I'm pretty humped to be joined by the gorgeous Katie Decker. But you have a new last name now, right, I don't think I'm going to change it. Okay, I'm going to Decker. You talking about this modern woman. I love this. No, I know, I mean, I think you know. I just that's who I am. It's just my name. We're having a baby, and so our baby will have his last name. But I he doesn't care at all, and I just want to keep my last name. And you know, I think I'm all I'm open to like changing my mind. Like, let's say, like in a year or two. It's just like too annoying to have a different name as my kid. Like I'm happy to change it, but right now, I just don't want to. And he's like, that's fine. Heck, yeah, isn't that exciting to live in a time where you don't have to There's I mean, yes, there's like societal norms or whatever, but like you don't it's not a big deal if you don't want to do that as a woman. Yeah, it's so funny. My mom keeps sending us stuff it's like monogrammed with an M, and I'm like Okay, Mom, I get it. So what's that time Murdis murders? Okay, so your mom is like all about She's like you need to be Katie Murdis right now. So funny. But but yeah no, I think it's just like maybe she's just too much too soon. You know, maybe I just needed a second, a second to process all this. So let's kind of like run through what's been going on. First off, for everyone listening, Katie Decker is a boss. You brought Pure Bar to Nashville when you were like in your early twenties. You were just twenty two years old, and you start opening up Pure Bar studios all over Nashville, which for anyone who doesn't know Pure Bar, you'all go check it out. But Pure Bar is like this incredible workout that just does like tiny movement muscle movements, and like, I mean, you explain what Pure bars and how you got the nerve to do that at twenty two. Yes, and that's how we first met way back, yep, back when I used to work out. Now I've completely give it. You look great. Um. Well yeah, so I opened my first one in Green Hills in two thousand nine, so I was twenty two, like about nine or ten months out of college, and pure bar Um is like a total body workout, and I would just I pretty much just say it's a female workout, like we're happy for men to come, but the whole workout was to designed for a woman's body. So I feel like I feel like, you know, it's just fine to embrace that. Like, of course if guy wants to come, more happy with it. But the workout is you know, I mean you've taken it, you know. It helps you get like toned, lean arm, tight core, lift your butt, tries to slim your thighs, you know. Um, but it's not it's not heavyweights. It's all like little weights and repetitive movements. Yes, it's like very lightweights two or three pounds or you're just using your body weight for the you know, for the strength building. So it's really not dance. I feel like that sometimes it's really not about it's kind of ballet positions, but you're not dancing. You'll kind of get into a position and hold it and you know, move around a few inches up and down or to circle your hips or just anything to stay in that like isolated movement. Um. But yeah, it's we use a ballet bar. We use it's kind of like pilates and ballet postures combined, and then you got awesome music rocking the whole time. Yeah, it's definitely not like a Zen workout. It's like really loud music the whole time and um, and it's broke up into sections like you do like three different sections each class. Yeah. So we do a warm up which will be like all of your weight work. So we do like all of our arms in the beginning, and then we move on to thigh work. Then you work your butt, which we always call seat in class seat work, and then and then we do core. Yeah, so broken down and it's like we have forty five minute and fifty minute classes and it is hard. I mean, pure bar is hard. Holding those poses sometimes, like your legs start wobbling so much. You're like my legs are gonna give out from underneath me or my arms are literally gonna fall off my body totally. And every section you're we're trying to work the muscle to fatigue, so that's why you'll start shaking. But the cool part is after, after you work the sections as hard as you can, you stopping you stretch, so like, yeah, and that is kind of the biggest part of what helps to create long, lean muscles is to stretch your muscles while they're warm and while they're warmed up, rather than just stretching when you're cold before like before I work out. So all throughout the class, you know, probably four or five different times we stopped and stretch. Yeah, so yeah, secret goal nugget right there. Yes, and probably since you've been coming. We have a cardio class now, which is just like you come out completely so drenching, which is good, you know, because I think when we first started, we just had our basic class and even though is really good for toning, people wanted something else, like they wanted to be able to not have to then go for a jog or whatever, you know, because some people really like to get like a really good sweat, and so now we have both, so I feel like, so what it is is just kind of pure barbarat ramped up faster, so bigger movements, and we wear like wrist weights and ankle weights and kind of crank the heat up so you'd like hot yoga in a way, like yeah, I mean yeah, yeah, it's like quick and it's forty five minutes and just big movements and like little cardio burst will to be doing like push ups or squats or squat jumps or mountain climbers kind of all throughout the classic intermittently to just keep your heart right up. Um. So that class is awesome. It's a good addition for sure. So how have you as a business owner been navigating owning a business where you need people to come during and you almost I mean pure bar is popping. It is like one of those things that like you gotta sign up early girls you're on the wait list or you can't get in. So I mean you always have tons of clients. So how have you navigated this wild season? I know it's been so crazy what we closed for um nine weeks we were closed on you. I mean like how do you do that? Because you have all your overhead and everything. Yes, it was just a really weird time. Everything like how do you keep upload during that? Yeah? It was. It was very stressful and um, it was kind of one of those things I was just trying to take one day at a time because it was like too overwhelming to try to to trying to keep thinking like well what if or what if. And there was really no way to plan because you know, we went into it thinking everyone thought, oh, fourteen days, and then it just kept adding on um. But what we did is we offered virtual classes to try to keep our members active and not have everyone you know, canceled their memberships. So we offered lives classes every day, seven days a week, and that helped a lot. And do them, what'd you say, people do them? Yeah? Yeah, I would say like maybe seventy of our members. We gave them the option if they wanted to freeze their account, Like if they wanted to just freeze, they could, or they could just stay active and do live stream. And I was so surprised at people's honestly like