Boho Kitty first began in the lead up to my wedding. I was looking for particular bridal accessories to compliment my dress, but couldn’t find what I had envisioned or didn’t feel the quality of product was where I wanted it to be. I have always been a creative person, with a love for design and writing, so I decided to source out the materials and bring my designs to life. It took a while to discover the best way to do things, and I learnt that a lot of figuring that out was trial and error. But after some time, everything started to come together smoothly and I realized that I was creating content that was unique and interesting to others.

The idea for Boho Kitty Active began about a year after the bridal collection, when I was at an altitude training camp. I have always loved headbands when training for practical purposes, but on race day I was searching for something that could allow me to be creative and a little more glam. For many female track athletes, race day is an opportunity to get your nails done, wash your hair, put on some make up and feel ready to show off the grind of training into a performance on the track. Boho Kitty active taps into this “look good feel good” attitude.

What do you do to get ready for a race / what is your pre race routine?

Assuming the race is in the evening, my routine on race day includes scheduled meals, a shake out, relaxation time, and a specific warm up. I usually eat three meals leading up to the race, and try to keep it simple. For food it’ll be something like: Yogurt and granola in the morning, toast with peanut butter and honey at lunch, and then a banana or energy bar about 2 hours before warm up. My shakeout will be roughly 6 hours before race time, and include a 15min jog and some drills. For the rest of the day I usually throw on some netflix and have a ‘lie down’ but try not to get too sluggish and lazy. Before I leave for the track I make sure to straighten my hair, put on some make up, and add some Boho Kitty bling to my racing kit get up.

How do you manage both being a professional athlete and running a business?

At this point in my career running will always take priority over anything else, but Boho Kitty has helped create more of a balance in my life overall. Designing and creating for Boho Kitty allows my creative side to come to life, and is actually very therapeutic during my time away from training. It also fits well when I travel with running because I can take my materials all over the world with me and ship to customers worldwide.

What is your go to Boho Kitty piece?

My go to Boho Kitty piece is a black SAMMY. The eclectic mix of crystals and metals is true to my style and it feels like the signature design for the BK brand. SAMMY was the first BK active piece that I designed, and has remained the most popular piece.

Where did the name Boho Kitty come from?

The name Boho Kitty came to life after writing down an abundance of words that felt inspiring, fun or interesting to me. After trying many different combinations and phrases, Boho Kitty immediately stuck with me and rang true to the brand I wanted to create. Designs for females who had a free spirited nature, but who also had a sassy edge.

What are your goals for the future?

My goal as an athlete is to run in Tokyo 2020. I decided at a very young age that this was my ultimate dream, and coming so close in 2016 only intensified the importance of this goal.

My goals in my business is to continue to push myself creatively, and constantly search for ways to improve and expand.

What advice do you have for aspiring athletes wanting to go professional?

My advice would be not to push for the “professional athlete” title, but rather focus on smaller goals along the way that can push you forward. Along with consistency and patience, acknowledging small improvements are very important when developing as an athlete. This sport for the most part is 95% grind / 5% glam, so recognize the moments when you deserve to feel proud.

What advice do you have for other athletes wanting to start a business?

My advice for starting a business is to not be driven by money, but by something that excites you.

What races / moments do you consider the highlight of your career so far?

My three year consecutive win in the 1500m at the Australian Championships,

and a specific race that also sticks with me is a 5000m I ran last year at Payton Jordon. Ironically I was put in the slower heat, and missed the world standard by 0.36 (which a younger me would have felt was a loss). And although not a particular glamorous event with a perfect outcome, I walked off feeling the race reflected all the best parts of me as athlete, and this continues to propel me forward. Also, any time I have been able to represent my country on the world stage is an absolute honour.

Interested in purchasing a Boho Kitty headpiece? Shop here at https://www.etsy.com/shop/BohoKittyHeidiSee