We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kate Maass. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kate below.

Alright, Kate thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?

At Grand Image, we believe clients can see and feel the difference in work that is created with authenticity and intention. We also believe if we can deliver that experience each and every time, they will pay a little more for that. We won’t have to join the “race to the bottom” and compete on price. We are a design driven organization and believe our commitment to aesthetics sets us apart. I have been told over and over again that this business vertical or this brand isn’t a good partner for us because while they might love our content, it’s too expensive. Our CEO never accepted that supposition and instilled in us the belief that people will pay more for what they perceive as “better”, and he was right.

Kate, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia spending my days coloring and putting on dance shows for the parents. I attended Tyler School of Art at Temple University and studied printmaking and painting earning a BFA. My parents, my mother particularly, was convinced I would end up selling pantyhose at Bloomindales for a living and urged me to become a teacher. I told her I couldn’t ever see myself teaching anyone anything. I moved to Florida thinking I could spend a few months after college beach bumming, and about a week after I got there my father found an ad in the local newspaper (I guess I just dated myself here) that read “Painter, Printmaker” and he said, “isn’t this basically you”? and I said “did you make this ad up just to get me out of house”? I applied, was hired and that was my introduction to the commercial art industry. I worked for 3 years with that organization, moved on to a second company as an artist and later showroom manager and art consultant for a total of 8 years. In that position I learned about purchasing, quoting, framing, hiring, training, sales; essentially all the ins and outs of this business I am still in today.

I was recruiting to come to work for Grand Image in 2006 to be their new Art Director. I packed up my life in Florida and moved to Seattle, WA.

That position became essentially a teaching position, so my mother was right all along. I ended up opening our first in-house on site, working artist studios by hiring amazing, fresh, young talent and together we grew into the roles of professional artists, and director. The joys of my professional career have been watching artists develop both because of my influence and in spite of it. I realized fairly early on in the Art Director role that I was actually much better suited for that role than for the role of actual working artist. I learned the people skills that continue to serve me in my role as President of Grand Image today. I have spent my time helping incredibly gifted humans hone their skills, develop their own voice and make a living by honoring their craft.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In January of 2017 my husband and partner of 25 years died suddenly in his sleep. We were both 47 years old. It caused me to rethink or pivot everything in my life. I ended up deciding by mid-year that not only had the joy and passion for my career left me, but even more horrible, my team could see that I had lost it. I resigned my position and stayed on until the end of 2017 in an effort to help onboard my replacement and download my tribal knowledge gained over 15 years of service.

I sold my home, and most of my belongings and booked a one-way ticket to Sydney Australia with no other plans except follow the sun. I didn’t think about art or work or really much of anything other than healing myself.

Upon returning to the US after 5.5 months of international travel I was a different person.

And about 6 months after that, I was ready to get back at it and Grand Image came calling.

I came back to Grand Image to build a new vertical for the company- Grand Image Home. A new opportunity for the organization and a new challenge for me. It was essentially like building a startup with no real blue print and it provided just the right amount of newness and challenge to get my creativity and passion pumping.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn that “great leaders lead by leading”. I once believed that if I didn’t lead the discussion, open with my opinion, work like hell to convince others of my opinion, I wasn’t “a leader”.

What I know now is oftentimes the best leaders are those that sit back and read the room. Allowing others to provide a POV that might be different than yours and might even influence you decision making.

I think this lesson wasn’t learned from one key incident, but by reflecting now on how I lead when I was younger. I would lay down a gauntlet to prove I was right, sometimes to the detriment of a project outcome or personal relationship.

I think oftentimes women of my generation (GenX) were only shown examples of powerful women being “powerful” versus leading with thoughtfulness, intuition and integrity.

I often explain this as the difference between leadership and management. Those are two really different concepts. And the best managers aren’t always great leaders and vice versa. I think I was always a good manager but had to grow into understanding what leadership would look like for me. I now view leadership as a vehicle for helping advance the careers of others within my organization, whether they stay with Grand Image or follow a passion that leads them elsewhere.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.grandimage.com
• Instagram: @mrsmaass and @katiesoptionblife @grandimageltd
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-maass-81a63a28/