IAM888- Owner Helps Brands Grow Their Revenue

Kelsey Kloss is the owner of Malty the Blue Tiger and NICEIFY Editing. Malty the Blue Tiger provides bilingual children's books and audiobooks that celebrate every unique voice, and can be found in classrooms and homes around the world. At NICEIFY Editing, Kelsey offers professional, private editing services with a personal touch for both businesses and individuals.

Previously, Kelsey worked as a full-time editor for national magazine brands such as Reader's Digest, Good Housekeeping, ELLE Decor, Prevention, Woman's Day, and more. She has helped several notable brands grow their revenue through the power of creative content marketing and compelling copywriting.

• CEO Hack: Putting three high-priority items on my to-do list
• CEO Nugget: Make your content personal and be meticulous in your writing
• CEO Defined: Creating that which enriches the world and bringing the human touch in business

Website: http://www.maltythebluetiger.com/

https://www.niceifyediting.com/

www.KelseyKloss.com

Malty the Blue Tiger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maltythebluetiger

In Plain Language (a podcast about speech and language in kids, presented by Malty the Blue Tiger): https://open.spotify.com/show/071yVe49afVs3E3HlThKIU

In Plain Language Podcast (presented by Malty the Blue Tiger): https://anchor.fm/in-plain-language

Malty the Blue Tiger bilingual books are available online from trusted retailers such as Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and more: https://www.amazon.com/Malty-Blue-Tiger-Marita-tigresita/dp/0692974679

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[00:00:18.69] – Intro

Are you ready to hear business stories and learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and level up your business from awesome CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresh values your time and is ready to share with you the valuable info you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO podcast.

[00:00:46.60] – Gresham Harkless

Hello. Hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast, and I have a very special guest on the show. I have Kelsey Kloss of Malty-the Blue Tiger and NICEIFY Editing. Kelsey, it's awesome to have you on the show.

[00:00:56.00] – Kelsey Kloss

Hi, Gresh. Thank you so much for having me on your podcast today. It's a joy to be here chatting with you and everyone listening.

[00:01:01.70] – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. Absolutely. The joy is all ours, and you're doing so many phenomenal things. I wanted to read a little bit more about Kelsey so you can hear about all those awesome things that she's doing. And Kelsey is the owner of Malty-the Blue Tiger and Niceify Editing. Malty the Blue Tiger provides bilingual children's books and audiobooks that celebrate every unique voice and can be found in classrooms and homes around the world.

At Niceify Editing, Kelsey offers professional and private editing services with a personal touch for both businesses and individuals. Previously, Kelsey worked as a full-time editor for national magazine brands such as Reader's Digest, Good Housekeeping, Elle Decor, Prevention, Woman's Day, and many more. She has helped several notable brands grow their revenue through the power of creative content marketing and compelling copywriting. Kelsey, are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

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[00:01:47.00] – Kelsey Kloss

I am. All set.

[00:01:48.29] – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Well, let's do it then. So to kinda kick everything off, I wanted to hear a little bit more about how you got started. Could you shake us through what I call your CEO story, and we'll let you get started with what I call your CEO story?

[00:01:56.29] – Kelsey Kloss

Absolutely. Thank you so much for the introduction. So to start with Malty-the Blue Tiger, as you mentioned, we provide language learning resources, and those include bilingual books in English and Spanish and English and French. And those are for kids, parents, and teachers around the world. These books tell the story of a little tiger who goes on a journey that is criticized for the sound of her roar along the way. So, she tries to hide it and to instead sound like birds, monkeys, or even a big red truck. So as you can imagine, that doesn't go too well in the story until she learns that her unique roar is the best sound of all. I was inspired to create this character because growing up, I had to play scene several sounds like my Rs and certain vowels.

