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The Carolina Women's Collective is your one-stop shop. This biweekly podcast, hosted by Booth Parker, features interviews with a powerful network of female entrepreneurs and business leaders, sharing their inspiring stories, actionable advice, and industry expertise.
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Planning for Success Inside and Out | Interview with Cat Roten
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[00:00:00]
Booth: Today on the Carolina Women's Collective Podcast. I am joined by Kat Roton, and Kat is the founder of the event host community. She also has a podcast and is a sought after speaker.
Welcome to the podcast today, Kat.
Cat: Thank you so much, Booth. I'm so excited to be here with you.
Booth: So I'm going to jump right in to some fun questions. So you spent about a decade working in corporate hospitality and event planning. What made you take the leap last year from corporate to being all in [00:01:00] entrepreneur?
Cat: Such a great question and one that I feel like has so many layers to it. I think it was coming. For the longest of times, and that's something I think deep down any of us who have ever been in corporate and then left, like, we knew for a while. But even for myself, that first little bit, I didn't know why I was feeling off.
I got to a point where just things were draining me. I was working in a very kind of negative environment to People, you know, in that office space, we're talking about one another, the rest of the team. And I was getting beat down. It was starting to show up in my personal life. And I, and I knew, and at the time, um, I had just married my now husband and he was looking at me going, something's wrong, something's off.
You're just not showing up with the same light and energy. And I sat with it though, for probably two years. And it finally got to the point that I started putting myself in rooms, and I know you guys have an incredible event that you just hosted and are looking at us again this year, but putting [00:02:00] myself in rooms like that around other women and seeing what they were doing and the possibilities, because I always was like, thinking my life was corporate.
I was going to work up the corporate ladder, become a general manager. I was going to open my own boutique hotel, but still with some major company. And I realized it didn't have to be that way, that my expertise could be leveraged and my skills used in other ways that actually benefited more people and impacted more people on an even deeper level.
And it was October of, what was that, 2023? that I stepped out of the hospitality space and went fully into events for six months, but still in the corporate area. And in that six months, it was a corporation that was ran privately. So very small family, very family oriented. And in it, I learned so much about myself and how companies can be ran even publicly like larger, but family run.
And there were certain things I didn't agree with. I was like, I could do this on my own. I can go [00:03:00] support other people still doing what I love, but in a different way. And it was scary. There was a lot of fear. And I don't know if anyone else feels this way. And Abuth, I'm curious if you've ever felt like there was this, thing that you had to stick it out for a year.
Like I had this number in my head, this arbitrary number that like I had to make it a year before I could even make a decision to leave this job. And I hit five months and I knew I had to leave. And it was so hard to admit it to my parents, to admit it to my director who I loved, I was working for. And I finally spoke up and I was like, I can't do this anymore.
And I was like, I have a passion and I feel like there's something more for me. I have to go explore this. And then I gave myself. a year to explore it. So we're within almost to the end of the year and it was 100 percent worth it. Again, arbitrary number, but I gave myself the year to kind of figure it out.
It's, it's been amazing.
Booth: Yeah, I love that. And you set yourself, um, almost like a timeline, you know, so that you can't give up. Like I have to do it to here and there'll be bumps along the [00:04:00] way, but I'm, I'm going to get through it because once I get to that milestone, I know. I will have put the work in and figured out a lot of the bumps and, and all that stuff.
And, you know, like you were saying with the corporate environment, like I worked in a corporate environment,it was, you know, family run, but then we still had over 500 employees. So it was, it was big enough. And when you have that many people, there's always going to be some kind of toxicity and, you know, that some haters, some supporters, however you want to call them, so, you know, being around that environment will bring you down.
Pretty easily if you don't kind of stay ahead of it. So along the lines of people that try to bring you down, you were actually told for months not to launch the Event Host community, but you obviously did it anyway. So tell us about overcoming those negative, you know, thoughts and what people we're telling you.
Cat: Yeah. I'm going to keep this as like summarized as I can because it was an it was a crazy six months personally for me during that time, [00:05:00] because the original thought of this community happens. So I left corporate at the end of March of 2024, and I had this thought in the middle of April, like very quickly out of my mind.
Corporate and kind of having this space I'd never had before. I realized that there was this gap and I sat on it and actually might've been over six months at that point in that six months, people kept telling me, they're like, no, you're new to entrepreneurship. You're newer to this. You have to make money.
