Meet Kate Fusilier

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kate Fusilier a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kate, 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.

First off I LOVE this question. Finding my purpose was and has been a never ending journey. I can truly say I find my purpose in empowering others. building confidence, being a voice for mental health and addiction, being involved in my community, and using my accessories and apparel brand Blingdana as a platform to do so. I am a recovering alcoholic who is 3 years sober and I can say if you asked me this question before I would have had absolutely no answer. I would have NEVER been able to imagine that this would be what I have created for myself and others. I started my company with a newfound creativity that unknowingly would give me back the confidence and courage I knew I always had. Today, I am able to do that for other women and let them know you can do anything and be anyone you could ever imagine. This is my purpose.

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 started my apparel and accessories company Blingdana by KF Designs in January of 2022. I started my company completely on impulse and just had an idea to add crystal fringe to a bandana. It was right when the Nashville Cowgirl trend was starting and I walked into a boutique and lied. I told them I had been making them (never had made one) and asked if they thought something like that would sell. They said yes, the bachelorette girlies would love that so I immediately went home and researched crystal rhinestone, adhesive, watched videos on crafting, went on Facebook and BOOM, launched an entire LLC- Blingdana by KF Designs LLC. It was so quick even my friend were like, “did we miss something?! Where did this come from!?” The best part is that I just jumped head first. It didn’t allow anyone else’s opinion to come in to play, didn’t allow for imposter syndrome to settle in to stop me. Fast forward to 2024 I have shown at fashion markets in Dallas, shown as Emerging Designer in Las Vegas and Nashville. I have been on an entrepreneur reality show called “The Blox”. I have been in three runway shows in Dallas, Tx and in Mandeville, La. And I am now a showcased designer in 2024 New Orleans Fashion week. I am also partners with the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium where my brand is sold in their venues. With all this being said, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING. You can change your life projection at ANY AGE ANY TIME. I was a serious alcoholic and when I got back from rehab in 2021 I had to find my real authentic self again and I found it in creativity and design.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities or skills that were most impactful in my journey was the fact that I already had a background in sales, I was just fearless and social. Because of my sales background it was already naturally embedded in me on how to talk to potential buyers and to close the deal. Once you sell one thing you can sell anything. You’re using the same tactics but just switching the product. I was also fearless and was just having fun. When I started my company it really wasn’t for the money it was a way to prove to myself that I’m worth it and sharing that with the community. That mentality naturally evolved into money and business coming in. My advice for those who are early in their journey is to just be honest with yourselves and ask, “why am I doing this? Why is this important to me? Am I having fun? Does this fulfil me?” Once you know those answers and believe in what your doing and it just isn’t a means to an end then it will all fall in line and the money will come. I am also a very social person so I loved joining networking events, and business association organizations to promote myself and meet other like minded people. You never stop learning, your business never stops evolving and you will be surprised what you can learn from others if you have an open mind.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I am ALWAYS looking for people to partner and collaborate with! One thing in any business is you just have to remember “community over competition.” I’m still guilty of sometimes looking at someone as competition or feeling threatened by them it’s just a natural human defense. But what I do know it never creates a healthy headspace and I just have to remember to stay focused on me. When I feel those things I have started reaching out and asking how can we collaborate to both build our brands! Especially in todays world with social media there are so many ways to maximize your marketing budget to where you aren’t breaking the bank. I look for influencers that match my vibe and also match my values. I want to make sure that my brand stays true to who I am so I make sure I protect what I stand for.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://getblingdana.com
• Instagram: @blingdana_
• Facebook: KF Designs LLC

Image Credits

Katie Ostarly Photography