Today we’d like to introduce you to Georgia Kaye.
Georgia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Back in college when I was a communication major at SLU, I had way too many career interests. I said yes to every opportunity, googled everything I didn’t know (aka literally everything), and networked like crazy. Despite sacrificing a big social life and good sleeping habits, I ended up with a well-rounded skill set, incredible referrals, and a killer online portfolio.
One internship (out of the FIVE I completed – seriously, no social life!) turned into a freelancing journalism position, and then another actually landed me a part-time gig as a content marketing specialist before I even graduated! While I loved the challenge of moving up the ranks in corporate America over the next few years, my side hustle was growing into more of a full-time job too. Eventually, I was working every night and weekend, and a choice between the two became inevitable. The perks of being my own boss, making my own schedule, and working on projects I was passionate about outweighed the cons, so I took a leap of faith and quit corporate.
Ironically, COVID shut everything down a few weeks later and my panic totally set in! However, a silver lining appeared as many people started turning to self-employment as the workforce dramatically changed. It was so fulfilling to help new entrepreneurs turn their passions into reality, and that’s still a driving force within my business today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Any entrepreneur who swears their life is rainbows and butterflies is probably lying a teensy bit. Self-employment is not the easiest path to choose. It takes a certain kind of someone to fully bet on themselves, and be comfortable not always being comfortable.
Right off the bat I’d say that taxes and healthcare were two of my largest obstacles simply because I wasn’t super familiar with either topic from a self-employed perspective. It’s tempting to wear “all of the hats” as a business owner, but finding an accountant I trusted who was willing to explain every single detail I asked about was a lifesaver!
Social media can also be a blessing and a curse. It can be overwhelming playing the comparison game with others in your industry or questioning your own expertise. Should I be filming videos every day talking to my audience? Should I write deep insightful Instagram captions because this person I don’t even know is doing it? Should I start dressing like that and snapping more pics?!
Yet, social media has also helped me find new friends across the globe that are sharing my same experiences as an entrepreneur. When you choose to work for yourself, not everyone will understand your experience – but thanks to social media, it’s so easy to connect with people who do!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Georgia G. Kaye?
I primarily focus on WordPress and Showit web design and development, and my clients can also add on anything that falls within the scope of content marketing (copywriting, email design, editorial calendars, etc.). I specialize in IDX websites for realtors as well, which is a rare skill set to find outside of a large-scale agency! I’ve worked with clients across all industries beyond just real estate, including marketing agencies, coaches and educators, wedding professionals, and even nonprofits, several of which have been featured in Forbes, Medium, Realtor.com, The Knot & more.
I also frequently work 1:1 with entrepreneurs on a day rate basis during my Designer Days™ – these are probably what I’m best known for! During a Designer Day, I can create a small-scale website, blog, long-form sales page, marketing collateral, or even a mini brand identity. Each client receives a custom questionnaire, a strategy call to prep, and a full day of my undivided attention to knock out their project, followed by a support period. I also include a training video library for all website projects so that clients can easily maintain/update their website moving forward. This is my most sought-after service, and I recently even created a Masterclass walking through my process for other designers who were interested in adding day rates to their service offerings too.
One other item worth mentioning – I’ll actually be co-launching a second business in late November! I can’t share too many details at the moment, but I will say that it’s built for women in business, and it’s rooted in conversion-driven design, buyer behavior, and sales psychology.
What makes you happy?
From a work perspective, happy clients make me happy! There’s nothing more rewarding than a client excited about the work you’ve done, sharing their results, or referring you to a friend. Repeat work is always amazing too because clients who trust you repeatedly to bring their visions to life tend to be the best to work with as well!
From a personal perspective, I love making my own schedule because it allows me to achieve a better work/life balance. I actually think it’s amazing that so many businesses are now offering flexible schedules or fully remote positions! In corporate, I was usually that employee putting in late hours or working over the weekend, and when you throw in commute times too, you’re just sacrificing even more family time. Balance is essential.
My boyfriend is my biggest supporter, but he also keeps life in perspective when I’m feeling overwhelmed and overworked. Sometimes the happiest moments are just sitting on the couch together with our four Pomeranians and binge-watching our latest TV pick (currently Dexter since he won’t watch Real Housewives with me).
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@georgiagkaye.com
- Website: https://www.georgiagkaye.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgia.g.kaye
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/georgiagkaye
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/georgiagkaye
- TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@georgia.g.kaye/
Image Credits
Washington Chua
Vein + Vessel
