Woman Wednesday: Katia

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.              


Q and A with Katia, Montreal, Quebec

“The good part is the more energy and excitement you have about your business, the more people gravitate towards you and the more opportunities come your way.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I have been a photographer for a long time. I wasn’t always a food photographer, but right out of college, I knew I wanted to do photography. It is however a tough, tough industry and decided to work in marketing instead since there was a lot more employment opportunities. Having gone through an extremely negative work culture and some really nasty colleagues, I decided that I was done with working for someone else. In this destructive process I had also gone through some pretty severe health problems and needed to rebuild myself. I decided to focus on my health and well-being rather than focusing my energies on someone else’s business. Through my lens, I was able find a lot of self healing potential by creating delicious wholesome recipes and beautiful pieces of artwork with them. Since 2017, my plates have been my canvases.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: Growing up, we would always eat healthy. My mother instilled in me respect for the food that we ate by growing our own vegetables and taking care in creating wholesome meals made from scratch. We would never eat prepared, microwaveable meals nor take out, it was always made from scratch. As I grew up, I continued that tradition and I think it is why I love to cook so much. In a lot of my blog postings, I reminisce about mom’s cooking. I often put in my own little touch, but it is usually something that is dear to me.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Starting a business is not as glamorous as or as easy you might think. Unless you find that miraculous product that has no competition and everyone has just always knowingly needed it, it’s a struggle to the top and to get known. Yes, there are a lot of advantages for being your own boss, but there are a lot of disadvantages. One of my biggest personal downfalls is my discipline. If I don’t see an immediate benefit, I tend to get lazy and put it off, especially with a blog. You just gotta work and work and work….and when you think you have done enough and can’t do any more, well, double the amount of work that you have just done, then you’re good and you can sleep at night saying, “I did everything that I could do.” Then do that every single day of the week. You have to find that fire in you, the one that wants to prove to everyone that you can do it cause if you don’t, you will fail. The good part is the more energy and excitement you have about your business, the more people gravitate towards you and the more opportunities come your way.

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: Feminism is about believing that women are just as good as men and should be treated as such. I feel there is some kind of an amazonian stigma attached to naming yourself as a feminist; therefore, a lot of women are afraid to be associated with that stereotype in fears of being perceived as a man hater. It’s a positive movement, not a negative one. Everyone should be a feminist. Whether or not you choose to actively fight for women’s rights, you are still a feminist. It’s not about being extremist and protesting shocking ways or hating men…not at all. They are people (men too) who believe that women are equal to men in all the important aspects.    

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you!

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Thoughts, questions, or comments?

Comment below! 🙂

Woman Wednesday: Annie

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.         


Q and A with Annie, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

“We know that if it isn’t pleasurable, we aren’t going to stick with it.”

 

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I’m passionate about helping people through food. My biggest joy in life is creating a combination of clean and healthy, festive and flavorful cuisine that nourishes both the human body and spirit.

I love being a part of someone’s special event. Great food with amazing service is my goal for every client. I come to where you are, bring groceries, cook, serve, and clean up on the way out the door, allowing you to give your loved ones the gift of time. I get joy from watching people enjoy dishes that they initially thought they wouldn’t.

 

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After years of following and learning fad diets riddled with destructive information, I could see the damage it was doing to my own body. This prompted me to research what an actual healthy diet looked like. The last 15+ years, I burnt up my library card reading information on everything that I could on all types of different eating regimes and scientific studies, and eventually, it clicked to me.

If whole food, plant-based eating has the highest number of people worldwide living without assistance well into their 90’s and into their 100’s, then there had to be something there. As I studied, I learned dishes everywhere and from anyone who was willing to teach me. I joke with my friends that “I cooked with your grandma.”

 

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As I thought of how the groups of people worldwide that still lived by the diets of their ancestors it became to clear to me. A diet full of rich, vibrant fruits and vegetables and natural, lean protein was the way people ate 100’s of years ago, before processed food or “easy foods” were available became my mission.

