Creating Joy on Purpose: Kate Smith on Reinvention, Creative Courage & Making People Smile

Dec 3, 2025

Margo is joined by artist and joy-maker Kate Smith, the creative force behind Kate Smith Co.™, a brand dedicated to finding “the happy that’s already here” in everyday moments. Kate has built a thriving career in greeting cards and art licensing, working with beloved partners in the U.S. and U.K. to create products that make people smile. From early success with her first brand, From Frank, to a full reimagining of her creative path, Kate’s journey is filled with bold decisions, reinvention, and a commitment to following what feels joyful. She also spent seven years living and working full-time in an Airstream, a chapter that deeply shaped her artistic voice and philosophy.

Margo and Kate discuss:

• Kate’s early beginnings—from advertising to accidentally launching a greeting card line that landed in Target within a year
• The rise of From Frank, her wildly popular first brand inspired by her French bulldog, and what it taught her about licensing, growth, and creativity
• The pivotal decision to sell everything, hit the road in an Airstream, and shift her business fully into licensing
• How travel, imperfection, and “found letters” influenced her signature design style and approach to joyful, approachable art
• Navigating the fear phases of a creative career and learning to make decisions from hope instead of worry
• How she thinks about long-term partnerships in licensing, staying authentic, and evolving her brand without losing its heart
• What reinvention looks like now—new art prints, new mediums, and giving herself permission to embrace being an “artist”

Submit Your Questions for Margo Tantau & Emily McDowell

Connect with Kate:

www.katesmithcompany.com

www.instagram.com/katesmithcompany

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry