Photo by Sweet Alice Photography
Local author, career coach, and psychotherapist Kate Crocco explains what it takes to be a boss — and what’s holding you back — in Thinking Like a Boss.
What does it take to be a boss?
It’s a hard answer to pin down, and one that varies from person to person and morphs its shape from one industry to the next. Yet at its core, it all funnels back to that indescribable force that drives certain individuals to make the leap, power through, and hustle their way toward their dreams.
Kate Crocco knows all about what it takes to be a boss. Not only is the licensed psychotherapist and confidence and mindset coach a #girlboss herself, but she’s also something of an expert on bossdom in general. As an established entrepreneurial advisor, she works one on one with aspiring and established bosses alike to help them level up in their careers and maximize their full potential. She’s also the host of “Thinking Like a Boss,” a weekly podcast that features talented female entrepreneurs and spotlights their successes.
Now, she’s putting her advice to paper. In her new book, Thinking Like a Boss (Baker Books), she explains exactly how women can push beyond their fears and self-established barriers to create and build their businesses. To celebrate the debut of her new read, which drops February 18 and is the first of a three-book contract, we touched base with the Poughkeepsie native (she’s an Our Lady of Lourdes alum) to find out exactly how she became a Hudson Valley boss and learn what others can do to follow her lead.
Congrats on the book release! When did you first step into the world of bossdom in the Hudson Valley?
Kate Crocco: I opened my first business in September 2014, my psychotherapy practice on Cliff Street in Beacon. Back then in this area, there were not many younger therapists. It was scary for me because I was thinking everyone was very seasoned and doing it for a while. But I found I had so many other young therapists contact me asking to meet for coffee. I decided to turn that into a little business, doing consulting and helping other young therapists open private practices. In summer 2015 I turned it into a workshop with a friend in Manhattan. We had about 20 people come, and at least 18 opened private practices right after.
How did your consulting side hustle impact your full-time practice?
KC: By fall 2015 I left my 9-to-5. I had two other young therapists who were subletting from me and I was doing coaching with other private practice therapists. I had other businesses coming to me asking “How did you grow so fast? How did you leave your 9-to-5 so fast?” So much of it is mindset and not knowing all the business details. It’s knowing how to build relationships and not being afraid to put yourself out there and face rejection. Before I knew it that led into confidence and mindset business coaching.
So you started a second side hustle?
KC: By spring 2016, that’s when my coaching business started to out-earn my therapy practice. Then, when I started working toward really building this business up, in August 2016 I found out I was pregnant with my first daughter. By the time I had my daughter in spring 2017, my goal was to shut down my therapy practice to have time home with her.
You had a coaching business and a newborn. When did you find time to write a book?
KC: That summer. I was feeling very isolated. I wasn’t expecting how hard it was to have babies and have a business. I started to type and journal on my phone about what I was going through. In August 2017 I joined a writing program that teaches you how to write a book proposal. I just felt a pull like I had to do it.
Your book Thinking Like a Boss is all about cultivating the right mentality to make your dreams a reality. Why do you think this is such a critical topic now?
KC: There are so many women out there who want to start a business or who know there’s something bigger in them. I truly believe you can achieve almost anything as long as your mindset is in the right place and you’re willing to do the work.
We all get stuck in our way sometimes. We could all live pretty simple lives if we just go through the motions. Disappointment and fears don’t come up unless we’re working toward something bigger.
Without revealing too much of the book, what’s one rule for thinking like a boss and one thing you think holds people back from doing so?
KC: Stop telling yourself you don’t have enough time and replace it with “I have plenty of time for things that mean most to me. I have plenty of time for my dreams. I can make these things happen today by learning to say no to things that don’t serve me.”
Get quiet and figure out exactly what you want. You say yes to things out of scarcity, but it’s really about listening to what your real answers are. All the answers we need are within.
Thinking Like a Boss drops on February 18. What’s next for you in the Hudson Valley?
KC: I’m going to write my next nonfiction book. I’ll be doing some speaking and continuing to coach. I have therapy clients, but all are virtual. My husband [Andrew Crocco] and I are also partners at Fit Social in Poughkeepsie [and The Beacon Daily in Beacon]. There are so many incredible people in the Valley, and I never want to leave now.