That means you need to be. selling and marketing and talking about your high ticket offer. That way you start to get clients and then you can come down and create, you know, these smaller ticket options. But you've got to get the funnel and you need to be going after the people. They kept pushing me.
They're like, because as an event planner, and that's what I was really focusing on at the time, They're like, you need to go for the big clients. I'll pay you the 10, the 15, the 20, 000. And so I started marketing myself that way and talking to people about it in that way, but something never right. And I honestly never signed a single client on for any of those, like any of that price [00:06:00] point or anywhere close to it, even because I, I think energetically and deep down inside, I w I was not allowing it.
Like when I'd have conversations, I thought they went really well, but really probably weren't because I wasn't showing up fully in who I was. And in August, I went back to the event that kind of was the game changer for me in 2023. And I met back up with this group of women who I'd met the year before.
And it was so amazing and so incredible. But I actually, and I'm Get really vulnerable here. I had someone look at me and say it said, I don't take you seriously. And I don't know who would, and that was one of the individuals along with others that were kind of in that circle who had been telling me that I need to be doing things the specific way and It made me step back and really look and be like, what have I been doing?
Who am I? What are my dreams? And I realized I've been putting this idea of the community on the back burner. And at my core, community and networking and connection is so important to me. And I [00:07:00] think it's so important in our world that I, and I knew the gap that I was filling with this community because there was nothing like it out there.
And I finally sat on it for like three months. 30 days, I was like, I need to sit with everything that happened. And I finally started taking small steps. I said, okay, what can I do for the community? How can I start building this small and still offer the high ticket, but start sharing about like what I'm wanting to build and start to see and do that market research to make sure, is this still a need, because I hadn't really talked about it in months.
And it was hard. I went through. I think grieving partially an identity of like going after the high ticket offers and who I was in corporate as somebody making a lot of money. I had to go through that grief process during that time, the grief of relationships, because I was realizing some of those people who I thought had been supportive and stuff maybe weren't right anymore.
It's not that they were bad, it's just they weren't right for the path I was now taking and realizing for me. [00:08:00] And as I got through that grief is when the community started to be built and the traction started for me to actually create it.
Booth: I love that. It's, so interesting that someone told you that they didn't take you seriously because the first time I met you, my initial thought was how confident and focused you are in what you did and the way you represented yourself.
Cat: Thank you.
Booth: Um, yeah, either it's changed or that person just changed. Didn't see what everyone else sees. So, and you know, like you said, like, it's not like they're bad people, but I, I love the old saying, um, you're a summation of the five people you choose to spend the most time with. And so sometimes your circle has to change and it's not that the people in your circle are bad.
It's just that they are not the right fit for the growth you're having right now. Right.
Cat: Yes. Agreed. Very much.
Booth: Yeah. Um, so change, kind of change focus here a little bit. So, you know, you went from the start of the event host committee in [00:09:00] August, right? After you went to that other meeting 30 days later.
Okay. And then there's other things that your business has not necessarily pivoted to, but has grown legs, so to speak. So it has And you added a fractional COO service. So, tell us what you do with that, exactly what that means, because I think a lot of people have heard fractional CFO, because it's something I've kind of done a little bit of, but tell us about fractional COO and what exactly that means and how you implement it with your community.
Cat: Yeah, so fractional COO is, Very similar CFO, so Chief Financial Officer, this is Chief Operating Officer. So very similar to what you would see in a larger corporation or business. And for anyone who doesn't know the fractional side of it, and I know, Booth, you said you've kind of done this, it's where you can hire on somebody to come in on a part time basis.
So it's really good for those business owners and even small businesses who are ready to scale and grow but don't have per se the funds to hire someone on in that [00:10:00] position full time. As a COO to operations is what I do. So really helping kind of who I'm working with right now is anyone from that two to five year mark who are ready to scale and grow, but maybe don't have that core systems and the processes, maybe a great training plan, because you're at the point that you have a few team members or maybe haven't yet, and you're going to start bringing people on, but the thing is you need consistency and you need it to be across the board of everyone knowing how do you keep track?
How do you run reporting? What are. If you know KPIs or those goals tracking and all this stuff, that's where I come in to help you really create that foundation. And then what I am doing, and I don't, I've talked to a few other fractional COOs, I like to start off very as an intensive, so it's a very intensive four to six weeks, diving in.
observing, making tweaks, or creating. And then I step into more that high level strategy of really just overseeing the operations, making tweaks where it's needed, running reporting, keeping up with the [00:11:00] CEO or the business owner, whoever kind of runs as that overall visionary leader of the company. And overall, it's been interesting because it's kind of a separate leg of my business.