 

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: Growing up, I was raised on and off by my grandma, who was not only an amazing person but also an amazing cook! She let me cook with her from a young age. There is a story they would tell me growing up that when I was four or five, my mother’s blood sugar started to get to low. I got the idea to make her an egg sandwich while scrambling the eggs I decided to put popcorn kernels in the eggs, because I love popcorn so why not. My mom used to tell me that if I ever wrote a cookbook that the title should be “Popcorn & Eggs.” It is in my business plan to write a cookbook with that exact title. My grandma raised me with her passion to help people and to care for humanity.

I am a military brat. I grew up a little of everywhere and nowhere. I spent a lot of my early childhood with my grandparents on a farm in Burlington, North Carolina, and the rest of my time traveling. I moved back as a teenager to remain in North Carolina until the beginning of this year, when I moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to open Kiss Creations Personal Chef.

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Kiss Creations Personal Chef has been my passion project for over half of my life. I continue to study, listen to information, and research healthy living because there are a few pieces of the puzzle that come together to reach the goal of a healthy life and it is my mission. One piece of the puzzle is the fact that if it doesn’t taste good, then it won’t work. We know that if it isn’t pleasurable, we aren’t going to stick with it. For myself, I began to take old recipes that my grandma had made and removed some of the ingredients that lacked a nutritional base and replaced them with nutrient-dense foods. I played around with different styles, different techniques, different concepts, creating new ways to give the comfort of people’s favorite home-style meals and cultural favorites, while also creating my own personal style along the way.

Another piece of the puzzle is physical activity. I personally love lifting weights, walking, running, hiking, anything I can do outdoors invigorates me, but that’s my personal story. Taking a 30 minute walk every day on top of your regular schedule can work miracles for both your physical and mental health, get outside and garden, play with your kids, whatever it is that brings you joy and gets you moving.

 

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The other piece is taking care of your mental health, having people around you that inspire you, care for you, and treat you well. Everyone deserves this in their world and if you don’t have it, listen to these words, babe…everyone deserves these things in their world, that means you! Back in North Carolina I would cook for friends, dinner parties, making food for charity events and my favorite event, Girl Parties, learning along the way how much fun it is to take care of people who take care of everyone else.

At the beginning of this year, I decided to move to Myrtle Beach to assist people in their journey with healthy living. I have met some amazing women who have inspired me to fight for my dreams and help where we can. With this ongoing crisis that we are facing as humanity, being a personal chef that comes to your home to cook meals isn’t the most popular service at the moment. In my first week and a half, I did a dig into my business what was working and what I needed to improve on. I formulated a plan of action around these lists and what I needed to do after this horrible crisis that we are in finally ends concerning my business. I’m also a state-licensed life insurance broker, so I am lucky that has still been an avenue to financially survive this crisis and reopen. I believe we should all help where we can throughout our communities during these times. Everyone is going through their own thing right now, so let’s be kind towards ourselves and each other.

 

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Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Something valuable I have learned in my life that I would like to share is that you are worth so much. Never let anyone make you feel like you don’t deserve to be completely healthy in mind, body, and spirit. As women, if we stand together lifting each other up as we journey through this life we have been given, there isn’t anything that we can’t accomplish.

 

red tomatoes beside green vegetables

 


Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Feminism to me is the idea that whatever it is that makes you feel powerful and like a female should be supported by society. It is also the fact that, as women, we shouldn’t have to fight to be given the same rights and equal pay as our male counterparts. We shouldn’t have to be twice as good as the man standing beside us for the same pay. Feminism to me is this idea that women should support other women throughout our journey and understanding that our paths aren’t all going to be the same. Women are powerful beings, and if we would stand together, there is absolutely nothing we can’t create. 

 

abstract art cooking cutlery

 

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! Click here to connect with me! 

 

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Click for my services: https://kisscreationspersonalchef.com/

Enjoy a free recipe on me! Click here. 

 

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Woman Wednesday: Tabatha

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.   


 

Q and A with Tabatha, Washtenaw County, Michigan

 

Having a team is the cornerstone to success.” 

 

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: Baking! Confections Factory has been a part of my heart for well over 20 years. The concept of what we do is simple. Love in every slice. The mission is for every client to feel like they are [ back in their childhood years ] sitting at the foot of their mom’s apron tasting the delicate treasures that come from her oven. If I had to define my passion, it’s the smile I get from each customer with every delivery. There is no greater feeling than a good slice of heaven and a smile to go with it.

