Meet Cassie Schmidt | Creative Business Coach

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

Hi Cassie, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
In the first few years of entrepreneurship, work life balance didn’t exist for me. My competitive nature (with myself and others) had me so obsessed with “success” that I didn’t care what I had to give up to get there…

Sleep? “Who needs a full 8 hours?”
Lunch? “I’ll eat later.”
Friendships and time with family? “I’ll go next time.”

Until “next time” was threatened.

My mom (AKA my first best friend) got sick unexpectedly with a rare condition and we didn’t know what was going to happen to her. Something about the reality of losing her woke me up.

“What had I been doing all of these years?”
“Were the extra sales and dollar signs actually going to amount to anything at the end of my life?”
“What if I never get another chance to have dinner at her house?”
“Could I ever forgive myself if she didn’t make it?”

The answer was no. For the first time in a long time, my priorities were clear. We get ONE life. The people in that life, the people we love, can be taken from us at any moment and all we’ll be left with are memories.

Thankfully, my mama is a fighter and I still get to spend time with her. But ever since that realization, I’ve been determined to not only start a new business that allowed me to put relationships first, but also allowed me to help other creative entrepreneurs avoid suffering the same pain of “what if?” or “what have I done?” in their own lives.

My consulting business was born out of the mantra / mission, “you can’t grow a business you love around a lifestyle you hate.” Now every decision I make in my business (services / products I offer, clients I take on, the schedule I create) gets processed through that filter to prioritize my life, and the people in it, first. And even though it sounds counterintuitive, I fully believe that by doing so, I serve my clients even better and show them it’s possible to create a business that supports your life (rather than the other way around).

What should our readers know about your business?
I am a business coach for creative service-based entrepreneurs (mostly photographers, designers, and copywriters) who fully believes you can’t grow a business you love around a lifestyle you hate. Most entrepreneurs start their business because they desire the freedom that comes with being your own boss, but somewhere along the way, their day-to-day task juggling leads to burnout.

Together, we take a holistic look at their business to identify root issues and inefficiencies so we can create a strategic, intentional action plan to help them reach their goals. We elevate their marketing, sales, systems, and client experience in a way that uses their unique strengths and fits their desired lifestyle.

I’m most proud that I am able to help restore hope and peace in the lives of my clients, which not makes their lives better, but also transcends into those around them (their loved ones and clients). Few things fill my heart more than seeing a client reclaim their confidence and truly love their business again.

But the journey to this business was a long and windy one full of really high ups and face-planting-so-hard-you-check-to-make-sure-your-teeth-are-still-there downs. Long story short? I started my first (photography) business at 16, went to UW-Madison to get my BBA in Entrepreneurship while I ran a six-figure house painting business, became a workaholic, coached other entrepreneurs in sales / management, moved to GA to run another business with my now husband, got our sweet pup, had a quarter life crisis, found our way back home, and within two weeks of one another, we quit our transition jobs to start new businesses. It took me a few years of dabbling with photography again and freelance copywriting to come back to my true passion… coaching others! Like I said, it was a rollercoaster.

What kept me going through it all was the desire to make a difference and a belief that I’ve had deep down since I was a kid that I was meant to run my own business… it just took me a bit to figure out what kind of business that would be!

Looking back, the biggest lesson I learned was that every seemingly annoying detour was really just preparing me and sharpening the skills I’d need later on. My failed Etsy shop taught me to never become a graphic designer. All those years of copywriting and photography made me an excellent storyteller, taught me the industry, and helped me relate better to my clients now. Even running a house painting business taught me a ton about leadership, delegation, sales, and how to provide clients with an incredible experience. If you’re in the thick of it right now, wondering if you’ll ever find success, please remember that no experience is a waste if you learn from it.

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.
Ooooh – Madison, WI is full of fun things to do (especially in the summer). We’d for sure visit Lake Monona and Lake Mendota to go boating or paddle boarding on a sunny day and maybe make a trek to the farmer’s market downtown!

Food is a bit tougher because there are so many incredible places to eat, but for brunch, we’d start at Cafe Hollander to grab mimosas, a chai, and their delicious BLT+A. If we wanted lunch, we’d head to Branch & Daughter for some artisan pizza (looking at you, Salted Pig) and a cozy patio hangout. And our marathon of dinners would end at Eno Vino for tapas and wine!

And if we felt the need to move after eating all that delicious food, we could go for a walk on one of the many trails surrounded by conservancy near Madison!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that come to mind that have helped shape me into the person I am (with the business I run) today. My parents provided endless encouragement to chase my dreams. My husband lends endless love and support when I have days where I doubt myself. And looking back, I’ve had a couple of friends and mentors who gave small pieces of well-timed advice that ended up having a huge impact… but at the end of the day, God is the one who placed them all in my life!

I’ve shared this before, but it always seemed like the times my business grew the most or felt the most fun was when I surrendered to His plan… When I prayed instead of trying to figure it out on my own. When I took leaps of faith instead of letting fear win (even when it didn’t make sense).

It’s not to say everything has always worked out the way I desired, but that God always introduced the right person, idea, or opportunity at the right time… and I’m so grateful!

Website: https://cassieschmidt.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/creativebusinesscoach

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

Image Credits
Photo & Film by Sarah Elizabeth Amy Lynn Creative Larissa Marie Photography