We recently connected with Kat Shortlidge and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kat , thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with inspirations and heroes. Are there any historical figures you look up to?
I’ve never really thought about this question. I’m not sure if this person is considered a Historical figure, as it could be interpreted in so many ways based off the significant impact they made. But if I could say one person, whom I’ve never met, that not only changed the lives of thousands of people in my shoes, but also walked in them himself, I would say Jim Rohn. For my 30th birthday all I asked for was a briefcase and 12 books, 8 of which were written by Jim Rohn. His words have resonated with me for 10 years, not just in business but in my deepest personal struggles too. I’ve learned about the value of time and money, and which is well spent, and which gets wasted. You can’t earn your time back; you can always earn more money. I’ve learned that one good idea can transform your entire life, and the best ideas can inspire others. I’ve learned a lot about the true meaning of success “the continual unfolding of your own life and pulling it off.” We all have ideas and dreams and no matter what success means to you, we all have a choice. He says there are two pains we all must suffer when it comes to designing our own life. The pain of discipline or the pain of regret, and that’s what made me realize I just had to do it. Scared, alone, broke… I had to go through with LUXE. That it was an idea that would transform not just my life, but so many others. I’ve found a lot of wisdom in his books and a different outlook when it comes to obstacles and how to pivot. Ultimately, I know there are a lot of things I have no control over, but I can control myself, my actions, that is what I’m responsible for. And it’s given me a life of purpose.
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
Well, I’m a Capricorn. So hard work in any business comes naturally to me. LUXE just happened on a whim… I feel like I stumbled upon a great idea that kept morphing into something bigger and bigger. It aligned with everything I could want in a career and business. I knew I would never forgive myself if I didn’t try. So that’s what I did. I was a math major in college, but I loved design and marketing. I have both this creative side and the numbers side. Opening LUXE Content Studio allows me to have both. The best part is I get to share it with people. The studio provides a physical space to make all different types of content. It offers tiered memberships to meet the needs of different creators. Photographers, podcasters, business professionals, influencers, MUA and stylists, videographers…. It also provides a luxury showroom with over 15 premade sets that anyone can make a reservation for during our LUXE Showroom business hours and take the best selfies or create a month’s worth of content in one day. There are 3 changing rooms/prep rooms with vanities, a podcast room, a stage, an entire space to be used by multiple photographers and it can be transformed into an event space. Two content rooms with sofas and chairs perfect for live recording or pre-recording video podcasts… eventually we will have two other private content rooms that I’m keeping secret for now, but I am very excited about. As far as events, we have tables chairs and can host up to 40 people. That space can be rented for multiple occasions; from seminars and business events to birthday parties and divorce parties. The possibilities are endless! We also have 4 locked offices for rent available to creators that will give them the highest tiered membership and first dibs on anyone looking for in-house photographers or someone to produce their podcast etc. I’m also hoping to work with the universities and hire or provide internships to students in these creative fields as well. They’ll get so much exposure being around other likeminded individuals. College isn’t easy, but guiding and inspiring these young minds in something they are passionate about is the ultimate reward.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
My entire life I have been told by my Dad to “exceed their expectations.” My teachers, my bosses, anyone of importance that could have a positive impact on my life, that would help me achieve more for myself. And that’s exactly what I did. It got me very far in life, maybe even made me a perfectionist. I took on a lot of responsibilities on my own because I knew no one would care to do it the way I did it. They didn’t have the work ethic or the ability to do what I could do. But the harder I tried, no one ever told me the weight those expectations of others would put on myself. I remember I got all A’s and one B on my report card, and my Dad said, “try harder next time.” And after that I made sure I was a straight A student. At 15 I got my first job working in the mall. By 16 I had two more jobs, working at a tanning salon and as a math tutor, while also taking a college course my junior and senior years in high school.
