Kathi
Hey, my friend, what is up? And welcome back to another episode of Do Life Big. I am so excited to have you here today, because we have special guest Caitlin with us on the show today, and I am so excited for all the wisdom that she is going to drop for you today. So, say thanks so much for being here Caitlin.
Caitlin
Yeah, thank you so much for having me. Kathi, I always love talking about anything business related, anything mindset related. So when you reached out to me on Instagram, it was a heck yes. Didn't even have to think about it to be here to share my story with your audience.
Kathi
Oh, my God, I'm so excited. I love it, all right. So why don't we start off with you just kind of sharing a little bit about what you do and who you help?
Caitlin
Sure! Absolutely. So, my name is Caitlin Mitchell. I'm the CEO and co-founder of a company called EB academics. And EB stands for “Evidence Based”. That's because all of our materials require students to utilize evidence to support their reasoning, and then also all of our practices, for the materials that we create are evidence based, research-based practices, those types of things. So it's actually a funny story. When my business partner and I sat down to come up with a name for the company back in 2014 we were throwing all these silly things around, and my friend's dad owns a company called id Tech camps. And for whatever reason, that was like, top of mind at that time in my life. And I was like, you know, Pete has this company, and it's called ID Tech. I don't even know what “ID” stands for. I was like, why don't we come up with something similar? And that's where EB academics was born from, and it actually has worked beautifully as a name for the company over the years. So we serve Middle School English teachers, we provide professional development, curriculum opportunities, things like that, through our membership and our programs.
Kathi
Oh, wow, that's so awesome. So, since 2014?
Caitlin
Yes, yeah. So, we started out as a different and I can walk your audience through this, but there have been many iterations of the company over the years. We actually started out as a summer reading and writing camp company.
Kathi
Wow, oh my gosh, that's so cool. Yes, yeah, I love it. So Did you always know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur, or was this never on the radar?
Caitlin
Being exposed to so many different types of entrepreneurs over the years, there's always something like at the surf or at the like, foundational level that everyone kind of has in common. And for me, it's like we're always boundary pushers. We're always question askers. We were always that student in class who was raising her hand being like, can you explain? Can you explain this? Or I don't understand that, or what about this perspective? And I think it always existed in me, like I'm just inherently like that, but it was not on the radar at all. And in fact, I went to college. I was a communications major, I was going to be a pharmaceutical sales rep. And then my senior year of college, I was in this course. I don't even know what it was called, but it was like, kind of like, find your purpose course.
Kathi
I love it.
Caitlin
I know, right. So everybody should take that course in college.
Kathi
They should.
Caitlin
And I woke up one morning and it like hit me like a ton of bricks in the face. And it was like, for me, it was a message from God, source universe that it was like, you are supposed to be a teacher, and it's like two weeks before graduation, and I was like, are we allowed to swear on this episode?
Kathi
Oh my gosh, I dropped the other arms all the time. Yes, we're away, girl.
Caitlin
I'm like, Are you serious? And so the next day, I sent out my resume to all because I don't have a teaching degree. I do now, but at that time, I didn't have a teaching degree. Never taken a teaching course in my life. But I come from a line of educators. My parents were teachers, grandparents were teachers, aunts and uncles were teachers. And so always I was like, I am not going to be a teacher. I'm not going down that path. I'm doing something different. And long and behold, the universe is like, no, you're going to be a teacher.
Kathi
Oh, my God, that's so funny. I was a teacher too. The same exact thing. I didn't like have that epiphany, like, as I was about to graduate, but I came from my brother was a superintendent, my mom was a teacher, my aunt was a teacher. Everyone was a teacher. My sister was a pharmaceutical sales rep. So it was funny that you said that, yeah, I was like, I'm going to be a teacher.
Caitlin
I love it. How interesting is that? And I honestly feel like so many skills of being a teacher have served me so well being an entrepreneur, that I'm just so thankful for. So for me, it's like even though I didn't know, I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, and I'll share more of the story of how I even came into this world, but it was like It all happened exactly as it was supposed to set me up for success where I am now. So I think of like, all of the things that are happening now in the business, it's like, okay, this is building the foundation for the next stage that's to come for the company and for me as the leader. You know.
Kathi
Yeah, oh my gosh. That's so true. It's I know when you say that how everything always happens exactly the way it's meant to, even when you think, like, What the hell is going on?
Caitlin
Yes.
Kathi
Then you can look back in hindsight and be like, all right, now it makes sense. Now I get it.
Caitlin
Yeah.
Kathi
So you went on to become, then a teacher when you graduated, how long did you do that for?
Caitlin
Yes, so I was high school English teacher for three and a half years. I quit in the middle of the school year and was like, I'm gonna make money. I'm gonna go into corporate America. And I worked for, I Heart Radio. I sold radio advertising for a year, and it was awful, and I hated it, and my life lacked purpose. I was like, I don't care if you buy a radio, I was the worst sales person for them ever. Like, I feel bad that they wasted their money on me for an entire year. And then I went back to the classroom, and I was a middle school English teacher for like, six years. After that, I think I was in the classroom for a total of 10 years, but that's when I met my business partner, and that's kind of where ED started. Was when I went back to the classroom. Jessica, my co-founder, we taught across the hallway from each other, and there was one year where we were like, you know what? We should run a summer reading and writing camp for our students so that we can make extra money in the summer. And it was just like, this totally organic thing that happened. We filled our camp. We each made like $6,000 in the summer, which for us, was so much money, right?
Kathi
I know that's amazing.
Caitlin
Yes, my salary was like $40,000 a year at that time. So like six in a month. I was like, oh my god, this is incredible, yes. And so, this is like, the beauty of, like, synchronicity, right? And just it all happens exactly as it's supposed to. So we're running this camp, and we're looking at each other one day, and we're like, we should try to help other teachers do the same exact thing, like the fact that we made money. Our students are learning. Parents are happy, the schools happy. It's great. PR, for the school. And wouldn't you know my dad happens to be the president of US sports Nike camps. So all of the summer athletic camps for kids from Nike are run. My dad's the president of this company, and so I call them, right? And so, I call my dad, and I'm like, hey, can you help us figure out how to do what you guys do? But for middle school English teachers, and that's where the business was born from. Was from that. And so, we ran summer camps for like, two summers. We didn't have very many locations. There was a ton of bureaucratic red tape, but like, that was the idea that birthed EB, which has transpired into what we are now. Oh, my God, I love that. That is incredible. Yes, see how it all works out. It's unbelievable. Totally. So if you're in the shit right now, like, just know it all works out in the end, you just keep going.
Kathi
You just keep going. Don't stop whatever you do.
