SPEAKER_00 0:01

You don't have to do everything yourself. It's okay to delegate, and everything doesn't have to be perfect and because nothing is permanent.

SPEAKER_01 0:12

Today is one of my favorite people. And I realize that I've said that a significant amount of times as we've like done this podcast. But and and I've meant it every time, and I also mean it this time. Today I'm speaking with Courtney from Declit Designs. And I I feel like every conversation I've ever had with you has been just like a joy. Even like prepping for chatting with you. I've just been so excited to have this conversation, and it's felt like just a gift. Like I've been excited to talk to you. So great. Thanks for being such a fun human being. You're welcome. I try. So I'll have you do a quick intro of who you are and about um decalet designs as well.

SPEAKER_00 0:55

Awesome. Thank you for having me. Um my name's Courtney, like she said, and I am the owner of Decalet Designs, where we do um custom WordPress websites, uh branding, brand strategy, and local SEO for weight-inclusive private practices. Um, of course, that could be any private practice, but specifically we tend to work with dietitians and therapists. And we've also been recently working with midwives and doolas. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:20

Oh, that's fun. I feel like that's like right in the same like that's kind of it's still like a very similar lane. Yes. Yes, I love that. Okay, so I want to hear about kind of thinking about when you were younger. Like what what did you want to be in your like formative years? And then how did you end up? Like, can you trace the thread for how you ended up here today?

SPEAKER_00 1:49

I definitely can. Um, well, first when I was younger, the first thing I ever wanted to be was a paleontologist.

SPEAKER_01 1:55

Okay, this is wild. Okay, I really am gonna put this in the description of this podcast. Everyone wants to be a paleontologist.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

Seriously, I thought I was meek. Why are you promoting me for me?

SPEAKER_01 2:06

No, I think all of us wanted to be paleontologists. The dinosaur marketing people did a great job.

SPEAKER_00 2:10

They did a great job. I Jurassic Park is still my favorite movie. Jeff Goldblum is still my favorite actor. I had his figurine on my nightstand as a child. Like, he's my favorite.

SPEAKER_01 2:23

It's one of the questions I wanted to ask you is which Jeff Goldblum is your favorite, Jeff Goldblum.

SPEAKER_00 2:28

Oh my God, that's too hard. You want me to do that now? Let's do that. Do you know?

SPEAKER_01 2:32

Okay, yeah, we can do it at the end. We can do it at the end.

