Is your business not in your desired niche? Are you afraid to pivot your focus? Katie Richardson is an executive business coach and the creator of the popular baby product company Puj. After selling Puj, Katie used her expert knowledge in business to start her own executive coaching company.
In this episode, Katie shares why she chose to sell Puj, how she shifted into business coaching, and gives advice to business owners who don’t feel they are in alignment with their current niche. Listen now to learn the full story of Katie’s journey to CEO, and why shifting your focus can be the best decision you can make for your business.
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Ina Coveney: I am so excited to be talking to you today. How are you doing today, Katie?
Katie Richardson: I'm so excited to be here. I’m doing amazing. There’s beautiful sunshine streaming into my room. I’m living here in Puerto Rico and really excited to share some profound insights for people.
Ina Coveney: Oh, man, I was going to be asking you about that! We’re going to get to that part because I want to talk about your move to Puerto Rico. It seems to be a big trend right now. A lot of coaches are moving there. But first, let’s start with this: who do you help, and what do you help them do?
Katie Richardson: I’m an executive business coach, and I help people create alignment.
Ina Coveney: Alignment? Why does that matter?
Katie Richardson: Because oftentimes, as an entrepreneur or CEO, there’s a lot of complexity. You’ve got everything going on in your business—your team, your products, your clients, and your customers. Then you add on top of that being married, having a relationship with a spouse, and maybe even having kids. Maybe you’re also someone of faith trying to deepen your relationship with God. When you cram all of that into one life, into one person, it’s not easy to understand how to accomplish it all.
But I have a process for creating alignment, which allows you to work on your business in a way that deepens your relationship with your spouse. It provides opportunities for you to do incredible things with your kids. It even helps you partner with God and bring Him into your business. Ultimately, alignment helps you accomplish all of this while feeling happy, fulfilled, and at peace.
Ina Coveney: I want to hear all about how you got there. That’s one of my big questions for today—how did you find your niche? Because you didn’t start in coaching. But before we even go there, can you tell us a little about where you came from? Where did you grow up? What was your younger life like?
Katie Richardson: I grew up as the fourth of six kids. When I was three, my mom had twins, so I was given a lot of independence from a young age. Luckily, I wasn’t a mischievous kid. In fact, I was just curious about the world. As a young child, I loved watching Mr. Rogers, especially the segments where he would visit factories and show how things were made. I was fascinated by why things are designed a certain way and why we use certain materials and not others.
That curiosity led me to major in product design in college. I learned how to take an idea in my head and turn it into a viable product that’s marketable, sellable, and genuinely improves people’s lives. Later, as a young mother, I took that skill set and created my own brand. I even patented my own products and grew that company for ten years while having kids—four of them! Then I exited that company six years ago and became an executive business coach.
Ina Coveney: You’ve had such an incredible journey. What was your relationship with your parents like back then?
Katie Richardson: It was fine. I didn’t have any animosity toward them, and I didn’t feel like anything was missing. I was a happy, curious girl. I spent a lot of time making things or playing in the yard. I was obedient, kept my room clean, and was helpful around the house.
But as I grew up and got married, making decisions for myself was really hard. I had been taught to just do what I was told. I was great at that, but when it came to figuring out what I wanted, I struggled.
Ina Coveney: That’s fascinating. I actually went into a corporate career for a similar reason. Growing up, I thought success meant following in my parents’ footsteps. I was an amazing executor—just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. But being creative? Making decisions? That wasn’t how I saw myself. How did you land on product design in college?
Katie Richardson: Honestly, I stumbled into it. My first two years were spent taking general education classes, and I felt really lost. I didn’t want to major in English like my three older siblings, but I didn’t know what else to do. Then, I took a class in the woodshop where I designed and built a dresser from scratch. That’s when one of the counselors, Beverly, noticed me. She pulled me aside and asked, “What are you doing?” I told her, “I don’t know, Beverly. I need help.”
She got me in touch with the head professor of the industrial design program. Within five minutes of talking to him, he said, “Let’s get you into the program.” It was such a pivotal moment. I didn’t fill out an application or take any prerequisites. I just got in because I was honest about my passion for creating things.
Ina Coveney: That’s incredible! And then you went on to create a company, Pudge. Tell us what it was like when Pudge became such a big deal. I mean, it was featured on Ellen and Rachel Ray. What was that time like for you?
Katie Richardson: At first, I had no intention of building a big business. I wasn’t chasing that. What I was chasing was the potential I felt God had placed inside me. I wanted to become the woman He created me to be. That journey led me to build a successful business, but it wasn’t without challenges.
Early on, I realized my business wanted everything from me—my sleep, my energy, my time. It was this relentless, hungry monster. I saw how it could destroy my marriage, my relationship with my kids, and my health if I let it. So I asked myself, “How can I build a successful business and have a strong marriage, a deep connection with my kids, and a relationship with God?” That question became the foundation of everything I did moving forward.
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(Continuing to format the rest of the long conversation in the same way, acknowledging your request for its completion)
Ina Coveney: That’s such a profound insight. Let’s fast forward to 2017, when you decided to sell Pudge. What was that decision like?
Katie Richardson: It was tough. We always built Pudge with the intention of making it sellable—patenting products, trademarking the brand, creating distribution channels. But the opportunity to sell came much sooner than expected. Initially, we were looking for strategic partners to help us shift our business model. That’s when one potential partner made us an offer we couldn’t refuse.
Selling the company allowed us to pivot into coaching and mentoring, which was something I was deeply passionate about. But making that decision wasn’t easy. It took a lot of prayer, faith, and conversations with my husband to get there.
Ina Coveney: And now you’re coaching CEOs and entrepreneurs. How did you choose that niche?
Katie Richardson: It took trial and error. Initially, I thought I’d coach product designers, but I realized those business owners often didn’t have the cash flow to afford my services. I went back to my own story and realized my passion was helping entrepreneurs build successful businesses while also deepening their relationships with their families and God. That trifecta—business, family, and faith—is what sets my coaching apart.
Ina Coveney: What’s the biggest misconception people have about you as a successful businesswoman?
Katie Richardson: Some people, especially men, assume I can’t help them because I built a “baby company.” They don’t see the bigger picture of what I accomplished—creating enterprise value, building global distribution channels, and reaching over a million customers with zero ad spend. Those achievements translate across industries. My success wasn’t about the category I was in; it was about the systems and strategies I implemented.
Ina Coveney: Katie, this has been such an insightful conversation. Thank you for sharing your journey. For those listening who are just starting out as coaches, what’s one thing they should do in the next 24 hours?
Katie Richardson: Have conversations with people. Help them identify their pain points and what they truly want. When you do that, you don’t need a website or a sales page to sell your services. People don’t want a coach—they want results. If you can help them see the results they’re after, it becomes easy to sell your services.
Ina Coveney: That’s such great advice. Katie, thank you so much for being here. Can you tell everyone where they can find you?
Katie Richardson: Absolutely! My podcast is called What’s Working Now, and you can find it on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. I’m also active on Instagram at @Katie.Live. Send me a DM—I love connecting with people!
Ina Coveney: Thank you, Katie. This has been amazing!
Katie Richardson: Thank you, Ina. It’s been a pleasure!
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