Caitlin
Yes, yeah.
Kathi
Only way you fail. So you were doing both things teaching, and then you were running these over the summers, and then you did that for two years. And like, what finally made you decide to, like, all right, like, I'm gonna go all in with entrepreneurship now.
Caitlin
Yes, yeah. So it was, it was a calculated decision. So, like, I'm a risk taker in a big way, and also, I'm a risk taker through the lens of, like, I trust that if I'm kind of told to do something, and I don't, you guys are relatively woo over here, right on this podcast.
Kathi
Yeah, oh yeah. I got the, I got my crystal that I just pull up.
Caitlin
Beautiful, I love it. So we can totally go there.
Kathi
We can go there. I love it.
Caitlin
We can go there. And so, like, I would get these, like nudges from like the universe, and like, I kind of hear things, and I listen, and I just follow my intuition, and I just listen to that instinct. And if I take a risk that I don't maybe have, like an intuitive hit around, or like a feeling around, I'll still take the risk. If I really believe in my heart like that, it's the best thing for the company. So I'll kind of walk you through some of the numbers, because that would be all maybe fun for your audience to hear. So in 2014 when we founded the company, we did $6,000 that entire year. And that's when we ran our camp together. Then in 2015 we had some other teachers at other locations, run camps, and we got a percentage of their, you know, in revenue, and we made $6,000 again. And then in 2016 there's this website called Teachers Pay Teachers, which I don't know.
Kathi
I feel like I've heard that before.
Caitlin
So, Teachers Pay Teachers is like an open marketplace for teaching resources. It's kind of like an Etsy for teaching resources, and they have millions of resources, tons of sellers and buyers and all of that stuff. So we opened up a TPT store. We're like, oh, we can sell our curriculum on this site. And we made $13,000 in 2016.
Kathi
That's good.
Caitlin
Yeah. So we're like, we're increasing, right? And then in 2017 and I'm still teaching out at this time throughout all of this, and so is my business partner. And in 2017 the business made $40,000 and so like, for us, that was wild, like a big jumper, yeah. And the numbers, you know, are so interesting as they change and the business changes, it's like, at that time, it was just Jessica and me, you know. So, yes, we had some expenses, but we got we made a lot of extra money, you know, compared to our extra money, that was your whole year of your teaching salary, usually, yes. So it was a big deal, right? And then as the business started to shift and change, and I'll share some of those, like, big moments with your audience, of what led to kind of exponential growth for us. Is it? It now has nothing to do with how much money I'm personally making, like, at least, this is how I run my business. I know for a lot of entrepreneurs, it is like that, but for me, like, we're a company, and the company comes first, and so when I share these numbers. It's like, oh my gosh, that's so much money. But it's not like, I'm just making, which would be fine, right? There's no judgment on that. I'm putting a lot of this money back into the business for future growth. So I'm not thinking short term with the company. I'm thinking, Okay, how much money could I not make? Right? Like, how much can I hold back for myself and sacrifice personally to help grow this company even more?
Kathi
Yeah, and so smart.
Caitlin
If your audience hasn't read Shoe Dog, and if you haven't read Shoe Dog by Phil Knight.
Kathi
I haven't, I've never even heard of it.
Caitlin
Oh my god, it's so it's about the founding of Nike. It's like Phil's he's the founder of Nike. It's about the his memoir of the experience of Nike, and for decades, like, he put all of the revenue back into the company all over and over and over because he just believed so much and saw how necessary it was for growth. And so I'm not saying like, you want to spend all of your revenue on, you know, whatever, but I'm just saying like, it is an interesting perspective to have. Like, what is your purpose or your intention with your company, right? And like, my purpose intention with my business is to be in every single school in the United States.
Kathi
That is incredible.
Caitlin
Thank you. It's exciting. And super possible. 100% I totally believe that, but I can't do that if I'm not willing to reinvest in my company. If that makes sense.
Kathi
Yeah, it does, I know. And I've always, I've always heard that, like, you should try to keep no matter how much you make, you should try to keep your living situation as is for as long as possible.
Caitlin
Yes, and that's what I've done. You know, I've never wanted my personal finances to impact any sort of business decision. Like, I didn't want to squander the growth of the business because I made a bad personal financial choice, right, right? And so, like, right now I'm going through a divorce, and that could have had a massive impact on the company, because of what could have unfolded with that? Thankfully, it has been a very peaceful and amicable process, and it's worked out. But I can see where those types of like big life events, if you don't plan to protect your company, and you don't plan financially smart for yourself, it can have an impact on like, your purpose, your mission, why your business even exists, all of that stuff. So again, it depends on what your goals are, like what you're here to do. But for me, I'm here to do something really big, and so I can't have my personal finances impacting the business at all.
Kathi
No, definitely not so true.
Caitlin
Yeah. So that was 2017 I got sidetracked. Sorry.
Kathi
No, it's okay. This is perfect. I love it. I am loving the whole story and the I love hearing the journey.
Caitlin
Yes, well, because everybody's journey is different, and I think sometimes, if you're you know, if you're listening to this, you might see pockets of yourself in my story that'll give you motivation and inspiration. Of like, oh, yeah, I can keep going, right? Like, that's four years in business that took us to get to $40,000. Right? And some people are like, expect it to happen overnight, and it's not gonna happen. It might anything is possible, but like, we can't go in with these expectations that I'm gonna just leave the first year that my company is in business, right? And throughout all this, I still haven't left in the classroom yet, right? We've been in business for four years. I'm still in the classroom. I still have a, you know, stable financial position, you know, all of that stuff. So just things to think about. Like, again, I'm a risk taker, but I'm a calculated risk taker, you know.
Kathi
And did you have a child at this point or...?
Caitlin
No, no. So, my son was born that year. He was born in 2017 Yeah. So then in 2018 we there was a shift in the business. So in 2018 we went from 40,000 to 75,000 and that was when we built our first like program to sell. So up until this point, we'd just been selling one off resources, and then I was driving to a friend's wedding in Monterey in 2018 it was like September of 2018 and I'm listening to an Amy Porterfield podcast, and I'd been listening to her for years at this point, but this one particular podcast was about creating a course on teaching teachers how to teach math. And I'm like, well, that's what we fucking do. I'm like, we teach teachers how to teach writing. I'm like, that's our thing. So I called Jessica, my business partner, and I'm like, we have to build a writing program right now, and we have to sell this. And so I bought webinars that convert, courses that convert this is like pre digital course Academy. This is like OG Amy back in the day, right? And we sold our writing program. So I built this course. I worked my ass off. My son had just been born like it was crazy. What I like you think about you go back into like, when you were in the trenches of, like, birth, of your company.
