Katrina Owens (00:01.678)
Hello, my famous friends and welcome to Fame Ready, the podcast to show you that anything is possible. And yeah, this is our last episode of 2025. So if you're listening to this, I'm so glad you're here. Thank you for listening. You're probably listening to this as you welcome in the new year. And I'm just really grateful that you make me part of your routine, that you make this podcast part of your like listening pleasure.

And because I'm recording this just a week before New Year's Eve, obviously, this is the time when we start to get really, really reflective, right? We start to think about what we accomplished this year, what we didn't accomplish this year, the lessons, all of the things. And it's so interesting because there were a lot of things that I've done.

especially in Q4, the last remaining months of 2025. And I meaning to like recap them each individually on this podcast. Like I haven't ever done a recap of Big Brand Energy Sessions. I never recapped my trip to Adobe Max. Like there are all these things that I'm like, God, there's just not enough time to record all of these like...

amazing things that I've done. And I think that's okay. I like to think that, you for me, I create content really intuitively. And because I have the pleasure of working with so many different types of people, business owners, marketers, what I notice is there's like all these different styles about how we create content. Like for some of us, we're like batching weeks out, for others, it's more intuitive and...

You know, for me, for a really long time, I wanted to be the type of person that could like a batch content for an entire month and could map out a content plan and know when I'm going to talk about each thing. But for me, when I think this is what makes me a really, really strong personal brand is I've actually let go of this need to like batch content. And what I do instead is go by my intuition. go by, you know, what

Katrina Owens (02:23.712)
What are the themes that are being talked about in my community or among my clients? What is going on in the greater pop culture world? What has happened in my life? That's been significant. And I just try to show up and record. And if it's an Instagram post or LinkedIn post, I just really try to be present with whatever I'm feeling at that time.

I'm trying not to hold it against myself that there are some big things that I haven't even really like fully unpacked here on the podcast yet, but I'm sure those moments will come in 2026 because everything compounds, everything builds. And that's actually what I want to talk about today because 2025 was the year that, you know,

The previous version of me, the corporate Katrina version of me who so badly wanted a life built on travel and adventure and experiencing new places and people, that was all I ever wanted in a previous life. And 2025 was the year that it all came to be. I have spent almost 100 days traveling.

in 2025, which either excites you or makes you sound shocked that I was able to manage that. well, I mean, there were times when I was tired and I think I'm all the all the tiredness has really caught up to me in the last couple of weeks as I like near this end of the year. I wouldn't have done it any differently. Every single one of those trips taught me something. And I

did an Instagram post about it today. But what I figured I would do here because I think it's such an important one, especially if you're someone who wants to build a business that takes you places. I'm assuming if you're listening to this podcast, the answer is probably yes. I want to dive in just a little bit deeper on each one to tell you what it meant to me, what I learned, and actually give you some behind the scenes tips, lessons, things that I can't just sum up in a neat little Instagram post because

Katrina Owens (04:29.742)
I learned so much when I'm traveling and I've learned so much about myself and it's really helped me like embody the person that I've always wanted to be. So that's what we're diving into today. Everywhere my business took me in 2025, but more importantly, what it all taught me. So let me just, I got to pull up the post because there were so many places. So as I break this down, I want you to keep in mind like one thing.

Because if you're listening to this and you're like, travel isn't something that is such a high priority or maybe the volume of travel that I've done isn't the highest priority, that's okay. But if you want to build a fame ready personal brand, you have to be okay with physically stepping outside of your comfort zone. So I would never say or tell someone they have to travel the sheer amount that I did this year because that was a very...

I mean, that was unique and I'm sure I'm about to do it all over again in 2026, but I've learned a lot and I'm in my era of doing things a bit more sustainably. So that means, I mean, there was one speaking gig in January I had to turn down just because the timing was too tight with another one I already had in the calendar. And I just had to be realistic. The word that I don't love to use with my clients when it comes to like visions and goals and dreams.

But when it comes to the actual logistics, okay, this is like what all of my clients learn from working with me. It's like when it comes to the actual action and logistics, we do need to be realistic. And that's why I think I've seen the level of success that I have. It's because I'm willing to like hold the big vision and know that I can do anything that's possible for myself while also knowing like there's a nuance and knowing that the action step, the next small step.

towards whatever those like big visions or goals is, has to be tethered to reality. Okay, so let's dive into it, okay. So in 2025, I kicked off the year with a trip to the Sunshine Coast with Gabriel. This was not a work trip. It was me, the dogs, and we went to a cabin. I believe we actually went on New Year's Eve and got there for New Year's Eve. And then we stayed.

