EP.79 SWITCHTRACK Kat Vandal Swaps Kids' Fashion for Full-time Art

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What happens when you realise the dream you've been chasing isn't actually yours anymore? Kat Vandal returns to share her bold decision to completely walk away from her children's fashion brand to pursue a full-time career as an artist.

When we last spoke with Kat, she was still trying to save Vandal Kids – seeking partners or buyers who might keep the brand alive while she remained as Creative Director. Today, she reveals the moment she asked herself the question that changed everything: "Am I trying to save my brand, or am I trying to save my ego?" This powerful realisation led her to close that chapter and embrace her rapidly accelerating art career following her first solo exhibition in Berlin.

The conversation takes us deep into the psychology of pivoting, exploring the fears, challenges, and surprising joys that come with dramatic professional changes. Kat speaks candidly about financial anxiety as a self-employed creative, the impatience for success, and the tendency to focus on what hasn't been accomplished rather than celebrating wins. Yet her story ultimately reveals how following your gut can lead to greater alignment, even when the path seems uncertain.

Kat offers thoughtful advice from her experience: take time to properly evaluate major decisions, create detailed lists of what you like and dislike about your current situation versus your potential new direction, and crucially, speak with people already working in your desired field to ensure your expectations match reality.

Connect with Kat on Instagram @kat.vandal or through her website katvandalart.com, and look out for her upcoming solo exhibition in London this September. If you're feeling that itch to pivot or need clarity on your next move, book a free connection call with me, Zoe, through the link below...

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Have you ever felt trapped by the daily grind and responsibilities, shrunk yourself to 'fit in' or followed the rules then realised they didn't bring you the success or happiness you'd been promised? Tick, tick and tick. My life had plateaued, my unused potential was wasting away and I felt powerless to change anything. I wanted to escape but instead of running away, I decided that ordinary is optional, and I could DECIDE to live authentically, put FUN back on the agenda and do more of the things that made me feel alive. This podcast is one of them and through these conversations I'd love nothing more than to be able to help you do the same!

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