Kathi
Oh, my God.
Caitlin
You can make happen when you believe in your idea. You know.
Kathi
That's what it is. I know when you have that full belief, it doesn't matter how busy you are, what you have going on, it you make it happen.
Caitlin
Totally like, there's no excuses. Like, it just doesn't even matter. Nothing matters, except for this vision that you have and just going after it whole hog. Like, you know, it's wild. It's amazing what we can accomplish. It is and so that year, with the course, we doubled, essentially our revenue. Well, then in 2019 we added a membership as well, and I launched our writing program that year, like four times. So it wasn't like, Oh, I'm just gonna have one big launch, or I'm just gonna rely on this one big thing. It was like, no, how many times can I launch to find out information type thing?
Kathi
Oh, I love that, yeah, just looking at it strictly as data.
Caitlin
Totally it was information gathering. It was like, Okay, what happens if I do this? What happens if I do that? So I went into each of those four launches with no expectations other than to learn.
Kathi
I love that. I feel like some we get so attached to the outcome of what's going to happen during the launch.
Caitlin
Absolutely, absolutely. And so then we miss what we're supposed to learn, right, because we're like, oh well, it didn't make what I wanted it to, or we didn't do. And it's like, well, no, what are all of the things that you did wrong that you get to learn from to try again?
Kathi
Oh, so good.
Caitlin
You know. Yeah. So that was one of the biggest lessons, I think, in 2019 was not getting attached to any sort of outcome, being willing to spend money on advertising. This is the first year that we spent money on Facebook advertising. Up until that point, it had been like social media, Instagram, organic stuff, whatever.
Kathi
Were you running the ads yourself? Or did you hire?
Caitlin
Yes, yeah. So I was running the ads myself, and I still run our ads. We've had ads managers over the years, but at this point, like, I just know what to do. I like being in charge of them. It's being that control. I hate to say that, yes, because control has been a huge thing that I've had to let go of as I've grown the business, and I also am still in charge of our Facebook ads. But yeah, so 2019 was the first time I was like, Okay, let's spend money on ads. Let's see what happens. And I remember telling my dad that I was going to spend like $10,000 on Facebook ads, which, at this point in the business is like a drop in the bucket of what we spend advertising, you know. But at that time, it was a pretty big risk, you know, the previous year, we'd only made $75,000 so to go into 2019 and be like, hey, I'm going to spend 10 on this one launch. And I remember my dad telling me, like, oh, are you sure you want to do that? And now, and I really look up to my dad as, like, my mentor. He's the president of this multi-million-dollar internet, you know, national company. And I was like, devastated that that was my dad's response, but I didn't let it stop me, you know, like I really believed in what I was doing. And for me, it was like, I'm willing to risk this $10,000 to help build this company. Like, let's see what happens. You know.
Kathi
You had that much belief in that vision.
Caitlin
Totally. And I think so many people and so many of your listeners are probably listening to this, hearing like, yeah, I have those people in my life right now who are like, what are you doing? Why are you spending this money? Why are you doing that? Whatever it might be so true and like, if you believe in what you're doing, like, you've just got to move forward, you know.
Kathi
And I think too, unfortunately, what happens is too. I think that when that does happen, it comes from people who are closest to you, who you would expect, would, you, know, give you that support? And then a lot of times, people just shut down when they hear it.
Caitlin
Yes, yeah, absolutely. And I think the thing too with that like so two-fold one, that's why it's so important to surround yourself with other entrepreneurs, because the entrepreneurial spirit is very different than someone who's like, happy to be a worker bee and clock in and clock out and have, you know, just a reliable, stable job, which we need those people right? Like, there's nothing wrong with that. We just have two totally different views of life, of risk, of what we want to do. So like, if you believe in what you're doing and it. Feels in alignment to, like, your life's purpose, and it's not like, gonna put your family in a dire financial position, but even still, like, if it does, you can like, I just, I don't know, like, I'm just so pulled by my mission and pulled by my vision, I'm willing to risk so much, because if I think about it, at the end of the day, if I lost everything, if I lost my home, if I lost my car, if I lost whatever, like, I'm still gonna be okay. Yeah, you're gonna be fine. You will figure it out again. Totally, yes. And I think when you get to that place of peace, of like, no matter what happens, I'm gonna be okay, exactly, it really allows you to take risks in a different capacity.
Kathi
Yeah, I agree 100%
Caitlin
Yeah, because you're not attached, you're not attached to anything, because it's all material stuff anyways, like, who gives a shit?
Kathi
Yeah, who cares about the freaking house in the car? I mean...
Caitlin
Totally, totally. I drive a truck, you know what? I mean, yeah, I run a multi-million-dollar business, and I drive a truck. Like, not out here I'm driving, not if you want to drive a Range Rover, totally fine. But, like, it doesn't matter. But I'm just saying, like, nothing matters when we die, we don't take any of this with us. When I sit on my death bed and I think about the impact that I've made, I'm not going to remember the house that I built. I'm going to remember the teachers who came to me and shared their story with me. You know what I mean?
Kathi
So important, I try to always remind myself of that, that at the end of the day, what really matters? Yeah, it's not the materialistic things, not at all. It's an impact you make while you're here.
Caitlin
100% there's this line in Phil Knight's book where he says, you measure yourself by the people who measure themselves by you.
Kathi
Oh, I love that.
Caitlin
Yeah, you measure yourself by the people who measure themselves by you.
Kathi
That is spot on.
Caitlin
Absolutely. And as an entrepreneur like that's what we get to do. We get to take our inherent, natural gift and change people's lives with it. What a blessing. Who else gets to do that? Like that is such a blessing.
Kathi
I know it's such a gift when you really step back and think about it.
Caitlin
yeah, so I want you to think about as you're listening and you're in the shit and you're in the throes of it, and you have people who are doubting you. It's like, well, what is your purpose? And like, how are you devoted to that purpose for your life, and allow that to, like, pull you forward in those times of difficulty this year even, I mean, I'm I've been in business for over 10 years now, and this year was a hell of a fucking year for us. It was a massive year of growth. I spent $600,000 building a website. It was a huge risk for the company. We self-funded it for a lot of various reasons. But it was like, when I was in my head about things, and I'm like, is this the right choice? Oh, my God, this is such a big risk. Certain like, how am I going to make payroll? Like, certain things that come up for me as a business owner, like, this is the weight that we carry as the CEOs, as the founders, yeah. And I just had to remind myself, like this is not about you. You are simply the steward of this vision, and it is your responsibility to hold this thing that you've created with care, with grace, with gratitude and with trust that this is what you're supposed to be doing. Yeah, and we're on the other side of it now, but, like, I look back and I'm like, oh, if I can do that, I'm like, I can do anything. I love it.
