We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Karlee Renkoski a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Karlee thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

Someone recently told me that failing in entrepreneurship isn’t making a mistake, running into issues, not growing fast enough, etc. — it’s giving up. So one of the first things someone has to come to terms with when they start their own business or creative journey is that they must cultivate perseverance. That’s what will get you out of bed every morning even when something hasn’t gone according to plan or you’re not hitting the results you thought were possible. When an issue arises, persevering through problem-solving is what will show you and others that you have what it takes to succeed. It will give you the grit you need to work harder, think smarter and care more deeply about what you do.

And of course, the other big thing it takes to be successful is passion. For me, being successful usually comes from fulfillment. But I know more money isn’t going to make me happy; I’ll just aim for more money. A bigger audience isn’t going to make me happy; I’ll just aim for more followers. But fulfillment comes from me doing what I love, doing what I’m truly passionate about, which is telling stories and helping others tell stories. Or in my more niche space, I’m completely in love with traveling, so blogging about it brings me joy. Not only do I write to help others visit new destinations, but I also write for myself.

I believe these two qualities (perseverance and passion) will keep you moving toward whatever big dreams you have for yourself.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi everyone, my name’s Karlee! If you want the short and sweet version of what I do, it’s this: I work with words. But the longer and more accurate version is that I’m a writer and editor. Some years ago, I was on the journalism career path. I worked for a variety of publications interviewing, writing and editing and really enjoyed the creative side of magazines. That said, I had always loved books more. So a year ago, I made the decision to quit my full-time job and begin freelance editing. Now, I get the opportunity to help writers become authors and show them that editing isn’t just fixing grammar issues — it’s so much more.

Turning to freelancing has also given me more time to blog. That’s right, I’m also a travel blogger! My site, Where You Wander, which is what I’ll focus more on in this interview today, has been a special creative project for me. I began it in order to give myself accountability to reach the long list of travel goals that I have on my bucket list. (I’m currently focusing on my mission to visit all 50 states in the U.S.) However, this blog has turned into a major passion project!

Now, I also post and write to help people reach their travel goals on a strict budget because most of us can’t afford luxury travel. I show my followers the destinations that others would usually pass by that are actually hidden gems. And I embrace my nature-loving, adrenaline junkie side by climbing mountains, skydiving and swimming with sharks. For me, what I do is all about showing others their potential and what they can do to prioritize what’s most important to them to reach their goals.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the past few years is that your audience isn’t always where you first think they are. When I started my travel blog, I loved posting on Instagram. It’s where I thought my audience was and where I would grow the quickest. However, after looking at more of my statistics a year into things, it dawned on me that my main audience wasn’t on Instagram. Instead, it was on Pinterest.

On Instagram, most people love to scroll; sometimes they save and click on links. But in reality, many in my niche are there to peruse and pass. Whereas on Pinterest, when it comes to travel insights, they’re there to actually search for ideas, and they take the time to read about them. I had a burst of traffic to my blog when I decided to post on Pinterest, and it only keeps increasing the more I post on that platform. Meeting my audience where they’re at has made all the difference in terms of reader growth.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Leading others to be more curious, creative and confident! I love when someone messages me asking questions about a specific destination I’ve been to before they visit it or when someone comments on a post saying they had no idea a destination was so interesting. I’ve had people tell me that they’ve always dreamed of starting a blog but haven’t for various reasons, and my response to them is to just do it (and always let me know if I can help in any way).

The same goes for my editing job. Helping people sharpen their writing is incredibly rewarding because you just watch their confidence grow over time until their doubts disappear. This simply allows them to be even more creative.

I find so much joy in being that person who encourages others to get out of their comfort zones when traveling or in life in general and to dream big!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.whereyouwander.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/where.u.wander/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlee-renkoski-61b648b8/
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/karleerenkoski/ While the above accounts are mostly for my travel blog, if you want to learn more about book editing or have questions about the process, you can follow me on this Instagram account as well (https://www.instagram.com/karlee.renkoski/) or email me at [email protected]

Image Credits
Evelyn Gutierrez Marissa Forbis