Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Katie Toscano, co-owner of Cabot & Main, located in Laguna Niguel, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business partner, Ashley, and I own Cabot & Main, an online business management company. We absolutely love working with service-based businesses to help them get their operations in order, save time and money and find joy in their business again.
A lot of business owners don't have the time, energy, or expertise to "get their house in order," which is where we come in. We partner closely with our clients to determine what they need, whether it's project or launch management, help implement systems, or more of the day-to-day operations. We find that most of our clients already have these amazing businesses, they just don't have the time in the day to get their operations in order. We can't blame them! We get excited to help our partners drive forward and accomplish their goals.
Tell us about yourself
Straight out of college, I went to work for a big financial company. It was always what I expected, to climb the corporate ladder, have a perfect family, and "have it all," basically. I worked in Operations doing various roles for ten years and learned an enormous amount about how to make things happen, how to implement programs, how to build teams, how to effectively run a business, and how to always tie a ribbon on whatever I'm creating.
Like many moms out there, after having kids, I burnt out. I'm ambitious and knew I wanted something more, but the corporate life was kind of slowly taking the joy out of me, and it was really impacting my family life. I began my own business about four years ago because I needed to do something different. I 100% never thought I'd own a business, but here I am! I started out by doing some marketing work for local non-profits and businesses. Ashley and I partnered together at the end of 2020 and decided to go back to our roots... in Operations.
Now daily, I get to work with clients I absolutely love, and on projects I am passionate about with a partner that is freaking awesome. I am motivated by the people I surround myself with, the balance I get to choose between work and home, and the desire to live a life on my own terms.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Investing in our business is a huge accomplishment we reached this year. Four years ago, I started a little scrappy, just trying to get up and running, get the bills paid, and just getting myself out there. After exceeding our short-term goals as a business, we decided it was time to invest in ourselves and recently signed on with an amazing business coach. It's still a risk, but knowing that we are at a point where we can actually take a little bit of a risk because the business has grown so much, is a huge accomplishment in my eyes.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Getting out of my comfort zone each and every day is one of the hardest parts of being a business owner. As an introvert, many parts of this business are super uncomfortable for me, including even starting it! But I love the challenge that this brings and the personal growth I've experienced by getting out of my comfort zone daily.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Take the leap. Whether you have always wanted to own a business or not, taking the risk to try is half the battle.
- Know your strengths and lean into those. If you're great at building websites or marketing campaigns, awesome! If you're terrible at accounting and sales, that's ok too! Know what you're great at, know where you need to ask for help, and know what you can do with a little extra effort. And be OK to not be the best at everything you do because no one is perfect, and everyone fails at something.
- Focus on your community. Whether you're talking to your circle, asking for referrals, or supporting your local community - build a community of "fans" and make sure you're giving back to them too. It's one of the best ways to grow as a business.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Take the time to focus on your mental health as a business owner. It can often be lonely, uncomfortable, and scary, and there is a whole lot of work to be done with very little time to do it. Prioritizing your mental health is critical to make sure you can handle what is thrown your way and that you are also setting yourself up for a successful journey.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.cabotandmain.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cabotandmain/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katietoscano/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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