Katrina Owens (06:52.322)
We must have stayed two nights. So we left on January 2nd. So if we take it back a whole year, and I think I'm feeling a little bit of like a recurring PTSD from that time. Last year at this time, I was definitely in a bit of a spiral. Okay. I didn't know all of the amazingness and all the magic that was about to happen in 2025. I didn't know any of that was actually going to occur. I could feel in my gut that there was like some really special

things waiting for me. I mean, I didn't have certainty. That's for sure. I didn't have proof. And the holiday season when things get really quiet and slow is when it really amplifies the feelings of fear and lack and scarcity. And I can see it coming up with some of my clients too. I always think like some of the things that my clients

are doing and feeling becomes a mirror for me. So whenever my clients come to me with a bit of a fear or trepidation or something that's making them feel uncomfortable, I try to find it within myself too. And this is a big one because I can sense for some of my clients that this is stirring up the same kind of feelings that I'm used to. what this trip to the Sunshine Coast taught me, because it really was not...

It was not glamorous. I mean, it was super cozy. Okay, we went to this cute cabin. It had an outdoor hot tub. It was in a very scenic, private area where the dogs could kind of just go outside. I had all these visions for what the coziness was gonna look like. It ended up just pouring rain the entire time. And full transparency, Gabriel and I also weren't in a great place. So it felt really heavy. ironically enough,

while I was trying to work on my relationship, while also hold the vision on my business, I made a sale on New Year's Eve and on New Year's Day. So I signed two different clients within 24 hours of each other on two days of the year when science or data or anyone would probably say, hey, it's a holiday. People are not thinking about their business. You do not need to work.

Katrina Owens (09:07.106)
I mean, I made both these sales without actually having to like do anything. And that just really reinforced to me the power of having a personal brand. Okay. And if I've learned anything this year, cause I've made sales on Saturdays, on Sundays, in the middle of the night, I've woken up to sales. Like they're always going to come at the time when you least expect it to, because that's usually the time when you've released. And as I'm saying this out loud, it's like a reminder to myself, I'm getting a full body chill thinking about it.

when you are experiencing joy or presence or gratitude and you're actually not worrying about these logistical financial, am I going to sign more clients, speaking gigs, whatever it is, this camera, I still haven't figured it out almost a year later. When we really sink into the present moment and just let ourselves experience all the magic around us, that is when all the beauty unfolds.

That's what my trip to the Sunshine Coast taught me. was not a pretty one. I remember I actually, when I got back, a good friend of mine named Kelly, it was hosting like a virtual like intuition workshop or something like that. And I went to it and I feel like I just had like a full body cry on that thing. Cause I wanted to be so deeply connected to my intuition. And it, I was feeling so unsure and uncertain about so many things in my life, but yeah.

crazy to come a full 12 months. This year we're just staying home for New Year's, which tends to like bring me more comfort than fear. Okay, so the second trip, so after a Sunshine Coast, like about a week later, January is always a month when I travel a lot. I'm trying to make that like less so this January because like let's not start off the year exhausted. But Gabriel and I went to Mexico with some friends of ours and

We booked this Mexico trip literally like a couple months before when I had just closed my agency and I had no money. I mean, I had a little bit of savings and I remember telling one of my mentors at the time I was like, Gabriel wants to go on vacation with his friends. It's going to be a couple thousand dollars each. I am feeling like I shouldn't go because I just like don't have the money for it. And one of my.

Katrina Owens (11:28.288)
amazing mentors in the living and balance space was like, what if this is the thing that brings you that money that you're searching for? Because we're never like searching for money, right, you guys? Like, that's what we have to like really sit with. Like, none of this is actually about the money. It's about what money brings. It brings safety, security, confidence, opportunity. That is what we are craving. And we make it about the money because we think that that's how we get access to these things. But when we make it about the money, we strangle the money.

