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Meet Katy Paulson of Angel Productions & Morse Code Malas in Highlands

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Katy Paulson.

Katy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m at a super interesting and inspired place in my life right now, and although it took some twists and turns to get here, I couldn’t be happier. I’ve been a dancer since age four, yoga teacher since 2012, and aerialist since 2017. I was a studio manager for different yoga and fitness studios for almost a decade, and then one day, I asked myself: Why are you not your own boss? I have a Master’s degree in Transformative Leadership and a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy – I just never knew what to do with those degrees. It occurred to me that I am great at a whole bunch of different things, and that’s why it’s been so hard to decide on a ‘career path’. I thought I had to pick just one thing to be, but now I realize that as long as I organize and prioritize, I can do all the things that I’m passionate about. New job title: Creator.

When my students tell me they can’t take a dance class of mine, because they’re not dancers, I tell them, “All you have to do to be a dancer, is dance”. So with that same line of thinking, I just started trying different skills that interest me. Since I quit my management job in September, I’ve been a photographer, photo editor, website creator, graphic designer, circus performer, software consultant, life coach, and finally business owner.

I created an LLC called Angel Productions and am pursuing two main creative paths to earn income. One is photography and photo editing – specifically Light Painting Photography. I was inspired when I saw @Zo_after_dark (on Instagram) doing light painting photos in Chicago. Since it wasn’t feasible to fly him out here, I decided to figure it out for myself. My boyfriend has a super sweet camera, so I watched some YouTube videos, consulted with a photographer friend of mine, and invited some friends over to test it out. So far people have been loving the photos, and I have three studios interested in booking photoshoots.

The other creative path is called Morse Code Malas. This idea came about when my mom gave me a bracelet that had a message in it using Morse Code. She used different color beads to represent the Morse Code dot, dash, and space. By putting one space between letters, and two spaces between words, you can spell out messages in jewelry. I thought: This would be amazing in malas! Malas are beaded necklaces that are often used for meditation, and popular in the yoga community. The metaphysical properties of different gemstones create different vibrations for healing, grounding, inspiring, protecting…you name it! So there are already hidden meanings in each mala necklace, and traditionally the person making the mala is also chanting or sending energetic vibrations into the necklace while they tie each knot. Now, I can customize malas by using gemstones that are relevant to people’s energetic needs, and I can also customize them with messages, mantras, affirmations, even names, and dates. I again went to YouTube, figured out how to start a business, create a website, use photoshop to make marketing materials, and consulted with SBDC about all the forms and legal hoops I had to jump through.

So while I got these ideas from other people, I’m putting my own spin on these highly-specialized niche artforms and can feel the inspiration pouring out of me as I tell people about it. I believe our greatest resources are the people already around us. You just have to ask. While many pursuits might seem like insurmountable amounts of work, if you just start moving and keep moving, you’ll be surprised by how much you can accomplish!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Having faith that my business will succeed is probably the hardest part. I see businesses struggling left and right, and it’s a huge risk to learn new skills like this at age 35. There are a billion photographers and mala makers out there, so I had to find out how to make mine unique. Then I had to dig deep to find the courage and confidence. I knew I couldn’t continue to sacrifice my creativity for a steady paycheck.

It’s also easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of work it takes to start a new business, let alone two! I had to create a lot of lists to clarify my goals and the steps it would take to reach them. Then I had to use my calendar like a crazy person and assign different projects to different days of the week. That way I could actually make progress.

Angel Productions & Morse Code Malas – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
It’s a brand new baby company. I am super proud of what I’ve accomplished in just the last couple of months, and I have high hopes for how it will grow in the future. I’m known for my creativity and leadership, so finding connections, resources, and interesting solutions is my forte. I’ve met a lot of people along the way who are either super artistic, or super logical and organized, but not many who are both. I can somehow use both sides of my brain in a way that allows me to see the big picture and how the pieces fit together, and also the little details that are crucial to running a business.

I’ve chosen super niche markets and am creating community and interest around them simply by connecting with people and sharing my heart. Most recently I partnered with an artist friend of mine who creates beautiful yogic artwork. I create malas that match her artwork, and we’re going to sell them as a set during yoga festivals, holiday markets, and events. Her name is Andrea Fast, and you might have seen her work all around Kindness Yoga studios.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is in each moment. I feel most alive when I am creating – manifesting ideas and energy inside of me, and then looking at it and being like, “That’s what was inside me? Freaking awesome!” Success is not about money, popularity, or making other people proud. It’s about making myself proud. I am the only one who knows everything it takes to create, so I have to be my own biggest cheerleader and celebrate the small victories along the way. I ask myself these questions to check in: What state of being am I creating inside of myself? What are the ‘givens’ in this situation? Where are places I am empowered to choose or to change? What am I grateful for in this moment, right now?

Pricing:

  • Morse Code Mala – $108
  • Matching Earrings – $17 (with purchase of a mala)
  • Light Painting Photography 30 Min Session – $50 (Includes 3 edited photos)
  • Photography Editing – $20 per photo
  • Aerial Private Lessons – $100 per hour / $250 for 3

Contact Info:


Image Credit:
Katy Paulson
Parker Smith
Andrea Fast

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