The Holy Standard
Welcome to The Holy Standard - the podcast for women who don’t just want to grow, they want to lead. Here, we build spiritual authority, internal systems and bold standards that make you unshakable. If you’re done with watered-down faith, fluffy self-help and surface-level success... you’re in the right room. Let’s raise the bar and our standards.
The Holy Standard
Becoming the Woman to Lead a Movement with Katie Chetcuti
Chat with me and client, Katie Chetcuti about her growth, her movement and what she did to make it all happen
What truly sets Katie's approach apart is her commitment to high standards. By completely stepping into her next level leadership and setting clear expectations, she's created a thriving "vegan girl gang" where members proudly identify with the community and inspire each other. The results speak for themselves: clients qualifying for powerlifting competitions, running 200-mile relays, achieving significant weight loss and more than anything? HER LOVING HER BUSINESS
Katie's philosophy of "stretch seasons" (intentionally taking on more responsibility than feels comfortable) has expanded her capacity in all areas of life. From signing up for a 10-mile race after a powerlifting meet to moving downtown and investing in high-level business mentorship, she constantly pushes her boundaries. "How much room is God going to create for me to expand?" she asks. "And when I do that, my clients do that, my community does that."
Ready to embrace your own purpose and build something people genuinely want to be part of? Listen to Katie's powerful advice: "Listen and leap." Your capacity is greater than you imagine.
Welcome to the Holy Standard, the podcast for bold, god-led women with strong spirits, sharp minds and high standards. This is where kingdom authority meets high-performance discipline. Together, we're raising the standard for what it means to be a woman of God in business holy and high-level. What is going on, you guys, today's conversation is something that I truly think is going to be so special. It is with a woman who has, honestly, just completely redefined what it means to lead with conviction, lead with her heart and truly build a purpose that has been just on her heart for her entire life. She has built initiatives, she's built a business, she's built herself, while also holding herself to that high standard that we talk about on this podcast specifically and honestly.
Speaker 1:I think it's a standard that a lot of people talk about, they want to post about, they share memes about, but they don't actually end up doing so. We have the privilege to be able to pick her brain today on how she's been able to do so many incredible things, and I personally have had the a bit of a behind the scenes and some more of an intimate look of what her journey has looked like going through stretch seasons, going through growth and growth go, just going through all the things that she's gone through through the last year. So you guys, I just want to give a warm and beautiful welcome to Katie to the podcast Vegan icon. Katie is what we call her.
Speaker 2:Hi everybody.
Speaker 1:I'm so excited to be here, we're so excited to have you. I want you to just everyone, always when you do podcasts, is always going to say, okay, tell me your story, what you got here, and I just think that's a little overdone. So I want to do a bit of a mix up and I would love for you to just give us a bit of a background of where you started. Like, think back to maybe that version of you who felt too small, maybe never, would think she'd be doing what she is today to you today, and just give us some cliff notes of where you were and how you got to where you are today. Like, just run us through it. People need to know your story.
Speaker 2:That and how you got to where you are today. Like just run us through it. People need to know your story. That's such, that's such a good question. I was like, oh my gosh, like who was I before? Like I am who I am now. Um, and honestly, I think that if I wanted to go back to like when I felt really small, I feel like I just want to go back to maybe when I was like a kid. So I'm sure we'll talk about this a little bit. But, um, I stepped in meat when I was nine years old because I was like I just like heard the idea that you could not eat animals and I was like, oh yeah, like that's for me.
Speaker 2:And from that point, I almost like felt really insecure about it. Like when I was a kid, like I genuinely thought I had like a mental disorder. Like I thought that I had like a guilt complex because I was like why do I care so much about this? And like nobody else cares, and I had a lot of shame around it for a long time. I was like I don't want anybody to know about this. And I feel like when, like at that point, when I was like listening to that thought I was like, okay, like, what else do I need to? Like almost like stay quiet about? Like why can't I like obviously it had a purpose and so everything else in my life. I was like, okay, well, if this has a purpose, like maybe it's just personal to me and it's not something that I ever need to share with anybody else.
Speaker 2:And the deeper I got into any sort of like shame cycle and like that was something that you know kind of like developed over time. But like in that time in your life when you're like you know 10 to 15, that's when, like I feel like kids are the meanest and you just learn to get smaller, like you learn to just adopt to what's around you, and I just kind of like built this version of myself that resented anything that meant essentially success, whether it was like fitness or money or all those things. I was like, oh, if you're in gym class and you're like having a really good time, like you're a try hard, like if you are like a runner, like you're trying hard, like you work too hard, like people who had money, they were like bad people. I was like I would just like make fun of people who had good things and probably because I never felt capable of doing any of those things, I never thought I was like worthy of those things. And probably because I never felt capable of doing any of those things, I never thought I was like worthy of those things. I didn't think I was lucky, I didn't have, I didn't think I had good genes.
Speaker 2:Um, just all of I made up all these reasons and all of these stories as to why I couldn't be successful and be like pretty and like fit and like all of the things that like materialistically, seemed like what we want in this world and like obviously it's still okay to want those things, obviously there's like nuance in that. But, um, I'd be like, if you want those things, you're a try hard and I'm not gonna do that. I'm gonna make fun of you from the sidelines while I'm like going home crying from school about like getting bullied and like feeling fat and sad and like having shame and people making fun of me for like being an unhealthy, like vegetarian. Essentially, it was just like such a mess. So I just like stayed small for so long and I was like I'm not doing any of that.
Speaker 1:Oh my God, it's so crazy too to give people context. Listening to this, katie runs now Like we just have to talk about that. Like power lifting, you're doing like a marathon. Right, it's 10 miles, not a marathon, it's still a lot, it's still a lot, it's still a lot. So we like huge, come around just so that we can kind of like foreshadow the growth that she's gone into.
