From Authenticity to Influence: How Katherine Garbarino Turned Being Herself Into a Business

02\. **Katherine Garbarino** never set out to become an influencer. She simply started sharing what she genuinely loved and built a powerful business by being entirely herself. In this episode, Liza sits down with the entrepreneur behind KGMTL, Girls Living Well and The GLW Shop to unpack how authentic recommendations became a trusted personal brand, an engaged wellness community and a growing portfolio of digital businesses. Katherine speaks candidly about entrepreneurship, online criticism, financial mistakes and why having an audience is not the same as having genuine influence. **In this episode:** - How Katherine’s experience in retail and fashion shaped her entrepreneurial instincts - Why health and wellness became the unexpected catalyst for her online community - How consistency helped her build trust long before social media became a business model - What criticism taught her about confidence, identity and being misunderstood - The expensive lesson that changed how she approaches teams, money and growth - Why protecting her peace now matters more than accepting every profitable opportunity And, as always, Liza asks the question at the heart of every conversation: **What is the Smartest Big Deal you have ever made?** For Katherine, the answer began with the decision to put herself online. **ABOUT SMART WOMEN BIG DEALS** Smart Women Big Deals is a podcast hosted by Liza Kaufman, featuring candid conversations about entrepreneurship, leadership, reinvention and the defining decisions behind extraordinary success. **CONNECT WITH SMART WOMEN BIG DEALS** Website: https://smartwomenbigdeals.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartwomenbigdeals TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@smartwomenbigdeals YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@smartwomenbigdeals Media and partnership inquiries: [team@smartwomenbigdeals.com](mailto:team@smartwomenbigdeals.com) New episodes every Wednesday. Follow Smart Women Big Deals wherever you listen to podcasts and subscribe on YouTube to watch the full conversations.