It doesn't fully fall into events, yet the skill set is still there because I am the event side. I'm the one doing the logistics and the strategy. I'm helping you create the system and the process to plan that event start to finish and giving you those resources to create that system that you can use to recreate and recreate and recreate for events in the future and that with the CEO it's very similar as we're creating that system that you're just going to keep recreating or keep growing off of and that's what I love is it's two different things.
My fractional side is definitely much more local here to North Carolina in the western part of the state where I'm at. And yet I'm getting to bring things from that back into the event host community of how do you have operation systems that are right for you? So then also how do you create that event that is right for you?
And making sure that that system and the process that you're going through, whether it's for your event or for your [00:12:00] business, is aligned with your vision and your goals and your dreams because all of us have different goals with our business or all of us have different goals ultimately with our events.
Booth: Yeah, absolutely. And so, like, speaking of those events, so, I mean, you have a lot of experience with events you've done, like little intimate retreats to really big, large scale conferences. And I'm sure you've been able to see, like, especially in the corporate world, how the events and grow a business, whether it's for just the corporation itself, or you're doing an event that brings in a lot of different people from different businesses.
So tell us a little bit about how you see events benefiting businesses.
Cat: Yeah, and I'll start off with this is that I always say an event is an extension of you and your business ultimately. And those are the events I specifically work with is those that are parts of your business. Events can just help in so many different ways and I usually say this is where it comes back to your why and your core values [00:13:00] probably of your business.
Because what can happen with an event is you reach more people because when you're marketing people are gonna have word of mouth or they're gonna see and be curious and this is the way for them to come and learn from you and experience you without being a full client, maybe in the business quite yet.
So it's a way to really get your message out there, create a greater impact. Um, I love it and I think a lot of people use events to build community. Sometimes you feel alone in the business space. Uh, you don't feel like anyone fully understands you and it's a way to bring those like minded visionary leaders and business owners together to really create the space that's safe and that you're like, hey, you're not alone in what's going on.
And then obviously the other path to do is you can make events profitable. If that is like your goal, there is a way to profit from events and bring that as another funnel into your business of revenue. It's also a funnel for leads into your business because you're capturing those emails, you're sharing with them about the business and your core values and what you're about.[00:14:00]
Overall, I say it comes back to, you can use and leverage it however you want to, but it's a marketing funnel for the business, ultimately, and getting your name out there in different ways and bringing speakers in and sponsors and vendors that maybe can help you reach more and more people.
Booth: And then for businesses doing events just for their own employees, you know, like maybe a big corporation doing one for a hundred employees versus a small business doing like an intimate retreat like you've done.
How do you see those? you know, growing the community within a business because I know I attended some, you know, during my corporate days and it really did help build the community and relationships and, um, I call it authenticity. So tell us about how you've seen it do that.
Cat: I think that's what I mean.
You hit it right there. It's when you bring people together in a physical space in person, especially if the corporation is most people are working remotely [00:15:00] or they're working at a bunch of different maybe offices, even when you're in the same building when I was in a hotel space. I mean, I worked in hotels.
I had up to 1500 employees and the The events that got put on for us to come together, we got to learn together. So we got to kind of work through some challenges, which helps you problem solve with one another and start to trust. It's building that trust with one another. Sometimes it was just fun team bondings and you just got to like Dive deep and have fun and enjoy the presence of the people you're working with.
That was different than working with them on a daily basis or even on the virtual calls. but I think you hit it with the right word. It's authenticity. It's like you get to show up and be yourself in person with people doing the mix of fun, doing the mix of maybe learning and education. Getting to just learn about the business and what's happening maybe in the company in the coming months and year, and kind of setting you up to also have the knowledge it's really, I always say for those larger companies that do those events, when you can get really intentional [00:16:00] with what the purpose is in that specific event, you really can impact the employees that are showing up in there, but you have to know like.
Every event can, can have a mix, but there's an ultimate why behind it. You'll have a little bit of fun, but like the ultimate why is an education this time around for this event. But then the next event might be a little bit of education, but it's more about fun and team building. So getting really clear on that, because then you know, you're actually impacting and making the true connection and building that trust amongst the employees.