Kathi
This is so good. This is, like, the best podcast ever.
Caitlin
Oh, thank you. I hope that some of the things that I'm sharing land for people.
Kathi
Oh, that you definitely do. They're landing for me.
Caitlin
Oh, good. Oh, good. Thanks, Kathi. I appreciate that. So, 20 so we'll go back to 2019.
Kathi
Yeah, 2019. So 10k on ads.
Caitlin
Yes. So we spent $10,000 on ads. We launched four times. I learned a ton of stuff, but then I also learned about the power of a membership. So at this point, we'd just been launching our program. So it was one-time payment, and I realized in 2019…
Kathi
How much is your program?
Caitlin
It was at that time; I think it was 147?
Kathi
Okay.
Caitlin
Maybe 197. Right now, we don't even sell it by itself anymore, but the last time we sold it in 2023 it was 297 and it was one-time payment for our writing program. But I quickly realized, like this is going to be a never-ending cycle of launching and then having no money come in and launching and having no money come in.
Kathi
Yeah, I hate that.
Caitlin
Stressful, right? I'm like, this is not a sustainable business model. I'm like, this does not work in the long run for what I want to do. And that's when the universe dropped Stu McLaren in front of me, right? Like, I swear to God, it all just happens exactly as it's supposed to.
Kathi
It really does. So you're talking about memberships too, because I am at this place right now too, where I'm like, I cannot do this anymore, like I need to. I need a membership.
Caitlin
Yes, well, I'm going to convince you right now.
Kathi
Yes. I can't wait to hear it.
Caitlin
Here it comes. So, Stu McLaren, if you're not familiar with him. Is he founded tribe, which is now called the membership experience, and he is like the membership guy. And I've been in his mastermind for years, and he was prop like, plopped into my world, I think through James Wedmore, probably in, like April of 2019, and he's talking about the power of recurring revenue through a membership like you can you just have this reliable income stream that comes in every single month, right? And based on your churn, you can forecast what revenue you're going to make all this stuff. I'm like, that's what I need so that I have some like stability in the business to make bigger risks, right? Because that's not guaranteed that the launch of the program is always going to bring in this type of revenue. And if I don't have that reliable recurring revenue stream, it's really hard to hire people, which makes it really hard to grow. Because as much as I would love to do everything myself, but I take that back, I wouldn't even want to do everything myself. Now, at this point, my staff, I have a staff of 16. My staff is amazing.
Kathi
Wow, that's incredible.
Caitlin
Thank you. And I love them, and they're so much better at what I used to do than I was, you know, like, incredible design team or curriculum writers or project managers all this stuff. I'm like, You guys are the shit. Like, you guys are so much better at this. It's great. You gotta surround yourself with great people. It makes a huge difference. And we can talk about team if you want to get into to get into that later, but that was in April. And so again, I call Jessica, and I'm like, Jessica, we have to spend $3,000 on this thing. We're going to learn how to build a membership, and we're going to launch it in a month. And she was like, okay, and that's the thing that I love about Jessica, is whatever thing I'm like, we have to do this. She's like, Okay, I believe you like, she just trusts my instinct so much. And then I have this person who's like, I believe whatever you're gonna say is gonna happen that is also powerful, right?
Kathi
Because she could be like, well, I don't know about that. What if it does totally that would suck.
Caitlin
Yeah, it would suck big time. And that hasn't, I think, a couple times in the very beginnings of the business that came up. But, I mean, even when I told her, I'm like, we're gonna spend like, a half a million dollars on this website, she's like, okay.
Kathi
She has full trust and faith.
Caitlin
She does. She really does. And it's remarkable, and it's really special. You know.
Kathi
It's so good.
Caitlin
It is. So, we launched a membership, and so that year, in 2019 we went from 75,000 in 2018 to 255,000 in 2019.
Kathi
Wow. That is a massive jump.
Caitlin
It’s a massive jump. Yep. That's also when I joined BBD, and also when I joined next level, yep. So this is the year that I started to really pour into, like, my own personal growth and personal development as a business owner, and I don't what I'm about to tell you that happened in 2019 to 2020 will blow your mind. But it comes from, I think, the fact that I was like, Okay, this is not just this little side thing anymore. This is something bigger, and I've got to learn how to be the steward of this company, and that was when I started to invest in myself and hire coaches and work and, quite frankly, work with James like James is an incredible mentor. Like, if your audience is not familiar with James Wedmore, I'm sure that they are. I'm sure.
Kathi
I will never work with anybody else. He is literally the best. Like he's living his life like the way I want to live my life where you're not chained to your business and a slave to your business, and it really gives you that freedom with the exponential growth, like I love it him and Jenny together as a team. It's I'm in the next level too. I renewed this year again, and I just I will never go anywhere else.
Caitlin
Yeah, I know it's absolutely incredible. And we joined next level in December of 2019 at BBD live, and it was $14,000 and we didn't have that much money in the bank at that time, so we both transferred money back into the company, right? So it's like even in I forgot to share this, but in 2018 when we bought Amy Porterfield’s courses, we had no money in our business bank account. Like, I went to a bank in Monterey before my friend's wedding, after I listened to that podcast episode and called Jessica, and I was like, we have to buy this stuff from Amy. I went to the bank and, like, asked them to transfer money from my personal account into the business account so that we could spend the money on, like, $2,000 you know.
Kathi
Oh, my God.
Caitlin
I think about that at this time like it was just a different time. It was just a different part of the journey of the company. And so in 2019 December, we joined BBD and next level. And it was, it was game changer. That was the game changer. So it's wild. Then in 2020 we went from 255,000 and I retired in 2019 from the classroom, and I can share that story if you guys are interested. But in 2020 our revenue jumped. We did 1.4 million in 2020.
Kathi
Oh my god. That is an astronomical jump. Yes, you must have shit your pants.
Caitlin
It will new level, new devil, right, true. It's like we had staff. So as much as it's like, oh my god, we the business did 1.4 million this year, it was also like, oh my god, I have salaries. Oh my god, I have staff. Oh my god, I have these massive expenses. So like, yes, people are doing this much money, but it's also like, okay, what are their profit margins? You know, with our types of businesses, as online business owners like we can have very large profit margins, but it just depends what you want to spend your money on, you know, and also what you're out here do. So there's no right or wrong answer. Everybody's journey is different. Everybody's goal is different. But what happened, I think, in 2019 Yes, was investing in James, but also that's I left the classroom in 2019 so I left the classroom in May of 2019 the year we did 255 and I remember in December of 2019 at Christmas, telling my whole family, I'm like, Look, I'm out of the classroom. This is my full-time job. Now we're gonna do a million dollars in 2020 we're gonna do a million dollars, we're gonna do a million dollars, we're gonna do a million dollars. And everyone was like, okay, okay, that's cute. You have a cute little business, you know? And I love is like, fuck you guys.
