I found it next step social communications. And I've been doing social media strategy, and social media marketing now for four years and really can't imagine ever, ever leaving and going back to the corporate world.

Daniel Norton:

Wow. Yeah, that's so much of the stories, right? Like we're, we're especially those of us that have that entrepreneurial drive where, you know, it's in us, but we don't really know until you kind of, you know, have something taken out from you. And yeah, and then finally, you get it. And for some of us, there's like nothing better, like we get to be home and get to do this, which you know, you don't have to answer to a boss but yourself, which is

Katie Brinkley:

exactly yeah. But I mean, there's always good parts, because then I don't have to answer to anyone if I want to call it a day at two or Yeah, take a nice long weekend. I can but then there's also the downsides where if I don't do it, it's not going to get done. So

Daniel Norton:

yeah, that's the one biggest thing I miss about the corporate world and we both have actually a similar backgrounds coming from the sports sport broadcast world and that's where I spent 11 years up until this year, actually. And it's It was nice to be able to like you know, once you're done you walk away and thing you know, you don't have to deal with it. Someone else's problem. But yeah, so then having to do everything yourself where it always falls on you. But man is it's so much more satisfying. And I'm sure you get this too and like like a client is just so excited. That like what what you were able to do for them or how you were able to help them get to where they get compared to the corporate world where it's like the only Anytime you hear from people is when you did something wrong,

Katie Brinkley:

it's definitely something where you know, it's extremely rewarding because as you grow and find more success, it's, it's like man, I could do it, I was able to learn how to, you know, do bookkeeping, I was able to learn how to, you know, do XYZ, I was able to learn how to build out a business plan, or whatever, that you never really thought you would be able to figure out how to do. But as an entrepreneur, like figuring these things out and seeing the success that you can have, is is definitely kind of almost its own Hi, have, you know, I was able to do it, what can I do next year,

Daniel Norton:

we we had a conversation once with john Lee Dumas from entrepreneurs on fire podcast. And he was talking about how many entrepreneurs, it there's something called the baby effect, where you have your baby and it just it affects you in a way to where you start a business. And that for sure happened with me. But it seems like for you, this is definitely a huge, huge motivation. How was it? Like, can you tell me about that time, like starting a business pregnant and having a newborn and all of that there's so much difficulties in there. And obviously, this is pre pandemic. So there's those different time, but still, there's such major struggles there? How How did you handle that? What was that like for you?

Katie Brinkley:

Yeah, it was definitely something where I, at the beginning of starting my own company, it wasn't really anything that I thought I could actually do for a full time job that I would actually be able to make a decent amount of money. And it was just kind of like, Okay, well, I can bring in some money while I try and find something we can get by, you know, off of, you know, my husband's income or after, you know, skimped down on eating out and doing XYZ. But it was great, because my daughter was three at the time. And she was really the perfect age. She was still doing half day preschool at that three years old. So she was still going to preschool from nine to noon. And it was great, because she was still got that social interaction, three days a week at school, but then afterward, she come home and do quiet time. And during that time, that's when I would work. All I needed was three hours a day to really start my company. And then you know, one client turned into two turned into three. So that's why it was great, because I was able to still be at home, get stuff done while she was at school. And then afterwards, I had that time with her to take her to the zoo or take her to the park or really just get that one on one time with her. And it's something that I really wouldn't ever look back on. It was it was great to have that time with her. And again, I was I was pregnant. So if I wanted to, if I didn't have any work to do, I could just take a nap and get some extra sleep. I mean, like and that's one of the things I think that working from home, as your own boss, you're allowed to move things around so that you can have that more valuable family time. Because before you know what I mean, like now like that little girl is now six and she's going to school five days a week. And Mike. Remember, we used to go to the zoo all the time. Now we don't ever get to go to the zoo, except on weekends when everyone's there, you know? So?

Daniel Norton:

Yeah, that's your thing. Our stories are so similar. Yes, our son is three and doing that, you know, the nine two

Amanda Norton:

to 12 three days a week. But starting next week, he's going five days a week and doing the zoo. So yeah. On the off days.