SPEAKER_00 2:34

Okay, do it at the end. Give me some time to stew on it. Okay. Um, but yes, that's what I wanted to be first. And then I want to be a hygienist for a little while, but then I realized like I don't like want to touch other people's mouths. That's kind of gross. Um, so no, thank you for that. But I will say I've always done some type of entrepreneurship since I was a child. My family are all entrepreneurs. My dad runs several successful like multi-million dollar businesses, and my other aunts and uncles do as well. So that's always been kind of like in my genes, I feel like. And as a child, I had a lemonade stand that I made. My mom's always like, the only reason you made money was because I paid for the stuff for you to sell it. I'm like, you were an investor. I got a start. Yeah, exactly. You were an investor. Um, I remember the first year I made a hundred dollars on lemonade sales, and then I went to the mall with my mom and my grandma, and I left my bag in the bathroom and someone stole all my money. So I'm traumatized and I always make sure I have my bag on me. Um, and then one summer I even drew, I would draw my own pictures, and then my like I was at my mom's office all summer. That's where I had my chops, and I made copies of all my drawings and made coloring books and sold those because I was trying to think of like how could I make money? And this was when I was in like elementary school. So it's amazing. I've always kind of thought that like, how can I make money? How could I do something to make money? Um, I have worked since I was like had you know outside jobs since I was 14. Um, I've done all of it. And then when I went to college, first I kind of thought I wanted to be a therapist for like a semester, and then I was like, no, thank you. And then I was like, I'm gonna be a lawyer because everyone has said that. Because it's not that I argue, but I do like to be right. I mean to debate. Um, so I did end up getting a degree in political science, but I decided to take a year to just work before I decided if I wanted to go to law school. So I worked in political compliance, which is as boring as it sounds, um, where you're basically an accountant for politicians and PACs, and it's there's no human contact, and I didn't like that. So I was like, I'm not going to law school either. So what I really want to do is study nutrition. So I went back and got my another undergrad in dietetics because you have to have that in order to do your internship. And I did my master's and my internship at the same school at the University of Georgia. Then after that, I worked inpatient and outpatient and ended up being director of corporate health at some point because it just it was almost like running your own business under a corporate umbrella because it was a smaller healthcare system. So I did everything. Like I implemented new software for the entire system that had been had no software for 20 years. Um I did the website updates, I did, I designed the billboards because I'm in the south, and billboards are a big thing here. Um, I did all of all of that. I created the programs, I did the outreach, the marketing, and then I ran a 24-7 10,000 square foot facility and was over three departments. So um, needless to say, I burned out. And yes. So COVID happened, and I was like, what better time to say goodbye? Because I can't do this anymore. Um, and I'm and not that I'm like, yay, COVID happened, but in some ways I am, you know, the positive side of it is that it forced my hand to be like, I need to leave because if it hadn't happened, I would have stayed forever because I felt like I is what I was supposed to do. Like, will I be successful? I've never not had a job, right? Like it's really scary to go and like start your own business and wonder if it's successful or going to be successful or not. And then also acknowledging the privilege of being able to do that because I have a partner who was able to, you know, he has our health insurance and he was getting paid, obviously. So that's a privilege in and of itself to be able to even say, like, okay, we can be okay for a little while, see if I can build this up. So I started my private practice again. I my husband always said, I don't want to say the name of the place I used to work at, but he was like, You name a place to yourself again because you put too much on yourself again in this business. You don't have to do all of these things. Cause I was trying to do everything in my private practice, like offer all these things because I just have a lot of ideas, but also was so used to working myself to death. Um, but whenever I was stressed, what I always ended up doing was going back to my website and designing it and doing things, and that was like my stress reliever. You're stress designing. Yes, exactly. It changed so many times. Um, and so people started asking for help because they were like, Who did your marketing? Who did your brand? Who did your everything? And I'm like, I what do you mean I did it? Doesn't everyone do their own thing? I didn't know that people needed help with that, just thought we were all suffering together. Um, so yeah, people start asking for help, and my husband kept being like, I don't know why you don't just do that. Like, you like it, just do that. Um, because I did enjoy doing nutrition, but I I work with eating disorders more than anything, and that takes a toll on yourself as I'm also an eating disorder survivor. So, like that was just mentally heavy to do every day. Um, so, anyways, I started helping some people. I I am very much a rule follower, so I didn't just do it without a process in place. I went and got an LLC, I got the agreement signed, like do something without a contract. Absolutely not. Um, so yeah, I my first client um was Lauren. Thank you, Lauren, for asking, like reaching out and encouraging me to do this. She's an interior designer, she's the only interior designer I've ever worked with, but that was fun. Um, I did her website and yeah, after that, it just blew up because there was no one in my niche really doing what I was doing for that particular audience. And I really believe that's why it was successful, was because I know everybody's like, oh, you should niche, you should niche, but I mean, really, yeah, because if you're just a it's okay if you are a generalist and you're successful, that's great too. But I would not have been successful if I just went out and was like, I do websites for everyone. Cause they would have been like, Why would I want you to do my website? But I came in and was like, I'm a dietitian like you, and I'm weight inclusive like you, and I'm in the eating disorder world like you. Um, and that was just like a huge weight lifted off their chest because they didn't have anxiety about trusting me with something so important and the content on their site because they have it's so hard to explain weight inclusivity to people sometimes because they're like, oh, weight inclusive, but like also let's put this picture of this scale and this apple on your website and talk about weight loss. And it's like I literally said that's what I don't do.

