Episode 1 - How I Haphazardly Became An Entrepreneur!

Updated: May 5, 2021

Published on September 30, 2019

Kat Ramirez:

Hello, I am Kat Ramirez and this is episode one of the standout and grow podcast. This week, I am so excited to share with you how i haphazardly became an entrepreneur, I will share my journey of how I went from a six figure income to a startup company, and why I made the decision to escape from corporate America and the old fashioned corporate ladder syndrome.

Hi, this is Kat Ramirez, CEO and founder of adBidtise. adBidtise is a small ad agency that helps small businesses with little to no advertising budget, so that they can stand out and grow with affordable advertising options.

Thank you for listening to Stand Out and Grow. This is my new podcast. And as you can tell the name is a derivative of my business tagline. So the tagline for the business, or sorry, the tagline for the podcast is stand out, survive, succeed and grow. So why did I start this podcast, I started this podcast because I want to be able to help you. I want to help you stand out and grow your business. I am here to advocate for you. I'm here to educate you. And I'm here to be your resource. If there is any thing that you are being challenged with, I want to be the one to deliver you a solution so that we can overcome it together.

So how did I get to where I am today? Why am I doing what I'm doing? And why did I leave corporate America?

Okay, so my background just to give you a little sense of who I am, I have over 27 years of broadcast television sales experience, I worked for every major network that you can think of ABC, NBC, CBS, Telemundo, Fox, and so on, my primary role was to train and manage a sales team in the five major markets that I was in. So what did that mean? That meant I created sales packages, create created, manage my inventory trained my team and adhere to corporate and and really answer to them because they had these budgets in place that I was held accountable for.

So, How did that lead to where I am today?

I think everybody gets hit with some thing. And a lot of times I call those somethings red flags. Okay. So I had a few red flags in my career. So granted, I will, I will let you know that when I got into the TV business, it was I mean, I was young, I was straight at college, and it was exciting and great. And, you know, I was fed years ago from my parents to buy into the corporate ladder, and I drink the Kool Aid. And you know, my whole dream and goals were to, you know, do my, you know, 30 years or 20 years, whatever, and go to the top become the VP of some TV station, and retire and live happily ever after.

And what I found out as I was living this corporate dream was I hit a ceiling.

I hit the glass ceiling, for what reasons who knows, I was very good at what I did. I actually mastered it, and I'm new business development, sales was my thing. And training people was my thing. And I got to a point in my career, and maybe it was because of my leadership. But I had applied for the next opportunity on top of me.

So to move up, I applied. And I was rejected, I was turned down. And this was a within my own Corporation. So this was internally. So the glaring red flag or I would I would call it the fireworks was actually when I did it five times. And I was rejected five times. So the last time I had pitch for this opportunity, I was sent to New York to interview with corporate and it was then in there, that corporate actually sat in front of me at lunch and literally told me, you know, at lunch that if I knew that my boss, the the general manager of the TV station I represented, was not approving any of my opportunities to go to the next level. And I tell you what, I I sat there, like someone kicked me in the gut. And I just felt stupid, I really did. And I didn't know what to say. And I'm sure the look on my face was just horrific. And I managed to finish lunch. And that was, you know, that was the end of my interview.

You know, it was time for me to head home. And I did a lot of soul searching and thinking. And as I try to get out of this shock, because I was in shock. You know, I thought about a few things and and the one thing I thought about that really resonate with me was I thought to myself that I never, ever, ever want want to or would allow another person to have that much control over my destiny, my dreams, my goals. And it was a reality check for me because I thought, I can't believe that someone has that much power.

So it was then in there on my way home that I thought I need an exit plan, I need to create my own destiny. And that VP level that being the CEO of a TV station was not going to be that was no longer going to be my route. And so then in there, I made the decision that I was going to quit my job. So three months later, after I arrived back into the TV station, I quit my job. And I I then looked really hard for my next opportunity because I thought to myself, you know this next opportunity is going to be where I want to go. Because in TV world you go where the jobs are, no matter where they are. And whether you like that place or not, you're going to go where the job opportunities are. And this one was going to be my last one. And I made a commitment to myself that I was going to go where I wanted to go and I didn't care how long it was going to take for me to wait for this opportunity.