We strangled it so much. And that's one of the biggest lessons that I've learned. And while I was in Mexico, okay, because we ended up going, I just just like, I really want to go on this vacation with Gabriel and our friends and we really need it. And it's going to be so fun and feel expansive. And I signed a client, no sales call required because there was a previous client who wanted to continue working with me and she paid $10,000 paid in full up from didn't have to do a zoom call, didn't have to do any convincing. And that's when I was like,

Okay, every time I travel, I make money. Because again, I'm experiencing joy, gratitude, presence. I'm like frolicking in the sun, soaking up vitamin D, feeling like this is what life really is about. And that moment showed me that. And I never had a client pay that amount of money in full before. And that was like that reaffirming moment when I was like, okay, you're safe, it's safe.

to travel, it's safe to have fun, it's safe to do all of these things. So that was really beautiful. So after that, still January, okay, I came home and then I went to Victoria to speak at a, or to MC, the Canadian Digital Marketing Summit, which is a local marketing conference here that I got to MC across the province. So this was the first time I actually got to travel for it.

as the MC, which was really, really cool. I got to stay in one of my favorite Victoria hotels, the Magnolia Hotel, and on my way to the ferry, okay, so like, get this. So I'd come back from Mexico like 48 hours before this. So came back from Mexico, picked up Dexter from the dog sitters, repacked my bags, and then we're off to the ferry terminal. And I remember as I was driving to the ferry terminal to take the ferry to Victoria, I...

Katrina Owens (13:50.406)
remember seeing that a client like this was like one of the most iconic clients of all time. I'm still working with them today. It's someone who is from a previous life of mine. And when they signed on to be a client with me, that was the moment when I was like, things are different now in the best way possible. So stop doubting yourself. Stop believing that, you know, you're not good enough. You're not smart enough. You do not experienced enough like

As I was driving to the ferry, this client signed on, paid, and I just remember feeling like it was a beautiful, sunny winter day. Like it was so cold, but it was sunny. had Dexter. It was taking the ferry to Victoria where I was going to MC an event. I just remember feeling so present. And I was thinking to myself like, my God, I'm so happy right now. Like this is exactly what I want to be doing. This is exactly how I want to be spending my time. And

Yeah, just, it was January, right? It was still January and I just feel like January is such a special month because you can really like encapsulate all of the magic that is about to unfold for the year. And I really just remember that moment feeling so excited about everything that was to come. And then still January, okay? I got back from Victoria. think a day later I dropped off Dexter back.

at the dog walkers or maybe Gabriel was home by then. can't remember. But then I got on a plane and went to Miami with my good friend Rachel. And so she was there for a conference. So we love to do this thing where I just like tag along and I get to stay in her fancy hotel rooms and I don't have to pay for them. All I have to do is pay for my flight and my food and then I make them a work trip. So while I was in Miami and she was doing work stuff, I found a couple different events to go to for myself and

I remember signing up for this one event that we were staying in Miami Beach area, and then this event was downtown. I've been to Miami a couple of times, so I kind of know my way around, but this event was at some sort of chain hotel, like a Hilton or Hyatt or something like that. I put it into the Uber. It took an hour. my gosh, I was in this Uber. It was a Tesla.

Katrina Owens (16:12.654)
anyone else get a little bit sick in Teslas because of the start and the stop? So we're in traffic, had to just close my eyes and I almost think I had a little bit of a nap for a couple of minutes there because I was exhausted. And the Uber drives me off at this hotel that I was confident that the event was at. And I walk in and I'm seeing no signage or anything like that. And I ask the front desk person, like, hey, I'm here for this event.

Is there anything happening today? And they were like, no, that must be at the hotel around the corner, because this was a plaza with a couple of different hotels. So then I walked across the parking lot to this other hotel, walked in, got the same advice from the person at the front desk. were like, we don't have any events here tonight. And so then I showed them the Eventbrite, and they were like,

This is the hotel that you actually want to go to and it was like a one word difference. I hate when this happens. Like one word difference. How would I have caught that? It basically said the exact same thing. was the same franchise, same area, same everything except for like one word. And so I typed this back into my Uber because obviously this Uber that I had originally taken is left by then. Type it in and I realized it's gonna take me a half an hour to get to this new hotel despite it being so close but like Miami traffic.

if you know you know. And I was feeling, I was already feeling like so nervous about going because this was one of the very first events that I'd ever gone to where I wasn't gonna know anyone. Now a full year later, I've done a lot of this. So obviously like this situation would not have brought me so much like fear and discomfort. but anyways, I'm like, okay, you can do this. In the Uber, I was like over analyzing the Eventbrite trying to figure out like, does it start at seven or like,

is that just like when the networking starts and I had all of these like thoughts and fears and I had this vision of me like walking into the room and like being stared down and feeling embarrassed that I was late and people thinking I was disrespectful and the whole thing. Those are all the stories that I told myself and I was like panic texting Gabriel about it. Just the whole entire freaking thing you guys, you know, like if you were like me recovering people, please are being late to anything feels terrible.

