Ep. 1: From Stay-at-Home Mom to CEO: How I Built a Million Dollar Business From Scratch

Nine years ago, I started my business with a $10,000 budget, a toddler on my hip, and no investors in sight. No trust fund, no fairy tale. Just an idea, a ton of grit, and a whole lot of Googling.

In the very first episode of The Venue Underground, I sit down with the two women who now run my venues by my side — Gemma and Rachel — to talk about how we got here. From baby carriers at walkthroughs to client walkthroughs that felt more like chaos than clarity, we’re pulling back the curtain on what it really looked like to build something from the basement up.

And I mean that literally. We’re recording from a Cold War fallout shelter under one of our venues.

What We Cover:

• How I took $10K and built a seven-figure venue brand

• What I actually learned from my first business “failure”

• Why I didn’t buy my first venue, and how that decision shaped everything

• What makes a brand stand out (spoiler: it’s not the florals)

• The difference between building a pretty business and a strong one

• Why getting scrappy — and starting before you’re ready — is the move

We also talk about hiring people you trust, learning to take feedback without taking it personally, and why your business should feel like your baby (but you still need to grow a thick skin).

If you’re still working a 9–5 and daydreaming about doing your own thing — this episode is your sign. We made it for you.

🎧 Listen to Episode 1 on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
📺 Watch on YouTube

XO,

Kate