Kathi
Like, I'm gonna prove you wrong.
Caitlin
Yeah, yeah. And I just believed, and it was when I was also introduced to Dean Graziosi phrase of like be do have, yeah, and it's where I finally started living from the beingness and not the doingness. I'm very much a doer. I am a human design. I'm a generator. I am a go getter, self-starter. Everything in my life that I've ever wanted, I've worked hard for, and I've thought about, like, who I was being. I'm like, what the talking about who I'm being, right? That's so, yeah, like, that's so out. Like, what is it even there? Yeah, what does that even mean exactly? But I, like, really started to dive into this work, obviously, working with James, and it became so evident to me that who I was being as the CEO, as the leader of this company with employees, with people who are looking up to me, that that mattered more than more than anything, and I needed to change. I couldn't any longer be this like bootstrapping entrepreneur, where I did everything, where I wouldn't trust anybody, where I needed to be in control of every single thing that you know, forget about leading people. Like, I just want to do my thing and not talk to anybody else and just be alone. That's why I want to be an entrepreneur in the first place. I don't have to work with anybody you know. Like, there are so many gifts about like, the characteristics of great entrepreneurship that don't transfer over into great characteristics of leadership. They just don't right. Like entrepreneurs, you're this rustic individual, you know, like you just you have a troop on your shoulder. It's you against the world. You get what I'm saying.
Kathi
Yeah, I totally get what you're saying.
Caitlin
But being a leader and leading a team and being a CEO, that's a totally different type of person. That's a totally different way of being.
Kathi
Did that take you a long time to figure out? Like so one of the things that you did was you started to delegate more than you'd say or…
Caitlin
Yes. So what happened was, is I hired an executive assistant in 2020.
Kathi
Okay.
Caitlin
And that was a game changer for me, because up until then, if you looked at our org chart, I was in everything. I was the head of every single department, right? I was doing everything in the business. Yes, I had a business partner, but I was doing a lot of the actual like grunt work and setting up zap, like all of the things. And so there was no ability for me to focus beyond the day to day of tasks. There was no white space for me to think about the vision, to think about the future, to think about core values, to think about who am I being as the leader of this company. So when I hired an executive assistant, and she started to take all of that work off of my plate, and I had space to think about who did I want to be as the leader of this company? That that really changed things for me at that time, this book didn't exist. But I would highly suggest your audience read, buy back your time. By Dan Martell, if I had this book at that time, it would have changed my life a lot sooner. But it didn't exist. He just published it. I think in 2023.
Kathi
I'll have to read it.
Caitlin
It's fantastic. He talks about on page, I think it's page 83 or page 84 there's this hierarchy of hiring, this like hiring ladder, if you will. So it's like, when you are like, stuck, you can't do anything, like, you gotta get the administrative customer support stuff off your plate, right? Most people are like, oh, I have to hire an ads manager, or I have to hire somebody to be an OBM and run my business. I'm like, no, you don't, bro, you need an executive assistant who's going to do all of the menial stuff for you. Not that it's menial, but like menial in relationship to the stuff you've got to do. You have to be responsible for your business. And when I worked with so many entrepreneurs. Over the years, through my mastermind and through private coaching. Like their biggest problem is, like, they try to get rid of all of their problems by hiring an OBM or an integrator and, like, leaving it on their shoulders. Yeah. I'm like, what kind of a leader are you? Yeah? I'm like, That's your job. Stop trying to put your shit on somebody else. Yeah. Exactly. It makes me mad. Sorry.
Kathi
I feel the emotion, Caitlin.
Caitlin
Because, like, it is your responsibility. It is your business. You are the leader, and like your team, if you're looking at hiring somebody or bringing people on your team, or having a staff, they are only going to grow to the level of leadership that you exhibit. So if you're not a great leader, you're not getting great players on your team. I think about everything I do in life; I relate to sports in some capacity. I was an athlete all my life, and if you look at great teams, they are led by great coaches. So true. And even if you have great players, if you don't have a great coach, shit falls apart. And LeBron, James is a perfect example of that, yep, right. He needed to find the culture, the place, the leader, the team, where he was going to thrive and be successful. Yeah. And as much as he loved the Cavs, it was like, this ain't the place, yeah, this now the place for me to thrive, yes, and I look at, I'm a in the Bay Area, in San Francisco, Bay Area, so I'm a huge warriors fan. Yeah, I look at the Warriors, right? Yes, we have staff and like Steph is we love him, right? But we have Steph, we've got Draymond, we've got not clay anymore, but we had this amazing team where everybody had a role to play, everybody had a skill set. Everybody had a strength. Everybody has weaknesses, right? Yeah, but everybody on that team played a role that Steve Kerr, the coach, was able to help them realize. And if you think about yourself as the leader of the team, as the CEO of the business, really, you're that coach that helps everybody on your team realize their greatest potential. So you're putting all the problems of the business onto somebody else, and you're not leading, and you're not problem solving, and you're not taking that on. They don't want to work for you. They don't want to be with you. Your A players are going to leave, and that's why you can't retain staff, is because of your leadership. So if you have the staffing problems, or you have people who leave, or you have people that you've hired that don't work out, and happens over and over and over and over and over again. The problem is you.
Kathi
Yeah, that's a “you” problem.
Caitlin
Yes, totally. And so in 2020 what changed in the business was me, yeah, and my ability to be a leader. And I worked on it, I read a lot of books about leadership. I also just inherently possess a lot of great leadership qualities from being on sports teams, from being the captain of my basketball team, stuff like that, and being a teacher. So like all of those kind of skill sets have helped me, and it's also a learnable skill. Yeah, there are so many great books on leadership, and there are also so many different types of styles of leadership, like you've got to figure out what works out for you as a leader. So even if you only have one employee or one independent contractor that you're working with, like you, it is still your responsibility to be the leader of that person, like they're looking up to you. They're looking to you for guidance. Yeah, yeah. So good. Oh, my God, it's amazing. I'm loving this. I'm good. I'm glad I'm taking milk to galore over here. Girl, fantastic. I love it. I'm glad it's I'm glad it's working for you, for your audience. The other thing that we did in 2020 is I put a lot of my focus on the membership. So, I made the membership the one thing. So yes, we had our writing program, but I was starting to really understand the value of this recurring revenue and how much that allowed me to make future decisions for the business that I knew were like high risk, but also, what's the word I'm looking for, like calculated, I guess, again, that was that calculated risk. So it's like, I know if I have this many staff, and my payroll is this, and I know that my recurring revenue is this, and I know that I have this much in the bank, like, I'm good for six months. So like, if shit hit the fan, I have six months to figure it out. Yeah, yeah. There you go. Plenty. Exactly yes, right? So, like, right, even right now in the business, like the reserves, the cash reserves, have been tapped into because of what we did with the website. So that's been kind of stressful, because I don't have that six-month cushion right now with the business, I've only got like, a two-month cushion. So if shit hit the fan, I've only got two months to figure it out right? And so I just think about, like, how am I setting myself up financially to be able to make these moves, these calculated risks that are going to grow the business, but in a way that I've got time if something goes awry? And that's where I really believe in, like, the membership model of having some sort of recurring. And revenue stream in your business in some capacity. Because I know too many people. I've worked with, too many people who have just a program, who have an incredible launch, who will then hire people, and then don't have more money coming in, and slowly the business starts to die.