Booth: Yeah, I love that. That is super, all about the community, which is going to take me to, you know where I'm going, I'm going to the pandemic. So
Cat: It's such an interesting time.
Booth: So the pandemic really did reshape a lot of things about the event space, and notably to me, it made us realize how important being together and community are.
So talk to us about the way you have seen events change and evolve over [00:17:00] the years and maybe even after the pandemic especially, and are you seeing new trends in the event space for businesses?
Cat: Um, I love this question because I think we're in a stage in this, in the event industry where we are seeing constant kind of.
evolution and trends that are happening and it's a lot quicker and I do say I think social media and all that has a huge part to it. Going back to kind of like pre COVID and like as that kind of hit, that time it was events were big, especially larger conferences were huge. Everyone loved going to them, very educational, um, mixed with obviously that personal development and how they could pour into you and then.
As everyone knows, COVID threw everything off. And for once, people flipped to the virtual space. And I even think up until about 2023, a lot of events pivoted up there because the event hosts themselves realized, Oh, I can save money by doing it [00:18:00] virtually. Like, if somebody doesn't show up, it's not a big deal.
My costs are down. And what happened is, We realized this lack of connection, true connection and community. Because for anyone else who's been on virtual calls or large meetings or events, half the people don't show up, they don't put their cameras on, they're not actually engaging and talking to one another, like you just lost this true lack of And last year, I think we started to see a lot more of this is the in person event grew immensely last year and a wide variety, anything from those small retreats that are eight to 10 people to those thousand to 5, 000 plus conferences.
And because people realize like they need to get in the rooms, they need it, whether they have to travel or they can do it locally near them, they craved it. the connection with people. And now going into 2025, what I'm realizing though is there is a trust that is starting that has kind of been, I don't want to say broken, but the [00:19:00] trust and really people needing to know, like, and trust you to now show up in the room.
Because I think people the last few years were just going and going and going and craving the connection that now everyone's stepped back and they're being Very intentional. Where is my money going? Where is my time going? Where is my energy going? And they're getting really specific on which events they're showing up for.
Um, and what's happening is people are making decisions last minute. So a lot of events hosts that I'm dealing with are talking about, I'm a month out from my event and nobody's really bought a ticket. And it's because the attendees, I mean, you're listening and you attend events, you know, you're Especially if it's locally or something where you know you can buy a ticket last minute of flight, then you're not buying the ticket till two, three weeks in advance.
You're making sure nothing else pops up on your schedule. And that's been so hard on the event host side, yet I think it's a trend we're going to see for this year where people are just getting really intentional with what's happening. I mean, I think the economy and everything is causing part of that to also be the case.
And [00:20:00] so what's happening is when you are hosting events or you are kind of assisting maybe somebody, even if it's within the company, it's getting, again, Really intentional, like what is the purpose of the event and communicating that to the, when you're marketing and to the potential attendees that are coming.
Um, I think smaller spaces are the other aspect of that, as people are looking for smaller groups of people. They don't want the big one, two, three thousand, because the connection's not the same as if they were in a room of a hundred.
Booth: Yeah, I like that. I personally like the smaller ones myself. I've been to some, some really big ones over the years, especially, um, I was in the automotive industry, so we would go to some really big national conventions.
I'm definitely more with the one or two hundred people in the room kind of space. I
Cat: agree with that.
Booth: Yeah, I'm much, I'm much more comfortable, you know, just walking up and talking to people in that, in that situation. Yeah. So events are obviously your passion and you're known for all these great events, but you have some other [00:21:00] things that you're also known for.
So what are those other things you do well?
Cat: Oh, goodness. This is a good question. so recently, something I did not know I was really good about is really taking people's calendars and schedules and things and really helping them get clear on their priorities and creating a schedule that aligns with them.
So kind of going back to like the fractional events, I dive into a lot of that. I've now transitioned this into a fun skill set and I love it because I just enjoy it is helping people really create the calendar and schedule that aligns with who they are in their life.
Booth: I love that one.
I'm a big planner and I'm always looking to help somebody if they ask me how they can make their schedule better, so. I
Cat: know, well, and that one just, it's just been fun because I sit and I ask questions and maybe that's what it is. Like, I've, recently people will come to me and I'm a really good listener and so then while I'm listening I can come up with those questions to dig a little deeper into what they're talking about.