Daniel Norton:

So when you first started, it was more of just it wasn't necessarily something you were thinking to take full time. Right? When did you decide to go full time with your business?

Katie Brinkley:

Well, after my daughter was born, she, you know, we still had the actress now for and she was still in pre K and in school and stuff. So I mean, like it was still great because she was in school three days a week for a couple hours. And as a newborn that you know, the first six months basically all they do is sleep. And so I was still able to work and get my stuff done during the time when my other daughter was at school. And then after that I can we just we would just go in and do little adventures. I can't imagine trying to still kind of live that same lifestyle now like during a pandemic when everything is kind of shut down and closed loop but we were we were able to really get out and do a lot of activities together. Like I said going to the zoo going to the library. And it was I was able to make it work because my daughter slept. My second daughter, my first daughter, she did not sleep. She was not a good sleeper. She didn't start sleeping until she was about five. And so when she went My firt, my second daughter was a great sleeper. So I was still able to kind of still grow the company and gain more clients. And then, right around the time when I was like, man, I think I can make this work was when she was six months old. And that's when I originally said said, This is what I'm going to go back to the back to the corporate world, but I was making almost as much money. At that time, just working 15 hours a week, I was still able to be at home work, you know, 50 hour, granted, I was working sporadically a lot of weekends, a lot of nights, you know, when my husband was home to help take care of the girls, but it was only it wasn't near, it wasn't 40 hours that I was going to be gone. And the cost savings of being at home with with both girls and not having to pay for daycare, it just made way more sense for me to to see where this this company would go.

Daniel Norton:

And that's really cool to to be able to see how how that all comes together. I mean, that's, that's, I think the desire for many of us when we started, it's like, how can I build this to where I'm not giving all my time to a company and, and being able to do that and spend more time. That's also the hard part two is like when you own your own business, you almost feel like you could give all of your time to it and never be able to get that time How have you set up boundaries or work hours or any of that around being able to have family time without feeling like you're neglecting one or the other?

Katie Brinkley:

Yeah, and that's been something that, as I've grown has been a bit of a struggle. And it's, it's hard because when you are kind of a one woman or one one man, one person show it as we said before, if you if you're if you're not going to do the work, the work doesn't get done, you can't really just hand it off to be like, Oh, yeah, well, so and so in this department will take care of it, or this other accountant will take over while I'm gone. So I mean, like, while I was in the hospital, you know, after after I'd given birth, I was on social media, making sure those posts, so I went out, you know, so I mean, like it was still like, I'd really never had had a day off. And that's where, lately and this this past year, as I have seen like tremendous growth with my company, I had to actually step back and be like, Okay, well, I'm going to be taking the girls to school. And I'm going to also pick them up. So my workday is between these hours. And if it doesn't get done, like that's what I've had to say no to potential clients. And I really had to get focused in on who my ideal client and who my ideal customer is. Because I was working for just about anyone before because when you first get started, as entrepreneurs can like, yeah, I could do that, I could do that. I do that, where now now that I know, my ideal client, my ideal customer, I'm able to say, well, that's really not what I want the industry I specialize in, I can refer you to so and so. And that allows me to still pick and choose and have clients that value me and my time. And I'm able to be like, Yeah, well, every, every Friday, I don't work anymore. I give myself three day weekends, every single every single Friday, because I want to use that time to either go skiing, do something special with my daughter, my husband, he works on 980 with his job. So he gets every other Friday off. So try and do something with him. And, you know, because it's, that's one of the things too is that the whole reason I became I came down this entrepreneurial path and decided not to go back to the corporate world was for the flexibility and the freedom to to do what I wanted. And hey, you know what, I have nothing going next Monday, my daughter's off from school, I'm gonna block it out and I'm gonna take her ski you know, so I I'm able to still try and do that one on one time with my family. And it's, it's all about like, I had really had to get a physical planner that I write everything my entire day down and and say that you are doing this on that day, so I can't even try to write in any tasks.