Katrina Owens (18:36.098)
I'm still like, if I'm ever late to something, like really gets me like in my bones. But I walked in and guess what? It was obviously fine. It was fine. I made some great connections. No one was judging me. I, know, the event hadn't even really started yet. So yeah, lesson learned. I really try. My nervous system does freak out about being late even to this day, but I really try to just like not.

let it hijack the night for me because I almost just didn't go. And that would have also been a shame. Looking back, I didn't sign like any clients or anything from that event. Made some good connections. looking back, like, yeah, it didn't change my life. you know, actually, this is a great awareness to just have. Maybe I didn't get any of the external benefits, but it built up a resiliency muscle, right?

This is something that I get really, really kind of wound up about when I see people talking about like, oh, I went to an event or a speaking engagement. I didn't see anything come from it. Anytime we say that, we are literally just speaking about external benefits, right? And if I've learned anything this year, external benefits are obviously great, but they're actually are directly linked to internal, your internal capacity to manage stress, to regulate your emotions, to support your nervous system.

Yeah, I mean, clearly even I can get on that same like, didn't see anything come from it, blah, blah. No, we gotta stop that in 2026, okay? Okay, so once January was over, February didn't go anywhere. March was the very first time I traveled to a conference to attend it. So was my very first conference out of country in Orlando was, you know.

If you're Canadian and you do a lot of American travel, that exchange rate can really get you. But I was really excited about this opportunity to go expand my brand, my personal brand in a different place. And I did the thing. I did the thing I see so many clients and business owners do. You make an investment into traveling, going to an event, and then you sit in your hotel room and you spiral. It hasn't even ended yet. And I'm still like, you know, the day hadn't even ended and I'm fricking sitting.

Katrina Owens (20:56.63)
in my hotel room, I still had to go to like the cocktail party, the VIP party, put on a party dress and go like have fun. And I couldn't separate myself from the fact that I felt like, did I make a mistake? Am I gonna sign any clients from this? Is anything gonna come from this? I was so fucking anxious you guys. This is my first time ever doing something like that.

I want to say it probably costs me about $3,000 to go. And that was the most I'd ever invested into traveling to an event. But now, since then, I mean, about a month later, I signed an amazing one-on-one client from that event, $10,000 sale. I have received countless speaking engagements. when I try to count them, it's like, yeah, there were five, but then like compounding efforts. So like, I think even the experience that I got from

Those five translates more into like 10 because people see me speaking. So I have content from these speaking engagements which just leads to more. it like compounds on each other, right? So countless speaking engagements, both or I should just say both of my brand partners from 2025, I met through this chain of events. yeah.

Had I not gone to that event last March, my life would be very, different. And what this taught me is compounding efforts, delayed gratification. You've got to get used to that as a business owner. And I think the internet wants you to believe that everything should be instant. if you manifest things, you can get things so much faster than you ever imagined. And I'm not entirely sure. I was even reading a book last night that's

a little bit manifestation-y, manifestation-adjacent, I would say. And they're talking about how they've been able to manifest things so much faster, like, so specific. And I don't know, we've got to be really careful about how we talk about that. I believe in manifestation, I do, but I think this rhetoric around like how fast things can happen, like, do I believe you can see results quickly?

Katrina Owens (23:11.31)
Yes, but let's manage expectations around how much time a lot of these things actually take. Yeah, now I know better. Now I know things take time. If this was easy, if there were such things, overnight success, getting rich quick, all those things, everyone would be doing it. So there's a reason why these things are actually not entirely true. So that was March.

In April, the only travel I did in April was I went to an amazing retreat hosted by the mentorship program I'm in, Living in Balance. It was in Parksville, which is on the island here in British Columbia. And I didn't make any sales during that weekend. I was actually hot off the very first event I ever hosted, my Launch and Learn for the previous iteration of this podcast, KO Your Brand. that was like...

off the heels of a $20,000 sales month. So I was feeling really good about myself. So I went into this weekend just like really feeling present, excited to do a little bit of work on my business, but also like slowing the F down. And I hate moving slow. I really do. But I'm really grateful for all of my mentors and friends in the living and balance space that actually encouraged me to do it because like the slow...

