We had the good fortune of connecting with Carly Catt and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carly, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I had just graduated college. I was in a “now what” situation. I had no idea what I wanted to do, so I decided to search on Pinterest for jobs to do from home to start making money while I figured out where to go next. Why did I choose Pinterest as my search engine? No idea. But I came across a post talking about proofreading from home. I went down a rabbit hole after that and came out wondering if I should start a proofreading business. As a kid, I was always great at spelling and grammar. My dad has his own business, and he would ask me to proofread his documents when I was young. In this “now what” time, he asked me to proofread another one and I remembered how much I enjoy it. I knew then that this is what I wanted to do. So I searched up that Pinterest post again and registered for a class to teach me proofreading.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
It was not easy to get where I am today. It wasn’t impossible either. I had lots of support (and probably luck), and I worked hard day and night for about six months before I started getting any clients. After that, the scarcity mindset was hard to break. After about a year, I realized I couldn’t keep putting work above everything else. I think my doing that for as long as I did contributed to my success tremendously, but there’s no need to ever go back to that. I started this business for freedom, so now that I have a steady income, I’m working to take advantage of that aspect.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I actually moved to a new city this week, so this question is funny. Luckily, I moved to Prescott, AZ, for the activities, so I know exactly what I would do with a friend. I love hiking, so I’d take my friend to a few hiking trails through the pine trees. We could go kayaking and paddle boarding in the small lakes around here too. I’d go to Gramma’s bakery for some pastries and eat them while walking around the downtown square and watching dogs and kids play in the grass. For dinner, I’d make sure we went to BIGA and Farm Provisions. There are a ton of other shops and restaurants on my list, and I can’t wait to try them all as soon as I can!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When confronted with a difficult task or a crazy idea, my dad would always say, “How hard can it be?” Starting a business, running a half marathon, learning to play instruments—all these things were hard but not impossible. Other people have done it, so why can’t I? My dad has influenced me in several different ways throughout my life, and all those teachable moments intersected at the moment I decided to start my business. I would not be where I am today without him.

Website: www.cattediting.com

Instagram: @CattEditing

Linkedin: Carly Catt

Twitter: @CattEditing

Facebook: Catt Editing page

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