Daniel Norton:

Yeah, that's that's I think a lot of people like Amanda likes the physical calendar because he can't, he can't change it once it's written in or it actually takes the effort of putting it in where digital one you can easily delete. Yes, and move it around. So that's that's a really great tip, though. You know, thinking about it, because I know how hard it is to be able to, you know, say alright, do I do the family thing today? Or do I do the work thing? And it's it's hard. It's that's why I think I really believe that's one of the hardest things when you have built your own business that you work from home with is

Amanda Norton:

time management.

Daniel Norton:

Yeah. And then making that decision. That decision just feels it just feels hard, right? It's the business you've built that supporting you know, your family, and it's also your family who you built this business for? You know, it's like that, you know, it feels like neglect Either is neglecting gold. So it's just those hard decisions that can happen. But I get like you said with experience it's it's figuring that out and and doing that over time. So that's that's the time blocking How have you done like physical like, block like do you have like a space that you separate from family you know where you work and I know it might be a little different now but but yeah, how you started and how it is now?

Katie Brinkley:

Well, I started at the kitchen counter. And, actually, so I suppose at the kitchen counter, when I first started down this, this journey, and then when my girls got older and I got more work, then it moved to the couch. So I could still be in the same room with them sitting at the couch while they watch their shows or played their games or whatever, so that I could work and still be in the same room. But then it got to the point where there were so many distractions, it was taking me away from like, just just getting it done, it was taken me like three hours to do a week's worth of social media and that the time is everything. And so I had to get my own space. And so I bought a desk and I went down to the basement and turned the basement into my home office. So I had a really nice desk, really comfortable chair, my everything was set up perfectly. The only downside of it is, it is the basement. And we have a non egress window in the basement. So to say that it's a little dreary, and dungeon II is an understatement. It was one of those things where I wanted to just get my work done, so I could get out. But yeah, so I was in that the home office space, and then COVID hit. And suddenly, my husband, who has a corporate job was now needing a space to work to. So and we also had two girls at home with us. So he took the morning shift and started work at 5am. And he would work from five to noon in the dungeon as we call it. And then from at that would start quiet time after lunch, I would get lunch and everything ready. And then from one to three, he would work upstairs at the kitchen counter. And I would then go into the basement after lunch. And I'd work from noon to five. And it worked out. It worked out pretty good, honestly, for I believe it was about five months that we did that. And then it got to the point where my art my six year old has been very, very fortunate her school has been 100% in person learning throughout COVID, which is really rare. It's probably one of the only schools in the country. It's that that has had that capability. So we are extremely fortunate on that. So when she went back to school, it was like, Okay, well now we can't really do the time shuffle thing, or it doesn't really make sense. So my husband still had the downstairs office, and I was working at the kitchen counter again. And I wasn't getting anything done. I couldn't do my podcast, I couldn't do video calls it everything just kind of was like I wasn't able to work as effectively. And like I said, I've been very lucky that I've my industry has grown during the pandemic. And so I've had more calls, I've had more meetings. And so it's kind of like, gosh, I can't just be sitting at the kitchen counter have the dog barking at the mailman. I mean, everyone's been more understanding. Now what's funny about about home distractions, but for me, it was a giant distraction. So I've recently rented a co working space. And it's basically a little it's a small office that's surrounded by glass. I look like I'm in a fishbowl here, but it's great because it's just a one person office. And I'm able to come and get all my work done and do my dumo my video calls and yeah, so my husband works from the dungeon now and I work from from an office, we've kind of flipped flopped roles. And he does a lot of the school pickups on on dates when I have a later Later calls. So it's it. We've been really fortunate that his business, his company is very flexible and understanding to have trying this new COVID shuffle that we've had to learn.

Amanda Norton:

Wow, that's a good way to say it.

Daniel Norton:

Because that's exactly what we're doing. Yeah, she gets up at five and then I'm working we have a small one bedroom, you know, New York basement apartments. You know, splitting up my little office in the corner of a living room. It is I totally understand the difficulty of being of being able to put that together, especially when you're podcasting or putting a show on or getting a client calls. Yeah. So yeah, I totally understand that. And that's actually great that you're able to find a co working space that still is opening to because I know there's also those struggles, it really depends on what state you're in and whatever. Great. You're able to find that

Katie Brinkley:

Do you think that we were able to still like so we, anytime I leave my office, I have to have a mask on? And so does everyone else. There's not really like common co worker, common space co working. It's all it's basically all just your own little fish fishbowl that people sent out and all the offices here are one two to five people offices. So okay. Yeah, I think that's why they're able to make it work. But I sure hope that they don't shut down. I love being able to come here and just sit down and, and work.

