Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kat Minks. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kat, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I Many times when kids play with their barbies and dress them up, beg their mom to buy them fashion magazines when they are 8 or 9, or take a very overt interest in something that seems out of realm for the age the child is at, many people around that kid shrug it off as a hobby. Not many people one really thinks if their kid plays school teacher that they will be a teacher when they grow up. Or that if they pick up a hair brush and sing into it constantly that they will be a famous singer someday. If you would have asked my step mom or my dad that they thought I’d publish a magazine one day simply because I liked to read Vogue when I was eight, they would have smiled and chuckled. Or the fact that they thought I’d plan weddings and events. Even win awards for the work I did on the events! All simply because I set up pretend weddings when I was eight in our backyard and read wedding magazines to plan them. Again they would have chuckled.
What was going through my head at that time in my life was I was enamored by the dream of a celebration. Weddings happen to be one of the biggest and special celebrations in a lot of people’s lives. They were pretty, falloff flowers, happiness and love. I dreamt of having pretty things when I grew up because well… we didnt have a lot. Everything I had was pretty much second hand or from a shelter. I came to live with my father and step mom when I was young because my mom neglected me as a child. Even though being with my Dad and Step mother was better than I experienced prior it was still penny to penny. Interestingly enough I did not know my escaping into the world that the magazine pages I flipped though and cut out put me in the driver seat and became an anthem to what I wanted in my own life. But my inner self did.
I began dreaming and seeing a world of possibility in those magazines that was not my reality at the time.
People scoffed and thought it was “cute” that a little girl was such an expansive dreamer. I think I was that way because I had been to the bottom of the barrel. Lived there with my mom when there were christmases with no presents and just mac n cheese, and she didn’t even care. A Christmas spent in a foster home even. To me I had no where to go, but UP. In a lot of ways it was a blessing that I was so young when all of those traumatic things happened because if I had been an adult receiving that kind of trauma I don’t know there were enough instances that I could see and dream a world that anything was possible in. Now just because you’re grown up don’t think I’m saying you cant visualize a world that is limitless. It is more difficult to do that however, as we get older.
We grow up and we experience hurt, shame, let down, and embarrassment. We mess up sometimes and believe that all of the things that make us vulnerable people are bad . The feeling that Imperfection is bad starts driving our “car” and we begin to tell ourselves all of the things we can’t be, do, say, or have.
I would be lying to you if I said that I was always able to see the road ahead of me and was able to follow my Big Big dreams all of the time and every day. Because it’s not true. However when you pay attention to signs and signals in your life you start to realize how you are being led. How our paths are laid out for us and we can take a whole lot of detours (because fear and feeling of imperfection is driving our life) or we can trust we are deserving of anything good we can imagine we want in our lives.
I think I knew my purpose from the time is was that little girl making those pretend events or tearing out pages of the magazines that I was but I didn’t understand until the last few years actually why I had that purpose.
I believe now that I understand why my purpose is what it is I can truly fulfill my God given purpose and feel a true sense of fulfillment doing it. To get there though I had to trust all of the signs and get in touch with the limitless dreamer I was born as.
By knowing ultimately why my purpose is what it is, I am able to expand on it in every area of my life. Again things feel limitless because I know why I publish the magazine (ADORE), or create beautiful events for people to share or experience . It’s all to share LOVE as much as we can for the precious time we have here.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I became an entrepreneur after being a Makeup Artist and Wardrobe stylist for television and film. I loved that part of my career as a kick off to my dreams. For the most part I was my own boss but I felt I wanted something more and bigger than the role I had for myself fulfillment. I started helping produce fashion shows for some of my employers, and years later on a whim one day received an offer to help plan a wedding. In my gut I knew it was something I was always interested in ( in fact even dreamt about ) but at the time wedding planner was not a widely sought after profession or service for that matter. I know what you’re thinking.. “and makeup and wardrobe styling for tv and film was?” But you see…makeup and wardrobe styling I could see many more opportunities in at the time any where I lived and my immediate world at the time.
Years down the road I honed into knowing every facet of event and wedding planning. Opened Adore Productions LLC and I obtained a certification in planning weddings from the start of the new career journey but that was just the beginning. I planned weddings and parties for friends, family, and gained referrals. I immersed myself in knowing all there was about hospitality , entertaining, and design. When my life took a turn and I moved from Los Angeles back to where I was from, I even learned about the hotel sales/ catering sales and hospitality industry that way. All while, still keeping my own business open to take event clients on. I was able to multiply the amount of industry experience because I had double the exposure ( in the hotels I worked with and my own clients) and to various types of clients from social private events ( weddings, showers, birthdays) to corporate and public events as well. As time has moved on I took on decor design in events more than anything because my focus is guest guest experience at a gathering. This lead me to offer floral and decor options/customization for my event design clients.