Because [00:22:00] I, I think a lot of us get caught up in the high up here of what the feelings are and the emotions and we don't always like drop in ultimately the what's going on and so I try to ask those questions and listen because I think sometimes people also just need a listening ear and I'm always open to that.
to sitting and talking and listening to people. so there's another one that I think people know before, but yeah, I would say it's a lot of just, I love pouring into others and supporting other people. And I've also learned there's only so much I can give. So for myself, it's finding where do I thrive and what also gives me energy.
and I love those equal energy exchanges where I can pour into someone and they can also pour into me at the same time.
Booth: I love that. Well, speaking of that, I was getting ready to ask you about in person networking. So we're kind of keeping that, that flow. So you obviously are a big proponent of in person networking and you say it was a game changer for your business and we've heard about events and stuff you've been to.[00:23:00]
So give us some tips that others may be able to use for using in person networking to help grow their business and just themselves, you know, professionally and personally.
Cat: Yeah, um, so I'll give you like two to three things to kind of take away for anyone.
And the first one I will say is when you go to a networking event, or just any event really in general, is have an intention. And I've already talked about this a few times, but go in with something that's very specific. I have done it where it's like, I'm going to connect with five to ten people, you know, five people or ten people.
Um, I'm gonna set up this many coffee chats or whatever. I also went finally in September for an event because I had attended so many and I was like, I just want to be present. Like my intention is just to be present. And it's amazing what happens when you just also get present in the room. Um, the second thing I'll say for any type of event networking event is be curious and open minded.
I think sometimes, especially if you have that specific intention, you'll kind of block off and put [00:24:00] blinders on, like this is my intention or like this is the reason I'm here. But be curious and network and connect with other people. Even if they're not your ideal client or somebody that might ultimately truly benefit your business, you never know like the connections they have that could benefit you and your business down the road.
And it might not be something you see in two weeks. It might be six months to a year. I went to an event last February in 2024, and I'm just now having people come back and start commenting again and wanting to catch up with me because they had people they want to connect me with. So, understand, like, it's a long game in those relationships.
Um, and you never know what are the collaboration opportunities. Like, can you go podcast with somebody else? Can you go support them at one of their events? And like, they'll come support you at one of your, like, events. Um, is it something where you just go and you need somebody to hold you accountable?
And like, maybe that's what they end up doing is being your accountability partner. Um, just being curious and open minded ultimately. Um, along with having [00:25:00] that intention still going into the event. I think if you have those two things, you're good. And then the last thing I will say is, Because I did not do this for the longest time.
We get bombarded a lot of times you'll connect and you'll pass business cards off or you'll exchange Instagram handles and you'll go follow and then you'll forget like why or what was the conversation? What was the connection? I always say grab like anything. A note section on your phone or have a pin with you that you can write on the business cards and like have one to two words that you write down after that connection to make sure you don't forget like what did you discuss that way you know when you follow up or you connect with them again later on you have kind of that word or two to like spark the memory and connection.
Booth: Yeah, I like that idea a lot. And one thing that we recently did was we put our pictures on our business cards. When someone goes back, like, you know, the face will make you kind of recall the conversation maybe a little more. So that was one thing we did. And I love the way you talk about. [00:26:00] Thinking about the long term because a lot of people approach, um, like a networking event as what can I get out of it right now, but it really could be the people you're meeting that are going to do great things for your business.
Three, six. months, maybe even a year down the road and building those connections. So you have them. So I really liked that part. I think, I think a lot of people lose, um, focus on that because it's all about the right now. So many times
Cat: you have a need and you have like a struggle and you're like, I need help with this right now, but you never know what's going to happen six months from now.
Exactly,
Booth: exactly. So you have a lot going on in addition to your events. So I mentioned you have a podcast. and your community, and you have the one on one clients with the fractional COO. How do you approach keeping all of that cohesive while not letting yourself get overwhelmed and burn out?
Cat: It's very hard to say the least, [00:27:00] and
I've gotten, like, holding myself accountable to my boundaries, and it's the hardest thing that I did not do in corporate. I did not do the first six months going into entrepreneurship, and I actually took a step back for three months and cut down my schedule to where, like, I only had two, three meetings a day.
And I got really intentional and it helped me to kind of figure out where do I thrive? What times of the day do I thrive? Um, how do I work flow? Um, as a woman with my cycle, kind of understanding where is my creativity falling in? Where am I more tired? And as I started incorporating all those things, um, one, I use a project management system because I'm a planner and I'm someone who also loves
check boxes. I don't know if you're that booth or anybody else, but that is me. And if I
Booth: keep something that wasn't on the list, I add it so I can check it.