Daniel Norton:

Yeah, yeah, I've heard I've heard different people sharing some different things like, like even renting out like a hotel for a day or a weekend and like, kind of blasting out a whole ton of work just to be out of that, that home space. Because it is as huge of a benefit as it is. That's that big, hard struggle is figuring that out. So hearing the different unique ways that people are working around it is, is really good. So when you were working, you know, in your basement, were you able to, like create it into like, what is like a very productive space? Like, was there anything that you were able to do to help increase that or intentionally put together?

Katie Brinkley:

While I really wanted to get out of it? No, I mean, like I would, you know, my husband, it was amazing. He, he really helped me organize it and clean it. So that it was it didn't really feel quite so basement, he everything was organized, he helped me hang up some pictures and move book shelves around, so that it felt more like an office. And when I was on zoom calls, it looked like an office, there's a bookcase behind me and everything and probably would never guessed that I was sitting in the dungeon, you know? You know, it's it was it made it feel more professional. And I think that having it set up that way, so that it, you know, I was able to look out and see it a little bit of light out that that window, I had the professional backdrop. It was clean, it wasn't full of clutter. And, you know, I think that that would be huge. Like, if I was surrounded by clutter, I would hate it even more and just work because then I would be like, gosh, I just need to clean that up. I just need to put all that stuff away. And then I'd be sidetracked that it does have a door. I think that's huge too. Because if the door is open, I'm more susceptible to get up. And I'm just going to get a little laundry started. I'm just going to go do this really fast. And before I know that I've wasted 45 minutes thinking around the house. So having that door to shut and be in that clean, organized space to sit me like it's time to work made a world of difference. To me.

Daniel Norton:

Yeah, I think that's really important. Some of some of the things that we've we've talked about on this podcast before is is having a space that does keep you working as opposed to one that's like cluttered and a mess and and distractions that are around although there are the benefits of being able to take a break and maybe do some like laundry or something where you're not looking at a screen depending on what your job is. But yeah, I do believe that that's really important is to have something that makes you feel like Alright, this is the work environment. Exactly, it will to like come in and out of there. And something like a door as simple as that is, I think that's a huge tip for anyone listening that's like, Alright, I need to get get off of the kitchen table to get out of there out of that space to be able to have some kind of physical barrier that separates it. Having that door when you transition to the basement and from working, you know, from working on the table to to the basement and now to having your own co working space. What like what was your difference in just how your mindset was with it? Like I know when it's if you're on your kitchen table, it's like work is always there and you're always seeing it often. Have you found any differences there?

Katie Brinkley:

Honestly, this this, I think that getting the CO working space is one of the things that helped me really believe that this was my legitimate business, it was not just something out of my basement anymore. This was a real thing and having my own office to go to and sitting down and being able to take calls and and work from it really helped my mindset of like, this is a real deal. This is a legitimate company, I you know that I that really the sky's the limit, you know it depending on how much I want to invest with it. timewise and Okay, well, how can I scale without giving up more time and so moving? I think that each of them has been that that little like, Okay, well I was just sitting at the kitchen table before I was just sitting on the couch doing it at night. It really was just kind of like oh yeah, like I do social media work. Now it's, you know, I've got coaching clients. I have a number of Home Builders and construction companies that I do their their social media for. And, you know, I'm building an online course. And so it's it's definitely take taking it from just helping people out with their social media to really becoming a legitimate business. And I think that each transition I've had from the couch to a desk to sit at and work at, to now my own office, it's all of it has been a stepping stones to, to really help my my mindset of how real this business and this company is. Great. Oh, that's

Daniel Norton:

great. I mean, and we wish that we could talk a little bit about your business, too. It's like, so what kind of coaching Do you offer? What do you offer in that space?

