Love and Excel Sheets with Kate Edwards


Meet Kate. Kate Edwards is the co-founder and COO of Heartbeat, a marketing company that connects brands with a network of over 150,000 female brand ambassadors. Originally from DC, Kate went to Brown for undergrad and got her MBA at UCLA Anderson before making her way to Venice Beach where she lives now. Before launching Heartbeat, Kate worked for huge companies and startups, but her passion has always been connecting people everywhere she goes.


Why do you do what you do?

 I was lucky enough to have been raised by incredibly strong women, both in my personal and professional career, and they instilled within me a drive that gave me a heartfelt dedication to building a business that empowers women for being who they truly are, instead of the commercial ideal we so often see in the media today.

What is one thing you hope never changes?

The growing movement of women speaking up for themselves and putting themselves at the table and demanding equal footing, be it in pay, equity, or in the cultural zeitgeist.

When do you feel most alive?

When I’m in a room speaking with new people, every molecule in my body is buzzing, and I feel a vigor that can’t be matched. I love learning individual stories because I’m so amazed by the depth and variety that entrepreneurship brings out in people. More than that, when I look at my younger female employees and watch them speak their mind without fear, without holding back, truly being passionate about their work, that’s when I’m most alive. 

That, and when I'm riding an electric scooter to work along the beach every morning.

What are you really good at, but kind of embarrassed that you're so good at it?

I have a deep knowledge of Internet cats and am an emotional follower of the world’s most magical cat, Lil Bub. Also, trivia. I was on Jeopardy last season.

What's the hardest lesson you've had to learn?

At least half of every job is managing up. Figuring out what exactly your supervisor or partner needs and then anticipating those needs has really helped me advance in my career. It’s one thing to run a meeting that argues that there’s a problem that needs to be fixed. It’s another to run a meeting that presents a problem and then offers possible solutions. I used to be stubborn and think I was always right. When I learned how to present both problems and solutions, and listen rather than command, that’s when I felt my career truly take off.

What's the title of the current chapter of your life?

Love and Excel Sheets

Be sure to follow Kate all over the internet @k8eddie.

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