SPEAKER_01 9:55

So let's I I just want to get into that a little bit, not that I feel like we can understand weight inclusivity in kind of its entirety and what you do in process and its entirety in a few minutes. But I would love to hear about like, okay, so what design choices and what verbiage choices are you making on behalf of your clients um so that you serve them well?

SPEAKER_00 10:20

Yeah. Um, so you know, our our whole process starts with a workbook. And the workbook is not just informational, but it's like a copy writing workbook that I have put together myself based off all of the courses and trainings I have taken for my own copy, and then obviously applying my knowledge about dietetics and therapy and nutrition and weight inclusivity. And it really it's kind of almost like trauma informed, is another way to describe it. Writing because it's it's kind of hard to describe, but there's just words that are diet culturally, like even the word wellness, which is ironically the name of my private practice was Vickery wellness, because I didn't want to push myself into one direction. I wanted to be able to do everything. Um, but even that word can be kind of like I don't know about that. Wellness culture is it can be icky too in some ways. Um, so tiny things like that, the imagery that I choose, because I tend to I ask them to make a stock photo collection and of course give me their brand photos, but a lot of them either don't have it or they need some guidance on it. So like I purposefully put pictures of people in bigger bodies that are just doing normal things. Um, it really irritates me that stock photos of bigger people are almost always them in bathing suits or underwear because it's always like body positivity. And I'm like, also they're just people.

SPEAKER_01 11:43

Right. Yeah. I I wouldn't have thought about it like that, but I I I absolutely see what you're saying.

SPEAKER_00 11:49

Yeah. So imagery like that, the word choices, um, and really marketing the approach. Uh, so we can think you can see on like my first hero section of my website says like no bro marketing here, um, because that doesn't resonate with them either. Um, not that it putting it that way would resonate with anyone, but I think we all kind of know what I mean when I say bro marketing. Um, like they're not gonna have a funnel on their site that they buy something and then there's a timer that's not really a real timer because you know it's just it's just if we're being honest with each other, there's fake FOMO, right? Like it's it's not really like this limited time offer in a way it is, but really it's just kind of like you could sell that to me, just that price, anyways, because it's the price. They don't like stuff like that. Um, they want it to feel really authentic and no like no upsells and downsells. And again, I'm not saying that stuff doesn't work and have a place. It just doesn't have a place in this work with these kinds of clients and that they serve. These people are people that are scared, they're they've been let down by other providers that they've worked with or traumatized, honestly, by other providers. Um, so they want to feel, you know, usually the words are safe, um, calming. Um, I do like when a client comes and like wants something fun and they're like, I want them to feel safe, of course, but like also we're gonna have fun. Or they're you know, someone that's like, we're gonna feel safe, but also no BS, you know, like everybody has their own personality. Yeah. But at the end of the day, it's still the same, you know, big thing being authenticity, values-based, and yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:37

Yeah, I feel like that's such a great uh almost a rubric on creating and finding your niche, right? Like you understand these clients and their I your your clients and their ideal clients so well and so intricately that like you know, you've you've got this inside language that you can speak and share uh with their ideal clients. Like absolutely incredible and totally makes sense why like you found your people.

SPEAKER_00 14:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:11

Um so you'd also on your site you talk a lot about how many tabs you have open. Yes. Um, which do you know? Okay, my my question is do you always know how many you have open? Like, is it?

SPEAKER_00 14:25

No, I literally will find like oh, I minimized that entire window and there's 23 tabs in it. I forgot, and I have started the same tabs again in another window. And then my husband's like, and you wonder why your computer's slow. And I'm like, well, it should just keep up. I don't understand.

SPEAKER_01 14:40

I need these, I need all of these.

SPEAKER_00 14:42

They're emotional support tabs because if listen, if it's not in front of my face, I will forget. That's just that's the nature of my brain.

SPEAKER_01 14:52

I am my husband, I'm not a tab person. I like to have like I like to close the tabs. Yeah, but my husband is a is a big tab guy, and I like the idea that they are his emotional support tabs. I'm definitely calling them that from now on.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

Yeah, no, my husband's like you, and he has no tabs open, and he does not understand why I have them open. I'm like, because if I close them and I'm not completely done with that task, I'll never see it again. I'll never go back to it.

unknown 15:17

I'll never go back.

