Meet Kathleen Reyes

 

We were lucky to catch up with Kathleen Reyes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kathleen , appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

The first examples of resilience I encountered came from my parents when we immigrated to the U.S. I was young, merely a witness to our everyday life, but now, as an adult, I look back and recognize the sacrifices they made to establish a new life and create better opportunities for me. My mother attended school at night while working during the day. She saved money to invest, and I vividly remember living a frugal lifestyle as a child. We never tried to keep up appearances.

I saw my mother build our family business while silently battling breast cancer. She would wear a wig to conceal her hair loss, go to work, and then spend her nights working on the business. It didn’t fully register how resilient she was until I grew older. I can’t imagine moving to a new country in my late 20s to start over, and I carry this sense of resilience into my own work ethic today.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

My name is Kathleen Reyes. I am a Filipina American raised in Southern California and have been a resident of San Francisco for over six years. I currently work full-time as a registered nurse and run Nurture State Floristry as my growing side hustle.

It’s important to mention that I’m a nurse because I started Nurture State as my response to the emotional toll of the pandemic. I abruptly left nursing in 2021 to focus on healing, and I carried a lot of guilt, feeling as though I was abandoning my fellow nurses and the communities I served. In the early days of the pandemic, I overworked myself to numb the pain caused by the devastation of COVID-19, the disconnection from family, clashing communities, and political uncertainties.

Nurture State was born and grew while I was in a state of fight-or-flight. However, after developing it into a floral design company and earning recognition for my creativity, I feel that Nurture State has matured into what I always envisioned—a safe space for healing through flowers and artistic expression.

At this time, Nurture State is on the back burner until 2025, as I prepare for its relaunch. I’m excited to share the reimagined version with the public. Currently, my focus is on my nursing career and my side projects in healthcare.

I constantly feel grateful for the abundance of opportunities and creative outlets in front of me, and I know that I will continue to grow and evolve—whether as a nurse or a nurturer.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I am constantly learning, unlearning, and relearning business skills on a daily basis. Some days feel like big wins, while others feel like setbacks. Here are the main skills I’ve learned that can help along the journey:

Create templates, systems, and automate processes whenever possible. Templates have helped me streamline my invoices and proposals, elevating them to a more professional level. Automation has saved me time and allowed me to focus on other areas of my business.

Understand the concept of being paid for your value. Transitioning from nursing to entrepreneurship required me to challenge my subconscious limiting beliefs about money, time, and value. As a nurse, I traded time for money. As an entrepreneur, I had to learn that you trade value for money. Unlearning my old programming around my worth was initially intimidating, but the more I understood the high value I offer my clients, the more I attracted clients who aligned with my energy. Reaching the point where I could confidently sign paying clients felt incredibly rewarding.

Find your support system. Being an entrepreneur means going against the grain of traditional societal norms, and it can often feel lonely. Surrounding yourself with a supportive circle is key to personal and professional growth. When you find a nurturing environment, you’ll watch yourself flourish.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

I believe the most impactful thing my parents did for me and my siblings was to intentionally place us in safe and nurturing environments. From moving us out of the Philippines and my Lola’s small storage room, to relocating from our old neighborhood so we could thrive in better areas and school systems, my parents worked extra hours to afford breaking through generational challenges.

My mother grew up in poverty so she is mindful about the importance of a good and safe environment.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

These images were taken by my iphone. My professional photo was taken by Jaymar Elen, Production Assistant – Louise Ramos, and Makeup by Lilia Mercedes

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