It’s Time You Met :: Rene Kauder
Rene Kauder is the brilliant brain behind Savvy & Style, a visual design agency. She’s also the Creative Director here at the ACORN Method and honestly - we couldn’t survive without her! Read on to learn more about this dynamic + driven woman, and be sure to check out the awesome visual branding + virtual assistant services she offers.
THE INTERVIEW:
Q: Why did you decide to begin your own business?
A: I began Savvy & Style out of necessity. After working for 13 years in higher education, a career that I truly loved, I made a big but scary decision to quit my job! Why? I felt my creativity was being stifled, and that's a very life giving side of me that I feel happier and more fulfilled when I am able to freely tap into it. In a search for happiness and joy, I quickly settled on a new job - my first in corporate America. I discovered this was a big mistake! After only 4 months, I quit that job, even though I had no real plan for what to do next... but I had to see where my heart would lead me. This is when Savvy & Style was born. I combined my love for my side gig with Stella & Dot with my almost 20 years of experience in administration to create my own work from home business helping other female entrepreneurs stand out in a crowd with easy, fast, fun and affordable marketing options.
Q: What's one thing about what you do that people might not know?
A: I am a serial entrepreneur and I have always been meant to run my own business. Before my side gig with Stella & Dot began, I made cakes and cupcakes (you can still find my creations online as "Rene Takes the Cake"). I used the last wedding I did to invest in my S&D starter kit. Before that I made beaded, hemp macrame necklaces to sell at music festivals during the summer and local "hippie" shops.
Q: What is the single most important factor to your business success?
A: Looking back on the past 5+ years (I left my career in 2016) I would say the most important factor in Savvy & Style's success has been community and connection. For the first couple of years I worked from home in my silo. I had my 1:1 clients I worked with but no real community to bounce ideas off, get feedback from or challenge me to do more. I looked to networking groups in both my local area as well as online but for the longest time nothing felt "just right." It wasn't until I found the ACORN Family through the Build your Brand Bootcamp and now the monthly Academy Membership that I realized where I belonged. The on going training, (group + individual) coaching and community support was what was needed to push Savvy & Style to try new things, develop new service options and ultimately grow as a business.
THE QUICK + DIRTY:
Favorite Starbucks Order: Grande Nitro with one packet of Splenda
Favorite Sports Team: Buffalo Bills - Let's Go Buffalo!
Favorite Hobby: Collecting Houseplants (and now outdoor gardening)
Favorite Musical Artist: The Head and the Heart
Favorite Makeup Item: Grande Lash - MD Lash Enhancing Serum
