S2 #34 - Katie Chonacas, Motivational Speaker, Podcast Host, Filmmaker, Writer, Actor

What is the roadmap to defeat self sabotage, negative thinking and learned helplessness in these unprecedented times? You must get connected, get growing, get certain and get attitude. The Get Attitude Podcast. And what is up, people? What is up gappers? You are on the Get Attitude podcast, the Gap with your host, Glenn Bill, international bestselling author, keynote speaker, and your podcast host. We are here today to help you bridge the gap from where you are to where you want to go and to bridge the gap to become the person from where you are to who you want to become. And we have got a guest all the way from Los Angeles, California that is going to come and give you some attitude about what you want to get more out of your life to create more energy, to create more vitality. She is an author, she is an actor, and she is a filmmaker. And I am so happy to have the one and only Katie Chinakis on the Get Attitude podcast. What is up, Katie?

Hi, Glenn. Thank you so much for the beautiful intro. I love your attitude. What is up? I'm here to add value and have a great conversation. So I'm really excited for this impactful moment together. Thank you.

Oh my. It's my pleasure. Tell us a little bit about who you are and where you came from and how did you end up in la.

Sure. I come from a big Greek family. My birthday is 11 11. I grew up with poetry and language and, you know, I grew up very, I guess, spiritual in a way, with a lot of prayer and meditation and being just this go getter with this like force of nature. And I was always marching to the beat of my own drum, like doing what I wanted and everyone would say whatever they wanted to say and I would just like, it would. I just like bounce off and I would just like be like so entertained by like what other people had to say. And it was like, I always felt like a lot of people were like sheep just following the herd. And I felt like as human beings, we're here for this magnificent experience and we're all very primal. And I just saw in society and circumstances we were so domesticated. No, you can't do this. You have to go to school at this time. You have to eat at this time. You have to go to practice. Like everything was like this structure and I was just so anti structure just at a very young age. So it's hard to just march to the beat of my own drum. And I grew up fiercely independent and I grew up running cross country. So I learned about short term, medium term, long term goals and it gave me a foundation as an oak tree from within to really prepare me for life and the workplace. And you know, what I do as an individual really affects the whole and how to like sow seeds, lay soil and nurture and then just kind of check in to my garden and just like rake away the duds, you know, and just kind of always be checking in with self. And so that was quite the experience. And then through my journey, I learned about how I was criticizing and judging myself and being so like, specific in a way where I had to then unfold and learn compassion and kindness and you know, being kinder to myself. So I wouldn't take it, so I wouldn't be so hard on myself. And then, you know, my, my peers and then in my work as well. So I've definitely, you know, been through a lot of things.

I love, I love it. And so where are you originally from?

So Michigan. I'm originally from Michigan, yeah. Raised us there. And that's where they're at now.

What part of Michigan?

I'm bi coastal, so I live in la. New York.

Right, right. But like where, what city in Michigan were you from?

Just outside of Detroit, just out.

Okay. My son went to Central Michigan and Mount Pleasant. So I didn't know if you were from Alma or Mount Pleasant or something like that.

Yeah, yeah, I like heard of Mount Pleasant, but more so. We're by the University of Michigan. We're 30 minutes from there.

Cool, cool. And so you reside in New York and in la?

Yes. Yeah.

Do you. And so is there a certain time of year that you're in New York or in la or is it just matter upon the work?

It's just work. I'm just, I just book one way tickets because a lot of things now are being shot in Puerto Rico, Atlanta, New Mexico. So I'm just a free bird with my passport ready to go.

I love it, I love it. And so you were this free spirit little gal and we're gonna do knowledge through the decades later. But I always just like to know, like, you know, where did it originate? What I want to know is number. How do you define attitude? What does attitude mean to you? And who was your first attitude teacher?

Oh, that's. Those are really good questions. So I think an attitude is kind of like maybe your favorite shirt or the way that feeling of when you eat something and it's like, this is so delicious or something that you see and you're like, I want that. It's like it's that most desirable thing and then to empower self and to actually be of that attitude to feel empowered. And I feel like it's a ripple effect that positivity breeds positivity. And by having an attitude it makes you your own unique character, you know, and, and I'll tell you right now, so many people along the way will try to stomp on your attitude and they'll try to stomp who you are if you have like some kind of confidence and stuff. Because there are a lot of people walking around very unhappy and there are a lot of people walking around who don't have their attitude or they don't have that thing about them. And so it's like they don't want other people to have it as well. So sometimes you have to protect your attitude and know it's a gift if you're in tune with your attitude because people will come and try to squash it. Because other people, you know, not knowingly. I think everyone you know is good intention. But I think people along the journey, they don't get their chance of having their own attitude and they don't get the chance of like living out who they are and someone squashed theirs. So I feel like a lot of times other people will like pray and try to squash on other people's attitude because why should they have compassion to embrace your attitude when no one did it for them, you know? So I think it's a very. There's that fine line of sabotage and then there's that fine line of empowerment and just that feeling that you get and just to own it and be it, like no matter what anyone says.

You know, I love that. And so when you think of the people that shaped your attitude, who would you say helped shape your attitude or who was your first attitude coach?

I mean this could go in so many directions. So personal or professional, both or whatever.

One you want to tell us.

Say my yaya. She's my 92 year old grandmother, my best friend and I'm named after her, Kyriaki, my baptismal name, it means Sunday in Greek. And she taught me about compassion and unconditional love and food and culture and so that way of attitude, that grace and that being of an attitude to really understand and like she knows everything. Like I can tell her like my the worst skeleton in my closet. And she would just be like, you know, are you hungry? You know what I mean? Like she would just get it. Like she has been through it, right? And so she taught me the best attitude in life on a heart level for like maybe my family and like, raising a family one day, those kind of values and that kind of attitude. So definitely my Yaya Kiriyaki. She's amazing.

I love her.

