Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to K. Krombie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

K., appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I’ve never had a regular job. The closest I came to it was joining a temp agency in my early 20s. I was sent to a random office, shown to a desk, and ordered to “do these invoices.” I stared at the stack of invoices and had no idea what to do with them. I lasted less than an hour there.

I’m clueless when it comes to routine tasks, so no sensible, regular job would ever factor me in. With fewer options, it doesn’t necessarily limit what you can do to earn money. The road ahead is clearer to see, especially if you have creative ambitions. The main challenge with creative or artistic work is that the income generally isn’t consistent, but there is a price to pay—quite literally—for whatever path you choose in life.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m an author, freelance journalist, lecturer, and the owner and creator of a walking tour company called Purefinder New York. All of these job descriptions tie together. My first book, Death in New York, about 400+ years of the management and mismanagement of death and other related topics, came out of the COVID lockdown. The circumstances of the pandemic gave me something to think about, such as how the city dealt with epidemics and population booms and how the dead were desposed of at various points in history. Death in New York (The History Press) came out at the end of 2021. Then in 2022, I created a walking tour company that used the premise of that book as my first walking tour in Lower Manhattan. I continued to write and research more tours, based on the theme of “what the city doesn’t want you to see.” I have another book coming out about psychiatric history, which another one of the tours is based on. At present, there are about 6 – 7 tours and a couple of guides. From the books and the tours came the opportunity to lecture on various New York history topics around the city. My journalism dips in and out of these topics also. Everything is connected, and so if one venture fails, unexpected opportunities arise simply by extending the work in as many directions as possible.

As an immigrant to the US, I honed my enthusiasm for history and New York by presenting the lesser-known aspects of the city, via the written word and walking tours, to people who are interested in looking at the city in a very different way.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Ultimately, I enjoy what I do, despite the challenges and setbacks. Having had a variety of jobs that didn’t fulfill enjoyment in any measure, I really do value this component.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Yes, the business side, as opposed to the creative side, of everything that I do doesn’t come naturally to me. I’m still learning.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.purefindernewyork.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purefinderny/ https://www.instagram.com/krombieslastnightstand/
• Twitter: @KKrombie
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@purefindernewyork?app=desktop
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/purefinder-new-york-new-york
• Other: https://muckrack.com/k-krombie

  https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/products/9781467149655?srsltid=AfmBOor3BvPOKtmhkUAOIxxmVRR8x2dWhXAnXHTrYuNnJq5tieYh7_AW

Image Credits

Public domain

K. Krombie