Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Sprung.
Hi Katherine, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve spent my adult life in New York City. My path hasn’t been liniar, it looks more like a squiggly line with some loops in it. I studied broadcast journalism in college, ended up starting a marshmallow company, with nightlife DJing and voiceover work in between, and now segueing back to infuse more media and production back into my career! I host a podcast, Sprung On Food, where this season I talk about the history of different foods, and the role they play in the world today!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not a smooth road. I’m a solo founder and creative, and you deal with all the pitfalls and difficulties alone- well sort of, that’s why it’s important to build community for this reason! I had a retail space for my marshmallow company (and, at certain points, multiple pop-ups and satellites) in New York City, managing staff, going through the pandemic, was a lot. But, if it were a completely smooth road, you don’t have the opportunity to appreciate the good moments, and grow in general.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an award-winning pastry chef and the founder of Squish Marshmallows, a bespoke marshmallow company in NYC. I’ve had the honor of winning Food Network’s Chopped Sweets, competing on Beat Bobby Flay, and being featured on the Hallmark Channel, Thrillist, Forbes, Eater, Cosmopolitan, Insider, Money, and various local news outlets. I also have a podcast/web series called Sprung On Food, where the topic this season is food history and pop-culture. In addition, I’m a commercial voice over artist and content creator. I like doing different things! I’m a New Yorker who loves walking everywhere, while listening to too many true crime podcasts. I also volunteer at an animal shelter, and create my own unofficial bakery tours whenever I’m in a new city.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Definitely from my parents! They’re super hardworking and self motivated people, and I think I just inherited that and really saw it in action growing up. Both of my parents are self-starters. They’ve had to work hard, and build opportunities for themselves. They’ve provided so much encouragement, cheering me on, and supporting me in my ideas and projects that I’ve shown interest in pursuing. My friends, and even people I’ve connected with or who follow me on social media, have also been awesome cheerleaders, supporting my projects, helping to spread the word on a launch, an episode, a pop-up, it’s just so nice to know people will do that out of the kindness of their heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://katherinesprung.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsprung
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinesprung/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@iamsprung
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/221l1DYPSQdX1ejk6wDt7h?si=ADgr0N2BSeWehpAk9AqmSQ&nd=1
Image Credits
Chef’s coat photo, copper sweater photo, sequin blazer photo: Heather Willensky