So I knew all the feelings and emotions that come with being a kid who speaks differently from everyone else. You know, you get a lot of questions like, why do you talk that way or where are you from? So there are so many other children who experience this, whether their family moves to a new place or they simply have trouble saying certain sounds and words like I did. But in my own experience at least, I never saw children's books that covered that topic. So for these kids, a lot of times they feel like they're the only child in the world who sounds different from others and that it's a problem, which couldn't be further from the truth.

So I started Malty- the Blue Tiger to address that and to help every child celebrate their unique voice, as you mentioned in the introduction. And, you know, also learned Spanish as a second language throughout my childhood, and later studying it at the university level and living in Spain, for a short period, I knew that there are very few books that had two languages printed in them, let alone that had learning tools like color-coded words or bolding or illustrated glossaries. So these are all features that I included in Multiply Blue Tiger bilingual books to help kids learn language along the way so they don't just see two languages and and wonder what to do with that. And in general, I believe that just learning another language is like learning to see the world in a new color. And that can open so many doors and so many avenues for understanding others in more than one way for young children.

[00:04:04.30] – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. Appreciate that. I love everything about the story of Malty and what it represents more than anything else. Because I think so many times, especially as adults even, we have those things that happen to us, and we sometimes carry those on as we grow older. And I love that talk about through the story, the ability for us to be appreciative of our unique voice of who we are and what makes us unique. And so many times, we're shunned for that, and we're not we don't even appreciate that ourselves.

I love that's being brought to life. And, of course, the opportunity to really, learn and execute and understand the lessons of a different language so that you can see and operate from a different lens because I think so many times that's what, you know, we can appreciate about each other.

[00:04:51.00] – Kelsey Kloss

A hundred percent. A hundred percent. It is amazing how many people say, I hate the way I sound, or I hate my voice when I hear it, you know, on a recording. And that's something that, I hope to change for a lot of people, plus that appreciation of language.

[00:05:03.00] – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. Absolutely. And it sounds like you're definitely on your way to doing that well. I'm happy that I have my, copy as well too. And and how did you get started with, Niceify Editing?

[00:05:10.69] – Kelsey Kloss

Sure. So Niceify Editing is my other company. I started this business because through years of working as an editor for, you know, national magazines, creating marketing copy for brands, to help them meet their revenue goals. I just realized that many of the editing services out there check for spelling and grammar, but what businesses and individuals are looking for help with their copy is voice, tone, style, flow, word choice, and those somewhat invisible attributes of writing that make it sound quote-unquote good.

So I like to say Niceify Editing is, professional private editing with that personable touch like you mentioned, to help you make an impression with every word, whether you're a business working on a website copy or an individual working on an important email. So there's a range of editing services available, through Niceify editing, and, that's how that got started.

[00:06:01.10] – Gresham Harkless

Nice. I appreciate that. And that voice speech is so huge because I know you're working with clients and working with so many great brands. That story and the manifestation of the story through the words and the content that's created goes so far as helping even businesses find their unique voice as well as, like, you've been with Malty the Blue Tiger. And I think when you have that synergy and that ability to be able to take things to another level, it really comes across and creates really, great connections and lifetime, fans and family.

[00:06:34.10] – Kelsey Kloss

Absolutely. It's so important.

[00:06:36.39] – Gresham Harkless

Nice. Absolutely. So I know you touched on it a little bit. Are there any things additional about how you serve your clients from Malty the Blue Tiger and also from Niceify Editing?

[00:06:46.19] – Kelsey Kloss

Yeah. I'll say that for Malty the Blue Tiger, our main focus right now is providing bilingual children's books. They are used by many families, whether they're bilingual families or families wanting to learn a language together, and also used by many teachers in classrooms. Again, those books are in English and Spanish and English and French, and, those are found online from plenty of great retailers like Amazon, Target, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, and so on. And then for Niceify editing, businesses and individuals can reach out for any editing needs, whether it is, finessing a resume, crafting a tough but necessary email, making an announcement, fine-tuning your business's marketing copy, your website language, whatever you might need, that's available through Niceify.

