Meet Mia Kotalik, the creative mind behind Curie & Co, a tech company with a mission to empower passionate individuals in turning their dreams into thriving businesses through affordable web and software development services. Mia's journey blends her love for the arts and sciences, shaping her approach to coding as an art form. From humble beginnings in her college dorm room, Mia navigated challenges to achieve a remarkable milestone of a $100k year before graduating, proving the potential of freelancing as a serious career. With the belief that "a website makes it real," Mia's vision is to democratize technology, making it accessible to all and serving as a powerful equalizer for aspiring entrepreneurs. Join us as we delve into Mia's inspiring story of resilience, creativity, and empowering others in the world of tech and entrepreneurship.
What inspired you to start Curie & Co, and how did you come up with the name?
The inspiration behind starting Curie & Co came from being surrounded by many small business owners and solo-entreprenuers. Being in the creative/crafty world myself I met a lot of passionate makers with products they wanted to sell and market. I have even done my fair share of craft sales and been through many of the struggles small business owners face with limited budgets. I am fortunate to have grown up interested in technology and programming. So I wanted to use my tech skills to create a company that offers affordable, high-quality web and software development services to help passionate people reach their dreams. The phrase "a website makes it real" encapsulates our mission perfectly—it’s about turning ideas into tangible, thriving businesses.
The name Curie & Co is a nod to my dog, Curie, and my rabbit, Coco. Curie was named after the scientist Marie Curie. I named the company after my pets because my freelance journey started during the covid lockdowns and at the time they were my only “co-workers.”
How did your background in both the arts and sciences shape your approach to web development?
I think of coding as an art form, not much different from something more traditional like drawing. I recently wrote an article on Medium about this where I said: Even if AI renders manual coding obsolete, “I would still code — just for the sheer joy of creation. In the same way, artists will continue to paint, even if machines can replicate their art in a fraction of the time. Because when all is said and done, it’s not just about the product; it’s about the irreplaceable, creative journey of making something from nothing.”
Websites are extremely visual and have a huge creative component. It is one of the reasons I have loved web development so much. It is the perfect blend of creativity and technology.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when starting Curie & Co from your college dorm room?
I learned a lot of my technical skills while pretty young. The first website I made and “sold” for Neopoints was when I was in middle school. And that isn’t exactly seen as “real” experience. So starting out, it was hard for people to take me seriously being barely 18 with no college degree. Obviously, I don’t think of my 9 year old self as having run a successful freelancing business. But, there was many lessons I learned that ended up giving me a leg up when I started my company. The biggest being communication - the golden rule of freelancing. Even in the world of Neopets, understanding the ‘client's’ vision and getting into their shoes was essential.
How did you manage to reach your first $100k year before graduating, and what did that achievement mean to you?
100k wasn’t necessarily a set goal of mind that I was paying attention to and working towards actively. It kind of snuck up on me. I learned if you treat your clients well they will find you new clients. It really is the best marketing strategy. Until a few years ago, I considered freelancing more of a side gig or hobby that I was going to use to make money while in college. I saw myself eventually going into big tech after graduation. Meeting the 100k milestone, solidified that it was something that could be a full-time serious career. Even after surpassing that goal I still have family members that don’t quite take my job seriously. So it is something I emphasize whenever doing a speaking event - you can support yourself full-time through freelancing.
What does the quote "a website makes it real" mean to you, and how does it reflect your mission?
In the past if you wanted to start a business you needed to find a storefront, hire employees, get a cash register, etc—all significant barriers for someone with limited resources. But with a website you can jump over that red tape and get straight to selling your product or getting your ideas out into the world
Curie & Co’s mission is to empower startups and entrepreneurs by providing them with the tech and digital marketing tools they need to start their businesses. Each website we build is a step towards making someone's dream come true.
How do you believe technology can serve as a powerful equalizer for individuals pursuing their passion projects?
Technology has been used in a lot of ways to gatekeep. A lot of “tech bro” culture is about alienating people without tech skills and manipulating them to be afraid of trying out new things like coding. Curie & Co spends a lot of time on free resources or DIY tutorials so we can give people the option of learning new tech skills. We want to make technology accessible and combat the culture of gatekeeping. A lot of time clients will find, that with the right resources, managing an online store or doing some DIY development work is not as scary as it once seemed.
But, we also totally get it when people prefer to have us handle all the tech stuff. We’re just here to provide resources and the ability for those who want to learn about technology to do so. 🙂
What advice would you give to young women who are interested in diving into tech and entrepreneurship?
My biggest piece of advice is you don’t need anyone's permission to start building your portfolio. I see a lot of people waiting for a job or an internship to provide them with experience. But you don’t have to wait for anyone else. You can start building your portfolio on your own and personal projects are just as valid!
Can you share an example of a project or client that particularly embodies the mission of Curie & Co?
I started working for the non-profit organization Community Loaves almost 4 years ago. When I started it was a small team of home bakers in Seattle baking bread and donating it to local food banks. It is now in 6 states and counting: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, South Carolina, and Arizona. Working with them has been particularly rewarding because I’ve gotten the opportunity to visit the home base in Seattle several times and tour the food banks that receive the bread donations. Getting to see the impact in person was a particularly rewarding experience.
What future goals or plans do you have for Curie & Co, and how do you hope to continue inspiring others?
This year I want to continue growing the Curie & Co team. I have an intern program in the works with many resources to learn development and design skills. I find so much joy and satisfaction from my work and I’d love others to share in that joy as well.
I am also the host of two-sister show podcasts Technically, a Podcast - Tech Tips for Small Business Success and Technically, a Podcast Pathways to Programming. I am looking forward to the next season of these shows.
I want to continue making courses and tutorials that are accessible, low-cost and often free to encourage more people to explore technology. You can follow along with the new courses, podcast and news at:
https://www.instagram.com/helloitsmia.tech/,
and you can sign up to be notified when new content is put out here: https://helloitsmia.com/.