 

52744559_393016344592510_903654981570134016_nPictured: Culinary baker and businesswoman, Tabatha. 

 

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Pictured: A delicious buttercream birthday cake by Tabatha from Confections Factory. Shipping is available in all U.S. states! 

 

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Chocolate strawberries, anyone? 

 

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I have loved baking since the age of 8. Spending time with all the women in my family baking was the release we had and the bond we built together. Sharing recipes and watching them create sparked a fire I could never put out.

 

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Pictured: A peanut butter chocolate lover’s best friend!  

 

Pictured: Some of the delicious goodies you can order from Confections Factory! Their number one best seller? The cake named “Sexual Chocolate!” It is pictured on the bottom left. 

 

 

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Q: What is something valuable you’ve learned that you’d like others to know?

A: Having a team is the cornerstone to success. I used to do all of this solo. I never had outside support. I just thought this was a hobby. Then I attended a class in 2017 called “E-Series,” and it gave me my fire back. It showed me how to gradually put the right pieces in place and excel. Since then, I have been on a mission with God on one side and my team on the other. Right now, we are only a team of three, but it’s a mighty one. One person handles production and development so that we keep the flavors fresh, one handles the strategy, and I handle the baking. Then of course let’s not forget our pop-up staffers that assist with events and more.

 

 

Pictured: Tabatha, Graphic Designer Sheryl Morton, and Business Manager Brandi C. Shelton.
Not pictured: Christopher McGhee’ Kelly (but a special shout-out goes to him as Tabatha’s business partner)! 

Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: I like this quote by Coco Chanel:

“The most courageous act is to think for yourself. Aloud.”

 

 

 

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Do you have a sweet tooth? Do you have a special occasion coming up?

Confections Factory ships anywhere in the United States! Click here to check out her bakery! Call or contact her on her page to order!

Click here to follow Confections Factory on Facebook!

 

 

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Woman Wednesday: Alysha

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.  


 

 

“Don’t look at someone’s life and think you should be doing what they’re doing – you should do what makes you happy and what you are passionate about. I think life is too short not to live in a way that makes you approach each and every day with a full sense of joy and enthusiasm. There is always something to be grateful for and that can bring a smile to your face.” -Alysha 

 

 

Q and A with Alysha, Berks County, Pennsylvania 

Connect with Alysha:  

Blog: https://alyshathekitchenologist.com/

Instagram

LinkedIn

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Q: What are you passionate about?

A: In a broad sense, I am very passionate about helping individuals. More specifically, I have always believed that information is power. I knew that I wanted to work in a career that provided individuals with information so they could make the best well-informed decisions for themselves and their lives. This definitely intermingles with two things career-wise I am involved in: working as a clinical writer for a nonprofit organization in the healthcare field and as a recipe developer/food photographer for various projects that fall under my blog: The Kitchenologist©.

 

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Read and see more at  The Kitchenologist©.

 

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As a food recipe developer /photographer, I love showing people what to do with a “mystery vegetable” they may have or how to make a dish they love in a healthier version. I believe if you are able to educate someone or expose someone to something they have never done before, it could change the way they think and affect the way they act, which may ultimately influence their lives as a whole in a potentially positive way. In regards to food, maybe someone could make a healthier diet change at home by cooking more now that they have some recipes they enjoy versus grabbing fast food or eating out. I was inspired by the impact nutrition can have on your life after taking a class entitled “Sustainable Food Systems” in college where I had the opportunity to read food system research and work in our community garden, in addition to living abroad in Australia for a semester where I ate a lot of very simplistic, fresh foods. I felt a completely new appreciation for food, where it comes from and how it affects our lives as a whole after these experiences. There are so many information gaps that exist in our world today, whether it be healthcare or food, and I love being able to help bridge some of those gaps through what I work in.

 

 

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As a clinical writer, my career allows me to break down dense scientific information into key facts and data individuals can grasp and understand. I view what I do as “scientific translation” in a sense, and I love knowing the work I do helps individuals make better decisions for their hospitals and patients. I credit a speech I gave my sophomore year of college at Susquehanna University for the Honors Program as the reason why I was drawn to scientific translation and presentation. The speech was entitled: “Vaccines and the Childhood Autism Scare: Solely a Media-Generated Correlation.” A community member from the audience came up to me after the speech and thanked me,because she believed that she had given her son autism because she chose to vaccinate him and now knew that the facts proved otherwise. I later went on to work with Johns Hopkins Medicine on a research project looking at supplement manufacturer claims and was blown away by the evidence gaps existing. I have been incredibly excited to attend a few conferences for work this summer, allowing me to interact with a wider audience on these types of topics and facilitate these types of informative discussions.

