VMP Covergirl - Kathy Pikras

This week’s VMP Covergirl is……Kathy Pikras🎉

Meet Kathy Pikras.

There’s a calm warmth about Kathy that I’ve appreciated since I first met her many years ago through WBN (Women’s Business Network). She has one of those grounded, welcoming energies that makes you feel immediately at ease.

But don’t mistake calm for complacent.

This is a woman who wants to keep expanding her world.

She became a Realtor later in life, wants to complete the 37-mile Rachel Carson Trail Challenge, hopes to spend more time traveling and hiking, and may just finally learn to play the drums. Because, as she says, “Why not now?”

What struck me most in her interview was how much she values joy, curiosity and being fully present for the life in front of her. She inherited pieces of that outlook from three very different women who helped shape her: her mother and both grandmothers. And now she hopes her own legacy will be found in how she makes other people feel.

“If there’s one thing I’d want to leave with people, it would be joy — and maybe the feeling that I helped them see a little more of it.”

Her portrait experience gave her an unexpected opportunity to see some of that same spark in herself.

“When I saw them, I honestly couldn’t believe it was me. I saw life, vibrancy and a woman who still has some fire in her and a lot of life left to live.”

That may be my favorite thing about this entire project. Not making women look younger, but showing them that the woman they are right now is still becoming.

Here's what Kathy had to say about this season of her life...

💎 Did you have any older female role models when you were younger?

I was fortunate to have four very different women influence me growing up - my mother, my stepmother, and both of my grandmothers.

My mother was probably the warmest, kindest person I've ever known. After I moved from San Diego to Pittsburgh, talking to her on the phone always felt like sitting in a big, warm, comfy chair. She had very little money, but she was incredibly generous, even to people who had less. She never complained and always found a way to enjoy life. When she was dying in hospice, I thanked her for always finding humor in life and for the wonderful attitude she had through everything. She could barely speak, but whispered, "It's always fun to joke," and then, "I love you." I think I inherited much of my compassion, generosity and humor from her.

My stepmother, Jean, raised me from the time I was nine and had a profound influence on the woman I became. I admired her grace, strength, character and values, and she passed so much of that on to me. Years later, when my mother was dying, Jean stepped in to care for her, and during that time she truly became one of my heroes.

My maternal grandmother was stoic, highly intelligent, independent and hardworking. She was an entrepreneur, a voracious reader, and interested in history and politics. Even in her 80s, she went out daily for coffee and conversation. When she wasn't happy with the landscaping at her complex, she fired the grounds crew and did it herself! I later learned that she had once been a Realtor with Coldwell Banker - a connection I discovered only after becoming a Coldwell Banker Realtor myself. She also gave me seeds from her marigolds, and I still have some today.

My paternal grandmother grew up on a homestead at the foot of the Grand Tetons in Wyoming and was truly tough as nails. Later she lived independently in a log cabin in Jackson Hole. Some of my favorite childhood memories are from there - exploring the wilderness, climbing the mountain behind her cabin and floating down Flat Creek. She introduced me to the Thornton Burgess Mother West Wind books and helped give me a lifelong love of reading, animals, nature and gardening.

These women were very different, but I feel fortunate to carry pieces of all four of them with me.

💎 How did you mark turning 50? How did that feel to you?

My friends threw a wonderful party for my 50th at a local hotel. We had dinner and saw a dinner show, and I remember feeling very loved and celebrated. My husband has always made a big deal out of birthdays, so we celebrated as a family too.

At the time, I was raising three children at home while working and being very involved in their activities. We camped, traveled, went to church and were always off on some kind of adventure. My husband worked nights and weekends, and with no family nearby, I handled much of it on my own.

I've never really felt my age. I didn't feel old at 50, and I've never defined myself by a number. I was still me - busy living and looking forward to whatever came next.

💎 What advice would you give your younger self?

I would tell my younger self to invest in herself - physically, mentally, emotionally and professionally.

