Interviewee Name: Kathy Kastner
Company Name: Ability4Life
Website: http://www.ability4life.com
Avil Beckford: Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Kathy Kastner: I am a product of a family who changed career and skills set every five or six years, which was very unusual when I was growing up. Most kids, their parents had either life jobs in factories or in offices, and their mothers stayed at home and cooked. My parents didn’t do that, so I have had a great example that allows me the freedom to explore different things in life personally and professionally.
Avil Beckford: How do you integrate your personal and professional life?
Kathy Kastner: I talk about what’s intriguing and interesting or confounding businesswise with my 21 and 25 year old daughters. It’s always a great experience for the three of us. I also find out what they are doing in their lives. But having exploratory discussions with my daughters is a learning and bonding experience for all of us.
Avil Beckford: What are five life lessons that you have learned so far?
Kathy Kastner:
- Don’t blame anybody for anything.
- I’m a work in progress.
- I know what I need to keep me on an even keel.
- Shut up and listen.
- Laugh.
Avil Beckford: When you have some down time, how do you spend it?
Kathy Kastner: I read, dance, sing and I make tequila dates with friends. I drink tequila, they drink whatever they want.
Avil Beckford: What process do you use to generate great ideas?
Kathy Kastner: I sort of have a cycle. I listen, I ask, I ponder, I research, try something out and then I repeat the cycle.
Avil Beckford: What’s your favourite quotation and why?
Kathy Kastner: It a quotation by Dr. Susan Pinker and it is “Science says nothing about the individual.” It’s my favourite quotation because it reminds me in this age of quick fixes, and in the health arena based on evidence and data being all important we are each different.
Avil Beckford: How do you define success?
Kathy Kastner: Feeling fulfilled intellectually, productive and having enough money not to worry about money.
Avil Beckford: In your opinion what’s the formula for success?
Kathy Kastner: Keep on keeping on and turn disappointments or perceived failures into opportunities and find what nourishes you and include it in your life.
Avil Beckford: What are the steps you took to succeed in your field?
Kathy Kastner: I researched, was determined, made myself memorable, pride myself on creative thinking and I refused to be daunted for very long.
Avil Beckford: What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?
Kathy Kastner: Make sure you have a USP, Unique Selling Proposition that’s readily understood.
Avil Beckford: If trusted friends could introduce you to five people that you’ve always wanted to meet, who would you choose? And what would you say to them?
Kathy Kastner:
- The German playwright Bertold Brecht. His modus operandi was to write plays that didn’t allow people to relax and disappear into the performance. There were jarring parts which made his audience sit up and think, which is one of my favourite things to do.
- A CEO who found out that he had three months to live and he used those three months to regroup, prioritize and find out what was important to him. I loved his spirit and would like to find out more about that.
- Randy Pausch who gave The Last Lecture. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and used it to create a lecture which was designed as a legacy for his children. I’m interested in people who have been given a death sentence and what they decided to do with that.
Avil Beckford: Which one book had a profound impact on your life? What was it about this book that impacted you so deeply?
Kathy Kastner: I love dictionaries and thesauruses, those are my favourite books.
Avil Beckford: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are five books that you would like to have with you and why? Summarize the book in two sentences.
Kathy Kastner:
- Dictionary
- Thesaurus
- Behind Enemy Lines which has nothing to do with the movie of the same name. It is the true story of a Jewish-French spy, a young woman in World War II Germany. I read that probably once a week because of the insights into resilience, determination, quick thinking and courage.
- Dorothy Parker’s biography because it’s funny, poignant, clever and thought-provoking.
- If there was a book called How Everything Works I would take that with me too.
Avil Beckford: What one music CD and movie would you like to have with you (on the deserted island) and why?
Kathy Kastner: The movie is the Upside of Anger and it’s a movie about a mother with four daughters – I have two daughters – and how she handles both her children and upsets in life and how she comes to know herself throughout the movie. I see this movie every month or so and I just relate to every part of it. And the CD would be a compilation one of dance and peaceful music.
Avil Beckford: What excites you about life?
Kathy Kastner: Possibilities!
Avil Beckford: How do you nurture your soul?
Kathy Kastner: I learn, think and write.
Avil Beckford: If you had a personal genie and she gave you one wish, what would you wish for?
Kathy Kastner: A cook because I hate cooking and I hate shopping for food. I hate planning meals, I hate the whole thing.
Avil Beckford: Complete the following, I am happy when…..
Kathy Kastner: When I’m fulfilled.
One Action to Take
Kathy Kastner: At the end of the interview, Kathy Kastner would like you to, “Be active listeners. I think the art and the skill of listening is sadly missing.”