Speaker 1:But I think what you said was so important too, because you mentioned that at 15 years old, kids are really mean, and it's so funny because, yes, of course, at 15 years old, kids are really mean, and it's so funny because, yes, of course, at 15 years old, we lack the maturity, we lack the emotional maturity to be able to manage ourselves and to be able to take care of each other. But it's almost funny because I also feel like as we grow up, it actually gets worse, because now we have keyboard warriors, now we have people that just won't even say it to your face, and I think that there's actually a lot of people that are probably listening to this podcast who still feel that same, maybe the same judgment and the same pressure as you did at 15 of I need to hide. You know the burden that God's given me not talk about it, hide who I am and not get made fun of. So I would love for you to even like just kind of talk about how you started to overcome that.
Speaker 2:Hmm, I think that number one is like, when it comes to, I guess, like my purpose, which I believe is like saving animals, Um, there is so much weight behind it, Like there's an immense amount of weight behind just this one internal value that I have in my life and once I started like realizing the way and I think, like working with you, Chelsea, and honestly, just over the last couple of years, especially integrating into a community that is like more vegan, Um, like I go to a vegan run club and I have like more vegan friends and things like that, and just honestly being on Instagram and hearing that weight that other people have on their hearts, um, um, being just noticing that what I have to do, like what I have to do, like people aren't going to like it. Like I've been, you know, getting made fun of. Like I remember being in sixth grade and my friend and I was already vegetarian I've been vegetarian for three years at the time and my friend like slapped me with a chicken patty and I was like it was just like and I just kind of like push those things aside. It's like those are things you know I've been, you know, kind of made fun of and like teased for for a really, really long time and I was like, dude, do you know how much it takes for me to stand up for something I believe in that nobody else cares about?
Speaker 2:I remember, like you know, like being drunk at parties when I was like 20 years old and I'm just trying to be cool and impress boys, which was like ridiculous and um, and be like super, super drunk and there'd be like chicken, chicken wings and somebody would be like, oh, are you going to eat one?
Speaker 2:And like, even in like my blackout, drunkest moments, just not a life I live anymore. I was like this is not something that I'm doing and I think that the biggest thing is like I realized it takes so much strength to stand up for what you believe in, and I think that conviction has come in so many areas of my life. But with this specifically, it's like as I integrate more in the community and realize how much weight it is, like it is my duty to show up to the fullest extent and like show other people that it's okay, because I know how long I sat in my shame around, like not wanting to tell people because they didn't want people to make fun of me, but it's like if people making fun of me or being mean to me or like being a little keyboard warrior and telling me that I'm not making a difference saves an animal's life, like why wouldn't I do that?
Speaker 1:but this is so good and I just I wish people could see you the way that I've been able to see you over this past year, because truly, y'all, when you start to see especially the way that Katie has done it, just really step into the conviction with it and have so much authority behind what you do and kind of, like you said, like we really talk about, in becoming a heart led leader, what it means to drive your mission forward is that it's your duty, right.
Speaker 1:There's a sense of responsibility that then comes with it that it isn't just like oh, yeah, would be nice, it's like no, this is actually on me to change, and recently, actually within the last week, I've had maybe three different people reach out to me about wanting to start podcasts, wanting to start XYZ for their particular movement, and almost every single one of them came up with this well, I'm not qualified enough, and so obviously, this is a conversation so huge in the entrepreneur space, but it becomes even bigger when we're talking about changing literal culture in the world, and I would just love to know what your thought process has been like overcoming just that question of am I qualified enough and truly about changing literal culture in the world, and I would just love to know what your thought process has been like, overcoming just that question of am I qualified enough? And truly being able to start impacting your movement the way that you want to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, the like, the qualifications, like that's always something that got me. And I had this um, I posted on my story the other day about like I never probably qualified to be a fitness coach because like I was like the fat girl inside of the pool in a t-shirt, like I got bullied for how I looked in high school, like I would joke about liposuction deals on Black Friday, like that's kind of like the, the person that I came from, and um, so it made me feel like I wasn't qualified to be a fitness coach and sometimes and and this is like a, I don't know the word for like a canon event for vegans is that you never, ever, ever feel like you're doing enough, like I know that there are so many vegans that are doing more for me, and like I haven't been to a protest in a while and like I haven't like been to the sanctuary that I was volunteering at in a bit, and it made me feel like okay, well, like maybe I'm not doing enough. But I think the biggest thing is that the best thing you can do for the world, for yourself, for your community, for your movement, is to take radical responsibility for your actions. I think that's the root of veganism is like these are my actions, this is my responsibility. And yeah, there are people who are like I'm going to do what I'm doing in my my business and I'm not going to talk about it. And I was like that for for quite some time, like I said, and then I kind of like realized the way that I had to share what I had to say.
Speaker 2:But, honestly, like everyone is qualified because you are making the decisions for yourself, and if you can do that for yourself, like I just believe, like energetically, like the other people around you are going to do that. Like when you spend time with people who are convicted, like you are going to be convicted, like that's why you know I love you, I love wholehearted, and like that community and the mastermind, it's just like when you spend time with people like that, like you're going to inspire people to say more, to do more, and so I don't think that. Like I think that everyone is qualified. I think it's just the belief of the qualification and I love that quote that you say all the time. It's like God doesn't call you. Say it.
Speaker 1:Like she's going to get it. She's going to get it. God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called. And I think you're set Like we've all kind of. I think for the most part, a lot of people have experienced what that call feels like on their life, and the best way I think both of us can describe it is just that overwhelming burden of this isn't right. Right, I think for some of us and especially you kind of said this at the start where it's a burden that's so heavy that you might start to think you're a little psycho for it, right, people are going to start looking at why does this matter so much? To you this isn't a big deal, and maybe to them it's not right. But I truly believe that God gives us those burdens on our heart because he wants us to do something about them, and so I don't think that it's about even being qualified. I think it's just about being called and having that on your heart and then going forward and doing something anyway.
