Meet Katie Emery | Blogger & Social Media Influencer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katie Emery and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

I decided to start my own business back in 2018 to help pull our family away from the brink of financial disaster – my husband had gotten laid off, and the bills were piling up. My full-time job didn’t pay enough to support a family of 4 in Los Angeles, and I’d always had some entrepreneurial ambitions – so I decided to go for it!

Don’t get me wrong – it wasn’t easy. I’d always wanted to be a stay-at-home Mom to my two sons, and the thought that I’d have to work even MORE hours than the 40 I was already working made me quite upset. But my husband was having trouble finding more work, and I couldn’t just sit back and watch our finances collapse.

So, I started brainstorming the idea of starting a side hustle – and blogging seemed like a great fit, as I could do it from home, and I had all the equipment I needed (laptop, camera, etc).

I’m so glad I did – it’s been amazing so far!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Back in 2018, I started my blog for only two reasons – 1) I wanted to make money and 2) I wanted to help other women who (like me) were trying to go gray from dyed hair.

I was hoping to make some money from it – maybe $500-$1500/month – to offset my bills. But the blog took off quickly and now makes much more than my day job does. It’s surprising and wonderful and I still pinch myself to make sure this isn’t a dream!

But it definitely wasn’t easy. I remember bursting into tears when I first started the blog because it was a LOT of work. I worried the blog would fail because I wouldn’t be able to keep up with everything that needed to be done.

Instead of giving up, though, I persevered and took things one day at a time. I concentrated on things that would make money AND serve my audience at the same time, while also being authentically “me” and discarded tasks that weren’t worth my time or attention.

5 years later, I still struggle with how much time it takes to keep the blog going, especially since I still have my day job. But it’s worth it as I finally have a job that uses ALL of my talents and makes money. It’s like a dream come true!

I’m proud of the fact that I get emails every day from women who tell me that my blog encouraged them to go gray and that going gray has given them the confidence to make other changes in their life. They let me know that they appreciate me being honest with them and showing them that going gray can be fun (and not scary) – that means a lot!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d definitely take them to the Black Cow Cafe in Montrose for an excellent breakfast, and then we’d spend a lovely afternoon walking around Descanso Gardens. If we had time, we’d head over to Pasadena to go to the Norton Simon Museum and have drinks & dinner at True Food Kitchen on Colorado.

Naturally, we’d have to catch a Dodger game at some point, and maybe head over to Bigfoot Lodge for a cocktail afterward.

I’m a former art history major, so we’d have to check out the Getty Center and the Annenberg Space for Photography – and MOCA and the Geffen, too, of course!

If we decided to head downtown, I’d take them to all my favorite haunts – Grand Central Market, the Last Bookstore, the Bradley building…and we’d have to get slippery shrimp at Yang Chow in Chinatown for sure! And a cocktail at Perch as the view of the city at night is incredible.

If we had time, I’d have to take them to the Museum of Jurassic Technology – I love it. And the Huntington in Pasadena for high tea and strolling about the gardens.

And that’s just a tiny peek into what I’d like to show people in Los Angeles – there is SO much to do here!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many books AND people to whom I owe a debt of gratitude that it’s hard to name just one. So here’s just a small sampling:

The book “You Are a Badass at Making Money” by Jen Sincero helped me challenge some of my limiting beliefs about money and helped me figure out that blogging could actually be a lucrative career.

Tracie Fobes, Carly Cbell, Debbie Gartner and Monica Froese are my blogging mentors. Each of these amazing women has taught me how to run my blog as a business and not just as a hobby.

Ilana Schattauer is one of my blogging friends, and she has really pushed me to succeed on YouTube – she is a YouTube genius!

And, of course, my husband is my biggest supporter. I couldn’t do this without his help and encouragement.

Website: katiegoesplatinum.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiegoesplatinum

Twitter: https://twitter.com/goes_katie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katiegoesplatinum

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=qo-ikG0isQz9VBFUyr0EMg

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZG84ugYUEq6pt0VWjLP0Gg

Image Credits
Katie Emery (me)