Here's what I really think of you
- Dec 30, 2025
- 3 min read
By Katie Grimes
Speaker, Business Coach, Podcast Host of Anything for Love, and Entrepreneur
Actionable Leadership Tips – Advice for implementing gratitude and intention in professional settings.
Spotlight on Rising Leaders – Emerging women making waves while modeling thankfulness in business.
Gratitude in Corporate Culture – Examples of organizations thriving by prioritizing recognition and appreciation.
Mentorship & Collaboration – Stories of empowerment through meaningful partnerships.
I own a business coaching company working with women around the world, growing their businesses without working 24/7. My team and I help them create routines they can actually stick to, make introductions to the right people who can help make their lives easier, and who need them in their lives (or vice versa). In an effort to teach women how to ask for help (without feeling like a burden), increase their prices (without feeling guilty) and confidently know how to run their business (not just be good at what they do), this requires that I know the right people who can help them because it really does take a village and that means, hiring the right people who can help my coaching clients, podcast guests and help me prep for paid speaking events.
I don’t just hire teammates, I add collaborators to my team – people who treat my business as if it were their own. And in order to create a space where they can do their best thinking, implement our ideas, and prioritize their mental health is by asking them this two questions when they’re being interviewed: "What are the ways you like to be told you’re doing a good job and what are the easiest ways to share feedback with you?"
Every time I ask this question, they inevitably sigh with relief and say: “What a great question.”
My follow up question is: “What are your top 2 love languages – gifts, words of affirmation, quality time, touch, or acts of service” because this helps me to understand how to best express gratitude for the work they’re doing.
Then, I make a point to share monthly what they're doing well and what I would prefer to see differently, while also asking them how that aligns with what they need/want to be able to do a good job. I may want something written in a word doc, but it makes way more sense for them to do it in a spreadsheet (I'd like to know that and if I can't wrap my brain around viewing it that way then we talk about that).
My business is virtual and so are my teammates (who work with me -- key word on work WITH not FOR me) so I make it a point to use LOOM videos to share feedback or audio messages so they can hear tone of voice or get an idea, visually, of what I'm looking for. This helps train in real time, offer praise and gratitude, and gives them the ability to ask questions and offer feedback using the same modalities.
Aside from weekly, if not bi-weekly feedback (good and what I'd like to see changed), I make it a point on a quarterly basis to ask them: "How are things going for them within our company? Do they like the tasks they're doing? Are there more efficient ways we can be doing things to save them time, but also get things done? Anything I can say/do that'll make their job easier or more fun?"
This creates feedback for me, as the leader and owner of the company, without doing one of those boring-ass 360 reviews where when I worked in corporate, you got peer-to-peer reviews or boss to employee, but never the other way around. This changes that dramatically and builds trust.
Lastly, all my teammates are 1099 employees who run their own companies so I make a point to tag them on social media, talk about them on my podcast or when I'm interviewed on other people's podcasts and speaking events, as well as leave Google reviews for them. This also creates trust, gratitude and appreciation for them.
I can't run this business without my team...I mean MAYBE I could, but why would I want to. I'm surrounding myself with brilliant, creative people who love what they do and who value time off doing what they love with who they love, whenever they want. We work hard, but we work smarter, and I like to show them how much I appreciate them by the words I say and the actions I take.
I hope this inspires you to think of one person today you can call (not text) to say thank you and why because when we feel valued and appreciated, it makes it so much easier to go after our dreams!
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