Kathi
Yeah, we don't want that. I want the real revenue. I'm membership baby all the way.
Caitlin
Totally like, it is, it is the game changer. And the thing that I love about too, is it is so predictable if you know what your retention is and what your churn is going to be like. So like, I know every month we're going to lose a certain amount of members. So I know if I don't fill that bucket with members, we're going to lose X amount of money from that recurring revenue coming in, right? And so it just makes it really clear to me as to what is going to unfold in the coming months and in the future. And I think that's why I was able to take that risk this year of spending that much money on a website and self funding it without, I mean, granted, I had quite a few breakdowns and heart palpitations and calls to my dad, but without, like, dying. You know.
Kathi
Yeah, exactly. Now, how long do the average person stay in your memberships for?
Caitlin
22 months.
Kathi
Wow, that's a long time.
Caitlin
Yes, yeah, we have great retention numbers.
Kathi
And what do you attribute that retention number to?
Caitlin
Well, we have a great product. So the product itself, like you can do all the retention strategies you want, but if your product sucks, like people ain't saying our product is fantastic. But then also, I spent a lot of time working with Shanna Bresnahan. Do you know who Shanna is? She was Stu former Community Manager. She has a great podcast called Community cultivated. I took her course called cultivate. I think is that what it is, yeah, cultivate is her course, and I can share, I have a I have an affiliate link that I can share with you with a discount code, if you have the option yourself, or if any of your lists, those are that'd be great. And then she also has, like a kind of a coaching container for membership owners that's like a higher price point called retain, that's on a more consistent basis. So we took her course, we implemented everything that she taught, and then we also worked with her for about three months, and our retention got to, like, 97% and at some point, like, that's the point of diminishing returns that it doesn't make sense to, like, try to do anything else. No, don't we're just happy with our…
Kathi
That's awesome. And then how much attention membership from each month.
Caitlin
It ranges as much as up to $47 a month, depending on when people joined the membership.
Kathi
Oh, that's so cool.
Caitlin
So, it's a low cost. It's a low-ticket membership.
Kathi
Yeah, it's a no brainer. yeah. Oh, I love it. Yeah, yeah. This is exciting. Can't wait. 2020 was the game changer, for sure.
Caitlin
And then 2021 and 2022 we moved up into the multi-million-dollar figure. So we're looking now at 2 million plus on an annual basis. But I think the biggest lessons that I would say, that I've learned from that over the years is what we just talked about, of like, building that financial safety net within the business reserves. So as much as you're like, oh my god, I had this great launch, I want to go buy whatever, right? Yeah, I would very much consider making sure that you are putting aside a certain part of that revenue to just have as those cash reserves in the business so that you can last for six months or a year, or whatever it might be if no money came in, so that you have time to figure it out, because, like our business deserves, like our financial responsibility to it and not squandering, you know, on things that maybe don't necessarily matter, like the biggest thing I've purchased over the years of, you know, the business growing and generating all this revenue is I bought a Burberry scarf. Yeah, I’m like, that's that was it, you know? And, like, nice, say that again.
Kathi
So smart. I mean, so many people, I feel like, as soon as they get the money that they spend it on all these, like, really expensive designer crazy things, and it's like, I mean, why, right?
Caitlin
And, like, no judgment, like, that's totally fine if that's what you want to do. But I just think about if you have a longer-term vision for your life and for your business, it's very helpful to make sound financial decisions. Mel Abraham, who's in Wedmore's mastermind with us. Yeah, it's a great book that he just came out with called Building Your Money Machine. Yeah, I have that another great read, which I would highly suggest to your listeners, just to be like, financially savvy, because I think Kathrin Zenkina talks about this too, with like money. Like money is energy, right? Yeah, we can go down the woo path. Like money is not even real, energetic exchange of things, which is such an interesting perspective to look at. It really is. It's so it's so fascinating. I just love this shit.
Kathi
So, I love this shit too.
Caitlin
But if you think about it, if it is just this energy, and it's an energy that's associated to like, your beliefs about it. No matter how much money your business makes, you will still always have whatever in your bank account that you feel you are worthy of. That's why it's like some people make a million dollars, but then somehow only have $30,000 in their bank account, or $5,000 in their bank account, which is the same thing that they had when they weren't making a million dollars.
Kathi
Yeah, I know.
Caitlin
You know.
Kathi
And how would you what piece of advice would you give to someone who is struggling with finding their ability to believe that they are worthy of, yeah, a certain amount of income, like, how do you break through that?
Caitlin
Totally Well, I mean, I would follow Kathrin Zenkina. I bought her program called Sovereign Money, which I've been listening to, which has been amazing. And it is interesting, because, you know, my money stories directly impact the business, right? You know, and your money stories directly impact your business, and it's important for your business. And I think about the business as its own, like entity, like it's a child, like it's a it's a baby that you have to take care of, yes, and internship work through your shit, like your business is going to be harmed by that. You know, I think about being a mom and like all of my life traumas and my beliefs and ways that I was raised and whatever, that if I didn't have awareness around them and I didn't recognize them and I didn't work on them, I would just pass them down to my kid, yeah, but I'm not doing that, you know, like I'm breaking all of these generational patterns so that my kid doesn't struggle with all of the things that I struggled with. You know, of that, yeah, and our business is no different.
Kathi
Exactly. It's exactly the same, if you can treat it like that, smooth sailing.
