Meet Katelyn Alberts

We recently connected with Katelyn Alberts and have shared our conversation below.

Katelyn, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
In my experience, overcoming imposter syndrome is an ongoing journey. The more you level up, the more tables you’re presented with – and it’s up to you to keep reminding yourself that you deserve to sit there.

After climbing the ladder in the same industry for 20 years and being an expert in what I did – I decided to put it all down, take a hard left turn, and start a company that I had no idea how to get off the ground.

The two biggest things that help me overcome my imposter syndrome are: being authentic and relentless. No one can take your power when you are true to yourself and determined to find a way forward. It allows you to laugh at yourself, knowing that you’re still going to get there. Wherever “there” is. It also inspires people to want to help you, and nothing makes you feel like you have 2 feet firmly on the ground than having people rally for you.

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’ve been a hairstylist for 20 years. I love the creativity, the collaboration, and the gratification of selling renewed self confidence all day, every day. It’s addictive and heart warming.

But I had this itch I couldn’t scratch. It was a pain point in our industry that wasn’t getting resolved.

It was just too hard for people to find the right salon and hairstylist in a sea of options with no way of deciphering between them. Changing the way you look is extremely personal and vulnerable, yet the whole search process is convoluted and a shot in the dark.

And this ‘itch’ came for me, for years! I couldn’t stop being bothered by it. Until I finally I decided I was going to do something about.

I then spent the next 2 years figuring out how to build an app so that I could help match people with who they were ultimately looking for based on all their preferences. Last year, I launched my app, VERVERY, in Greater Boston – where I live.

I now have over 100 salons and hairstylists listed on the app, and thousands of organic users. I’ve been able to meet so many amazing people and make incredible beauty connections! We’re looking forward to expanding to New England and across the US and ultimately being the OpenTable for hair salons and stylists.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Some of the qualities that have been pertinent in my journey are 1. transparency 2. resiliency 3. being an expert in the field

I had NO idea how to build a tech startup. I couldn’t even pretend to have any idea what I was doing. I just started calling places and asking questions. I was completely transparent. And people admired it. This is where you get the best insight, tips, books, courses, free resources, strategies, etc.

Second, you’ve got to be ridiculously optimistic and resilient. With this internal compass just pointing to success no matter what. You have to believe you’re going to make it at every turn when you inevitably hit another brick wall, and another, and another.

So many incredibly successful startup businesses didn’t start with someone who was an expert in that field. However, for me, that has been a saving grace. I was armed with complete understanding of the problem and the audience it involves, how to reach them, and how to connect with them personally. This is critical for any business to even get off the ground!

And my best advice for someone getting started on their business idea is to get into an accelerator program that lays the foundation of everything you need to know!

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?
Yes absolutely! I’m always looking to collaborate with people in the beauty, tech, and startup space. Building a marketplace was the first time I truly understood the power of ‘Your network is your net worth’.

Something I hadn’t experienced in my career previously is that – a marketplace is not like a selling a direct service or product where you can have a single customer and create value for them. The value here is in the virality. You need an abundance of customers in order to create ANY value…and you definitely can’t do it alone.

This was such an epiphany for me. I truly would not have made it this far if it were not for all the connections I’ve made along the way. In my experience, one conversation can be worth more than a dozen books. And a friendship built on growth is invaluable! Anyone interested in connecting can reach out to me on LinkedIn anytime.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Crystal Zografos Karina Biskop Andrew Dunn

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