In the workplace, I think, for attitude. Like, I always loved Oprah. I always loved Sade, like, by your side. Like, it was the first album, first song I ever learned to sing. Mariah Carey, her empire, you know, and, like, really feeling her when she was going through, like, the stuff that she went through when she had, like, a quote unquote, mental breakdown or whatever. But earlier on, I really admire her empire. I really admired Britney Spears. Like, I loved Britney so much. Like, I, like, like, looked up to her, like, her flawless attitude. And then to see, like, what she went through over these years, we were, like, connected. She even, like, followed me on Twitter.

Oh, my gosh.

Yeah, we were, like, so connected. We're a lot, like, in a lot of ways, actually. And I'm just like, what happened to her? And then. And then. And then knowing, like, all the stuff that's unraveling, which is so weird because, like, my family friends lived two doors down from her for so many years. She was running a house from Ron Tudor at the time. And, like, I could have just, like, went to her door and was like, hey, what girl? What's up? And I, like, my own insecurities didn't. But I wish I would have because, like, I don't know what could have happened then. But long story short, like, the stuff she's been through, and although I'm not in her situation, we're different beings. But I think all the people who spoke out and all the people who, like, fought for Britney and how trapped and isolated she was, I feel like as individuals, I know I have been, and I feel like we all are trapped in some kind of way and hard to communicate our needs. And even when we're communicating our needs, they're not heard, you know? So I think attitude, really, I think you're going to see, like, a whole new thing from Brittany. And for me, too, because I feel like you have a certain attitude, and then sometimes that attitude can be, like, underneath a rock or like, you. I don't want to say lose your mojo or you lose your attitude, but things happen along the way. But then you can't kind of come full circle and then you get your attitude back. That's when people say, oh, you make a comeback, you know? So attitude's so important for your confidence for life, for how you perceive the world, for who you want to connect with. It's. It's so important.

I love it. We got some live comments coming in. It's always so great to have Renee check us out. And she said, oh, my God, this girl has major movie roles. I love it, especially with Nicolas Cage. So, like, can we. Well, I don't want to leave this one little thing because I'm a big believer in grandparents and the energy they bring into our lives. And so when you listen to a lot of our interviews, we actually talk. Oftentimes when I asked who your best attitude coach was, very, very often we hear it's about the grandparents. I'm just curious, did yaya have a job? How many kids did yaya have? I get what she. I get what she did meant to you. And then maybe like, what's one of the stories or a short story that you go, this is what this woman went through. So let's just do a little tribute to her and let's honor her and let's make that we dedicate this show to our Yaya. Right.

Okay, let's see that. Okay. It sounds so good. I actually, it came up when I was sharing, but. So she's from the old country, and she went 10 miles one way on a donkey to pick blueberries all day, and then 10 miles back on a donkey. That shows the trajectory of, like, who she is, where she comes from. The island of Chios, which is one of the largest creek islands. C H I O S hios. It's where the mystica is from. The glico. The sweet. The sweet. It's very famous. There's the mystica tree. And so that's, like, who she is. And she came to America for a better life, and she has. She married my poo poo females and my. It's my dad, my aunt, and then my other uncle. So she has three children.

Okay.

And. And. And yaya came to America for a better life. And I went to California at the end of 2001 for a better life. And seven. About seven. All my siblings moved out after I did about 17 people total. Like, their friends, people from, like, where we're from. They've all, like, moved out. So. And then my family, my mom and dad, everyone started coming for family vacations here. They went to San Francisco, Vegas, San Diego. Like, my yaya came over to America and I came to California and I. Everyone would come west for holidays and stuff. And, you know, two of my siblings live in California, so I did what my yaya did now.

Oh, my God.

That's why it's like, you know, it means A lot to me.

Yeah. How inspirational. I love that. I love that. And it's good. It's. It's great to be moved and it's great to cry and have your emotions moved. Tears, which is, which is what we've done. And that's okay, right? I'm sure Yaya would be proud. We need to show this to her so she knows, she knows how much you love her, I'm sure.

Yeah.

So when you, when you took Yaya's journey to la, you were a girl in Michigan, Were you like, in high school in California? You said, dude, this is not, this is not where I'm supposed to be. And did you just like, go, what was your attitude when you got to la and did you instantly become successful, successful, or did you work your ass off and go, like, this is never going to happen, and then got a break? Give me that story.

Oh, God. I mean, it's all of the above, but I mean, there's so many stories there. But basically I started in Michigan and I became a big fish in a small pond. And then I was like, okay. And it was when I was like, capped out of the big fish in the small pond, you know, starting from nothing, then I'm like, I need to make the choice. Am I going to go to the big ocean and be a big fish, you know, with the sharks? And so then I, you know, I looked at Paris, Toronto, New York, LA, and I went to all places. And then I decided to go to la and I worked with the auto show. I won Miss Michigan, Team Motor City as a teenager. And one of the judges, yeah, I love it. And one of the judges, she hired all the models for the auto shows. And so they're like, you know, 10 day shows. You're a narrator, articulation, diction, memorization. It's great for being an actor, observing the different breeds of people. Boston, Arizona, Chicago, like, you know, all these amazing places in America. And I would go for 10 days and I could live anywhere in America. And so that's when I pivoted to California, because the company Ford that I worked with the first year I did the auto show, they flew me to all these, you know, big 10 states. And then the 20 other days, I got into an acting class with William Alderson. Gordon Michaels put me with William Alderson, and I did the Meisner technique. I went to Samuel French bookstore, I got all the books and the rest of the 20 days, I was just studying my craft and networking like a social butterfly. I didn't drink I didn't do drugs, I didn't smoke cigarettes. I was just so straight laced. I didn't do anything that I was talking and I was just absorbing and just talking to everyone and just getting everything. And what's really cool is, is everyone used to get business cards. Now everything's digital, but everyone used to get business cards. And I would just go home with my stack of business cards after like going to the club and out to events and I would go to IMDb IMovie database and you can see anyone who's anyone, like if they're, you know, producer or director, if they're really working on something or if they're just fluff and buff and they're trying to pull one over on you. So IMDb is a great tool for any aspiring talent. And, and so I was just networking and meeting a bunch of people and I was modeling. Like I had a modeling portfolio I was with. No, no. I was so focused on acting, I was so focused on acting that I forgot I was a model and I had a portfolio in my trunk and I was at, I was downtown and these two guys, one's a director, one had a hair company and he's like, oh my God, your hair. You're so gorgeous, blah, blah, blah, I want you to be my model. And I'm like, okay, cool. He's like, do you model? I'm like, yeah, but I forgot I modeled. And then they hired me on this campaign and when they hired me on this campaign, I then they put me with CESD and the photographer was working with the agency and that's how. And then I started going out for modeling audition while I was simultaneously getting into acting. But I was so focused on acting that I forgot like I modeled. And then I was able to go out for modeling auditions while I was still going out, you know, building my acting career.

