AHHH FINA-FREAKING-LLY! This has been a *long* time comin’. If you follow along on Instagram (specifically, Instastories), maybe you’ve caught wind on my daily schedules that around 10 am about twice a week, “Katie comes over!” And if you’re sitting there like Who the heck is Katie???
Katie is basically the best thing to have happened to CUR and a blessing from straight-up ABOVE. She’s my “assistant,” helping me behind-the-scenes with anything + everything to make CUR as helpful and fun a space as humanly possible. 🙂
To clarify (because we think it’s important): If you ever reach out to me on social media, send an email, comment on a post, etc and get a response…it’s me, Erica, responding. I write everything you see and am always the one replying to you. That’s important to note since I personally know of folks who have their assistants “be them” and take care of responding to things, but we both just don’t think that’s cool…you should be talking to ME if/when you THINK you’re talking to me. Right?!?!
So Katie helps with more technical + organizational parts of the job. She helps me format blog posts so that pictures are the right size and the right products are linked for y’all to shop your hearts out. She helps me schedule old content back out for Twitter so it doesn’t just die out there in internet land. She helps me research new brands or products that might be great for you guys, and helps bounce ideas with me for upcoming content, podcast episodes (!!!), etc. Speaking of the podcast, she edits episodes for me (COMING SO SOON OMG). She reminds me to eat lunch and hangs out with Liv if I have to hop on an important phone call. There’s just SO Much that can go on behind-the-scenes of a blog, especially since I’ve got the blog, the podcast, the BOOK COMING TOO OMG, BossPitch…there’s a lot more beneath the surface than what it may appear sometimes, I’d guess. Especially working from home with Olivia, I absolutely needed some extra hands to help with it all, and Katie is just the perfect addition to the team.
I’m so beyond grateful for her, and she’s really more than my “assistant” – she’s a fabulous friend. And if getting to hang out with a friend at your kitchen table, creating cool content, DoorDashing Wendy’s and playing with a baby counts towards “work”…I mean, call us #blessed. 😉
SO, since it’s been over nine months together, it’s about dang time that you’re formally acquainted. 😉 MEET KATIE!
Tell us about yourself!
Hi friends!! I’m Katie, Erica’s assistant and Olivia’s BFF. I’m a 27 year old Jersey girl, born and raised. I grew up at the beach area (no, it is not like an episode of The Jersey Shore) and since migrated to northern NJ about 20 minutes from NYC. I’m recently married to my high school sweetheart, Paul, and we have 3 rescue kitties! I graduated from Montclair State University in 2014 with a degree in Anthropology, and have worked in several different industries before coming to work with Erica.
Favorite Taylor Swift song: “Love Story,” ’cause Paul used to sing it to me during car rides to school in the A.M. before we were dating.
Favorite Snack: Nachos, taquitos, pizza rolls, ice cream. Ilovesnacks.
Favorite Destination: Spain. I went there on my honeymoon, and it was just the GREATEST place ever.
Favorite Cheese: Manchego with dried cranberries.
Favorite Drink: Margaritas (specifically pomegranate, on the rocks, no salt).
Favorite Podcast: Obvi, Erica’s soon-to-be-released podcast (STAY TUNED ‘CAUSE IT’S A-COMIN’)! Always alternating between And That’s Why We Drink (true crime + paranormal) and The Skinny Confidential Him & Her.
Favorite TV show: Downton Abbey and Mindhunter, currently.
Favorite Place to shop: T A R G E T.
Favorite Coffee order: Iced caramel macchiato (with skim or almond milk).
Favorite Christmas movie: Ohmygosh. How do I choose? Any of the old-school clay animated ones!
Are you a Katherine? Katelynn? Or just a Katie?!
I am JUST Katie. My mom is OBSESSED with all things Gone With the Wind so I was named after the notorious, Katie Scarlett O’Hara. Her real name is Katherine, but her father always called her Katie Scarlett. And there be my name. I think I practiced her infamous disapproving scowl so much so that my one eyebrow now is permanently raised.
Favorite part about working with Erica?
Uh, Olivia. Hands down, duh. But really, Erica and I vibe really well together so it hardly ever feels like work. It’s so fun to see all that goes on behind-the-scenes, and to be a part of it. I love being able to help Erica figure out what will help serve YOU better, and seeing all that goes into running a blog and business is incredible. I have a much deeper appreciation for this community.
Plus, this is one of the first jobs I’ve had where I actually feel appreciated. So, SHOUTOUT TO ERICA FOR BEING THE BEST 🙂
What do you do outside Coming Up Roses?
Nothing. I eat, sleep, BREATHE CUR. JK, JK – I do odd jobs here and there. Sometimes it’s babysitting (I LOVE kids), walking dogs, or photography. For fun, I binge Netflix or Amazon Prime. I lovelovelove me some good historical fictions (Outlander, Downton Abbey, Versailles, etc.). I can also be found reading, sewing, staring at my kitties in awe of how amazing they are, playing Sims, or wandering the aisles of my local Target with Starbs in hand.
How are you and Erica similar/different?
It didn’t come as a huge surprise to discover how similar we are. I’ve been following Erica since the very early years of CUR, and have always felt that she had been a friend I hadn’t met yet. We both love cats, coffee, wine, food, Wendy’s, Trader Joe’s, etc. etc. etc.
As far as differences, there isn’t much. I think we organize differently. There is a method to Erica’s madness where I’m more systematic in my organization. I have folders upon folders upon folders to organize the madness that is my computer. I will not “out” Erica, but we all know that she is the Tab Queen – always having a million tabs open on her desktop. I cannot work like that. I would lose my mind.
Oh, also…I don’t watch the Bachelor, Bachelorette, etc. Probs the biggest difference between us. (**E: I SHALL CONVERT HER MWAHAHA. Also HAHA at “a method to Erica’s madness” – I swear Katie keeps me sane most days.)
What’s the hardest part about working with Erica/CUR?
Not buying every single thing that Erica posts. Sometimes it happens without me even realizing it…whoops. Twinning all day, err’day.
**E: We have the same Amazon romper and and now the same Cuddl Duds cardigan so IT HAPPENS.
YAY. ILYSM KATIE. Thankyou guys for giving Katie the warm welcome she deserves. 🙂
