Transforming Entrepreneurs: Insights from Catherine Mitchell, the Business Architect

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:00:46

Welcome to Trailblazers and Titans, the podcast where we spotlight bold thinkers, fearless leaders and visionaries who reshape industry and communities. I am your host, Keith Haney. Today's guest is a powerhouse in the world of entrepreneurship and business strategy.

Kathryn Mitchell is the founder of Ms. Cat Consulting and Concept to Company program where she helps entrepreneurs evolve from hustlers to funding funding ready CEOs.

With over a decade of experience and a background in building her own tax software company, Katherine has guided hundreds of business owners to increase income, streamline operations and build real companies, not just hustles. Her tough love accountability. Step by step, blueprint delivers measurable results.

Katherine's unique methodology focuses on complete business architecture combining legal structure, funding preparation, client acquisition systems and operational frameworks into a cohesive strategy. She is also the co host of Both sides of the Check, a podcast that delves into dives deep into the realities of entrepreneurship and wealth building.

Today we explore Kathryn's journey, her approach to building sustainable businesses, and her mindset shifts required to go from surviving to thriving. Well, Katherine, welcome to the podcast.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:02:05

Thank you so much for having me.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:02:07

That is a mouthful of stuff there, I got to tell you.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:02:11

Well, hey, after, after over 10 years in entrepreneurship, hopefully you have something to show for.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:02:17

That's right. That's what you are. You are. You want a resume to go with that?

Catherine Mitchell: 00:02:21

Yes, indeed.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:02:23

So I'm going to ask you my favorite question. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?

Catherine Mitchell: 00:02:29

Ooh, that's a good one. I would just say there's different advice for different things.

So in the vein of entrepreneurship, I would just say that my best piece of advice is to embrace what one would consider failure. A lot of times people, they try to get away from it, but what we realize is that that's just part of the journey. Like, that's what helps shape you.

That's what help, you know, mold you, help you become stronger and more mature through the journey. So always take the lesson out of it. A L, for lack of better terms, doesn't have to be a loss. It can always be a lesson.

So I would say that's one of the biggest things that I've gathered and you know, through this journey of entrepreneurship.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:03:29

For sure, I love that. And I can take that too. Take the L. Not necessarily be a loss, but it could be a lesson. See, that could be another.

I had to take that quote to say, as Keith always says.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:03:39

Hey, hey, hey.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:03:44

So Thomas, what inspired you to start Miscat Consulting?

Catherine Mitchell: 00:03:48

Great question. So I think first things first, it kind of started off with my actual journey, just in entrepreneurship period.

Ten years ago, I was what I thought was successful. I had a six figure income job and just doing my thing. And so I was in property management. But the property that I was working for, it got sold.

And when the new owners took over, they had their own staff, they had, you know, everything already put together. So we lost our jobs.

And at that time, I decided, like, man, I don't ever want anyone to have that type of control over my lifestyle or, you know, who I am as an individual. So I decided that I was gonna make a commitment to myself that I would, you know, start entrepreneurship.

And I've done that, you know, since that time. But the reason why I started a consulting firm is because I wanted to be the person that I needed back then.

When I started my journey, it was a lot of blood, it was a lot of sweat, it was a lot of tears. And one thing that I do advocate for is mentorship and coaching.

Um, because one thing that you will find, you know, through this journey is that a lot of this stuff could be, you know, you don't have to go through it if you lock in with someone that's already been there, done that, wrote the book, you know, filmed the movie.

So for me, I just wanted to be that person that could help guide and help mitigate some of those lessons, you know, as people navigate through the journey of entrepreneurship.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:05:44

That's great. I've talked to a lot of entrepreneurs before. That's one of them. I love that space and love the way entrepreneurs think.

You're a different breed of people, and I say that with great respect. But what are some of the early challenges that you faced as an entrepreneur and business owner?

Catherine Mitchell: 00:06:04

First things first is a lot of times we have a great idea, we're talented, but we don't know the business side of things. So we jump out there just 10 toes down and get out there and realize, oh, my God, I need to structure my business. Oh, my God, I need to pay my taxes.

