Raising Kids & Running a Business
Raising Kids & Running a Business
025 | Taking Time to Celebrate How Far You’ve Come with Rache De Luna
In this episode, Rachell De Luna, the creative force behind Squarestylist shares her journey from an engineering career to entrepreneurship, driven by her passion for design and the empowerment of motherhood.
Rache discusses balancing business and family life, effective time management strategies, and the invaluable support from her husband and mother.
She also shares her transition from corporate life to freelance work, starting with calligraphy workshops and evolving into web design.
Rache then founded Squarestylist to help creatives build successful web design businesses on Squarespace and Shopify.
Her shift from aggressive growth to sustainability focuses on enjoying and maintaining her achievements which allows her to inspire and give practical advice for mompreneurs and creative professionals alike.
Highlights
- Career Transition: shifted from engineering to pursuing her passion in design, starting with calligraphy workshops and evolving into logo, brand, and web design.
- Founding Squarestylist: founded Squarestylist to help creatives build successful web design businesses on Squarespace and Shopify.
- Family Priorities: the decision to leave her corporate job was motivated by the birth of her son, aiming to focus on family while transitioning to freelance work.
- Support System: credits success to the support from her husband and mother, who helped with household and childcare duties.
- First Major Success: The first significant offering, the Linea template, gained traction and encouraged her to focus on developing plugins and templates for Squarestylist.
- Work-Life Balance: techniques like the Pomodoro method and setting strict boundaries to manage her time between work and family effectively.
- Marketing Strategy: emphasizing exceptional product quality and leveraging organic testimonials have been key to her marketing strategy.
- Personal Well-being: prioritizes self-care and continuous learning to maintain long-term success.
- Sustainability Focus: shifted her focus from aggressive growth to sustainability, enjoying and maintaining what she has built.
- Inspiration for Mompreneurs: the journey is an inspirational example of balancing professional ambitions with family life while delivering high-quality work.
Connect with Rache online:
Connect with Kate Christy:
Kate Christy: I'm your host, Kate Chrissy. And today I'm speaking with Rach Deluna, the mastermind behind Square Stylist. Hi, Rach. How are you today?
Hi, Kate. I'm so excited to be here. Thank you so much for inviting me.
I'm happy that you're here. You have been a mentor of mine for a while. I was one of the first.
Students in Squarespace. And I had maybe six months before that purchased a couple of your plugins. And then whenever you launched that, I was like, take my money, pay in full. I want all the bonuses. Like this is value packed. So I, have very much appreciated learning from your teachings in coding, in building a Squarespace web design business, basically.
So I'm excited to talk to you, but I also wanted to give you a shout out at the top, just saying how. pivotal you've been in my career, learning from you. So I'm excited to talk to you about some of the things that we don't talk about in standout square space, which is. Being a mom and a business owner and a web designer.
So tell everyone a little bit about who you are, kind of how your entrepreneurship journey started, your path to starting square stylist, and then how that evolved into what it is today and really how becoming a mom intersected in all of that. So give us the backstory.
Rachell De Luna: Oh, thank you so much,
Kate. thanks for this opportunity.
yeah, so I am bridge. I From the Philippines, and I have an engineering degree. I actually started out, practicing my degree for 5 years, but then I felt limited creatively and I felt limited as well as, I felt like I was not able to practice creativity in my profession. And so, I ventured into, anything handcrafted.
So I started out with calligraphy. So I just taught calligraphy workshops back then. And then from there on, I was able to came across opportunities to turn my calligraphy into logos and from there, I just took every opportunity to learn. So I created logos from there on. I learned brand design and web design, but it was not until I gave birth that I decided to take the leap and.
Quit my day job. that was the only reason that I had the courage to, Really focus on taking care of my son and not go to my 9 to 5 job. And so, even though everything was uncertain, I didn't have, any steady stream of income back then. I just took the leap and, decided to. take on freelance jobs back then.
I really didn't have confidence to take on 1 and 1 client because English is not my 1st language. 2nd. I'm from the Philippines. I felt like I could not, charge as much and so I used to work with agencies and white label my work, both. On brand design and web design, but I'm so thankful for those opportunities because I was able to learn a lot while sustaining, my new career as a freelancer, and then from there, I just, had the idea to combine my design and development skills
And I founded Square Stylist. so Square Stylist is where I enable creatives to build a thriving web design business, both in Squarespace and Shopify. and it's through resources in the website, as well as through my program, Standout Squarespace and Standout Shopify.
Kate Christy: Yeah. So, I want to ask about leaving your corporate job.
Did you feel like you, became a mother and then you left? Did you feel like you weren't going to get to be the mom that you wanted to be with that corporate job? There were too many restrictions on time. And I don't know what the maternity leave situation would have looked like for you, or was it that, or was it like, now's my chance?
Like I have this like really good excuse or was it a little bit of both?
actually, it was really uncertain. it was more of, I really felt that I wanted to prioritize taking care of my son that time. And I had the support of my husband and he told me we can do this. Go through it together. my job back then was actually my dream job when I was younger.
It was my dream company dream. Everything. It is everything that I dreamt of, but then towards the end of my, like, 5 year career, I felt it was too limiting, as I mentioned, and it was too so I think it's. The first reason is because I really would like to focus on taking care of my son, but it's, was also a way for me to challenge myself and, break out of that routine.
so it's more of both, like finally an excuse, but it was scary. because here in the Philippines, a creative career is not considered a career. It's more of like, the perception is. You really cannot make a living out of a creative career, like if it's related to design or art, and that's why I pursued engineering, even though I really loved art, when I was younger, because, we're a middle class family.
My mom worked as a domestic helper, and in Middle East, my dad Also worked abroad and my goal back then was to just make sure that they don't have to live outside or live abroad. I want them to be back in the Philippines. And so I really did not think of what my passion was. I really just thought of what career
would sustain us as a family? So, yeah, so I took engineering, but having practiced it in my dream job, I just realized it was not for me. Like,
all the nature of the tasks all together. did just realize it was not for me. So, yes, I think it is really a decision that I made out of my love for my family. So, the career is more for my family, like my mom and dad for them to stay in the Philippines.
But then the decision for me to quit my day job is for my son and be like, Really decide to take care of him.
Kate Christy: No, that's beautiful. That's super admirable to look at, as a young person to be like, I'm going to make this really sound, level headed decision to, get my parents to come back home basically.
And Then it's funny how, when you had your son that flipped to like, Oh, okay. Like I need to make me home right now. So then I'm with that's like, I don't want to
be away.
Kate Christy: So, okay. Not wanting to be away with your kid. I know that's something that a lot of us moms really feel strongly where we don't want our children to be gone.