 

 

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I grew up in a very loving and nurturing environment. My parents really balanced each other out when I grew up, with my dad really encouraging my younger brother and I to do well in school and my mom always asking us if we were happy (and making sure we were) in addition to fostering other passions like reading and drawing. In retrospect, having both of those perspectives was incredibly important to where I am today,because I have realized how important it is to work hard to be able to succeed. However, I also know that happiness is truly the key to everything. And if you aren’t happy, nothing else really seems to matter.

 

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My parents also made large decisions in regards to their careers before they started a family. My mom decided to leave her management job to raise a family full time, and my dad found a different executive position that would allow him to spend time with his family and not work 24/7. I did not realize how impactful that was in my life until I got older. My parents were at every soccer match, swim meet, softball game, honors ceremony, chorus concert, etc. I knew if I would look out in the stands, they would be there enthusiastically cheering me on. That really taught me the importance of supporting individuals you love. I have really strived to do that in my adult years by always making the trip to see a friend, visiting with family, sending out a check-in text or mailing off a snail mail letter. It truly means the world to know you have people who care about you and want to make that time to be with you and care about you.

 

 

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I also would like to credit my parents for always showing my younger brother and I that money is not everything. My younger brother and I were incredibly fortunate to grow up in a home where we never needed for anything, but my parents were also not quick to buy us that “new thing.” Instead, they really emphasized the value of experiences by going on trips and going out to meals. As an adult, I find that I want to spend my money on travel and seeing the world. I would rather spend my money and time experiencing things and meeting new people versus getting a fancy car or new outfit. These experiences I find have made me grow and look at the world in ways I never thought I would, and it is a really beautiful and empowering thing.

 

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Moraine Lake in Banff, Canada

 

Q: What is something valuable you’ve learned that you’d like others to know?

A: The first thing I have learned is don’t be afraid of not living up to other’s expectations – at the end of the day, you should only be living up to your own. Especially in your 20s, I just find there are a lot of things being thrown at you question-wise from a variety of people or what you see on social media in regards to topics like getting married, having kids, buying a house, going back to school, switching careers, earning more money, etc. All I can say is to do what makes you happy! Don’t look at someone’s life and think you should be doing what they’re doing – you should do what makes you happy and what you are passionate about. I think life is too short not to live in a way that makes you approach each and every day with a full sense of joy and enthusiasm.

 

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The second thing I have learned is to always try to understand and help people. People will have opposing views from you, different life stories, varying backgrounds, etc. but you should never miss out on the opportunity to have a conversation with someone who has different views than you or looks at something through a different perspective. Conversation and understanding is an opportunity to grow. Additionally, if someone needs a helping hand and you can provide it, don’t be afraid to pitch in and offer help. Doesn’t matter how simple it is. It could be just running to grab extra napkins for a coworker who spilled there coffee everywhere or helping to pick up someone’s spilledchange at the grocery store. Try to put out in the world what you want to receive back. I am always game for putting more goodout there.

 

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Q: What would you like others to learn from your story?

A: I truly believe you attract the people and things you are supposed to in life through your actions and words. And I think that if you are doing what you love, you will attract the rightopportunities. I believe if you are a good friend, you will also attract great friends in your life. And I believe if you give love, you will receive it. I always think of this concept when I am having a really bad day. I always try to put positivity out there through my actions and words despite how bad things are. And I really do believe this has served me well in life. I know that it is definitely easier said than done, but I really have felt it has made such a huge impact on my life by acting in this fashion. Every day isn’t good, but I have always believed there is a piece of good in every day. And on days when it feels like absolutely nothing is going right, I am always thankful for my family, boyfriend, friends, pets and the good experiences I have had. There is always something to be grateful for and that can bring a smile to your face.

54F1CD21-5E32-4E28-B5DC-5D744A731361Zion National Park, Utah

 

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