Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Terentieva.
Kate, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started my creative career by complete accident. After having some free time in college from taking my nose out of politics textbooks and start learning graphic design and social media, I had an epiphany. This was my true passion. That feeling when you look up and wonder how 3 hours could’ve possibly gone by when it feels like you sat down to create only 15 minutes ago? Mood.
Fast-forward to the girl who’s not at all associated with her political degree but is instead pursuing a further degree in art direction in advertising and is simultaneously building her name in the fashion influencer industry. Do I wish I knew earlier about the possibilities of a creative career? Absolutely. But, at the same time, I’m incredibly grateful to have unearthed my passion on my own.
Although I’m a graduate student, my main source of income at the moment is being a content creator on Instagram (@pretaportkate) to inspire millennial women to play with fashion to create a sense of style that’s original and genuine.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road to becoming a full-time creative is the farthest thing from smooth. It’s the road less traveled by — and not in a mysterious, Robert Frost kind of way. It’s more comparable to riding a rollercoaster in a fog. The creative mind is always on. Always. Working through 3, 4, 5 am isn’t uncommon.
Waking up in the middle of the night with “a good idea” and then ending up a bunch of thoughts taped to the walls? Also not hypothetical. But on the other hand, everything is inspiring. From the doorknob, you use to shut your door on your way out to something a character uttered in your favorite series. And the fact that this mere inspiration can direct a photo shoot, commercial or even a full advertising campaign is incredible.
As creatives, we are enveloped in a societal stigma that assumes we’ll either be art teachers and/or penniless. And furthermore, that our “doodles” aren’t work, for those who work are the ones to succeed. To all of my creatives (even if you don’t yet know you’re creative), passion is what drives you forward. If you love what you do, then you’ll put in the work to be successful even if it’s not a “traditional” job.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’m a social media influencer (does anyone else also feel weird about that word?) at Prêt-A-PortKate. Content creator. Online personality. All of those terms wrapped into one. Essentially, I use my skill set as an art director and my love for fashion to inspire millennial women to wear what they want, how they want and still look off the chain (take a peek @pretaportkate).
I’m also known for my Instagram Stories, which I started purely by accident but have fallen in love with and firmly believe that this feature is the professional content creator’s chance to make their content relatable, personable and allow for friendships with their followers. Speaking of which, the feedback on my Stories has been so inspiring that I’m launching an ebook this fall to help YOU crush Instagram Stories! Can’t wait to share it with you!
There are a lot of content creators, oftentimes competing to work with the same brands. I set myself apart in two ways — first is, of course, that I’m an actual art director. That means there’s a strategy behind every single element in one photo — the clothes, the location, the caption. My photos are more than merely aesthetic. They tell conceptual stories and I look for that same vision when collaborating with others.
My other point of difference is that I consider my followers to be my friends first. I want people to feel valued and cared about when they interact with me, so my content (especially my Instagram Stories) features a lot of tutorials and conversations so that these friends can feel that they’ve gained something by clicking the follow button or just popping over to my page. And thus, I engage with every single person who engages with me through comments, DMs, polls, email, etc.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Moving to Atlanta from Chapel Hill, North Carolina was definitely an adjustment for me. But unlike other metropolitan areas in the US, Atlanta is a happy medium between a big city and a town. And the best part is that you can actually see and feel the city growing, expanding. It’s pretty incredible and definitely something I wouldn’t have seen in New York or LA as plainly.
For creatives, this is a great area to be. It’s one of the advertising hubs in the country, the film industry is incredibly prominent here, and the fashion community is expanding as well. Speaking of which, the influencer market isn’t as saturated here in ATL, so it’s a great place to start out and a wonderful way to distinguish yourself because brands are looking to work with more growing cities as opposed to places where there are already lots of content creators in a small area.
Plus, most content creators that I’ve met here have been so genuinely kind and willing to create an inspiring community for all of us, so that support system is a huge help.
Contact Info:
- Email: pretaportkate@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/pretaportkate
Image Credit:
Ari Skinner, Madolyn Benson, Katiee Rose, Kate Hillstead
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
