Today we’d like to introduce you to Kellee Ratzlaff.
Hi Kellee, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My father first recognized I had a gift for art. He noted that I had a natural ability to draw distance and perspective while others were drawing stick figures. With his encouragement over the years, I built up “pencil milage”. As a young child, I especially liked drawing cozy, imaginative environments and home plans for different kinds of animals or people to live and work in.
By the time I was 7, I was consumed with creating art, while independently studying many great artists throughout history, (thank you public library!). I was curious to explore as many artists and creative media as I could. I remember at that time assuming that I would be like Charles Rennie Mackintosh or Frank Lloyd Wright as an adult – thoughtfully designing my clothing, furniture and home space entirely myself. This seemed to be a natural and logical goal at that time. Little did I realize that was tall order, in terms of combined talents and resources. However, to this day, I have to admit a part of me still envisions that direct experience – a life expressed through that level of artistic co-creation with my entire personal environment. The awe!
Through exploring many media; drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, jewelry making/metalsmithing, beadwork, pattern drafting/sewing, I began to lean towards fashion design as my career goal. I learned how to draft my own patterns, took sewing classes (thanks Mom!) and accomplished my first fashion show/art exhibition when I was 19.
I quickly realized it wasn’t for me. I loved fashion design itself, but not the industry. Not only were the production models heartbreakingly unhealthy, imbalanced and over consumptive.
But it also felt like the national retail brands I was working for only wanted to use creatives for their own profit. There was ZERO heart there so I turned towards other design industries, at first interior design.
When I was in college, I studied everything I could related to business management, outside of my art class requirements. I was determined to not become “the starving artist” everyone warned me about, so coupling by art with a business background seemed like a solid choice. Both of my parents were small business owners and that was my personal desire as well. I knew that was the end goal, especially if I didn’t want be abused under corporate design industry models.
Interior design as an avenue was closer to what my heart desired, and I did have a greater impact in the lives of my clients – which made my heart sing. I’d have clients tell me they wanted to sell their homes, then POOF a few changes, some fresh paint and they’d be IN LOVE with their homes again, almost like magic. That felt great, but still graphic design and small business incubation was calling me forward, to bring even greater impact into the lives of those I worked with.
I’ve always loved and had strong stills in graphic design and copy writing, but after the fashion industry, unsurprisingly I had a distaste for pretty much all things marketing. So, I couldn’t work for another firm. I had to create my own business model from scratch, to better ensure that I would have complete freedom to build from my core values.
I launched Awedore Studios in 2006. It’s been 20 years now and I haven’t looked back. Awedore Studios is my sacred service. I love what I do. Workdays are pleasant, often full of healing, empowerment, inspiration and deep connection with people I genuinely care about. Design projects, energy healing sessions, and client launches all feel like blessings, not jobs. I feel like I am home, just where I’m meant to be! I am so thankful and excited for the future.
The more I follow my heart and trust myself, the more unexpected opportunities I receive; like invitations to co-host healing retreats, contribute to powerful live events, podcasts, blogs and books; like Let’s Be Peace: 20 Unique Paths to Healing Yourself and Spreading Peace In the World. I’m one of the healers with The Healing Institute (a global healing and education network based in Vancouver, Canada) and I’m the Creative Director and Advisory Board Member for the nonprofit Back2Youth.org, where we reconnect teens with Mother Nature and connect them to their true inner nature. Who knows what other collaborations are ahead? When we live from our hearts, the potential for all of us is far more limitless than we can realize. Huemanity is rising, in spite of any outer appearances to the contrary. It really is an exciting time to be on Earth!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth road? LOL I don’t know if I’ve ever meant an entrepreneur who had that direct experience. Not by a long shot! No, instead I have found that becoming an entrepreneur is actually a spiritual initiation towards Self Mastery. I personally believe the only other initiation that challenges someone more than entrepreneurship is becoming a parent.
Honestly, my biggest struggle over the last 20 years has probably been rooted in low self-worth, childhood trauma, dogma and distorted cultural ideas – all conditions that felt like no matter what I did it was never good enough. That “not enoughness” deeply impacted every part of my business (and every other area of my life), until I began to work to heal my inner world and build a relationship directly with my Soul Self.
I’ve experienced decades long chronic health and pain challenges, which started when I was 19. In Fall of 2012, I also began experiencing grand mal seizures – out of the blue. In addition to the load of limiting beliefs I was carrying, my physical body was greatly impacted by a myriad of challenges, which often perceivably ‘interfered’ with my capability to create the life I was seeking for many years. However, all those challenges were there to catalyze me, not placed there so I would roll over in defeat. After many years of self-love building and spiritual study, I have come to practice “healer heal thyself”. Now I am truly a living example of the transformational power of love and energy healing! As of last fall, I was able to completely clear my body of the chronic pain I had been carrying for nearly 30 years. I know I am just getting started, so I keep asking… what else may be possible?
