My Simplicity Story and What You Can Expect From this Podcast

Staying Resilient and Owning an Ethical Fashion Label

Kathryn Sterner is the founder and designer at Winsome Goods, an ethical women’s clothing label in Minneapolis, MN.  She is a wonderfully innovative designer with a mission of creating timeless and sustainable garments.  One of the most unique aspects of Winsome is that all of the clothing is made under one roof.  Keeping the whole production process in the same studio was something that was essential to Kathryn when building Winsome.  Today she works with her small team to produce versatile garments in their Minneapolis studio and storefront.  She continues to focus on serving the people most intimately connected with the production process, the men and women who produce our clothing.

PRIORITIZE THE LIFE YOU WANT

Listening to Kathryn share her story, you will feel like a longtime friend.  There is a familiarly about the way she modestly told us about the unfolding of Winsome Goods.  She shared about the importance of sustainability in her upbringing and her father who is a climate scientist.  You will hear the intimacy in her voice when she talks about her desire to make space for a family and her efforts in working towards a life with less stress.  Right now, one of her priorities is to set up her business so that she can have the relaxed, comfortable life that she dreams about.  Are you taking steps to make the life you dream about a reality?

MAKE TIME FOR THE LITTLE THINGS

Her passion and intention to contribute to the world in a more sustainable way are two 

of the reasons that Kathryn left her ‘safe’ job in a windowless office.  She spoke a lot about the top-down pressures she felt that encouraged her to take the leap to run Winsome full-time.  You will relate to Kathryn’s struggle to make time for herself now that all of her attention is going to growing Winsome.  She told about her effort to make time for the little things, like taking walks with her Chihuahua.  She strives to continue to make time for herself every day, and honestly shares her struggle to do so.  How do you keep going when you don’t reach your wellness goals?  We all know how tough it is to take time for yourself.  Kathryn is so inspiring to me, because she keeps trying and doesn’t let herself get too discouraged. 

BE RESILIENT WHEN THINGS GO WRONG 

One thing I loved about Kathryn’s story is her resilience to keep doing what she loves, even on days when everything goes wrong.  She spoke about her journey of learning to assume that things are going to go wrong.  She now focuses on accepting what she can do and letting go of the things that she can’t do.  She shared that there is not one “sustainable” answer. Every method and fabric has draw backs for the environment.  But for Kathryn, running an ethical label means making the right decisions day to day with the resources she has.  

You will love this episode, not only because of Kathryn’s amazing story, but because it will encourage you to ask the tough question: am I making choices based on my priorities?

I hope it also inspires you to be resilient.  Because life is going to get tough sometimes, and that’s okay!

Maintaining a Clear Focus on What’s Important and Organic Farming

Sarah Leong and her partner, Pat, are the farmers at Squashington Farm, an organic farm in Mount Horeb WI.  Squashington has been alive in their hearts since 2013, and became a reality in 2016.  Today they continue to grow food for themselves, their friends and family, and community.

Maintaining a clear focus on what’s important:

One of the things I found most inspiring about Sarah’s story is how she always trusts her intuition.  She gracefully moves through life, embracing opportunities as they come and accepting set backs as part of her path.  She has created a routine with her partner that effortlessly supports their goals.  From slow mornings with a good breakfast and coffee to fieldwork, her days are spent intentionally.  She credits her mom for providing her with an understanding of the connectedness of the world.  Her well-rounded view of health goes far beyond the organic vegetables she grows. 

Living and eating with the seasons:

As a farmer, living with the seasons is part of the job description. Sarah’s world exists in the ebb and flow of nature’s timeline. But living more seasonally is something Sarah encourages her community to do as well.  She speaks about the benefits of eating locally and preserving food.  Living and eating with the seasons encourages more mindful decisions and a slower pace of life.  She sets her priorities to get the most out of what each season has to offer.   She is a believer in taking the time to make a big mess and preparing food for a whole year.  She shares that there is no easy way to do it, it will take a long time but it will be worth it.  

Belonging to a community that sustains itself:

Sarah speaks so warmly about the community where she lives and works.  She shares that her favorite aspect of running a business is being integrated into the lives of those in the community.   Having learned farming on their own, Sarah says that she and Pat have gained so much knowledge from folks in the area.  She likens her community to a closed loop system where the members take care of each other and that is what makes them healthy.

How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More and a Capsule Wardrobe

My Simplicity Story and What You Can Expect From This Podcast

Kathryn Sterner is the founder and designer at Winsome Goods, an ethical women’s clothing label in Minneapolis, MN.  She is a wonderfully innovative designer with a mission of creating timeless and sustainable garments.  One of the most unique aspects of Winsome is that all of the clothing is made under one roof.  Keeping the whole production process in the same studio was something that was essential to Kathryn when building Winsome.  Today she works with her small team to produce versatile garments in their Minneapolis studio and storefront.  She continues to focus on serving the people most intimately connected with the production process, the men and women who produce our clothing.

PRIORITIZE THE LIFE YOU WANT

Listening to Kathryn share her story, you will feel like a longtime friend.  There is a familiarly about the way she modestly told us about the unfolding of Winsome Goods.  She shared about the importance of sustainability in her upbringing and her father who is a climate scientist.  You will hear the intimacy in her voice when she talks about her desire to make space for a family and her efforts in working towards a life with less stress.  Right now, one of her priorities is to set up her business so that she can have the relaxed, comfortable life that she dreams about.  Are you taking steps to make the life you dream about a reality?

MAKE TIME FOR THE LITTLE THINGS

Her passion and intention to contribute to the world in a more sustainable way are two 

of the reasons that Kathryn left her ‘safe’ job in a windowless office.  She spoke a lot about the top-down pressures she felt that encouraged her to take the leap to run Winsome full-time.  You will relate to Kathryn’s struggle to make time for herself now that all of her attention is going to growing Winsome.  She told about her effort to make time for the little things, like taking walks with her Chihuahua.  She strives to continue to make time for herself every day, and honestly shares her struggle to do so.  How do you keep going when you don’t reach your wellness goals?  We all know how tough it is to take time for yourself.  Kathryn is so inspiring to me, because she keeps trying and doesn’t let herself get too discouraged. 

BE RESILIENT WHEN THINGS GO WRONG 

One thing I loved about Kathryn’s story is her resilience to keep doing what she loves, even on days when everything goes wrong.  She spoke about her journey of learning to assume that things are going to go wrong.  She now focuses on accepting what she can do and letting go of the things that she can’t do.  She shared that there is not one “sustainable” answer. Every method and fabric has draw backs for the environment.  But for Kathryn, running an ethical label means making the right decisions day to day with the resources she has.  

You will love this episode, not only because of Kathryn’s amazing story, but because it will encourage you to ask the tough question: am I making choices based on my priorities?

I hope it also inspires you to be resilient.  Because life is going to get tough sometimes, and that’s okay