Think for yourself: Kate Thompson, entrepreneur

Name:

Kate Thompson

Age:

Title:

Owner of LORDON

*We know your official name, but what do your friends call you?

I guess i’m too boring to have a nickname, all of my friends call me Kate.

*Where are you from?

I was born in Newfoundland (yay Newfies!) but I’ve spent the majority of my life living in Rothesay and working in Saint John.

*Where are you now?

I’m still in Rothesay! I lived in Halifax for my university career and I honestly thought at that time that I would live there for the rest of my life, but I’m back!

*Tell us about how you got from point A to point B.

My husband! Joe is my biggest fan and I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without him. He was the one who pushed me to grow into our larger location for

LORDON

and it was the best decision i’ve ever made. Back story- I owned a really small retail store (about 600 square feet) called Silver Daisy for 6 years and I really wanted to grow but our space was so limited. Joe was the one who pushed me to move and rebrand the store to Lordon, my maiden name. It was SO scary and I was so afraid of failure but it was totally worth it and I’m so happy I did it.

*Now tell us the rough stuff.

The absolute worst day of my life was the day my Dad passed away. I remember that day so vividly, every single detail. It’s been nearly 10 years and I still can’t believe he is gone.

*What got you through what you didn’t think you would get through?

This is a long story but I’ll try to keep it as short as possible. I’ve always struggled with anxiety and panic attacks but when I was told my Dad would only have 2 years to live I completely lost it. My anxiety was so bad that I couldn’t leave the house, I was even afraid of showering- it was BAD. I was terrified of leaving my Dad for the fear that he would die and I wouldn’t be with him and this turned into extreme anxiety and debilitating panic attacks. It was my Mom that decided I needed a hobby, a way to distract my mind, so she signed us up for a jewelry making class. After learning how to make jewelry, I became obsessed with making jewelry- it was the distraction my mind needed. Long story short, making jewelry helped me ease my mind and eventually led to me opening my store!

*What’s one thing people probably don’t know about you?

I’m a pretty open book when it comes to myself but something a lot of people who aren’t my close friends don’t know is that I am a certified makeup artist! Two years ago I took a few courses in New York through the Makeup Forever Academy- best time of my life. *See guilty pleasure below...

*Do you have any mentors or go to people that have helped you?

I have a few go-to people that have helped me immensely over the years. I never make a big decision without consulting my go-to people. If I had to think of one person, the one person I ALWAYS ask for advice (aside from my husband), it would be Julia Hurst. She always gives me an unbiased opinion. I love her for her ability to just tell me how it is without telling me what I want to hear.

*What are your guilty pleasures?

Buying makeup, lots of makeup and redecorating my house.

*Where is your secret getaway spot?

If i’m having a really rough time, I go visit my Dad’s grave in Lorneville. It’s a really beautiful drive and it’s kind of ‘off the grid’.

*What’s your favourite social media platform? Why?

I’d say it would have to be Instagram. I love the power of Instagram, the ability (as a brand) to reach out to people from all around the world. Instagram has definitely helped grow my business.

*Your house is burning down, which 2 things do you grab? (do not say phone and computer)

I’m assuming my pets are an automatic given sooo aside from them I’d grab my special box (it’s filled with a lot of special/important things- things from my Dad, memories from my wedding, vintage jewelry my mom gave me, etc.) and my makeup (technically a makeup storage case but it’s filled with all of my makeup).

*What’s your favourite quote?

I know it’s so cliche but I truly believe that “Everything happens for a reason”. Yes, life throws some of us the most unfair curveballs (believe me, I know) but I do believe that everything that happens for a reason- you may not find out the reason for years or ever really know ‘why’ but there is always a reason.

*What keeps you up at night?

My brain! I swear my brain goes a million miles an hour right before I fall asleep. I have to keep a notepad (sometimes I write it in my phone) beside my bed because I’m always thinking of ideas- business ideas, decorating ideas, etc. I’m literally the definition of a daydreamer, dreaming up ideas all day every day.

*What puts you to sleep?

I can’t sleep without my fan. I’ve actually burned the motors of about 6 fans because I use one every. single. night. I started listening to a fan at night during my first year of university to muffle the sounds of people yelling and doors slamming and I haven’t looked back!

*What’s your favourite thing about yourself?

Hmmm, this is a hard question! I’d have to say my favorite thing about myself is that I really enjoy trying out new things and I’m not afraid to do it on my own. I say this because the old me would have been too terrified to ever try anything new, nevermind trying it out alone!

*What’s your favourite Netflix series?

Right now I’m watching season 5 of House of Cards but my all time favorite series on Netflix would have to be Call the Midwife.

*What’s a normal day look like to you?

Every day is different but usually it goes something like this:

-Wake up, play with the dogs, drink my morning coffee, scroll through social media, drive to work, paperwork, more coffee, schedule social media posts for the day, other work related things, drive home, take dogs to park, update the online store, answer questions from social media platforms, plan for tomorrow, daydream, watch netflix, daydream again, go to bed.

*Did you picture your life the way it is right now?

Not at all. Never in a million years would I have guessed I’d be where I am today. I went to school and studied Criminology and planned on going to Law School. I had purchased my LSAT book prep and everything. Long story short, I found out that my Dad was dying and I headed home immediately. While back in Saint John, I met my husband and Saint John quickly became my new home (again).

*What’s your schedule like in the next few months?

Hectic and busy. Work obviously, but I do have a lot of fun things planned for the store that will definitely take a lot of planning. I’ll also be heading to New York in a few months to attend a buying show so I can book some Spring 2018 items for the store. I’m actually travelling a lot over the next few months! I didn’t really realize until I answered this question. My sister, mom, and I have planned our first ‘girls’ trip together and we’ve planned a trip throughout Europe, which I’m really looking forward to. Other than work and travel, I’ll be marking my calendar with some days off to enjoy the sunshine.