How kind is too kind?

Happy Fourth of July!! I hope this email finds you poolside, drink in hand, sunglasses on. 😎 

As the Owner + Operator of a service based business (kat&co), client happiness is always at the forefront of my mind. Customer service comes naturally to me, and has been the cornerstone of my career. I have always led with kindness towards my clients, my team, my co-workers, or my supervisors.

But, at what point, is kindness too kind?

This was a question that I found myself faced with after an unexpected layoff - I was not laid off for performance issues, but instead because I was too nice… too kind.

My entire persona revolves around being an empathetic and kind person. I am a creative. I am adaptable. I am organized. I am firm when I need to be, but ultimately believe that relationships are what move a project forward - not a show of force.

I believe you can enforce boundaries with kindness.

I believe you can run a business with kindness.

I believe you can deliver bad news with kindness.

Kindness is not weakness - Kindness is harder than the alternative. 

But that moment forced me to sit with a question I hadn’t asked myself before:

Where does kindness end and people-pleasing begin?

That layoff didn’t just hurt my ego - it made me question how I showed up at work, in my business, and in relationships. But - I chose not to change who I am. I chose to refine how I express that part of myself depending on the environment I’m in.

Here’s what I’ve come to believe:

• Kindness and leadership are not mutually exclusive.

• Boundaries with kindness are still boundaries.

• You don’t have to be loud to be clear.

• You don’t have to be mean to be firm.

It’s easy to confuse kindness with softness or weakness - especially in corporate settings where the loudest, most dominant energy tends to lead. But that’s not the type of business I want to run. And that’s not the type of leader I want to be.

So if you’ve been told you need to be tougher, colder, “more direct”… this one’s for you:

✨ Don’t shrink. Don’t harden. Be clear. Be kind. ✨

Reflection: Have you ever been penalized or misunderstood for leading with empathy? How do you distinguish between kindness and people-pleasing? Where might you be ready to reinforce or refine your boundaries in your personal or professional life?

✨ Episode 006 of Good Ideas + Bad Decisions is out! 🎤

This week, Ellen and I chat with Brittany Blumenthal, Founder of Delightful Creative - She creates Brand Identities for businesses that make people feel good. Her favorite projects involve helping small brands build something from scratch - something filled with purpose.

We dive right into our shared experiences of unexpected layoffs - and how this has led to building our businesses in alignment with our passions. She also shares how her lived experience with functional medicine has given new purpose to her career.

Give it a listen over the holiday weekend!

Want to be a guest on the podcast or submit a business question for us to tackle on air?

I am truly excited to be building community around creative small businesses, entrepreneurship, and authenticity.

Until next time - We got this! 🖤

Love from your friend,

Kat