And this is like such a great reminder right now as we sit in the slow of the holiday season. The slow is what prepares you for what's next. Like I need this slow period. I really do because I know what's about to happen to me in 2026 is going to be like insane. And if I don't have the slow moment because ultra human ring is telling me that my nervous system is still crashing out. I still have not rested or recovered enough to really like.

reap the health and wellness benefits of all of this. So it's still like, I do this thing where as soon as I feel like a little bit better or a little bit more energized, I'm like, better. Let's get back to it. And that's actually like the moment when you actually just got to like continue to sit in the slow. So that was what that weekend in Parksville taught me. And like kind of separate to that, I took that trip with one of my best friends, Stacey. We like took the ferry together, we stayed together.

Katrina Owens (25:36.768)
we socialize with all the other women. He was so much talking and it made me realize, okay, Katrina, the outputs, I am very much an introverted extrovert, so I need time to recover from social activities. I need time to just be alone and decompress and re-ground myself. that reminds me, Katrina, you can afford to...

stay in your own hotel room by yourself. So that's kind of my like MO for the next year ahead. It's like, I can actually like afford to just like stay in my own room. And I don't need to like always try to be sharing it with others. I love y'all. But I think for me, it's like I need to have that quiet. Otherwise, I just come home and I'm exhausted, which we just can't do anymore. We're not doing things that way. Okay. So that was April.

And then May, I went to Kelowna to MC the Canadian Digital Marketing Summit in the Okanagan. And what was really interesting about this particular event was on my way there, it's like a four hour solo drive to that event. I spiraled like almost the entire time about where I was financially, the moves I had made, the things that were coming up. I did not trust myself at all at a time when I was really trying. I wanted to trust myself so badly.

And right before, so on my way to Kelowna, I actually went to like a lunch event where one of my clients, previous clients who's a well-respected keynote speaker, she was speaking at this event and it had been a couple months since we had worked together. And she was so complimentary to me. She was like, Katrina, you're killing it. I admire you so much. Like, you're doing so well. And she was saying all of those things.

And as she was saying them, I couldn't even internalize them because I didn't believe them myself. And she's in the financial space. And I still hadn't really like kind of made it public that I had like, you know, got a business loan and was, you know, funding my business with this loan. And I felt a lot of shame around that. And I just like couldn't, I couldn't receive all of the amazing compliments and feedback that she was giving me because I didn't believe any of it.

Katrina Owens (27:55.404)
I believed that I was failing, that I was doing something wrong, that since I had to take out this business loan to fund my business, that I wasn't worthy of success because it wasn't hard earned. All of the things. All of the things. So I literally drove for four hours and spiraled. And then the next day, once I got on stage and was emceeing this event and having a great time doing it, I was reminded of like...

yes, okay, we make it about the money. When we make it about the money, we take the joy out of it. We forget the reason behind all of these big moves that we make. And as soon as I stepped on stage to MC that event, I was reminded of this is my gift. This is why I am, this is one of the reasons why I've been put on this earth to lead rooms, to incite joy, to make people feel like anything is possible for themselves. And that was really what I got to like sink back.

into when I was on this trip. So that was May. Actually, after I got back from Kelowna a couple days later, I went to Oahu, Honolulu, with one of my best friends, the one I went to Miami with. Shout out Ray. I call her my chief hype officer, Dr. Ray. So Rachel had a conference in Waikiki. Again, she was like, would you like to come with me? We'll go like a week before the conference starts. We can actually like take a vacation together, which was really cool.

During that trip, I signed two more amazing business owners into the Fame Ready Entrepreneur Program, which had only launched a couple weeks before that. So that was really cool. And that was when I was reaffirming, every time I travel, I make money. And it's so interesting because it's like, anytime I travel and let myself be present and joyful, especially if I'm in a place where there's sand and sun and vitamin D, it's like, now I'm opening up.

the vessels for abundance to flow in. So that was really cool. And like that, just before I move on, that was the other benefit. mean, I was chatting about this with a client the other day because I work with a lot of clients who maybe haven't seen success on social media for their personal brand yet. And because they haven't seen success on social yet and success being like,

Katrina Owens (30:20.27)
or sales or things come through those channels. Sometimes we internalize because I haven't seen success on social media yet. Social media isn't like a useful marketing channel. It's not a revenue generator. And I am living proof. I am someone who was like, I don't make money on Instagram. That's not where my money comes from. It's not where my clients come from. We got to stop saying that because if that's the case, you guys, it's just because there's something missing.

