St. Louis restaurateur and author discusses building success on losses, not wins, in a free in-person and virtual event on Nov. 18

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The New York Public Library’s Thomas Yoseloff Business Center will host “The Power of Your Story,” a presentation by restaurateur, entrepreneur and author Katie Lee, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. ET. The program is hybrid, with attendees able to join in person at the library or online via Zoom.

Lee’s path to business success was anything but conventional. A high school dropout who battled addiction, she went on to build one of the country’s fastest-growing Italian food brands. In her talk, Lee will share how her success was built not on the wins, but on her losses, and how embracing your own story, including its hardest chapters, can become your greatest strength.

“For a long time, I thought my past was something to hide and be ashamed of. It turned out to be the foundation of everything I’ve built,” said Lee. “Every setback taught me something I couldn’t have learned any other way. I want people to leave this event knowing that their story, all of it, is their superpower.”

Today, Lee is the founder and owner of a consumer-packaged goods business of fine Italian foods, with products sold at more than 8,000 retail outlets nationwide. She also owns four locations of KATIE’S Pizza & Pasta in her hometown of St. Louis. Her new book, Unemployable, is her first, and she has also commissioned an album, One Night at Katie’s, with a documentary and cookbook in the works. The book recently sold out Target stores across the country after an exclusive month-long retail presence. The book is now available on Amazon and at Katies.com.

Event Details

• What: The Power of Your Story with Katie Lee
• When: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026, 3:00–4:00 p.m. ET
• Where: In person at the NYPL Thomas Yoseloff Business Center (455 5th Ave 5th floor, New York, NY 10016), or online via Zoom
• Cost: Free
• Registration: Required through Eventbrite. Separate registration links are available for the online event and the in-person event. Online attendees will receive a Zoom link by confirmation email.

About the Author

Katie Lee is the founder and CEO of Katie’s Pizza & Pasta, a four-location restaurant group that has been operating for 18 years in St. Louis. She is also the founder and CEO of Katie’s Fine Foods, an artisan Italian consumer packaged goods company leading four categories with 18 SKUs in 8,000 retail stores nationwide. Katie’s is one of 20 brands in Target’s Innovation Collective. She is an author and speaker whose new memoir, Unemployable, chronicles her struggle with addiction and her unconventional path to building one of the fastest-growing pizza companies in the nation. The book is available nationwide at Target and on Amazon. Katie leads a team of 500 employees, including a C-suite, a chef collective and an in-house media company of artists, designers and musicians. She owns her manufacturing plant and imports single-ingredient products from Italy. Katie’s is 100% women owned.

About Katie’s
KATIE’S is a chef-driven Italian restaurant and consumer packaged goods brand based in St. Louis. Founded by Katie Lee, the company is built on handmade techniques, rigorously sourced ingredients, and a belief that food should nourish both body and soul. Its restaurants are known for wood-fired pizzas and house-made pastas, while its fast-growing national retail line brings the same standards to grocery stores across America. KATIE’S is a WBENC-certified 100% women-owned business. To learn more, visit Katies.com and follow on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook to see the latest.

Book Details
Title: UNEMPLOYABLE: The Katie Lee Story
Author: Katie Lee
Publisher: Swan Bluff Press
ISBN: 979-8-9964877-0-7
Format: Hardcover / $24.99
Publication
Date:
September 27, 2026
Available Now: https://katies.com/products/unemployable-the-katie-lee-story 

Media Contact: Patrick Barry
314-540-3865 / Patrick@ByrnePR.net 

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SOURCE Katie’s