I was very fortunate that it only took six months for me to find the opportunity that I wanted. And I actually found exactly what I wanted. I had been in Wisconsin at one point in my career, I absolutely love dead. I was actually in Madison as a sales national sales manager there. And I fell in love with it. And I have a bunch of girlfriends there. And I I knew when I was looking, I said you know the one place I would love, love love to go back to is Wisconsin and I applied for an opportunity came up within the six months that I was looking. Granted, I apply to a lot of places in those six months, just so you know, I interviewed a lot of places a lot, because I was going to be picky, it was going to be about me. And I was going to find the opportunity.

This suited My my, know, lifestyle and what I wanted. And so again, like I said, I got really, really lucky. And I don't know if it was because I put it out there that I wanted Milwaukee or yes Milwaukee so bad that that opportunity just came about.

So it was with the CBS affiliate I interviewed I really love the people there. And I love that they were an independent TV station, that meant that they weren't corporate. So that was to me a wonderful thing. And so I took the opportunity I moved, this was going to be my last move. And it was hard for me because I had a lot of friends in Nebraska. So I picked up all my stuff I packed up, I moved, and I started my new life, and Wisconsin Milwaukee. And I tell you what I was so thrilled to death to be back in Wisconsin.

So now I am in Wisconsin, and I am again a sales manager, and the same equal a position that I had just left, I thought, Okay, I have two options, I can stay here and try and grow. Or I can do a really, really good job and then pitch and move somewhere else. And I'm going to be honest, I was tired of moving, I'm too old to move. It's really hard. It takes a big toll on your life and who you are and your friends and your family. So I decided, you know before that, that that was going to be my last move. So there was not going to be any more moving for me. So the the next thing for me was entrepreneurship.

So I didn't start thinking about entrepreneurship until I got another red flag. So the boss, the lady that hired me, so just about maybe nine months after she hired me, she got promoted. And she went off to Chicago to do some big things with the company that I worked for. And her replacement was somebody who had been in the industry many years, they were going to retire soon. And so they just wanted an easy ride. And that's just my personal opinion. And maybe it was different from them. But that's what I got out of that person. And the red flag came I worked with this person because I was at the station almost five years, I worked with this person for because she was there almost a year. So then whatever was left.

So for years, I worked with this person. And what happened was I started to get a really big sense we got, we'll what happened was we got a new General Manager. So things were changing. And he was now held accountable. And I think that really put a lot of pressure on him. And so it got to the point where he could never he no longer could skate. And so I was being asked to do things that I wasn't being asked to do before. And so and a lot of it was things that were his responsibility. And so it got to the point where the red flag was he pulled me in a room one day, and he said, Hey, Kat, you know, I am never ever, ever going to have your back, you know, you do know that I'm going to retire soon. So I don't need any problems or any rips. I just want to go ahead and retire in the next year or two. And so, you know, and he said this a little more aggressive. I'm being really, really nice in this situation. I was appalled if you can imagine I just looked at him and I was in complete and utter shock. I couldn't tell anybody because I was in a locked room. It was just him and I and I thought what the hell. So I knew that he would never have my back. He would never stand up for me, or protect me or defend me. And so I knew that that was a red flag that there was doom and gloom coming if I didn't do everything he wanted me to do.

Okay. So, at that time, I thought to myself, and this was actually one day, I got up, I had an epiphany, it was July 4, 2014. And I said, You know what, I'm not going to do this anymore. I'm going to start the company that I wanted to start when I was in Nebraska, which was, you know, 4566 years ago, whenever that incident happened, okay. And July for 2014. I went online, I created my business, I gave it a name. It just happened to me. And you know, it's like this burst came to me. And it just happened.