Cat: Yes. So I love it because I get to click through and honest, I use a sauna and it has like this rainbow or something that goes across every time you check it off as well.
So it's just more [00:28:00] like good stuff. Um, I started including that though, for me, a way for me to really go in and keep track. Um, keep myself to deadlines. And I still have my calendar and my planner. Um, the other thing is I do a weekly check in. So Sunday afternoons and evenings, I dedicate anywhere from an hour to two hours, just depending on how much time I have.
And people look at me and they're like, it's Sunday. It's your day off. I'm like, yes, but this sets up my week so well. And I look at my calendar and I look at my morning routine. I've blocked off of my calendar, my morning routine and my evening routine. So I knew that. But I'll go in and make tweaks and I'll add in my workouts and I'll add in like a 15 minute walk in between meetings, because if I don't have it on there, I probably will forget or won't do it.
And so it's just those little reminders and setting myself up for the week for success. Um, it's also the time I'll sit during and make intentions, or maybe one or two like goals of like, if I accomplish these two things, I know my week was productive and successful. Um, the little things that I've just learned about myself in all the.[00:29:00]
and craziness that happens in our businesses and life. It's like, what are the things that are going to help me show up? Um, and knowing that if I don't accomplish everything, it's okay. But, like I know I got these two things done during the week, or I got this thing done on Monday. And I know that's what I needed to get done.
And I, was productive. Um, I think as high achievers and those constant busy bees, it's hard for us sometimes. We don't stop and celebrate or stop and be like, this was a good day. We're like, oh, I didn't get all this stuff done. So how can I flip my mindset and focus on like, what did I get done and accomplish?
That's moving the needle. yeah. So there's like the two big things that really helped me.
Booth: I like that. And I, I operate very similarly. And when I'm doing that with my calendar, you know, blocking out the morning routine and those things you need to do every day. When I'm putting all the things on the calendar, I'm making sure there's space for them because I think a lot of us are guilty of putting too many things on the task list.
And when they don't get done, we feel like we have failed, [00:30:00] but we've put more on there than is, physically possible. And so we kind of set ourselves up for failure. Um, so I love that thought process of, giving everything, it's a little time to get done so that you can have a successful week. And then along those lines, you know, it's your mental space.
You're keeping your mental space strong and we need to invest in ourselves for that mental space. But sometimes investing in yourself. can be scary because maybe you do something that's outside of your comfort zone, kind of pushing yourself to grow personally. So what are some ways you have invested in yourself to help your mental space and your personal growth and learning new things and stepping out of that comfort zone a little bit?
Cat: Yeah, um, so I'll go back about a year and a half when I made my first initial investment and that's probably the scariest one because I was still in the corporate space. I knew the business was an idea. And I also knew I had a lot of crap to work through [00:31:00] internally. Um, so I hired on, she was a mix of like a business slash life coach.
Um, and that was a, a big investment that I had quite a few people questioning me at the time too. Saying, why are you spending that money? Why are you bringing somebody in? But it was a mix of accountability that I knew this person was going to hold me accountable to what I was doing, and I needed somebody looking at what I was doing on the outside to give me some guidance and mentorship to really guide me to where I was going next.
And I did that for six months, and I look back now, And even though I spent that amount of money that I did, I don't regret it because I would not be where I am today without having made that investment. Cause it also made me show up. It was, it was like, I knew that money was being spent. So I had to show up to do it since then.
I've been a part of like some small masterminds and stuff, but probably the next biggest investment has been in myself. And it's been showing up to a sauna and cold plunge like once a month and showing up to the gym and actually getting a gym membership. So I will actually [00:32:00] show up and go do it. Um, I don't do personal trainers.
I do you like free YouTube videos just for anyone listening. Um, so for me investing in this, the gym membership itself is enough. Um, It also has been being able to take my time and even a little bit of my money and pouring it into volunteer opportunities and being able to participate in those things.
That has been filling my cup up so much more that I didn't realize I was missing because in the corporate space it was part of the culture and just kind of we had something going on every week or every month and I was always a part of it. When you're no longer in a space that constantly has those planned out, I had kind of not really been there.
