Startup Drinks is tomorrow! If you haven’t already, sign up here!
So far on our Meet the Captains series we’ve met Al and Lisa. Now we’re introducing Katie Hutton, marketing coordinator at Eide Bailly. Katie is a big Fargo fan, and is involved in the community in a variety of ways; she’s co-leader of the Fargo Moorhead Professional Communicators club, is a familiar face at past Startup Drinks and 1 Million Cups, and… look out…she’s both a Cobber and a Bison.
Read how she views startup culture as similar to Horton Hears a Who, her most influential reads, and why you should follow her on Twitter, all right here.
Katie Hutton: Funky fresh
Do you have a nickname? If so, what is it?
Well my legal name is Kathryn, but I always though it sounded too old or reminded me of when I used to get in trouble as a kid. So I’ve been a Katie for as long as I can remember. In fact, on the first trip my husband and I went on together (when we were still dating) he booked my plane ticket under Katie and I got in trouble with TSA.
Any awkward tattoos? Please describe in detail.
No awkward tattoos. Just one that I love. I got it shortly after I turned 18 and right after I got my nose pierced. The first time my grandma saw me with a tattoo and a nose ring she said, “My, my, you’ve turned funky haven’t you?”
If you could describe your startup as an animal what animal would it be?
I don’t have a startup, but I’ve started thinking about it in terms of the book/movie Horton Hears a Who.
Startups could be like the whos. They might be small, but they’re powerful and they matter and their opinions and ideas count. They’ve created these entire ecosystems that we sometimes don’t see.
Meanwhile, larger, more established businesses and business people in the community have the choice to be like Horton and listen to them and help them along the way. Because a business is a business, no matter how small. I love the idea of how community can be formed around a wide variety of ideas and opinions and the notion that we can all help one another out
…Yes, I know whos aren’t real, but Horton’s an elephant so I kind of answered the question right?
What is one of the most influential books you’ve ever read?
From a business standpoint: Getting Naked (I’m serious!). It’s a business fable about shedding the fears that sabotage client loyalty. It’s awesome and talks about how you join your client on a journey rather than simply try and sell to them.
From a professional journey standpoint, I think Lean In is a must read. It has helped me become more aware of who I am as a professional and how I should conduct myself.
If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
Paris is definitely on my bucket list. There’s something about it that’s so beautiful. Well, that and being able to eat cheese and bread and drink wine all day … But in reality, I would travel to lake country [in] Minnesota and spend the day kayaking and swimming with my boys and then spend the evening reading on the dock … with a glass of wine.
What is one of the coolest places you’ve traveled?
Last spring I spent a week in Austin and it was one of the coolest places I’ve been. It was like a big Fargo, filled with unique culture, live music and great food. I definitely want to go back.
Note from Katie: You can follow me on Twitter at @KatieMHutton. I should give fair warning that I am an avid Scandal fan though, so on if you follow me, you get a play by play of what’s happening on Thursday nights.
Now for Startup Drinks Attendees: In preparation for the event, please download Klink – an icebreaker app developed by a Fargo Startup Weekend team.
iPhone-ers, download Klink here!
Droid-ers, download Klink here!
Thanks Katie! See you on June 16 at 122 1/2 N Broadway.
