We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kristen Bobst a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kristen, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.
Create as much art as possible without waiting for others to greenlight your ideas. If you do wait, you risk ending up with a hard drive full of missed opportunities. What you produce should be the best you can make it—but time is limited; ideas are not so much. Write as much as you can.
Kristen, 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?
I am the author of the YA Style Engineers Worldwide graphic novel series as well as the co-writer of several musical, mobile kids apps about conservation. In addition to the STEM content I write for younger audiences, I’ve also reported on space exploration and pet science for sites and publications like PBS SoCal, Paste Magazine, and Wunderdog Magazine. I’m in the early stages of launching a self-publishing initiative with a special focus on local bookshops and community engagement.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Making people laugh. There’s so much darkness in the world, so helping someone even crack a smile makes my day.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I have a disability called spasmodic dysphonia that causes voice breaks, making public speaking a nightmare; it is nearly impossible and always anxiety-inducing. When I placed in The Next MacGyver competition in 2015, the next step in the contest required pitching my concept to a large audience at The Paley Center in LA. I did the pitch; I made it through. In turn, that concept became the Style Engineers Worldwide books.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://kristeno.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekristeno/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristeno/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thekristeno
- Other: https://www.styleengineersworldwide.com
Image Credits
Photos: Chris Bobst