Speaker 2:And now I want you to share the quote that you always say the Dr Seuss one do you remember, oh, um, uh, unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to change. It's not it that one's so good, it's my it's literally like top two favorite quotes. The other one is my kung fu panda quote. Um, but yeah, and I think that's it, and it's like, if it's just me, if you guys ever watched the lorax, that's where, that's where, that's where I've read the book, um, that's where that quote is from.
Speaker 2:And, honestly, every time I'm like in a state where I'm feeling like, really, really down. It's truly the worst movie to watch when you're feeling sad about anything going on the planet. Because, like, you watch this movie and you think it's this like silly story and the truth is like this is the reality of what's happening on earth. Like this is like actually like what we're seeing, like we're so blinded by everything going on and like even like green initiatives and all that jazz, like they can look like they're doing so much. And then you see the reality of, like what's going on on earth and you're like, oh my gosh. And like you see, at the end of the movie, you know like the trees start growing, the people are happier and like just things start happening and it really is from that one small seed and like only you can do that, and like you had to see, like how, how hard he had to fight to get this seed, to keep the seed, to plant the seed, to water the seed, he like ruined the town. They like crack the foundations to like put the seed in the thing, and it's like that's you, like that little seed that had to work so hard.
Speaker 2:And like, if you like think about, like if you watch the movie, if you haven't, you have to go see it. But like you know they go, and like they water it. And like I like to think of like God is the water and like you're that little seed and they just like it's you. You have to go through so much and he's the one that's like really pushing you through, even though it's literally, it can be so hard, it can be so sticky to create that radical responsibility that like I need to do this thing. Like you cannot just like pray for the world to be better, and as much as I do that every single day of my life, because, like all of these burdens can be so debilitating, you have to do something about it.
Speaker 1:That's like mic drop after mic drop. Yeah, I think this is so good and you know, even just talking about I love just the analogy and the visual. Literally, if you guys haven't seen the Lorax, what are you doing? Pause the podcast, go watch it. But it's just such a good, you know, analogy and visual of looking at too, because I think often you know something that I also like to talk about when it comes down to, like our seed is, you know, often looking at, are you in fertile ground, like what is the soil, what is the environment around you? That I think is so important order for you to grow up into who God is calling you to be and the calling that he's placing on your life.
Speaker 1:And you know, you kind of talked about those cracks in the concrete where it got a little sticky, where it got a little hard, and I think that you are probably like one of the most qualified, if we're speaking about qualified, about being able to grow through the concrete, like those stretch seasons, those hard times where maybe things aren't like everything you want it to be, maybe you're taking on more responsibility and you know, I think that's where a majority of people quit and I'm just going to tell everyone who's listening my one of the beautiful, most coolest things that I've been able to do just while working with Katie is being able to literally physically witness someone rising up in her leadership and leader herself to a new standard through circumstances that most people would quit, most people would fall back, most people would lean out and they wouldn't hold themselves to the standard.
Speaker 1:So I would just love to know like, from your set point, you know, going through building this qualification, you're building this calling, you're trying to really cement yourself in where you feel God is calling you. When things start to get maybe a little chaotic, how do you keep yourself anchored and grounded in those high pressure seasons when you're maybe feeling like you're going through the concrete?
Speaker 2:I think that it's this, like one, um, this one phrase that I did it was like during a meditation and I just like heard it so so, so clearly, and it's it was we're always going to be good. Like in my heart, that is my full-blown like grounding statement and, um, I just like trust so fully in that that like we're always going to be good. And when I say like we, it's like me, god, you, everyone around me, like we are always going to be good. And when I say like we, it's like me, god, you, everyone around me, like we are always going to be good, and if I can hold that belief, that I can hold it for everyone around me, it's not, it's not heavy, it's not a burden, it's just like pure faith and trust. And it sounds so scary and so silly, but like I can think of so many scenarios in my life where I took a huge risk and there is no reason I like should have made it through. It actually made no sense, like so, for example, um, a couple of years ago, I moved into my first apartment by myself. I was leaving like a very like emotionally abusive relationship and I had to get out and I had these standards that I wanted for where I want to live. I didn't want to live like in, like a crap hole, like apartment, like running a business. I want to like love. I'm home all the time yeah, um, from home. And I lied to my dad and I told him I can afford this apartment. I don't know why I thought this was a good idea, but I was like, yeah, like, I just need you to like co-sign with me, I can afford it. This is how much money I make. And by the end of the year, I had accumulated like $20,000 in credit card debt and which essentially like added up to the entire year's worth of rent. Um, and I had a no interest credit card and I was like, and the entire time I had the credit card, I was like I'm going to pay it off by the time I have interest on it. And that December I like hit rock bottom. I went through a really bad breakup. I made $500 that month and my do like my rent was like $2,000. So I was like I don't even know what I'm gonna do here and I just like had so much faith. I was like this is what's gonna happen, it's's going to work out and I'm going to do everything possibly in my power to create this. And within three months, I paid off all of my credit card debt and I was like my business blew up. I went viral on Instagram Like I what I hit a record month.
Speaker 2:Like it was crazy and it was just because, like there was no reason I should have like like people are in those situations and it's debilitating to them.
Speaker 2:I like I'm in this finance group on Facebook and people like post their debt or they post their wins or whatever it is, and I see things and I'm like they're like this is like a.
Speaker 2:They act like it's a life threatening situation and I want to be like oh, if you just believed it was going to be good, like you'd be good and know that is kind of like naive, but like that's what faith is, Like that's what belief is, that's what trust is, and I feel like I've had so much of that and right now I'm currently in a stretch season. Um, that feels really scary, but I think that I think, to anyone who is so worried about like taking those risks and having to like grow through the concrete and just be in that space where it's like really uncomfortable, I just it's literally faith, right, like I, like I wish there was like a like a fancier answer that I could give, but like all I've had in the last five years is trust that, like I am meant for more, and like God put those ideas in my heart for a reason, like and yeah, why wouldn't I pursue them if those were given to me, like, with so much love so good.
