About Kate
I’m Kate Roberts — founder of What Would Kate Do?, retired CEO turned artist, and someone who has survived two decades in the tech industry, nonprofit boardrooms, unimaginable grief … all topped off with reconstructive ankle surgery. Oy veh.
I spent decades in Silicon Valley doing the whole high-stakes leadership thing — sales, strategy, partnerships, corporate philanthropy. After that, I ran my own consulting firm. Then I was recruited to lead a regional nonprofit, where I gave it one last whirl before retiring again — this time to spend precious time with my husband of 32 years, who was dying of cancer.
Enter Django: an adorable cockapoo mix with a PhD in Emotional Support and a suspicious affection for my throw pillows. He arrived in 2020 and hasn’t left my side since.
After my husband passed, everything changed. Grief rewrote my priorities. My energy. My sense of who I wanted to be in this next chapter. I processed my grief by throwing myself into my art which was extraordinarily cathartic.
Then I fell. Literally. Hiking accident. One shattered ankle, 22 pins, and a plate later… I had no choice but to lie still (literally … in bed with my leg elevated). That’s when the idea for What Would Kate Do? took root — somewhere between the ice packs and the dark chocolate stash.
WWKD was born from that pause — and out of decades of being the go-to friend, colleague, and mentor for tough love, perspective, and the occasional much-needed laugh. I realized that just as I’d reinvented myself through my art, I could reinvent how I show up — not just for myself, but for other women navigating their own reinvention.
Today, I split my time between creating bold, colorful multimedia artwork and building WWKD — a place where women 45+ can find smart, stylish, and sane advice… and a little sisterhood, too.
This isn’t about pretending I have all the answers. It’s about sharing what I’ve lived, what I’ve learned, and what’s still making me laugh. And yes — there will always be chocolate.
About What would kate do
WHO IT’S FOR, WHAT IT OFFERS & WHY IT MATTERS
SO… WHAT IS WHAT WOULD KATE DO?
It’s a digital platform offering smart, stylish, and sane advice for women who’ve lived a little — and are ready to live the rest on their own terms. It’s part survival guide, part reality check, part “have you tried blocking that cousin?”
WHO IS IT FOR?
It’s for women — particularly 45 and up — who are done apologizing, tired of advice that doesn’t *get* them, and ready to start living with more clarity, confidence, and style. If you’ve ever stood in front of your closet thinking “not a single damn thing,” or wished someone would just give it to you straight (with a dollop of humor), you’re in the right place.
WHERE DID THIS IDEA COME FROM?
Over the years, people kept coming to me for advice — about relationships, careers, family, friendship, you name it. I realized I had a point of view worth sharing. I’m not a therapist, but I am someone who’s lived through loss, change, reinvention — and came out with perspective, wit, and excellent accessories.
WHAT KIND OF CONTENT CAN WE EXPECT?
Right now, there’s a downloadable WWKD Playbook, a blog, and soon: product recommendations, some cheeky merch, and a regular “Ask Kate” column. I cover friendship, family, wellness, style, boundaries — basically, how to live with more clarity, confidence, and style (without losing your mind). You’ll find content that triggers those ah-ha moments where you say, “Whoa, how did I not know this?”
WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT
FROM EVERY OTHER SCHMO DOLING OUT ADVICE?
The content here is authentic, lived, warm, unfiltered — and sometimes spicy. Think: the big sister who occasionally swears, has strong opinions, always brings the good wine, and knows exactly where the dark chocolate is hidden behind the crackers.
ARE YOU TRYING TO BE THE NEXT ERMA BOMBECK?
Ha — I wouldn’t dare. But maybe I’m her modern twice removed cousin. Like Erma, I believe humor is a survival skill. I write for women juggling a lot — only now it’s aging parents, grown (or not so grown) kids, family group texts that go sideways, and bodies that do weird things when we age, er, sleep wrong.
SORRY TO BE CRUDE BUT HOW DO YOU PLAN TO MAKE MONEY FROM THIS?
Through digital downloads, affiliate links to brands I actually love, and merch that makes you laugh (or nod with eerie recognition). No random influencer fluff — just real stuff I recommend to my friends.
WHAT’S YOUR HOPE FOR THIS SPACE?
That it makes women feel seen, less alone, and a little more empowered. That it becomes a place where you come to laugh, reset, and remember who you are — and maybe pick up a mug that says something wildly accurate.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
YOU’RE NOT TOO OLD, TOO LATE OR TOO MUCH
If you’re still here, you’re still becoming. This is not your second act. It’s your next one. And it deserves to be written by you — with style, humor, and zero apologies.
CLARITY OVER PERFECTION
WWKD isn’t about getting everything right. It’s about getting clear on what matters — and letting the rest go, gracefully or otherwise.
BOUNDARIES AREN’T MEAN – THEY’RE MAINTENANCE
Not everyone gets a backstage pass to your energy, time, or group texts. Consider access a privilege, not a default setting.
JOY IS NOT OPTIONAL
Joy isn’t frivolous. It’s fuel. Whether it comes from a solo dinner, a freshly made bed, or a pair of earrings that make you feel like a badass — go find it.
STYLE IS A REFLECTION OF SELF-RESPECT,
NOT SELF-OBSESSION
You don’t dress to impress. You dress to express — and some days, that expression is “Don’t talk to me unless you brought cookies.”
WE TELL IT STRAIGHT & NEVER FORGET THE HUMOR
Truth lands best when it’s delivered with warmth and a little humor. We don’t sugarcoat, but we do serve it with style. We name the hard stuff. And then help you find the funny in it — eventually, if not today.
TAKE UP SPACE, BUT ONLY THE KIND THAT FEELS LIKE YOU
You don’t need to be louder. You need to be more you. And if that includes throwing out half your closet or saying no to brunch? Permission granted.
SHOWING UP IMPERFECTLY
You don’t have to have it all figured out to be worth listening to. Show up anyway — with one sock, one smile, one “I’m doing my best” at a time.