Today we’d like to introduce you to Katy Ward.
Katy, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My story started 3.5 years ago – I actually moved to San Diego with a 1-way ticket, a backpack, and maybe $1000 to my name. I knew no one.
It was the summer after I graduated from college, and my “dream job” had canceled the position they had ready for me. I had already wrapped up everything to move to New Zealand and take the job… but it was a no-go. I knew I wasn’t going to stay in Birmingham, AL where I went to school, so I decided to try San Diego. I had worked at the International Travelers House hostel on Front street once for a visit and fell in love with the city.
But I moved because I felt this hunch.
I thought, “Fine. If I can’t travel the world with my dream job, then I will spend three years designing my dream lifestyle and career. I’ll work remotely so that I can go to New Zealand whenever I want. And if I’m going to bust my butt for three years, I may as well do it in paradise.” So, I took a faith leap and moved.
I start there because my journey started as soon as I made that commitment. When you say, “Fine. I’m going to do whatever it takes to design this life, heal my body, create this business…” whatever it is… that’s when the story starts. and EVERYTHING falls into place from there if you’re really committed.
On the second day in San Diego, I walked into a coffee shop while someone was putting in their two weeks notice. I got a job on the spot. Then, I found a closet of a room for $500 a month to live in. That’s where I started.
Over the next three years, I worked coffee, I freelanced in every creative field, I even face painted at parties. I worked with startups for free to try different roles and meet mentors. Spring two years ago, I walked into a room in Encinitas where they were talking about “Public Benefit Corporations” – social impact companies. It blew my mind. Business for good?! I was over nonprofits at the time.
That day, I made another commitment. “I’m going to help social impact businesses get their message – their story – to the world.”
Within a month or so I had a job as creative director at a social-impact digital agency in Encinitas. It was a startup, but the people running it was phenomenal serial entrepreneurs. Over the next two years, I had a crash course in business, exponential technology (see Peter Diamandis’ podcast), branding, UX/UI, and landmark personal development education. I also started to be around conversations about amounts of money I’d never talked about – investing millions here, bitcoin ICO rounds, etc. That was really important… I realized money is just numbers. It’s really just a conversation.
Then, I saw Don Miller speak at Traffic and Conversion (2017) and decided to become a StoryBrand Certified Guide. I learned how to use the hero’s journey framework to help people make a clear and simple brand story. I was certified February 2018 and left the agency to go on my own in April last year (2017).
There’s no real reason my business should have taken off… I had never run a consultant business or a copywriting business on my own before. It only worked because I was: 1) determined it would work and 2) had this crazy trust that it would. I always felt so guided.
So, here I am today, three years after my move to San Diego and crazy commitment. And guess what… I was invited to come to New Zealand with a group of impact-driven entrepreneurs. EXACTLY what I said came true. I went to Queenstown in December and ran my business remotely.
Now, my new commitment is this: “I’m going to work with transformational and wellness brands to help them change people’s whole mindset with their brand message. I’ll do only what I’m good at and work half of my current hours, to make room for creativity, health, and nurturing relationships.”
And the miracles are already happening. 😉
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t been smooth, but to me, smooth is boring. Smooth is even scary. It means I’m asleep at the wheel… I’m just letting life happen. I also prefer exponential growth and am fascinated with miracles. So, smooth doesn’t really fit.
However, it has been effortless at times. I have a really strong faith to rely on, and I fundamentally believe I will always be taken care of. So, there was never any possibility in my mind that I’d hit rock bottom… or whatever the worst case scenario is.
I did deal with anxiety along the way, which has been a part of my childhood and my family’s story for a few generations. But again, when I started my business, I said, “That’s it. I’m not wasting any more attention to anxiety or fatigue or health issues. I’m doing whatever it takes to heal.”
And within six months, I had healed emotionally and neurologically from anxiety.
Here’s my advice. Get really straight about what you want – in detail. Like, what will your life look like in 3 years? Then go through every area of your life and take inventory. This is the hardest part – we DO NOT like looking at how our lives are actually working! My story is unfolding rapidly because I look at the stuff that isn’t working like it’s my job. Then, I find someone who can help me correct it, heal it, get rid of it, and create new habits.
And P.S. – your whole life is in your habits. Your body is literally a circuit system of habitual instincts, thoughts, and reactions. You can really only learn one new habit at a time, but you actually can overcome problems by habit. You can basically program your body to eat healthily, work out, sleep enough (huge life hack… seriously), communicate openly, and think positively with your habits.
I have a stack of books I recommend, too… but I’d find the person whose life you most admire and ask them about their favorite books!
Please tell us about StoryBrand Certified Guide.
I am a brand strategist and copywriter, I help impact-driven brands create a powerful message.
I’m certified by a company called StoryBrand, so I help people implement the hero’s journey framework they created as an independent consultant. Their book is called Building a StoryBrand, and it’s amazing! Go read it.
For my clients:
1) I create a brand message.
2) Then, I build the layout and copy of their website.
3) Often, I’ll help them write their marketing and emails as well.
My clients discover a much more clear vision of who they help and what they do. And their sales go up because their ideal clients actually resonate with what they are saying.
My site is www.katyward.com… and will soon be www.newstorybrands.com. Keep an eye out 🙂
Katyward.com will become my personal brand this year, where I’ll use painting and writing to help people create and visualize their own message.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
The Go Giver, Bob Burg
Mastery by Robert Greene
The Bible… yes, really! The stories have inspired me to believe anything is possible since I was little, and the Psalms are incredibly comforting to me. I’m also fascinated with miracles and how movements work, so besides reading the Bible as a meditative practice, I love studying all the miracle stories in the New Testament.
Mindset by Carol Dweck
The Surrender Experiment
Talks by Dan Sullivan on the 25-year Framework
Obviously, StoryBrand and Don Miller’s podcast
Joe Dispenza’s books, and the occasional physics or linguistics Ted Talk
Oh man… Essentialism by Greg McKeown. MUST.
The rest of what I read is on mythology, culture, and philosophy. Joseph Campbell, C.S. Lewis, Kierkegaard, Marcus Aurelius… etc. I read books on marketing and digital platform strategy, as well as on copy and brand theory as they come up. Just to keep chewing on new material in my field.
Pricing:
- I do brand consulting hours at $150 per hour. Otherwise, my packages start at $2k.
Contact Info:
- Address: hello@katyward.com
- Website: www.katyward.com
- Phone: 6789392953
- Email: hello@katyward.com
- Instagram: @katy__ward
- Facebook: facebook.com/ladykaty5289
- Other: www.clarifyyourmessage.com/katy-ward
Image Credit:
Jeremy Finlay, Katy Ward, @kylegotcamera, StoryBrand (Donald Miller Words, LLC), Katy Ward, Katy Ward
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