We don't want other people to quote unquote, raise our kids for us. I have kind of like different philosophies on that where. I do have childcare. I send my, youngest out. I have three kids and the two oldest ones are in school and the youngest one, she goes to an in home daycare. And I keep my kids home until like six months, at least old when I have them and then send them out.
because that gets to the point where I'm unable to accomplish anything and friction and. Then I turn into a bad mom, but, I look at it as like, there are these other people to get to love on my kids and my kids get more family, more community. but anyways. Going back to you quit your job to stay at home with your son, and then you start this, creative endeavor, right, which culturally and socially, this is kind of like, Rach, what are you doing?
But you showed them, how did you make it all work with, uh, Small baby trying to start this new thing. And I mean, at this point, it's not square Silas, your white labeling for other agencies, your kind of building bit by bit. What did that look like in terms of balancing? And I don't know if balancing is the right words.
I don't know if that truly exists for working moms, but how did you navigate taking care of baby? Doing your design work because design work and creative work and even coding work, even though I don't know if people would consider that creative is very time intensive and you have to kind of get in the zone and get in the flow of things.
So how did you manage and navigate doing both at the same time?
Oh, good question, because, even though I'm at home, I really wouldn't be able to have done it all without the support of my husband, as well as my mom, because my mom, really took care of my, my family. Little one, especially during his younger years, like when his months old, I was really clueless because, I really don't know how to, cook.
I don't know how to manage all of those household tasks as well as taking care of my son by myself while I am at home. I also have like plans. dreams, like personal goals that I wouldn't have been able to reach if not for the support of my family. So I'm really thankful for my husband and my mom.
So while I was, breastfeeding and all, if there's a chunk of time we're in, I can, Work on tasks like building a website or building a brand. my mom and husband take care of my son, but then it's just convenient that I'm still at home that I don't have to go outside because here in the Philippines, prior to going freelance, I would travel for hours to where my work is and so being able to be Just available, if my son needs me, it's just, really convenient But yeah, all of the other tasks like cooking, bathing my son, those are like tasks that my mom graciously, did for me and she's there to support us until now. son is 7 years old. so yeah, that's how I was able to, manage it. Also, because. I am from the Philippines. and most of my clients are based in the U.
S. I scheduled my time in such a way that I can work us hours. And so that's the time is sleeping and I'm able to work there's not much noise around. So I can record lessons. So, yeah, that's how I was able to manage everything. So it's really through the supportive, family that I was able to, build not only my freelance work, but also, gave me the bandwidth to think of personal projects like square stylist, because square stylist actually started as a personal project of mine.
so yeah, just forever grateful to their support.
Kate Christy: I had a very similar situation where my mom was very involved and I know some people can, be like, Oh, my parents are being, Too involved it's to each their own. Right. But I was very much like anytime you want to come mom, you are more than welcome.
And she would come and help take care of babies and cook and clean and laundry and anything she would do. So yeah, I had that as well. And I don't think that I could have, gotten through any of the, post partum that was hard, at least early in that first, couple months. Right. When especially with the first baby, it was like, I don't know, I don't know what I'm doing.
So yeah, I was very open to that help as well. yeah, your hours that you touched on, that was always something that when I first started Working with you and, taking your courses and everything. I would check when you recorded your videos, maybe like 3 AM, 2 AM, like on the time on the videos.
And I was like, how is she doing this? what is your actual workday schedule look like? The hours that you're awake with family, the hours that you're awake working, the hours that you actually sleep. what are those?
Sometimes it changes because I plan my days around the schedule of my son right now, his going to school.
And so, I just make time sure that has prepared in the morning. So, both my husband and I would do that. bring him to school, and then I will sleep while he's in school, like that's 7 a. m. to 2 30 p. m. our time. still get asleep. sleep is precious for me. Actually, I wouldn't be able to work without enough sleep.
Both my husband and I would also fetch him from school. So actually everyone in school would wonder, how are they able to always attend to all school events and bring and fetchers son, To and from school. So everyone wonders if we're able to do it, but that's because I'm, I'm asleep in school and then yes, I just, Make sure that I am present.
Like I also put him to sleep until now is such a clicky, kid. And so I put him to sleep together with my husband and, yeah, that's how presence we are in his life. But admittedly, before my business took off like square stylist, it was hard because, I really questioned myself if I was present enough.
It was like mom guilt is there. because, there was times where in I would and then I would have to check my phone are like advice online, you you should not show your son that you're checking your phone. And That was not sustainable for me because I was bootstrapping everything from scratch.
and it was more of a trial and error thing. So I really would need to make the most out of every, minute that I have. And so I would always like assess myself if I am present enough for my son. And sometimes he would like fall and I'd be like, Oh, is it because I was not trusted enough? So that was like the struggle that I have, but right now that I was able to stabilize my business, I had this realization that I don't need to keep on reaching for the next income goal.
can just like sustain it at the moment and just enjoy this time with my son right now that his 7 years old and I mean, he'll grow up really fast. And so I just would like to, make the most out of this moment. My son also has. a speech deficiency has stuttering, but it's very, expressive.
I would like to make sure that. He doesn't lose that confidence, right? even if it's stuttering. And then I'm so thankful that, he's still very open is expressive and I'm able to send him to the. best call that I know of, that's also made possible by my, business, such that.
He will not be bullied, he will have all the support that he needs to. address his speech deficiency. So I'm really the point in my business, right. And I'm just thankful that I'm able to give him the best resources that he needs to grow up and, like overcome whatever. challenges he has, especially with regard to his speech, but yeah, overall is such a happy kid.
I'm really happy as well.
Kate Christy: is such a fun age because they are still very much, Like not fully aware of the outer world, right? Like they're still really confident in themselves and they, walk up to people and introduce themselves and, They're not quite hard. They haven't started to like be hardened by the outer world yet. And I remember that with my oldest is eight now. And I see a little bit of that, creeping in of he's aware of what people think about him. And he's aware of starting to see differences and people and, as a mom, I always was like, oh, my gosh, like, I hope I don't have that scenario where I'm at the grocery store and one of my kids like points at a person and like points out a difference.
Right. And I'm just like, oh, don't don't don't let that happen. But it's already happened. Right. And so they just become more aware of, the outside world. And my. Oldest. He also had speech delay when he was younger and just would like talk absolute nonsense, not real words. And then like, it was a very rough time because he was very difficult to understand.
He
Kate Christy: would get so frustrated because we couldn't understand him Anyway, so that was like one of those things that I was so hyper aware of, of him getting along with other kids, like him, not getting picked on and all that stuff. And that's such like a hard thing as a mom, because you just love your children so much and you see and know and feel the best in them.