Speaker 1:You're like it's faith, it's trust, because I think, especially with so many people, when it comes down to it, like you have just this like beautiful ability to and like not to say that everything's always sunshines and rainbows, y'all. That's not what I'm inclined like. She definitely is going through like stretch seasons and like you've really had to grow as who you are, but I think the most beautiful aspect of it is it's almost like Delulu is the Salulu. You're like, yeah, it's gonna be fine, like it's gonna work out, like I'm not gonna sit here and worry about it because that's not going to help me any.
Speaker 1:And so many people just get so caught up and constantly thinking about, well, the what ifs, what are these fears?
Speaker 1:But I think, just to even move with the idea of if I knew that I was divinely backed in this, if you did truly know everything was going to be okay, we're going to be fine, right, or, as I say, like, let it be good.
Speaker 1:If we knew it was just going to be good, how would you respond differently in the current circumstances that are in your life? And because, like you said and I like want to laugh because so many people do look at some situations in their life, like debt, like it's life threatening and just you saying that was so jarring even to me, because I'm like none of these problems are as big as we think they are. Like, having debt on a credit card isn't going to kill you, but so many people move through their life with this mentality that any small inconvenience is like holding a dagger to their throat, and I just think that's such a good way for all of you to be listening to this, thinking about this if you knew everything was going to be okay, if you knew that you were divinely backed, how would you move differently instead of you acting like whatever? The problem is that you're thinking about top of mind. When we say that is a dagger to your throat, like how differently would you move because it's?
Speaker 2:not that serious. It's. It's not that serious. I saw this thing I. I was just, I was just so obsessed with it because I'm making some like big shifts in my life and my business and all these things, yeah, and it was like if you knew that it was going to take 25 failures before you got exactly what you wanted, wouldn't you want to fail faster? Oh, you just want to like do everything that you can, just like mess up and keep going to get what you want.
Speaker 2:Like that's what that trust is and I think that's like, maybe more of like a, like a quantitative comparison, to like trust in the divine. You know what I mean. And regardless of like whichever one you need to hear, like there's probably going to be like sticky stuff and failures along the way, but like, and if somebody told me like five years ago, it's like, hey, you're gonna do all of these things, you're gonna like be in credit card debt, you're gonna go through the worst, you know, heartbreak of your life. Like you are going to feel really scared, you're gonna have all these issues with your business, like I would. I probably would have been like I don't know if I want to do this, but on the other side of it. I could go back and be like oh dude, like it is so worth it 100.
Speaker 1:That's so funny. You're like, actually, can I return this? Do we still have the receipt? I don't know if I want this one, absolutely not.
Speaker 1:But being able to come to that point and you know, I think it's so beautiful to being able to like have you on the other side of going through all those trials, because so, like I said, like there's so many people who are currently in that season, who are right now, like I said, think it's life-threatening.
Speaker 1:Why is this happening to me? I'm never gonna get to this point and I think, especially with entrepreneurship, it's so easy to glamorize and look up to like the big head honchos that's what we call it like people making the most money, doing the most quote-unquote impact and things like that, thinking that you'll never get there. But I think we need to just like pause and hype you up a little bit and talk about what Katie has done, even within the last year, because, y'all, when she came to me, she was like I hate my business, like I don't know what you do, but I need your help, and over this last year she's just completely transformed, like especially where you're at business-wise. So I feel like we just need to like hype that up and just talk about, like, the cool things that you've started to build because of a being centered into your purpose and really building that conviction and I think also being able to climb yourself out of that concrete to to start pouring seeds in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, absolutely so, yeah, when I started with Chelsea, I was like I hate my business. I just gone through a breakup and I think that breakup was like a just that relationship was a really big distraction for me. And then I got out of it and all I had left was my business and I was like I hate this, I hate what I'm doing, I hate how I'm doing it. I like the idea of it but like right, I'm not doing. I feel like I'm not doing anything. I feel like I you know, like a drop in the ocean. You know what I mean. Like I felt like literally nothing, and I think a good chunk of that had to do with like self worth and like self respect, like all I'm doing is helping these people and which.
Speaker 2:I who I loved so much. But I was like this is all I'm doing. And there was just like this weird like contracting energy around what I was doing and I literally can tell you. I was like I'm going to burn it down. And she was like, okay, okay, I hear you, I hear you, let's maybe not do that right now, because this is your main source of income, and then in three months, if you still want to burn it down, she's like I'm with you. If you want to hop on a flight and change your name, like I'll tell everyone you died, don't you worry.
Speaker 2:Like she was like we can do that or we could maybe not. Like let's not do it right now. And I was like you know, I can always make more money, I can always like have a better apartment, I can always have a better car, but like those aren't. Like I was hitting record months, Like there were some things that were going really well, but I was like I'm just not happy right now. And she's like well, let's figure out what's actually going to motivate you.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:I don't know how we figured it out, but I got sent a book um from like this. Like OG vegan bodybuilder, he wrote a book called the what is it? Um, the impactful vegan, and it basically just talks about all the different ways that you can be the most impactful vegan that you can in terms of like just, and centered it around altruism, which is to make the biggest impact that you can, even if it's like not perfect. And I was like wow, I really like this concept. And once I had this idea in my head that, like, all I wanted to do was make a bigger difference in the world to animals and to people. And honestly, in my own life, I was like wow, like why don't we just do that? And so I don't even know what, like the next steps were. I think that, honestly, just the energy of that like okay, well, this is what's important to me, number one, just like made me feel better.
Speaker 2:And then in, I think, april, I launched the impact initiative. It was so cool. So, basically, what the impact initiative is is an initiative within my business to um, support sanctuaries and other organizations through um that help animals by donating a percentage of profits from my business and new clients that come in, um and other projects that we do, and then also being able to see like what? Um, what projects we're contributing to, like if there's a sanctuary in their building, a barn. The last one we did was like we donated to their medical fund because they were bringing in so many new animals that really needed support. Um, the other thing, another aspect of it, is essentially seeing how many animals we've saved by just like being vegan and being within the community.