mental strength to like be able to do it from home, because I don't, like, I don't know that I I don't know, like I feel like that you have to be very motivated to go open up your laptop or your iPad and like work out in your kitchen or your living room or whatever, you know. But I was super impressed. But a lot of people came back and they said, like, it's just giving me some normalcy to like have a routine, to just get up and make myself work out. So we we offered a class every morning and that helped UM probably retain like maybe of my members, which was good UM. And then we just kind of kept taking a day to time and then we ended up opening at the very end of May. Reopening How is that? Was it nerve wracking? Yes, because I mean I don't know if people would show up or it's like, how do we keep the studio clean enough? You know, your mask or can you not wear a masks? Like how do you do it? Where we require masks in the studio at all times until they're actually in their spot to work out. Then they can take it off while they're working out if they want to, just because I can't imagine trying to work out with a mask on. You will have reventilate, Yeah, for sure. So they wear it into the studio and then they have to put it back on. A students they're done working out to exit, and we literally don't want people come. We let them enter one at a time, so like somebody, they kind of wait at the door in a line, come and put their stuff in the lockers and then go to their spot in the room. And all the spots are marked with an X, and they're like ten ft apart. So and you don't share any equipment. You know, you have like your weights and your your tube, and you don't you don't share it. You know, you're not like switching spots. It's not like a circuit. So from that standpoint, we can just sanitize that whole area before the next group comes in, and we have like forty five minutes between classes to clean UM. But I've definitely had a lot of people canceled their memberships that just aren't ready to come back and maybe they're just kind of sick of live streams. So we're still offering livestream so I'm open now, but we also have live stream for the people who aren't who aren't ready to come back in. So it's a lot kind of going on, but we're just trying to do anything we canada help people feel comfortable. UM. But we're only linked in people in a class tramatically strong. Yes, yeah, normally it's like so we're on linked in and a class um and I just started off with a small schedule and then every week if there's more people, I'll just add another class um. So we're just trying to like, and we just sanitize everything before and after class, but um, we take temperatures when they come in. I mean it's bizarre, but yeah, it's a great way to navigate. Honestly, Do you think you'll keep the live streams up even when you're with the world if it ever turns back to normal, do you think you'll keep you I don't feel I don't see it ending anytime soon, because it's kind of a great option, you know it is, Yeah, because maybe even offered live stream memberships where people can just you know, pay a lot less than if they were coming into the studio and just take it home. Um, so we're still doing that. I don't see it ending any time to see, I mean, do you I just don't. I don't And I think to like for someone like me like I have so and I don't know how you'll navigate doing all the things you do and having a baby. But now that I have Sunny, like it is so hot and I'm full time mom, Like I don't have any help. I did before COVID started, I'd have some babysitters come over, but now it's like I just haven't gotten back into that world. And it's just us all the time, and I'm like, I don't have time to go to a workout class or whatever, so did have the option to do it in your own home? Is really that is the one thing I think has kind of been a good side effect of COVID is we've figured out how to bring so much into our own homes. There's so many obviously terrible downfalls of COVID, but to me that one of the good things is it's made everything a little more virtual in some aspects, which I think so too. And you know, not a lot of my world is meetings just not just not but even I think for so many people realizing they can work from home and don't have to go into the office all day long is like I feel like so many people won't be going back to normal schedules, you know, totally. It's good though, you know, I feel like everyone was just way too busy. Yes, it's definitely somebody There's some quote I saw that's like when we do creep back into life, like make sure you you're choosy about what you bring back in, Like, you know, don't bring back all the bullshit we were doing before, Like the choosing Okay, So how did you get the balls to start this at twenty two years old? I mean, that's a big risk, isn't it. Funny? Like, looking back now I'm thirty four, I'm like, that was a really big risk, and I don't even know that I'd had the balls to do it now. I think it was because I was so young, you know that, I get that totally. Now I'd be weighing out the financial part of it and I would be thinking about it. So yeah. Um, So when I was at senior in college, I went to Stamford in Birmingham. When I was a senior in college, Um, I went or the summer before I started my senior year, I went to visit my best friend from college and she lived in like some tan, Kentucky, just for like a weekend, just to hang out, and there was a pure bar there and she said, come on, we have to go take this class. I've been taking it all summer and so fun. Let's go do it. So we went to the class and I instantly like fell in love with the workout and thought it was super cool, so challenging. So during my senior year, I was majoring in an exercise science and so I was trying to figure out if I wanted to go to like PG school or kind of. I was just weighing out a few different things. And I had done personal training all through college just as a side job. I didn't I didn't like love it, but I wanted to do something in the fitness and health field. So when I took pure Bar, I just had the idea of, like, Okay, if this can work in like to Kent Kentucky, you can work in Nashville. You know, it's similar demographic but just much smaller there. So I was like, it can totally work Nashville. And I come from a my dad owned small businesses, so that part, I guess just didn't intimidate me. I thought I can figure it out. Um. So during my senior year, I reached out to the founder about opening one in Nashville, and the founder like, that's it takes balls, like figure out who started this and then just go talk to him. Right, So I just literally, you know, Google, is that what we did in college? And two thousand eight was like googling. I'm not sure, but I was looking it up, you know, I was like looking up pure Bar and there was just an email like info at and so I reached out and at the time, like if you clicked on locations, it just said they were like too. So I was like, okay, well, I'm just gonna email on ask. I was like, you know, would you ever open one of these in Nashville? And honestly, I was thinking on a smaller scale at the time. I kind of