We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Katherine Klimitas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Katherine below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Katherine with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I grew up with two parents who each owned a thriving veterinary practice, so I quickly learned how hard someone has to work if they own their own business. My parents did what they had to to create successful businesses, and I watched them each make a name for themselves in the city of New Orleans. I learned at an early age some of the ins and outs of the behind the scenes at the office, how to manage employees, and the hours it takes to become successful. That’s why starting MY own business was a no brainer and felt like a natural progression after I graduated from college.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’m an artist and graphic designer living just outside of New Orleans, LA. I took an early interest in art when my mother gave me my first watercolor set when I was just 5 years old. I was born with a genetic bone disease that causes my bones to break easily and grow abnormally, and so it was hard for me to take part in a lot of the activities my able-bodied friends could as a kid. Mom was constantly trying to find things that I enjoyed and could actually do, and it turned out that art was the perfect fit.
Throughout grade school and high school, I took art in school, had private lessons and went to every art summer camp in a 30 mile radius. I graduated with a BA in graphic design from Loyola University, but today I do a combination of graphic design for clients and watercolor wildlife paintings on a daily basis. Because it’s hard for me to sit in my wheelchair for long periods of time, I’ve found a system where I lay on my side to paint and work, and it works well. My life is certainly greatly affected by my disability, and I do deal with a lot of physical pain most days, but it certainly does not define me.
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?
Persistence is key. If it doesn’t work the first, second or even third time, get up, make adjustments, and try again. My dad used to say, “If you keep throwing pasta up against the wall, eventually something will stick.” If you don’t keep at it, you won’t get anywhere.
Find what you’re good at and capitalize on it. Having two parents who were veterinarians made me naturally gravitate towards animals, and so I paint animals almost exclusively now. I started doing pet portraits as a pre-teen for my parents’ clientele while I was bored at the office on the weekends, and eventually that turned into a business for me. It’s okay if you try a bunch of different things before you find that one thing you love…don’t give up! Everyone has something to give, something they can contribute to society. You just have to figure out what it is and do it.
Gain people skills whenever you can. If you’re going to be successful, you’re going to need to put yourself out there and meet people. The more types of people you can talk to and get along with, the more successful you will be.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
Even though I have a pretty severe physical disability, they never enabled me and they fully expected me to grow up into a working adult. They supported anything and everything I wanted to try, as long as it was constructive and physically feasible. I never got away with much, and I was held to the same academic standards (or higher) as my able-bodied friends.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kakartnola.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kakartnola/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kakartnola
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherineklimitas/
