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Building a Life (+ a Business That Supports It). Katie’s Story.
Remember the dreams and passions you carried as a child? After working with creative entrepreneurs for years, I love hearing the stories of how they ended up where they are today. The threads from their childhood that spilled over into their life and work as an adult. Maybe you’re an artist who’s found comfort and […]
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Remember the dreams and passions you carried as a child? After working with creative entrepreneurs for years, I love hearing the stories of how they ended up where they are today. The threads from their childhood that spilled over into their life and work as an adult. Maybe you’re an artist who’s found comfort and joy from the stoke of a paintbrush since you were a little girl. Or maybe you spent your childhood playing pretend bank to end up teaching creative entrepreneurs how to build a business that supports their life (Okay, no one else? Maybe that was just me).
After years following society’s path for success, there comes a time for a few creatives where their work and passion align to forge a path towards a new career. As their dreams shape and sales begin to roll in, stewarding their business well during this time can change the trajectory of their life and work. That is where we meet today’s Blueprint Model alum – Katie Devlin.
After an almost 20 year career as a successful engineer in retail, Katie was gifted a Glowforge for Christmas that changed everything. Sparking her childhood love of creating and experimenting, Katie put on her engineering hat to help encourage and educate others on how to use a CO2 laser. During a pivotal time in her business growth, Katie signed up for my signature course, The Blueprint Model. By defining her enough number and learning which metrics to track, Katie was able to exceed her goals for her first course launch and build a sustainable business!
I am so excited to have her on the blog to share her story. Without further ado, meet Katie – Founder of Things Katie Makes!
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Let’s start with some fun stuff! Lightning round, here we go:
Tell us what you do:
Help beginner laser engraving machine owners master their machines and software to start profitable businesses.
Vice/Guilty Pleasure :
Binge watching amazing TV shows
Favorite Snack :
Movie Theater Popcorn – just the right mix of butter and salt
Something you’re proud of:
Launching my first course – You Can Laser after stalling on it for quite some time. The feedback from my students has made it all worth it.
What you’re currently working on:
Serving my students by creating advanced lessons and getting back to consistency on my YouTube channel.
We probably wouldn’t guess…
I was an entertainer at Six Flags in Colorado – sang in the shows – and thought for a hot second about becoming a cruise ship performer before heading off to get my Engineering degree.
Best advice ever received?
You get to choose how you approach and feel about most situations, from a positive angle or a negative one. This helps me to remember that I can control only what I can control and keeps me grounded.
Currently Reading/ Listening to/ Watching:
Watching – The Bear – such an amazing mix of chaos and beauty
Listening to – Chris Stapleton – always in a happy place when I hear good country music
Reading – This Present Darkness (again) and the Opt Out Family – my son is going into Middle School in the fall and I want to do as much as I can to protect his innocence and teach him how to enjoy life without social media and this book seems like a great help.
Can’t live without…
Music – I’m constantly humming a tune or playing one loudly through my whole house and car
Secret Fantasy Job:
Voice of a Disney Princess
What do you want everyone to know reading this?
You are still creative (even if you don’t think so). Creativity is like a muscle you have to build up. Find something to create and it will help you in so many areas of your life, and bring you stress relief, ideas, and joy!
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Let’s talk turkey, I mean, Business!
How did you hear about Shanna?
She was the only name mentioned for learning your numbers by so many business and entrepreneurs I respect, Tonic, Paige Brunton, Ashlyn Carter to name a few.
In what ways have we worked together so far?!
Why did you decide to work with Shanna?
Shanna’s style grabbed my attention right away. It wasn’t flashy, or focused on building an empire, it was focused on building a LIFE and a business that supports that. The idea of an enough number was exactly what I needed to hear. I knew if her philosophy aligned with what I wanted, and she could make it as clear as she did in every presentation I saw, I’d learn so much from her.
I had the pleasure of joining a little bootcamp she did and I was hooked! I wanted to be in her orbit and the community she’s created.
Let me say, she did not disappoint. Everything she does is incredible and will absolutely change your business. Also, knowing that Shanna was building a sustainable business without social media was very intriguing and something I wanted to know more about.
Tell me about the big ‘aha’ moments you had during The Blueprint Model!
I can build my business my way to get to both the financial goals I’ve set and the lifestyle that led me to entrepreneurship in the first place.
Figuring out that I am 100% time motivated was a HUGE aha in how I need to set up my offers and my days to enjoy what I’m doing. Focusing on one big offer and understanding how many of that offer I need to sell and the metrics I need to see to know if I’m on track has been awesome.
I now understand how to think about building out a business that I’m going to actually enjoy over time, rather than finding myself burnt out.
Tell me about one change or success you’ve experienced since working together!
I now have a plan for exactly what I need to do to hit my numbers. I know how to track it, when to track it, what to track and I feel really confident about my numbers. Before, I was just kind of winging it and hoping for the best.
Shanna encouraged me to focus on my one signature offer, even though I felt like maybe I wasn’t quite ready to launch it. Small audience, not enough testimonials, etc. So, I went for it, launched my first course and the launch exceeded my expectations based on my audience and where I’m at in my business.
After this launch, I now know how to build for the next launch with the metrics I had to build it bigger and better and get me to my goals.
Okay, real talk— What would you tell someone considering buying a course or working with Shanna?
Shanna is exceptional to work with. Many times when you buy a course, you can feel like a number, rather than a full person. Shanna genuinely cares about each student and really digs into the questions that you ask to understand your goals and motivations. She can then help you craft a plan to move you forward. She wants to see you succeed and you’ll never feel silly asking her any question you can come up with.
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Shanna’s style grabbed my attention right away. It wasn’t flashy, or focused on building an empire, it was focused on building a LIFE and a business that supports that. The idea of an enough number was exactly what I needed to hear. I knew if her philosophy aligned with what I wanted, and she could make it as clear as she did in every presentation I saw, I’d learn so much from her.
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— Katie Devlin, Founder of Things Katie Makes
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Katie, thank you so much for sharing more of your story and experience working together. I am so grateful for such amazing students like you! And loved getting to know you better through this spotlight!
Want more inspiration? Plenty more stories that are sure to inspire you, click here for more student success stories! If you’re ready to feel empowered in your personal and/or business finances, I’d love to work together through one of my courses!
xo.
Shanna
RESOURCES MENTIONED :
Katie’s first course – You Can Laser
Katie’s current reads – This Present Darkness and Opt Out Family
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Katie Devlin
Katie Devlin is the founder of Things Katie Makes, a business dedicated to helping new CO2 laser owners master their machines and LightBurn software. With a background in engineering and a passion for teaching, Katie provides clear, structured guidance that makes learning accessible and enjoyable for beginners.
Through her course, ‘You Can Laser,’ Katie has helped many individuals transform their creative ideas into sellable products and start profitable laser crafting businesses. Known for her supportive and engaging teaching style, Katie ensures her students gain confidence and mastery over their laser tools.
When she’s not teaching or making things on her lasers, Katie enjoys watching her son play baseball (with her husband coaching), reading, music, and movies. Her family-friendly content and approachable personality have made her a beloved figure in the laser community. Through her detailed tutorials and her newsletter, ‘What’s Sparkin’ Weekly,’ Katie continues to inspire and support her growing community of laser enthusiasts.
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July 16, 2024
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