Kathy Ireland

the Author

 

Kathy Ireland is one of the top ten advocates for women’s health in America, according to UCLA. Kathy is chief designer and CEO of Kathy Ireland Worldwide (KIWW), whose mission is

 

                      “. . . finding solutions for families,

                                        especially busy moms.”™

 

KIWW and its brand partners design and produce more than fifteen thousand home and lifestyle products sold in over twenty-eight countries. Forbes reports KIWW sales at more than $1 billion annually. The Associated Press calls Kathy “a best friend to working mothers.” Kathy says, “All moms work whether they get paid or not.” Moms around the world embrace her designs, products, and solutions for living. The cornerstone of Kathy’s life is her Christian faith. She is a mom, wife, and Sunday school teacher. Once a model, Kathy now says “I was okay but never super…my job description was to ‘shut up and pose.’” Today, Kathy is celebrated for her entrepreneurial gifts, philanthropy, and motivational speaking. Her voice is heard by audiences worldwide. She and her husband, Greg, have three children and live in Southern California.

 

 

Kathy Ireland

the Book

 

Of all the important jobs in the world, to me, the most important is being a parent. All moms work whether they get paid or not. I cannot imagine anything that has greater responsibility, importance or joy than raising young lives. From the time I was a little girl, I wanted to be a mom. With every blessing that occurs in our lives, there isn’t a day that I don’t thank God for the blessing of our children. 

I’m always mindful that if people are aware of me at all, it’s usually in a fragmented way. They may think of me as that model person from the last century. Those people could well be wondering, “Kathy Ireland? What’s she going to do, teach us a new pose?” Absolutely not! Today, I have the privilege of being in service to women all over the world. To the millions of women who have joined our mission of “…finding solutions for families, especially busy moms”, our company, Kathy Ireland Worldwide gives a humble and heartfelt thank you. 

You turned down the noise of stereo typing and allowed a dream that began in 1993 at our family kitchen table to become a company which designs and markets over 15,000 different products which are available in over 28 countries. Forbes calls our business “the billion dollar brand”. We call it a miracle. We thank God and each of you.

I cannot remember a time when I didn’t believe in God. Still, I remained a baby Christian for far too long. It’s a great honor to share with you that my best friend is my Rock, Anchor, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Kathy Ireland

the Conversation

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

 

1.     Both financial success or failure can cause stress to marriages, some evern to fall apart. Based on Kathy’s suggestions in the book, what strategies can you use to safe guard your marriage? What strategy can you share that you have done already?

 

2.      Kathy is a very successful business woman, but her faith and family always come first. Share a time when you struggled with achieving success as a mom and a business woman.

 

3.     Credit card debt has huge effects on our society. What are some ways you can monitor your credit card debt? What are ways you can teach your children how to be responsible credit card users?

 

4.     Most Americas equate happiness with material possessions. What makes you happy?

 

5.     God is pleased when He sees His children happy, but he rejoices when He see them act in a holy way. Do you agree with this and how do you live it out?

 

6.     Share one thing you have done to your personal space to make it personal?

 

7.     Try the recipe on page 111 for dinner one night. Share how your family responded to it. Was it easy to follow?

 

8.     Protecting our children is a job most moms take very seriously. What has changed in your lifetime that make you feel that your children are not as safe as you were as a child?

 

9.     Without getting paranoid about it, write down some things you could do to make your home a safer place to live.

 

10.    Are you willing to be “uncomfortable” as Kathy suggests to insure your child’s safety while being around other families? How have you handled the dilemma of “checking out” a child’s family your child wants to go visit?

 

11.    Do you still have dreams that you haven’t fulfilled? Share one with the group. What keeps you from going after your dream? What steps, even if small, can you take toward accomplishing your dream?

 

12.    Tell about your faith-journey. Who was the most influential person in your life? Do you desire to pass your faith on to your children? If yes, what steps are you taking to make this desire a reality?