The truth about two under two: it's just as hard as expected, says mom Kat Eddy

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The truth about two under two: it's just as hard as expected, says mom Kat Eddy

Kat Eddy, mom and owner of Katboocha, returns to It’s a Lot for a follow up about the reality of life with two kids under two! Spoiler alert: it’s really damn hard. We talked about crying in Wegmans (apparently a theme on this podcast now), getting help for postpartum anxiety, the struggles of having patience with your partner during the sleepless newborn era, and more.

We played back clips from part one of our conversation and reacted to them, which was lots of fun! Part two can be listened to as a standalone, but part one is great, so I recommend listening to that if you haven’t yet.

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Kat Eddy feels ready for life with two under two

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Kat Eddy feels ready for life with two under two

In episode 5 of It’s a Lot, I chatted with mom and business owner Kat Eddy, the founder of Katboocha, about her expectations before becoming a mom of two kids under two. We spoke about a month before her youngest was born, so make sure to tune back in this fall when we have a follow-up conversation about the reality of two under two!

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Celebrating 6 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital

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Celebrating 6 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital

Serve Me the Sky Digital turns six today! I’m so proud to have been in business for six whole years now. I’ve been a business owner through the COVID pandemic, the death of my mom and grandma, adopting a new dog, getting an ADHD diagnosis, becoming an adjunct professor, and having my first baby. It’s a lot! I’ve learned and grown so much over the past six years. 

I’m grateful to all of the amazing clients, friends, and supporters who have cheered me on, sent me referrals, and shared kind words about me and my work. I feel seen and valued, and I hope to make those I work with feel the same way. 

My business anniversary is always a good opportunity to reflect, so today I’m sharing some of my favorite projects and experiences from the past year, lessons I’ve learned, and a glimpse at the future of Serve Me the Sky.

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How I Took 3 Months of Maternity Leave as a Freelancer

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How I Took 3 Months of Maternity Leave as a Freelancer

There’s no universal guide for self-employment, so it can be tricky to navigate personal, emotion-packed situations like taking bereavement time or maternity leave as a freelancer. When I found out I was pregnant last fall, I almost immediately started planning my maternity leave in my head. How would this work? How much time should I take? Would my clients be upset? Would they replace me while I was out? How much income would I lose? 

There were a lot of concerns and logistics to work through, but I knew I needed to give myself time to recover from childbirth and acclimate to parenthood. I wanted to take at least eight weeks of leave. Today on the blog, I’m sharing how I planned for maternity leave, how my leave actually played out, and more. I hope it’s helpful for any self-employed, soon-to-be parents out there who are navigating this too!

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Celebrating 5 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital

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Celebrating 5 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital

This month marks a huge milestone for Serve Me the Sky Digital: we’ve officially been in business for five whole years! According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 50% of small businesses fail within the first five years. I’m so grateful to be among the 50% that are still standing, especially after social and economic turmoil and personal life changes too. 

In the past five years of growing my business, I’ve met some amazing people, taught engaging workshops, worked on massive global brands and tiny startups, and learned a lot about what it takes to run your own business. I’m thankful for all the opportunities that have come my way, often via my awesome network of supporters and wonderful clients. 

Five years ago, it was hard to picture what the future of Serve Me the Sky Digital would look like. I only had a couple of clients, at rather low rates, and didn’t know what to expect. I took a bet on myself and made the leap. I’m so glad I did. I hope to have many more happy years of self-employment ahead, full of great projects with people and organizations I love working with!

Without further ado, let’s dive into some projects and opportunities I’ve enjoyed this year, lessons learned, and a look to the future. 

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Celebrating 4 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital

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Celebrating 4 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital

This May marks four years of running my own business full-time. A four year anniversary may not be a big deal to some, but it feels important to me. Four years of successfully running my business, even through an unprecedented global pandemic and economic turmoil? It is a big deal!

As I said in my newsletter this week, running Serve Me the Sky Digital is the most satisfied I’ve ever felt in my work life. I spent four years in higher education and earned a master’s degree in educational administration, then pivoted to nonprofits and worked in marketing at a startup incubator. I learned a lot at those jobs, but both were not a great fit for me.

Since diving into self-employment full-time, I’ve had opportunities I never would’ve guessed would come my way and have been happier all around. Glowing testimonials from clients I love working with make me proud of how far I’ve come and thankful to be where I am in my career right now. 

Let’s get into some of my favorite projects, lessons I’ve learned, and a glimpse ahead!

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How ADHD Impacts Me as a Business Owner–For Better & For Worse

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How ADHD Impacts Me as a Business Owner–For Better & For Worse

In October, I got diagnosed with ADHD. Learning about my ADHD has helped me understand how I function as a human and as a business owner. This learning process all started thanks to TikTok. I saw a video about Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, a condition commonly comorbid with ADHD. "I don't have ADHD, but I definitely have Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria!" I told my therapist excitedly.

"Oh Emily...you definitely DO have ADHD. I've been trying to tell you that, but I guess you weren't paying attention," she said.

Consider me roasted! I had to laugh. Once I started doing my research, it was shocking how many things suddenly made sense. ADHD has a huge impact on how I show up as a business owner–for better and for worse. If you have ADHD and are considering starting a business, but worry that your ADHD may be a barrier: this blog post is for you! For as much of a hassle as ADHD can be in some ways, it can also be a superpower.

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Celebrating 2 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital

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Celebrating 2 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital

Picking a business anniversary is a funny thing. There are many dates I could have chosen: June 2017, when I signed my first freelance client. July 2018, when I got my DBA. But the day I chose to celebrate is May 6th, because that’s when it felt most real. That was the first day I sat down to work for myself full-time after walking away from my stable day job.

When I celebrated this milestone last May, we were two months into a global pandemic that no one would have guessed we’d still be living through a year later. Running a business during a global pandemic is hard! It seemed that with many organizations, when times got tough, marketing was an easy thing to slash from the budget. To get me through a slow time, I picked up some part-time work as a contact tracer, which was fascinating and engaging. Business has been ramping back up, and I’m so excited about that!

In addition to running a business during a global pandemic, I also had to navigate doing so while helping care for my mother as she declined due to stage 4 cancer, then grieving and taking bereavement time while self-employed. This year was a lot to handle. I’m proud that my business is still standing here strong today, after a super difficult year.

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