Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kara Haug, Founder of Reframing our Stories, LLC., located in Sacramento, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Reframing our Stories is a Sexuality Education Business that serves schools, families, and churches. We seek to change the narrative around how we have sexual health conversations without shame.

Tell us about yourself

I became a Sexual Health Educator after working as a Youth and Family Minister and Foster Home Licensor. As a Youth and Family Minister, I had youth and parents ask many questions about sex. The youth told me about what they saw in schools and encountered at parties and asked a lot about their own personal wonderings. Parents wanted to know how to talk with their kids and stay aware of current teen culture and behaviors. When I worked in foster care, I heard about so much sexual abuse the kids were experiencing, the impact, and how cycles continue. I didn't like how "sex before marriage" was being discussed in a way that made people feel terrible about who they were and, if they had experienced sexual abuse, how they couldn't decipher the difference.

I became very aware of the discrepancies we have in our sex education in our country and how the lack of information was causing individuals more anguish, shame, and pain in their lives. That's when I decided to go back to school and study it. I do this job so that we can have better relationships with our bodies and partnerships with others. Part of my goal with this work is to help stop the cycle of sexual abuse.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I love that schools hire me to teach. I'm able to communicate with parents about how & what I'm teaching and the types of questions and discussions being raised. I'm often then hired to teach them through parent sessions I offer. It is an honor to be able to educate and inform whole families. Beyond this, I started this business during the pandemic and was able to launch a website, create a podcast, develop products, launch an online store, and provide teaching online.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

For me, the hardest thing is not having enough hours in one day to move as quickly as I'd like with the business. My first job is as a mom as it is for my business partner, and with the demands we've experienced in these last two years, prioritizing and executing in a constantly changing environment was a challenge. We let things go and paired back in order to care for our families.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. If you have the idea and believe in it, do it. It takes time and a lot of learning and mistakes, so offer yourself grace.
  2. There are a lot of people out there willing to help you navigate different ways to operate your business. Listen to their tips. Overall I believe people want us to succeed.
  3. Finally, be okay to put money into tools and expertise beyond your skill set. For example, we paid someone to edit and publish our podcast episodes to help us get them off the ground and provide a lesson to us at the same time. We now do all the editing and production of our podcast.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I think it is important to know that all people have different ways of thinking and operating when it comes to running a business. Different ways work for different people, and we can learn from one another. Keeping an open mind is key and learning how to pivot and listen to your intuition is very important.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.reframingourstories.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reframingourstories
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reframingourstories/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reframingourstories

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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