Katie Brinkley:

Yeah, that was something that really transformed during 2020. Like, during COVID. It was, I mean, like, I've always because I worked from home, and I really didn't get out much. I mean, it was just me and the kids. Sometimes the only adult I would speak to throughout the day was my husband. And so I realized the power of LinkedIn pretty early, because that's, it's a great way to network. And I was still, you know, networking, like I always did on LinkedIn, and just kind of reaching out to some of my contacts and saying, My cat, you know, how are you doing? What are some struggles that you've had like, as business, okay. And a lot of people wrote back and said, You know, I'm, I'm right now, like, I'll let you know, I realized the power of social media, I know, we need to be more active on it. You know, I just, I just wish I could learn how to do it. And so that's where the coaching came in, I was able to transition a lot of my done for you services, that I typically would be trying to sell into one on one coaching because you know, it back in March, and April, we were all worldwide, we were all given the gift of time, and more time to spend focusing on the aspects of our business that we had been pushing off on the back burner for too long. One of the things that I've been pushing off was my podcast, I've been talking about starting a podcast for years. And, and finally, I did it during the pandemic, because I had nothing else to do. And so that was where, you know, a lot of people with their social media came to me and I started teaching them one on one coaching and stuff that I've learned over the past 15 years of being in this space. Like I said, I've come from the corporate world, you know, and then I've also seen a lot of different industries, what's been good, what has worked, what hasn't. And one of the things that I really try to offer to my coaching clients that I think is, is really the biggest piece of value is I teach them how to be successful on social media, without it being their full time job, because not very many people are like me, they don't want to spend all day on social media, but they realize it is a powerful tool, and they need to be on it in some regard. And what I teach them is how to find out which social social media platforms they need to spend time on, and then how to be successful on it, how to go in to those social media platforms, and find success, and only devote maybe three or four hours a month on it. And it's all through, again, time blocking, and setting up that time to devote to your social media for the week for the month. And then from there. You can go on to social media, and actually enjoy it because you're not trying to worry about oh my god, what do I have? What do I post today? What do I have to say on this? Oh, gosh, I don't know, I need to post I haven't posted anything today. I'm just going to post a picture of my dog. And there's like, Well, what does this have to do with selling real estate? So and that's just kind of where I try and teach them how to get back their time while still having a successful social media strategy. So

Unknown:

fair? Yeah.

Daniel Norton:

Yeah, I love this topic. I mean, for hours, if we were to talk about it, someday, we'll have to do another episode sometime for anyone if they have a business and want to learn more about social media, but for those of those that are listening, and you do have a business or you work for a company, and you want to learn more about social media, like how can how can our listeners get in touch with you?

Katie Brinkley:

Yes, so right now I do have a free video training. It's available at Katie brinkley.com. And then I'm obviously I'm on the social media channels. I'm not on all of them, which is one of the things I do try to teach on on Instagram. I am at next step that social and then on LinkedIn. You can find me at Katie Brinkley, and on Facebook. You can find me at next steps social communications. Awesome. Well,

Daniel Norton:

I highly suggest everyone go and check out Katie on these platforms, and especially if you've got questions about social media, so thank you so much for joining us. This was a great conversation at

Amanda Norton:

this one. Yeah.

Katie Brinkley:

Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. It was great joining you both.

Daniel Norton:

Well, I hope you enjoyed Episode 18 of working home parents. This is definitely one of those episodes that I mean, there are always episodes that we end up taking notes on, yes, ourselves. But especially for me, someone else, you know, starting my own business. And so many of the things that Katie talked about are things that I can completely identify with.

Amanda Norton:

Definitely, yeah, you guys have like a similar background. It's great.

Daniel Norton:

So thank you so much for listening. If you're interested any show notes or the transcription for this episode, you can go to working home parents.com slash 18. You can find it all there that's working on parents.com slash 18. And if you haven't already, remember to hit subscribe on your favorite podcast app of choice. This way you could get every episode delivered to you every Tuesday.

Amanda Norton:

Yeah, and if you found that this episode is helpful for you if you haven't yet, please leave us an honest review on Apple podcast.

Daniel Norton:

Thank you so much, and we look forward to chatting with you in our next episode.

Bumper:

Thank you for listening to working home parents find show notes links mentioned Mr at working home parents.com