Exploring Life & Business with Kathryn O’leary of What Girls Know Best

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn O’leary

Hi Kathryn, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in North Carolina, and my journey into the world of social media marketing began during my time at Louisburg College, a small two-year residential college in Louisburg, NC. While I knew I had a passion for business, I wasn’t sure which direction to take. It all started in my freshman year when I joined Phi Beta Lambda, a business fraternity. I competed in the social media marketing campaign category at the state competition, where we were tasked with developing a social media strategy for an imaginary banquet hall. To my surprise, I placed second at the state level, which qualified me for nationals in Atlanta, GA.

At nationals, I refined my presentation and competed against over 45 students from two- and four-year colleges nationwide. As a timid freshman, I was shocked to make it to the finals. Then came the biggest surprise—hearing my name called for first place during the awards ceremony. It was in that moment that I realized social media marketing was not only something I enjoyed but something I was good at.

Upon returning to campus for my sophomore year, I dove into every opportunity to work with social media on campus. I held internships with Chartwells, our dining service provider, and the drama department, managing their social media accounts. After graduating from Louisburg College with an associate’s degree in General College, I transferred to UNC Wilmington, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with a minor in business. My time at UNCW was filled with leadership roles and involvement, allowing me to continue to refine my skills.

After graduating, I had the chance to return to Louisburg College as an admissions counselor, where I also managed the college’s social media accounts. In this role, I led recruitment campaigns, student features, and alumni highlights, reigniting my passion for online marketing. Around this time, I also started working at a local boutique collective, where I helped with their social media needs and connected with small business owners who expressed a need for social media support.

About two years later, while working in admissions and later in alumni relations, I sought new challenges and found myself in a third-grade teaching role. Though teaching was a rewarding experience, I knew my long-term passion was in social media marketing. So, during this time, I launched my own business, What Girls Know Best, to offer social media support to small businesses.

The origin of What Girls Know Best came from a childhood memory of a short-lived jewelry business my cousin and I started when we were kids. We named it “What Girls Know Best,” and when I began offering social media support, the name resurfaced—it just felt right. My goal was to support female-owned businesses with affordable social media services. Many of the women I work with are mothers, boutique owners, and full-time employees with limited time and marketing budgets, and I wanted to provide them with a solution.

Fast forward, after a year in the classroom and completing my online master’s degree in Training and Development from NC State, I knew it was time to return to my true calling. I transitioned into a full-time role as a social media specialist for an education management company while continuing to grow What Girls Know Best on the side. In the past two years, What Girls Know Best has supported numerous small businesses, and the business has evolved to include not just social media marketing but also event content creation. As a 2024 bride myself, I’ve loved stepping into the wedding world, offering behind-the-scenes content creation for weddings and other events.

Looking ahead, my ultimate goal is to take What Girls Know Best full-time within the next year. It’s been an incredible journey so far, and I’m excited about what the future holds!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Overall, I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of support since starting my business. However, the biggest challenge has been balancing my full-time job with running What Girls Know Best, which at times is a full-time job on its own. The hardest period was when I was working as a third-grade teacher, pursuing my online graduate degree, and launching my business all at the same time. It was definitely overwhelming, but it taught me invaluable lessons about time management and prioritization. That experience really helped me grow as a business professional, and it’s made me much more efficient in managing my time and responsibilities moving forward.

As you know, we’re big fans of What Girls Know Best. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
What Girls Know Best is a social media marketing agency dedicated to supporting small businesses in optimizing their online presence. Our goal is to help clients meet their virtual objectives through a variety of services including content creation, platform management, and strategic planning. What sets us apart is our flexibility—we work with any budget, ensuring that businesses of all sizes can benefit from tailored social media support.

In addition to social media marketing, we now offer specialized content creation services for events, transforming key moments into captivating visuals and highlight reels. Our services cater to a wide range of events:

Business Events: We provide professional event content creation, perfect for corporate functions, networking events, and grand openings, ensuring your brand shines.

Special Occasions: Whether it’s a birthday, gender reveal, or other life milestone, we capture the essence of your celebration with personalized content that’s ready to share.

Weddings: Our premium wedding content creation service ensures that your love story is transformed into a visual masterpiece, delivered the next day for you to share with your loved ones.

We’re proud to deliver high-quality, timely content that allows our clients to enjoy the moment while we capture it. If you’re looking to elevate your brand or commemorate a special occasion, What Girls Know Best is here to help!

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My biggest piece of advice for anyone just starting out is: don’t be afraid to jump right in. I remember when I signed my first client, I spent nearly two weeks just trying to perfect my first package proposal because I was so nervous that my pricing was too high or that my offerings weren’t quite right. In hindsight, I realize that the longer I delayed, the longer it took for me to learn the valuable lessons that come with starting a business.

So my advice is to just start. You’ll learn so much in the beginning, and that learning curve is crucial. Also, I highly recommend getting the formalities in order from the start—contracts, invoicing systems, and setting clear terms. The more professional you present yourself at the outset, the smoother things will run as you refine and grow your business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://whatgirlsknowbest.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatgirlsknowbest/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatgirlsknowbest/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@whatgirlsknowbest