That is cool. And so I know that you're an author and a filmmaker and an actor. Which one of those three do you prefer? And then we'll go back to the famous people that you've been with.

Sure. I mean it's always been a struggle and like selecting which one because it's like having babies. They're like, you know, I love them all. But when you look under the umbrella of it all, it's my instrument is my voice and I do voiceovers, acting and for voiceovers, it's the craft of acting. So I love expressing, I love acting. And so under the umbrella of the music, I make directing, producing, writing, poetry, writing music. I can do it under the umbrella as an actor. So I'm producing everything as, you know, an on screen actor, voiceover actor. But yeah, I directed this. I found the location, I put it all together to make these videos. And I made the beats too.

Yeah, that's true. You and I have that in common. I have several different careers. Podcaster, author, speaker, and I'm a real estate guy, too. And so I know what you're saying. It's like, who am I? But I feel like your energy and your pace is just so much in line with me, and I love it.

So.

So let's talk about your role with Nicolas Cage and some of your fun movies. Like what was. Well, let's start with the Nicolas Cage movie. What was that called? And how did that come about?

Sure. The movie's called the Battle Lieutenant, Port of Call, New Orleans, and Werner Herzog, he's ranked the top 35 filmmaker in the world. He personally called me and hand selected me for the role.

Wow.

I was in Shreveport, Louisiana, shooting a film called Streets of blood with 50cent, Val Kilmer and Sharon Stone. And the producer called and he's like, I was just wrapping up set. He's like, verner's gonna offer you the role. And I'm like, oh, word? And he's like, he wants to personally ask you. And I'm like, okay. So I'm in my hotel room, I'm like, waiting. I'm breathing, I'm standing by the phone. And in the moment, I felt like, this is my Joan Crawford moment. And he calls me and he's in his German accent, which I'm gonna botch, you know, Katie, I would like to invite you to come to New Orleans to, you know, shoot the ballot tenet with me and Nicolas Cage. And I'm just like. My jaw was to the ground. I'm like, yes. I'm like, would love to. Yes. And so that was really, really cool. The opportunity happened because I knew the producer who came into the project at last minute and got me the meeting. So people can get you meetings. Like, it's all about who you know, who knows you. People can get you meetings. They can, like, show you the door, but you have to walk through it. You have to close the deal. So I was very happy and lucky and, you know, worked very diligently to have this opportunity in front of Jenny Giu, who's amazing. She just did the Social Network. That's so good. If you guys haven't seen it. And Joanna Wright, who cast, like, all of Quentin Tarantino's movie. And she told me in her 25 years of casting, that was one of the best performances she's ever seen in her whole entire career. So having Joanna Ray say that to you, like, is amazing. And. And I went in for the role, and Verna was there, and, like, the dress I wore, like, the bag I had through the grapevine, they're like, he wants you to bring, like, your luck. Like, just bring it. It was just, like, so spot on. And I remember when I was leaving, like, I remember when I was coming there, Pink was leaving, and I'm like, yo, Pink, what's up? Cause, like, Pink, I was the lead in her music video called who Knew? Which is, like, her. One of her, like, second biggest song ever. Like, so burn. Who Knew? I think those are, like, her biggest songs. And I'm the lead girl in that video. And so Pink was leaving. I was like, yo, what up? You know, like.

But, yeah, did you get that? Because you said, yo, girl, what up? Is that how you got the lead, or was that a different.

I know I already did that two years earlier.

Okay, I got you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Pink, who knew? I love her. She's amazing. Oh, my God. We wanted to talk about inspiration. If you want inspiration and you want to get your attitude. Billie Eilish Pink, Nina Simone, Amy Winehouse, you know, all the documentaries with the musicians. Like, if you want to get your raw attitude. I remember when I watched Billie Eilish documentary a few months ago on Apple. I had. I did a podcast that night. I was so revved up and so inspired. I did a podcast that night, and I had to apologize to myself for being inauthentic like, I am. I like to be authentic as possible, but I even had to, like, check in with myself and be like, yo, like, you've been doing certain things and going on a certain way with your character and your personality and with your attitude like, it's you, but actually it's not you. You're just holding on to something that's not. So it's good to check in with your attitude, to be able to dismantle and to get attuned and aligned and. And not, I mean, cry, because we have to grieve and it's healthy to cry, but not be hard and beat ourselves up on it and just kindly check in and be like, okay, yeah, I was off the rocker for X amount of months or X amount of years, but I know that now, and I'm grateful that I know that. And it's so sacred to me. And I'm going to harness in my soul my spirit and my attitude and I'm going to. I'm going to. I'm gon actually just dismantle what's not and. And get to a vulnerable state of nothingness and allow it to be raw so I can build my attitude back up again, you know? So when you see Billie Eilish, she is so amazing. Yeah. And Pink's great. I want to be like Pink. Like how she tours with her family, like, that's what I want. That's what I want my kids to travel, like with me while I'm performing.

I don't doubt that it will happen for you. You keep manifesting that and it will. When you said you were inauthentic on the podcast, was that as the host of your podcast or as a guest on a podcast?

I was a host of my own podcast. I'll send you the link if you want to put it in the show notes. And I just had to apologize to myself and I had a guest on, but I was able to.

She's all over the place. She's all over the place podcast. Right? That's yours. That is girl. Awesome. Okay. And so did you interview Billie Eilish on this podcast?

