Hey sista friends – so incredibly pumped to be sharing this interview with you today! We’re sittin’ down with Katie, a past Work Online & Travel the Work Course student who quit her corporate job last year to start her own online branding & graphic design studio with no previous design experience…and is totally killin’ it!
In this video interview, she’s giving us all the juicy details behind why she finally decided to ditch her corporate 9-5 job as a trading analyst to pursue life as a full-time Bucketlist Bombshell (woot!), how she overcame her initial fears of starting her own online biz, how she landed her first client, her biggest piece of advice to aspiring BB’s and so much more!
You definitely don’t want to miss out on this sweet girl’s journey to girl boss success – also, we may or may not have a total girl crush on her Insta feed, so be sure to come double tap with us at @suraleighco.
Name: Katie Trevino
Age: 28
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Name of Your Online Biz: Suraleigh Co. (www.suraleighco.com)
Services You Offer: Branding + Website Design
Previous job: Trading Analyst for an Oil & Gas Company
What inspired you to become a Bucketlist Bombshell:
Honestly I was unhappy in my previous job in corporate America and always dreamed of owning my own business. I was fed up with applying for “dream jobs” and never hearing anything back. A very good friend of mine had taken The WTC and highly recommended it. I saw how she was able to launch a business and knew how helpful it was for her. I was also in the mindset of, “It’s time to take a risk in your life because you will never know unless you try.”
How did you transition your past experiences (work, passion projects etc.) to find your online skills?
I have my MBA so that gave me the awareness that a lot of hard work goes into creating a successful business. Putting together PowerPoint presentations at my old job actually made me realize how much I love designing and putting creative things together for people.
I absolutely love helping people solve problems by researching and breaking down the issue. I also just have a complete love for art. I combined those two passions (design and helping others).
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How long did it take you from finishing the WTC to land your first client?
Well, I started my solopreneur business while working full-time, however, I quit my job before I landed my first client. I landed a Virtual Assistant job posting on Indeed – the position is heavily focused on Social Media Management so I felt like it was a perfect fit while I was transitioning into my solopreneur business. I still work with this client today and she’s referred me to other clients which has been great!
Did you have fears in pursuing an online career?
Yes! I feared that my business model would not be viable. I thought, “No way will I actually land clients and my income structure is going to be drastically different from what I’m used to.”
I overcame them by really listening to what Cassie & Shay teach in The WTC. I trusted that they knew these different business models will work and these are valuable skills people are looking to hire for online. I focused on landing clients by strengthening my social media presence on Instagram and attending local networking events. And actually, having an uncertain stream of income has actually made my life a little easier! I don’t overspend, and I don’t buy material things just to fill my space or time.
What did you enjoy most about the BB courses?
The Design Skills Course! Since I have no previous design experience (other than my love for design!), The Design Skills Course really gave me a solid overall knowledge of the entire Adobe Creative Suite and I still use the skills I learned in those tutorials on a daily basis. Also, it’s packed with so many awesome resources like how to find free fonts, stock photos, mood board templates, blog post graphic templates, and my favorite…Creative Market! (Omg I love this site, and it has been so fun to find other designer’s amazing work.)
What was your first traveling destination as a BB?
Vail, Colorado – it was the kicking off point to my new solopreneur life. It was amazing to take a trip and not have to worry about getting to the office Monday morning. Although I’m not traveling the world with my business, I love the fact that I can take a trip to visit friends or just get out of Houston for a week and run my business from somewhere else!
How has working online & traveling the world changed your life?
I love the fact that I can pick up my business and work remotely from anywhere! If you are living in one city permanently or even semi-permanently but are in need of a getaway, it’s so easy to find a town close to you and go there, run your business and just get a new perspective. It’s a wonderful way to keep an inspirational attitude too which is extremely important for doing design work.
If there’s one thing you wish you knew before becoming a Bucketlist Bombshell, what would it be?
Schedule your time wisely! If you want to keep learning and taking tutorials, make sure you schedule time for that each day. If you want to spend time researching and looking for new events to attend, schedule that too. You will be working away and then realize you need to do a whole list of items and don’t have time for it.
If you schedule out your days, (Remember you don’t have anyone telling you what to do anymore – you are your own boss!), the days flow so much easier.
What’s your biggest piece of advice to aspiring BBs?
Just launch your business! It will never be the “perfect time” – just do it!