Speaker 2:I think at this year so far we're at like I want to say it's over 3,000 at this point right you see, because there's just like a number of animals you inherently save by being vegan between like um, like not eating them and fish, and like just literally everything all around. So there's just like a number that we have that based off of um, and so we're just able to see the difference that we're making just by being who we are as a collective. Because, like I said before, like okay, we can take radical responsibility. Maybe just me being vegan, consuming what I'm consuming, let's say I'm saving two to 300 animals a year just being myself, but if I can do that with like 10 other people, like we see that that makes a a difference. And so it's like, when we all take that responsibility and we see the counts, like that is what we're able to do.
Speaker 2:And what I also have seen and I think you know, chelsea, you can probably attest to this is like when people see that like you're a part of something and you're doing something you know Chelsea did um that was at lead with legacy back in December I was called um like when people see that you are contributing to something, that you are part of something way bigger, they're like oh, my God, yeah, like I want to be a part of that and when I was did I did a fitness challenge back in April when I launched the impact initiative that we were donating to a like a local sanctuary here in Austin people are like, oh my God, like I want to be a part of that and I got amazing clients from it. Like people are so excited, they're like I love what you do, like I just want to donate, you know, even if they didn't want to be a part of that because, like I said, it's like you want to know that you are making a difference in this world. Like we are so small, like we're just little ants, like it really. But when we do things as a collective, it, like the, the difference it makes is exponential, like it's literally world-changing.
Speaker 1:I'm just sitting over here like hyping her up, like yes, yes, yes, cause I think it's the coolest thing to go from. And I like let's backtrack a little bit, cause I think this is just so crazy, cause this is what I see with like 99% of entrepreneurs that even just come to me, but it was reflected just so beautifully in your story is, okay, I making the record months, I'm making the money, but why do I absolutely hate it and want to burn it down? And there's so many people who go through that experience that don't understand. I'm doing the things on paper. That should have me feeling happy, but it's actually making things worse. What's going on here? And it was so powerful to be able to start looking at number one well, let's anchor you back into why this even matters in the first place. And I think it was super powerful because the way that I typically do this for myself you guys and I also talk about this in the conviction code is just looking at having some type of anchor, whether it's a book, whether it's a podcast, for me it's a specific sermon, even if it's a song, like something that just gets you back on fire for why it's important in the first place, because then your visionary self usually is going to do the rest of the work. Because the chances are, if money isn't making you feel fulfilled the way that you want like if you're a heart led leader, more so I should say, money isn't going to fulfill you the way that you want. Because you don't desire money, you desire impact. Money can be a way that we can measure impact, but if it's not correlated and we're not seeing it going across the board and actually seeing true impact, it's going to demotivate you from wanting to sign more clients launch the thing, show up in your business, etc. And so she's just such a beautiful example of seeing okay, let me get rerouted back into that, why so I feel the fire but actually build something out of it where I'm not just gaining the monetary value, I'm also seeing the impact be driven out into the communities. And I just love what you've built so much and I just think it's the coolest thing because it's also showing us how you can go so much further than just a coaching program. And not to say a coaching program doesn't bring value or impact that's not what I'm saying, right, but you can go so much further than you think that you can, especially in this industry, having people following you, having people around you and being able to like really rally people around your battle cry.
Speaker 1:And I saw something today that I think that you, you, you would love to and kind of goes into this conversation. But it said you don't sell people. You start a club that people want to join, right, and it's like that distinct difference between, like, trying to push something onto someone versus building a culture around something that is so meaningful that naturally people are like, wow, I want to be a part of part of this. And I think that's just such a clear distinction of you going from came a business owner that's making a lot of money to coming into the true identity of being a heart-led leader and fully building a culture around what you're building, because it's been so cool y'all, like she said she hated her business and now your clients are like popping off, you love what you do, etc. And it's all because you just built a like a killer culture in everything that you do this has been like literally the biggest change in the past year.
Speaker 2:Um, honest, because, like you know my clients, like they got, they were getting you know, okay Results but, like my clients are getting insane results right now I have two clients that just ran in like 200 mile relays. I have two clients that qualified for USA PL regionals, like under my coaching. I have, um, like multiple clients who are down like 10, 20, 30 pounds at this point, like just in the like the past year of like the new people that I brought on Um and I honestly want to say like, maybe, just like as a tangible for anybody listening anybody that's a coach is one of the biggest things I did was I overhauled my onboarding Um and I set the most clear expectations for, like the standards that we hold within our community. And I just think it's so important because I actually I just hired an assistant coach, which is so exciting, like such a big move in my business. But actually, in a couple of my interviews, like one of the questions that I had asked was what are your favorite kind of clients to work with? And they're like, oh, the ones that you know are doing their check-ins and are doing their workouts and I said, okay, well, that's actually a standard here. Like I don't I'm not chasing anybody for check-ins for you know, to do their workouts, to track their food, like it's the expectation.
Speaker 2:And when you set those standards, like that's how people show up and just especially in the last like couple of months, like people are referring to like my community. They're like I love being a baddie, like that's what everyone calls, like we're. So my program is called Cruelty-Free Badass. Like CFB. And so everyone's like, oh my gosh. Like, since I've been in CFB, since I've been in CFB, like oh my gosh, I love my CFB girls, like I love my vegan girl gang, like it is literally so cool and people just like love it and want to belong and are seeing each other win and inspiring each other, and I've never had that within my business. Like everyone's like, okay, yeah, it's cool, but like they love our community so much and they just want to be there.
