From Social Work to Entrepreneurship: Katie Dirrig’s Founder Journey

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Milan Kohut, Katie Dirrig joins the show to share her journey from a 15-year career in social work to co-founding Rooted Business Foundations, a comprehensive business support company serving women, LGBTQ+, and underserved entrepreneurs. Drawing from her background in nonprofit leadership and real estate, Katie explains how a series of intentional pivots led her to build a one-stop-shop model that helps founders move from burnout to sustainable growth.**Katie breaks down how Rooted Business Foundations supports entrepreneurs at every stage—from idea validation to team expansion—through customized audits, administrative systems, marketing support, and coaching. The conversation explores relationship-driven client acquisition, navigating inconsistent revenue cycles, thoughtful use of paid ads, and the challenge of stepping out of client work into true leadership. Katie also shares her long-term vision of building a values-aligned, community-centered ecosystem that prioritizes impact, collaboration, and financial empowerment over competition.