SPEAKER_01 15:20

Um but you so that that section of your website leads into you talking about neurodivergence. And I want to talk a little bit about why that has been your superpower, you know, as you sort of traced for us your journey to being an entrepreneur. But how how are you seeing that your neurodivergence really gives you this kind of edge in your business?

SPEAKER_00 15:44

Yeah. So I mean, kind of going back to the story, the part that I kind of touched on earlier that I didn't really go into detail about is that I am an eating disorder survivor. And I in learning as I've gotten older and being someone who was late diagnosed, it helps put the pieces together of why, you know, like you're kind of why I am the way I am. Um, because I started my eating disorder started when I was eight, which everyone's always like, wow, that's crazy. But now I'm like, oh, a lot of it was sensory related that I didn't realize because I didn't know. Um, and then I I got a diagnosis the same year my daughter got hers. So we got like twinsies. Um, and that was, oh gosh, 2020. I'd have to go back and check, but it was somewhere between 2022 and now. Anytime in there, everything's a blur.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

So yes, I feel that.

SPEAKER_00 16:36

Yeah. Um, time is not real. Um, so yeah, just knowing that now, and I've always been interested in like, you know, Myers Briggs and Enneagrams, and I always wondered why none of those really ever fit me, and it's because my brain doesn't fit in a box. Um, and also having a brain that is ADHD slash really wanting organization makes things a little different. Um, because it's like, I mean, I don't'm not just saying like, oh, I have OCD, I really do have OCD, but it's different because it's as you can tell, I always call it organized chaos. Um, I'm organized and I like for everything to be a certain way, because if I don't, it will go badly.

SPEAKER_01 17:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:20

Um, but that works well for my clients because they are very detail oriented. Like whenever I'm in groups with other web designers, they're like, How do you get content? And I'm like, what are you talking about? I've never not had someone turn in their workbook ever. Maybe one time somebody was late, but they just aren't like that. Like you give them homework, they're gonna do it because they're type A people. Um, but yeah, the way it shows up, I would say, is accommodating how other people uh process things, not just in the design and then the website, but also how I approach working with clients. So I'll tell them, like I told I had someone recently who's doing just marketing strategy with me. Like they're not, there's someone else is making the logo, but I'm doing the brand strategy. Um, and they their audience is neurodivergent owners and they both have ADHD. And they asked if I could split up the longer call into two, and I was like, Yeah, because they were like, I can't focus that long. Um, and I was like, I either hyper focus or I don't focus at all. So I understand.

unknown 18:25

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 18:27

So, you know, being flexible in in that, but also like when they did that, I sent them a new timeline. I was like, here's the new timeline, it's visual, it's broken down, it's pretty. Um, that's just because if I don't do that, I will forget what we're doing. Um, so you know, that's kind of how I use Moxie too. Like I'll send another agreement and be like timeline addendum. Like, here's the new timeline. You have to agree to it. So that there's no question. Um, so yeah, like the attention to detail, but also at the same time, I'm a little more relaxed about certain things like that. Or if someone tells me, Oh, I just I feel rushed, I don't ever want them to feel rushed, I'll adjust the timeline, but again, we have to agree to it. It's never like an unending thing. Our projects have endings because I I can't not do that because I will just go forever.

SPEAKER_01 19:26

Yes, because you've got the next thing that you've got to make capacity for. I think that's such a it's such a good gift to give both yourself and your clients that you know this is the way I work best, and I'm going to work well for you in this way. Like I just I I have always appreciated folks who know themselves and who are able to say, like, this is how this is this is me and my best. And and then it's so wonderful to be like, yeah, okay, let's do that. That sounds awesome.

