We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Katie Stone a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Katie , looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My parents. They each instilled a work ethic in me unique to their own circumstances.
My dad was an insurance broker that got up early and went into the office no matter what. I don’t ever remember him staying home sick or just not feeling like working one day. He never complained about having to travel internationally to meet with ungrateful clients. He went to work every day to support his family and keep food on the table. That taught me to show up, no matter how tired I am or how much I’m dreading the work. Showing up is half the battle.
My mom stayed home and took care of us kids, which is not an easy feat. She was organized, always had a rational answer, and took her time making sure things were done right. She was always educating herself on how to fix things around the house. I remember one day in particular, I came home and the toilet was completely gone in the bathroom. She was sitting next to a hole in the floor with a manual and making some adjustments to a pipe. She may have gotten frustrated at some point, but she never showed it. She just kept at it until the new toilet was put on and working. I may not always know how to do something, but she taught me to keep at it until I do.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I have been a professional actor and voice over artist for over 10 years now, having been a part of various television shows, feature films, commercials and animés. I spend most of my time honing my craft by taking voice lessons and scene study workshops, as well as auditioning when I get the opportunity. Just like a painting is never finished, an artist is never finished either. There is always something to learn and a new path to find in my expression.
My husband and I founded a media production company called “No Moss Productions”, based currently in Dallas, Texas. As co-founder and producer, I manage projects like short-films, commercial shoots, and feature films. We work with local talent and crew to bring stories and brands to life with video and still photography. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, I get to be an actor or voice talent in addition to producer, bringing together all my passions into one project.
I feel very grateful to get to follow my dreams with my soulmate by my side. For full transparency, I also have a full-time marketing job that allows me to pay my bills. I think it’s important to mention that because it can seem very isolating when you see people on social media “living the dream”. Oftentimes, those dreams are funded by not-so-sexy jobs and realities. Every artist has to do what they need to do to carve out that precious creative time for themselves.
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?
Resiliency, Optimism, and Grit.
These qualities got me through the lulls in my career, the disappointments and the highs.
I have always been resilient. I don’t let the lows take me too far down and am always working through ways to get what I want. When I was little, my dad said I had “a one-track mind”. Meaning, whenever I had my sights set on something, I couldn’t let it go. This has also manifested in anxiety, but I do believe it is the reason for most of my success.
I don’t think you can be resilient without being optimistic. I’ve always been a glass half-full kind of gal. As I have grown up, I may not be as hopeful as I used to be, but I do try. Negative thoughts lead to negative actions, and negative results. This simply does not work for me and the life I want, so I choose every day to not linger there.
And finally, grit. This is the sexiest quality a person can have, in my opinion. I like to believe that I have grit. That I am brave and courageous no matter what comes my way. In order to be a successful artist, you have to contain some level of grit.
My advice for those early in their artistic journey, whatever that is, is to continue creating. Find little moments every single day to just make something. For me, that’s going in my voice booth and doing a bunch of weird voices. Or sometimes, I find a monologue and read it 10 times, and that’s all I have energy for. It’s not so much about what is being created or the quality of it, just the fact that it’s happening.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. This book is life changing for artists. Even people that don’t identify themselves as artists can find true transformation by reading this book. Cameron believes everyone is an artist and has the right to create what they want to create. For me, I find comfort and encouragement in this book when I am feeling stuck, comparative or just not good enough. My favorite piece of wisdom from this book is to not worry about the end product or what people might think of the work I am doing. That is very difficult for me as someone who wants validation and praise. The idea that my art can just exist without needing someone else’s feedback was a foreign concept to me, but one that has truly given me artistic freedom.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nomossproductions.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiethestone/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekatiestone/
- Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/thekatiestone
IMDB: imdb.me/katiestone
Image Credits
