Meet Sigrid De Kaste: Marketing Expert and Author
Sigrid De Kaste, a seasoned marketing professional with a background in owning Marketing Agencies and Retail Businesses, offers a unique Strategic Marketing Optimized Book Writing Framework.
She believes in the power of women's stories in business, and her approach seamlessly integrates book writing into busy schedules.
With three international #1 bestsellers to her name, Sigrid's expertise positions her as a leader, attracting new clients and projects rapidly.
Her strategy focuses on simplicity, speed, and purpose-driven impact. She empowers women to share their stories and make a profound mark in their industries.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your family?
Growing up in Germany, strong work ethics were instilled by my grandparents on both sides.
I also believe my entrepreneurial grandfather, on my mom's side, who set up lucrative businesses before the war, worked during fleeing with his young family from the east to the west, and set up business again in the west, awakened thinking in unique ways about my own talents in me.
Then, my grandmother on my dad's side, she was a businesswoman in her own right long before feminism was talked about. My grandmother was internationally educated and took on her dad's successful business.
And even though that was lost during the Second World War, her determination to do your best and succeed and help those less fortunate was passed on to me.
Making the move from Germany to Australia for the hot, tropical climate of Queensland allowed me to study Marketing and start my own businesses.
First, related to my initial education in Germany, Photography, then several Retail Businesses, and culminating in a Marketing Agency, Stickybeak Marketing. Books, reading, and the status of knowledge being passed on in books are in my family background where stories were constantly told and knowledge highly valued.
But not so much academic knowledge, instead practical how-to knowledge.
When I discovered the power of writing my own books and their impact on being able to share my practical knowledge, I created my own framework around that to help other women in business do the same.
Have you had any formal training or family business?
I grew up with the stories of how my grandfather had set up a home delivery baker service without actually being a baker by trade, telling me anything is possible.
And my grandmother sharing and guiding me that girls can do anything, despite myself being very shy as a child and teen, I always ‘just did it’ until I learned how to and how to do it better, more efficiently, always in practical ways, without formal education.
I have passed that spirit on to my own son and daughter, both now in a business of their own.
My daughter, despite being told by her art teacher she was no good, she is a successful, award-winning Jewelry Designer with her own shop.
And my son, despite NOT going to university got himself a position with an internationally well-known and hugely successful digital games company as a gaming programmer.
He’s worked on games like “Dark Reign” and many others, and he’s now got his own company.
How did you come up with the idea for your business, and what was the process of turning that idea into a reality?
The 'red thread' in my journey is Marketing. From being a Photographer in PR & Marketing, then setting up my own, first business in Photography, to buying a Diamond Jewelry Store, later an Office Supplies Business, always applying the Power of Marketing while growing those businesses for sale, I started my Marketing Agency, Stickybeak Marketing in 2010 (which in Australian means you’re very inquisitive, digging deep into what’s really there, you’re a ‘stickybeak,’ which is what I do with clients before we start writing a book so it will fit into their business).
When I wrote my first book and discovered its power to elevate my leadership & authority status and repeating that with book two and three, I noticed clients coming to my marketing agency with books to be marketed that were NOT written with marketing in mind. This made it, at times, impossible to market their book.
That set me on the path to what I do now, helping women in business write a marketing-optimized book so they’ll achieve the outcome they have in mind.
How have you grown as a leader since starting your company, and what have been some of the key lessons you've learned along the way?
Staying confident, no matter what happens, what is said, how things appear, confidence is key to me to be successful.
Confidence can be hidden, for example, when I learned public speaking with Toastmasters, my group signed up for a competition to speak on a topic only given as you start speaking.
Half-way through the 2min speech I completely forgot what the topic was and had no idea what I was actually saying.
I won that segment, and everyone told me I was clear and confident, even though, internally, I had no idea.
I always make it my intention to instill confidence in others, especially women and young girls because I know they can achieve their dreams with confidence.
For example, recently I started interviewing interesting women in business, not necessarily already well-known, but interesting, and I make sure everyone feels valued to share their knowledge.
From feedback I receive on interviewing, I’m succeeding.
Academic education and titles never beat the practical approach, something learned from ‘doing’, makes you stronger.
That’s for me in everything I’ve done, from normal schooling, an apprenticeship in Photography, to going into business in another country, with English being my second language, I’ve achieved what I set out.