Not yet, but I do have a story because I looked her up after I watched it and she is with my same voiceover agency and I almost fell out of my chair. I love her. She's with my same voiceover agency. That's insane.

That is crazy.

Yeah. Vox. Shout out to vox. They're like top five voiceover agency in the world. I love them. They're great.

And when you look at. When you think about Billie Eilish's, you don't know her, I'm guessing, per se. Right. But you have had instances with her. What's her attitude?

I haven't met her yet. I haven't met her yet.

Okay.

Yeah, she's definitely mysterious. You know, I love her mystery and she's definitely a beautiful, sensitive artist. I'm an empath and hsp, so I can, you know, I love looking at other musicians and artists and just seeing how sensitive they are and being able to appreciate their sensitivity. Because sometimes people will pray and berate people who are that sensitive, but it's such a gift to be that sensitive. So if you have sensitive people in your life to be like, oh, you're so sensitive, or da, da, da. Like you're actually insulting their character, it's like it's not okay. It's like it's not Honoring who they are. And it's a part of their attitude, you know, it's a part of, you know, their being in their spirit. And. And some are so sensitive and they don't know the gift that they allow other people who maybe have an attitude of that's more mean spirit or a more abrasive attitude that they're overbearing other people's attitudes. So that person who's doing that has a lot to learn, but so does the person who takes on other people's stuff. So everything's a journey and a learning process.

So we always take a chance to clue in our gappers. Our listeners are called gappers. Right. When people say profound things on our podcast, we like to always just stop, breathe, and pull the moment. And I think gappers, the assignment today is to really hold up, to honor, to become more aware and to find and take the time of the most sensitive people in your life and hold them up and appreciate them and give them love and don't make them insignificant and don't make them feel weak and don't step all over them. And that assignment came from the one and only, only Katie Chinakis. So, Katie, thank you for letting us get to our action item for the podcast. So that's so cool. I just love that.

Thank you. Two things I would like to say. Well, thank you. And then.

You're so me, I can't even stand it.

Okay. I just. You're funny. Well, I can't wait to see what we're going to do. Then it's like, what are we. Like, what are we going to do, though? How fast can we really go? So, okay, a couple things. One more homework and takeaway. Gabor, mate M A T E the wisdom of trauma. You can YouTube them for 16 hours, whatever. Learn a lot about trauma and the stuff we're talking about right now. Esther Hicks, Dr. Joe Dispenza. Caroline Nyss. She's a mystic, intuitive. She has, like, 13 books on overdrive. It's an app. You can download it for free. It's through your public library. You can listen to Caroline Meiss and get tuned into the stuff we're talking about.

Love it.

Ram Dass, Be Here now podcast. So Esther Hicks, you know, she's on Spotify. They all have podcasts. So these people will help one go on their soul's journey to learn more about themselves and then learn more about others.

And you've done this.

I've studied all of them for years.

So I know you love music. I can tell. Do you sing do you play instruments or do you love it because you can't do it?

Well, I'm a poet, so more of a poet. So I'll share a piece. It goes pure lights what I radiate, you know how I gravitate Higher powers on collaborate so we meditate going nonstop then repeat the mantra I don't see the lower levels on my homies on top yeah, higher forms going where the light is warm what you fighting for? There's a fire that's inside us pure try igniting yours. You should be your own prophecy everything in harmony this is our philosophy. Yeah, I love it.

Thank God our WI fi Jason held out on that. I'm like, if your wifi goes to shit in the middle of this, I'm gonna be so pissed. But that was so cool. Thank you for doing that.

And then I grew up in the Detroit under ig. I grew up in the Detroit underground music in music scene, culture. I was going to rave parties with the biggest DJs from around the world. Since I was a kid. I was exposed to all these harmonies and melodies and these beats and everything and, like, all these DJs and the culture. And then I went to DJ music school for one year to learn. There's so many different kinds of DJs. So I went to learn what kind of DJ am I. Not only with the tech, but, you know, with the culture. You know, there's different kinds of DJs. I'm Greek, so I can play, you know, Greek weddings. I'm more of a DJ of like. Like corporation charity events, daytime events. Because, like, when I have children one day, if I want to do a DJ event or something, I can, like, take my kids or, you know, with me. I'm not like a club DJ at nighttime, things like that. More like festivals. And it was exploration because I love music. And also it made me a better actor and a better listener in the world. Because when you're acting, it's just two things, right? We're telling stories, but you're talking, blah, blah, blah, like, I am now. And then the other side of it is what you're doing is listening. And so a lot of times when you're acting for an audition on tape, actors are blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And then when they're done and they're holding their sides and they're listening, everyone's like this, or like a deer in headlights because you're thinking about your next line, you have no life going on. So I went to, like, I had the craft down a memorization and my character choices and the craft and the building and the tones of the shows and the movies. So I wanted to go and become a better listener. So through the one year music program, we had finals every six weeks. And I would go in to work, but I would go in and to listen and then do the work. So that was really, really cool.

Did you ever run across eminem in the 8 mile section of Detroit and all that stuff?

You know, he knows about me, but I haven't met him yet. Like 50 calls me Katie K. Katie.

K. You know, 50.

I did a couple movies with 50. I went on tour with 50. I was this opening act in front of like 18,000 people in Europe and South Africa in 2007, 2008. And they invited me to New Zealand and Australia, but I did a movie with Steve Zahn and Mila Jovovich and the director David Tuohy in Puerto Rico. So I didn't take the opportunity for New Zealand and Australia. But I tour with 50 opening for him. And he was so cool. He's like, yo. He's like, yo. He's like, you want to like, we're at dinner the night before in South Africa. He's like, do you want to like, like open up and perform? And then like, when I come out, like, come to your set again. I'm just like. I felt like. I felt like I was Michael Jackson in that moment. I felt like. I felt like, you know, like Michael Jackson. It was like Michael Jackson getting this opportunity as a kid. I felt like 50 was like giving me this opportunity. I'm like, yes. And so I. It's on YouTube because I've been like, my name and then 50 Cent, like, you'll see us performing together.

