My name is Katarina (but friends call me Kat). 

I am a lifelong learner on a self directed, entrepreneurial journey. Buckle up. 

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a writer when I grew up (trying to manifest this now). Instead of pursuing creativity, I attended McMaster for Health Sciences, hoping to help people as a psychiatrist.

After discovering who I was as a young adult, I realized I had no desire to help people as Western medicine prescribed. Instead, I channeled my desire to help others through holistic and social health initatives: working with young mothers, helping criminals navigate reintegration; study women with eating disorders; and support all sorts of folks living with concurrent illness, all while I finished my undergrad. 

I found a passion for primary research (my desire to KNOW is intense), and published a thesis exploring the effects of yoga and tai chi as concurrent therapy for eating disordrs. Instead of pursuing a scholarship for a Master’s degree, I opened my first real business, Dolled Up Desserts, on a whim. Although I believed being a researcher for the rest of my life would fulfill my need to continuously learn, I took a chance on my conviction that gluten free and vegan dessert shouldn’t be a sacrifice in experience. I wanted to help people with allergies (like me) feel empowered by their dietary differences in social situations.

I was barely 22 and had no idea what operating and scaling a business involved.

Yikes.

As I evolved as a pastry chef, inclusive dessert innovator and team member wearing many hats, I fear/lessly/fully led Dolled Up Desserts to touch every sector of the food industry, from grocery, national food service, brick and mortar retail and DTC ecommerce. I exited Dolled Up Desserts in 2022, and my next venture is unfolding as I design it. 

Telling my story, sharing my creative works, and connecting with you is part of that creation.

 My name is Katarina (but friends call me Kat). 

I am a lifelong learner on a self directed, entrepreneurial journey. Buckle up. 

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a writer when I grew up (trying to manifest this now). Instead of pursuing creativity, I attended McMaster for Health Sciences, hoping to help people as a psychiatrist.

After discovering who I was as a young adult, I realized I had no desire to help people as Western medicine prescribed. Instead, I channeled my desire to help others through holistic and social health initatives: working with young mothers, helping criminals navigate reintegration; study women with eating disorders; and support all sorts of folks living with concurrent illness, all while I finished my undergrad. 

I found a passion for primary research (my desire to KNOW is intense), and published a thesis exploring the effects of yoga and tai chi as concurrent therapy for eating disordrs. Instead of pursuing a scholarship for a Master’s degree, I opened my first real business, Dolled Up Desserts, on a whim. Although I believed being a researcher for the rest of my life would fulfill my need to continuously learn, I took a chance on my conviction that gluten free and vegan dessert shouldn’t be a sacrifice in experience. I wanted to help people with allergies (like me) feel empowered by their dietary differences in social situations.

I was barely 22 and had no idea what operating and scaling a business involved.

Yikes.

As I evolved as a pastry chef, inclusive dessert innovator and team member wearing many hats, I fear/lessly/fully led Dolled Up Desserts to touch every sector of the food industry, from grocery, national food service, brick and mortar retail and DTC ecommerce. I exited Dolled Up Desserts in 2022, and my next venture is unfolding as I design it. 

Telling my story, sharing my creative works, and connecting with you is part of that creation.