How Kate Wight of Strong Brand Social, Owns It
Hi and welcome to the OWN IT podcast, where we celebrate the growing number of (women and non-binary) ad agency owners and talk about buying out of the boys’ club of advertising, one agency at a time.
I’m Christy Hiler, owner of Cornett and today, we’re talking to Kate Wight of KW Content and Strong Brand Social. Katie’s journey to ownership is as unique as they come. She landed her first job because she was an avid snowboarder and spoke French. She evolved through being a French language rider representative and landed on the marketing team at Burton Snowboards.
She started KW Content and eventually Strong Brand Social to help brands build better content for the ever-growing need for social media. Her firm is just over five years old and growing at a healthy pace.
And listen close for her unique perspective to both work and self-care … Kate actually prefers to work from Europe, though most of her team is in the U.S. Listen for that insight. It’s quite interesting.
Kate’s perspective on the industry and how we can make a difference in closing the gender gap in agency ownership are well worth hearing. I’m glad you’re here to listen.
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Key Takeaways
EPISODE: Katie Wight of KW Content and Strong Brand Social
1. Prioritize Personal Well-being and Design Work Around Life | [00:03:15]
Katie experienced burnout and intentionally sought a lifestyle that prioritizes her personal well-being. She found that working a few hours ahead of her U.S.-based team from Europe allowed her to have more space in her mornings to engage in activities like snowboarding before work. This approach helps her feel more spacious and capable of tending to herself before tackling work, preventing burnout and enriching her personal life.
2. Embrace a Collaborative and Empathetic Leadership Style | [00:05:48]
Katie emphasizes the importance of a collaborative and vulnerable leadership approach, contrasting it with traditional competitive models. She values leaders who share insights, celebrate others' successes, and foster an environment where team members feel supported and understood. This includes checking in on personal well-being when performance issues arise, rather than immediately assuming professional inadequacy.
3. Leverage Social Media for Community Building, Not Just Sales | [00:17:01]
While acknowledging the problematic aspects of the social media industry (addiction, conflict of interest), Katie highlights its power in attracting a high-caliber community of clients, leaders, and founders. She advocates for using social media to build meaningful connections and impact, rather than solely focusing on unsustainable, high-frequency posting tactics driven by platform competitiveness.
4. Redefine Success Beyond Traditional Metrics | [00:20:08]
Katie defines success for her agency not just by revenue, but also by team happiness and impact. She implemented "flex Fridays" and emphasizes off-screen time to improve morale and prevent burnout. Success also means increasing the success rate of purpose-driven brands by providing effective and efficient marketing frameworks that help them avoid wasting resources.
5. Challenge the Status Quo and Design Your Own Business Model | [00:42:17]
Katie advises aspiring agency owners not to be afraid to design their own way of doing things, rather than conforming to traditional agency models. She notes that traditional corporate structures, including those in advertising, often don't accommodate the realities of women's lives. By challenging existing norms and defining success on one's own terms, women can create more accessible and fulfilling work environments, ultimately making the industry better.
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