Conversations with Kate Pulley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Pulley.

Hi Kate, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
We moved from Texas to Georgia in late 2014. My husband grew up here, but I am from Ohio and knew no one. I left a career working for the federal government to stay home with our kids, who were 3.5 and 1.5 at the time. I found it difficult to make friends, figure out preschool, find a good pediatrician, etc. and wondered how other transplanted moms were figuring it all out since this area is so full of families from other places. I sought to find a group or resource that would help me with these things and simply could not locate anything. Seeing the lack of any type of “mom community” in our area, I started Suwanee Area Moms Club (SAMC) in 2017 as a resource for women to connect, network, socialize, seek advice & recommendations, and support each other. I also got out into our surrounding areas and worked with hundreds of business owners to establish partnerships to offer Club-exclusive discounts. Supporting local businesses makes us feel like more of a community! SAMC has grown over the last five years to almost a thousand moms and our business partner list is seven pages long. We’ve enjoyed countless events, cultivated thousands of friendships, helped our local businesses be successful, and even saved our families money.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been mostly smooth, given what I call the “vibe of our tribe.” Our members are the kindest, most supportive, thoughtful, loving, concerned, helpful women I’ve ever known. One of the struggles has been that I never anticipated our Club growing this large. The interest has been off the charts and it’s a lot for me to maintain, but so worth it. As a way to help us feel more intimate, we have established dozens of SAMC special interest subgroups, where our moms can chat and connect over topics from juggling work to TV shows to cooking to sports to raising teenagers. It truly helps us feel like we know each other, even if we haven’t met in person at an event (yet). Another component of our group that’s extremely important to me is our diversity. It’s crucial that we are welcoming to all moms. One of my valued member moderators posted something recently that really resonated with me, and explains one of the core tenets of our group: “Beyond diversity, it is a life goal to be a bridge between the differences that separate us and the similarities that connect us. We identify and celebrate differences for the purpose of enriching our lives with the beauty found in our differences- culturally, socio-economically, physically, religiously, and whatever other man-fabricated categories that would divide us- while inviting others into ours.”

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Suwanee Area Moms Club is very unique. As far as I know, it’s the only group of its kind. Our events, partnerships, and community are unmatched. We’ve done charity work, party yacht lake cruises, moms-only hotel sleepovers, restaurant VIP pre-openings, family trivia nights, and so much more. We are special because we are so active, constantly getting together and sharing our lives, and because we welcome all women regardless of what stage of motherhood they’re in, whether they work outside the home or don’t, where they’re from, whether they’re married or single, none of it matters to us- we are all mothers! We boast members from every corner of the world and celebrate our amazing diversity while loving and supporting each other in countless ways. I’m so proud to be the founder of SAMC, especially with the wonderful and well-established reputation we have throughout our neighborhoods. I could only hope that every mother has the loving, dependable, accepting community that we’ve created with SAMC.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Nope – simply connecting with other women is where I gain all my inspiration and guidance! The knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained just by knowing such a huge group of women bonded by the commonality of motherhood is immeasurable. I feel so fortunate to have found them all and brought them together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cgroch.wixsite.com/suwaneeareamomsclub?fbclid=IwAR2TR0tu-fn_fWZmHK8sq77nU-UK1ONX4sQy7dioU9UHrCsgCVc6RrZugxU

Image Credits:
Tiffany Kelly photography Heirloom Portraits by Dawnlight Photos