Caitlin
Yes. And so I just think about, like, where you put your, you know, what's the word I'm looking for, where you put your investment of the revenue that your business makes? Like, what should I spend my money on you? You should spend your money on yourself. You should spend your money on coaching through whatever it is that you need to work through to get your shit together so that you can be a successful leader, so you can be a successful steward of your company. So that's working on all of your limiting beliefs that you have, either around money or around leadership, or around worth or around you know, having your value tied to the success of the business. Like, that's something I really had to work through like, I've always been this high achiever. Well, where does that high achieving come from? Well, that comes from an abandonment wound. If I'm a high achiever and I'm super successful, how could you possibly leave me, or how could you possibly abandon me, or whatever? Yeah, and so it's like, so interesting to see where all of this shows up and how we are making decisions in our companies, you wouldn't think that the two have anything to do with each other, but they have everything to do with each other.
Kathi
Oh, I know. And so many people, they think that, Oh, if I just, like, hustle, if I just do more, if I just 10x what I'm doing, like, I'll finally get there. People don't want to look within, right? They don't want to go within. They're, like, afraid of themselves, sometimes.
Caitlin
Totally.
Kathi
But you have too.
Caitlin
Because it's extremely confronting, it can no longer be a victim to your life, right? It is your responsibility, and I think a lot of people just don't want to take responsibility. And that's the gift, that's the true gift, I feel like, of entrepreneurship, and I share this with I'm the on the board of directors for the principal entrepreneurship Institute at my local high school. And so I go speak to juniors and seniors who are on in entrepreneur classes about all of this stuff. Oh, I loved it's so great. I love it. It's like one of my favorite things to do. It combines my two greatest loves, right? And teaching. It's perfect and it is perfect. And I think about like, and I tell them this, and I share this with you guys, like the greatest gift of entrepreneurship, above all else, is who you become, because there is no other profession, there is no other job that will be as confronting to all of your issues as entrepreneurship is. It is a mirror. Your business is a mirror of everything that you get to work on and heal and grow and change in this life, and you don't get that experience from anything else. And so like stop being resistant to acknowledging and like having awareness around like your deficits, your flaws, your traumas, your issues, all of that stuff, because you are being given a gift to help elevate you to, like, the highest version of yourself through all of these trials and tribulations, and you will notice, like when you start to release old beliefs or old patterns of behavior, that the business is going to reflect back to you in financial growth, or in other growth areas that like, oh, you feel you've, you've healed this part, you've worked on this part, you know.
Kathi
It’s so true, I love that.
Caitlin
And I get, I'll share this too, because I just went through this and reading Shoe Dog just brought me back to, like…
Kathi
I'm gonna have to read that.
Caitlin
It's, it's fantastic. I mean, it real. Nike should even exist, like, the shit that Phil went through, I'm like, I don't know that I could handle that, but as I'm reading it, I'm like, this is just the game. It is like, this is just the game. So, like, stop being resistant to, oh, it's hard. There are always problems. It's like, yeah, that's the game. And that's, that's why not everybody does it totally upfront. It is not for the faint of heart. You know, so many people leave their nine to five and they're like, it's and maybe, like, there are always anything is possible, right? But there's, I think this, like, underlying belief or narrative that maybe is happening on social media that I don't try to expose myself to anymore at all, like I'm very cognizant of what I consume, that it's like, oh, leave your nine to five and make all this money and sit on a beach working from a computer, yeah? And it's like, Sure, maybe, like, that's possible. Anything is possible, right? But I do think that it is so important to understand that true entrepreneurship, true like, this is my idea. This is my company. This is my business. This is my calling. This is my purpose. It is not for the faint of heart, and it is going to challenge you and change you and grow you more than anything else in your life probably ever will, honestly, more than being a parent. Being an entrepreneur is harder.
Kathi
I know it's so true. Now, can you think back to a time where you felt really challenged.
Caitlin
Oh yeah.
Kathi
Were you were struggling, and like, how you overcame that?
Caitlin
Totally. I mean, always.
Kathi
You're like, I have so many things to share.
Caitlin
So many stories, so I'll just share two specific ones in 2022 I almost walked away from the company, and then without I won't go into any details, okay, but I got to a point where I was just like, it doesn't matter. I'm like, I'm not happy, and I'm not going to keep doing it this way anymore. Like, I'd rather lose everything. I'd rather sleep in a car and be homeless and be happy, yeah, and be where I'm right now. And it was that moment of complete detachment from any and that that was a moment that changed my life, actually, of coming to that realization that I don't need anything.
Kathi
This is such a common theme, I hear from so many people at this level, they say the same thing.
Caitlin
Yes, I need nothing. I don't I don't need anything, right? What I need is, is myself. Is happiness comes from within, like, if you are putting your happiness or your motivation or your inspiration or whatever, if you're putting anything on somebody else or something else, if that thing leaves, or if you lose that thing, then you are giving all of your power away to it. Yeah, the Power is from Within. The powers from you. The power for me is my connection to Source, is my connection to the divine. And when I get in my shit, I'm very disconnected from the Divine. And it's like, I've forgotten, yeah, you know, like, so that was a 2022, that was a massive gift for me to be able to lead from a place of that nothing, nothing matters, physical like, in this physical realm, yeah, like, it doesn't matter. I don't need anything.
Kathi
Is this failing last all year. Like, was it a yearlong thing, or…
Caitlin
Before I got to that point?
Kathi
Before you got to that point.
Caitlin
Yeah, I was in the shit for years, years, and I was resisting what I was dealing with. And I finally was like, I can't do this anymore. And I had a call with Neil Williams, who's a life coach. She's worked with Rick Mulroney, and I've worked with her for years. And I had a call with her about it, and she's like, well, what are you what are you attaching to the success of the business? I was like, everything, everything my sense of worth, my sense of accomplishment, my sense of, are my parents proud of me? My sense of like, what other people think of me? She's like, so you are literally living your life for everybody else. Yeah. And I was like, fucking hell. I'm like, You're right. And it was in that, like, it was just one of those, like, God hits you in the face moments where I was like, it doesn't matter.
Kathi
Oh, man, I just got the goose bumps.
Caitlin
Your happiness is the most important thing. And if you are not happy, you are giving your power away to someone else, or something else, or whatever it might be.
Kathi
And Kathrin Zenkina said something really similar to that. When you said, who when you when that? Who's the person that you talk to the life coach,
Caitlin
Neil Williams.
Kathi
Oh, Neil Williams, when he said, who are you living for?
Caitlin
100%.
Kathi
and Kathrin Zenkina said the same thing when she was on stage at BBD. She said, Yeah, who are you living for?
