Meet Kat Hammond | Artist & Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kat Hammond and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kat, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As many small business stories start, Golden Gratitude started as an outlet during the Covid pandemic. While being cooped up in a house with a newborn, I was craving to craft with my hands and honestly, keep myself sane. To help myself cope with the changing social scene of the world at the time, I started working with my hands by creating gold jewelry pieces as well as writing in a gratitude journal to help shift my perspective and stay positive. The front of my linen journal says ” A Year of Gratitude” in gold foil – and one morning, while walking to pick it up, I saw the gold foil words reflecting in the sunlight – and it hit me. “A little Golden Gratitude” flashed through my brain and after that moment, I knew what I wanted to create and grow.

I made an Instagram account that very moment, and began posting my work alongside daily quotes of encouragement and self love. I could feel the joy and gratitude flowing from my being and I couldn’t wait to share that with the world. I wanted everyone to feel the way I felt. As a creative soul obsessed with anything jewelry related and being someone who deeply cares about mental health issues, I really felt it was important to marry the these two aspects and create something beautiful.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Art has always been a large part of who I am. My mother is an artist and classical musician and my Dad is a natural woodworker – so much of the art I create is influenced by the two of them. I’m inevitably drawn to the natural world and the beauty that surrounds us on a daily basis. Most pieces are inspired by leaves, flowers, and natural materials such as rocks, stones, and crystals – all things that mother earth gives us! I feel that my jewelry is truly an extension of who I am. I’ve heard many people describe my pieces as calming, understated, and delicate. I’m a fairly small person who doesn’t like a ton of attention, and while I wish I was calm all of the time, I strive to bring more peace into my daily life.

Throughout my journey with Golden Gratitude, I am learning to be more aware of my achievements and focus less on what I’m not getting quite right. I am honestly most proud of how quickly I found my style in the design world. From the moment I started, I was confident in what I wanted to create and what kind of feelings I wanted to evoke. I knew from day one that I wanted to inspire others to feel beautiful and confident in their jewelry choices without having to break the bank and still receive quality pieces. The business side of things doesn’t always come as easily as the creative aspect, but I am so grateful for the challenges that it provides for me. Growth never happens when you’re comfortable. Learning to balance a profitable company while still maintaining my original vision and goal is a challenge, but the lessons trickle into my personal life and only help me become a stronger individual. I lean heavily on my small business family to guide me through many of my challenges and lift me up when I’m feeling discouraged – another beautiful reason to love the small business community.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is going to be a hard one, because I absolutely adore this city and all it has to offer! If I were to plan for a friend visiting, I’d start by telling them to nab a rental on or close to King Street. Downtown has the ability to strike the perfect balance between vibrant hustle and bustle while still maintaining that relaxed southern vibe. Charleston has some of the best food in any city that I’ve ever lived, so I’d be sure to start off the day with a trip to a local coffee shop, such as Second State or Kudu before heading to Millers All Day for some of the best breakfast food you’ll ever have the pleasure of experiencing!

Every few months, there is an incredible local vendor event called Pickers Hullaballoo, located in North Charleston. On an ideal day, I would head up to Fire Fly Distillery to attend Pickers Hullaballoo and browse vintage goods, locally made art, and meet some of the amazing people that make up our eclectic small business community. After shopping over 100 different vendors, I would head over to Park Circle to grab a bite to eat. A spot that never fails to impress me is Sesame Burgers & Beer. As a spot that loves to support local purveyors and give back to the community, I know I’m not just eating amazing food, but continuing to support my community!

For the afternoon, I’d make my way down to Waterfront Park to have a classic Charleston experience! Waterfront park has beautifully curated gardens and relaxing pier swings where you can unwind and watch for dolphins over the harbor. After a stroll around the gardens and harbor views, I’d head over to Basic Kitchen, which is anything but basic. Its a vegetarian restaurant with a trendy, upbeat vibe that will honestly make you forget that meat even exists – they’re that good!

I’d end the day by heading over to The Refinery Charleston to catch a live show at their outdoor amphitheater before turning in for the night to do it all over again the next day!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I honestly would not be where I am today without the love and support of the small business community both locally and nationally. The encouragement from my fellow small business owners is unrivaled. The small business owners that I have met and befriended truly embody the meaning of community of competition. Believe it or not, some of my closest friends and supporters also own local jewelry companies. There is nothing but love, encouragement, and confidence in the family I have found in the small business world. While there is an endless list of people I could share, the few that have had the biggest impact on me are Sarah Jordan of Miles of Smiles Photography (Austin, TX) – who has lifted me up and encouraged me since the day we met, Grit & Grace Studio (King Street), who taught me how to shine and continues to lifts others up, and lastly my own father, who has shown me the value of hard work and perseverance through his own small business in North Carolina.

Website: https://www.shopgoldengratitude.com

Instagram: @goldengratitudecollective

Other: People are also welcome to email me at goldengratitudecollective@gmail.com

Image Credits
Emily Chidester Photography (for images of me) all other images are taken by me/Golden Gratitude Collective.