And then you're just like, please, little kids, like, don't be mean to my little kid. But,
you also said that your business that you've been building allows you to provide the best for your child, right? But simultaneously, you're questioning yourself, am I being present enough? Am I spending enough time? Right? You're doing these things for your family to support your family.
But at the same time, you're like, I need to spend more time. I need to do more. I should do this less. And it's not funny, but it's what a lot of moms deal with.
Yeah, sometimes I just have to don't get to verbalize it a lot, but realized recently that I'm a verbal processor. but I just. Would need to process it myself, like,
convincing myself that I'm doing enough, because I am providing for the family, that it's okay not to be present all the time, or that's okay to, delegate some of the tasks, like, for my son. So that's something I get to come to terms with, but sometimes it pops up. as well. so I just have to remind myself that I'm doing enough.
we all have limited time in a day. And so, right now before I would really spend all my free hours on my business. there is really no distinction and when my business hours is and when my family hours would be. But now what I practice is that I do like more of the Pomodoro where in I would have a chunk of time where in I really, those are the time.
which I dedicate to work, so I would tie myself on every task. Like, for example, we have a community right instead of space and there are questions that we need to attend to, before I would really, I cannot sleep until I finish all the questions. That's like my nature, but now I really. was able to convince myself and to put that boundary that.
For example, on this day, I can only dedicate 1 hour for, answering questions in the community, and I would really tie myself and that's. like a simple gesture of timing yourself while you work is really helpful. That way I am able to track the time that I dedicate on my work.
And that way I'm also able to Dedicate some of my free hours on other things, like for my family or for other tasks like grocery. yeah, so I think, that has been really helpful for me. And that's something that I, just adapted recently. so I would dedicate, for example, 3 hours for work and.
for every 30 minutes, I would have A dedicated task. So, yeah, for example, I would dedicate 1 hour for community questions and then 1 hour for personal projects. 1 hour for, recording new lessons. sometimes there are, like, emergencies, which I need to attend to. Like, for example, Squarespace updates, Shopify updates, but then, I really.
try To time myself, every task that I take on, especially major tasks. So that's how I'm able to now distinguish my work hours and family hours or personal hours.
Kate Christy: Yeah, because I was actually had written down. One of the things I wanted to talk to you about was how you manage the community, like logistically and also.
Just energetically, but I think that marking that time because the nature of the work that you do for staying out Squarespace and answering the questions, adding like aside from the actual course content, right? Like you're always creating new stuff for us for new plugins, new ideas, new things for us to do, which is absolutely amazing.
But that means that your to do list literally never ends. You're always doing something. And as someone who wants to check things off and wants to have that exhale, I think what you're saying about doing that Pomodoro technique where you're like. Okay, I had this amount of time assigned to this task, this task, this task, like that equals done.
That equals checked off the list for today, which has to be so beneficial for your mental health, because otherwise you'd be like, there's hundreds of questions and I only got, and it never ends.
Rachell De Luna: Yeah, it never ends.
Kate Christy: yeah, and especially like the troubleshooting thing, like you can check one off the list and then they come back with another comment, like, so just, you know, keeps going.
But,
Yeah, I actually really like that part because I really spend most of my time troubleshooting stuff based on the questions in the community, but I really enjoy that because I'm a problem solver and I believe while I answer those questions, I also. I'm able to scale up, meaning if I answer this question now, then it'll be easier next time.
So, yeah, I enjoy that part, but I agree. It's time consuming.
Kate Christy: I'm very thankful that that part exists, but I do. I am very responsible and I search everything before I'm like, make sure I can't find an answer before I ask, like, asking is the last resort.
But, yeah, that really helps. So I really encourage trying first because that's also where learning happens.
So if you try 1st, or, look for other resources, I think that's when learning really happens. So I really encourage that 1st. But, of course, we're happy to answer questions as well. And, of course, I We have mentors in the program, who help me with answering questions. I'm trying to, delegate some of them to our mentors.
and I'm also happy that I have my team with me too, with those tasks.
Kate Christy: Yeah. I do want to talk about how you manage The community aspect in that energetically, right? Because if you're not really policing yourself on the time that you're spending and the energy that you're spending, like it can totally, I mean, you could spend all of the time.
In the community, not working on updating course materials or adding new stuff. you could spend all your time in there. SoI mean, you kind of touched on it a little bit, but how do you energetically, like, make sure that you're not giving all of yourself to that aspect of the business?
Yeah, that has been actually my dilemma for months, and I have my mentor, Megan Mintz King, to thank for really, convincing me to hold space for my own, like, personal projects and not to be obsessed with, Finishing all the tasks in the community. because as I mentioned, it's only recently that I was able to come to terms with not finishing all the tasks, all the questions in the community.
So it's through Megan. Megan. Mints help that. Yeah, she really encouraged me to put a boundary every day. She also encouraged me to like, for example, in a week, you can have like a themed day. For example, Fridays are for calls. that's why I schedule all calls on Fridays. And then on Mondays, that's when I can focus on publishing all the workshops and, really attending to more community questions.
But there's also a day. We're in the theme is more for projects, meaning, because I have, other projects, for example, for square stylist, we're revamping the entire website. We rebranded and now working on the different aspects of the website, which is quite massive. And so I have a day wherein I focus more in that.
So I think that really helped. and then for community questions that's a constant thing. So I just make sure I have 1 hour a day. Or sometimes 1. 5 hours a day to attend to community questions. And then I still have a lot of improvements in terms of. Delegating tasks to our mentors. so that's something I need to improve on.
Admittedly, I'm not good at delegating tasks. So that's something I think I should improve more on. But really, right now, I think monitoring where my time goes is what really helps me. Manage my energy. Mm
Kate Christy: hmm. Yeah. 100 percent because I just right now at this time of recording, I went on my calendar for next week and just block the whole time off so that no one can schedule a meeting because I'm like, I have been.
Giving, giving, giving to my clients. And like, that's the nature of a service based business, but I have this stuff that I have been needing to get done for weeks, months that I need to get done. So everyone else can wait a week. And the reality is they can wait a week. Everyone will be fine.
Everything will be fine. There are no website emergencies, even though people think emergencies, there are not
even in the community. I have this policy and urgent projects because I know can be everything can be urgent. Right? All clients would need their website yesterday. So I have this policy and urgent projects that we might not be able to attend to urgent questions.
As much as possible, it's best to, implement techniques or features that you have tried and tested before so that there will be not especially for urgent projects. there won't be a lot of troubleshooting. but of course, if it's a personal project, then you will have more time to learn. You will have more time to discover and we'll have more time to support you.