It has been an incredible blessing to have my company doing what I love, but I too felt something in my journey to be more important than what I’d uncovered. I thought hard about ultimate dreams and what I came to was being able to share my knowledge in events and entertaining in hospitality with others. How could I make it different and why would someone want to hear or read what I had to say over a Martha Stuart or Joanna Gaines? I figured it out 1) They were not me and I was definitely not them. 2) I wanted to tell the stories behind celebrations along with inspiring others to create their own. Ultimately we all should be celebrating as much as we can because life is short. We were put here to acknowledge how much each day is a GIFT.
So in 2019 I did something everyone said I was, again, crazy to do and I started writing my own publication ADORE Magazine (An Inspirational Celebration and Lifestyle Publication). In it we feature Celebration/ Party / Event inspiration. Give people ideas and showcase people that plan or provide products that make a home or event pretty to be able to host others. Additionally ADORE showcases real events and give an inside look in what it takes to create those events or what it’s like to attend those events. We cover everything from style, home, relationships, spirituality, by showcasing celebrations and gatherings. Think of topics like : “What is a style choice for a bride that wants to be able to wear her wedding dress again and in various ways?” “Are thank you notes a lost art?” “How do I put together a wonderful party to celebrate my best girlfriends and make them feel awesome?” In every feature we try to incorporate what would make celebrating and sharing love and joy accessible and give people the tools to do that.
Now that I publish the magazine I am able to also incorporate my love for style and fashion with events and parties. I plan the feature photo shoots from a creative grain of sand idea and explode it into something that would be of interest and “wow” factor. Just as I do in the events that I plan for my company Adore Productions LLC.
Today as I expand on Adore Productions LLC and Adore Magazine I have added a podcast and YouTube channel to reach as many audience opportunities as possible. Being that Adore works closely with other business to provide content adn have advertisers this also moved into teaching and consulting with businesses on brand awareness, marketing engagement and more.
Adore has become a full creative marketing and event design company that hopes through our messages of inspiration and love more people receive it and share it in the world.
You can listen to our Podcast “Live Life Being Adored” on Apple Podcasts or Pod Bean and Youtube. Our most recent episode featured an inside look at a Fashion Week in The Midwest ( MN) .
Adore Magazine just launched it’s newest issue The “With Love” Issue and it features the story about the fashion week described as well as a being an issue that features the color of the year in events and a fashion themed party. In every issue we touch on gathering tips, products, and real stories in connecting with people on a joyful level.
It’s my hope ADORE becomes widely recognized for being a brand that inspires joy and personal connection through events and entertaining. Whether that be in a home, venue, business, etc… I would like to share my story in what ADORE is and how I found joy in my purpose with many more through a book and speaking engagements.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The most important things I am reminded of that keep me and my world open to all possibilities is
1) Truly believing THERE IS NO MOUNTAIN TOO HIGH TO CLIMB. The second I doubted or told myself my ideas were not good enough (or I was not good enough), I became paralyzed and later saw my life not moving forward because of this mindset. DO what ever you can and need to in order to think this way. There may be times the reality of your life is not reflecting what you want but that isn’t where you’re headed.
2) Learn to enjoy the journey as you climb the mountain. Take pride in learning and moving up with eyes wide open. Don’t look down when you’re on the mountain because FEAR WILL ALSO PARALYZE YOU and cause you to make bad decisions. Decisions that will take you the very long ( sometimes painful) way on your journey.
3) Make sure you are connecting and have people in your life that will cheer you on and are proud to know you. Having people you talk to regularly that celebrate even your smallest accomplishments with you keeps you going in the right direction. If the people around you don’t do that, you need to change your relationships, friends. Part of this is also being the kind of person people are proud to know. Are you joyful? Do you see things glass half full? Do you lend a helping hand? Do you show boundaries and respect to others?
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
Early on having parents and family through the years that were great listeners in every time I felt down on my journey was so important. When I felt heard I felt validated and like I could accomplish anything I wanted.
I also found motivational books that put life situations in perspective. Like ones Abraham Hicks writes and most recently Mel Robbins. Never forgetting about inspiring people not so much in events as celebrities I could look up to in general. People that you see that make others feel good and do good things to say “you matter”. I love that quote from Oprah.
I can remember every great manger or boss I’ve had that honed the leadership I carry today in my own business. They taught me lessons like “”What is a good piece of business and what is a bad one?”, The importance of knowing how to do everyone’s job around me, How to give back to a community to make you and your business thrive.
It is because people took chances on me that I know I should take chances in general. In business, in relationships, and in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.adore-productions.com
- Instagram: @adoreproductions.com
- Facebook: @adoreproductionsllc
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katminks/
- Youtube: @KatherineMinksAdoreProductions
- Other: https://livelifebeingdored.podbean.com