I can't be making money and not paying my taxes. I mean, so there's some. So many, like, fundamental foundational pieces that a lot of people who are operating in just simply passion overlook.

And so, you know, you, again, some of these mistakes that you make because you don't know any better, they're not $20 mistakes. This could be $1,000 or $10,000, you know, mistake, because you did. You just didn't know better.

So I would just say, for me, in my journey when you have to try to figure it out yourself, not only are you wasting a lot of, you know, money trying to figure it out, but it's a lot of time, energy, you know, resources, where, you know, potentially it could have took me, you know, one year, but now I'm five years in the game because, you know, I'm trying to figure it out. I'm trying to TikTok it, I'm trying to YouTube university. Right.

So, you know, so again, it's just money, time and energy that could be going toward my business, but I'm trying to figure it out. And that's, I would say that would be where I started out, you know, in my journey in entrepreneurship for sure.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:07:47

Now, the negative side of it, I hear from people who aren't entrepreneurs and sometimes have, let's face it, a little bit of a bias about entrepreneurs because of their success will say that either they didn't earn it or they took advantage of somebody to get there. How do you, I love when entrepreneurs have to respond to this.

How do you respond to the people, the critics, the noise behind you that says they don't deserve to be there?

Catherine Mitchell: 00:08:15

I, in my opinion, in my opinion, as one who has got it out the mud for the lack of better terms, I am 100% biased that, you know, those that have burnt the boat and are on the other side of the fence and grinding it out 100% without any safety net, without any, you know, side hustle or nine to five, I just definitely think that it's not the same.

And, and unfortunately for those that are not on this side of the fence, they have no merit in the conversation, with all due respect, because again, unless you've went 100% all in, a lot of times people are just speculating on what they think the journey is like. A lot of times you're just watching social media and they genuinely don't know what it's like to be.

So for me, I definitely celebrate, I advocate for, because it's not easy, it's not for the weak of heart, it's not for the faint of heart. You have to be a different type of crazy to decide to go full fledged. But it is rewarding.

It is definitely for, like they say, without any risk, there's no reward.

So for those that, you know, put, put it all out there and, and do it, we deserve that because, you know, we, we took off, took it, took off the safety net. And I believe that it's well deserved when you do hit, hit it big because of all the sacrifice that goes, you know, with it.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:10:06

Yeah, I love that because I had an entrepreneur, entrepreneur tell me. It's like, it's different when you're the one writing a check and you don't get paid first you're writing a check.

So, you know, I always love to give entrepreneurs a chance to kind of respond back to the noise around entrepreneurship.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:10:24

Like I said, if you're, if you're not on this side of the fence, you don't have any merit in the conversation, I'm sorry to say.

I love you guys and I appreciate it, but, you know, like I said, you have to have been here, done that to, to be able to, you know, participate in the conversation, in my opinion.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:10:45

I like that. So let's, let's talk about moving from, you know, entrepreneurship from hustle to enterprise.

What does that transformation look like to just, you know, I'm, I got a side hustle and I'm doing some extra income to. Okay, now this is something else. This, this is a next level, next tier income producing invention.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:11:07

Most definitely. Most definitely. Well, and that's a great question.

And I think that that looks different for everybody because what is successful to me might not be successful to you. For me personally, I just wanted to be a six figure earner.

I just, and not, not that I was not a figure earner in the past, but I had, did it for everybody else working these jobs, you know, so on and so forth, being a slave to the, to the man, you know, for lack of better term. So for me, I just, my first initial goal was like, I just want to make six figures off of my own products or my own services off my own two hands.

So that was my first goal. So I would just say that for those that are thinking about, you know, taking it from a hustle to, you know, to the next level, first set a goal.

What, what, what is your, your goal that you want to achieve financially, you know, in, in this space and then from there, you know, building, like I said, the right foundation. Because nothing can scale, nothing can grow if you're building your house on sand like they say, right?

