We recently connected with Kathy Arnos and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kathy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

Thank you for having me and providing a beautiful forum to inspire your readers to take a conscious approach to manifesting their visions. I grew up amongst the colorful landscape of the Hollywood scene in California. After years of working under the helm of socially conscious television producer Norman Lear, where I learned diverse skills (i.e., hospitality, production, syndication, and distribution), I decided to step away from the entertainment business, get married, and start a family.

When my daughter, Danielle, developed a compromised immune system and chemical sensitivities in her first year, and Western medicine wasn’t helping, my life path quickly changed. In my pursuit to find answers to heal her, I discovered the amazing world of holistic medicine, and learned about the immune system, environmental influences on our health, and the importance of informed, conscious living.

I wrote about our journey from illness to recovery through natural medicine and shared it with her doctor. She, in turn, posted the story with her medical newswire community—an early form of the internet exclusively for doctors. Surprisingly, I began receiving letters from doctors and their patients thanking me.

When I saw how my words resonated with so many doctors and other mothers looking for similar information, I decided to get a post office box and create an in-print newsletter, Mother to Mother: Another View. The first issue featured our story along with other important health and environmental topics. Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing, but a friend had a computer, and I had read a book about how to write a newsletter in 30 days that came with a 100% money-back guarantee, so I took a chance and followed its blueprint.

Mothers craved the information and loved it. They began calling me for guidance about how to help their children. My reputation and business as a holistic consultant grew organically over time by word of mouth as I shared the information. I took on a part-time job at a holistic pharmacy to further my studies about herbs, homeopathy, flower essence, nutrition, and many other modalities. I began teaching free classes, donating time in the community, and networking with people, sharing information.

Mother to Mother became the launchpad for every next step of my evolution, including serving on different advisory boards as an expert and being dubbed a pioneer of holistic and environmental health. I later authored two self-help parenting books, Bach Flowers for Children: Raising Emotionally Healthy Children without Drugs (1991) and The Complete Teething Guide — From Birth to Adolescence (2004).

In the early 1990s, I produced and hosted a 30-minute show for public television, Raising Healthy Children Without Drugs, and was featured in magazines, newspapers, on radio interviews, and national television.

My writing career also grew organically; colleagues in the media enlisted me to research different subjects and write articles about my findings, and I became a contributing editor to various publications, both in print and eventually online. Later, that extended to reviews about products, books, travel destinations, and events. I loved taking pictures and would share them with people and other publications.

While I do love money, none of my focus was on the monetary gain, but rather on making a difference, being of service, and the human connection. That is pretty much how it all started.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I feel like I have already given your readers a little glimpse into my background… as a risk taker, holistic practitioner, author, and writer. My mission over the last 37 years has always been to educate people by providing information that isn’t readily available through mainstream media outlets so they can make informed decisions about their health and lifestyle choices to protect their loved ones, and the planet for future generations. I have done this through many different resources, outlets, and platforms over the years.

Far too often, people cruise through life following what is accepted as normal according to the herd mentality directed by the mainstream media. Most of us believe what we are told without any consideration of what might be best for us as individual beings. I encourage people to get present in their bodies and take the time to do their own research to make informed decisions. Most of my clients have been referred to me after experiencing various health conditions when Western medicine wasn’t helping, or they are looking for alternatives to traditional methods for pest control or similar environmental issues.

I am not a doctor, nor do I have a degree in environmental science. I am an investigator, an observer, and a student of life—a woman with what many consider valuable knowledge and resources in many areas, who is willing to share her insights. I have learned over the years about the importance of informed, conscious living, how to best walk in alignment with the earth, and the power of nature’s most precious gifts.

After the release of my second book, The Complete Teething Guide, I was invited to do a book signing at a large baby expo in Southern California. When I arrived, I couldn’t believe what was being presented to the attendees as a positive role model for healthy living and responsible parenting. The products included toxic household goods, personal care items, and processed foods containing preservatives, chemicals, and dyes, known to be linked to cancer and behavior problems in animals, humans, and children.

After a few days of reflection about my experience and envisioning a healthier resource for people, I decided to investigate the prospect of creating an expo. While I had never produced an event of this scale, I reached out to a few clients, friends, and contacts in the natural products industry to gauge support. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and the concept of Whole Children Whole Planet Expo was born. I immediately formed Whole Planet Productions, Inc, as a health-conscious lifestyle hub—mind, body, and spirit—to inspire, educate, and empower people to make informed decisions to protect their families and the earth.

It was with this vision and passion in my heart, along with the help of award-winning celebrities, radio and television networks, family-run businesses, corporate companies, and the media, that the WCWP Expo was presented at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Earth Day 2006. “Creating empowered parents, balanced families, and a healthier planet for our future.” The show ran bi-annually from 2006 to 2010.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Taking the risk of producing a show of that size was scary and exciting at the same time. It was a lot of hard work, and there were many challenges. For example, when I moved the venue from the Los Angeles Convention Center (an indoor venue) to an eleven-acre (mostly outdoor) Waldorf School campus, it turned out to be a producer’s nightmare! The semi-truck carrying all of the vendor’s products arrived late, and there were no lights on the field, so everyone had to set up in the dark.

The next day, despite it being Spring, we had a freak heatwave of 112 degrees, with no breeze. It was unbearable for everyone. There were so many other difficulties that weekend. Facing the second day of the event and dealing with the aftermath of the show was an extremely difficult experience. My stress level was off the charts, and I wanted to run away and hide, rather than face the moment, but I persevered.

While most of the vendors were understanding, some blamed me and were really upset. The reality was that it was an act of nature, one of life’s circumstances, and a prime example of why we were all there—addressing Global Warming.

Once I shook off my unwarranted self-criticism about not being prepared for all of the unforeseen circumstances, I asked myself, “What can I do to make it up to the exhibitors?” The answer came to me… FREE publicity. That’s when I decided to transition Mother to Mother to a new format with a wider demographic brand of Eco Family News— an online newsletter with an accompanying blog and internet radio show on I Am Healthy Radio (long before podcasts).

I started by featuring the few companies that were unhappy over the weekend’s event, sending out a free email blast to over 8,000 subscribers, which included members of the press. That action, thankfully, smoothed their ruffled feathers and marked the beginning of my next chapter—with thriving resilience.

As you can see, each of my experiences guided my evolution, both in my career and my personal life. With each project I have embarked on, I have learned valuable lessons that I am grateful for and that inform my everyday actions. Thankfully, the universe has beautifully supported me at each juncture.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The third and last show ran smoothly and was a lovely success. However, I could feel the tides turning within the industry and decided it was the perfect time to say goodbye and put the WCWP Expo to sleep. Producing the show was a lot of work, and I was exhausted. I wanted to close that chapter on a positive note.

Once I made that decision and took some time to replenish my energy well, emotionally and physically, my focus pivoted to helping other businesses thrive with marketing support, and I also returned to my holistic practice and caring for loved ones.

Taking that time allowed me to get present with the importance of one-on-one connection again, which inspired my next project. After three decades of teaching people about pregnancy, birth, and the care of our children and planet, my work continued to evolve alongside my personal growth. I realized that as I have matured, my journey has come full circle, now encompassing all phases of life—birth, midlife, and beyond—into taking our last breath. I learned that the wisdom years are equally as important as the first half of life, which is now reflected in my new book, Walking A Friend Home: A Practical Guide to Consciously Living & Dying.

In it, I address the epidemic of loneliness that often accompanies aging and the growing lack of true intimacy in relationships, which is compounded by our societal denial. The book offers readers valuable tools, guidance, and resources—emotionally, physically, logistically, and spiritually—to teach them how to engage in honest conversations, make deeper connections, and navigate the complexities of all life stages, including death.

My extended mission today is to teach people how to cultivate a life rich with meaning and unconditional love by embracing all phases of life together. I invite your readers to begin the conversation and join me, at whatever age, as we embark on a beautiful journey of self-discovery, moving from the intellectual mind to the spirit of the heart to explore your human vulnerability. To learn how to live fully awake, aware, and present—while becoming your best self—offering each other the many gifts of consciously living and dying together—something that will change your life forever.

Trudi Roth, editor, and founder of It’s The TruStory! states, “Walking A Friend Home represents Arnos’ journey of the entire cycle of life—both in nature and our human experience, fostering love, balance, and respect throughout, eventually returning all elements to the earth. It reflects the importance of consciously living through all phases—including death. She weaves her knowledge, intuitive gifts, and connection to the spirit world together—facilitating gentle transitions full of grace, dignity, and a feeling of being loved with a sense of completion for everyone.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kathyarnos.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathyarnos/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069668173387
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-arnos-79650811/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kathyarnos852
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/wholeplanetproductions
• Other: Kathy is available for consultations; please contact her at [email protected]m or through her website.

Image Credits
Author photos: by Danielle Arnos © 2024. Cover photo and artwork: by Kathy Arnos © 2022 Whole Planet Productions, WCWP Expo, & Eco Family News graphic design: by Kathy Arnos @ 2004