Kate LaPoint's career path has been non-traditional. She became a mom at a young age, became an Editor-in-Chief at 23, founded several businesses in the coffee industry, and then decided to switch tracks and try corporate America where she has excelled.
Originally published Dec 16, 2018
Transcript link (uncorrected machine translation) |
Kate LaPoint's career path has been non-traditional. She became a mom at a young age, became an Editor-in-Chief at 23, founded several businesses in the coffee industry, and then decided to switch tracks and try corporate America where she has excelled.
[00:00:09] Welcome back to the I Am Virago podcast, where we get real about the struggle, drop the occasional F-bomb, and hear how amazing Virago women imperfectly navigate the world around them.
[00:00:20] Today's guest, Kate Lapoint, is the chief of staff for an SVP at T-Mobile and
the former owner of a coffee roasting company. Kate, this transition from business
ownership to working in corporate America. Hear how she's made that transition, how
she balanced family needs while running a business, and how she made the difficult
decision to close her business. So grab that cup of ambition and let's get started.
[00:00:48] Hello, I'm Kate Lapoint and pay the bills, I am senior manager of business
operations at T-Mobile USA, and my passion is cooking. Cooking, indeed. Tell me a
little more about that. You know, I think it started with having a mom who cooked dinner
all the time. We lived in a small town and we were pretty solidly middle class. And my
mom would always cook dinner. We didn't eat out. We didn't go to fast food. And her
food was delicious. And so when I became a mom at a pretty young age, 23, that was
just how I knew how to do things. So I cooked. And then when it became more of an
interest to me, like wanting to cook more delicious things and kind of find better
methods, I found that I really loved doing it. So I read a lot of magazines. I even
watched TV shows and just kind of learned methods that way. So I really I'm definitely a
self-taught chef and I found things that I loved to cook and that my family loved to eat.
And that just kind of blossomed from there.
[00:01:50] Well, I can attest to the quality of your cooking for folks listening. Anytime
Kate says, hey, do you want to come over for dinner? I'm like, oh, yeah, what time?
What can I bring? So thank you for that. And just recently, your daughter graduated
from high school. Yes. Congratulations. Thank you. And I know that you created a
special cookbook for her.
[00:02:12] I did, yes. So my youngest of two children just graduated from high school.
You know, we had talked about when she goes away and there were a couple times
which said, when am I going to get to eat your food? Like you're not going to be there to
cook for me. And I thought, you know, every child struggles with that. But for her, it was
kind of a big deal. Like she wasn't really looking forward to eating pizza and Top
Ramen. And though she's going to be living in the dorms definitely her first year and
won't have a lot of access to a kitchen. I thought you did kind of send her off on her own
out of the house. I would make a cookbook of her favorite recipes. So it's called the
Love and Butter Cookbook, because when I make anything for the kids and they say it's
good, I say, of course it is. It's made with love and butter.
[00:02:56] So it's very inside joke. Very nice. Very nice. And you have always cooked for
your family. Yeah.
[00:03:04] And I also know that you are a serial entrepreneur and now you have a
corporate job that takes up a lot of your time and yet you found ways to maintain this
very important thing for you. How have you done that?
[00:03:18] I do a lot of cooking on the weekend. It's kind of a time when I have fun with
it. I have more time to do it, and it helps me have home cooked food during the week.
So I don't have to worry about throwing dinner together if I get home late from work. So
I'll generally, you know, roasted chicken, I might make a pot of beans or some rice and
maybe grill some veggies and just have some stuff in the fridge that we can throw
together, you know, chicken for salads or Cassidys or something quick like that. But
yeah, a lot of weekend cooking that I just find really fun.
[00:03:51] So can you give us a little bit of a history of your work experience?
[00:03:55] Yeah. So I was a journalism major in college, went to University Washington,
and I knew that I didn't want to go to work for a newspaper. I knew that I wanted to do
more magazine type work so I could have more creativity, longer deadlines, time to
develop stories and ideas and take my time on on that. When I was getting ready to
graduate, I ran to an old friend who said, Hey, you're graduating. What are you going to
do with that journalism degree? And I said, well, I'm probably going to end up working
as a waitress because I don't see a lot of journalism jobs out there. And he said, well, I
happen to work for this woman who's starting a trade magazine for specialty coffee. And
this was back in 94, which was kind of the beginning of the whole height of the Seattle
coffee phenomenon. So I went interviewed thinking that maybe I would, you know, get
an internship and get some experience under my belt. And I was hired as the assistant
editor. So I didn't get paid a lot, but got a heck of a lot of experience and quickly became
chief editor. So this, you know, at the age of 23 was helping to run this magazine that
we distributed internationally and got to meet a lot of people around the world, got to do
a lot of traveling. Quickly became thought of as an expert in coffee because I was the
editor of this magazine that everyone read.
[00:05:15] Yes. I believe you were called the coffee guru on the Discovery Channel.
[00:05:20] Yeah. Yeah. I was interviewed for a segment on Discovery Channel and they
called me Coffee Guru, which was pretty funny. But when I was doing that job, I found
myself helping people, small business people kind of do their own PR or they would call
in. They were having a hard time getting the word out about their little kind of mom and
pop product that they were trying to market to coffee shops. And I would end up writing
press releases forum and not only publishing it in the magazine, but giving. Pointers on
how to send it out to their community newspapers and how to promote themselves
inexpensively fand after I've been at the magazine for about four years. You know, there
wasn't a lot of growth left for me in that position. And I thought, well, there's a whole
world out there of people who need this service. And I have all the contacts. My kids
were very young and in fact, my daughter wasn't even born yet. My son was very
young. And I thought, well, you know, I could stay at home, I could run a business doing
this. And and that's what I did for almost eight years.
[00:06:19] You know, you make it sound very easy. And where did you find the courage
to start your own business?
[00:06:26] Honestly, I think part of it was that I was too young and inexperienced to
know better. Ignorance is bliss. Yes. I just thought, hey, you know, I do this anyway.
Why don't I just do it on my own and people will pay me for it. And I did a little bit of
research going in, kind of talking to people who I knew in the industry saying, hey, is
there an appetite for this type of service? And they said yes. And I thought, well, you
know, I'll give it a try. And if it doesn't work out, I can go get a job. So it wasn't a high
risk move for me because I wasn't renting a space. I wasn't it was very low overhead. I
basically had to buy myself a computer and pay my phone bill. So low overhead, low
risk. I didn't pay myself too much in the beginning either. But that inevitably grew as I
grew my customer base and kind of found some smarter ways of working with people
on contractual basis. So I don't know if it was courage as much as just like it just
seemed to make sense.
[00:07:23] So you did that successfully for five years and then eight, eight years. Eight
years. And then what happened?
[00:07:30] Well, at that point, my daughter had been born and was getting ready to start
school. And I no longer felt I was super necessary to be, you know, staying at home all
the time and was getting a little bit like didn't know if I really wanted to grow the
business. I didn't know if I wanted to hire employees. I wasn't quite sure that was my
passion. I really wanted to try something different, but still in coffee where all my
contacts were. And I still loved the travel of it and I loved the people and especially like
the coffee growers and some of the new espresso machine manufacturers. Just really
interesting group of people. And so living in Seattle, you know, there were all these
amazing coffee shops, not Starbucks, but true independent coffee shops that were
roasting amazing coffee and doing a fantastic job with these beverages. But the
products, they're putting them if someone want to do like a vanilla latte, the only
ingredients they were able to find were kind of cheaper ingredients available, a cash
and carry. There wasn't a big distribution of really fine quality products in Seattle. And I
thought, well, you know, if I can increase that quality portion of the beverage for small
retailers here in Seattle, it's going to be a better experience for everyone. So I opened a
distributorship.
[00:08:42] Great idea. Got it. Got a good customer base, but quickly found that the
margins in distribution aren't really enough to sustain a business unless you do it on a
very large scale, which I wasn't equipped to do. Capital or manpower wise. So I decided
to take what little money I had and invest it in a coffee roasting operation of my own. So
you started roasting your own coffee, roasting my own coffee here and, you know,
through some connections and the business was able to get a good coffee roaster, a
good machine for you. Not as much money as maybe someone else would have paid.
So I kind of called in a few favors and on very relatively little investment, set up this
roasting company and started roasting coffee and distributing my products. Very, very
competitive market. I loved it, loved the creative side of it. Coming up with the blends,
coming up at the label and the names and just the whole experience of having my very
own product and what I thought coffee should taste like. But again, a couple years, it
was another thing of scale. Like if I was going to make the money that I felt I needed to
make to, A, grow the business, B, pay myself a decent salary. C, get, you know, enough
employees to be able to not work myself 24/7.