Speaker 2:But it's because I hold them to the high standard and I was so nervous to do this. Like I actually had someone message me when I was doing the re-onboarding with all of my clients, cause not only did I overhaul the onboarding, I made every single one of my clients go through it. And somebody said did we do something wrong? Like am I being punished? And I said absolutely not. I said I love you all with my whole heart and I'm only going to like hold you to a standard that I know that you are capable of and that you deserve for yourself. And since that point, like it has only gotten better and better and better, and when you set those standards, like at the beginning of your coaching program, like people just show up different of your coaching program, like people just show up different yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:bars, and also like, let us not forget that you could have the most stellar onboarding, but if your own self-leadership is off, it's not going to stick the way that you want it to. And so I think that that's so important, because y'all, katie, did not just put together a cute little canvas, send it out and then go eat junk food like dick off and then not actually be the leader that her people needed, right? A big piece of this was you stepping up in your own self-leadership, raising the standard in your own life and having the waterline begin to rise. And I think that's what, consistently, it is when you're really trying to. I mean all of us here we're trying to build cultures of excellence with our clients, because, a we want to have good client results first and foremost, but B we also want clients who enjoy their time there, who are consistently feeling like they're winning, to have boom culture, to have people who are engaged. And all of that comes down when you consistently raise the waterline and raise that bar of excellence.
Speaker 1:And everybody, all of us we're human beings we want to consistently be going towards a new standard. We want to have new goals. We want to grow, and so being able to build a business that does that allows you to consistently, like I said, you're raising the waterline, you're raising the standard, and, as a leader, your job really is is to live within that and to embody it and to show them, and to I think a big thing too, is to consistently remind them of that standard. Like, like you said, that can be so sticky to do when you're in the process of it, especially at the starting point. So I would even just like love to know from your experience because I think this is this is something that you just have done so well, katie is number one stepping into that self-leadership and embodying that standard so that they also follow your lead in the process, because I honestly think that's where most people get it wrong.
Speaker 2:Yeah, dude, this is. This is definitely something and I know that since I joined full parted, there was like I lacked a lot of like self trust, and it has to do with like not following through with certain things. And for me, like integrity is one of my top three values. It's like doing the things you said you were going to do when you said you were going to do them. And I think that the something that's really important to mention with that value is that you are going to flow in and out of seasons of like you're so on it and then you just kind of like fall out of it. Like maybe like a month ago, I was, you know, I was getting ready to move and I was feeling all this stickiness and I was like going out to eat more and I just kind of like realized I wasn't pulling the standards that I had for myself.
Speaker 2:And I know that if I think back in January, january I was like every single day I was like this is the best day of my life and I was feeling so good and I remember I was like leading up to a power lifting meet and I was just so on it. I was on it with training and nutrition and posting and like just like my business was doing really well and all of those things were like really really good. And I noticed when I personally like kind of fall off or like my energy isn't as good or like my standard, the standards that I hold for myself if they're not being upheld, then like I'm not attracting that kind of energy. And literally this past week I signed up for two really big events. I signed up for a powerlifting meet and the day afterwards which is like actually so, delilu I signed up for a powerlifting meet and the day afterwards which is like actually so, delilio I signed up for a 10 mile race and I've never run 10 miles in my life.
Speaker 2:Um, and after powerlifting meets, I usually feel like I got hit by a truck, but I was like dude, this is just expanding my capacity to, you know, like you know, get, get better and get bigger. And I'm literally watching my clients going to regionals and watching my clients run these 200 mile relay races and I'm like I love that. I'm like bringing a community that are inspiring me to show up better and it's just like that, like continuous energy. I know, chelsea, this is something that you've talked about um is like Jesus was never like oh, I'm like above you guys, like just follow me around. He was like no, like I'm in it with you, like we're in this together.
Speaker 2:And I think that that's such an important part of leadership is that, like we are in this together, like I share my wins in my community, I share, like, my goals and I try to get bigger as I see like my clients getting bigger, and I think that that is such an important thing. And also, when we start a journey whether it's fitness or business or life we take this like big chunk of risks. Maybe it's like our first mentor and we do all those other things. And then we see, and then we stop taking those risks, we stop trying to get bigger because we're like, oh, I already did that, I already like, I already like moved into a big apartment, I already spent, you know, 10 K on this mentor, like those are like big shifts when you first get started. But like I realized within myself, like I was like wow, I haven't jumped in a while, I haven't leaped and just like in.
Speaker 2:Since I started working with Chelsea, I joined a new mastermind which is like a ridiculous amount of money. I'm not even gonna. It's. It's a lot. Um, I like on top of working with Chelsea, of course, um, I just moved into my dream apartment, like this past week, I booked my dream vacation. I'm running a 10 mile race, which I've never done after doing a power lifting me in a stricter federation, and I'm just like, dude, how, how much? How much can I do? Like, how much? Like room is like God going to create for me to expand? And when I do that, like my clients do that, my community does that, my culture does that, and people see that and they want to be a part of it, they want to be a part of my club, you know, and I think that's the coolest thing.
Speaker 1:That part. It's like, I think especially too, like going back, like it's your ability to consistently stretch as a leader. And we talked about, obviously, the stretch season being like the seed planted in the concrete and it's icky and it's hard, but that stretch season is also y'all what opens your capacity to be able to do more. And, like you said, okay, well, how much is God going to grant me? Like, how far can I take this thing? Like it's like we're like test driving a new car. It's like, well, how much gas is in the tank? But except for in this time, like it's infinite, like you can continue stretching it. That is how people get to where they want to go. We're looking up to, you know, these big moguls in this space. They got there because they consistently stretched and stretched and stretched because something that Sal actually keeps saying and at first I was like I hate that Like like everything that he brings up, I'm like I don't know, like I like to be such a contrarian, but it started to like really seep into me. Is he consistently? Is like we underestimate the amount of responsibility that we can carry, and his whole motto that even he started to take on is really just talking about like you can carry more responsibility than you think you can, but are you going to give yourself the opportunity to show up for it? Like time and time again, like oh my gosh, let me actually take on more than I think I can handle to purposely show up for all of it, to increase that capacity? And that's really that stretch season. And, like Katie just described, like she just went through the stretch season and where is she? Brand new apartment, going to go to Greece, like have, have her power lifting me, have the 10 K, like have all these things that are coming up right. That just consistently opens your capacity more and more. And we're actually this is funny, even cause it ties into it but in wholehearted this whole month we're talking about one bold move every single day. Like what is that?