remember now I was thinking on a smaller scale and like maybe I could work at one in Nashville or something like that. So I reached out and she said, we would love to open one in Nashville. We just had to find the right owner. And then of course I was like, oh, okay, maybe I could own it, you know. So I went through the application process when I was still in college, and then right after I graduated, I had an interview with her, the girl, her name is Carrie Resubek, the girl who founded it, and she approved me to open one in Nashville. And I was twenty two, is there some mistake here? So what's happening? Crazy? And so the funny thing is I had plans to go travel with my sister. We went to New Zealand, Australia to Thailand, Like did the whole Asia thing, and I literally told her like, I'll let you know, like I'm gonna get back to you on this. Isn't it funny. I'm gonna go travel the world real fast. I'm gonna like think about it and then I'll hit you up. Let me let me think about it. Which is so funny because now I think, if you're trying to apply for pure bar, you have like thirty days to like make a decision, you know, like if you get approved, it's like three days you have to sign. You were in on the ground floor pretty much. Yeah. Yeah, so the demand wasn't so high. I was so lucky though that I got like a market like Nashville. So basically I went and travel with me yeah, and then came back and I think it was around around September. I decided for sure, and um my parents said that they would um give me like half the amount of money that I needed. Of course is alone to pay them back, and they were like, you have to figure out the rest. Um. So well. I actually UM at the time had a friend and I went to Stamford with that. UM had gotten drafted to the Titans and he was looking to invest in something so it just I feel like, you know, it was just one of those things that God just like put it in my lap and I, I like just went with it, like it just all worked out. So he was looking to invest in something and he's no longer involved. I paid him back, and I paid my parents back pretty quickly. Feel though, to take those loans, those big loans that that are, you know, probably hanging over your head a little bit from people that you love and respect and and then but how good does it feel when you get to pay them back because you're I mean, that has to be such a day to yeah, forget but like write him a check back and be like thank you, and you know, so funny again, I don't know that I would be able to do that right now, especially from a phlamic friend. I know that it's money. The fact that you asked your friend who for money, Like, I mean, that takes ball too, but that just shows that you're, like, this is working, this is what I'm supposed to do. I love I would be It's crazy. I think that I must have just really believed in the concept, and I guess believed in myself. That's funny. It's like just I think I just thought this will work. I just know it's gonna work. It's gonna work. And so I think having that, um, the confidence of youth behind you too, like you said, because sometimes we get a little older and we over analyze stuff and we start doubting ourselves. Like I think that you just knew you were gonna do it and it's gonna be awesome, and you didn't doubt yourself at all. Yeah, And I think when you get older too, and you've had life failures and things not work, then you realize maybe how risky things are, and when you're younger, you're just more naive. But that since it worked out in a good way because I wasn't questioning questioning myself on it. I was like, I know I can run a business. I know that this workout technique is successful. So now I just gotta figure out how to get open, you know. Um. So yeah, So when it was all said and done, I signed on in December of two thousand eight and then had it opened by March at two thousand nine. And how was that? How was the opening process, getting the clients, getting the word out? How did you do all that? Yeah? So it was really cool actually the Tennessee and UM caught wind that I was, So by that time the founder had opened up, so she started. Her original one was in Detroit, and then her brother lived in Lexing, Tennis. She had him open one there, so that's how that one was there. And then since those two were so successful, she moved to California and UM started opening on there. So by the time that I opened, there were three and Sandy Ago and one in l A. So I was actually number six that opened UM. And so the Tennessee and caught wind of it and put this big article in the paper about an l A based workout coming to Nashville. Yeah, and I had, like I remember, it was like something like a hundred and eighty nine like phone calls of people wanting to sign out before I opened. Yes, like it was so you were like booked before you even opened. Yeah, like I had. I never had did it to stay like that? Just the flow started immediately. Yeah, I remember to this day. I had one empty class. It was like three weeks in a random Wednesday at noon, no one came. But besides that, every class had people in it. Yeah, and I was right, that's right, this is working. Oh yeah, I was like, oh, this is awesome. It was like filled up dreams. Literally, it was like I opened up the business. Yeah, which is so awesome because not everyone's that lucky when they first to open a location for it to be busy from the beginning. Um, but I think Nashville was so ready for more workout concepts. Boutique fitness was not really even a thing at that time. I think there was like one yoga studio in Nashville and one pilate studio and that was it. So I think, um, people were just so ready. And I think the area that I opened it was perfect. My original studio is on Chrestmore right by the mall. Yeah, all such a good little epicenter. Yeah. And so yeah, I opened the doors of people just came and the I mean, the workout itself is effective, which you know. And so when I was doing Puer bar all the time, I had one of my favorite versions of my body. I've had a lot of verses of my body, and that was definitely one of my favorite verses of my body. Is It's a good way to put it. We definitely fall all have versions. Yeah, one of my friends said, um, one time, like Puer Bob will give you the best Bob prere barb will give you the best body that God gave you, like it will give you your best body. Yes, because I love it, because it keeps it all toned and lean, but yet like everything's lifted, your butts lifted, your your arms tone, like you're just you feel I gotta get back into it. Dang it. Now that I'm talking about this, I gotta go back peer o body back. I know it's good, and then I can't imagine like finding the time, Like that's why I'll do the virtual. The virtual is like something I could totally get involved with. Yes, yes, And I think you just have to like okay, be like okay for a week, I'm going to get up and do this every day and then I'll just become a habit, you know, yes, yes, yes, make yourself pushed through those first few times and then you're like okay, and then you'll start wanting to do it. So what have you learned being a business owner taking this risk, getting