Maybe your positioning is off. Maybe your content isn't consistent. Maybe the messaging isn't quite right. That is the problem. It's not that those tools don't work for you. It's just that you are not using them in a way that works for you. And this trip to Oahu really showed me that. It was like, OK, my presence, even me being here on vacation, not even like

talking about a lot of business or personal branding stuff. I posted a lot of sand and sun and seals. Clearly, that's what drew people in to my program. And again, my fame ready entrepreneur program, I don't do sales calls for that program. All the information you need is available online. So those people just signed up and all of a sudden I was like, my gosh, another client. Yes. So exciting. So that was what Hawaii taught me.

So then June came around and June was a big month for me. So first I went to Whistler with a childhood friend of mine who, know, it's like as soon as you're in the comfort of people who just like know you from a previous life, it almost allows you to like be a little bit more raw. And it was around this time when I started to share a little bit more about my business loan and some of the moves I was making in my business. And it really stimulated a lot of anxiety. And I thought talking about my business in a

in a different way, talking about more of the strategy behind it. I was insecure about this new way of showing up and I thought it was going to take away some of the opportunities that had come to me. I really started to feel like, if I show up like this, this event organizer isn't gonna like it, she's gonna take away my speaking gig, which is such a terrible way to be, you guys.

Katrina Owens (32:40.992)
I never want any of my clients to feel like if they show up a certain way, they're going to lose an opportunity. But I was spiraling about that. Like I remember we were laying on a couch. were laying in the living room on the couches in this Airbnb we rented in Whistler. And I just remember like saying to Jess, I was like, I'm so anxious right now. And I just couldn't stop. And then the next day I ended up securing another speaking opportunity, one that I, I just knew I was going to get. And

I guess I didn't see it like this at the time. I was just so elated that I got this new opportunity. But looking back, I'm like, that was the universe showing me like, hey, you're not gonna lose anything. In fact, look at what you gain when you show up authentically. And since then, I have been showing up authentically ever since. And I just really believe it's not always easy. There are still moments when I'm like, if I say this, am gonna lose the opportunity?

That has never once happened. And if it does happen, then like, hey, sign from the universe that it just wasn't right for me. So that was what Whistler taught me. And then after that, Gabriel and I went to Orlando, because I was speaking at an event there. And during that trip, we got to go to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.

The speaking gig was amazing. It was the first time I did my brand new keynote there. My speaking coach was in the audience and I could see her in the back row. A proud mom watching me deliver my talk. But more than that, it was just so gratifying to be able to go on this amazing trip with Gabriel and the fact that my business is the thing that made it happen. We would not have gone on that trip if I didn't have that gig in Orlando. So that was really cool. And we still talk about how much fun we had. And I'm like...

I'm itching for the next time I get to go back to Disney and Universal because it was just such a good time. And like, I cannot believe that I went on every single ride in both of those theme parks. But that is not something a previous version of me would have done, but this is me trusting the universe, right? Trusting that it'll keep me safe regardless. Yeah. And then after that, so Gabriel went home from Orlando. He went home and then I flew to New York City to go to this mastermind weekend.

Katrina Owens (34:59.222)
And I got to stay with one of my good friends, Lexi. Shout out Lexi, if you're listening to this. And during that mastermind, Lexi taught during it, and I watched her have like a $20,000 sales day. And it was at a time when I was feeling very financially insecure in my business. And, you know, we talk about this concept of jealousy, right? Like when we feel jealous or envious of other people, it's because we see something in them that they want, and I just, or we see something in them that we want.

And I just remember looking at Lexi's experience and really wanting to have that. And I was so happy for her because I knew how hard she had worked to be able to experience something like that. I know now that watching her do that and have that level of success in doing that, she was showing me what was also possible for me. If I believed in myself enough, worked hard enough, stayed consistent, all of those things, because I did go on.

to eventually have a $20,000 sales day, you guys. But it just takes like that relentless belief in yourself and your goals and consistency, so much consistency. So then after that, that was June, so then in July, I went to Nashville and I almost said no to this trip. I think you guys may have heard me talk about this before. I almost said no to going to Nashville when my good friend, Taylor Smith from the Power Table Live, she told me she had an extra ticket and invited me to go.