So you want to make sure that you have a solid foundation. You want to find a tribe. And when I say a tribe, I'm not talking about your mama, your cousin, you know, people that, that you.

And ironically, a lot of times when you start a business, it's the strangers that support you the most, right?

So just finding a tribe of people that can help encourage you, uplift you when things seem like they're going, you know, Left or, or you stumbled into a lesson that you, you know, you don't really quite know how to get out of. Right.

So just having a tribe, having a good foundation and then, you know, being able to, once you, you know, get to a point where you, you, you have the money coming in, you, you, you got it going on than being able to automate. I think automation is also key as well because that's what helps you scale.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:13:21

I'm curious, as you're an entrepreneur right now in this space with AI, what are you discovering in terms of do you use AI to enhance what you're doing or is one of those things where you're in a position with your businesses that AI is not influencing your bottom line?

Catherine Mitchell: 00:13:37

That's a great question. I think that for those that are not using AI, you are asleep, you are under a rock. You, I mean, there's nothing constant in the world but change.

So I think that for those that are embracing those changes and embracing those new tools, that's what's gonna keep you fresh and keep you ahead of the, ahead of the game. You can't be long term in entrepreneurship trying to do the same thing that we was doing 10 years ago. Right. You know what I mean?

Like, we're gonna have to, you know, upgrade and, and, and progress with, with the times. And so that's another reason why I feel like, you know, mentorship and coaching because some of us, we get stuck in our ways.

Let's just be real, you know, oh, it been working for 10 years.

I'm good, you know, and so, but the thing is, when the new tools come out and everybody else is going up and you're still where you are, you, you know, so to answer your question for, in a long winded way, I definitely advocate for AI. I use AI almost every day and you know, in my everyday entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship life.

And I feel like everybody else should be doing the same, stay ahead of the curve for sure.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:14:57

But I'm an og. I like, I like the.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:15:01

Hey, but like I said, like I said before, what, what success looks like to you, you might, you know, you may have scaled to a certain point. You're like, hey, I'm cool with this. So, you know, the great thing about this journey is that it looks different for everybody else.

You know what I mean? So you just have to, you know, fight the fight that looks good for you. You know what I mean?

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:15:25

That's right.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:15:25

So if you don't want to use AI, hey, you do what you do. But as for me, in my House, we gonna use AI I love.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:15:38

Since you get a chance to consult with people who are maybe in different phases of this journey, what are some common mistakes that new entrepreneurs make? And we talked about a couple of them. You know, not having the business mindset and not having coaching.

But are there some other things that you've noticed that, like, whoa, why do we keep hitting our head against this wall and wonder why it hurts?

Catherine Mitchell: 00:15:59

Most definitely. Well, that's a great question.

So, um, for me, I think, like I said, you know, people have great passion, they have great ideas, but I don't know why we feel like, you know, the game is just to be told. Like, like they said back in the day, the game is to be sold, not to be told.

So what that means is, is that you can't get everything that you need off of YouTube or TikTok or. You know what I mean? Like, you're going to have to invest in some type of.

You know, rather, if you don't want to go to school and learn the trick, the trick of the trades, then you're going to have to invest in a coach or a mentor. And I think a lot of times people just don't want to invest in their business or their brand. So I think that's the first mistake.

And that does lean into mindset. You know, you go from a 9 to 5, working under someone else's brand or somebody's umbrella, where everything is handed to you.

You have to now realize, no, I'm in control. I am the creator of all of this. And so if it's perceived as good, kudos to me. But if it's perceived as bad, that's on me, too.

So we have to take responsibility. But as far as I think the first things first is just, like I said, foundation.

And I know that that might sound redundant or I'm beating a dead horse, but you'll be surprised how many people get an LLC and just think that they don't. They've accomplished life. Go get an LLC and now you can go get $100,000 worth of business funding. Y' all have fun trying to do that. Okay?

You know what I mean? So, first of all, you know, I'm going to give you guys a little. Just a little juice, a little gems.