investments from your family and a friend, like opening a brand new type of business that has never been done before. What have you learned over this past decade that you have been doing over a decade now what twelve years? Yeah, almost twelve, like eleven right now a little bit and a half. Yeah, what have you gathered from this? I mean, this is a big deal. And now you've got several locations. What do you have? Like three or four locations? So over the past eleven years, I've opened up seven Pure bars. You have Pure bars, but I've sold five of them, so I'm down to have to yeah too much? Having seven? Was that just like how did you manage? Let's have a life? Yeah, at one time? So the most I had at one time was five. Um, and before I opened the next two I had sold to So I ventured into Georgia. So I had three in Atlanta at one point. Um. So I've opened up three in Atlanta and then three and then four in Tennessee and then I sold five of them over the last eleven years. And for different reasons. Like some of them it was like I got a really great offer I couldn't say no to. And some of them, um, it just wasn't working, Like they needed a local owner, they needed someone more involved. And I think you just have to be able to humble yourself enough to be like this isn't working, this location isn't working, and or whatever it is in business or life and just be like, okay, you know, just kind of like not necessarily necessarily they were losing money, but they just weren't they weren't making money. It's kind of like I was breaking even. And it was some really tight knitche suburban areas in Atlanta, and they're like and I was in and out, I wasn't there all the time, and they just wanted someone local that knew the area. And UM, so I ended up selling some of them to teachers for um other owners you know, in the same state. UM. But yeah, I mean, I think the thing that's really helped me because I still my Green Hill Studio and your original baby, Yes, And I think the thing that's made at work is relationships with the clients and um, being able to change things up when they're not working, like just really being yes and just reassessing, like, okay, is what I was doing that used to work still work? And sometimes there are some things that I've been doing since the beginning that still work and some things that don't. I think you just have to have a really good pulse on or for me, I've just had to keep a really good pulse on um, what the clients want once they need and just I think my biggest tool is having like an excellent staff, just having like the best people working at the studio and mind that staff. I think it's just being so picky and hiring. And what I have been able to do to keep my staff excellent is if I can't find the right higher, I just pick up the slack. So some I've gone through phases where I'm teaching eight classes a week because I need to teach it more, and I'll go through phrases where I'm teaching one class a week because I have like an excellent staff. Um. And I think I have the flexibility to do that because I've not had kids yet, you know, Um, I wasn't married and just have toed the have pared the last decade into into my businesses and being able to run all around and and and do what they what I need to do for them. UM. But I think being able to like step up and play all the roles, and I think it's important to know how to do all the jobs that your staff does. I totally totally agree, because then it's like, not are you you're not just like this high level telling people what to do. You're like, no, I've been in every single role. I know what everything needs. And not only have you been in every role, you've brought your to everything la roles. So you have the obviously you have the right to expect that as the employer in general, but you've also walked the walk and given it your best, so you know what is needed. Yeah, And that way you know how to relate to with what they're going through or when you're telling them how to do something and how not to do something. You've been there and you've done it exactly. Yes, And it's so much more effective to have personal experience to relate. Yeah. So what means that you look for in a staff, like, how do you know when you have found an excellent higher What are the traits do you look for? Yeah? Um, I definitely look for people who are excited to work for you and aren't just looking for a job that they that they love pure by that they love the technique and they love the environment that we've created, and they want to be a part of the community. Um. And I also look for people who I mesh with because I feel like you do want diversity, of course, but you also need to kind of vibe with the person that's working with you or it's gonna be just uphill. I feel like the whole time. Yeah, um that makes sense, Like you know, any butting heads because you don't see eye to eye on what you're in goal is totally like you can have all different types of people, but y'all's mentality on what you're going for needs to be the same. Totally. I think so, and for for what I do, and I work closely with them, you know, I talked to all my staff, you know, all the time. Um, I just want to get along easily, you know, So I look for that, and I look for hard workers. And I think you just a vibe you get when you sit down and talk to them. You kind of pick up on are they going to be a hard worker or they are you telling me all the all the times they can't work, all the things they can't do, or they tell you are they a proper person? Yeah? Totally. I think you just have to know what you want. Whereas if you want some of that super flexive, well, if you want someone who will always go the extra mile, if you want someone who Um, you know, doesn't mind, you know, making sure that you're very open and honest about what the job is, what it requires. Don't kind of keep anything back that you think you might not want to do. Tell them the whole, the whole lot of it, the good, the bad, the ugly of what their job description is, making sure that they're down with it. I feel like, and I think a lot of it comes down to gut like a gut feeling on someone. I feel like I've kind of done my whole business that way. Like I feel like I opened Pure Bar because I had a gut feeling it was a good idea. And I think it's one of those things if I look back on the maybe mistakes I've made, maybe I went against a gut feeling. So I think you have to be able to learn from that too. Um, Because I had some I had, you know, I've had some locations that look gotte them like why did I open that one? Was that a good idea? Why did I have that business partner? Because I've had a few partners over the years. Um, And I'll look back and now I just the ones that own right now on solo, and I think, you know, you just have to think about different decisions you've made, and I feel like following your gut kind of always keeps you on the in the on the right track. I totally agree everything I've done that has like been a forced force. Like it sounds like it sounds like a good idea, the opportunity looks like it's there, but it's like I have resistance the whole way getting it to happen. It's