In saying yes, I not only ended up speaking at that event, but that event is also where I met the community program managers from Adobe Acrobat. So yes, I invested like $2,000 to go when I think about like food, hotel, or I guess I stayed in an Airbnb. So my share of the Airbnb, my flight, those things, it about $2,000 all in. But I would have lost so much more.

If I didn't go, like I would have missed out on working with a major brand, I'd have one less speaking opportunity under my belt. And when I said yes to that opportunity, it was simply to attend. And so this is my reminder because sometimes our ego gets in the way and we're like, I'm only going to go to an event if I can speak at it. I'm really going to encourage you to let go of that particular thought because, you know, I really think like there's still so much value in just showing up as an attendee.

Katrina Owens (37:23.564)
and you literally never know what could happen. And you know what, even if I was just going to that event as an attendee, I actually feel like I still would have become brand partners with Adobe Acrobat because it was less about me and my talk. I'm not even sure that the reps were there for my talk. There's less about that and more about making the relationship, okay? The relationships drive everything in your business. So that was July, that was Nashville.

And then August was like the iconic trip to New York City where I spoke at an event. And then I was also on a billboard in Times Square. And when I saw myself on that billboard in Times Square, it felt so normal. Like I was like, yes, of course I'm on a billboard in Times Square. Look at what I've achieved. Look at what I've done. It was so normal that I knew that this was just the beginning. Like that is certainly not going to be the last time I'm on a billboard in New York City. That was also the trip.

where a lot of amazing things happened for big brand energy sessions. The event that I was planning at the time is when I secured my major sponsor, got like a yes for the biggest sponsorship I'd ever asked for. I also secured a speaker for my event that I really, really wanted. I made, I...

I actually sold someone into the fame ready entrepreneur program when we were walking to get pizza, which was my favorite way to do sales. I was just telling her about my program and she was like, I'm totally in. So that trip taught me a lot. And just the ability to be in New York, I was there for 10 days. So I really had this experience of starting to feel kind of like a local, or at least what I imagine it feels like to be a local. And I think everyone should have that experience because

It really gave me the sense of like, okay, this is the opportunity that my business has built for me. Like me being able to like be in New York City on business and like experiencing all of these things that I never thought I would be able to. And Gabriel got to come along on that trip too. And it was really amazing. Lexi, who I mentioned earlier, her husband came on that trip too, because Lexi was at this trip also.

Katrina Owens (39:37.128)
and we spent lots of time together. It was really cool to see Gabriel and Lexi's husband Nick become friends. And it was just like, it was one of those moments when you're like, this is the point of this business. This is the point of this business to allow these relationships to form, these experience to have like, again, when we make it about the money, because I spent $3,500 on a hotel room for 10 days. Okay. And it was not like it was like the freaking Ritz Carlton. Okay.

$3,500 does more than my mortgage payment, but it was so worth it. I would do that again in a heartbeat because I know how many results came from it. Okay? So then that was August. September, I actually took a vacation. I went to the Okanagan to spend some time with my parents who were there with some childhood friends of mine. Gabriel came, we literally took a week off. And there were moments when I was like spiraling a little bit and I tried to do a couple of work calls on that trip and the internet was so bad because I was like,

a month out from planning a big brand energy sessions. And so I was like feeling the pressure of selling tickets and trying to get all the last minute pieces in place. And I remember like saying yes to a $4,000 videographer and kind of dying. It was all those things. And I do wish I could have been a little bit more present with my family. But I think if I think about my goal, you know, people like have a word for 2026. I've been wondering what

mine is, and I think it's presence. Okay, like last year it was self-trust. The year before it was big. So I went from like big to then like self-trust, which is holding. And now I think my word for 2026 is presence. Just like really like letting myself know that my business and the universe and everything is taking care of me. So I can really enjoy everything that I've created. So that was that.

We're still not done yet, okay? We've got a couple more. So October was the last month I traveled. So the first trip in October was to Madison, Wisconsin, where I was in a photo shoot for the Woman of the Year campaign with Aralis Magazine. And it was an amazing experience. I mean, I got treated to a private driver that picked me up from the hotel. There was a gift waiting for me inside. Beautiful dinner. Hotel paid for so much gratitude for that experience.