[00:10:01] I had to grow and ended up doing some contract roasting for a while. That
took up a lot of time, helped us sustain ourselves financially, but wasn't really to the
point where I could grow the business in the way that I wanted to. So I also found that a
lot of retailers at that point were working with roasters who were giving away the
equipment and they were able to service the equipment. Again, I didn't have the
resources to be able to do that. So I eventually, after about eight years of that, did close
the business. Yeah, it was a really, really tough decision. I think, you know, I ran it
through the recession. I started it in 2006 and, you know, kept it running, kept it going,
provide amazing customer service, but really just kind of worked myself to the bone
and. Zoster myself spent basically all of my savings and got to a point where I wondered
why I was doing it anymore, because I wasn't spending the time with my family that I
was wanting to. I wasn't seeing my friends. I was working on weekends. I wasn't taking,
you know, meaningful vacations. I was just I'm kind of stuck in a rut. So when I closed it,
I got another job.
[00:11:12] You got another job. And this is your jump from running your own business to
working in corporate America.
[00:11:18] Yeah. And how is that been for you? It's been amazing.
[00:11:22] I think I was always one of those people in college. And, you know, when I
was working for the magazine, that was a start up. And then I had my own, you know,
small startup businesses. And I always felt like I was the serial entrepreneur and kind of
a small business person. And that's where my passion was kind of solidly staked. But
when I sort of gave up the notion that I would be giving up my own sense of
independence to go work for the man, when I realized that what I was gaining was
security, time and better money, I was able to do the things I wanted to do. I was able to
have time to myself in addition to working. And it just has been super challenging, but
not stressful. I don't have to worry about paying the bills.
[00:12:11] So what it sounds like is you took a hard look at where your life was. You
reassessed, really looked at what your values were and made some tough decisions
and in the long run has turned out to be very satisfying.
[00:12:26] Yeah. And this this job, I've met some amazing people. I've kind of bounced
around a couple different positions. I just recently was promoted. I have a team now.
Well, congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. And like I said, it's still it's a very hectic
and it's it's challenging, but I don't leave at the end of the day and feel stressed out. And
I don't my Sundays aren't ruined because I dread Mondays, you know.
[00:12:55] Oh, yes. You found the Holy Grail. Yeah. Exactly. Oh, nice. And so. So what
is your position now?
[00:13:03] So I'm a senior manager of business operations, which is one part of my job.
I'm the senior business operations manager for an SVP in our basically our I.T.
department. It's called Digital Technology and Development. And in addition, I have
taken on the role of being the senior manager of comms communications for that entire
organization. So I inherited a couple people who I'm working with now, and then I'm
hiring two additional people. So I'll have a team.
[00:13:34] Wow. So you've gone from running your own business to working in
corporate America and getting promoted. Sounds like relatively quickly. Yeah. And
having a team of people.
[00:13:48] How does that feel?
[00:13:50] Amazing. It's it's kind of surprising. It's I wouldn't say that I took this job with a
plan to climb the ladder or not even a real knowledge of where I might want to go with it.
You know, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy technology. I wasn't sure if I would really
understand wireless. I didn't know if maybe I would end up in marketing or finance or if I
would just be happy to stay in India. Pant contributor because I had such a great work
life balance. And I said, you know, the benefits are amazing. I get vacation. Like, I kind
of have everything that I hadn't had for eight years previous work for a leader who I just
wholeheartedly believe in and feel super empowered by. I just feel I have tons of
autonomy. I get great feedback. I have someone who believes in me and trusts me and
lets me do my job.
[00:14:42] Well.
[00:14:43] The other thing that I'm picking up through this is being an entrepreneur can
be a pretty lonely experience, especially if you're a solo entrepreneur. And in this new
organization, you're working in a very collaborative environment, it sounds like.
[00:14:58] Yeah. How is that been for you? Entrepreneurship is lonely.
[00:15:03] It's especially lonely if you do it like I did. And I didn't ask for a lot of help. And
I definitely have learned from that, that asking for help. You know, I'm not saying it
would have kept me running the business longer or made me more successful, but it
definitely, I think, would have made me feel more supported and happy when I was
doing what I was doing. So now to be able to have people I can rely on and people I can
go to for feedback and people I can bounce ideas off of. And, you know, and just really
have fun with on a daily basis, even during a stressful time. Like, we we laugh a lot and
we do important work. It's you know, we're not saving babies, but we are definitely, you
know, delivering pieces of technology that help this giant business run, that puts
wireless service in people's hands. And that that actually is very important.
