Women in Technology: Kathryn Lang

SolidWP’s former Content Wrangler on loving a challenge, staying true to yourself, and inspiring others.

Kathryn Lang was born and raised in a small town in North Alabama. “If you happen to are taking a look at a map,” she says, “the Tennessee River dips into Alabama. Guntersville Lake is the dip of the Tennessee River.” Lang grew up swimming, skiing, and riding her horse across the lake. Regardless that she’s the daughter of a former beauty queen, hers was an athletic upbringing. As a highschool student, she played varsity basketball, volleyball, baseball, and ran track. “My parents encouraged me to search out my very own way and be true to myself,” she says. “My mom let go of her dream to have a girly girl once I used my cover bed as monkey bars.”

Despite her love for the outside and athletics, words have at all times been Lang’s passion. “I finally had the chance to pursue that keenness once I began writing for a regional newspaper, The Huntsville Times.” Lang began finding online writing gigs as a freelancer and launched her first website on WordPress in 2006. “Once I discovered the web connections, I never stopped. From books, to blogs, to podcasts, to Livestream, to WordCamps—if there’s a spot where I can share words, then I’m there!”

Lang began working as a contract author in 2005, mostly writing answers on forums. At first, she took on topics she felt secure in, like homeschooling and gardening, but her husband soon challenged her to write down in other areas. “You possibly can write about anything for 15 words,” he told her. Soon, Lang was writing full-time and developing forums, blogs, and eBook content for clients.

Over the following several years, Lang found creative ways to balance homeschooling three boys, writing for clients, and creating her brand. “Along the best way, it was essential to me to keep up a deal with having fun, making friends, and finding ways to be relentlessly helpful. In spite of everything, it’s all about relationships.”

It was an investment in relationships that led Lang to SolidWPand Liquid Web. “Nathan Ingram, who’s an instructor for Solid Academy, and I had connected through WordCamp Birmingham – “WP Y’all.” So when he heard in regards to the position on the marketing team led by Kristen Wright, Nathan just knew it was customized for me,” she says. Ingram was right. From the start of her time at SolidWP, Lang has appreciated the corporate’s deal with, as she says, “making people’s lives awesome.”

Lang serves as SolidWP’s Content Wrangler. “On many days, I feel it’s an ideal description,” she says. “Some days, I’m creating content. Other days I’m lassoing content from others. It’s at all times exciting capturing and sharing words, regardless of which day it’s. It’s my job to share words to entertain, educate, or engage—hopefully, slightly of all three.”

The role is an ideal fit for Lang, a natural-born encourager. “Picture a rainbow tornado, and you have got summed me up in a meme,” she says. “If I could make you smile, and even higher—laugh—then I even have planted a seed of encouragement that I hope will grow and spread.”

Lang likes to learn latest things almost as much as she loves a challenge. “I wrote my first book because I participated within the National Novel Writing Month. The challenges could be external or internal, but having a challenge dares me to push beyond where I’m to where I need to be,” she says. Along with the support of her husband, Lang attributes her success to her deal with faith.

In the hotter months, Lang loves swimming and absorbing vitamin D. In cooler weather, she enjoys an excellent book. “I’ve been known to begin and finish a book in a weekend.” In all seasons, she loves spending time together with her family and friends.

When talking with young women, Lang challenges them to examine the life they need after which find ways to make it occur. “My one piece of recommendation is to set your eyes on what you dare to be, dream larger than you ever imagined possible, after which keep moving little by little until you get there.” Lang believes that the longer term for girls in tech is whatever women want it to be. “That’s the perfect a part of this moment,” she says. “You get to make it what you need to make it.”