Turning Passion Into Purpose: Kristina Hughes on Hustle, Innovation, and Building Frame Your Feline
Kristina Hughes on Hustle, Innovation, and Building Frame Your Feline
(L to R) Kristina, Skippie, Jollie (in the Feline Frame) and Winnie
Featured on The Fanatical Dreamher Podcast
When it comes to creating a happy home for cats, vertical space matters.
Kristina and Brian of Frame Your Feline recently joined The Pet Health Junkies Podcast to talk about cat enrichment, multi-cat households, fostering, rescue work, and how a frustrating experience with ugly carpeted cat furniture eventually led to the creation of Frame Your Feline.
In this episode, they share the story behind the brand, discuss why cats instinctively crave elevated spaces, and explain how thoughtfully designed cat furniture can improve both feline wellbeing and home aesthetics.
Whether you’re a lifelong cat parent, involved in rescue work, or simply trying to create a more cat-friendly home, this episode is packed with insight, humor, and practical advice.
👇 Listen to the full podcast here.
Episode Description:
In this inspiring episode of Fanatical DreamHer, host April Kemp sits down with Kristina Hughes, founder of Frame Your Feline, to talk about entrepreneurship, creativity, resilience, and the power of reinvention.
Kristina shares her incredible journey from actress, comedian, and pageant competitor to becoming a successful serial entrepreneur. Alongside her husband Brian, she created Frame Your Feline—a modern cat shelf system designed to combine feline enrichment with beautiful home décor. What started as a creative solution for their own cats evolved into an innovative company featured on Shark Tank and embraced by cat lovers around the world.
Throughout the conversation, Kristina opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship, overcoming manufacturing challenges, learning to hustle through rejection, and the importance of taking bold action even when the outcome is uncertain. Her story is a reminder that dreams are built step by step through persistence, creativity, and courage.
Key Discussion Points (with time stamps)
(00:01) Introduction to Kristina Hughes and Frame Your Feline
(01:27) Continuing forward after Shark Tank without a deal
(02:27) Kristina’s background as a performer, entrepreneur, and business owner
(03:15) Learning hustle and entrepreneurship through acting and promotional work
(04:08) Creating Holden Log and Performer Track for entertainers
(06:34) The inspiration behind Frame Your Feline
(07:31) Early childhood lessons about hard work and competition
(08:47) Winning a school reading competition and discovering personal drive
(10:06) Moving to Los Angeles with $800 and chasing her dream
(13:56) Developing the first Frame Your Feline prototype during COVID
(17:58) The moment they realized the product was truly special
(19:52) Major manufacturing challenges and overcoming setbacks
(23:16) Self-talk, mantras, and the importance of personal growth
(25:03) Receiving the call from Shark Tank after submitting online
(27:58) Celebrating success even without securing a Shark Tank deal
(29:20) Rescue work helping cats and dogs find homes
(34:33) Kristina’s advice for entrepreneurs: “Be bold.”
(35:33) The importance of taking targeted action daily
TAKEAWAYS:
“We turn your cat into a living meowster piece.”
“Deal or no deal, we’re always moving forward.”
“You have to run your business like a business.”
“Every day and every way I am better and better.”
“Be bold.”
“If you stay at home and you don’t do anything, you’re not going to go anywhere.”
Connect with APRIL KEMP:
• Follow April Kemp on Instagram: [@fanaticaldreamher]
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• April’s email: april@fanaticaldreamher.com
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About Frame Your Feline
Frame Your Feline creates premium wall-mounted feline enrichment furniture designed to turn cats into living works of art.
Each system combines:
elevated cat shelving
interchangeable Artwork Panels
customizable Frame Styles
and modular layouts
The result is a cat-friendly environment that enhances both feline wellbeing and home aesthetics.
The company is also actively involved in:
rescue and foster efforts
feline adoption advocacy
Mission Meow
and community fundraising for cat-focused nonprofits.