You know, since you're tuning in today, I just give y' all a little freebie here. The first thing, when you actually want to start a business, the first thing that you need to think about is your business name.

Because a lot of times people are starting off all the way wrong, because they have a high risk business name, meaning that they might say, oh, I miss Kat's Credit Repair. I miss Kat. You know, even in the tax space, would it be in a seasonal.

So when you go to try to get funding or try to do things, you're already starting wrong. Nobody teaches you that you're starting wrong. Just with your business name, you have no hope. And you haven't even got an llc.

You haven't done nothing because you have a high risk business name, right?

Then when you go get that llc, you have to remember that that is public domain, meaning that whatever you put on that llc, if you put your house, your mama's house, whoever's house on there, if I google up your business, I'm going to see your information that's public domain. So when you go get that llc, you want to make sure that you actually have information on there.

That is not something that you don't want to share with the world that you know, that may Google you. So that's, I'm going to give you just that, you know, just a little, little something.

But those are some of the common, like before we even get started in business.

Those are one of the, some of the most common things that I see just initially, you know, once they get out in, you know, into this game of entrepreneurship. So hopefully that wasn't too long ago.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:19:25

No, it wasn't. It was great. It was actually great because I was thinking, it made me think of another question.

I know I'm a pastor and I know I've worked a lot with churches who if oftentimes half the church we plant fail. And I heard it's quite similar with businesses too.

And I'm sure part of that is like you talk about, we don't understand the space that we're in and we make critical mistakes along the way.

In the first three months, besides picking the wrong name and putting our information on llc, what are some things you noticed that's like, wow, if you had not done that, you may have been more successful. Is it funding for some people? Is it the product you're trying to sell? You don't have expertise.

What is the thing you kind of go, man, that one's just like, that was a head scratcher.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:20:17

Well, that's a good question. Let me, I gotta think about that for a second.

Because you know, the thing is, is that a lot of times these situations are unique, you know what I mean? So everybody's situation is different.

But what I will say is that I've met A lot of people that just started off wrong, like I said, you know, they, their structure is just totally. So if you, if you're starting a business and you just absolutely have the wrong LLC or the wrong.

I mean, you're already just starting off in the wrong. The wrong way. I've seen people who literally make good money with their business.

I'm talking about 10, $15,000, you know, a month in their business, and they try to scale and they try to get funding, and it's like, oh, well, you have a Gmail account. You. You don't even have a legitimate business. I can't find you. You know, I'm trying to research your company.

I can't even find you anywhere, you know, on the Internet or, you know. So I would say, to answer that question, now that I, you know, I'm thinking about it and I'm talking through it.

Just, you have to understand that if you want people to invest in you, you have to invest in yourself. And that means, you know, your branding, your, you, you know, your socials. We are in a social media age. Some people will go look at.

Before they even look at your website, they might go to your socials and, and see what you got going on on social media, right? So you need to have the, the professional email, the professional. I shouldn't be calling your cell phone, you know, trying to do business with you.

Right?

So there are, you know, basic fundamentals that, you know, a lot of people do have to get in check if you want to scale, you know, and take things to the next level for sure.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:22:11

So you're saying if I have a social media, don't have my social and my personal together, where I got TikTok videos of me dancing on my business thing.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:22:21

You said it, not me. I'm just. All I'm trying to say is that you, as a business, you want to obviously separate your, you know, your business from your personal.

And that also brings up another good point too, is another common mistake. So thank you. Thank you for bringing this out because I totally forgot about this.

A lot of people are not separating their business finances from their personal. So that is one of the. No of. No, no, no, no, no. Once you get that llc, you need to run, not walk to the bank and get you a business bank account.

You want to make sure that you keep every transaction that's in and out, that's in regards to your business.

You want to keep that in your business bank account and track that because they are cracking down, them being the IRS on these side Hustles, things of that nature. You know, people just claiming these random businesses. You, you have to, you know, get it in order.