For years, I felt like I was going a hundred miles an hour with no break, taking care of everyone and everything around me. Those years were wonderful too, and I wouldn't trade the memories I made with my children, but I wish I'd understood that caring for myself needed to be part of that life.

I'd also tell myself to be braver. I often held back because I didn't think I was smart enough or capable enough. I wish I'd become a Realtor much earlier.

Don't wait until you feel completely confident. Take the chance, try the new thing, and believe you're capable of more than you think.

💎 Do you feel like you've changed since you've turned 50? 

I have more freedom now to make time for things I love - hiking, gardening, family, friends and really good, stimulating conversations.

I'm also learning how to be the parent of adult children who have their own lives. You're always their mother, but the role changes. I'm learning when to offer advice, when to step back, and how to let them find their own way while still being there when they need me.

Becoming a Realtor later in life has been a big part of my growth. Learning a new profession challenged me and expanded my world. I'm also more carefree and much less concerned about what other people think. I don't think getting older is a reason to make my world smaller. If anything, I want to keep expanding it.

💎 What positives have come from being over 50?

One of the biggest positives has been freedom - more time for myself and my husband, and more opportunity to enjoy experiences that weren't always possible when so much of my time and resources were devoted to raising a family.

I've always been grateful, but I'm more conscious now of appreciating the small things and being present. I understand more deeply that we're not promised tomorrow and the people we love won't be here forever. I don't want to be so busy anticipating what's next that I miss what's happening right now.

💎 Do you have any goals or projects you're working on? What dreams do you have for the future?

Professionally, I want to continue growing my real estate career and seeing where I can take it.

Personally, I want more travel, hiking and physical challenges. One goal is completing the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge, a 37-mile hike in a single day. It's a huge challenge, which is exactly why I'd like to do it.

I'd also like to devote more time to charitable and volunteer work where I can make a meaningful contribution.

And I may finally learn to play the drums. I've always wanted to. Why not now?

💎 What is your best advice for other women who are coming up on turning 50? What do you 'know' now?

First of all, 50 is not old! Age is a number, and it doesn't determine how you're going to feel or who you're going to be. There is so much more to do in this life.

Prioritize your physical and mental health. Get enough sleep, move your body, eat nourishing foods, make time to rest, and pay attention when something doesn't feel right. Don't make your own well-being the last thing on the list.

And remember that life doesn't stop offering possibilities at 50. Stay open to them. There are more chapters ahead than you think.

💎 What do you most want people to remember about you?

More than anything, I hope people remember how I made them feel. I want family, friends, clients, or even someone I met only briefly to have felt heard, loved and special, and to know that they mattered.

"Glass half full" has always been my motto. I believe there is so much beauty, magic and joy around us if we take the time to notice it. I hope I've inspired people to have fun, keep laughing and never stop being excited about life.

If there's one thing I'd want to leave with people, it would be joy - and maybe the feeling that I helped them see a little more of it.

💎 Why are beautiful photos important to you right now?

For me, these photographs are about capturing the spark and vibrancy that can still be there at every stage of life.

I've never thought of myself as particularly photogenic, so when I was invited to be part of this project, part of me wondered, "Am I good enough for this?" I trusted Tracy completely, but I never expected the photographs to turn out the way they did.

When I saw them, I honestly couldn't believe it was me. I saw life, vibrancy and a woman who still has some fire in her and a lot of life left to live. Seeing myself that way lifted my spirits.

These photographs aren't about trying to look younger. They're about seeing myself as I am right now and realizing that this version of me deserves to be seen and celebrated too. I hope they say to other women: it's never too late. There can still be beauty, growth, joy - and plenty of fire - at every stage of life.

Congratulations Kathy! It’s an honor to help you celebrate YOU and your journey and I’m so glad you said YES to yourself! 🎉

NOTE: If you've been enjoying these stories, I'd love for you to join us at the 50 Over 50 Exhibition & Celebration on November 5th, 2026, where you'll be able to experience the portraits and stories of these remarkable women in person. Get your tickets here