Life & Work with Katie Paxton of Raleigh, NC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Paxton

Hi Katie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name is Katie Paxton and I am the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Raleigh Girls Club. I grew up in Weddington, NC, and my professional career has been centered around my work as a pharmacist specializing in research. In June 2023, I relocated to Raleigh, NC, to advance my career in pharmacy. When I moved, I didn’t know any women in the area, and as someone who thrives on being surrounded by friends, this was a significant change for me. Despite a fulfilling career, I felt a profound need for authentic connections and a strong sense of community, especially among women in the Raleigh-Durham area. This realization led to the creation of The Raleigh Girls Club, a group for anyone who identifies as female.

The Raleigh Girls Club was born from a genuine desire to make it easier for women to forge meaningful friendships and feel part of a supportive community. I knew I could use some help getting this up and running, so through my workout gym, Heat, and other avenues I met Haley Lobsenz, Bella Turcano, and Cat Wilson. We are now known as the 4 owners of The Raleigh Girls Club LLC. Haley Lobsenz was the first person I asked to help me with my goal and she was immediately excited and on board. Haley Lobsenz is one of the CoOwners of the Raleigh Girls Club and helps out with everyday activities of the business and helps to facilitate our events. Then, I asked Bella Turcano to join, who is now our Chief Operating Officer and manages all event and vendor logistics. She is the go-to person for all the local small businesses that we work with and have at our events. This part of our business has grown immensely; we have gone from having 7 vendors at our first event to 42 at our most recent one! She also works closely with venues to ensure each event runs smoothly and successfully. Lastly, we recognized the need for someone with creative thinking skills to manage our social media accounts and develop fantastic marketing materials, and that is where Cat Wilson came in. As head of marketing, she helps to shape our brand identity, ensuring consistency across all platforms. She develops strategic marketing plans and collaborates with us all to create a vision that aligns with our values of authenticity, inclusivity, and connection.

Starting from humble beginnings, our club has experienced remarkable growth, now boasting over 11,000 members. We have hosted many sold-out events, each drawing in women who come together to connect and support each other. Our most recent event on May 19th sold out, selling over 600 tickets to our Garden Party at MacGregor Downs Country Club. This was a sought after event due to the abundant amount of vendors, the success stories from other people’s experiences, the Garden Party theme, live music, and more.

My role as the founder involves a diverse array of responsibilities, including event planning, building partnerships, and strategizing for the club’s continuous improvement. I am passionate about creating a welcoming and inclusive space where making friends feels effortless, and this commitment has deeply resonated with the Raleigh community.
Looking ahead, I am thrilled about the endless possibilities for our organization to thrive and evolve. We aim to continue being a beacon of support and empowerment for women in the Raleigh area. As we like to say at The Raleigh Girls Club, “Making friends as an adult is hard, but we make it easy.”

The journey of building the Raleigh Girls Club has been incredibly rewarding, and I am dedicated to fostering personal growth and a strong sense of community among our members.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think our biggest challenge was that we are all new to owning a business and we threw ourselves into it without first creating structure. We were so pleasantly caught off guard by the abundance of people who were eager to join a community like The Raleigh Girls Club. It took off so quickly that we had to take a step back and slow down rather than allowing our eagerness to take over. We had to navigate the essential steps of starting a new business and manage all the logistics. We needed to define roles and responsibilities, we needed to learn what services we wanted to use for ticket sales and website building, and we also needed to learn simple tasks such as filing sales tax. We also discovered that it was essential for us to set a standard weekly meeting to discuss all upcoming events and other opportunities. There is so much more that goes on behind the scenes than what most may think.

There have definitely been other challenges along the way. I am incredibly grateful to have had three amazing women by my side helping me through this journey. With such a diverse group of incredible women within The Raleigh Girls Club, it can be difficult to listen to all feedback when you have over 11,000 members. However, we have found ways to better cater to our members’ needs to the best of our ability.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have always been someone who thrives on staying busy and being constantly active. This drive is evident in my academic and personal life. During my six years at the University of South Carolina, I earned a Bachelor’s in Pharmaceutical Sciences, a Doctorate in Pharmacy, and a Master’s in Business Administration—all of which I take much pride in.

Currently, I actively use my PharmD degree for my full-time job, where I’ve taken a nontraditional path in pharmacy by focusing on research. My passion lies in the healthcare community, patient advocacy, and particularly in researching rare diseases. My educational journey is a testament to my dedication and the effort I’ve invested to achieve my goals, and it stands as one of my proudest achievements.

I think a unique aspect is my unwavering drive and determination to create something greater than myself. I aspire to grow old knowing I had a fulfilling career and life, all while bringing happiness to those around me. I am constantly seeking new ways to contribute and make a difference. With a strong personality and a go-getter attitude, I am the person putting in work even when I probably should be taking some time to relax. I have a strong personality that balances being super silly with a serious approach to getting things done. When it’s time to work, I know how to switch gears and focus. I’m the person who keeps everyone on track and motivates others to aim high. I think finding the right balance between having fun and getting serious is one of the toughest challenges for business owners. While it can be difficult, I strive to manage that balance effectively.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Moving to a new city as an adult or trying to meet new women can be challenging. I encourage women everywhere to be open and willing to connect with others. Approaching someone in public, going solo to an event in your area, or messaging on social media can be intimidating, but I’ve witnessed many beautiful success stories. You never know who might become your best friend unless you take the leap and embrace change. Though it can be difficult to step out of our comfort zones, this discomfort can often lead to something wonderful.

At The Raleigh Girls Club, it is our goal to create a space for as many women as possible where you can mingle, socialize, and meet new and amazing women. With that being said, we recognize that we have people that love our big events and thrive in a bigger setting while others prefer a smaller, intimate setting. We also recognize that there are so many different interests within the group and our goal is to create different events for everyone to enjoy.

We plan to incorporate several small events each month on top of our main events to make sure we are tapping into all the different interests of our members. We have so many fun things planned and we want to make this a memorable and enjoyable group for all. We also will be making more of an effort to reach all areas of the triangle and these smaller events will make that possible. We love to support our small, local businesses and we plan to continue to do so. We have also spent time since inception making sure we are giving back to our community by supporting local charities as much as possible. So far we have worked to support The Carolina Hurricanes Foundation, Mobilizing African American Mothers through Empowerment (MAAME, Inc.), Second Chance Pet Adoptions, and Shine Like Hailey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theraleighgirlsclub.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theraleighgirlsclub?igsh=eGpqNmx0bjJyMXpt&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2078879905781917/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@theraleighgirlsclub?_t=8mjztUlRbax&_r=1