So you were singing when you say you were singing.

They were trying to make me like the next Lady Gaga, right? It was when Gaga was us buzzing and I was going by Katie Coco. Cause I love Chanel. So I went by Katie Coco and she was Lady Gaga. And. But it was like EGM music with like a Britney vibe and Gaga. But they weren't getting my, like the industry or the universe or whatever wasn't getting my sound. So I ended up touring with them and then everything like burst and went to a different direction. I tried to stop doing music for what. There it is. That's us backstage in Madrid. And they're playing my song. That's Yayo Banks. Who kid. And 50's like, I'm gonna tell them to put their mother hands up. And they're gonna do it. And they all did it. And they're all like this. Like that. Insane. They're all dancing to my song right now.

Isn't Jason the best producer ever? Way to go, Jason.

I love him. I need him on my team. Shout out to Jason.

Jason is the greatest podcast producer in the world. So we're very fortunate to have city in a while. Embarrassing me.

Yeah. Good job, Jason. I love you. He pulled it up super quick.

Yeah, you say stuff, man. He pulls it up. We get it on. Because this will go on YouTube and every podcast ever. You know, whatever. So that is just crazy that you toured 50 Cent. I'm a huge 50 Cent fan. Didn't know that.

Me too.

You consider, obviously you had said something earlier, that I was a big fish in a little pond in Michigan. Like, what does that mean? Did you hit a certain status of celebrity in Detroit? Like, was it being missed auto parts or whatever the hell it was Michigan? Or did you do something? Did you. Yeah, Ms. Napa Auto Parts. I wrote it down. But, like, when. When did you go, oh, this pond's too small for me? Like, was there a. An achievement that. That. That went with that? Or. Tell me about that.

I did everything I could do. I. I was small fish in a big pond. I. Where I got the yellow pages, and I did it from the ground up. And all the ones that called me, they wanted my money. All the ones that didn't call me, which was only like, three. You know, there's not that many agencies in Michigan. But the ones that didn't call me, I knew those were my target. I knew those were the ones I needed to get in touch with.

Wow.

And. And so I started promo modeling. I started doing commercials, and then I did a documentary, and I did everything. Film. Films weren't being shot in Michigan, like. Like, they were during, you know, during the boom, when they had the tax incentives not too long ago. But I became a big fish in a small pond. Like, everyone knew me. Everyone. You know, I did everything I could do. Like, I was going like this, running the gamut, and, you know, I gave it a couple of years, and then I'm like, okay, now I need to. It was like my cup was full, and I just intuitively knew I needed to make the next choice. Like, when. You know, when, like, your jeans don't fit you anymore, and you're like, am I going to keep trying to wear these suckers? Or, like, am I going to go buy a new pair of jeans? You know what I'm saying? So I'm like, I need to take the next step. So I took the next step. And I'm going to tell you right now, when I moved to California and I was driving up and down Sunset Boulevard and I thought my attitude was bad. I was like, good. I was like, in Detroit, what's up? And when I'm driving down Sunset, I felt like Reese Witherspoon and like Legally Blonde or like Sweet Home Alabama or something. I just felt like this like little naive, innocent girl, like in this big, bad city with like knowing there's prostitutes on Sunset in a certain area, knowing there's graffiti and just seeing everything kind of like run down in a way in like a certain area of Hollywood. And I, and I remember going to like the mall and I felt like I needed like, I thought my wardrobe was just like, like small town farmland. And I didn't grow up small town farmland, but I felt like it was small town farmland. So I went to the mall and I went on a shopping spree and I got like all new, like, like bad, you know, clothes to give myself an attitude of like polished la. Like, you know, and, and so I did that. And that was, that was really interesting, you know, on a sensorial level of like how I, you know, and I. One short story. I remember, like going to this one club and there's valet and driving up and the stuff I pulled in Detroit, Michigan, of driving up to a club and telling the valet something. He just looked at me and he just like called me out and I'm like. And I thought to myself, I'm like, oh. I'm like, these, these tricks aren't going to work here in la. I'm going to have to up my game, you know, with the valet because they, like, they called me out, I'm like, whatever. I told them that would work in Michigan normally. I'm like, that's not, that's not happen here in California.

Oh, my God, that's so good. How many years ago was that?

Well, I came to California. It's so exciting because 2000, at the end of 2001, so it's 20 years right now that I came to California two decades ago. And that probably happened, you know, in 2002 or three.

Wow. So you've been at this a little bit, girl.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, I was, yes, I've been at it. I've been at it. And I, you know, I left LA for a while and I was traveling the world and I was in Atlanta, I went to New York and, you know, now I'm here in Los Angeles, and I feel afresh. I feel that same attitude and vitality of when I originally came at the end of 2001. I had a. I have that sense, that same vibe and sense from when I came here two decades ago, except now I have my body of work, my mentors, like, I know the industry inside and out. Things have changed. I'm open to change. My attitude is so open. Calculated risk, but pivoting and being open to opportunities. The power of yes. The power of no. The power of putting myself first and being integrous with my word and my passion and my craft and my ethics and my morals and my values and not being swayed any which way by no matter what anyone has to say. And it's like just having that strong two decades of a foundation, but feeling so invigorated and, like, young and fresh. I'm like. I'm like a bullseye. Like, I'm so focused and I'm so excited. It's really, really exciting.

I love it. We believe and we know because it's been proven that people, after they come on the Get Attitude podcast, karma follows them. That's really positive. And what I keep thinking about with you is the ladies, well, even the men listening to you, thinking, oh, my God, I wish I had this attitude. And I feel like you're actually speaking what you're feeling and vibing into the listeners, like, through their freaking iPads and Earth earbuds and all that. So what you're doing is not telling your story. I really believe that you're planting seeds in other people's lives that are listening to this podcast all over the world. We have a nice big audience. So thank you for doing this. This is so good. Let me ask you. Go ahead.

