What happens when the daughter of Polly Pocket's inventor becomes an art therapist and decides to leap into entrepreneurship? In this deeply personal and inspiring conversation, Kate Wiggs shares her remarkable journey from growing up in a creative, entrepreneurial household to finding her calling in mental health and art therapy.
After working across an incredible range of settings—from corporate boardrooms to addiction centres, schools to hospices—Kate has witnessed the full spectrum of human experience. Now, following her father's passing, she's channelling decades of wisdom into building an online community and school to share art therapy skills with the world.
This episode is perfect for:
- Aspiring entrepreneurs looking for inspiration to take the leap
- Mental health professionals considering their own practice
- Anyone interested in the intersection of creativity and healing
- People navigating grief and major life transitions
- Those curious about what it takes to "burn the ships" and commit fully to your vision
Key Topics Covered:
🎨 The Creative Legacy
- Growing up with Chris Wiggs, inventor of Polly Pocket
- How entrepreneurial thinking was modelled from childhood
- The story behind the original Polly Pocket prototype
- Lessons learned from watching a parent navigate business ups and downs
🧠 Mental Health & Art Therapy Journey
- Kate's personal mental health crisis in her late twenties
- How she used running, therapy, and her dog to heal
- Working across diverse settings: corporate, schools, addiction centres, hospices
- The magic that happens in therapeutic relationships
💡 The Entrepreneurial Leap
- Why Kate decided to step out on her own after years of clinical practice
- The moment she wrote her art therapy textbook in three days
- Building an online community and school
- Plans for retreats in Italy and California
🚪 Closing All Back Doors
- The importance of full commitment when starting a business
- How the universe responds when you're truly committed
- Why having a Plan B can hold you back
- Kate's advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs
Memorable Quotes:
"I think I was this person first, deeply interested in humans and behaviour and why we do and think the things that we do, and so I was this person first. Then I found the work."
"There's something about the credentials and the training and the kind of container of trust around the job... I am honored to be in this position."
"You just have to close all your back doors, say this is it. Tie up your little nap set and just go. There's no way, there's no workaround friends. I've tried it, trust me."
"When I say it's magic, it's like we, if we tried to understand it with our little chimpanzee brains, we wouldn't be able to. All I can say is it really works."
Guest Bio:
Kate Wiggs is an art therapist, entrepreneur, and the daughter of Polly Pocket inventor Chris Wiggs. With extensive experience working in corporate settings, schools, addiction centers, and hospices, Kate has witnessed the full spectrum of human experience through her therapeutic work. She's currently building an online community and school to share art therapy skills, with plans for international retreats. Kate recently completed her art therapy textbook in just three days and is working on her family memoir.
Connect with Kate:
[You'll want to add Kate's actual contact information, website, and social media handles here]
Episode Highlights Timeline:
- [00:00] Introduction and ice bath story
- [05:30] The Polly Pocket origin story
- [15:45] Growing up in an entrepreneurial household
- [22:10] Kate's mental health journey and healing
- [34:20] Diverse art therapy experiences
- [42:15] The decision to become an entrepreneur
- [48:30] Writing the textbook in three days
- [52:45] Building the online community
- [56:20] Future plans: retreats and expansion
- [01:02:15] The "no Plan B" philosophy
- [01:08:30] Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
Resources Mentioned:
- Art therapy as a profession
- Mental health support and resources
- Entrepreneurship and business building
- Grief and loss support
#Entrepreneurship #ArtTherapy #MentalHealth #PollyPocket #SmallBusiness #Creativity #Healing #OnlineBusiness #Retreat #PersonalGrowth