Done anything volunteer wise, and I forgot how much that fills my cup up again. It can just be my time. And sometimes it's my money. Um, and realizing that that was really. Benefiting me and those investments in myself, especially to my internal wellness and wellbeing is what has helped me, I think [00:33:00] even more so the last three to four months as I've gotten this traction and the new, new leg to my business that I didn't have before, because I'm still showing up and taking care of me because again, there's that little bit of financial investment to showing up to that sauna and cold plunge.
There's that little bit of financial investment to getting to the gym. Like I I'm still having. To hold myself accountable, but the financial side pushes me. And I think that's what I would recommend for others as well as, is it money? Is it an accountability partner? Like, finding the person that's going to help you actually show up is ultimately what I've done over the last year and a half.
Booth: That is great. You had to show up for yourself. And it's true, when you put a little, even if it's a small cost, you put a little skin in the game, so to speak, in it. Accountable. So I like that thought process. So once you've done all that, now it's time to choose which opportunities are right for you. So how do you go about when opportunities present themselves, knowing which ones [00:34:00] fit your why and are aligned with where you're going?
So
Cat: I'm gonna go a little woo woo here for a second because it's really helped me, um, this last year. So anyone who knows human design, I'm an emotional generator. And what that means is, one, I'm a generator, so I have a Endless amounts of energy to show up for things I'm passionate for. Hence why I can just keep going constantly and have to force myself to slow down.
On the emotional side, it means I, my emotions drive a lot of how I feel, especially in the moment. So what I've learned about myself is when I have an opportunity. An offer from like a potential client comes in and they said like, yes. Or like, Hey, I want to work with you. Can we talk and chat when it gets to the ultimate decision making process?
I have to give myself anywhere from 24 to 72 hours because the original emotions that come up for me, which usually is excitement and like, Oh my gosh, I see the potential. When those die down, I can actually listen to my gut and then sit back and actually assess, is this right for my [00:35:00] business? And is this right for me?
And when I can do that, that's when I can make the decision and be like, yes or no. Um, the other thing for me is, if it's a hell yes, yeah, then I know that that is it. But if I have any hesitations, then it's probably a no right now because I'm having to get so intentional with my time and my energy and my money that if it's not a hell yes, then I'm like. Not right now, at least.
Booth: I love that. And what's so, what's so funny that you brought up that you're high energy is because I, I literally have a question I wanted to ask you about your high energy personality.
So I'm going to roll right into that because you segued it perfectly for me.
Cat: Perfect.
Booth: How does that high energy Kind of influence. I know you just said like you sit on things and you let your gut tell you and that kind of stuff because of the emotion, but how do you use that high energy for good with your business?
And how can others kind of channel their energy for the most good?
Cat: [00:36:00] So, for me, it's so hard because my energy can be so much. Um, I've had to really start to learn to read who I'm interacting with. But I still bring that energy. Uh, and without knowing it a lot of times, too. So it's, so it's funny for me to like hear you have pulled that out from the conversation having a question.
Is this high energy I have? Um, because it's so natural. It's not, I don't force it. And if I'm not high energy, then you know something's off. I'm internally have not been taking care of myself. I'm overstressed. I'm overwhelmed. Um, something feels off potentially. Uh, and in those situations, I know I have to take a step back and kind of assess, like, what environment am I in?
Have I been taking care of myself? Um, what's going on? Usually most times it's, I just need a day off. If I take my day off for myself, I'll be okay. Um, but I really use that because a huge part of my business, whether it's the fractional COO or the event side, is I'm trying to really [00:37:00] motivate them and build their confidence as a business owner, as an event host.
And I do have that little bit of optimism mixed with like realistic expectations. And so I use that to be like, you can like energize them, get them excited and understand the possibilities. While I'm also going to tell you with that same energy, This is also what might happen. And I think for others, it's, you need to understand where also your energy thrives.
I thrive on one on one conversations, small groups, small events. Um, I thrive when I've taken care of myself, the next day I show up completely different or that next like afternoon, if I've done something for myself in the morning, I show up with more energy. And I would just start to become aware for you.
Where in your business do you show up with more energy? It's probably going to be your zone of genius and like where you thrive and where you love, whether that's a creative mind, a strategic mind, either way. Um, but just become aware and you could even journal. So I actually learned this from somebody [00:38:00] else.
And I'll recommend it for those of you listening. There's three questions at the end of your day I would ask yourself. And one would be is where, what drained your energy? So what during the day just felt like it was just pulling energy out of you? Um, for me, it's usually social media, to be completely honest, I've learned.