Well, what I want to say, because I love that you pointed that out. And what I want to say, Glenn, is this okay to you and the listener and to the person watching. We showed up for you. That's why we're here. And what you just said, it's an energetic exchange. It's a vibe, it's a vibration. And on a cellular level in your prefrontal cortex and your emotional. In your lobes, in your hippocampus. This energy is coming through the mic and through the screen. Yes. So it can have a sensorial effect, so it can shape shift, so you can lead your best life. Like, when I was a kid, I read Success through a positive mental attitude through Napoleon Hill. And when I was reading that, I'm like, oh, I'm already Like this. I'm already like this. Yeah, these are cool. These are cool. I've read it a couple times since then, so definitely have that as like a bible. Success through positive mental attitude. Definitely. Check out. She's all over the place for more of my vibes and wisdom because I show up to make an impact and to shape shift your life so you can rise to the occasion. Like, Kundalini is all about, like, the energy, right? So we could be very dense in a lot of ways. Ways from people we listen to from what we're watching. So if you're watching TV, turn off the TV. If you're talking to someone for 45 minutes and you have to talk to them once a week, but they're draining your energy and you're complaining and you don't like to do it, and you're talking to them, but you're half listening, Talk to them for 15 minutes. Get your time back. Like, get your energetic stratosphere back. You know, I have to position myself with the canvas and just have a blank canvas to be by myself and solid, to not listen to the distraction and the noise because everyone will try to suck up your time and attention. And misery loves company. But that pity party of a misery, like, just dismantle anything that's not serving you. And if you don't know how, just write it down and just know what it is. One step at a time. Do take steps that you want in the good direction. Take one step at a time of what you do want. And that builds and builds and builds, builds energetically.

I love it. I love it. That has so much to do with, like, the three questions you need to ask yourself. Who am I hanging around? What are they doing to me? Like, what are they having me reading? What are they having me writing? What are they having me looking at? What are they having me listen to? And the third question is, is that okay? And people all need to ask themselves about the people that they're hanging around. And then there's three answers which you went through, which is limited. Association with those people, limit it. Some need to be eliminated completely. But what I love to focus on is increased association. Who are the people that I can increase my associations with to help me with my attitude, to help me with my energy, my outlook, and my destiny? When it's all said and done, I want to ask you that. Certainly you've had heartache, certainly you've had failure, but I know you eat failure and adversity for breakfast would be my. That's attitude boost number Eight. I'm going to send you my book. You'll get it. So if you just share with me like a time or a story that, hey, I failed, there was adversity. And then tell me how you got through that. Because you know what, we all have two things in problem in common. Relationships and problems. Right. So just would love to hit on your adversity story and how you got through through it and what you would recommend to people that are listening that are in adversity right now.

Yeah, it's a really good question. I'm like, which story should I tell you? Because if you want to, if you want to see someone who's successful, like just ask how many times they failed. Because I felt so much. I felt so much. I guess, I guess one thing I would say is it's a financial thing, is I was investing time, I was investing passion, I was investing energy, I was investing my talent, I was investing everything for my craft, for my business, for myself. The one thing I, and I invested, for example, like my laptop, my, my, my tech, my lighting. Like, I invest in like, you know, things coaching, things like that. I would invest things like that. But an investor, I wanted like an investor. Right. And then I heard, you know, when I was a kid, like even the most, like, you know, wealthiest people, they don't invest their own money, they get other people to invest their own. Like we've all heard that kind of quote, right? You get other people's money. And so I was always wanting to get investors. And being a kid in a quote unquote, what I heard when I was a, you know, when I was a child was a man's world, like being a, wanting to be a, choosing to be a business woman and to take myself seriously. I was always looking to men for mentors instead of females for mentors.

Interesting.

I feel like I would have liked to have more female mentors. I feel like it kind of cut me off from my divine femininity.

Yes.

And my, in my, my subtle intuition. And it made me a little more like abrasive and hard in a way felt, feeling I had to do it all on my own. So that's one. And then the other thing is like looking up to like men all the time thinking they were going to like invest in like me financially. And because I was such a good hearted person, I had so many like great things offered to like really want to make an impact for people and you know, like help the planet. Like I do and like so many do. But I felt like the ones who had a lot of money, like, kept their money. And there were, like, other ones who, like, like, rooted me on and mentored me in a way where they knew, like, there's this universal law of, like. Like, they were kind of teaching me a lesson and befriending me, where they gave me everything but money, like trips and food and, like, education and watching and observing the way they did business. But they respected me in a way, knowing, as a young professional, if I wanted to be that, that I needed to do it and make it on my own, which I respected. And I have those mentors and friendships in that area. But then there were the other guys who were just like, oh, she's a pretty face. Katie the connector. Casey, who do you. Who do you know? Who do you know? And they just, like, I let them. I was naive, and I. I gave all my resources out from being a good person. And then the other ones who were just, like, wanting to, you know, be with me sexually and get into my pants.

Sure.

And so through this whole journey of everything, I'm telling you, I was wanting an investment outside of myself. So actually, at the beginning of the pandemic, I was able to dismantle everything and just go so inside and, you know, the little girl blueprint of my two decades of experience, of my little girl dreams and going out into the world and then succeeding with all those things, mentors, success, all the areas that I wanted to accomplish, and then. And then checking back in with myself and reflecting from when I was a kid of what I wanted, what I've accomplished, what happened the last two decades, dismantling it, reflecting, and then creating a new blueprint for myself. And I pivoted and made the choice to financially invest in myself the way I wanted all the other people to do the last two decades. And when I started doing that financially and I was scared, I was so scared. But there's that resistance that I. It was. It was just so exhausting. Holding onto that resistance was so exhausting, that energy. And then when I made the shift shift, and I started investing in myself and doing it from within, I felt on a core level, internally, even though I didn't know how I was going to do it, I thought I was going to run out of money. I didn't know how it was going to happen. Like, I started becoming so tight within that all the pieces just, like, came together where I became like this oak tree inside. And then all my businesses just got on their own caboose instead of them getting there. And then, like, instead of take off, falling, and sabotaging and just getting there and then sabotaging following. They all got on their own train tracks and, like, left the station, and they all have legs of their own. So the biggest, you know, takeaway is.