Speaker 1:And for some people it's like setting a boundary that they wouldn't have wanted to set for you know Katie at signing up for her events. For some people it's like pitching podcasts and things like this. Like this podcast was a bold move from Katie in itself. The first day she goes, bold move, I'm pitching myself to come on your podcast. I was like yes, let's do it. Like I love that, because that's what just consistently opens the doors and opens opportunities, and so many people, I think, just keep themselves so sheltered, waiting for the opportunities to come for them, instead of being hungry, going after it. Increase your capacity so that you can carry it in the first place. So I just want to know from you because obviously you've increased your standards, you've increased your own self-trust Like what's been the biggest thing that you think has helped you be able to do that for someone who's maybe sitting here being like I don't trust myself, maybe they don't have high standards, maybe they're not a huge follow through, like I feel like you're such a good candidate to speak on that.
Speaker 2:Okay, so, honestly, I think it's what Sal said it's that you are capable of so much more responsibility than you think you can like you can hold on to so much more. And, yeah, like, period point blank, truly like, that's truly my, that's my, that's my favorite thing. It's you can actually do so much more. And, mind you, this is coming from me, who thought I was literally capable of nothing that like. I thought that like I was only worthy of making x amount of money, uh, living in a certain place, and then I would get there and I'd be like this isn't it? This isn't the thing that I was waiting for. Um, you know, and even now, like living in this beautiful apartment downtown, I'm like, no, like I'm so good, this is so good. And also like what I? The opportunities that I have are limitless.
Speaker 2:And I think that, um, I mean one thing that somebody had said in the uh, in Wholehearted, because I said something about like achieving something way sooner than I thought, and it was something like like God doesn't have a budget for you, or something like that. Like, yeah, and it's just that you can do so much more than you think that you can. And like, for me, right now, with the stretch season, like I'm going through a lot of stretch in terms of, like, finances and lifestyle. Like I'm looking completely different area of town, like I'm downtown, like I got to walk everywhere, I got to do all this stuff. And physically, when I physically push myself, like since I started running, like back in like September, which is like kind of around when I started working with Chelsea, like when you tell yourself you can do hard things, guys, running is literally the effing hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life it's not easy it's not easy at all.
Speaker 2:It's not even a bit easy. I don't actually like it that much. It's just not easy and I think that is why I do it, because it's like, okay, it's not easy and it feels really hard, but that just reminds me I can do hard things. So then when I sit down to set a boundary with a client, to set a boundary with myself, to hold myself to a higher standard, I'm like holy crap, well, I just ran six miles. I can literally do anything, and I know that people are running like 50 mile, a hundred mile, 200 mile races, which is insane.
Speaker 2:But like I see this for myself in a in a sense that I can do hard things and I always like this is another, like this is my little, like this is a story that I'd made up for myself for a long time is that I'm lazy, that I don't work hard enough, and maybe that's something that like came from my parents and like always need to get better grades and work harder. But like I always felt like I never worked hard enough. I always felt like I was kind of like lazy, and so I put myself in a position that I would be lazy, that I would put myself in a position that I wouldn't, I would not work hard, that I would a thing, whatever. Top three, I don't think there's like one, two and three um is integrity. It's like okay, well, when I show up in those values, that makes me feel better, that expands my capacity and I can continue to do more. So I think it's like you know, it's like you know, mind, body, soul, like father, son, Holy spirit, the whole vibe, like Trinity, I don't know. Um, whatever, whatever your vibe is, I know you guys love, love Jesus here, which is super cool, um, it's, it's, that's what it is. And it's like we can like put all of this, like spiritual energy into it and, yes, work hard and also trust. Like it is, it is all three.
Speaker 2:And for me, physically, when I'm pushing myself, because, especially because I, when I'm pushing myself, because, especially because I, when I was growing up was not athletic, I was skip, I would skip gym class, I just like none of that was for me. I didn't even like going on walks or like drinking water. So when I push myself physically, like whatever you think the hardest thing is for you, whether it's like by mind, body or soul, like push the one that feels the hardest, the most, and for me that's physical, because a lot of people are like, oh, I'm gonna run a marathon, but like they have no trust in God. Right, it's like I'm going to um work really hard in my business, but they're like you know, they're not working out really hard like one of the three. It's like when you push that other thing, the other ones get so much easier and those are your superpowers yeah, where are?
Speaker 1:Where are you pulling this from? This is so good and I think because, also like you, even you going back just like a tiny second too, was you were like hey, in January I felt like I was on top of the world. Everything was going so incredible in my life. I felt like I was in this momentum. I think also, when you're in momentum, you are also convicted in yourself, and I think that they both hold hands, like some people are, like I don't know why I don't have conviction when I speak and I want more of that in my purpose, et cetera. Like again, like let's go back to why you're not in momentum and what's happening in your life and in your environment that's throwing you off.
Speaker 1:And Katie raises such a good point because I think it's really looking at, well, what am I not doing? Like, where are the parts in your life that you're letting slip, that you don't feel on fire? Because, guarantee you, you start raising the standard with every single one of those and all of a sudden, you're going to have this momentum. That makes no sense. You're going to feel so convicted in yourself, like you're going to start raising that standard, right? Because, again, going back, we all want the waterline to consistently raise. That's what we all want. So you have to be able to do it for yourself, not just as a coach with your clients, but also being able to look at it for me Like, hey, okay, my physical fitness has kind of been stagnant, what do I do?