like it's not like everything's falling into place, and it's just, of course, like you're always gonna hard work. But there's a difference between hard work and forcing some forcing something. And I have done the same thing, Katie. I have forced so many things and I just have to have it happen because it feels like if I don't do it, I'll miss this opportunity or it's just a great Jewish And then you're like, oh, that was not that I forced that. What have you learned about having business partners, because that's a whole another ballower. Yes, um, I've actually had some successful business relationships with friends, but I know that that's not always um the case. I think the biggest thing I've learned is, no matter how close you are, with someone, get every single thing in writing, get a really good at journey and go over every single scenario and have have a whole plan in writing, because you just you never know what will happen. You never know how what life changes will come up, what stressors will come onto that person or that relationship, and people change, things change, scenarios change, and if you just like have it all laid out to what you're gonna do in every scenario, it takes out um kind of like the ugly part of maybe a business partnership. Um, that's smart. How did you know how to do that? I didn't do it the first time around? So you learn you learned, well, I learned the hard way. Yeah, Um, yeah, I learned the hard way that thinking like, oh, I'm friendly with this person. When we get to that time, we'll figure it out a quarter idea of time. And yeah, and it wasn't it wasn't easy to figure out like an exit strategy or who gets you know what money? Or do you have to pay you know by this personality? Or how is all this working? And so yeah, I learned the hard way. And I think that was that was the downfall of being twenty two and maybe not taking all the advice I should have and just doing it sloppy. So then moving on knowing like, okay, even as painful is annoying as this is in the beginning of a partnership, you just gotta have it all and that's like business one on one, like that shouldn't be hard. But for me, I thought, oh, this is fine, it's all fine, it'll be fine. I don't know, honestly, just not knowing enough. And then like just learning the hard way. That's so true, just to get it all out front in writing. And then here it comes a situation you're like, listen, we talked about it here it is it means just business and not personally totally. And I think just being a personal part out of it, like you said exactly, Um so I think that that part, uh, it's just key. And then and then you know, making sure what the partner that you for the most part maybe of everything you kind of have the same goal like you were talking about, you know, have the same end goal. I want the same thing, and you're probably fine, you know, yeah, And I don't know. I've never got into business with someone that I don't know at all, Like that's just like an investor, someone random. I've never never really ventured down that, so I think that would be a whole different And then those situations probably a lot easier to just be like, this is business, let's do it this way. But with someone that you know, you kind of have to be a little more careful. Yeah, you think now that you are mom? Bear babies coming in fall, fall into fall? Um, yeah, in September. Okay, so baby is coming soon. You are now a wife, which I want to talk about your love story because it is so crazy and so perfect for you. You You wan mountain hiking woman. Um. But do you think now you've you've owned seven pure bars, You've had partners, You've learned all this stuff, You've had great success. Now you have two pure bars that you probably feel very comfortable running that you have like agree with. Do you think you will stay And let's not forget K and L swimsuit You have a whole swimsuit line called K and L which is amazing, which I want to talk about how you got into that just on top of everything else because you don't have to. Um, do you think that you'll kind of just stay with what you have right now? While you're moving into this new season. Are you always one of those people that just wants to keep growing and moving and shaking me, because like kind of a babe and being a wife is a big, big move on top of Yeah, so what's your plan with your businesses? Yeah, so I will keep my studios, but I'm gonna step back for several months and take like a true maternity. Um, I wanted to be a mom for so long and I'm so pumped about it, and I don't want to like rush back too soon. I just want to have that time. It's also gonna be fun too, because I'm like, we're heading in a winter and I feel like we're just gonna like hibernate and my cuddle up and and and we're in the middle of a pandemic. I can't go anywhere with the newborn anyways, which is kind of a blessing honestly. Yeah, you don't have to go such a weird time. I'm invited to a wedding a couple of weeks into October, and I kept thinking, well, maybe I'll feel like going, I'll be fun to get out of the house. And then I'm like, what am I thinking? I can't go be around hundreds of people and they come home with a newborn right now, Like no, I just like COVID. It's so hard to just sink in. Sometimes I the COVID. It's like the COVID brain. I feel the same way. I'm like living in my little bubble of like myol and sunny and then like few people that we hang out with very just like a very scarcely it's like, oh, life is kind of normal, and then you get out in the world and like, no, this is not normal. Nothing, it's normal and everything is aft right now? Yes, yes, So, Um, I'm kind of keep my studios and keep running home and I'll just have some staff kind of step up and go into because I've kind of have them flowed with how my staffing structure has been. Um, right now, I don't have a true manager, but I have someone's gonna step up and do that when I sat back, UM, and I'm just gonna take like a true maternity and kind of hibernate and just have fun with all that, because I really besides during quarantine, I mean, I have a business that's open three and sixty four days a year. We only close on Christmas, and that's been for eleven years, you know, so it's just been this constant thing and um, so I'm excited to just kind of take some time and but yeah, I fully planned to, you know, keep the studios. Um And then what else did you ask me? Well, I want to ask you about how you met Patrick, your husband, because he like, he's You're super crazy athletic, like adventure mountain woman, doing all of the crazy wild world activities that you can and he you met Patrick, he's like a mountain climber. He's like goes off for months and we'll mountain. Y'all met hiking in like the depth of some out Well. So okay, So our background is that we met in two thousand nine, right when I got back and was opening Pure Bar, and he or I guess shown him forever. Oh my god, I didn't know that he was like a grade behind me and he went in g s U and we met through a friend when I was kind of in that interim period. I guess I got home and it's like graduating a dozen eight and was at home and and before I