Small businesses often hit a ceiling. They grow quickly to a few million in sales, and then progress stalls. Katy Mullet saw this pattern repeatedly throughout her career—companies reaching $2-5 million in revenue only to find themselves stuck. Teams struggled with increased workloads, founders couldn’t delegate effectively, and once-straightforward processes became tangled webs of complexity.

“Many businesses reach a point where what got them to $2-5 million in revenue won’t get them to $10-20 million,” Katy explains. The companies had proven their business models and achieved initial success, but lacked the systems needed for sustainable growth. This gap between early wins and lasting success left business owners frustrated and unsure how to move forward.

This observation led Katy to start her own company in 2024, Katy Mullet Marketing LLC, where she now builds custom marketing and operations frameworks that help businesses scale effectively. Her story shows how paying attention to recurring problems in your field can uncover valuable business opportunities. As you read about Katy’s path from spotting a pattern to creating solutions, you might discover similar gaps in your own industry that could become the start of your business story.

Building Through Experience

Katy’s path wasn’t a straight line. Her career took her from startups to Fortune 500 companies, always focused on growth through digital innovation. She helped scale a supplement company’s online sales and created an online course that boosted a functional medicine practice’s growth tenfold during the pandemic.

While these roles seemed varied, they gave her valuable knowledge. Each position added to her toolkit of business skills.

“In my twenties, I spent a lot of time agonizing over the fact that I was more of a marketing generalist,” Katy admits. “I would let that younger version of myself know that each role I took or project I took on was giving me exposure and business knowledge that would help me to get to where I am today.”

This range of experience proved to be her strength. While completing her MBA with a focus on operations, marketing, and managing innovation, Katy began connecting classroom concepts to real-world problems she’d witnessed.

“Studying organizational behavior was one of the highlights of my MBA program and I found that I was consistently connecting what I was learning to the trials and tribulations I experienced at different startups,” she shares.

A class on Leading Change sparked her business idea. Katy realized she could use her experience to help growing companies overcome their scaling challenges.

Creating Business Solutions

Katy saw that successful companies often struggle when they try to grow beyond their early success. What works for a small business often fails at a larger scale.

“They’ve proven their business model through word-of-mouth and organic growth, but suddenly find themselves hitting barriers: their teams are overwhelmed, their founder is becoming a bottleneck, and their once-simple operations are now increasingly complex.”

Her solution? Help these businesses shift from being founder-dependent to systems-driven. She creates custom frameworks for digital transformation, operational scaling, and team development.

What makes Katy’s approach different is that she doesn’t just offer advice. She works with teams to build their skills and make sure new systems take root.

“Rather than just delivering recommendations, I work alongside teams to build their capabilities and ensure new systems actually take root. This means my clients don’t just get temporary fixes—they develop the organizational muscles needed for continuous growth.”

Based in Marietta, Georgia, Katy serves clients across the country, bringing her expertise directly to where it’s needed.

Starting With Strategy

Starting a business wasn’t a quick decision for Katy. She thought about it for a long time, discussing the idea with family and later with mentors once she had created a business plan.

“I sat on the idea for a long time, talking through it with family and eventually mentors once I had created a business plan.”

Her approach to launching was practical. Instead of jumping straight into the unknown, she created an LLC and pitched her services to her former employer. They were going through changes and had recently downsized, making it the perfect time for her offer.

“I offered my consulting services in exchange with the understanding that my role would change and that I would take on other clients. This also helped me bridge the gap on my income so it helped with the transition.”

This approach gave her a steady first client while allowing her to grow her business. From there, word-of-mouth referrals helped her expand her client base.

As her business has grown, Katy has celebrated important milestones.

“My biggest win in the first several months was signing two new retainer clients, including one that was a cold outreach. I have really been able to hone my pitch, build my confidence, and put myself out there and it’s paying off.”

Balancing Business and Life

Like many entrepreneurs, Katy had concerns about going solo.

“My biggest fears were around timing and money. I have a family to support and taking the risk of going out on my own was nerve-racking.”

But Katy found that problems have solutions if you’re willing to be flexible.

“What I have discovered is that everything is figureoutable – for example, I was concerned about childcare costs and ended up finding a hybrid in care that lessened our childcare costs while still giving me plenty of time to work with clients.”

One of the benefits of owning her business is the flexibility it provides with her family life.

“I would say my workday structure is a bit different from day to day and week to week, based on my childcare and client needs. I typically work Monday through Thursdays, and I save Fridays for time with my daughter and only hop on for necessary calls.”

This flexibility extends beyond just the schedule.

“I am eternally grateful to have the flexibility to work from home and be present with my family. That doesn’t disclude me from late nights and early mornings, but I feel more in control of my schedule than I ever have working in corporate.”

Support from others was also key to her success. Katy credits The Brave Start, a network of women entrepreneurs, many of whom are also mothers juggling multiple roles.

“Their wisdom and support has helped give the courage to try out new things and spend more focused time on my business to get it to where I want it to go.”

The Brave Start also helped Katy with a common challenge for new business owners: setting prices.

“The Brave Start was incredibly helpful in giving advice on pricing. Their advice was simple and it was to start initially with an hourly rate and learn – learn how long projects actually take, the hidden issues that might pop up, what other expenses you might have, etc.”

This practical advice helped her develop a pricing model that works for her business.

“I now have some clients that are hourly and others that are at a value-based rate that’s a blend in the time it takes, the experience I have in the industry, and the other expenses (like other freelancers needed and software) baked in.”

She’s gained confidence in her value as her business has grown.

“I have gotten confident in not compromising myself and when I do compromise, doing it for the right reasons like potential for future growth.”

Katy’s approach has led to real results for her clients. One success story stands out: a client who wanted to boost their income through online sales.

“One of my clients relaunched an online shop with my help. They were looking to add another stream of income to their in-person sales and previously they saw little adoption of their online shop. By focusing on SEO and developing an integrated marketing strategy to launch the shop, they’ve seen significant growth in the first quarter.”

As her business grows, Katy continues to learn and adapt. One lesson she’s applying is to discuss long-term partnerships earlier in client relationships.

“So often, a company comes to me with one problem and after solving it, we end up working together on multiple projects. I have gotten better at helping them identify where there are multiple bottlenecks so that we can design a more effective project or retainer model where they see real results, quickly.”

Recently, Katy has begun focusing more on the functional health space, returning to an industry where she previously enjoyed working.

“Some of my favorite jobs have been working in the health industry, and in the last few months, I have begun working with clients in the functional health space. I’m excited to continue work there and help both practices and companies with their business so they can focus on giving patients the best care experience.”

Your First Business Steps

Katy’s story offers practical wisdom for anyone thinking about starting a business. She didn’t rush into entrepreneurship but built her skills through varied experiences first. What might seem like unrelated work roles can actually give you a broader view of business problems and solutions.

“My biggest fears were around timing and money,” Katy shares. She tackled these common concerns head-on by creating a bridge between employment and entrepreneurship. By pitching her former employer first, she secured an initial client while building her business. This approach can help reduce the financial strain of starting a new venture.

Finding support makes a difference, too. Connecting with other business owners gave Katy both practical advice on pricing and emotional encouragement. As you consider your business idea, look for patterns in your industry that need solutions, build on your existing skills, and create a practical plan to make the transition.

For more information on scaling your business with Katy Mullet Marketing, visit katymullet.com.