010. Succeeding Through the Seasons with Kellie Fitzpatrick
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As entrepreneurs, we go through so many seasons of business. From that first little spark of an idea to the last day of your 9 to 5 (hallelujah!), seasons are celebrated and, if we’re honest, sometimes just tolerated. No matter what season you’re walking through right now in your business, there’s absolutely something for you in today’s conversation.
My guest today is an expert on the seasonal changes throughout business ownership, and I’ve been lucky enough to have a front-row seat to many of them over the years. Kellie Fitzpatrick is the founder and creative director of Lenny & Eva, a beautiful jewelry line that’s recognized globally for its unique and meaningful designs.
Once Kellie settled into the steady success of Lenny & Eva’s family of brands, she decided to jump into the next season with even MORE faith and begin renovation on a 100-year-old warehouse in her hometown. She and her husband opened The Monarch, a gorgeous industrial-chic event space, in March and I can tell you from my personal site visit — the transformation is unreal and right in line with the quality of work Kellie always seems to produce.
In today’s episode, Kellie and I journey through the many seasons of her various businesses and how the best ideas often spark from little moments of love. We discuss what she’s learned from each season, from patience to overcoming comparison. We talk about having the right team in your corner, and why hiring well elevates your entire business. We also dip into Kellie’s experience with wholesale markets and the decisions that led to Lenny & Eva’s success.
I think my favorite part of this interview was hearing how Kellie’s current season is about being fully present and just enjoying the work she’s already done, vs hustling for the next big project. I also loved learning how she reverse-engineered her day to discover how she needed to fill her cup, which honestly blew my mind!
This interview is just packed with goodies, and it was such an honor to chat with Kellie and hear more of her story. I can’t wait for you to hear my first meeting with her completely shifted my own business journey, and how she continues to impact business owners in her circle. I know you’re going to just love her and her amazing heart!
Meet Kellie.
Kellie is the founder and creative director of the Lenny & Eva family of brands. This former high school English teacher started her entrepreneurial journey when she launched a “side hustle” photography business, which turned into a full-time gig, eventually replacing her teacher’s salary.
In the middle of her thriving career as a photographer, on a busy morning when she was getting her two daughters ready for school and nursing her newborn son, she had the idea for an interchangeable, inspirational bracelet. Kellie googled her way through the process of launching a wholesale jewelry company and turned her kitchen table idea into a multi-million dollar producing brand. She believes with grit, passion, and determination, you can build the life you want, right from where you are even if that’s in a small town like hers, with a population of 1,300.
Kellie is Mama to three kiddos, ages 11, 16, and 22. She and her husband John will celebrate 20 years of marriage in 2020. They live in the small town of Baxter, Tennessee where they are currently working on Kellie’s most recent passion project: renovating a 100-year-old warehouse in their hometown. They plan to open The Monarch, an industrial-chic event space, in the spring. Kellie also serves on the board of directors at The Biz Foundry, an entrepreneur center in her community, and is passionate about helping other women on their entrepreneurial journey.
“Five minutes I look at what someone else is doing is five minutes I’m not spending on my own business.”
The heart behind her business.
Kellie’s heart weaves throughout every single one of her business ventures. Whether it’s her jewelry lines within the Lenny & Eva family or her beautiful new event space — Kellie’s heart is to honor the seasons of life while showing and sharing love. The idea for Lenny & Eva sparked from a simple moment in front of the mirror while wrangling her young children. She wanted to pause the moment and find a way to memorialize this season of motherhood. A piece of jewelry with an inspiring phrase seemed like just the thing, and women around the world are now thriving and sharing the love because of her designs.
When she and her husband took the risk and invested in the 16,000 sq. ft. industrial space in her hometown, that heart for honoring seasons came rushing back in a big way. Now known as The Monarch, Kellie’s beautiful space is a stunning location for weddings and other memorable events. Everything she touches seems to lead to a memory made, a time-honored, and lots of love offered.
Don’t fill your plate, fill your cup.
Kellie says that one of the most important lessons she’s learned as a business owner is taking time to understand her personality and what she needs from her career and relationships. She basically began to reverse engineer her day. She began to discover the pieces of her work and life that fill her cup and designed her to-do’s around those buckets.
“My days aren’t stressful because the things I put on my plate to manage are things I enjoy,” says Kellie. From cooking dinner for her family or giving a bride-to-be a private tour of The Monarch, Kellie makes sure her list isn’t depleting. Yes, she still has moments and tasks that are mundane or necessary, but she couches those moments with the bits of her job that make it worthwhile.
Mentorship matters.
When it comes to company culture, I know from experience that Kellie works hard to ensure her team is just as fulfilled and happy as she is throughout the week. Her secret to a positive team? Hire people who are passionate about your business and brand. When considering someone for a position, she says to hire someone the person vs. resume. If they love your brand and are committed to seeing it grow, they’ll work ten times harder to make that happen for you.
It also builds trust amongst your team. If you know that a person who loves your brand is in charge of a task, then you can trust they’ll do their very best with whatever they’re given. This was an especially hard lesson to learn throughout 2020, as Kellie’s team had to shift and lighten, just like many of us. Those difficult decisions were made a bit easier and Kellie’s team evolved for the better when she focused on hiring a team loyal to the brand and mission vs. perfect for the position.
Best Advice to your younger self.
It all begins and ends with passion. Kellie says, “Whatever you choose to do, you should feel passionate to the core about it.” It’s never too late to try something new. Just because you went to college to be an English teacher doesn’t mean you can’t also go to law school later in life, or open a new business or try a new thing that has nothing to do with where you started. “There’s so much opportunity!” says Kellie. “Figure out what sets your soul on fire and do that.”
“Walt Whitman says, ‘These are the days that must happen to you.’ The good and the bad ones, they’re yours.”
Connect with Kellie.
So how does Kellie develop healthy team culture, and what does she do to ensure she fills her cup throughout the week? How did she learn to overcome comparison and how does she handle those seasonal lessons? I know you’re going to learn so much from this beautiful soul this week! Press play to listen to the full interview and hear more about succeeding through the seasons with Kellie Fitzpatrick!
Connect and check out the links mentioned in the episode below!
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