So if, if anything I can say is you want to make sure that you get a business bank account and make sure that you're, you know, transacting all of your business, you know, resources in and out through that business bank account. So hopefully that helps somebody today.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:23:44

That's very helpful. So tell us about your podcast, Both Sides of the Check. What inspired that?

Catherine Mitchell: 00:23:52

Well, so what inspired that was, you know, being in this, this realm of entrepreneurship.

A lot of people like, like we talked about earlier, they speculate, they think they know or they, they think that we are the same, meaning that they think that their side hustle and their nine to five is the same as a person who is ten toes down in entrepreneurship. And so I created a, a space for two reasons.

First reason was I wanted to honor those because a lot of people talk about, oh, you know, businesses are failing and everybody's shutting down. We hear about that all the time, but we never hear about the people that hustled through that made it.

That's, that's, you know, here for the long term. So I wanted to bring on those people, honor them, and give them a platform that they can tell their story.

But also I wanted to have a real space where aspiring entrepreneurs are people that were thinking about, you know, going full fledged to hear it from real people, not people that's just on the gram, you know, making it seem like it's rainbows and butterflies and we just making so much money and, you know, we making it rain. Right? No, we wanted to tell the real stories of real entrepreneurs that are full time. So that's what both sides of the check is.

Basically the difference between a check writer, that's our term, we say check writer, a person that's full time versus a check casher who may be, you know, an entrepreneur on the side, but they haven't 100% went, you know, full on.

That's what the preface of the show is about to inspire and just to, like I said, for those that are thinking about joining us, you get a real perspective of what it's like on this side of the fence.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:25:52

Well, that's a needed conversation. Good thing. And tell us about your vision for a concept, a company in the future of entrepreneurship.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:25:59

Yes, yes, yes. So as I stated, you know, initially, I've been an entrepreneur for over 10 years. I've made it through the pandemic.

I've made it, you know, as, as we Go through inflation and just all these crazy things.

I just wanted to be, you know, an advocate for those that, you know, may be losing their job and don't, you know, don't know what the next move or maybe they had an idea, they just don't know what to do next. You know, anybody who has an idea, who wants to take that idea and make it into income. So I created a course.

It's a self paced, step by step journey on, you know, how to take a concept and make it into a company that once you're done with the program, you'll be set up so you'll be fundable, you know, for a lack of better terms. So we show you not just the how to go get a llc, but we also show you, you know, the full foundation.

We show you how to make money with your business because a lot of times, you know, as entrepreneurs we just think with blinders. So sometimes someone outside of the box might say, hey, did you consider putting this spin to it?

Did you consider adding this, you know, to, to your, you know, to your, your portfolio or whatever the case. So with that said, we talk about how to make money and then how to automate.

So once you're making money, once you, you know, get things going, how to scale and take it to the next level. So it's a self paced course, but for eight weeks I do group coaching and mentorship.

So I take everyone through the course and you know, the goal is after that, eight weeks not only just to have, you know, a legitimate business and brand, but also, you know, the ability to be set up to get funding.

Because I think that, you know, everybody wants to have not just a good business, but a business that can scale and make money and get money, you know, if needed. For sure.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:28:09

That's awesome. So how do you see your work impacting? I think it's an important question. Like underserved communities and minority owned businesses.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:28:18

Well, that's a good question. Being a minority, you know, and just navigating through this life, you know, of entrepreneurship.

I always try to be, you know, a resource, if that makes sense.

Having the podcast is another, you know, opportunity for me to give back because we give a lot of knowledge, you know, jewels and gems, you know, on that platform. And you know, with that being said, I think that for me, when I created my concept to company, I didn't hold anything back.

So a lot of times when people create these courses or ebooks or whatever, they always, you know, leave a little piece out, you know, or leave a, you know, A little something. So that way you have to buy more, do more. Once you come under my umbrella, I make sure that there is no stone left unturned.

Everything that I know, I pour it into my mentees and my people. And so I just look forward to.