SPEAKER_00 19:56

Yeah, like I had a client recently who I love working with and we've done a lot of work for them, but I have they have ADHD too, and I've told them several times I don't, and I and again, I know how I work well and don't I don't work well when I get random requests or to me they feel random to do certain just little updates. It's different for websites because my clients are so specific, they fill out a form. I'm asking exact questions and they they they know me by now, like they know what to give me, and we'll make an an update for that. But this was like um a Moxie support situation. So like every time was a little bit of a different setup. So I was like, I got my brain just can't because I will have to go back and like reread everything and understand the process that we set up for you all over again, and it's not a good use of your time you're paying me for because you're paying me for the time, and also I suck at tracking time, so yeah, you don't do hourly work because I am time blind, and I'll be like, that took me five minutes. And my video would be like you were on there for two hours. Like it felt like five minutes, like five minutes, so sounds right. So, no, I don't track time, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:15

Yeah, I've I'm also I think I am also bad at tracking time. Okay, I have two quick hits, and then I um and then we'll we'll wrap. But I do want to come back to your favorite Jeff Goldblum.

SPEAKER_00 21:27

I was like, we have for we forgot, but yeah, we'll come back.

SPEAKER_01 21:29

He's written down.

SPEAKER_00 21:30

Okay, perfect.

SPEAKER_01 21:32

It was a pre it was a question I was ready, ready with.

SPEAKER_00 21:35

So I mean it started with I mean, I can't believe my mom let me watch this, mom, if you're listening. She knows though. Um, The Fly, the one with Jeff Goldblum. If you've ever seen that, it's disgusting. But I loved that movie and I watched it over and also. This is another thing that I'm like, how did you guys not know I had I was neurodivergent? Because I watch movies over and over. I watched Independence Day, I think I or in Gladiator over 27 times when I was a kid. Every Sunday I would go watch my movie over again and over again, just because what else am I gonna do? But, anyways, The Fly, Jeff Goldblum, I do like, and of course Jurassic Park. Um, and I didn't really like him in in the Thor universe.

SPEAKER_01 22:22

I mean, I like him, but like that's yeah, it wasn't his bad, it was you know, yeah, whatever.

SPEAKER_00 22:28

Um I would probably say Lost World, Jurassic Park, Ian Malcolm, yeah, specifically.

SPEAKER_01 22:38

I love it. I I think he he is a top for me too. I don't I I don't know if I have a favorite Jeff Goldblum, so I like that.

SPEAKER_00 22:45

I know it's really hard. I mean, I'm just you know, if I had to choose, that's what I'm gonna say.

SPEAKER_01 22:51

So the last thing I've been asking is g given kind of this opportunity to talk to other business owners, what's something that you wish they heard more often? Or maybe you know, you wish yourself that you had heard uh more often as a business owner.

SPEAKER_00 23:07

Yes. Um you don't have to do everything yourself, but it's okay to delegate um and everything doesn't have to be perfect and because nothing is permanent.

SPEAKER_01 23:18

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 23:19

Yeah, that's so good. I always adjust.

SPEAKER_01 23:23

I work with this guy who does things for a quarter. Like he that like that's just his MO. Like we're gonna do this for the next quarter. And I just love the idea that just that concept that like everything is a trial. Like we're just gonna try that. And if it doesn't work, we'll get rid of it quickly. If it does work, great. Like we'll we'll we'll keep going. Yeah. But I just think that I it's it's so freeing.

SPEAKER_00 23:49

Yes. No, I like that. Yeah, that's a good idea. I mean, that's I feel like I'm constantly telling my clients that too, because they are we're, you know, they're type A. So they feel every decision feels huge. And I'm always like, nothing on this website is permanent. I can literally change it right now. It's okay. If you don't like it, we can change it next month. It's okay.

SPEAKER_01 24:13

I love that. Well, I absolutely could talk to you all day. I think that we uh maybe I just need to do like a podcast roundup. We all need to go meet somewhere. And if you I would be down for that.

SPEAKER_00 24:26

In-person thing for one.

SPEAKER_01 24:28

Yes. But I I so appreciate you, and I just love um the way you talk about the stuff that you love, and um just I got to hang out with you today. Thanks so much.