Hi, I'm Kat
Life unfolds in mysterious ways. In the Spring of 2022 I was an active participant in the Praxis Entrepreneur Education Program, working part time and living a normal young adult life. By the end of Summer 2022 I was almost completely disabled by a challenging medical disorder. I went from excitedly interviewing for a paid apprenticeship with a start-up company in the areas of social media and marketing, to barely being able to stand up from the couch without assistance - all within a few months. My medical journey is its own story. But to understand who I am and the strengths I bring to a job or business opportunity you have to understand how I navigated the past two years of fear, pain, trauma and eventually diagnosis and healing.
During the Winter of 2022 I started having some struggles with school work and needed to sleep a lot, but it wasn’t until I was fully blindsided by my illness that I realized I had been getting sick for months. Becoming disabled and having my life come to a grinding halt at 20 years old is not something that anyone can be prepared for. It was scary, confusing and awful. There were weeks I could not even walk, drive or read!
Now, as I update my website in the Spring of 2024, I am able to do most things I could do prior to my illness, including work (part time for now). I am 90% healed and fully engaged with life! There are still days I need to rest more than others, which is why I’m actively searching for a position I can do remotely, that offers part-time hours and flexibility.
During the entire time I was ill, I found my outlet in Art and Marketing my Etsy business. My creativity and entrepreneurial drive saved me. I was still able to design and pour candles, create and sell digital art, market my art on social media and speak with customers by phone, text or email. Even if I was only awake for a few hours per day, I was able to feel a part of productive life during those few hours, from my bed. During the darkest days of my illness KatNeylanCreations (Etsy Shop) thrived! Art and my small business gave me a purpose and an outlet. I have great pride for what I accomplished during that time as both an artist and an entrepreneur. Here’s how it all began….
2021 2022-2023 2024
My entire life I have loved art. But believe it or not I was in college studying auto mechanics when Covid hit! Imagine learning how to replace brakes using just a computer, sitting in your bedroom! I turned to my favorite thing in the world to fill all the quarantine time and started working with resin and flowers. My Aunt showed my work to a local boutique and before I knew it, I was in business! I have sold my work through Etsy, Instagram, Facebook and in Brick and Mortar shops. I used to work primarily with resin.
Now my work is mainly focused on custom scented and spiritual candles, crochet, digital art, custom designed stickers, labels and tattoo art. I design logos, do graphic design and contract with a branding expert, creating new logos for his legal firms and other corporations. I also offer help to small business crafters through the development of their Etsy pages and Instagram.
When I discovered in 2020 that people loved my art, and I began making money doing something that truly brought me joy, I decided to take business classes and learn more about marketing and small business ownership. After just two business classes at Ventura College focused primarily on online marketing and the ins and outs of small business ownership, I was hooked! I decided to explore the Praxis entrepreneur education and training program and was accepted in May 2021. I was unable to complete the program within the normal time frame due to my illness, but I am now picking back up with the job/apprenticeship facet of the program and hope to secure a wonderful opportunity soon!
Prior to becoming seriously ill I took a trip with Cleo - my 1998 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 - across the USA. I had a plan, multiple destinations and a vision of the life I wanted to lead and the type of place I wanted to lead it in. I fell in love with Montana (super surprising given that I don’t really like Winter!). I like places where people are friendly, nature is abundant, there is an active car scene and the entrepreneurial creative spirit is thriving. I imagine ultimately being the marketing and creative genius in my own company somehow intertwined with the car industry. I love fast cars and 4x4 Jeeps! I see myself with a shop that modifies and custom paints cars.
For now I want to hone my social media and marketing skills in a company that can benefit from my unique mixture of artistry, empathy, maturity and passion. When I commit to something, I do so 110%. I am an empath and a wonderful listener. I have learned how to advocate strongly yet kindly for myself and for others in a manner most people my age have not yet had to learn. I have encountered very hard things and I have survived and grown. I approach problems with a fresh and mature perspective. I like to engage with a new project fully, spending hours at a time developing, designing, creating.
Thank you,
Kat Neylan Greenberg