opened Pure Bar, and that's like when we kind of met and hung out and it just wasn't we met through a friend at a fraternity party at m g SU. You could say that, and I didn't hear you. I just said we met through a friend. I didn't say yeah, OK. And so I liked him right away. And it was just kind of funny timing because the guy that we met through, I guess was interested in me and that was his buddy, and it was just one of those things like he felt bad, like, yeah, you know, also one of your twenty one or whatever. You're like, bro code, I can't but I didn't like that other guy, but he was buddies with him, so he thought like, oh, I can't cross that line and really take Katie out or whatever. So we feel when you're in your early twenties all that. So of course, you know, I think we hung out a couple of times and then he was like, we better not gone off. Good about the timing. So that was kind of it. And then I got busy with Pure Bar and he graduated and he moved away, and that was it, and then we lost touch for a really long time, and in at some point um we started following each other on Instagram years and years and years later, and he saw that I was in San Francisco. This was like summer of two thousand eighteen. He saw it was in San Francisco and reached out to me, slimming the d M s is that where he lives? That's where he lived? Yeah, I didn't even realize that. And he was like, are you in town? And I was like yeah. So he came hung out with me. I was there visiting a friend, So he came and hung out with us. And it was literally just that. It was like it was like gname over. Was it like sparks flying? What was it of him that you're just like okay? Because here's the thing, everyone listening, Katie Decker has been the hottest commodity in Nashville. Like she has been. No, I am like everybody who try to date you would try to date. You're beautiful, you're talented, you're smart, you are a badass business owner, your kind soul. I mean, you are the perfect ten and you have just been so picky, like you have not been having it with any of these guys. So what we're such a for saying all that? Um? What was it about Patrick? I think it was just really easy and um, also timing to. You know, I think I was in the right headspace and it was really crazy. So I was in the middle of training to go um hike the John Mirror Trail in California with my dad and this was what was so nuts. So he comes out in San Francisco. I haven't talked to him in years and years and years besides just following to their own Instagram, but we didn't even message on it. It was it's not like we were friendly or you know, we didn't chat on Instagram before. We just follow each other. So he literally we've been talking for fifteen minutes or hanging out, and I said, I'm getting ready to come back to California to hike the John Mirror Trail with my dad. He said, you're joking me. He goes, I leave in a week to go hike it with my mom. Totally crazy. And so the John Marr Trail is in like the back country in California and it's a two d fourteen mile trail, and it was just why it was just so weird, you know, because on the trail at the same time, I literally started two days after he and his mom finished. It was two nuts. It was nuts. So are so are so lined up? Because who even knows about that trail or wants to hike it? I mean exactly exactly is like dork hiker knowledge situation, Like who even does that? Um? And it's like true backpacking, you know where you're like literally in a tent, you know, every night, and no cell phone service the whole time, and bring all your food with you, all of that. Um. So we talked on the phone for like three Let seat you guys. We talked on the phone own. Maybe it was a couple of weeks before he and his mom left, and then we talked on the phone and I kind of just like fell in love. And he basically he was getting ready to move back this way. He's from North Carolina, and so he said, you know, right when you finished the trail, I'm about to drive across the country, uh, to move back to North Carolina. Do you want to road trip with me back? So literally our first date after that time we hung out in San Francisco was an eleven day road trip. I mean, what a way to get to know someone, especially you adventure like y'all love all that stuff. I mean, this is like the best way to start your relationship. Yes. So the first time I saw him after San Francisco, Uh, he picked me up from the airport. After my dad and I got off the trail, he picked me up from the airport and we went on the leven day road trip. And it was also going to be his thirtieth birthday, so we took a little detour and like went up to Canada, I went to bamp and like came back down and it was so fun because my mom was like, are you sure you want to do this? And she is your dad cool to send you off with some random dude for eleven days after this kind I just like I know, I know, right, I think like I've just always been crazy like that, Like I'll just go do adventures and fun trips, and I think, you know, at this point, my parents probably knew not to tell me to not go if that was what I wanted to do. So yeah, my dad and I like when we got off the trail, we drove to the kind of closest airport and stayed for a night or two to kind of acclimate, and then I flew up to meet Patrick and northern California. But um, yeah, my mom was like, well, if it's going horribly, you know, just getting to drop you off at the closest airport and I'll buy you take it home. I was like, okay, okay, um, but I just kind of knew in my gut. It was just like I was like, it's gonna be the best time ever. And he had he had it um like a really cute They're called a casita, but it's kind of like an air stream, but it's like a trailer you hook on. So we took that across the country, went up to Canada and back down in this little like air stream, and we stayed in our v parks. Was it awesome? It was so fun. We went all up the coast to California, Oregon, um, up to like Seattle and then Canada and came back down um and had the best time. And I was like that this is it. So I just kind of knew pretty much within like a few days. I was like, I want to be with this guy. What did you about him on that trip that made you even know this? Was it? Like what stood out about his personality or his traits? Yeah? I think it was just how good of a guy good of a guy he is. It was just like I just knew right away. I'm like, this is like the best person and we had so much in common. Um so, he has type one diabetes and he founded and runs a nonprofit for kids and families with type one. And for someone that's just gonna, like, you know, stop everything they're doing to like form a nonprofit to help other people, I mean, I'm just like heart of gold, you know, but also so fun and we had great chemistry and it was just easy. It was just really easy. I think that's something that over a lot of dating in a lot of years, sometimes you forget how important is for it to just be easy and to not be like forced, like we talked about. I think it's everything because it's like some people love all the they think they love all the drama and the intensity of the fighting and the all that that's no