We recently connected with Katie Clingman and have shared our conversation below.
Katie, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
I’ve often found myself in situations where I’m the only person in the room who looks like me. Growing up, I played on a local soccer team where I was the only girl. I don’t remember it bothering me much; I was mostly interested in winning the game!
In my professional career as an engineer, it was common for me to be the only woman in the room. In particular, I remember spending an entire morning at an architect’s office, meeting various project consultants, and the only other woman I saw that day was the secretary at the reception desk.
These experiences have taught me to look for commonalities beyond appearances. I find there is plenty of common ground to explore once you get to know someone – we may share a passion for travel, a love of good food, or an interest in college sports.
I’ve also learned that being the only person in the room who looks like me can be a strength. It’s an opportunity to stand out and create space for yourself.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am the founder and owner of Settled In Soundly, a professional home organizing and unpacking business serving clients in Austin and around the country. We help busy professionals and families achieve their dreams of a well-organized and clutter-free home with personalized solutions tailored to their lifestyle. Our clients typically don’t have the time or expertise to realize their vision and feel overwhelmed with where to start. We make it easy to achieve the transformation they have in mind!
We specialize in unpacking and organizing homes for families who are moving and want to be thoughtful and intentional about how their new space is set up. Our signature service is the 2-Day Total Unpack, where we unpack and organize your entire home within 48 hours of the movers dropping off the last box. Our meticulous approach starts with understanding our clients’ lifestyles, then visualizing spaces through 3D design and strategically laying out new “homes” for items.
The most exciting part of the work is when clients tell me things like, “You’ve changed the way we do things in this house. You’ve made our lives much better,” or “I know where everything is. I’ve never lived like this before!” To hear clients express how much their overall lives have improved because their homes are organized reinforces my belief that the quality of our spaces impacts the quality of our lives. It is incredibly rewarding to help create lasting and positive change for them! I also love the sheer joy and excitement they have at the end of the process.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three qualities that have been most impactful on my journey have been: (1) a commitment to quality, (2) persistence, and (3) a desire to learn more.
A commitment to quality | Growing up, I was a huge fan of LEGO. It sparked my lifelong interest in design and construction. As I’ve learned more about the company, I’ve gained an appreciation for their business values too. Their motto of “Only the best is good enough” is one I’ve adopted for myself. I am obsessed with quality and efficiency. I am an engineer, after all! I strive to provide an amazing experience for clients – one that they simply can’t wait to tell their friends about.
Persistence |Challenges and setbacks are part of entrepreneurship. Having persistence and a strong commitment to keep going has been critical to building the business.
A desire to learn more | My natural curiosity about how the world works and my lifelong love of learning have also served me well. I am continuously researching ways to improve and refining Settled In Soundly’s internal processes to streamline our client experience. As we grow, we are able to take on a larger volume of work while still providing impeccable service.
In terms of advice, I would encourage folks to embrace their own unique strengths and reach out to people who have already taken the path they’re interested in following. If you find someone who has had your dream job, or successfully navigated a career transition you’re looking to make, learn from them!
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
We love to collaborate. Our network of referral partners includes realtors, interior designers, architects, custom home builders, and other home service professionals. We are the only local home organizing company with a background in architecture and engineering, so we can provide unique insights into organizing a space in addition to a high level of service.
If your clients are moving to a new home, or moving back in after a renovation, and would benefit from our unpacking + organizing services, please reach out to us at [email protected] and we can set up a time to chat. We look forward to hearing from you!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.settledinsoundly.com/
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/settledinsoundly
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SettledInSoundly
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/settled-in-soundly
Image Credits
Elyse Marie Photography