I think those policies also help. So we can also set those boundaries around, urgencies because, yeah, sometimes, that would give unnecessary pressure, and stress, Yeah, it's best to communicate also with the clients that, everything takes time.
Kate Christy: it's funny because I was having a conversation with someone else who recently joined standout Squarespace, and she has been a Squarespace web designer for several years, maybe three years.
And her approach was. How can I make a really good website on Squarespace without knowing all this code information and now she's learning the code information. because, like, we will talk together on some projects and she'll ask my opinion or questions about how to do things. And then. I told her, I said, I didn't learn Squarespace websites until I started taking standout Squarespace.
So like, I learned with this code availability to me approach, but it's funny because now I'm like, how can I? Not use code to do something really cool in Squarespace. Yeah, I think that's really easy with fluid engine,
right? And that's why I really redesigned the entire course such that the foundations will be all about not using code or just a low code approach such that everyone will be encouraged to probably start a web design business without having to learn code.
I don't want to be out there and just let them know that you can't be a Squarespace expert without. Knowing code, that's not the case. Actually, there's a lot of tools that are built in within Squarespace that can help you deliver websites without really needing to add so much code.
And for those who have been like, Acquainted with all the magic and glory of coding. I also need to remind them to simplify. So that's has all been my message lately. Okay. We need to simplify just choose one three, coded features and make that prominent across the site. so, I think it's a
constant communication because things changed a lot as well. So, when square space launched fluid engine, it gives us more. Room for creativity without really implementing a lot of code, but of course, learning code will also open more possibilities, and will allow us to, really push the boundaries of what's currently possible.
Kate Christy: Yeah, definitely. I'm, very excited with all the updates and like, what's especially on the back end with the courses and the membership. However, I wish they would. update the membership navigation.
Oh yeah, the membership navigation.
Kate Christy: Yeah, that's one that, someone asked me the other day. They were like, can we make this prettier?
Like the actual, login dashboard, I was like, unfortunately, no, I've tried, but believe me, yeah, that's not
not yet, but everything else is, well designed I think cause I've used a lot of other platforms and Squarespace is by far like has the best user experience.
Kate Christy: Yeah, I think so, too.
I can't even remember what the first website was or why I moved my website to Squarespace. I can't remember. And it might have even had something to do with you, honestly, because I used ShowIt to start out with. And then surprisingly, I was like, I don't like this, but I came from a print background where I used programs like illustrator and InDesign to do layout stuff.
And I was like, Oh, sure. It's like InDesign. But then I was like, I don't like this. And then I got into Squarespace and I don't remember how that transition was, but yeah, I'm very pro Squarespace from a perspective of like a one person business where I can give it to my client and be like, There you go.
You can do it. Bye. Don't become like a tech support person for them. sorry, we're getting like on a Squarespace fan girl tangent, but that's fine.
Let's talk a little bit about your transition from white labeling for other agencies into square stylus full time and then kind of what that transition looked like and the steps that you took or maybe what was the driving force behind it to then where you are now because you were learning design, doing design for other people, and then you were doing under your brand name.
And now do you even offer design services to, businesses? You still do that? Okay. I was like, well, how do you, okay, well, how you have time to do that too.
Sure. So, yeah, I started with a white label work and that has been the case for two to three years since I started freelance and then I just had an idea.
Actually. I am not fond of traveling, but when I get to travel, that's when I get to really implement some ideas. So when we went to New Zealand, I had this idea of creating square stylist. It's just more of creating features on square space that would appeal more to designers. Cause I would consider myself a designer first, then a developer.
And so I would know that it would be hard to visualize some stylish or creative features, with the existing built in blocks. And so I just had that idea of like combining my design skills with the development skills that I have developed so far, yeah, that's where, I just started to wear stylists by creating free resources on, I believe my very first one was how to create a beautiful, uh, Mobile menu that was 1 and then I just, created some more free resources and that's when I was able to build my mailing list.
I only at not really big mailing list, but, when I had, like, around 99. Subscribers, I decided to launch my first template, the linear template. So back then there's not a lot of, stylish websites or spare space websites. So, had a lot of traction back then. It, it came to a point when they see something with lines, they will associate it to me, right?
That's how impactful, my launch of linear template was. So. Really, I think that breakthrough idea of creating a stylish website template or creating stylish features on Squarespace is really a product of my having, both design and development skills, which are not inherent to me. I just really developed them as I, worked on different projects during my white label work.
face and so, when I started selling both plugins and templates, that's when I decided to quit, white labeling my work and that's when I,led to my, the agencies know that will no longer take on projects. And then I just focused on, like selling plugins and templates and Square stylist, but then I still have creative boss, the company, which we're in.
I focus on encouraging enterprise clients here in Southeast Asia to switch to Squarespace. Cause most of them are, using WordPress. or their custom sites. And then I would go to their offices and encourage them to use Squarespace. yeah, so for a time that has been, the dynamics wherein I have Square stylist as the education part and, creative boss as the enterprise client, part of my business, but then.
When I started Standout Squarespace, which is the program for web designers, that's when I just really focused on the brand square stylist, because in the enterprise part, I really don't get to practice creativity, too, because they have their own. Logos brand already. We just have to maintain it in a way.
and so there's not much creativity in there. well, I love working with them as well. But, in square stylist. It seems like my. products, plugins and templates became my portfolio. So when I launched square stylist, even though I until now, I don't, display my portfolio in the square stylist website, just because of templates, plugins, my products or courses, a lot of.
businesses worldwide, not just restricted to Southeast Asia would approach me because of square stylist. And I love the nature of those businesses, like interior designers, also creative agencies, because they are attracted to me. to the aesthetics of square stylist, which is really what I enjoy, the aesthetics that I also resonate with.
So, I still work on 1 1 clients, but a bit. Selective, I just want to make sure they align to, of course, my values and to my aesthetic. So I, typically work with, clients, has the same aesthetics. For example, a studio persona. I love their aesthetics. I love their products.
So I agreed to work with them. So it's more of, I don't accept everyone who, inquires, I really look into their business and see if we're the right fit.
Kate Christy: That's amazing. That's like the goal for all web designers, right? To get to that point where they're like, yes, I will let you in to work with me.
So, I think it's really helpful that, um, The plugins and templates that I display are reflective of the aesthetics that I resonate with. So they're sophisticated, minimal refined brands. And those are the brands that really approach us to, costume brand and web design.
Kate Christy: Mm-Hmm. . Were you approached by Squarespace to get Squarespace into Southeast Asia? Was that part of that agreement or were you like, this is a really great platform. I'm gonna go get these clients and convince them that this is good for them so that I have these clients? Is that what it was?