way to live in the long run. I mean, unless whoever is listening loves to live that way, than go you. But for me, like I in the same way, like I don't want to be fighting every day and have all that intense like hot passionate but then like depths of pain because you're tearing each other apart all the time, Like that's the word yes, And I look back on guys I waste to time on that really weren't Um. I guess maybe just that into me or whatever. You look back and you're like waiting on a text or a call for days and it's like, no, that's a big no, like why would anyone do that? But I think you get and you forget maybe what you deserve or you forget that it shouldn't be so complicated. And of course there's like levels of playing the game lightly in the beginning and not being too available and all that, but I mean, for the most part, you either vibe was someone and you like each other you don't, especially in your thirties. Come on, yeah, totally. So there's a Lemon road trip or y'all like together forever knowing or getting married? Is it done? Is it is? Like? So that indeed done, it's happening. It was for me, It was for me for sure. Um. He told me he loved me very fast, so I knew like he was committed and we were very much together and then and then it became kind of this figuring out the pieces of um because his plan, you know, before we got together, he was headed. He was moving from California to Asheville, and I love Ashville. I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up there one day. He loved it. I do too. I mean it's just the best. But yeah, so it was just kind of this. It was just more like logistics for a little while and dating longer, and he's always going off and doing these big adventures like climbing mountains and you know, doing all this crazy stuff. So it's just like kind of figuring out the timing. But after that, but yeah, I knew I wanted to be with him pretty much right away. So then you have to planned this big mountain wedding and COVID hits, so want couldn't do that, but you'll ended up having an even more special wedding that y'all just did a little quiet chapel in Arrington, which is beautiful country in Nashville at Nashville with your baby bump. So when did you get pregnant and where you all planned trying to get pregnant? Wasn't an accident? Like how do I'll be together? Once you got pregnant? Um over a year and a half, saying like, let's not were you kind of just saying like if we're surprised, we're surprised. Okay, we were for sure surprised, but I was instantly like so excited, um, because I don't want I want to be a mom for a while. And so even though we weren't trying or necessarily planning that it was, I was super promped. And so then it was just kind of and for us, I feel like it was like a god thing of just like helping us almost figure out like a timing and what we wanted, because I feel like we were in this we were in this phase where I was like, well, I'm here, my businesses are here, you have this nonprofit that's anchored or headquartered in North Carolina, and we were kind of doing this whole push pull back and forth where are we going to end up? And you know, I was ready to get engaged to move ahead, and he was trying to throw out the logistics of you know, timing and what's best. And then that happened, and for us, it honestly made things easier. It was like, Okay, well let's take all the guests work out of it, and now we just we're gonna make this work. Um. And so now I look back and I wouldn't change the things. I think it was what we needed. Did he was just yeah, yeah, he just ended up, you know, moving here. Um. And so now we're like settled and it's just been good and um. So we did plan an elopement in Asheville at a at a hotel there, and it was gonna be really really sweet, and then three days before our wedding the hotel closed. It was just it was one of those things where it was like, okay, ten days out there, like we're good, We're good. It was at the end of March when everything was just cheetering on closing hair hair um. And even though it was it was still small, but it was like a full wedding. Like my mom is like the best step planning that stuff, and so she'd kind of gone all out and we're supposed to get married March um. And then it ended up just the hotel claw and they're like, so we can't do the food you wanted and we can have some food for you, but we're just not sure what and I was like no, like I'm not and then they just ended up all the restaurants closed and we were like this is just not this isn't this is gonna makes sense, you know, so um so yeah, we kind of just weren't sure what to do. And we thought for a second about just going to the courthouse and just doing it like sex in the city style. We're like, oh, that's romantic, let's do that. And then all the Davidson County courthouses closed and we were like this is insane, like and I think that's all too. We were all just like in shock of what was happening. So it's hard to wrap our brain around, like, well, where do we get married? What do we do? There's nothing to do. So finally, in like middle April, we figured out we down the Stottle Chapel in Arrington and we we literally did just the two of us and we took our dog with us and it was so sweet. It was really so sweet, you know, a really short little ceremony, and then I had someone come to take photos, and you know, I waited out for a while of like do we want to do this or do we just want to wait? Like we just want to have the baby and get married later. And um, I guess I'm maybe more traditional than I thought I was, because the more I thought about it. I was like, you know, I just want to be married when the baby comes. We just do. And um, so our plan is to have like a party next year on the one year anniversary. And yeah, so it kind of worked out great. And I think I think I always wanted a smaller wedding. The older I got, the more I've wanted a smaller wedding just because the big wedding is just it just seems more stressful to meet in fun. So it worked out, you know, it was really I'm happy with how how it all happened. And then hopefully we can have like a fun party next year and call it a day, you know, okaty, that's not my on I did. We eloped on the beach in the Bahamas. Were just like my family was just there and that was it. And then Michael's dad and brother have to play in and made it. But there's like we had what like maybe seven people there and it was like and then I love that. I remember that when you posted those photos of all opening. Yes, and we had like our Bahamian family who we've grown up with o were there. But it's just like it was so nice to do a small wedding and then we did the same thing, had a party after and it was great because I am I just get overwhelmed with having to entertain everyone and all the people and all the stuff, and it's like, is ever having a good time and everyone's there for you? I'm like, is it gonna be fun for y'all? I can't even enjoy it for myself. I think I think that's the way to go. So tell me what you're looking forward to most about motherhood. Oh my gosh, I mean, right now, I'm just so pumped about meeting this baby because we don't know