For those that are interested in really taking business and going to the next level, they will see that I. I'm very passionate about entrepreneurship because it's changed my life. And then for those that are really wanting to change their life, I'm not gonna hold anything back. It ain't about the money for me.

It's more about the transformation and making sure that people genuinely hit their goals on what they want to achieve.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:29:57

That's great. I love that. So I'm gonna ask you my other favorite question. This has been a great conversation. What legacy do you wanna leave behind?

Catherine Mitchell: 00:30:06

Oh, you laying it on thick today. Well, I mean, for me, I am a single parent of two. I do have two little girls, actually.

So if not for nothing, I want them to not only look at me as their mother, but as a hero of someone that said, hey, I can make my own way. And they watch me do it. I don't just talk about it, but I be about it also. Leaving them tangible businesses, you know, so I'm not.

I'm creating this, of course, so we can live and thrive and survive, you know, now, but this is something that, you know, when I pass on, I can leave that, you know, to them.

And so with that being said, I can do it for me, but for those that are under my tutelage, under my, you know, my mentorship, that's something that I offer any. Anybody that comes under me and makes a business or creates a new brand, that's a. That's a legacy that they have now that they didn't have before.

That's a source of income that, you know, maybe they were struggling trying to figure it out. Now they're like, oh, man, I'm making 10 grand a month. I never thought that I could do this right.

So for me, I just want to be, you know, an opportunity. I just want to not only help people in real time, but, like you said, just leave legacy.

Because these businesses and these things that we are creating, they outlive us. And, you know, and. And I'm glad to in some way be a part of.

Of that for myself and for anybody else that, you know, wants to so be under the Ms. Kat brand.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:31:57

There you go, Ms. Kat. So, Ms. Kat, on season six of the podcast, we have a surprise question. Pick A number between one and ten for your surprise question.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:32:06

Oh, Lord. I'mma go with seven.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:32:08

Oh, that's a popular number today.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:32:11

Okay.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:32:13

If you could look at through one person's email without them knowing it, whose email would you look through?

Catherine Mitchell: 00:32:20

Ooh, whose email? I would have to say Dr. Eric Thomas. He is one of my. I just. I'm infatuated with him because he's one of the motivational speakers of the world.

And I just.

I say I would love to look through his emails because I'm sure that a lot of people come to him with a lot of problems and a lot of, you know, chaos or whatever. So getting to get feedback from, you know, someone who's motivational and spiritual and, you know, all of those great things. I wonder what those.

I would love to be a fly on the wall or. Or maybe a, you know, something. A bug in the computer just to kind of see, you know, see what they. What they talk about. But no, he's awesome.

So that's somebody that I really look up to. Dr. Eric Thomas.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:33:20

That's great. So, Katherine, where can people find you on social media? Find your company and learn more about you.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:33:27

Yes, yes, yes. So basically, you can find me on all social media platforms. ConnectWithMissCat. So even though my name is Kathryn Mitchell, they do call me Ms. Katie.

So it's connect with Ms. Kat. That's MSCAT on all platforms. If you want to hear the podcast or learn more about the podcast is both sides of the check on all platforms.

And I do have a special gift for everybody who, you know who was tuned in today.

So if you go to my social, either on Facebook or Instagram and DM me the word company, I do have a free $1 million brand guide that I will send to everybody absolutely free, just to thank them for tuning in today. And thank you for having me on your platform.

So all you got to do again is just go to connect with Ms. Kat, either on Facebook or Instagram, send me a DM, and we'll shoot you over that $1 million brand guide absolutely free.

Dr. Keith Haney: 00:34:33

Well, thank you for that wonderful gift. We thank Kathryn for being on the podcast. Katherine is more than a strategist.

She is a builder of dreams, a challenger of norms, and a guide for those who return. Turn hustle into legacy. Her work is transforming how we think about entrepreneurship. Her impact is felt in every business she touches.

Thank you, Katherine, for blazing a trail and showing us what it means to be a titan in today's business world.

Catherine Mitchell: 00:35:00

Thank you.