Rachell De Luna: Yes, it's the latter. Squarespace never approached me.
I really saw the potential in Squarespace because, they're not really big in advertising. In Southeast Asia, so it's not as popular as WordPress or Wix. and so I truly believe in the platform.
I, met a lot of company, uh,the first companies I worked with, they were very pleased that I migrated them to Squarespace. And so I had this idea. What if I present a Squarespace to other companies? I'm sure they will be pleased as well. So I would really go to their offices, meet their marketing team or their, even their chief executive officers and would present how easy it is to edit things in Squarespace.
And they will be. Impressed because they know how hard it is to have their developers edit things in their current site. And so when they know that their marketing team can just easily push the updates, they are really convinced that Squarespace might work for them. This is not applicable to all companies.
I would be, assessing as well their requirements, but for most corporate sites, they actually just need a portfolio as well as a way to contact them. and some updates about their investors or so. And so they, don't really need. WordPress or custom sites.
Kate Christy: Mm
hmm.
Kate Christy: that's interesting. but was that kind of that money that you needed to back that personal endeavor with Square stylist?
You're like, I can go get these clients that are not necessarily my aesthetic, but this is going to bankroll me to do what I want to do. And then, because a lot of people, they'll give advice like, Only put the work that you want to do in your portfolio. Only show that work, right? Like, don't show all the work that you've done.
Show the work that you want. And if you don't have those clients, then Make those clients up. So you kind of had like the best of both worlds in that scenario where you had these clients that were affording you to be able to do the square stylist aesthetic that work. Right. And you were creating almost portfolio pieces, but like you were selling them to people too.
So a, that was very genius marketing plan.
yeah, it's where the opportunity is. I think I'm just trying to find. Because at that point, I really didn't have that much savings. And so I had to seize any opportunity that's presented to me. And so I would have different ideas.
I asked creatives, you have different ideas. Probably this 1 is something that I really would like to pursue, but this is where the opportunity is. Of course, If you don't have that much savings to back up what you really want to do, then you have to, work on where the opportunity presents itself.
So, yeah, I think for some time, I really am just exploring what I would enjoy in a way, because, while I was doing those for enterprise clients, I also enjoy that for a time, but again, There would be a point where you'd have to choose which project you'd like to pursue. So I would, pursue them simultaneously.
Then there's a point where, okay, this one, I think it has more potential. I would have to give up the other project.
Kate Christy: No, I was going to say it's a fine line making that decision, right? Because you can get caught in a cycle of taking on work that you've agreed to, because financially that's what you need to do in your business at this point in time.
But you have this idea that you want to pursue and you're kind of pursuing it. But yet this. That you're doing over here is solid moneymaker, right? And like breaking that cycle to pursue that thing that you're like, I know this is going to go somewhere. I know I need to give energy to it. I know I need to give time to it, but at the same time, I might financially take a hit to do that.
And so I know is a lot of creative entrepreneurs, like being in that space is like, when do I take that leap? When do I make that decision? Because the reality of. That especially when you throw kids in the mix is there's not time for everything. There's not energy for everything. There's not bandwidth for everything.
yeah, talk about that like moment that you were like, okay. I'm going to go all in on Square Stylist.
Square Stylist. Oh, yeah. So I wouldn't say I'm a risk taker. And so, as I mentioned, I would pursue projects simultaneously. And the only time I gave up, like the enterprise side of things, is when I was confident I'm earning enough.
In the square stylist part. So it was when I launched the template and some of the plugins I believe I was making five thousand dollars a month back then it's not as lucrative as the creative boss or the enterprise side, but I know this one is more, not really passive, but it's less work and something that I can still grow.
But the other one is more energy exhausting. I had just to make sure the square stylist part, the education part. Was earning enough to sustain us, yeah, it's only an idea and then I would, give up my lucrative, business with trust and idea. So I knew it was a bit more stable back then before I gave up creative boss.
Kate Christy: Yeah. Okay. I want to talk a little bit about marketing because I know that can be a fun topic for people because typically you start a business because you're passionate about the thing that you're doing, right? You're a designer, you're a photographer, whatever, right? But then comes this whole, you have to run the business out of things and you have to get the clients, you have to get the jobs that pays you to do the thing that you love to do.
And coming from your background. That you did. what did that look like for you in terms of figuring out how to market you as a designer, how to market your plugins, your templates, all of that stuff. I know you said you had almost a hundred people on your email list and you're like, all right, here we go.
What did, marketing look like? Cause I know that can be tricky.
Yes. I wouldn't really say I'm an expert in marketing. but I've done most of the marketing myself. Throughout my business. even the social media, I handle it myself. I really focus on delivery first. So especially with standout square space, I really am more confident marketing it when I know I've delivered enough my existing students.
and also when I deliver above and beyond, I also get to have a lot of testimonials, a lot of students who are organically praising the programs. That's also the case when I was just starting out with a plugins. I did not run ads at that time. It was more really about, being generous with my time and knowledge, especially that time when I didn't have any standouts for a space program, I really would help.
because my plugins back then, if you purchase them once you can apply them to multiple websites and then I would support each of those websites where you apply it to. and yeah, back then I just, really enjoyed giving, delivering my plugins, any product in the most excellent, form.
that's how I market
my
products. So I really focus on delivery and that's why, when Squarespace updated the platform, I really did not launch standout Squarespace again, like for a year until I published the new curriculum, like the foundation's part of the new curriculum.
So I really focus on the quality of the product or my service and really make it speak for itself. I am not comfortable sharing my revenue or the revenue of my students. not yet confident with that, but I'm confident showing The website that they create the website that I create all the techniques, the skills that they are able to build with the programs.
so, yeah, I think that's the main, marketing strategy is to deliver, my products, or offers at its finest. But yes, there are also a lot of other components like social media, and so, but I think I'm able to better and confidently show up on social media and in other channels because I know I have, polished my offers.
Yeah.
Kate Christy: me buying a plugin sold me standout Squarespace. So it worked. Yes. This is how great this one little thing for one section on my website is like, this whole thing is going to be amazing. Like I came to that first webinar, like credit card ready. Like you didn't even have to speak at the webinar.
I was ready to buy. no, speaking to the type of content and like providing the value. I think that's something that we're missing a lot of in a lot of, The online education, right? A lot of it is, and not saying that one type of contents better than the other, but I do feel like there's a lot of coaching and mentorship type educational content out there where it's take these ideas and apply it to your business or take these.
Procedures and apply it to your business. Andsome of those things will work for you or they won't work for you. Right. Because it's a lot of inner work. It's a lot of mindset work. It's a lot of, does this business that they're running actually align with the kind of business that I want to run?