That's huge.

You're scared. Just invest in yourself. And it was. I'm so happy I did. And I'm just. I'm just going to keep investing in myself.

I'll send you the transcription of this because what you. Your monologue should be the prologue to a book called the Female Entrepreneurial Tale. Entrepreneurial Advice for Women, I think would be an awesome book for you to write. That was awesome. And, you know, we hear that story, and that story that you have just said can be repeated in the millions with women across America. Now, I don't think I told you, but part of these trophies that sit over here is inclusion and diversity. We make a commitment because our audience is more women than men, to interview women at least in half of our interviews. So if you go look at our. We're either women or minorities. So what you're saying just hits. I know. It is hitting at home with our female gappers. And ladies, I hope you are absolutely loving her, because I am. I'm loving Katie. Katie's a family name, so I feel like we're like, you're my cousin or something. Okay. So, Katie, I want to respect your time.

Wait, I think we should do the book together.

We totally will all help. I will make that happen for you. Yeah. It may not hurt to have a man's perspective.

A man supporting my story.

I love it.

They're saying how men can show up and support, and that's what you're doing right now. So let's do it with the book.

That was an amazing monologue, so make sure we flag that, Jason, so we have it. Thank you. So, Katie, we're going to finish the interview with something I call Knowledge through the Decades. It's a little game. It's not really been a game we play, but it's my unique podcast interview style where I'm going to walk you through your life from birth. I don't think you're 40, but you're over 30 would be my guess.

I'm 40.

Well, then we get to do 40 then, too, which will be great. So I'm going to ask you what the attitude lesson was in each decade of your life, and then our gappers can walk through their life with you as you tell your story. So when you think about birth and childbirth or being Born. You may remember it, you may not. I think you can tune into it because you have that elevated. That elevated understanding. What's the attitude lesson of childbirth or of being born?

Innocence. We're all on this experience together and we all have innocence. And it's just a beautiful, beautiful gift that we chose to be on the planet to experience life.

That's good. And I think from day one, you probably lose. Innocence gets erased just a little bit every single day from that pureness and that innocence that we have right as we were born. So beautiful thought. Yes.

Roaming Free Inside the Cage is an amazing book.

All right. Man, you are dropping all kinds of great books on us. I'm writing them all down and we'll also publish those in our show notes afterwards. Roaming free Inside the Cage. You read a lot, obviously, don't you?

I love reading. I'll show you what I'm reading right now. It's right here. I've read this book so many times, but you just got to keep reading it. It's so amazing. Be here now.

Oh, wow. Wow. Remember, what does it say?

Be here now.

Oh, Be here now is what the book is.

Ram Dass. Yeah. Be here now.

Oh, my gosh. You look like you've been through that a few times. I love it. All right, I want you to think back of being a little girl in Michigan at 10 years old, fourth grade. Do you remember your fourth grade teacher? And did something happen to you at 10 that changed you or that gave you an attitude lesson? What did you learn at 10 years old that was your attitude lesson?

Yeah, I got made fun of of. I. Yeah, the. The teacher always pointed out, pointed me out, and she was very mean to me and she gave me detention all the time, and I was always grounded and always being punished. And I felt like. I felt like they were very jealous of me. And yeah, it's. It was. It wasn't a nice time for me in fourth grade or fifth grade grade, but fourth grade was the worst I felt. That's when the kids, you know, when you're in elementary school, that's when, you know, it kind of shape shifts how you're going to be through your elementary school. And then I think it definitely ripples effect through middle school and the rest of your education. But yeah, it was. The attitude was feeling bullied, you know, and having that experience of how mean teachers could be wasn't the kids. The kids just followed the teacher and she, like, wore these tight leather skirts, you know, to class. Mrs. Quinn's her name by the way Mrs. Quinn. Mrs. Freaking Quinn. She was weird, but yeah, she was so mean to me and like always pointed me out.

She didn't. Yeah, well, again, I had the same experience. I fourth and fifth grade. I was in trouble constantly and suspended and in detention all the time. Just. That was normal. No surprise there. So the attitude lesson maybe could be resilience, even though it maybe was suffering and being objectified, but maybe those.

No, the attitude is not giving a flying F what anyone says or thinks. That's the attitude.

That's the answer.

I know who I am and I know how I serve and you can be that way to me all day, but they're just being that way because of who I am. I knew that. I didn't say that, but that was the attitude.

Well, good.

I was quiet, but that was the attitude.

Yeah, that's what we want. We want that answer, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So resilience or. Hey, the bottom line is I got my shell and you ain't going to penetrate it, which is good. So now, did you go to college? What was going on at 20? Where were you in your life and what was your attitude lesson at 20?

Yeah, I had a full scholarship. I ran cross country. So that was awesome. I was able to do my studies and run. I remember there was this one teacher as my computer teacher. Again, like, the girls were so mean to me.

What college?

So maybe that's why I went out and like sought a bunch also like men in a man's world for men, mentors, because females were so mean to me. But I remember my computer science teacher, I'll never forget, she sat me down and she said, you're going to go through life and this is going to happen because. Because you're like a very kind person. She's like, she's like, you're extremely gorgeous. Like, she's like, you intimidate other people. So when she sat me down and she told me that, it was kind of like this understanding that I was different and that was okay and I can keep being me. So the attitude lesson was like to keep being me no matter what. What other people say, if they're nice or mean or whatever, just know it's like their own thing and it's not because of me. So I guess the attitude lesson there was being authentic, befriend myself even if other people weren't befriending me. Because I was, you know, really, I was an empath. So I am an empath. So I was really sensitive to it.

Hurt my feelings, you Know what college did you go to?

Schoolcraft is a community college.

Cool. Okay, Gotcha in Michigan. Yeah, I like it. All right. Innocence, resilience, and being a friend to yourself. Now we get to 30, 10 years ago. Tell me what was going on in your life at 30 and what was the attitude lesson you took at 30?

Oh, that's really interesting. The attitude for personal or work or.

Yeah, both. Whatever.