The second one is what gave you energy? So what throughout your day filled that energy back up and like you left the meeting or you left a conversation excited. And then the last one is what did you learn? That day too. and that could be something about yourself. It could be in your business, um, and do it for 30 days and then go back and just track.
Cause you'll start to see the trends. And honestly, at this point I recommend chat GPT, like copy and paste it up into 30 days and ask it to wrap, like go through and say, what was constantly draining my energy? What was constantly giving me energy? And that's going to show you how to start showing up in your business and in your life even with more energy.
Booth: I love that because a lot of times we feel like we're [00:39:00] just expected to do certain things and we go through the motions, but in the end, a lot of those things are what are draining our energy and we channel the good energy in a better way that will be more productive. And that's when all the good things start happening.
So that little, those little three questions to ask yourself.
Cat: They're the best questions. I do them every January now, in The last two years, um, and I would recommend doing them probably more often. I just, January has been like my new thing that for 30, 31 days I do it. Um, the other thing I will also say is you might not be able to do anything about it right now.
So like sometimes, like for me, social media is a drainer. I don't have right now the ability to hire somebody and delegate that task. But then the awareness for me is I'm starting to look for people. And I know when I hit a certain revenue goal, I know now I can hire someone. And that's my first thing I'm hiring off.
I could get an assistant to help me with emails. I could get somebody to help me editing my podcast, but I know my biggest energy drainer is social media right now. So it just gives you that awareness piece for when [00:40:00] you're ready and you can delegate or you can no longer have to do it, you know.
Booth: Yeah, that's that's a great way to look at the hiring piece, because it's not just getting tasks off your desk, it's creating time for you to do what you're best at and getting off the task that someone else could do for you in a better way.
So,
Cat: yes,
Booth: great, great, great. All right. I got one more question for you. Okay. Okay. Personal growth is a hot topic these days. Why do you want to call it trendy? But it's a hot topic. So how can people continue to grow when they're going through either like a hard time or a stressful time or big change? Like you've obviously been through big change in the last year, but how do you keep focusing on personal growth during times like that?
Cat: So I'm going to first start off with this little saying that I have to constantly remind myself. Um, When you're grieving, you are growing. When you are going through a challenge, you are still [00:41:00] growing. When there's an issue or a struggle, you are still growing. And it's okay to feel mixed emotions. And I think I kind of mentioned this at the very beginning of the podcast, what happened in August and.
During that time, I had something said to me, as I mentioned earlier, I lost my grandfather four days later and I was questioning my business. I mean, there was a lot that came up on top of the identity and like my, I didn't know who I was really anymore. And in the midst of that, I was still excited for some things that were happening and I had like events coming up I was attending.
I had one one on one client who I still loved and enjoyed showing up for. I loved hike, I love hiking and so I was hiking and walking on the daily and it didn't mean that I didn't still I still wasn't grieving and it didn't mean that I still was not stressed and overwhelmed internally, but we can feel the mixed emotions.
And I think for me, that was the big aha I had is I can be [00:42:00] sad. I can be upset. I can be frustrated. I can be going through these things. And yet I can still be happy at the same time and excited and passionate. Um, and it's the hardest thing. And yet, It's also like the most liberating thing to know that you can, you're, you're allowed, like, it's the permission that you can feel all of those things and keep pouring into yourself and keep taking care of you and keep learning and growing, even if the hard stuff is happening.
Um, because I think what happens is we slip into that kind of negative mindset or we drop into the, well, this is what I'm dealing with. And this is just, this is where my sole focus goes, but no, like, yes, focus and have that as a thing that you're working through and also what can you be grateful for and excited for and continue improving upon.
I'll kind of leave it there because there's just so much I could type into with that.
Booth: No, that's so good. It's so good. This has been so great. Like I learned so much about events because we obviously do some [00:43:00] events on our own. So I have some great takeaways for that, but I always love to hear, um, people's personal stories and, you know, struggles.
I love vulnerability. I think it helps us all to hear people's stories, how we can learn from them and grow from them and, and following your passion and doing, putting yourself where you feel is the right fit. So. This has been just absolutely fantastic. I am going to link your website, and even though social media stresses you out, your social media information.
Still connect
Cat: with me, still connect with me. I love the DMs, I love the DMs. Yes,
Booth: for real, for real. But I just want to thank you so much for your time today. This has been fantastic.
Cat: Yes, thank you so much, Booth. I appreciate this. [00:44:00]