The business took off, we sold thousands and thousands of doormats reminding people of things they forget about when running out the door, and about a year in, I left my corporate marketing job. I like to pair my years of corporate market research experience with my self-employed levels of content consumption to create easily digestible breakdowns and analyses of pop culture events, deep dive style. The best way to keep up with me, my current projects, and random pop culture commentary is on Instagram, katekennedy.
Be There in Five started as an Etsy shop with a simple mission: reminding people of the important things they forget when running out the door. To remember their lunch, that they look amazing today, and to [most importantly] not burn down their house. Traditionally, door mats welcome guests in your home, but I wanted to create something unique that saw you on your way out. While these door mats were the start, Be There in Five means more to me than selling products.
It's a tongue-in-cheek representation of not having to be perfect; an intentional tribute to one of my biggest flaws. It's for those of you like me, who always run a little behind, pay way too much attention to detail and try to be everywhere at once. It's for those of us that look pretty together but endure a comically hectic process in order to appear that way. I want to relieve some of the pressure we put on ourselves, to find some humor in the organized chaos.
I won't pretend it didn't take me 4 months to figure out how to get 4 words on a rug. I am a big believer in using the internet for inspiration, not to feel inadequate, and I want this to be a relatable brand that reminds us to not take ourselves too seriously. In a world where many things make me count the minutes, Be There in Five is dedicated to all the thoughts and things, people and places, ideas and ideals that make me lose track of time.
Kate Kennedy is a Chicago-based entrepreneur, author, and podcast host who is best known for inventing the 'remindoormat. Realizing that this was an innovation in a somewhat stale category that only contained welcome mats that see you into your home, she decided to create a line of products designed to see you on your way out. She named it Be There in Five as a salute to people like her, who tend to run out the door and forget important things in the process. Starting with 'turn off' reminders for hair and kitchen appliances, don't forget your lunch, and telling people they look great today, Be There in Five launched a line of reminder, affirmation, and custom door mats for people on the go.