Yeah. I mean, I just feel like since I'm just like on the cusp here, it's just there's been so many, but independence and doing it on my own. The attitude was, you know, I was at the SAG foundation and Brie Larson and a bunch of other actors, Jonah Hill. It was the era of, hey, you have a cell phone, like, just take it and like shoot your own content. So it was really empowering myself as a creative to have the attitude to go and create. And that's when I started doing the web series and the short films and, and, you know, making those kind of videos to empower myself as a human and not waiting on the industry to give me an opportunity for work. I created those opportunities on my own.

I love that. And did you publish your book back 10 years ago or was that published recently?

So I published World Poetry Day, A Lover's Fairy Tale, and I took 10 years of music videos that I produced through poetry pieces that I wrote and I rebranded. I learned I am not a branding queen and I learned about branding and I did. I did an automation. So if you go to a lovers fairy, if you go there and you put in your email, I have an automation set up where you go to lovers fairytale.com or just put in your email. I have an automation set up where it sends you my body of work of 10 years of my favorite poetry pieces. And I didn't know I was going to package it and put it into a lover's fairy tale poetry book. But out of thousands of pieces, I selected 11. And I released this book and you know, yeah, that was really empowering. And how that happened was, was I always wanted to be a published author and there wasn't Amazon and those kind of things when I was 12. And I went through my journey and the hoops and the struggles of finding someone outside of myself once again to approve, to, like, my work, to get the approval for it for the right brand deal, the right book deal, the right blah, blah, blah. And it's like, you know, jumping through the hoops. So it didn't happen. So normally I'm like, I'm a traveler. So I'm like, where's one place in the world that I want to go that I've never been? And because of what was going on in the world, I wasn't personally traveling. So I pivoted the quality of the question and I said, what's one thing I always wanted to do that I haven't done yet? And I said I wanted to be a published author. So that was 1111 for my birthday last year. And then I gave myself a hard stop to do the research. So I gave myself a hard stop to do the research three months. And it happened to be in the spring World Poetry Day. And so that's when I released the book.

Wow. How cool is that? Yeah, that is so, so neat. Well, yeah, check that out for sure. I'm going to put my email in and get it and check it out before we get into 40 and your hope for our gappers again. You've been with some pretty big time people. I always say people don't understand the power of celebrity. I just love to know but like who was the major actor that you did stuff with that just blew you away with kindness and attitude? And what's that story, if there's a quick one where you're like, wow, this person's extremely cool and their attitude is beautiful.

I think we already talked about Nicolas Cage, but he was pretty awesome to work with. Like it was gritty and the work that we were doing and it was a close set and it was just so intense and so intimate and. And I feel I'm like that as well, like very intense and intimate. So I. It really, really comes up for me. But also, you know, another thing that comes up for me is Samuel Baer. Like that he went off, he directed me as it was a feature film. In Pink Sunu's video he did the Cranberries, Teen Spirit, Nirvana. Like he was like the go to music video director. But then after Pink, who knew, he went to direct feature films. And so working with him as the director, I love the way he directed me. And in the video when you watch it, you'll see it's like, it's like it's a. You're watching a movie. It's like, you know, the girl and the stories is so, so powerful.

I'm gonna binge Katie Chinakis and watch all your stuff and then call you back and let you know what's up. I love it.

Yeah.

So I know you're not supposed to tell your age in la so we can edit that if you want what? Your age?

No, it's fine. I don't care.

Yeah, and at a girl. I know you, didn't I? I was thinking back to your 10 year old. Of course you don't care. So what we do is, I'd love to know, when we say your attitude lesson at 40, what is your attitude lesson of the present? But more than anything, what I want you to do is just talk directly to our people about the hope you have for them. About the wishes and good intentions and good vibrations that you have for the people that are listening to your voice. This is your time to give our gappers your message of hope. Ready? Go.

Okay. The first thing I would like to say is I love you unconditionally. I really, really do. And on your worst day, you have it better than most. Especially if you're here listening right now. It's such a privilege just to be breathing. It's such a privilege to be tuned in to the audio or to the video with that space and time and the dedication and honor yourself because you showed up for you and you're here to learn something and take things with you. And so when you're showing up and you're learning things and you're taking things with you, be aware of what resides with you. Be aware of what aligns with you. But the things that don't, don't judge them. Just say, that's not for me. Just leave them be and keep moving. Speak words of positivity creation. Be aware of your mind and your thoughts to pivot, to, think positive, to check in with yourself and be like, oh, I'm thinking about that again. Oh, I'm thinking about that again. Like, hack your brain, hack your energy, empower yourself. Tune in with me. You can email me or you can contact me for my website, chanakas.com. definitely check out. She's all over the place. I have over 60 episodes, so there's a lot of valuable insight with some prolific people on there and who will gift you information about any area that you're talking about or thinking about. Trauma or spirituality, music, DJing, acting, filmmaking. I want to be a vessel for you and that's why I show up here and that's why I am who I am. Because if I did something in 10 years and you can do it in six months, great. We can hold hand, we can hold hands on this journey together and we don't have to do it alone. And you know, some things we do in solitude, but it's more fun when we do it together. When we're learning and growing together. And if you feel small or insecure or stupid, that's the point where you need to get past the emotion and do it anyway and just show up and dismantle those emotions and just, you know, be analytical and just show up and do it anyway. So I think, I think those are some hopeful, cool words of wisdom for you. And if you want to know anything else, just, like, reach out to me. I'm here for you.

I love it. And that is future Oscar winner, Emmy winner and Pulitzer Prize award winning writer Katie Chinakis, giving you her hope and her love. To all you gaffers, Gappers was a good one. Katie, you were just a fabulous guest. Jason. She blew it up, did she not? I love it. It was so good, so inspiring. Can't wait to get our feedback. We will let you know if you'll just hang back back for one second, we're going to do a quick social promo. Ladies and gentlemen, you just heard the great Katie Chinakis. I hope you loved her. We sure did. And we will see you on the next episode of the Get Attitude podcast. This podcast is a part of the C Suite Radio Network. For more top business podcasts, visit C sweetradio. Com.