[00:07:30.60] – Gresham Harkless

Nice. And it and it makes so much sense. I almost see, and I don't know if you find the same thing, the the synergies between the two, because I almost feel like what you were able to do and the mission that you have with Molten Blue Tiger, also is in alignment with a lot of the missions we have as organizations and businesses, and sometimes we don't know how best to get that information in the name out there. So I love, I don't know if you find the same synergies, but I definitely can see how the Malty-the-blue tiger within each of our organizations and our businesses could come out, and I love that you help organizations to do that.

[00:08:00.89] – Kelsey Kloss

A hundred percent. You're right.

[00:08:03.50] – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. So I wanted to ask you now for what I call your secret sauce. This could be for you personally or your businesses, but what do you feel sets you apart and makes you unique?

[00:08:12.30] – Kelsey Kloss

Sure. So, I'll touch on what this is for my businesses. I think for Malty the Blue Tiger, our secret sauce combines compelling and giggle-worthy storytelling with language learning tools and visual cues. So kids are naturally picking up the target language while they're having fun and learning those little life lessons. So many I know many of our customers enjoy the rhyming and unique message of the stories. So I think that is a unique and secret sauce combination of elements available in those books. And then what makes

Niceify editing special, in my opinion, is that when you submit your copy for editing, it receives a thorough edit that employs the, again, quote-unquote invisible rules of editing, like pinpointing the tone and language used to reach your audience. So for instance, if you're a business and, you know, you wanna make sure the writing that appears in, let's say, your email marketing, site assets, social media, and everything else, use this language that connects with your customers or potential customers.

So you wanna know exactly what your relationship is with your customers. Are you a voice of authority for them that they look to for tips? Are you their best friend that they look to for humor? You know, how do they find These are all things that NiceFi editing addresses that go far beyond just checking for spelling and grammar.

[00:09:40.00] – Gresham Harkless

I wanted to, switch gears a little bit, and I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. This could be an app, a book, or a habit that you have, but what's something that makes you more effective and efficient?

[00:09:50.29] – Kelsey Kloss

Sure. So I'm a big fan of to-do lists, but it's really easy to get so caught up in checking things off your to-do list that you write a bunch of things on yours that aren't moving the needle for your business. And I think that a lot of other business owners can probably relate to that. So although it's incredibly difficult, especially because we're always wearing so many hats and we want to do so many different things in a given day for our companies, I try to put the three highest priority items on my list in a given day, and sometimes it takes a good amount of thought to winnow those down.

And try to knock out the highest priority or most time-consuming one first. A lot of times you hear that you should start with the smallest, easiest items on your to-do list because it makes you feel accomplished. But I think this can also zap your energy when you're most refreshed at the beginning of the day and when you have your most, you know, gusto. So I would dive into your biggest or highest priority projects first because can feel just as rewarding to cross something off your list that, again, really moves the needle for your business first thing in the morning, and eliminates any type of procrastination that might be looming.

[00:10:53.60] – Gresham Harkless

I wanted to ask you now for what I call a CEO nugget, and this could be a word of wisdom or a piece of advice. It might be something you would tell a client, or if you were to hop into a time machine, you might tell your younger business self.

[00:11:04.29] – Kelsey Kloss

Sure. So I will approach this from the perspective of, content marketing. As you know, for those business owners listening. You know, when you're writing copy as a business for customers, as we mentioned before, you need to be incredibly familiar with who that customer persona is and speak directly to them through your writing. You try to avoid writing as though you're speaking to a crowd through your web So make your copy personal. Imagine you're writing to one specific customer. So make your copy personal. Imagine you're writing to one specific customer. And also, a lot of times beginner writers, might think, okay, I'm posting this on the Internet, so I'll give it a quick review, but I can just fix any mistakes later.

