about kat boogaard
I (sort of, sometimes, maybe) know what I’m doing.
My entrepreneurship origin story isn’t all that unique: I was tired of spending eight hours, five days per week staring at the slightly fuzzy and faded walls of my cubicle. And I was even more tired of needing to ask a fellow grown adult for permission to go to the dentist. And perhaps even more tired of feeling like I was only living for the weekend.
I wanted more independence. More flexibility. More creativity. More control.
So after an embarrassing amount of hemming and hawing, I finally put in my two-weeks notice at my full-time marketing job. And then I went to meet my parents and my boyfriend (now husband) at Dairy Queen, feeling excited and simultaneously uncertain about what would happen next.
That’s when the foreboding narrator voice cuts in and says something like, “Oh, but she had no idea the journey that awaited her.”
The start of my own freelance career was an absolute [insert descriptive expletive of your choice here]. I made a lot of mistakes. I cried a lot of tears. I submitted a lot of panicked job applications to Starbucks and Petco.
And I also learned a lot along the way—all of which I now share with other freelancers through templates and downloads, informative blog posts, vulnerable newsletters, and relatable social posts.
Do I know exactly what I’m doing? Nope. But I know more than when I started. That’s worth something, I guess.
“If you're a budding freelance writer with big aspirations, you probably want to be Kat Boogaard when you grow up. She's whip-smart, highly organized, relentlessly creative, and so personable that it's easy to forget what a world-beater she is.”
Daniel Kenitz, Freelance Writer and Author
“I had the pleasure of seeing Kat in action over the course of several years when I was an editor at Business Insider and The Muse, and can confidently say she's what every freelancer should aspire to be: professional, organized, thoughtful, creative, and just so fun to collaborate with.”
Alyse Maguire, Freelance Writer and Editor
“I stumbled into Kat's orbit for freelancers years ago and never looked back. As someone who has invested time and money in several resources she's created over the years (read her blogs, awaited every newsletter, purchased her courses and templates), I can genuinely say she is one of the most helpful people I've encountered regarding freelancing advice.”
Alyssa Towns, Freelance Writer
HERE'S WHAT I THINK...
Sharing yourself online is so weird because people only get bits and pieces. But if you’re going to take my advice, I care pretty deeply that you understand who I am and what I value—because all of that is pretty important context, isn’t it?
To get us all on the same page, I’ve jotted down a few reminders and soundbites that capture what I believe about freelancing.
1.
Your work is what you do, not who you are.
Yes, I care about being a good freelancer. But I care way, way, way more about being a good mom, wife, daughter, friend, neighbor, and person.
2.
I can’t guarantee your success.
Only you can do that (and even then, there’s quite a bit of luck involved too).
3.
You probably won’t get to the end of your life and wish you had worked more.
You won’t find any “hustle and grind” platitudes here. I’m a huge proponent of balance and am always very vocal about the fact that I’m trying to work less—not more.
4.
You get to determine what success means to you.
Want to hit six figures? Awesome. Want to work three days per week? Love it. Want to work on projects that light you up? Perfect. I’m not here to establish some rigid scale about what it means to be successful as a freelancer. Success is personal.
5.
I don’t have all of the answers.
Do I have a lot of experience under my belt? Absolutely. Does that mean I know everything there is to know about freelancing? Definitely not. I still make mistakes and encounter plenty of situations that stump me. I’m not the perfect freelancer—there’s no such thing.
All About Kat
I used to be one of those people who said, “My business is my baby.” But then? I had two actual babies. Motherhood is my most important job, and I’m the proud mom to two beautiful boys.
Their names are Adrian Thomas and Ander Matthew, and they’re about 21 months apart. They certainly keep me on my toes and I can’t wait to watch them continue to grow (but also, I need time to slow down).
When I’m not in front of my computer doing client work or dishing out freelance advice? You’ll find me heating up mac and cheese, reading “Llama Llama Red Pajama” for the 843rd time, or doing yet another load of laundry.
In short, my boys are my greatest source of joy, fulfillment, growth, and even learning. Because trust me: Nothin’ will boost your negotiation skills faster than needing to rationalize with a toddler about why we don’t stick our fingers in the dog’s nose.
1
Want to know more about what makes me tick? Let’s look at my greatest loves (other than freelancing, of course).
See those two adorable puppers over there? Those are my rescue dogs (aka the other greatest loves of my life), Bert and Gracie. They’re both complete and total mutts (I'm not kidding—we’ve done the DNA tests) with some hard luck stories that won me over immediately.
They're also nothin' but trouble. I have a running list of the ridiculous things they've eaten (ahem, a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card, anyone?) to prove it.
Today, they live the good life and spend their days sleeping under my desk, eating off of my plate, and rolling their eyes at my obnoxious and incessant baby talk.
2
Get to know my two precious rescue mutts.
I also have a husband (who is perfectly aware of the fact that he ranks fifth to the boys and the dogs). His name’s Ty, but you’ll probably hear me call him by one of the many nicknames I have for him.
He’s very tall, ridiculously kind, infuriatingly patient, astoundingly handy, and incredibly understanding of whatever new business idea or home improvement project I come up with on a whim.
He also helps me with all of the number-crunching that comes along with business ownership. Honestly, that’s the biggest reason I keep him around (along with the fact that he always remembers to change the furnace filter).
3
Rest assured, my boys and my dogs aren’t the only loves of my life.
I’m a list-maker through and through. I have compulsively-organized lists in my phone. Pages of lists in various notebooks. Random lists scattered throughout our entire house. I even have a list of lists I still need to make. Does that make me ridiculous? Probably. Does it work well for me? You bet it does.
I also have a uniquely strange memory for song lyrics. I'm frightened by how much I could accomplish if I could dump all of those lyrics out of my brain and replace them with information that's actually useful. I'm confident I'd be fluent in at least four languages and probably have a Nobel Peace Prize by now. A girl can dream, can't she?
4
Oh, that's right. You’re probably here to learn more about me…
I’m a Wisconsin girl, which means I have an intense love for cheese (otherwise I’d probably be kicked out of the state). Seriously, don’t even bother trying to serve me a pizza without extra cheese on it. It doesn't count. I also tolerate the frigid winter months, and am a firm believer that a high-quality winter coat is one of the best investments you can make.
In my spare time, I love reading psychological thrillers (but, I refuse to watch any scary movies), doing anything outdoors (from hiking or golfing to kayaking or gardening, I love it all), baking sweet treats, and tripping my friends and family up with hilarious tongue-twisters. Go ahead—just try to say “Irish wristwatch” really fast. Gotcha, didn't I?
5
How about we top this off with a few more random facts?
currently...
listening to:
broadway soundtracks
binge watching:
the office...again
craving:
a nap
reading:
eating:
psychological thrillers
all the tacos
