We had the good fortune of connecting with Kate Weiser and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kate, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I think the work/life balance of an entrepreneur will always be skewed compared to someone who is not persuing their passion and working on their own business day in and day out. I would never expect my employees to work as hard as I do or to put in as much time or energy. When it’s yours, it’s just different.

When I first started, getting the company off and running was a 24/7 job. I opened and closed my first shop everyday for at least the first year. I was the only manager. Everything needed to be perfect and I was in full control, which meant that I wanted to be there all the time to make sure operations were running smoothly. I was having the time of my life and creatively felt so fulfilled, but my personal life was taking a turn for the worse.

As time went on, I was able to hire more help and more managers. The struggle went from balancing work and life to letting go of control so that I could actually HAVE a life. It was a slow transition and I remember asking other business owners how long it took before they experienced a better work/life balance – the answer I got several times was “the first few years are the hardest”. For me, that was very true. As time went on, it got a little easier.

One negative side effect from overworking myself is that I was unintentionally setting that example for the rest of my team. The culture was becoming one of over-commitment, feeling guilty for asking for time off, and burn out. This all led to unhealthy work/life balance in my team which inevitably led to turn over. Once I realized that was becoming the norm for everyone who cared about my company, I started to reverse that mindset in myself and my team.

Having a happy team who is happy in their personal life trickles over into their work life so it’s extremely important to me that we all enjoy life, take vacations, spend time with family and friends, and not stress too much over chocolate.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Kate Weiser Chocolate has a unique and highly identifiable artistic style. Our products are not only delicious, but visually stunning. The chocolates we make feature highly intricate, hand-painted designs that are playful and instantly recognizable. This is what sets us apart.

Creating chocolates like this is not an easy task. Each of our chocolates are made by hand by our highly trained chocolatiers. Maintaining that high level of quality has taken so much dedication over the years and everyday we are striving to be better.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I think the better question is – who DOESN’T deserve a shout out for my success. I would not be where I am today without the help of so many people, the list is enormous. Everyone in my life led me on my path towards entrepreneurship, but the people that took the biggest risk on me were my business partners and investors. Stuart Fitts, in particular, has believed in me and my business since day 1. He has been a wonderful mentor and has supported all my wacky ideas I’ve come up with over the years.

Website: www.kateweiserchocolate.com

Instagram: @officialkwchocolate

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.