the gender. Yea, you are crazy, so right now, my mean, of course I'm trying to get the nurse you ready and those things, but like, I'm just so excited about meeting this human, this person. I don't know who it is. Oh my god. The greatest day of your life is when you're going to meet that baby. Yeah, I'm so pumped about just meeting meeting this little person. And um yeah, I'm just so ready for my life to be bigger than me. I get that that. I thought that same way. Aren't you glad you had all that time to let it be you? Yeah? I am and I'm and I'm I'm so glad for my life experiences and being able to have so much me time and be selfish and do whatever I wanted to do. But it's like it's it's good timing. It's like I'm like sick of me. Like I swear I felt the same way. I was, like, I have done everything I want to do, but of course I still have things I want to do, but like so ready for something bigger than me, Like I can't. I'm tired of me. I'm so exhausted with me. Same same, That's awesome, but I could see how. I mean, you know, kids, when you're a lot younger, would it wouldn't feel like that because you haven't had a lot of you time. But by this point, you know, I've had so many years of adulthood and I'm like, I'm good, you know, and I'm so glad for it, and we have so many fun things. I felt the same way. Hey, that's awesome. Let's talk about K and L swimsuits. Really fast on them and to wrap up, so tell me how you do to start K and L swimsuits. They're gorgeous, amazing, like super sexy. How did you launch this like how did it get going? So my best friend and I from college, we went on a surf trip to Costa Rica. Um, and we were there for like ten days and in this little tiny town in Costa Rica, and you know, we were in and out of swimsuits all day long. She's from Florida, grew up literally on the beach on Animary Island, and we just you know, had a few margaritism were like, let's start her own swim line, you know, and then we just out back and actually decided to do it. Like we found someone. So all of our stuffs made in the u s. Everything's made in in l A and we just found someone. She's basically like a like a consultant that helped us get it off the ground. Um. And I think I was just really ready for like a new business kind of venture and something that was creative and something that was totally mine because even though pure Barter is mine on how I run the business, it's still franchise and it's not something I created, you know. So I think I just was really ready for your creative outlet. And um. But one thing with that, but you might not even realize, is that as much fun as it was to design the swim suits, and as much fun as it was for people, once people got them in their hands or bought one, they loved it. It's very hard to sell swimsuits online. That okay, yeah, it was very hard to sell swim suits online. Of we had you know, a really good what do you say, people want to try I am on? Yeah, people want to try them on. And so I think looking back, we chose a very hard thing to get into, that is e commerce, and um, we kind of had to pivot. So we started selling and making a gath leisure and that has like what's kept us afloat really. Um, there was like a time where I was like, I don't know if this is gonna work. As much fun as it is to design swimsuits, We're not making any money, so uh. And also to like being made in the US, like everything is a lot more expensive. So we kind of had to just look at each other and be like, this is fun. And we've had the most amazing opportunities because we got to do like Miami Swim Week, you know, every year, and go have a booth and but like the whole sales aspect of it and having um, like brick and mortar stores pick up our stuff. It was a really hard and challenging and a lot of work, and I didn't even know if I really was enjoying it. Like I love making the swimsuits and I loved the creative side, but the sales part of it, I was like, I don't even really like this and it's hard, and so I think we had to be So now we've kind of um stopped focusing so much on being wholesale to brick and mortar stores and we just really get all of our sales from like Instagram, Like that's the biggest, like you know, way that we sell is just from our Instagram. But we started doing um like ath leisure stuff and that that has been really great for us, like sweat bike for short pay and el sweats they are thet Yeah, So we started making clothes and we're about to drop on like a cover up line like Mesh cover ups, and so I think that that has been a learning part two of like we're gonna have to pull the plug on this, it's just not working, and then being like, okay, what what would work for us or what will help? And we still have swam on the side. But it's not like our main focus. As as fun as it was. I think it just wasn't after a little while, we just had to be like more realistic. That makes so much sense. Yeah, so I'm gonna I'm gonna wrap up. I always ask this one question, and however, whatever comes to mind with everything that you've learned and experienced, Um, what do you want people to know? Leave your life? Oh? Wow, leave my life? It's a great question. I think the biggest thing, um, through all of this is to follow your gut, whether it's life stuff or work stuff, and just not being afraid to make a mistake and then I like learn from it, you know. Um, I think just like taking those like taking those moments of inventory of your life and what you're doing and what's working, and having like the balls to stop things that aren't working for you, stop relationships that aren't working for you, and focus on the ones that are. You know. I think looking back on the things that haven't worked for me or have worked for me. Um, it's just being really honest about maybe like toxic things in your life or what's not working, and um, focusing on like who's around you and what you're absorbing. That's that's good. It makes you better. Amen. Heck yeah, focus on what's working instead of what's not working. Exactly. Yes, Katie, you're a badass in every aspect of the word. I am so happy for your new season of life with your baby. You're hubby, You're you, and thank you so much for having me on. So honored when you asked, Oh my god, I'm so honored that you came on. Are you kidding me? I always thought you were just one of those badass women ever, and you're before any of us had babies. We had an epic trip to Austin with like seven girls and went up and down Katie me all the thousand horses. Abbe Smiers is married to Dan from Dan and Shay Um Bree Chandler. We time. Oh my god, we had so much fun just rinding out in Austin and partied. It was great. I hope we can do it again one day. I know, I'm like, what are we have? Maybe we'll just have to like modify it and like rent a house. But it's like kid Brindley and we all bring our babies to them. Yeah crazy, yeah, Oh gosh, yeah, so fun. Well, let me so much. You're amazing, and um, I'm hopefully, I'm hoping, I'm I'm hoping I'm gonna get to make it to your baby shower. Well, either way, I know it's a weird time, so whatever you need to do, well, I love your sister and you're amazing. All right, let me too. Thank you,