But I had developed a strong work ethic even before that. And the expectations I wanted to exceed more than anyone’s, were my dads. So I worked my summers to make extra money at his used car lot, washing cars and picking up trash; he would also have me put the license plate frames on the cars. One day when I couldn’t find a screwdriver, he went into his drawer, pulled out a quarter and said, “use this.” Mind you, I’m a 13-year-old girl working her summer away in the hot sun, so I looked at him like this is a joke, right? He smiled and put the quarter in my hand and said, “it builds character.” So, I put 10 tag brackets on using a quarter to screw them on tight instead of a flathead. I would have never guessed that quarter trick would come in handy ever again, until I was 20 years old. I was a receptionist at a car dealership, and I was great at my job. I went above and beyond always, and I deeply sought validation for my work ethic. I knew I exceeded everyone’s expectations, they knew no one making minimum wage ever cared that much, but I did. Saturdays were always busy. The managers were with customers closing deals, the salespeople were on test drives, and I was answering the phone at the front desk and greeting people when they walked in. A woman came in to pick up her new tags and needed someone to put them on her car. I couldn’t find anyone to help. The salesmen locked their drills in their drawers, and I couldn’t find a screwdriver anywhere. So, there I was in dress pants, a blouse, and heels; I took a quarter out of my wallet and said, “I’ll put them on for you.” This woman looks puzzled as I walked outside, kneeled on the concrete, and put her tags on with a quarter. There wasn’t anyone there to see me do it, the woman probably didn’t think much about it, she said thanks and drove off. But I felt so proud of myself. I realized I didn’t do it to exceed anyone’s expectations. I simply did it because my dad handed me a quarter 7 years ago for this exact reason, and this woman needed help. That seemingly insignificant moment is when I unlearned the biggest lesson that had been engraved in my brain for as long as I can remember. My entire life I’ve worked in male dominated industries, the car business and even now, as a loan officer. As a woman in those businesses, I felt that the only thing most people expected from me at first glance, was that I would fail. And I let them think whatever they want. Because what I expect from myself is far more than what half of them could ever achieve. My work ethic, the level of commitment I put into every aspect of my life, I do that for me. But what shaped me into the woman I am today is the lesson I was taught as a child but needed to “unlearn” as an adult. I no longer need to exceed other people’s expectations of me; just my own. My intelligence, creativity, determination, and perseverance are unparalleled. And no one can tell me otherwise.
(I would also like to mention, when I started to tell my dad this story 2 days ago in the car he interrupted me and said, “The only expectations you need to exceed are your own.” I’m convinced this was a Jedi mind trick all along)
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
What’s funny is I’m not a photographer, I don’t have a podcast, I’ve never been to a “selfie museum” I’m not a MUA or stylist. Sure, I can draw, I can paint. I decorate Christmas trees professionally; I do interior design for fun. I see myself as a creative thinker more than anything. (You should ask my mom the story about the junior prom corsage fiasco) But what a lot of people don’t know, except for my family and a few friends, I’m a songwriter. Shockingly enough the only thing the content studio doesn’t have (yet) is a recording studio. For most creatives, I think a lot of people create things to get what’s inside of them out. To show the world their perspective. It’s emotional. It’s relaxing. It’s a release. It’s therapeutic. It’s raw.
For me personally… putting my feelings into lyrics for anyone to hear is scary, it’s like letting the world read your diary. It’s very intimate. If I feel sad or angry or betrayed or hurt, you can feel it in the song. And if I had a diary that people could read, I’m sure it would piss a lot of people off. But what pains me the most is that I have probably 200 songs that I know are worth recording and trying to sell. Not even for the money… but because as a creator the most rewarding part is giving someone the ability to feel “me too.” No matter how the piece resonates with them, no matter how they interpret it… those songs I wrote were songs I wish I had in those moments. The reward is inspiring someone; my songs would probably inspire a lot of women to break up with their toxic boyfriends… and then the next track would be the song they need to hear to get through the breakup… I guess after LUXE opens I’ll need to record a demo next.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.luxecontentstudio.com
- Instagram: @luxecontentstudio
Image Credits
@mangomarketing.co