And I think you can, and I know I've fallen into this trap where you spend hundreds, thousands of dollars on these things that you're like, actually that didn't work for me at all. That's a bummer. But what I like. Then this is, I might be setting myself up for failure in this scenario. But after taking stand out Squarespace, I'm like anything I invest my money in has to give me this tangible thing.
That I can apply to my business and like you were talking about, not sharing revenue or income or all that stuff. Like, I think this is not marketing advice, but I don't think that that's like the thing about the content that you're delivering, right? Like you're helping people to up level their skills.
And in turn, they're just, Turning out really gorgeous websites and that's the marketing right there, right? Is the, ability, the skills that you're getting. And, yeah, I was just telling someone the other day that I was like, if I'm going to invest in something, like, I got to make sure that I can, like, actually walk away being able do something that's going to make me money
because there are a lot of.
like, marketing strategies that would work for, some people or business strategies that works for some people, but not work for everyone. That's why I'm not claiming that I am teaching marketing and standouts, Chris space. and that's because I don't want them to assume that they can easily just find the client to find clients just by, taking standouts for a space.
But I just want them to know that, with the skills that they have, whatever business strategy they implement, whatever business idea they come up with, they can publish templates. So they can work one on one with clients. They can offer installation of features, a la carte. Those are all possible with the scales that they would acquire, but We are in different circumstances.
We are in different stages of our business. So, the marketing strategies, all those business structures will be different for each of us. So I'm just really like capitalizing on the skills that they can acquire.
Kate Christy: Yeah, 100%. I wanted to talk about just setting aside creative time for yourself to play because you do have a lot of stuff going on in the community, in your own personal brand that you've been developing, redesigning lately, and then being a mom on top of that, like, how are you able to carve out time for just Rach?
Yeah. Yeah.
Oh, actually, I really enjoy this covering new things. So I love coding. I don't watch movies. I just. love discovering new things. So my pastime is really learning. I would take the time to, for example, discover a new technique on Squarespace, like turning the built in accordion into a vertical accordion.
You know, those are the things that I challenge myself with. so I think I really gain fulfillment when I get to discover new things. It's like, discovering a new magic trick. So that's how I'm able to, make time for myself. Lately, I've been into skincare. So it's like, when I need to refresh or something, I would like make time and, do my skincare routine.
it's just a way for me to also pamper myself. and Once a month, I would also schedule a massage. So yeah, I really would take time. for myself as well. as I mentioned, I have a very supportive husband and so, he would like look after our son while I pamper myself. but yeah, most of the time I would just, spend Discovering new things.
I think that's my form of recreation.
Kate Christy: Mm hmm. That's interesting because I mean, your free time or your playtime actually can be monetized. Yes, yes! but Do you feel like it drains you or do you feel like it, fills you up? You're like, really jazzed after you figured something out I guess it's, do you have a hard time?
Because it's not really pulling yourself away from work because it's still kind of work, but I don't know. Cause like, we can be hard on ourselves, like taking time for ourselves or even if it's like not. being a mom and being like, I'm going to go get a massage. That means I'm leaving the house.
I'm not going to be present or in business. I know a lot of us fall into that trap of, I need to take time to grow my business, to build my business, to do things for my business. Right. Which means I can't service my clients at that. Point in time, right? We really easily talk ourselves out of doing those things.
Do you struggle with that? Or is it just because that your, creative play, your, you time a lot of times is developing skill in code and learning new things?
yes. I think personally, that's what I enjoy. I really love, coding. And as believe I mentioned this before that. Even if I've already earned enough, I would probably just still learn code. I love learning. I would take courses and it really fulfills me when I get to learn new skills.
back when I was not coding yet, I haven't been into development. I would learn other skills like Leather crafting paper cutting, you know, those kinds of skills, but now that, I'm into website development. when I am able to discover things myself, it just fills me up. I think that's, As long as it's not part of my routine, like, for example, it's not part of answering questions in the community, or
it's not part of my usual routine. I think I am able to practice play in a way. So yeah, I really love that. I don't really enjoy watching movies or so. And so I just enjoy Learning and discovering new things.
Kate Christy: Yeah, you're much more productive human that way. Yes, I'm wasting a lot of time on. Netflix series, but that's funny.
There is some truth to that. I too, very much enjoy figuring things out and problem solving. And The joke is like one of my toxic traits is I will spend hours trying to figure out how to come up with a solution so that you then can do it in, 20 minutes. Versus like doing it in an hour, which was like the normal length of time that it should have taken.
But I spent five hours trying to figure that out. but with, coding, when you do set aside. Time to just play it is so rewarding, but when you're in the middle of like a client project and something's not working, or you're trying to figure it out, or you've received feedback and they're like, can you just do, X, Y, and Z to this section or this feature or whatever.
And you're kind of just like, I want to get this done and off my plate and, check the list. Like it's a different mindset, even though you're doing essentially the same task. Yeah. You can really kind of like. Let loose and be like, okay, I'm just on here to play and figure things out and see what happens.
That is a much more enjoyable experience. but with all the updates with Squarespace over the last year, there's been a lot of exciting updates in the, what's the term I want to use?
the, global colors and the global fonts, all of that stuff. Like, I'm always trying to figure out how I can hack my code panel to where it's like, so. Simplified. Yes. Right. Efficient. That's the word I'm looking for with like using mix ins and someone was asking me like, what can you use a mix in for?
I was like, everything.
so now I have to like stop myself whenever I get into an old website that I did maybe a year ago to like going in there and like really cleaning things up because I've not been paid to do that. I've been paid to do one thing, but um,no, I do find enjoyment in Figuring out how to do things in a new way or efficiently and one thing that I really love.
I'm going to say this earlier about how you teach is not bypassing Squarespace native features, but leveraging the native features and so that that way. It's not like you don't send the website to your client and you're like. This is like all hacked up and like, here's tutorials on like how to really do this.
You have to go like, remove this line of code and then go do this and then go add that line of code back in and whatever that it makes it really user friendly for the end client, not being me, the designer, but like, the, or the, I guess student in your course, but like the person that I'm designing and developing my website for.
So that's been part of my fun recently too, is figuring out how to build more efficiently and then also build in a way that. I'm able to repeat my practices website to website, like setting up systems for myself so that I can speed up my process and refine how I do things for clients. So then this client maybe took X amount of hours, right?
And then I've shaved off a couple hours for the next job and then the next job. Because when you are working with kids and if there's just one person in your business, finding ways to hack the system, it saves some energy and some mental. Yes,
I really just appreciate it. The value of my time more when I, had a kid because every time is precious because, if you get to be efficient in building a site, then that means that's, you get to spend more time, with your family.
And so, yeah, it really made me. look for ways to be more efficient in building sites. And that's why that's what I teach and stand out. might want to check out, like, I think I published a new typography lesson and how you can use the global font.
Oh yeah.
That one's good. But in the advanced portion, that's when I really dive into variables.
Kate Christy: I watch the foundations, I think cause you re recorded the typography one. Didn't you?
Rachell De Luna: Yes, I did. I watched it both
Kate Christy: times. And I was like, she already did this. Because I saw like the global color things and I was like, there's got to be a way to do this with fonts. And then I went back and watched. I was like, there is.
I was very happy about that. Because This is like off topic, but, who cares? There'll probably be a lot of web designers listening to this one.
Kate Christy: because adding custom fonts to Squarespace websites was kind of a pain where you have to add it to every single thing, right? Where it wasn't just like, Oh, I just make
My headers, this one, right? Like you had to go through and everywhere else. It was like hidden in the website that someone who's not a designer developer might not know, you could be a business who bought a template and then you're trying to add your brand font to it. Right. And then you're like, why is my blog post header font?
Like not. The same header font that I put in. And so anyways, I'm really jazzed about this for like, just me building websites for my clients, but then also even from like a template perspective too, of being able for people who do purchase templates to be able to upload your font. And then add it there and then that's all you got to do, so I think that's, very exciting on the efficiency front.
Yes, having a kid does make you realize how finite time is and how much your time is worth and things into perspective. I had a conversation with someone who was talking about, Prioritizing and things being pulled one way or the other, right? It was, you, couldn't go too far off, one side because there's something pulling you back.
Right. So those two things could look like being a mom and being a business owner, right? Like you just go off on a wild tangent on one or the other because you're still constantly getting pulled by the other thing. So then you realize like how much your time is worth and For some people that can be a really great thing because you're like, Oh, I was charging X amount for, you know, hourly work before being a parent.
And now you're like, my time is worth a lot more than that. And it can be a motivator that I think if you struggle with how to price stuff, which, that's everyone, I guess that, you can be like, okay, well. If I'm going to be giving my time to you instead of my children, then this is what it costs and did you have that like switch whenever you became a mom where you were like re evaluating the value of your time, the value of your services, the value of, or even like what was important because I know you talk about it.
How you're very mindful of making sure that the quality of the product that you're delivering is top notch. Right. Where I think we can get into situations where we over deliver, overextend ourselves. And I think that's like a motherly thing too, where it's like, you're giving, giving, giving, right.
Like as a female, as a mother, that's kind of biological to us. and we kind of have to check ourselves, but yeah, I wanted to hear your thoughts around. What your time was worth to you after becoming a mother and what that shift look like mentally and emotionally.
Yeah, I definitely, I really valued my time more when I had my it's really just the opportunity cost of if I take on this project that's, would mean a time away from my son.
And so that time I really increased my prices. and. Yeah, whenever I look at him, it just reminds me of how valuable time is. and as I mentioned right now, I decided to push back in terms of scaling my business. You know, it's easy to like really stretch yourself and really go all in, in terms of marketing, in terms of, Launching, but this year I really decided to just step back.
And as I mentioned, I just really would like to cherish this moment. And because I have enough savings, I don't need to launch, launch and launch or, keep chasing the next revenue goal. I just need to like, enjoy what I have built so far and cherish this moment with my son. And so it's. Aside from like, when I was starting out, it was more of increasing my prize.
But now that I get to decide how much I'll stretch myself, I just decided to step back. And while I'm delivering my course as well, that's why my course is now Are available year round. I just, at the moment, I'm a bit, exhausted in terms of, launching, because it's when you launch and launch, like send emails every time, every other month, it's also exhausting.
And so I just decided to make all my courses available year round. And if you're ready, just. Take it. it will be less time consuming in my end. And, as I mentioned this year, I just decided to enjoy what I have earned so far. And. just go with the flow in terms of my business. And so probably when my son is older, maybe in three years or four, in his more independent, I'll probably be able to scale my business more, but right now it's more of, status quo.
Kate Christy: No, that's such a reminder because there is so much content out there about grow, grow, grow, scale, scale, scale. And you think, okay, well, what does that mean? Do I just keep doing that? Like, do I keep growing? Do I keep scaling? Because when you do work in a creative field and doing one to one work right there, the sky's the limit on.
Yeah, how much you can scale right? But then you become limited by how much time and energy you actually have. Right? But then, developing passive or quote unquote passive income because we all know it's not passive, but, there's no end, there's no ceiling. No one's going to stop you from doing what you're doing unless that's you coming from inside.
And I think that we all have a really hard time doing that too, because I know a lot of people who start. Businesses, they have that freelance mentality of, I don't have a paycheck schedule. I don't know when the next job's going to come. And so you kind of stay on the hamster wheel as long as you can because that little noise in the back of your head is kind of like, well.
this might not be the case next month or this might not be the case six months from now, but I think it's such a beautiful reminder and very happy for you that you're like, you know what, we're here right now. Everything's fine. We're going to enjoy it. And we're going to, not keep pushing ourselves because yeah, it's like at some point.
You got to ask yourself, like, do I actually want to scale? Right. Do I actually want to grow a team? Do I actually want to? And again, I think there can be content out there that makes you feel like you're not doing it right. Unless you're growing the team. Like that's the next, you know, it's like the, the, 10K months check, like 100K year check, grow the team check, right? Like you're going through these like steps, like earning these trophies along the way for entrepreneurship. And then it's like, no folks, like stop and ask yourself. Is this actually what I want?
And,
Kate Christy: we need to be able to give ourselves the permission to stop.
Right. Or to say, I'm not going to do this right now. I'm going to keep my business running minimal input. Right. Like what's the minimum that I can do to maintain what I've built. Right. So that I can give more energy to my family. I can give more energy to my kids. I can do this. And then. When they don't need as much time and energy from me.
Then I can pick it up again, right? Then I can grow and scale and whatever more, but that thought about not now later is such like a mom thing in business that I've like, really been like working through currently of, just because I can't do it now doesn't mean it's, a never thing.
And I think,
yeah,
Kate Christy: really getting a bigger lens to look at what growing a business looks like as a mother, right? Because being a parent is cyclical in terms of the stage that your kids in right now. It's not always going to be like that. The issues that you're dealing with, whether that's. their behavior or they're going through like a weird sleep schedule thing, or they only wanna eat mac and cheese, a certain brand of it, and they don't eat anything else, right?
Like everything's just so confined to these stages that when you're in the stage you're like, oh my gosh, life's never gonna get better, like.