But it's so important to be incredibly meticulous with your writing because you don't earn your customers or your readers' trust in the big moments. You earn it through every small keystroke. So if a reader can't trust you to, let's say, get the placement of a comma right, how can they trust you to get the big things right, like the design of the crib you're selling or nutrition data for a meal plan? So as a business, your marketing copy can be an incredible trust-building tool if you use it effectively.

[00:12:18.10] – Gresham Harkless

Nice. I love that. And, I think what came to mind for me was, a quote the way you do some things is the way you do all things. And as you said, like, every keystroke, every comma that's there or not there, kinda showcases something about your brand or something about your business. So it's so important to make sure that you are, you know, paying attention to all those small nuances because they communicate your brand without you even knowing it. And, of course, other things play a part. But I almost feel, and I'm sure you have heard this as well too from clients, that it's the consistency of the actions, not the big home run, so to speak, that helps a person decide whether they're gonna work with you or not.

[00:13:00.50] – Kelsey Kloss

Absolutely. Definitely. I think consistency is one of the most powerful ways to build trust, whether it's with a client or with a customer.

[00:13:07.89] – Gresham Harkless

Yes. And I love that. And so I wanted to ask you now for my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO, and we're hoping to have different quotes-unquote CEOs on the show. So, Kelsey, what does being a CEO mean to you?

[00:13:19.60] – Kelsey Kloss

Yeah. That's such a great question. You know, for me, being a CEO, means creating products, services, systems, and work environments that enrich the world for your customers, for the people who are involved in your company, like employees, and your community as a whole. I think it means being an expert communicator, strategist, and decision maker, but also remembering how important it is to be someone who has empathy and understanding, and just a deep desire to leave a positive impact.

[00:13:53.60] – Gresham Harkless

Nice. And I, I love, since we're, of course, talking about words, I love that word you use called enrich. And I think there's so many different ways that you can do that as you, you know, said so well, you know, with the clients that we're working with, the team members that you have. And I think when we put everything in perspective, we understand why we're doing what we're doing, whether it'd be a big business or a small business or anything in between, it allows that opportunity to enrich people's lives to really remind ourselves of that human aspect of business and entrepreneurship and, delve down deep so that we're able to make that impact.

[00:14:27.10] – Kelsey Kloss

Right. It's so true.

[00:14:29.10] – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Well, Kelsey, truly appreciate that perspective and I appreciate your time even more. What I wanted to do is pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional you can let our readers and listeners know, and, of course, how best they can get a hold of you, get a copy of the book, and find out about all the awesome things that you're working on.

[00:14:44.60] – Kelsey Kloss

Absolutely. I think if you're listening to this podcast, you are already taking steps to either start your business or grow your business in some way, and that is incredibly admirable. You are putting in the work to add something brand new to the world that presumably helps people. So never lose sight of how valuable that is, even when the going gets tough. And I think if you do that, you'll never regret a day on this journey. It's it's a noble cause, in my opinion. And then in terms of in terms of getting in touch, I welcome all emails and notes. I'd love to chat more. To get in touch with me about MaltyThe Blue Tiger, you can reach out to info@maltythebluetiger.com. Again, our books are available, through Amazon, Target, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, and plenty of other retailers. To get in touch about Niceify Editing, you can reach out to Niceifyediting@gmail.com or visit Niceifyediting.com.

[00:15:43.39] – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Thank you so much again, Kelsey. We will have the links and information in the show notes so that everybody can follow up with you. But I truly appreciate that reminder. I think so many times when you're, quote-unquote, fighting through the day and you're putting out fires and doing all the things that you have to do as a business owner and entrepreneur, you sometimes forget why you're doing what you're doing and the impact that you're having.

So I appreciate you reminding us to give ourselves a pat on the back and understand that we are creating phenomenal things for the world, and I think so many times you can lose sight of that. So appreciate that reminder so much. Appreciate you again, and I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.

[00:16:16.70] – Outro

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.

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