The Goal Digger Podcast – Episode 917: "I Quit Social Media And My Business Grew 165%: Here’s How"

Host: Jenna Kutcher
Guest: Kate Kordsmeier, Founder of Success with Soul
Date: September 29, 2025

Episode Overview

In this transformative episode, Jenna Kutcher sits down with Kate Kordsmeier to explore a radical but increasingly relevant idea in online business: What if you could ditch social media altogether… and your business could thrive?

Kate shares her story of stepping off the social media hamster wheel in 2021, the mindset and tactical shifts that enabled her business to grow by 165% without constant posting, and the sustainable strategies she now swears by. Together, Jenna and Kate unpack the realities of content burnout, the changing landscape of SEO in an AI-driven world, and practical ways entrepreneurs can build life-first businesses that don’t run on dance trends, hashtags, or algorithm hacks.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Biggest Lie in Online Business

• You do NOT have to be on social media to succeed.
• Kate describes the pervasive myth that Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok are required for business success as "so not true."
  • "I have dozens of clients who are also living proof. You don't have to dance on reels to build a company. You just need a business model, an email list, and the right people to find you." — Kate (05:53)
• Social can be "icing, not the cake" (06:25).

2. Kate's Path Off Social: Why She Quit and What Happened Next

• Kate’s journey began with a 30-day "social detox" in 2021 out of frustration and burnout.
  • "30 days turned into 60, turned into 600, and now here we are four years later and I'm like, I'm never going back. It's so much better on this side of things." — Kate (07:56)
• She emphasizes three guiding questions: Do I enjoy this? Is it working? Is it aligned with my values? (08:45)
• The Social Dilemma documentary strongly influenced her decision to step away.

3. A Business Model Without Social Media: What Does It Look Like?

• Jenna and Kate list marketing assets outside of social: Podcasting, paid ads, email marketing, Pinterest, SEO, AI-generated search content, partnerships, affiliate marketing, list swaps, and JV collaborations (11:33).
• Search-first (SEO/SEO for AI), email-first, and partnerships are Kate’s key levers.
  • "There’s nothing secret magic about my strategy. It's just believing that you actually could do it without social." — Kate (12:15)

4. The ROI (or Not) of Social: Vanity Metrics vs. Real Results

• Time spent on social media often doesn’t translate to revenue or leads.
  • "Instagram does not exist to help entrepreneurs grow their business. Instagram exists to help Instagram grow Instagram." — Kate (16:24)
• Calculate the actual ROI: "What is your hourly rate you're throwing away onto social media?" — Jenna (17:17)
• Passive scrolling and 'inspiration hunting' are major time sucks.

5. The New Era of SEO (and What AI Changes)

• Is SEO dead? No, but it’s evolving:
  • AI is changing search; now there's SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization — optimizing for AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google's AI overviews).
  • The core principle remains: "Create helpful content that answers questions people have." — Kate (21:58)
• Search-based content outlives “hamster wheel” social posts.
  • "You are literally answering people's questions, not just shouting into the void." — Jenna (25:11)
• Blogs, podcasts, and Pinterest are all long-form, search-driven content engines.

6. Sustainability & Shelf Life: Working Less, Making More

• Kate publishes just a few posts a month; they generate leads and revenue for years.
  • Story: A 2016 blog post about organic meat delivery earned $50,000 in one month four years after publishing during the pandemic (27:14).
• Key steps to start organic visibility (SEO/GEO):
  1. Answer your ideal client's questions in a Q&A-style format.
  2. Lead with your unique, human experience — share firsthand stories and results.
  3. Repurpose old content (update, refresh, and optimize).

7. Automation, Evergreen Funnels, and Email-First Sales

• Kate’s sales systems are automated and evergreen:
  • Weekly flash-sale emails, AI-powered intake forms, and long-term nurture sequences.
  • "I only work 20 hours a week myself. I'm just like the evergreen queen. I rarely do anything live anymore." — Kate (36:28)
• Automated emails generate three times more revenue than one-off emails (37:33).

8. Permission to Step Off the Treadmill

• Both Jenna and Kate highlight the mental freedom gained by quitting social:
  • "It's so much more than the time that you spend on social that you get back... It's so much more of the mental bandwidth." — Kate (42:10)
  • "My business, if I stopped creating today, my blog, podcast, and Pinterest would all live on and generate revenue for years to come." — Jenna (38:48)
• Shifting from vanity metrics (likes, followers) to business metrics (sales, leads).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "If you love social, it can be the icing. It shouldn't be the cake." — Kate (06:25)
• "You don't have to dance on reels to build a company." — Kate (05:54)
• "SEO is much chiller. Think of a couple questions your ideal client asks... lead with the answer." — Kate (26:47)
• "Instagram exists to help Instagram grow Instagram." — Kate (16:24)
• "People are still searching; they're just searching with different tools." — Kate (20:15)
• "When I became a mom, I was like, any time spent in my business can't just be a flash in the pan. It's not worth it to me to tell my kids, 'I'll be with you after I get this post up.'" — Jenna (37:10)
• "You might get 500 likes, but that doesn't really mean anything... the quality is so much better [when people find you via search]." — Kate (48:26)
• "There are so many levers we as entrepreneurs can be pulling. If social media is not resonating, there are other levers to pull." — Jenna (55:05)

Key Action Steps for Listeners

1. Audit your marketing efforts: Where is your time and energy actually leading to results?
2. Identify the top 25 questions your ideal audience has using ChatGPT or your own customer data; create Q&A content around these (44:14).
3. Repurpose old content: Update, optimize and refresh high-performing posts — don’t always start from scratch.
4. Set up and refine evergreen, automated email funnels for ongoing sales (34:03).
5. Focus on partnerships: Guest on podcasts, do list swaps, and JV promotions.

Recommended Resources

• Kate’s Course: Antisocial SEO (Use code JENNA50 for 50% off)
• Kate’s site and offers: Success with Soul
• Working Genius Assessment (20% off with code GOLDDIGGER)
• Jenna’s Ultimate SEO Resource: jennakutcher.com/SEO

Final Takeaways

• Opting out of social media does NOT mean opting out of marketing; it means choosing sustainable, life-first strategies.
• SEO is not dead, but how it is practiced is evolving with AI; focus on helpful, human content.
• Not every post or piece of content needs to be new or “viral” — longevity and shelf-life win over time.
• Your time (and mental energy) is your most valuable business currency.
• There is another way.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [05:50] – The biggest lie: You have to be on social to succeed
• [07:35] – Kate quitting social: how and why
• [11:21] – Marketing without social: the alternate path
• [16:24] – The ROI (or lack thereof) of social media time
• [20:07] – SEO and generative AI: The evolving landscape
• [26:39] – Getting started with SEO (and GEO) if you’re overwhelmed
• [34:03] – Non-social-based funnel strategies
• [38:48] – Sustainability, shelf life, and what business looks like off the treadmill
• [44:14] – How to generate blog ideas and content using AI
• [48:26] – Search/invitation marketing vs. interruptive marketing
• [51:33] – About Antisocial SEO and Kate’s approach in the AI era
• [53:26] – Where to connect with Kate (spoiler: not social media)

For more, visit the show notes and explore additional resources and links discussed.

This episode gives a much-needed permission slip to entrepreneurs everywhere: You can say no to the social grind, focus on sustainable systems like SEO, email, and partnerships, and still build an impactful, profitable, fulfilling business.