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As a part of the Morning Lazziness sequence about empowering girls who encourage and do unbelievable issues with their concepts in society, I had the pleasure of interviewing Cat Dunn.
Cat Dunn is an award-winning On-line Enterprise Supervisor (OBM), Mentor, Speaker, and the founding father of the speaker’s occasion and podcast, Life After I Left.
With a background in company administration, advertising, and communications, Cat transitioned from Digital Assistant to OBM, specialising in streamlining programs and offering strategic steerage for visionary coaches and creatives. She mentors aspiring OBMs via her vibrant neighborhood, the OBM Motley Crew, serving to them confidently degree up their expertise and affect.
Cat is a home violence advocate and sought-after speaker, empowering girls via her uncooked honesty, resilience, and transformative storytelling. Utilizing her podcast, Life After I Left, her mission is to assist girls reclaim their energy, amplify their voices, and construct companies and lives they love.
What impressed you to grow to be an entrepreneur, and what sparked the thought to your present enterprise enterprise?
After over a decade in company, I hit a breaking level. I craved extra goal, affect, and freedom. I began a enterprise as a Digital Assistant, which gave me the flexibleness I craved, however changing into an On-line Enterprise Supervisor led me to my affect and goal – technique, management, and streamlining programs.
What downside does your online business remedy, and the way is it uniquely positioned out there?
Most visionary coaches and creatives hit a ceiling after they attempt to scale. They don’t have any programs, zero spare time, and no strategic help. That’s the place I are available in. I supply extra than simply implementation. I carry readability, construction, and a love of automations. I’m not one other pair of fingers; I’m their companion in time that helps their enterprise development with out the chaos.
What had been the largest challenges you confronted when beginning your online business, and the way did you overcome them?
My greatest problem was rebuilding every thing from scratch after leaving an abusive relationship. My enterprise collapsed, I used to be homeless, I misplaced buddies, and I misplaced my identification. I overcame it by specializing in what I might management—my story, my expertise, and my voice. I confirmed up when it was exhausting, and I constructed one thing that now helps different girls to rise.
How do you keep motivated throughout robust instances or unsure durations in your online business journey?
I remind myself why I began. I take into consideration all the ladies I’ve helped and all the ladies on the market who want my assist. I’m additionally targeted on construction. Techniques hold my enterprise transferring when my motivation is low. And, actually, I’ve been via traumatic issues in my private life, so enterprise wobbles don’t scare me anymore.
What each day habits or routines contribute most to your productiveness and success as a founder?
No cellphone for the primary hour after waking. A meditation, journalling, and a stroll to clear the noise from my head. Then it’s a great breakfast and a espresso earlier than logging on and checking my priorities for the day. My goal is to not chase busy, however to chase affect.
What’s been the best manner so that you can purchase new clients and develop your consumer base?
Relationships. Nearly each consumer I’ve had got here from having conversations, becoming a member of communities, attending occasions, and taking talking gigs. Phrase of mouth reigns supreme because it rapidly builds that important know/like/belief issue.
How do you measure success—personally and professionally—in your online business?
Professionally, it’s about consumer transformation. A few of my finest enterprise outcomes have been being fired by purchasers as a result of their enterprise backend has been arrange so effectively, they will handle with out me. Personally, success is having time for myself, being surrounded by folks I belief, and by no means needing to ask permission to take a time off.
What advertising or branding technique has had essentially the most affect on your online business development?
Proudly owning my voice. My model is horror meets rock-and-roll (I usually say it’s like Beetlejuice exploded). I lower via the ocean of beige color palettes and inventory photographs. Once I dropped the “skilled masks” and received actual, my viewers grew, and so did my consumer checklist.
Are you able to share a mistake that taught you an necessary lesson in entrepreneurship?
Early on, I stated sure to each consumer, even those with enormous pink flags. It price me peace, time, cash, and power. Now, I hearken to my instinct when I’ve discovery calls and conversations. Fallacious suits can sluggish your complete enterprise down, and I’ve received an empire to construct.
What recommendation would you give to somebody simply beginning out as a first-time entrepreneur?
Get clear in your boundaries from day one. Don’t attempt to be every thing to everybody. You’re not Amazon; you don’t want to supply it all to succeed.
How do you steadiness innovation and threat whereas making enterprise choices?
I exploit my D.E.A.D. framework: Delete, Consider, Automate, Delegate, and likewise assessment all attainable choices, mitigate dangers utilizing programs and processes, and take a look at totally. I additionally do not forget that as a lot as knowledge issues, so does your intestine intuition.
How do you construct and keep a powerful group tradition or work surroundings (if relevant)?
We function with transparency, belief, and autonomy. Everybody owns their zone of genius. I don’t micromanage, I lead. And I herald contractors that can assist me to construct out the longer term Cat Dunn OBM, not the place I’m now.
What are the highest 5 belongings you imagine each entrepreneur wants to beat self-doubt and construct confidence?
- Proof: Monitor your wins so you’ll be able to replicate on how a lot you’ve achieved in your exhausting days
- Boundaries: Shield your power in any respect prices
- Mentors: Work with somebody who’s at the very least a step forward and might help you to understand your potential
- Techniques and processes: Automate common duties to save lots of your mind power for scaling and technique
- Motion: Simply begin. Confidence will comply with
For those who could lead on or encourage a world motion to make an affect, what would it not be and why?
I’m already on my approach to constructing a world motion with Life After I Left. It’s a neighborhood with dwell speaker occasions and a podcast the place girls get to share their tales of how they’ve triumphed over trauma and constructed the life and enterprise of their desires. I desire a world the place all girls are seen, heard, and validated.
What’s a quote, motto, or philosophy that you simply dwell by as a enterprise chief?
“It is best to solely do the factor that solely you can do.”
How can our readers or listeners join with you and comply with your journey on-line?
You will discover me on the website or on all socials beneath @catlouisedunn. You may also take a look at the podcast on Instagram beneath @lifeafterileftpodcast
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