girl boss spotlight: mr. kate

i've been following mr. kate for sometime now. she's such an inspiration from her fantastic jewelry line, to her DIY projects and beyond! enjoy this insightful interview... thank you kate 

-What lead u to your path?

A lot of randomness! If you look at my journey from actress to part time jewelry designer to blogger to DIYer to interior designer to having a lifestyle brand (Mr. Kate) involving all of the above (except acting unless you count what I do on-camera for our lifestyle YouTube videos acting) it all kind of makes sense but getting there seemed like a roller coaster ride. I love how life's experiences prove to all be an essential part of your future map but of course, you don't know that in the moment!

-any early job nightmare stories?

I worked for a lady who ran a jewelry gallery and she was an inspiration as an entrepreneur but very intense. She was super neurotic about the jewelry and made me so nervous I'd drop stuff all the time which would insight a hollering session from her about how I had to be more careful! 

-The most rewarding part of running your own business?

It feels cliché to say "working for myself" but that is a really awesome part of having your own business but it is also the hardest part because you are the motivating factor, if you're not working, no one else is! I would say the most rewarding part is that I've been able to create a business based around sharing creativity. I love that my work inspires others to find their own self expression, that's rewarding and gives a deeper meaning to jewelry, decorating and DIY.

-Who's your female role model?

Ooo, I have to pick just one? That's hard! I really admire people like Tina Fey who are so powerful and funny! I love that she is a boss lady who is super creative and has a sense of humor about all the other bullshit. She creates shows and puts herself in them and everyone loves her for it! She also is a working mother which I think is probably are very difficult balance and I admire women who can do both! Maybe I'll get there one day ; )

-any tips or advise you'd give to another lady starting her own business?  

Come at your business idea from all angles. Examine it from a creative side i.e, will what I do/make inspire people and can I sustain and scale this creativity but also examine it from a business side and educate yourself about the marketplace, your peers, competition, etc. Be realistic but also dream big. It's a tough balance but knowledge and curiosity work in tandem. 

-favorite place to find inspiration 

The world wide web and the whole wide world! There is inspiration everywhere and if I need something different from blogs, pinterest, instagram, etc. I will go outside or to a museum or hang out with fun people!

-favorite beauty product? 

Mascara, it always makes me feel more awake. Lately I've been enjoying the Better Than Sex mascara by Two Faced. 

-a little something people would be shocked to know?

I run Mr. Kate with my BF for life aka husband Joey so that means we live AND work together and spend 24 hours a day together and the shocking thing is... we love it!

mrkate.com

girl boss spotlight: buried diamond

i first found martha porters work at a cute little store in la called pygmy hippo. i love that her jewelry is wearable art, it's so full of color and fun. i always look forward to the charms she does every season... but you have to jump fast since they always go quick. check out her etsy shop here. 

-What lead u to your path to jewelry?

I've made jewelry since I was a kid, but mostly as a hobby. I still have some of my childhood creations! I've always liked to draw, paint, sew, and embellish. I am very interested in wearable art and adornment. I worked as a textile designer in the fashion industry for about 8 years (I just recently left my 9-5 job at Kate Spade Saturday), and for the past 4 or so years, I have been more serious about making jewelry on the side. I started to realize how important it is to me to make things with my hands. Jewelry is sculpture, fashion, and magic. When making jewelry, you transform raw materials into something beautiful.

-The most rewarding part of running your own business. 

Hearing positive feedback from customers! Knowing that someone else loves something that you have made erases every funny look or negative comment I've received. As you know, there is so much hard work behind running your own business, and not all of it is fun...ummm recordkeeping?....I love that I can design what I want to wear, and there are others who want to wear it, too. 

-Favorite music to listen to while working 

When I'm doing production runs of jewelry, I often watch TV/movies (I just finished Buffy the Vampire Slayer while working on Halloween styles & I'm sad it's over!), when I'm packing orders, I listen to podcasts. I listen to music when I'm painting or designing new styles....either Hot 97 or girly stuff like Lana del Rey & Grimes.

-Who's your female role model 

I really look up to Andrea Grossman of Mrs. Grossman's stickers and Lisa Frank. They are both women who designed their own product and created successful businesses. And Mrs. Grossman owns her own production facility - a sticker factory!!! They both proove that there is a market for fun, playful products. Think of how many people have a strong emotional connection to their designs. That's really powerful.

-any tips or advise you'd give to someone starting their own business?  

Plan in advance, but know that you can't plan for everything! Trust yourself and your ideas, you can make it happen. 

-any new projects in the works? 

Always! I'm working on some new charms and laser cut designs, and I have some Christmas ornaments in the works.