Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Huber.
Hi Katie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Graduated H.S. at age of 16 from Park Meadows Academy in Corsicana, TX.
Apprenticed under award-winning photographer Charla Holmes from ages 15-17, and used photography to work my way through college.
Graduated Magna Cum Laud with a B.S. in Marketing after 3 years from LeTourneau University in Longview, TX, in 2006.
Married my college sweetheart, Dave, later that same year. We’ve been married 16 years and have three amazing kids (Madilyn, 13; Samuel, 10; Abigail, 9).
Upon graduation, Dave and I purchased a fixer-upper in Corsicana to renovate, and we decided to overhaul our struggling family business (founded in 1999), cut overhead, and “start from scratch.” We rebuilt the business out of our garage with my dad, David Mitchell, and sister, Jenny. Beginning in 2008, over the next several years, we grew exponentially with a new business model learned from our close friend and business mentor, Dr. Myron Golden. We were grateful to employ 30+ families and grow to serve more than 50,000 clients across the country, taking the business from losing money year after year to earning up to $12 million annually. Together, as a team and family, and with God’s constant provision and direction, we rebuilt our family business from the ground up.
In 2016, we rebranded to TRADE way and became a FINRA registered Investment Advisory Firm, hosting up to 120 live events each year until Covid struck in March 2020. We pivoted quickly to online virtual events where we were able to serve far more clients than ever before with our education/support.
In 2021, we entered a partnership with the marketing company Life Surge, as their financial markets brand. This allowed us to be back in the live event business offering education/support fulfillment for all of their Trade Surge classes (hosting events nearly every weekend with hundreds in attendance).
It has been a crazy journey, but we are thankful for God’s provision and protection every step of the way.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Failed business model–from 1999 to 2006 not profitable (my father was having to invest money from other family businesses to keep this one afloat all that time…he never gave up, kept the faith, and was willing to stick with it until we finally reached breakthrough)
In the rebuilding stage, from 2006-2008, we took a huge leap of faith to close our warehouse, close our corporate offices, dismiss our large team, and start from scratch out of a garage-based business with a brand-new business model. It was humbling, scary, and quite intense–but it was an exciting time of hope and total passion to make things happen.
In the exponential growth stage, from 2008-2014, we were reaching new highs year after year, building a team to support our growing client base, building new products, and doing our best to manage the growth. We had to be flexible. Technology was one of our greatest struggles during this time–we needed better systems to support the growth, and our business never quite seemed to “fit the mold,” so it required many customized solutions.
2015-2016 we hit a huge roadblock with the need to become a registered Investment Advisory Firm. This was a six-figure investment, took loads of time, but we eventually came out the other side stronger than ever with a new brand–TRADEway.
Between 2017-2020, our main form of advertising (traditional radio–long and short format) began to show a decline, and we were unable to fill our event rooms. It was huge overhead to pay for radio and venues and be unable to see the attendance that was needed. This hit us hard as we dove into the world of online advertising, hiring several experts, outsourcing, and much more. We invested tons of money into this learning curve, and it took years of time working on this skillset. It was a challenge for sure.
With 2020 came the massive challenge of Covid–we were in the live event business space, so this tested our ability to pivot and evolve. We quickly switched to offering online events and were able to reach more clients than ever, and our entire team went 100% remote at this time.
We’ve experienced just about every fear/challenge you could name-changing business models, worried about meeting payroll, hiring the best people that fit our culture, dealing with regulators and hefty legal expenses, starting from scratch, and so much more. We ‘re incredibly thankful for the journey and can clearly see God’s protection and provision throughout.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about TRADEway?
TRADEway is a FINRA-registered Investment Advisory Firm focused on empowering Christian families to become active stock traders who build lasting legacies. We serve 50,000+ clients around the country with our active-in-the-market COACHES, top-notch support team, and loads of LIVE and ON-DEMAND courses, trainings, and support programs! You will never be alone in your journey.
Our mission is to break down the confusing world of finance so our clients can understand. We honor God through family, money, and business by teaching business principles from the Bible and reawakening the entrepreneurial spirit in America!
Having a professional, knowledgeable, FUN event speaker and consultant is part of what you’ll experience at a live or online TRADEway event! These folks equip your family with the tools and skillsets you’ll need to take the next step on your journey. If you’re looking for top-notch customer service and someone to support you through the learning curve, you’ve come to the right place! TRADEway’s Customer Support Specialists and Registered Investment Advisory Representatives are here to help every step of the way.
Our Founder and CEO, David Mitchell, hosts the popular podcast: The Word on Investing. Season 4 is launching in April 2023. David Mitchell is my father; he is the one that had the vision for this company and the skillsets to make it happen. He has been a senior pastor at our small country church for almost 40 years, never having to take a salary from the church due to his business endeavors. He also owns EG Hall Oil Company and is the Founder of Exos Aerospace Systems & Technology.
Dad is my greatest mentor, inspiration, and spiritual leader. I wouldn’t be who I am without his influence, along with my mom (Charlotte Mitchell) and Nana (Joye Mitchell).
To register for an upcoming event, visit: https://www.tradeway.com/events
For our full story and company manifesto visit: https://www.tradeway.com/about
To check out our podcast: https://www.tradeway.com/podcast
To book a consultation with a specialist: https://www.tradeway.com/#BookaConsultation
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Spending time with my siblings–Jenny, Paul, Ben and Matt. Our family lived on a family ranch right next to our Nana and Papa and were able to just explore, climb trees, play football in the front yard, go fishing at the pond, and run all over the place. We had the best childhood you can imagine!
Pricing:
- We offer education ranging from $97 to $30,000
- We offer ongoing support ranging from $77/mo to $347/mo
- Our long-term investment portfolios range in price depending on the need of the client.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tradeway.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gotradeway/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goTRADEway/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/goTRADEway
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/TRADEway
Image Credits
Madi May
TRADEway’s team