Katrina Owens (41:59.726)
I realized, because one of those things, right, where someone's like, I want you to be in this issue. It's called Woman of the Year. And you're like, okay, but am I really? And it was so interesting because I realized while I was there on my vision board, I had this picture of Victoria Beckham from a Woman of the Year issue. And I can't remember what magazine it was. But I like had this realization where I was like, my God, I manifested this thing that I didn't even know that I wanted.

You know, I had put, I'm pretty sure I had just like put that video of that photo of Victoria on the board because I was like, yeah, like I want to be on the cover of a magazine. And it was more like that, not so much the wording, but I mean, wow, that's a very specific manifestation come to life. And that whole time I just really let myself have it and feel worthy of that experience. Okay, so after that I came home from Madison, October was nuts. So I came home from Madison.

Then a week later, I went to Toronto for a nice girl funeral and I...

high-boshed my entire keynote presentation. I was like, this feels a little bit too rigid and polished for this event. So I let myself, like I did not practice that thing. I let myself go up on stage and just fully trusted that I was gonna deliver what that audience needed to hear. And I mean, I made $20,000 in sales from that one event. So clearly that was the right move, right? And I think when I really like,

take a step back. There's been so, so many times when I've questioned how I've shown up, you know, if it was perfect enough, if it was polished enough, all of these different things, all of these instances. And now I just feel like, you know, the year of self-trust, right? Self-trust doesn't really like unfold overnight.

Katrina Owens (44:00.6)
But now I realize that it's not always in how I show up. Like it doesn't have to be perfect and polished and look a certain way. It really is like the value that I bring, my knowledge, all of that. So today I had a coaching call, one of my last ones before the holiday season and it's with one of my executive clients who I always feel like I would need to be a little bit more polished for. But you know, I showed up in this sweatsuit, had to do the call from my couch because my internet in my office was not working.

And I was just like, you know what? He's not paying me to show up a certain way. It's been a whole year of working together. He's not paying me to show up in a certain way. He's just paying me to bring my knowledge, my insights, my perspectives. And that really has been the most gratifying realization of all time because I get to just know that me and myself is enough. Which brings me to the very last trip I took in...

2025 and it's a big one. It was when I got to go to Adobe Max in Los Angeles on behalf of Adobe Acrobat. They paid for everything and then paid me to create content, which that was something I really had on my vision board like for a long time, like going on a brand trip, working with a brand. And it's something I never thought was going to be possible given that my platform isn't that big right now. But I realized that that's actually entirely the point.

Because while my platform may not be like quantifiably big, it's got big impact. And I know now more than ever, I mean, you've heard me talk about this on different brand related, different brand related episodes I've recorded. It's not about how many followers you have or how many years of experience it really is. Like how influential are you as a personal brand?

How are you really showing up for your business, your perspectives? Are you consistent in doing that and all of those things? And it's really exciting to be able to continue to work with Adobe Acrobat going into 2026. I'm sure I've barely even scratched the surface on what that's gonna look like. So really excited for that actually. So good. So that's it. And then since October, I've just been at home, which has been really nice. And gearing up for another year of travel.

Katrina Owens (46:23.734)
I'm well equipped now. I've got airline status on two different airlines. I've got status with like four different hotel partners. I finally kind of figured out like how I like to travel, what I need to do for myself to like stay healthy, stay happy, stay grounded, even when I'm flying all over the place. So thanks for being here. And this podcast and my platform wouldn't exist without all of you. My biggest advice, if you're listening to this and you're like, wow.

I could only dream of going this many places for my business in one year. My response to that is you totally can. You just have to decide that that's what you're going to do. There was not a single trip where I didn't feel fear or feel uncertainty or have not enough proof, all those things. And I really like let myself feel into it and do it anyways. And that is what net the most incredible.

results. So with that, I hope you have an amazing New Year's Eve. I cannot wait to see what you create in 2026 and all the places your business takes you. So yeah, please, if anything in this episode resonates, if you love this podcast, if you cannot wait to see how it brings you so much more value in 2026, please write and review this podcast everywhere you listen to it.

Please send me a DM if there's something in this episode that you really resonated with or you really loved and I'll see you in 2026 you guys. cannot freaking wait. I think it's going to be the best year yet. Okay. Talk to you soon. Toodles.