I know grace and miracles are possible because I am living it every day. I want to empower others to know their own potential and embrace their miracle stories. Through my commitment with my “healer heal myself” path, I am now a certified shaman and energy healer, and I weave those skills into my client work. Sometimes I laugh when I catch myself blessing an ad before its’ sent to press. Adding a little extra seed of love and intention to everything I do is automatic now. I think that’s a key code within the power of presence.
Because we primarily create our worlds from our subconscious mind, whatever beliefs or limitations are already active in there, tend to come to life – for good or not so good. Then we must figure out how to uncreate the things we don’t like and create more of the things we do. For years, I was able to successfully launch and help grow dozens and dozens of businesses. However, until a handful of years ago I never actually included myself in that equation. Once I finally did, and began building momentum with that balance, that’s when things really shifted for the better! I have worked to clear many of my own limiting beliefs and traumas and that led me to more sustainable and joyful service. I lead by example. I want to show and empower other entrepreneurs to do that too.
If they’re feeling unclear or stuck, like they can’t launch or gain desired momentum, or they just need the “right” strategy, formula, experience, portfolio, financial budget, marketing plan, workshop or client, and they’ve been at it for a little while – that’s a sure sign they need an energy healing. There’s something deeper going on. That’s where I come in. From there we can build a unique strategy to get them where they want to go, and we can co-create the visual elements to make it real and marketable.
Through my deeper innerstanding of energy, and our true multi-dimensional nature as spirit beings having a physical hueman experience, I am now able to offer much more transformation, upliftment and precision for my clients. Collaborations although deep, authentic, profound and at times vulnerable, are also joy-filled, playful, heart-led and beyond inspired. After all, life is an initiation, we might as well accept and embrace it together. It sure beats the alternative.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Awedore Studios?
Today, I am most known as a Business Shaman. I am also a highly skilled Energy Healer, Intuitive Strategist and Design Alchemist. I specialize in supporting businesses who want to grow through Unity Consciousness. What I like to think of in business, as the win-win-win, it’s a win for self, others and the planet – or it’s not a win at all.
I work with a variety of clients around the world. Supporting them to release what’s not truly their Soul Self and to reveal their authenticity, and unique gifts without apology. I support them in removing blocks, limitations, karmic and family imprints, and other debris. I also bring in greater connective strength to their own inner guidance and path. I want clients to be sovereign and empowered. So, I offer personalized tools, teaching, healing and support, with the goal always being their full independence.
I focus on emphasizing unity-based, circular models of sustainability and balance with all life, rather than reproducing the old top-down “us vs them” lack-based structures of business development. Building their success through their Soul’s guidance, their own intuition and personal path is always going to create the best outcome for all involved. That is what I do and who I am here to elevate and co-create with.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was kind of an “odd” kid. I was an only child, quiet, highly sensitive/empathic, a bit shy with a tendency towards OCD behavior, so I never had to be asked to clean my room.
I remember feeling lonely a lot and noting that being around other people did not quench that loneliness. So, I tended to stick to myself – preferring to be lonely alone, rather than lonely with others. I also felt far more comfortable with animals than with people. I spent much of my time with our two cats playing in the backyard or quietly entertaining myself in my bedroom with my drawings and my “imaginary friends”.
In middle school, I became obsessed with glyphs, symbolism, cultural myth, archetypes and the power of storytelling. I especially liked Native American, Polynesian and Celtic myths and symbols, but I studied everything I could find at my middle school library (where I worked as a librarian for school credit, long before the internet). I was so interested in the similarities in Eastern and Western cultures, where the core teachings were the same, only the language differed. I also began studying Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung and others about that time. The Power of Myth was my favorite book. That’s certainly not a top read for the typical middle school student. But I freely followed my curiosity, I had a lot of alone time with which to cultivate and explore my interests, so I took advantage of it.
Looking back now, I see how all the things I was naturally drawn to as a child opened and guided me directly towards who I am today. I have many of the same curiosities and interests. I still like to spend most of my free time out in nature, or studying symbolism, esoteric literature, global myth and how storytelling influences our cultural and spiritual growth. Now I weave all those parts of me directly into how I support my clients and commUNITY. My clients really love that I bring all of myself into my business, celebrating my uniqueness and that’s absolutely what I encourage them to do as well.
Pricing:
- For energy healing, growth strategy and/or graphic design, I offer hourly and project-based pricing – depending on need and the scope of the work. My fees are in line with market rates. I support both business and non-businesses alike. Being in business or desiring to build a business is not a requirement to work with me. However, my core specialty is supporting entrepreneurs who are seeking to grow their businesses through growing their direct partnership with their Soul Self. Clients can contact me through my website and schedule a FREE Discovery Chat to see if we’re a good fit. They can also sign up for my monthly newsletter – to get updates, learn about commUNITY events and more. *I’m also launching a monthly drawing through my newsletter where one lucky recipient can book a 1-hour session with me for only $22!
Contact Info:
