We were lucky to catch up with Katie Edwards recently and have shared our conversation below.

Katie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

I definitely had a rocky relationship with my parents at points, as we all do. I was a very strong willed kid and my parents are both very strong personalities, so of course they raised someone as such. One of the biggest lessons my dad ever taught me was to never have to rely on anyone, especially a man to provide for you. They wanted me to grow up knowing how to handle myself and my finances. Because of this I began my entrepreneurship at a very young age, and grew to be successful in my career. My mother is your typical southern lady, her role was to teach me about how to be strong and speak my mind with poise and grace. Although I defiled her at times and still do, I have learned the value of those lessons and how important it is for a woman to be able to know her strength and have people respect it. These two things combined have given me the knowledge to negotiate in business, communicate in an effective way and hold myself and my standards to the highest regard.

Katie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

For those that do not know, I dabble in a variety of creative and business endeavors. My primary focus is modeling, which I expanded to coaching when I was 19 and have now expanded further in offering private coaching and classes 6 times a year. I absolutely love encouraging others to follow their dreams and watching them blossom. Even though very young, I have been through a whirlpool of life-altering events, most very tragic. Because of this I began journaling ad that journal turned into a book deal. I write about my story as though you are going through it with me, and then I show you the way out of the tunnel and how you can take something from a pile of dust to a budding rose. I think the biggest difference between myself and other people in my primary field, that a lot of people do not realize or even know is how extensive my background in entertainment is. Acting was my primary focus at one point when I was in school and I was working with some big names and very talented people to build a network, a reputation and a skill set. Modeling and acting go hand-in-hand and if you’d like to know how, I can teach you!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

There was a point where I had to decide, do I move across the country and risk it all or do I try and go to college? I made the decision to focus on school and then continue modeling on the side to keep my skills sharp. I was still auditioning for small films and doing some acting here and there, but there was a point where being a dual major with a minor and running full speed towards my dreams was just not possible anymore. I ended up burning myself out and my mental health declined my junior year. I made the decision with my family to drop out and take time off. I broke my apartment lease and moved to Austin to stay with my uncles and find my balance again. I was in Austin for a year until I knew it was time for me to leave. I had been having health problems with my heart and seizures as well as my mental health, so I finally called my mom and asked if she would come get me and help me move out. I moved back in with my parents, unemployed, feeling sorry for myself and completely lost. I was home long before my mom and I got into one of the worst fights, and thankfully my aunt and cousin were there because a much needed intervention happened that day. Because of how bad I thought my own health was I was put on a routine of medication that, come to find out, were making things much worst and keeping me from being the greatest I could be. My dad suggested I stop them and when I did… all of my health problems ceased to exist. I was sitting with my dad in his office one day and I said “dad, im lost” he said “Babygirl, you need to get back in school and finish…” I interrupted him “Dad, I hated school, I don’t wanna go back, I don’t feel passionate about it.” He responded in a way I wasn’t expecting, “well, then what o you want to do Katie?” I said “What I have always wanted to do, be successful doing what I love, modeling” I will never forget his response, “Then stop working for free”. I was ready to give up everything I loved until I made the decision to give it my all.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I have always been someone who enjoys juxtaposition and what I mean by this is I love the Truth. The truth in most situations is not linear, and it doesn’t always make sense to someone who thinks linear. Most people will see my online and think that i’m just a pretty face who shows off her body. Most people don’t know why I love doing that or what my goal with it is. I love it because I come from a background of being bullied to the point of self harm, I love it because I get messages from men and women about how much I inspire them to be as confident in their skin as I am in mine, I love it because I love the juxtaposition. I am no the popular girl, i’m the nerdy girl, the weird girl, the controversial girl who wants to help empower those who were once like me, invisible. My mission is to show you it’s possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katiemarieedwards.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katie.marie.edwards
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/kmariegaudin

Image Credits
Midnight Snap, Dylan Nguyen Melvin Douglas Sweats Eric Cotsen Vid Chronicles Trezz Johnson Alluring Allusions Photography