Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Frost.
It all started with her younger sister’s debutante party – a snowflake in the eye of the owner of this family business that is changing the way people dream, plan, and execute events. Ever since then, her goal with events has been to create unique guest experiences, each one more extraordinary and memorable than the last. Thinking outside of the box has always served her well, and she’s confident her approach will soon make A Frosted Affair a leader in her industry.
At the mature age of 15, Katherine began working at her local swim club, lifeguarding during the summer and teaching a Masters swim class (her favorite hobby) before going to school on the days she was not swimming herself. In college, she was the head swim coach for the Dallas Athletic Club and developed the swim program into a fun but competitive group. It was during this time, teaching swimming to a wide age range of individuals, that Katherine recognized her passions and harnessed her drive to develop others’ special talents and abilities.
Katherine took those passions and drive with her to Southern Methodist University where she pursued a bachelor’s degree in Art and Elementary School Education. Upon graduation, she carried these traits to the exciting world of ski instructing. Working with high-end clients and VIPs at Beaver Creek Resort in Beaver Creek, CO, she ensured that each one of her guests- especially the ‘little ones’ – had the best experience possible while developing their ability to “link those turns.” Both rewarding and challenging, working with three to six-year-olds was a wonderful patience-building experience! Learning how to explain, demonstrate, and offer lots of encouragement is something Katherine has carried over into her current work with clients.
Before launching her own event planning business, Katherine worked for Destination Services Corporation (DSC) collaborating with small and large conventions visiting Denver and its surrounding mountain towns. With DSC, Katherine built strong relationships with many of her vendor partners, creating enticing proposals and executing events onsite. While she felt fortunate to work for such an amazing team of individuals, Katherine knew it is like only a matter of time before she felt confident enough to leap out on her own. Enter A Frosted Affair!
Four years in and still loving every minute of working for herself and serving her clients. From luxury weddings to local corporate and helping nonprofits put on the best gala is truly a rewarding experience. Her team is growing and excited about what the future has to hold.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Growing up, my parents thought I was entertaining because I am extremely confident in all of my abilities. There was no challenge that was too great. I never made the Olympics but I always dreamed big. Being from Texas, the saying “go big or go home” really is true for myself.
A year before I started my company, my father passed away. This was a huge challenge in who I was and who I felt I needed to become. Being the great protector of my family and making my dad proud of me even though he is no longer with us are two passions that carry me through my endeavors. I got married shortly thereafter and it wasn’t a good fit. I finally felt like I woke up from the haze that my father’s death had left me in when I divorced my husband a few years later. I feel like I emerged a stronger person with a strong sense of self-awareness and how to use my confidence and my talents to reach the heights I see fit.
If that wasn’t enough to go through in a short period of time, I was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer and will have a total of four surgeries within a year. Being in business for yourself and having to push all of your own personal problems away to focus on others needs can be difficult.
I personally have a very strong and supportive family that listens and helps when I need them. I have a wonderful staff that also share in having good and bad days. We are also a family and we are all there to support one another and most importantly our clients. Many of our clients have been with us for several years. Having this large network of strong individuals inspires me every day.
It is amazing what happens when you open up to others. I am a very private person but I have learned over the course of owning a business, that opening up makes you more human. Everyone puts their guard down and shares their own struggles and I always feel the relationship is stronger and more genuine. So, if you are struggling currently, know that we all have been there. We all have good days and bad days and its how we step back, analyze the problem and figure out the best way to move forward that helps us grow. Take it one day at a time and somehow everything starts to fall into place. It might not be what you had envisioned but it will be great.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about A Frosted Affair – what should we know?
A Frosted Affair is a luxury wedding, corporate, and nonprofit event planning company where we focus on the guest experience. We make events memorable, whether it’s a small or large budget, we listen to our clients and what their goals are for the event to be successful. Having a ‘wow’ factor is also critical for events and what this means is how is this particular event (wedding, corporate, nonprofit) different from other events in the same category. I have brought wolves to weddings, brought in national acts, set up a flower market and had acrobats. What will keep people talking about the event long after its over? This is the question I ask myself while planning the event in question.
A Frosted Affair is known for being different and transparent. We are open and honest with our clients when it comes to what is feasible within tight budgets or what will work better based on our knowledge, vendor connections, and experience.
As an owner, I am incredibly proud of my team in how they continue to push the envelop and are so creative!
Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
Finding Ultra by Rich Roll is one of my favorite books. This book goes through the personal struggles of a very bright guy that had it all and then lost it all. From swimming at Standford University to going into rehab, and the journey to self-discovery by running ultra marathons and competing in Iron man. I strongly identified with the need to have sports in my life as an adult, not only to stay fit but to work through the spectrum of emotions that come with life. It is always nice when someone can be vulnerable and honest instead of being the poster child for what society believes we need to be.
As far as apps go, I love keeping up with the events industry on Instagram and seeing what new stimulating ideas people are doing. I also love Pinterest, from new recipes to workouts and events there’s a little bit of everything!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.afrostedaffair.com
- Email: kfrost@afrostedaffair.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afrostedaffair/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afrostedaffair/
Image Credit:
@Insyncphotodenver, @kmulhernphotography, @camrafem, @teresawoodhull
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