Kate Christy: but you get out of the stage. And so I think like when we can step back as working moms and look at, okay, I got through this. Stage with my child and this stage through my business.
And then I got through this stage and this is what maybe the next five years will look like. It might not be exactly how I want it to look as a professional, but it's exactly how I want it to look like as a mom.
maybe the five years after that is, different, right? There's that like push and pull, but I also, yeah, I'm very big into giving yourself permission to do things in a way that feel good for you.
And for your family and for your business, right? Because if it's your business, you're the entrepreneur, you're the CEO of your business, right? Like, you're the CEO of your life. Like, it's in your hands. Like, you have the decisions to make. And so I'm like up on my soapbox right now about this.
canceled my calendar for next week and I'm feeling very powerful.
So, yeah, I think, only just realized that this year coming to this year and very happy with my decision to like, step back and focus on delivering the courses that I am right now to my current students and then. Just in a way celebrate as well, because I've been working and working for the past years and I just look back and I realized I have never really celebrated enough and that's something that's also applicable to coding, because if you don't celebrate your progress, it will become frustrating, right?
Because I mentor a lot designers and. They somehow get frustrated when they don't get to build their vision, but They'll be able to overcome that frustration. If you're able to celebrate the small things that you're able to customize. For example, if you just celebrate customizing the title or the bottom, if you learn to celebrate those little things, I think that's how you'll be able to overcome the frustration.
And that's what I. Realize as well as a business owner, that for the past years, I wasn't able to celebrate enough. And I think this year is more of a celebration year for me. And probably once I celebrated, maybe I'll have more energy. In the next two years to, probably grow, really at the moment I'm chill and just, enjoying the fruits of my years of labor.
Kate Christy: Yeah, no. And I think as, both in business and parenthood too, right. We're really hard on ourselves for the things that we're not doing or we didn't get right. But if you flip that script and you're like, Oh, look at all the things that we did do. Look at all the things that we did get right.
No, I love that.
Yeah. That's
good.
Kate Christy: The year of celebrating. No, I love that. I'm going to put that in my calendar for next year.
Rachell De Luna: Definitely. Yeah, would be helpful.
And yeah, even in motherhood. Yeah. I, just realized as well, I haven't really celebrated myself as a mom. Like, as I mentioned, I haven't been really talking about how I thrived as a mompreneur, both a mother and an entrepreneur.
And so, yes, sometimes. There's no one else to, congratulate us, but ourselves, so it's good to remind how far, how much we've overcome in terms of motherhood as well as in terms of running a business. So yeah, if looking back, I think I'm not a perfect mom, but. I think I've done a great job.
Kate Christy: Yeah. Did you feel like being a mom was a hit on you to like being a professional business woman?
Or did you feel like both of those worlds couldn't coexist? That was something that I really struggled with about, opening up. To clients are on social media or whatever around having kids, because it was one of those things like, well, are they going to take me seriously? Are they going to be annoyed if my kids are running around in the background of zoom?
But I feel like COVID like, just broke everyone of that.
Yeah.
Kate Christy: Everyone's got to have it all together business, right? Because everyone was at home on Zoom meetings with the kids running around in the background. But, was it something that felt very empowering to you? Or was it something that you struggled with?
Like figuring out how do these things coexist? What did that look like?
I do feel like my motherhood is more empowering than a limitation. Because I would attribute my Business and I felt like I had a different kind of adrenaline when I gave birth and I wouldn't have with my job or built my business if I did not give birth.
So I think I attribute everything to that pivotal moment of my life. but then I'm not as open in, sharing. my personal life in social media at the moment, because my husband is very private. And so, you want to keep lot of things Personal things private, but do think it's okay to open up as well.
actually, in the past years, I haven't been showing up like I haven't been sharing photos of myself, on social media. But again, this year, I just realized that, my audience will be able to connect deeply with me if I'm able to share like those snippets of my life. So I actually have a YouTube video, coming up like sharing.
Not the face of my son, but more of how I play with him, like how he draws, those kinds of things, like really opening up a bit of, how I am as a person, as a mom, as, An individual so I can connect deeply with the right audience. So I think that's a realization as well. something I can improve on in the coming months, but yeah, in the past, I'm just more comfortable sharing my work and not my, Personal life.
Kate Christy: Yeah. Well, and it, can kind of feel hairy around like, do the people who are following me because of what I do as a business, are they even interested in this? so yeah, I kind of go back and forth on, am I showing chaos or am I showing.
A professional business woman.
but I totally think it's okay to show chaos. But, yeah, sometimes I think if you choose to show those parts of your life, I think the right audience will understand, how limited your time is.
Kate Christy: I did find that. some of those fears that I had around, which is silly.
I've talked about this on the podcast several times, but a lot of the people that I work with are women. A lot of people that I work with are moms. And so it was like, who am I concerned about? Like having a hard time with this situation. But a lot of the fears that I had really kind of boiled down to transparency and communication, right.
Around, Hey. I'm a mom. I don't work normal hours or you don't even have to say I'm a mom. You just have to say, I don't work nine to five hours. these are the times I'm available to you. I'm not available at these times because I have a family and that's a priority of mine, right? End of sentence, right?
but this is like a whole other tangent that I could get on around. Service based businesses turning into just serving, serving, serving the client, right, like instead of providing the service and not being totally In service to the client the whole time, and, letting them kind of dictate the process and outcomes and things like that.
which can be, it's a learned skill. You're a service provider.
Yes, it is. yeah, we just need to really constantly remind ourselves because it's easy to get caught up in that routine of just serving and serving and serving and not. Be able to, like, do things that fill you up. Yeah.
Kate Christy: All right.
I'm going to go ahead and wrap us up. I'm not going to stop recording though, because sometimes whenever I'm like, okay, bye, people exhale and then they'll say something. And I was like, dang it. I wish I had recorded that. was there anything else that you wanted to share or touch on or talk about before we?
Wrap up anything. You feel compelled.
Rachell De Luna: Oh, not. I think I was able to thank you so much. I think you would need to edit a lot, but thank you so much for being great listener and for,
leading the conversation. I'm so honored to be part of your podcast. Thank you so much. Kate.
Kate Christy: Thank you for coming. Can you tell everyone where they can find you online, find your programs, connect with you, all of that stuff.
And we'll put all of it in the show notes too.
Sure. So you may find me by, my website square stylist. com. I am most active on Instagram. So that's instagram. com square stylist, and we're sharing more content on our YouTube account. So that's youtube. com slash square stylist.
Kate Christy: Cool. Thank you, Rach. Thanks, Kate!
Oh,