We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kat Blanchard a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kat, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
You never work a day in your life if you love what you do. Luckily, I have the ability to love what I do, which also includes expressing my sense of creativity. My time is well spent searching for unique pieces such as furniture, art, antiques, natural elements, and one of a kind artisan made, handcrafted pieces. When I am making a selection, I picture how the object could impact and elevate a space, or how I can create a new design. I incorporate unique furniture and natural elements in my own home, and love to fill others’ spaces with special, hand chosen items.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
This story starts back in the 90’s. My mom loved to garage sale, and as a kid I had no choice but to tag along. I vividly remember being embarrassed to get out of the car and shop the garage sales when I was in elementary school. Ironically, now it’s what I do for a living. I continued to shop garage sales and thrift stores as a grew up. It wasn’t until college that I realized I could list my items online and try to make some extra money, while getting my degree and working. I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Nursing and started my career. Working in the hospital meant working 3 days a week. Take a guess at what I did on my days off- you guessed it, shop! Whether I was shopping for unique pieces to fill my home, items to make a profit off of, or clothes to wear, I enjoyed every second of it. It fueled my fire. Nearly my entire wardrobe, house, and even my wedding was secondhand. I loved my job as a nurse, but I became so passionate about being creative with secondhand interior design and fashion. It just felt like a lifestyle, and something I had been doing my whole life. I started to find joy in others being interested in my pieces and wanting me to find pieces for them. I decided to start a small business selling the pieces I have intentionally chosen. Outside of being a nurse, all of my time was dedicated to the small business. After balancing a career and a small business, I decided to take a risk and leave my career to pursue my passion. Luckily, my husband, friends, and family have supported me through this journey. I believe if you work hard, you can make anything happen. Don’t give up on your dreams, take the risk, and you will surprise yourself with your success.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three qualities I believe are important are perseverance, determination. and kind customer service. It takes perseverance and determination to turn your passion into a successful business. I am the only one who can control what my outcome is. That means, waking up early, sourcing items, photographing items, driving around Texas to find items, and working nonstop. There may be days I have to say no to fun plans in order to hit my goal for the month. With this being my only source of income, I must be determined in order to be successful. Another important factor is customer service. I take pride in making sure my customers are happy with their purchases. The reputation I have behind my business is important to me and I strive to create a strong reputation and appreciate when I have returning customers. My advice to others is simple- always work hard and always be kind.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Working for yourself means you are your own boss and can create your own schedule. Although that sounds easy, it is a challenge for me. I get overwhelmed when I have multiple things on my plate at one time and am trying to balance work with my personal life. What has helped me is prioritizing what needs to get done first, creating a list with goals for the day, and using a planner to stay organized. I make sure to step away from work to be present with family, friends, and my health.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @themorrismarket