Can you tell us about a time when you faced a major setback or failure in your business, and how you overcame it?
My desire to be helpful and supportive almost cost me one of my businesses. I invited a woman to become a partner so she could learn more about being in business and book writing, and did so without any contractual work, simply on trust.
It was quickly evident that her sense of attention to detail and doing ‘the right thing’ did not match mine.
I used my best, most positive approach, writing to her that our partnership was finished. My business suffered for several years because that incident had left me drained and with complete loss of confidence in my own abilities.
How did I get back from that?
A lot of soul searching, connecting with new women, and daily routines and practices, including writing a list of 100 achievements over my life so far and reading that every day to myself.
It does take discipline – constant telling myself, I CAN DO IT – and writing down every word of kindness that came my way to recount and remind myself I’m only seeing part of it.
How do you stay motivated and focused on your goals, especially during challenging times?
I dance – I put on some music and dance. The music, the movement gets me into a happy mood. I need to move, also a walk around the garden, a walk into nature.
How do you balance your personal life with the demands of running a business?
I’ve arranged my business in such a way now, working with clients online only, that I have set times and take ‘garden’ breaks in between.
I plan my meals for the day at breakfast and so preparation and cooking is easy. I am big on planning, that’s reflected in my work with clients, too.
What are your plans for the future of your business, and how do you see yourself evolving as a founder and leader?
I am where I wanted to be in this business, and from now on, I’ll be focusing on more connecting and sharing my vision and writing framework and perhaps expand the interviewing aspect.
Getting more women in business to share their vision and stories with my interviews and encouraging them to put their wisdom into a book.
If you could go back in time and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Listen AND act on that inner voice. That’s popped up for me all my life and I’ve often ignored that voice for fear of it being too big or simply wrong. NO that intuition is something to learn to live and work with.
What's the most unconventional thing you've done to grow your business, and what was the result?
In the very beginning of my business journey, when I bought my first business, a Diamond Jewellery store, here in Australia, I belonged to the largest Jewellery Buying Group and early on I STOPPED following their advice around how to market and sell Jewellery.
Even though I had NO Jewellery Industry experience, I followed my marketing knowledge and installed a CRM to track customer behaviour, selling double what others sold.
I was the first in Australia to buy in Amber, Chinese Freshwater Pearls and the first Jeweller to offer Pandora Jewellery in my range. All things I knew would be right for my customers.
That ‘first’ thinking, based on marketing knowledge and research always paid off. Right now it helps clients to achieve a direct outcome from writing their book because we start the writing journey with marketing in mind.
What's the most important lesson you've learned from a failure, and how have you applied it to your business?
I’m very positive thinking – there’s no ‘failure’ that comes to mind BUT what I’ve learned early on is this:
In my desire to learn to be able to speak freely and present my ideas and knowledge, I was always sad to see speakers who would stammer, loose their place and be very obviously nervous.
Something I wanted to prevent from happening to me, specially with English being my second language and often not being able to think of the correct words to express myself.
I always made sure I’d learn things, practice and be prepared.
For example, I did an English Language & Literacy Course very early in my time in Australia. I practiced writing.
My teacher there suggested to go to Toastmasters to learn public speaking, which I did.
I used to practice my presentations over the ironing board, with gestures and voice control until I no longer needed notes.
I always research prospects and their business before I meet them so I can better serve and support them.
This is very valuable for book writing clients and no one else does this, as far as I know, to help the client write a valuable book and long term legacy.
From my research into the client and their business I can ask better questions to get to the heart of their story.
Research and practice is always there for me.
What's the most meaningful compliment or feedback you've ever received from a customer, and why did it resonate with you?
The most meaningful compliments are al those that are given unexpectedly. Compliments stop me in my tracks and make me realize that I am doing a good job!
If you had to choose one thing that makes your company truly unique and sets it apart from the competition, what would it be, and why?
The one thing that sets me apart from others in my ‘industry’ is the direct connection and starting with marketing instead of writing the book. My clients write a Marketing Optimized Book.
Find Sigrid de Kaste on Social Media:
LinkedIn - Personal Acoount: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sigriddekaste/
Company Account: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stickybeak-marketing/
Website: https://stickybeakmarketing.com/