[00:15:56] Very nice. So given where you're at today, can you talk about either
professional or personal win that you've had recently?
[00:16:05] Really, the thing that is at the forefront my mind right now is my daughter
graduate from high school. Yeah. I mean, that's that's a huge life event. I saw someone
in the elevator asked me either day what I did with my weekend. I said, oh, I threw a
graduation party for my daughter. And they're like, oh, congratulations. I was like, yeah,
she's 18. I kept her alive.
[00:16:27] Congratulations.
[00:16:28] Well, my kids live long enough, you know, with the help of their dad and the
village around me kept them alive long enough to see them, you know, go out into the
world. And I'm just so incredibly proud of my kids and so excited for what they have
going in the future.
[00:16:44] I can say, you know, I've had the pleasure of meeting your children and they
are beautiful human beings. You've done an amazing job of raising two very dynamic
young people. Thank you. So let's take it to the dark side.
[00:16:58] What's a recent professional or personal struggle that you've been dealing
with?
[00:17:03] Well, professionally, you know, I'm a new manager and I'm trying to find a
way to balance the independent contributions that I make and need to make to the
needs of my team and the strengths of my team and trying to find a way to sort of
delegates some things to them and train them up at the same time while not skipping a
beat. Right. Because we can really slow down to do that. We have to do it mid-flight. So
it's a lot of checking and frequently a lot of iteration, a lot of prioritization. I'm working
really hard on trying to plan more to really sit down, think through my week, whatever I
need to focus on. A lot of the calm drive by is right when people are constantly stopping
by your desk and you're getting interrupted by I am in emails and, you know, colleagues
and teammates and sometimes to be able to focus on what needs to be done and to get
that planning done and seen through to completion is kind of tough.
[00:18:04] So, yeah, absolutely. And so you are a people leader now. Yeah. And that is
a new role for you. Mm hmm. What are you doing to try to level up your people
management skills?
[00:18:16] Well, I take a lot of lessons from some of my past managers who have been
truly amazing and took a lot of time to get their team trained up on things and to give
them sort of the capacity and the air cover to make mistakes and learn from them, but to
also be successful and deliver what needs to be delivered. So I'm, I guess, working on a
little bit more planning, really working on listening to my team now and seeing what they
need and seeing what they're interested in and trying to direct. What they do into areas
where they feel like it's more rewarding.
[00:18:53] Nice. Nice.
[00:18:54] You've had such a unique career path going from entrepreneur to corporate,
where many paths are corporate to entrepreneur. What advice would you have for
young women entering the workforce today?
[00:19:09] The first thing is, don't doubt yourself. Don't second guess. Don't let anyone
else make you feel like you aren't capable of doing what you want to do. Listen to your
heart. Listen to your passions and seek advice. Find a mentor. Ask for that help. That I
didn't ask for. When I asked an entrepreneur to find your network in your community
and rely on them and they'll lift you up.
[00:19:36] So this is the I am Varoga podcast.
[00:19:39] Yes. What makes you a farrago?
[00:19:42] I really feel like I am sort of the eye of the hurricane. That is my community,
my life, my family. I feel like things kind of swirl around me. I'm not saying I'm the center
of the universe or I should be the center of attention, but I touch a lot of people's lives.
And my boyfriend told me the other night that if something were to happen to me, that a
lot of lives would just simply not be the same ever. And I think that's true of anyone.
There's something about the way I operate with my friends and my family that makes
me feel extremely relevant and extremely loved.
[00:20:25] And you. You are a force to be reckoned with. Indeed. So we're coming to
the end of the interview. And this is where I'd like to ask my guests. What question do
you wish I would have asked?
[00:20:41] Actually, I wish you would ask me if I want some wine.
[00:20:46] Well, Kate Lapoint, thank you for being on the I Am Virago podcast. Would
you like some wine? Yes, please. All right. Thank you very much. And we'll follow your
your climb up the corporate ladder with delight. Thank you.
[00:21:05] Thank you, my Viragos, for listening to the I Am Virago podcast. Check out new episodes every Tuesday. If you have ideas or suggestions of whom you'd like to hear from on this podcast, go to IAmVirago.com and leave a message. And remember, you are Virago.