Caitlin
Totally and like, that's everything. That's the decision. That's the lens through which I make every decision. Now, it's like, who am I living for? Yeah, and if it's not you, then what are you doing? You're out of alignment. Yeah, right. Right? So that 2022, was like, such a gift. And so I think about to get to that point, the fucking hell that I went through, the sleepless nights, the like, you know, I was drinking at that time, not like, you know, I was an alcoholic, but like, I definitely had a problem. I was relying on alcohol to numb from, like, the gravity of this situation, but then I think about back to it. I'm like, but it's really not a big deal. Like, I made it a bigger deal because I attached all of this stuff to it exactly. Yeah, and that was another game changer for me, was giving up alcohol I don't drink. Yeah, it's been almost two years, so I like quit drinking in December of 2022
Kathi
Wow. Congratulations.
Caitlin
Thank you. And it changed my life, like it really, it changed my life like I would recommend it to every single person ever in the world. If there's anything that's connected me more to my intuition, it's not drinking.
Kathi
Yeah? I mean, because we use it as a crutch, you know, we use it to as a way to just kind of unwind, or let me just relax or I'm stressed, we like, rely on it.
Caitlin
Yeah, I had such an attachment to it too. Like it was an identity piece. Like I My dad grew up in the Napa Valley, like wine country is here. Like it's so a part of the culture, too, of where I live, and so, like, people still are like, wait, what do you mean? You don't drink? Yeah? It's like, Let's go have a glass of wine or whatever. But when I finally, like, released its vice grip on my life, it was like a freedom that I can't ever explain in words to anybody, unless someone goes through it and experiences it themselves. Yeah? So giving that up, I think, is the only way that I made it through this past year of 2024 like, 2024 I'm over, like, it's time to move on. Like, let's move into 2025 like, I got separated from my husband this year. We made a huge risk in the business. This year, lots of growth, lots of hires, and it's been hard. It's been stressful. Financially, it's been stressful. Personally, I'm now a single mom, like, there's a lot on my plate. And I called my dad the other day, this was back in, I don't know, early November, and I'm like, Dad, I'm like, I don't feel like I can handle this anymore. And he's like, this is just the game, you know, I said, How did you deal with it when you had all of these problems come up at US sports, because they had all kinds of things over the years at summer camp, like big issues, you know, like kids who've had heart attacks on the track because it was too, like, I'm talking like life and death issues, you know, not like, oh, I have financial whatever, you know, yeah. And he just told me, he said, Caitlin, you've just got to put it all into perspective. Like, you just have to put it into perspective. Is it going to matter if you lost it all? And I'm like, You're right. I forgot, you know, because we get so in like the shit, and we get in our own shit, and we get in our like, self-loathing and like, woe is me, and blah, blah, blah, and we forget that there's something for me which is very helpful for me, but we forget, I forget that there's something larger at hand.
Kathi
Definitely, I agree with you 100%.
Caitlin
And that makes such a difference. Like, whatever it is that you believe, and even if it's a belief in yourself, like, and not a belief in something else, that I have this faith in something beyond this problem, yeah, because this problem will be the next problem will be the next problem will be the next problem. And I was finished. I just finished reading Shoe Dog. I read it five years ago, and I reread it again just now. And my dad, after I had that conversation with him, he called me the next day, and he's like, Caitlin, I said a prayer to God, and I asked him, like, how I can help you? And he told me, Shoe Dog, so you need to read Shoe Dog again. And I was like, Okay, I'll read it again. And reading it, I really feel like has changed. It changed my life at the end of this year, and, like, pulled me out of what could have been a very dark place. And there's this point in the book where Phil talks about, you know, looking back at Nike like he's now, at this point, worth ten billion you know, this is over the the years, and he's, he's looking back at what Nike has accomplished, and he talks about how it has nothing to do with the money, right? It has nothing to do with the success, and it may, it almost makes me cry that it has everything to do with the people, the connections and the relationships and the friendships. And I think at the end of the day, what we're all really searching for is like our connection to each other, to source to a sense of belonging. And if we can keep our focus and our perspective on like it's that. Yeah, it's not all of these other problems that are always going to be here. Yeah? It allows us to move through those problems in a different way.
Kathi
Yeah, so good. Yeah, so good. This has been so incredible. Caitlin, seriously, I haven't loved every second of this podcast. I feel like I need to do like a part two. Caitlin is back on the podcast.
Caitlin
I'm always happy to come back. Like I said, I love talking about this stuff, and if any part of my story helps somebody else, I mean, that's what it's about. That's what it's about.
Kathi
I know. it's so good. Do you have any lasting words that you wanted to leave? I don't know what else you could possibly say. It's been so inspiring and just real and honest. Is there any lasting word you wanted to leave the audience with?
Caitlin
Yeah, I would just say that. And I did this yesterday. I finished the that night, the Nike book yesterday, and I'm in sobbing in tears in my hall at like, 10am in the in the morning, finishing this book. And I look up and I'm like, I forgot. I made it about me. Yes, I was in my shit and I was in a bad place, and I had a hard effing year, because I made it about me. And when you are able to realize like it's not really about you at all, it's about the impact that you get to have on other people's lives, then I think it realigns you to being able to pull yourself out of those inevitable dark places that come just inherently with entrepreneurship, because it's hard, yeah, you know, and whenever I find myself in that place, I'm like, what are you doing? You're making it about you.
Kathi
Yeah, yeah. So good. That's awesome. Thank you so much. Now, where can people go to connect with you? I'll make sure to put it all in our show notes.
Caitlin
Yeah. So well, if you know any teachers who are middle school English teachers, send them to our Instagram at UB academics, so you can help us get in every single school in the United States. That would be much appreciated. But then you can also find me on Instagram. I'm @caitlindmitchell, and I used to have a mastermind, but I don't run it anymore, just because my main business needs me. But I do offer one on one coaching if you just want to send me a DM. I don't even have a website at this point. I used to have a podcast, but like I said, like my business, just my education company really, really needs my focus right now. So you can always send me a direct message. Ask me any questions that you guys have, like, I'm happy to help. For me, it's about helping other entrepreneurs become great leaders, because at the end of the day, there are so many great ideas that never see the light of day, or that never realize their greatest potential because of the person behind the idea. And I never want that to be the problem for somebody in being able to help change and impact other people's lives.
Kathi
I love it. I can tell you're so passionate about it, and this has been such an eye opener for me. I know it's been a huge eye opener to everyone listening, and just so many awesome words of wisdom. Like I said, I'm probably gonna have to have you back for a part two.
Caitlin
I'm more than happy just let me know.
Kathi
This is so too good, but thanks so much for being here. Caitlin, I really appreciate your time. It was just fantastic having you on the show.
Caitlin
Absolutely thanks for having me. Kathi, I appreciate it.
Kathi
No problem. Thanks for listening. Everyone. Hope you enjoyed today's episode. You know, I love you. I think you're awesome, and I will see you the next time. Bye.
