We had the good fortune of connecting with Catherine Gochoco McKown and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Catherine, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Having an empty nest definitely opened up my schedule quite a bit but I found myself burnt out almost immediately. Both of my businesses require me to be available when my clients are, meaning when they are not working. I found myself answering calls at 2am! Without this balance, I was feeing to extremely stressed, fatigue and discontentment, all of which are detrimental to both the workplace and personal well being. After some reflection, I realized that not being available at all hours of the night was not a disservice to my clients at all. I even noticed how much more I got done by setting hours and working within that parameter. In some ways, social media can put additional strain on my work-life balance, competing for attention in an already busy world. I had to limit my time on social media platforms and the results were astounding. Finding a good rhythm and planner was the start of my quest for balance. I was able to see and write down exactly what needed to be done and when. This helped tremendously to schedule my time. I also started with a meditation app to keep my self grounded and focused. It is only 5 minutes so I don’t feel like I need to skip it to do something else. I have been practicing this work-life balance for 2 months now and it is working! I have accomplished so much more and had some great family time to enjoy. I highly suggest taking the time to get yourself in order. You won’t regret the feeling of a day well worked and your free time as you please. Please do not hesitate to reach out for more tips and tricks on creating balance!
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a freelance fashion consultant and Realtor. Both my positions allow me to explore my creative side and surround myself with beautiful things while helping people. As a fashion consultant and blogger, I am constantly helping women improve their self-esteem by finding what truly makes them feel good. As. realtor, many of my clients are looking for that place to call home and really make it their own. I pride myself on being able to listen to the core of their wants and needs to find them what they long for. I am so happy that I am able to work in industries that make people happy and proud at the end of the day. I am most excited about meeting and exceeding the expectations of my clients. So many fashion clients don’t even realize how their wardrobe is affecting their mood. To be able to talk with them and connect their feelings to make them see how beautiful they are inside and out is a life-changing experience. I long to help and to have positions where I can truly make a difference in someone’s home life, makes my job completely worthwhile. I know that is what sets me apart from others in both my industries. I got into these careers because of my passion and I show it every day. I love what I do and I love the people I work with. I started my fashion career through my blog and my enthusiasm for clothes. Through my blog followers, I was able to connect with them and answer questions, I came to the realization that there are so many people out there that may be struggling with the same issues; not feeling like they look good and not knowing where to start so I took my knowledge to social media to get the word out that I was here to help. The reaction was amazing. Women and some men from all over direct messaged me with questions. I then was able to take to facetime to start with closet cleansing and wardrobe consultations. Then in 2018, I had the opportunity to get into real estate in Arizona and it has been a blast! I love Arizona and helping people move here or find another home in AZ has been the most rewarding and worthwhile career. The challenge when starting any business is getting the word out. I had built my blog for many years with no intention of making it into a business. I was thrilled to learn that I could make the blog into something that actually mattered and helped people. Spreading the word was difficult and keeping up with social media messages is also hard as their are no set hours for Instagram, lol. I also invested in a business plan writing course through Udemy.com to get me ducks in a row. This step, while difficult and time-consuming to put everything in its place and to answer questions about where you see and would like your business to go is a necessary one. Once these behind the scenes documents were in place, my businesses actually ran smoother. It was also difficult to stand out among 2 relatively saturated markets. Az has an abundance of Realtors and the blog world has mostly all avenues covered. Standing out in those worlds was an arduous task but once I came to the understanding that my main goal was to truly help, all the pieces fell into place. It makes my positions easy to do, I always want the best for my clients and I work extremely hard to make sure they are happy. I’ve learned throughout building these careers and my brand, that being true to your authentic self is most important. Everything else will come. You have to work tremendously hard but if it is accurately your passion and desire, you will put in the hours and be successful. I want the world to know that no one will ever care more about you as a person then I do. I want you to have everything you want and feel your best.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I take my best friends to AZ Grand Resort to the pool and hike up South Mountain. Arizona has so many amazing places to visit and things to do. Eat at Aloha Kitchen in Mesa (manapua is to die for) Drink at Bitter and Twisted in Phoenix Visit the Grand Canyon and ASU, Tempe town lake!!! Hangout at The Four Seasons, the view is breathtaking. Trail Ride at MacDonald’s Ranch in Scottsdale. Horses are extremely well taken care of and the staff is great! Fountain Hills is an awesome town to check out as well. It’s so quaint and the fountain is amazing.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Maricopa County Attorney’s: Janee Pousson and Talia Offord These women are not only amazing lawyers and keeping our county running but they are both amazing mothers.

Website: AzLuxeListings.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/afashionfiend
Twitter: www.twiiter.com/afashionfiend
Facebook: www.facebook.com/afashionfiend
Yelp: www.yelp.com/catherinegochoco
Other: Cell 480-686-0193 Email: Catherine@AFashionFiend.com

Image Credits
All photos are property of A Fashion Fiend.

Nominate someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.