It was that day that I made a commitment to myself. And I said, I will quit my job one year from this day. I'm going to plan it out. And one year from today, I will quit my job. And what I did was I cut all my expenses, I saved as much money as I could, knowing I was going to quit my job. And I did. So I have hazard Lee became an entrepreneur, if you would have had asked me 10 years from 2014. Kat, where would you be a you know, in the next 510 years, I would have never have ever told you, I'm going to be an entrepreneur, I would have told you, I'm going to be the corporate CEO of ABC in Chicago, or ABC in Chicago or wherever

I know, my dream. My goal was to be in corporate America climbing that corporate ladder. And yet haphazardly because of these red flags because of these things that happened to me, and really hit me in the face. I am here today as an entrepreneur, and I will tell you what, I don't have any qualms with where I am today, and I don't ever look back, I am as happy as I can be. And love the fact that I'm building my dreams, I'm creating my destiny. And everything is in my hands.

No one ever, ever can ever have control of my destiny. It is mine, all mine to make our break. And I'm going to make this thing. So that's why I'm here today, I'm here to share my challenges with you. I'm here to share my struggles, I want you to survive and succeed. based on my experiences.

I'm just like you, I'm no different. I started my company not knowing anything. And I went in with both feet. And I learned a lot. And I will tell you, you will learn a lot as well. And I have also thought about quitting many times, I have thought about giving up. And just throwing this to the side. Because it is hard. And you will have a lot of challenges. And it's very difficult. But I will tell you that you have to incur all of that you have to take it, you have to persevere, you have to push yourself forward. In order for you to make this work. If you read the any good trades, or if you read any good entrepreneur book, you will learn that most businesses were extremely successful on the verge of quitting, because they just cracked it.

And it was so much work and energy that they felt like I can't do it. But the ones that stuck and took it over that last hump are the ones that are very, very successful. And success is not overnight. Don't ever think success is overnight. It is a lot of work. And it is a marathon, you have to work at it day in and out. It is not going to go away. And I will tell you as you become better at your game.

It it does become easier. But you're still going to have the challenges, I promise you, you will have the challenges, but you're going to be better at them. And you'll be well equipped to be able to deal with them. So this is my story. This is why I'm here. I want to help you grow. Can I just say it again? I want to help you stand out, survive, succeed and grow.

So here's my ask of you. Help me help you. Please let me know. As you were listening to this, what other challenges do you have? What do you want me to address because I can almost promise you, I have been there and I have a solution to your challenge. And I can help you overcome that challenge. And if I can't, I will find someone to interview to help you overcome that challenge. So please share my content. You can find me on our website StandOutnGrow.com

You can also find on our Facebook group, we have a Facebook group called stand out and grow or find me on LinkedIn and message me. I am so approachable. Connect with me. See I do put a lot of content out on my social media. So you know, follow make connect with me. Reach out to me, I again I am so connectable. You'll find me on LinkedIn as Katherine Kat Ramirez.

Thank you for listening and please subscribe and tune in to our next episode of stand out and grow. This is Kat Ramirez, CEO and founder of adBitise, you have a voice. I would love to hear it. Thank you for your time.

If you have listened to the stand and grow podcast recently, you have heard that we just launched a marketing consultant certification program. This 12 month program will give you the tools knowledge and confidence you need to run your own marketing consultation business to generate your passive income. We're excited to offer a 40% discount to the first 25 participants. So go reserve your spot today.

My golden piece of advice for you to take away so you can crush it is to follow your heart and don't miss the red flags, especially if they are waving at you do something and make a move to make a change. Thanks to all of our listeners today.

Next week we will be featuring our podcast interview with perfect Oh, from the valor radio show and talk about how my military experience help me become successful from my training.

I am so thankful for all of our listeners. And thank you for joining me today. I want to keep producing content that you want to hear. So please leave me some feedback. Don't forget to follow me on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram for latest updates. And please share this episode with someone you know that might benefit from it.