Ep 23: Thinking Through Your Exit Early with Entrepreneur and Coach Catherine Cates

The entrepreneurial journey is often filled with ups and downs, twists and turns, and everything in between, and our guest today has seen that firsthand. Having moved from a corporate career to become an entrepreneur—and then a coach for entrepreneurs—Catherine Cates joins the show today to share insight from her hands-on experiences in the world of business and entrepreneurship.

Listen in as she opens up about the stages and transformation of her career, as well as the unexpected turn one of her three businesses took and the implications that had on her exit. You’ll gain wisdom from someone who has worn a lot of hats and been through the fire throughout her career to make it out the other side better and more savvy than ever.

What You’ll Learn:

• What inspired Catherine to pursue entrepreneurship.
• How she was able to set herself up for success when it came to gaining funding for her first business.
• Why it’s important to prepare for your exit early.
• How Catherine was forced to pivot.
• How she helps entrepreneurs who feel like their business is running them.
• The relationship between luck and skill when it comes to success.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• “You just learn – work is uncertain.” – Catherine Cates
• “When you’re an entrepreneur, you have to have some humility.” – Catherine Cates
• “A business that is 100% reliant on the owner is not saleable.” – Catherine Cates

Resources:

• Catherine Cates: LinkedIn
• EOS
• Cannon Carr: LinkedIn
• CornerCap