It’s not every day that we get to witness a member of our own community take a leap into something new… something bold. But today, we get to do exactly that. I am proud to introduce you to a brand-new podcast from EntreArchitect: Flying Solo with Katie Kangas.
Katie’s not just a podcast host. She’s a longtime active member of the EntreArchitect Network, the trusted facilitator of our Solo Architect Mastermind group, and now, the founder of the Flying Solo platform. She’s spent years listening, learning, and sharing as she launched her own solo architecture practice. And now, she’s passing that knowledge on to others.
I invite you to listen to our conversation on Episode 628 of the EntreArchitect Podcast at EntreArchitect.com/628, and then go binge the entire first season of Flying Solo—all twelve episodes are live now at https://feeds.captivate.fm/flying-solo-podcast/.
But first, let me share a few of the powerful takeaways from my conversation with Katie, and what you can expect from this exciting new addition to the EntreArchitect family of shows.
Katie’s Origin Story: A Childhood Rooted in Craft and Community
Katie grew up in a small town in South Dakota, where community and craft were simply part of daily life. Her mother was a math teacher. Her father owned a flower shop. Her grandfather and uncle were carpenters who built homes, barns, and additions with their own hands.
It was in this environment—rich with the texture of small-town relationships and the smells of sawdust and fresh flowers—that Katie’s path began to take shape. She wasn’t just surrounded by architecture. She was surrounded by entrepreneurship. And that idea—that you could make a living doing meaningful work on your own terms—never left her.
At just 12 years old, she traveled to Europe with her grandmother and stood in awe beneath castles and cathedrals. A year later, she found herself in the slums of Costa Rica, witnessing communities building homes from scraps of corrugated metal and plastic. That contrast opened her eyes to the true potential of architecture—not just as design, but as service.
From Small Steps to Big Vision
Katie knew early that she wanted to become an architect, but she also knew she didn’t want to take the conventional route. Instead of heading straight into a 5-year professional program, she followed her mother’s advice and earned a liberal arts education, studying art, history, business, and architecture. Then she continued on to the University of Minnesota to earn her master’s degree—and then an additional master’s in historic preservation.
When she finally launched her practice in March 2020—literally the day before the pandemic was declared—it was with intention. It wasn’t impulsive. It was the culmination of years of quiet preparation.
She’d been listening to podcasts. Reading business books. Interviewing other firm owners under the guise of volunteer work. And perhaps most importantly, she’d been quietly watching and planning.
Katie didn’t leap. She built the bridge as she walked it.
Why Flying Solo?
Katie’s new podcast and platform, Flying Solo, is rooted in a question that haunts many early-stage architects:
“Can I really do this on my own?”
The answer, as Katie is now showing the world, is yes. But not everyone does it the same way. That’s where the birds come in.
Yes—birds.
Katie developed an entire framework around the idea that different solo architects start and grow their firms like different species of birds. Some are woodpeckers, knocking on doors every day, thriving on connection and networking. Others are owls, building slowly and quietly in the background until they’re ready to emerge. Some are wild turkeys, content to pick up whatever work is around. Each approach is valid, and each architect can build a life and business that fits their own nature.
It’s whimsical. It’s memorable. And it’s powerful.
Katie’s background in storytelling, shaped by her grandmother who was a hymn writer, author, and ordained pastor, shines through every piece of the Flying Solo platform. It’s not just business advice—it’s myth and metaphor. It’s architecture with soul.
Why We Need This Podcast Now
Many of us went solo not because we had a business plan, but because we saw no other way to do the work we loved and live the life we wanted.
But going solo can feel like navigating uncharted skies.
Katie’s podcast fills that gap. It’s not a one-size-fits-all roadmap. It’s a collection of lived experiences from real architects who have designed their businesses to fit their lives. Some run international firms with just five employees. Others work alone in small towns, revitalizing main streets and serving their communities. They all prove that you don’t have to be big to be successful. And you don’t have to follow someone else’s plan to build something that lasts.
Season One of Flying Solo includes 12 interviews with small firm owners and solopreneurs who share how they defined their strengths, chose their path, and built thriving practices on their own terms.
These aren’t promotional episodes. These are real conversations about mindset, marketing, operations, pricing, boundaries, and purpose.
And if you’ve ever said, “I want to build a practice that fits me,” then Flying Solo was made for you.
What’s Next for Katie and Flying Solo?
This is just the beginning.
Katie has already launched Season One and has begun work on Season Two. But her vision doesn’t stop at podcasting.
She’s developing workshops and conference sessions. She’s writing and illustrating stories. She’s exploring how storytelling, business strategy, and personal strength can come together to help architects create more sustainable and joyful practices.
She even mentioned a dream of one day building a network of small-town architecture firms revitalizing rural communities through story-centered architecture and design. That’s the kind of big-picture thinking that starts with a solo practice and grows into a legacy.
A Simple Step You Can Take Today
At the end of our conversation on Episode 628, I asked Katie what one thing a small firm architect could do today to build a better business for tomorrow.
Her answer?
Read a book.
Since she turned 29, Katie has made it a point to read her age in books every year—half business, half fiction and fun. It doesn’t matter whether it’s audio or hard copy. The goal is to stay curious and keep learning.
That mindset is at the heart of everything Katie is doing with Flying Solo.
Listen to the Episode. Then Listen to Them All.
If you want to learn more about Katie’s story, her upbringing, her journey to practice ownership, and the story behind Flying Solo, I encourage you to listen to our full conversation at EntreArchitect.com/628.
Then head straight over to https://feeds.captivate.fm/flying-solo-podcast/ and start listening to Flying Solo with Katie Kangas.
All 12 episodes of Season One are available right now. Whether you’re a solo architect yourself or leading a small team, you’ll find stories that inspire, strategies that work, and a community of peers who are doing the same hard and hopeful work you are.
This is just the beginning—and we’re so proud to share it with you.
Let’s fly.
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