Speaker 1:Am I going to start running? Am I going to do some type of competition? I don't even know what that would look like for me. Maybe another parasite protocol? That is one way to push your, your physical health. I'll tell you that's crazy, um, but I think really, auditing for yourself, like what that could be for you, like, especially if you're looking again like mind, body, soul, where in your life right now are you currently lacking, if you feel like you don't have momentum and you don't have conviction. So I just think that's such a powerful like framework to be able to utilize, to see like, okay, well, what's like, what's off here? I would love for you, like, as we're wrapping up, to kind of just talk a little bit like. Lastly, look at if you could leave one principle behind for any future leader, any heart led leader that's trying to come in and make a huge impact in their own life and just within their movement. What would that one thing be? I know I saved the best for last, okay.
Speaker 2:I think listen and leap, like, listen to what God is putting in your heart and trust, like, just do it. Like Nike, just do it. You and I can look back at times in my life where I heard it and I didn't leap and I would I'm not joking I would get physically ill. Like even if I had nothing to do with my physical health, I would get physically ill. I would feel like depressed, I would feel anxious. And if you listen and you leap and you just do it, like I did when I was nine years old and I had this like sudden anchoring, oh, not eating meat, yeah, that's for me.
Speaker 2:And now I am running a vegan fitness coaching business, like basically running a nonprofit. Just moved into my gym apartment, like living my best life. I got a cute little dog. Like I just have like limitless opportunities because I listened and I leaped and you know how scary it was for me to like tell my parents that I wasn't going to eat when I was nine because I went. I lived in a meat eating family. You know what I mean. Like when you listen and you leap, like I don't know if I don't know if I like in a line with like this concept of like God rewards you, but like he's, he's just there with you, like it's just, it's just trust. So if you listen and you leap like that's that's trust, that's me. It's not just listening, it's not just sleeping, it's both.
Speaker 1:So good Cause I think too, like you said, like so many people listen and then they don't leap. And then they're sitting here and they're like why am I depressed, why am I not happy? Why are these things happening in my life? It's like cause you're not going on the intended path for you, and I think what's so powerful about that like for y'all, just like tattoo that on your brain listen and leap. Because it doesn't say listen, overthink, plan, yeah, like come up with the xyz and then leap. It's listen then leap. Like you'll figure it out later.
Speaker 1:And I really just want to emphasize you guys Katie is just such a good spokesperson for this because not only has she done all these things, but she's also seen, like the monetary gain, like you just had your biggest quarter, while also, like we said, having pretty much a non-profit, being able to grow your business, being able to also improve the delivery of your like just everything in your life. It just has really continued to grow and improve. So I'm just super grateful that you came on to share all your wisdom. You have such truth bombs on here and I'm just so grateful for you.
Speaker 2:I I'm grateful for you. You literally changed my life. I was really in a rough spot last year.
Speaker 1:It's so crazy to think that it's only been a year watching the difference. If you guys know Katie and you've seen her grow like give her her flowers. Cause one year for that is insane.
Speaker 2:I like. Last thing I feel like I really need to share this Cause it was right around when I started working with you and I did it because it was in a women's group and it was like a whatever manifestation for like Lionsgate, which like might be like taboo here, but this was last year. Whatever I'm like in between, like spiritually, spirituality yeah, we're cussing.
Speaker 1:It's okay, this is a good spot.
Speaker 2:Um, nobody like. Please, nobody hate me for saying anyway. It was the Lionsgate portal, which was like this really big manifestation time, right In theory, um, and so I wrote down, like in the present tense, like August 8th 2025. So like, which was a couple days ago, um, and at the time, I started working at Chelsea. I hated my business, so this was the last thing that I wrote on here.
Speaker 2:Um, and I wrote other things, like I'm moving into my Gmail apartment and like all these other things that are actually happening, but the last one was I am so happy and so grateful that I proved myself wrong, that I can be the best version of myself, that I can make a difference in the world, that I can be successful and love my business, that I can trust myself, that I can be in love and I can unconditionally love myself, that I can trust myself, that I can be in love and I can unconditionally love myself. And at the time, it was so exponentially the opposite of exactly what that is and that's exactly like what I have now and who I am right now. It's crazy.
Speaker 1:If you guys can see me right now I'm crying. What else is new? That's insane. Like almost to the day. That's insane, like if y'all don't know, she just moved into her dream apartment. What was it like? August 1st, july 31st?
Speaker 2:that's crazy, yeah and it's 11th, 12th that's insane.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for sharing that.
Speaker 1:Like I think it just really goes to show too, like knowing that it's like, yeah, obviously you could sit here and people want to fight the differences of, obviously like manifestation and God's plan and all that like that's a podcast for a different time.
Speaker 1:I just think what's really powerful is like for each and every single one of us. We had that vision of what we feel like our life should look like. Obviously, we're not here to sit and depict on what exactly that's going to be, when it's going to come, how it's going to get here, et cetera, but for the most part, we all have that burden in our heart. We have that fire in our belly that's telling us we're made for so much more, that there's something so much bigger out there, and I think it just like reflected in that is, when you hold that faith and you consistently work towards it you're not just praying, doing nothing about it and you work towards it how much quicker it can actually come so much faster than you think it could, and easier too not to say it doesn't come without struggle but how insane it's just been to watch it grow.
Speaker 2:It feels hard, like it feels really really hard, but it feels, so it feels easy, but it's not effortless yeah, that's such a good way to put it.
Speaker 1:I love that. Well, I'm so grateful for you coming on and just sharing all the wisdom that you have, just your experiences, your life, how you've really been able to grow as a leader throughout this last year. And it's funny because, as you said, like it's one thing to be a leader, but to also be able to be inspired by your clients is the most beautiful gift. So I'm so grateful for you. I love you so much. Thank you for you. I love you. I love you. We'll catch you on the next one. Bye everyone.