Katherine Smith of Walton Birch: Building Better Businesses (One Complex Website at a Time)
Katherine Smith is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Walton Birch, an Atlanta-based web development and data consulting firm specializing in complex, high-impact websites and online stores. A former corporate marketer turned entrepreneur, she has become a trusted partner for small businesses, nonprofits, and agencies that need serious web infrastructure—not just a quick DIY site. She’s also the co-founder of Black Lady Business School and a Georgia Tech 40 Under 40 honoree, using her skills to make entrepreneurship more accessible and sustainable.
From pivoting during the pandemic to rebuilding legacy sites on modern platforms, Katherine’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, strategy, and doing the hard work that actually moves the needle.
Key Takeaways from the Episode:
Pivot with purpose. Katherine left corporate for a “temporary break,” launched a marketing research firm, then quickly pivoted into web development when the pandemic changed everything—following the revenue and the need.
Serve the real problem in front of you. When local boutiques and brick-and-mortar businesses in Georgia were scrambling to sell safely, she helped them stand up buy-online, curbside pickup, and other fast, practical solutions.
Differentiate or race to the bottom. Her early days building $150 sites taught her that competing on price is a dead end—specializing in large, complex, multi-page builds and migrations is where Walton Birch thrives.
Know your numbers. Whether it’s cost per order, cost to produce a service, or the stages of your pipeline/funnel, if you don’t track it, you can’t improve it—and you definitely can’t price sustainably.
Resilience is the real “unfair advantage.” From client horror stories and broken contracts to financial uncertainty, Katherine shows how boundaries, long-term thinking, and staying the course separate real entrepreneurs from the highlight-reel version of “hustle.”
Memorable Quote:
“For me, resilience means staying the course.”