Loudmouth Lab

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If you’re a solopreneur coach or creative in a pivot, a custom website is probably not your next best move. In this tell-it-straight episode, we talk about visibility > vanity, why community beats cosmetic upgrades, and the exact order of operations to build a brand people feel (not just follow).

I share the hard-won lessons (hi, $35k ad experiment with basically zero ROI) and map the simple path: pick one platform, show up consistently, build your email list, and get crystal clear on your audience identifiers before you touch a multi-page site. We also dig into how to make your emails worth opening, what “adjacent value” looks like, and why knowing yourself is the magnetic core of a brand that converts.

You’ll learn:

• When you do (and don’t) need a website—especially during a pivot
• The better starter stack: platform presence + list building + clear POV
• What to send your list besides “20% off” (hello, useful and personal)
• “Audience identifiers” that act like a dog whistle for your people
• Why self-knowledge is the cheat code for visuals, copy, and offers

Thanks for tuning into this episode of Loudmouth Lab (formerly Kelli Was Here). If you made it this far, bless your brave little ears.

If this episode lit something up and you’re thinking, “well, shit… my digital presence is absolutely not keeping up with my actual taste,” come visit me at www.loudmouthlab.com

That’s where you’ll find the ways to work with me—Squarespace website design, messaging, and color palette curation—that is ANYTHING BUT BASIC.

Because, fellow loudmouth, sensible is not your style—and it's never too late to become yourself.

Muah - K

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The algorithm didn’t kill your brand—loneliness did. In this episode, I break down why community is the trend that isn’t a trend (it’s a return to what actually works), how irrational loyalty is created, and why being a person beats playing a persona. We talk real relationships, energetic resonance, and simple ways to turn your corner of the internet into a room people want to enter.

You’ll learn:

• Why “community, not just presence” is winning right now—and how to start without a giant audience.
• What irrational loyalty looks like in real life (and how to spark it on purpose).
• The friendship rule for branding: act online how you act IRL—and watch trust compound.
• Practical places to meet your people (in person, micro-memberships, DMs done right).
• How to build a brand that feeds you back (so you stop burning out creating for crickets).

Resources Mentioned:

• Thread Hippie California (personality-packed tees for brand shoots)
• Shannon McKinstry’s podcast, Good Content, Episode 83 on audience identifiers. 
• Book a 90-minute Uncensor Session
• Join 20 in 12 (free 12-day mini series)
• IG: @kelli.was.here

Thanks for tuning into this episode of Loudmouth Lab (formerly Kelli Was Here). If you made it this far, bless your brave little ears.

If this episode lit something up and you’re thinking, “well, shit… my digital presence is absolutely not keeping up with my actual taste,” come visit me at www.loudmouthlab.com

That’s where you’ll find the ways to work with me—Squarespace website design, messaging, and color palette curation—that is ANYTHING BUT BASIC.

Because, fellow loudmouth, sensible is not your style—and it's never too late to become yourself.

Muah - K

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The Difference Between a Personal Account and a Personal Brand

Ever feel like you’re walking a tightrope between being real and being strategic? Between sharing too much and saying nothing at all? This episode is your permission slip to stop performing and start creating from your pulse — not for the algorithm, not for approval, and definitely not for perfection.

In this week’s episode, Kelli gets raw about the confusion solopreneurs face when building a personal brand that actually connects. She unpacks the difference between being personal and personable, why “authenticity” has become a meaningless buzzword, and how people-pleasing might be the invisible hand holding your brand hostage.

🔥 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The real difference between a personal account and a personal brand (and why it matters for conversions).
• How to create content that feels honest without oversharing or self-censoring.
• Why most “authentic” brands still feel fake — and how to fix that.
• The hidden link between people-pleasing, shame, and brand disconnect.
• The mindset shift from “What do they want from me?” to “What do I want to express?”
• How to use your values, voice, and vibe to create a brand that builds trust and sells.
• Why clarity and coherence matter more than constant posting.

🪞 Kelli says:

She also breaks down how your audience can feel when your content comes from survival instead of self-trust, and how to build the kind of brand that feels human, magnetic, and self-led.

Thanks for tuning into this episode of Loudmouth Lab (formerly Kelli Was Here). If you made it this far, bless your brave little ears.

If this episode lit something up and you’re thinking, “well, shit… my digital presence is absolutely not keeping up with my actual taste,” come visit me at www.loudmouthlab.com

That’s where you’ll find the ways to work with me—Squarespace website design, messaging, and color palette curation—that is ANYTHING BUT BASIC.

Because, fellow loudmouth, sensible is not your style—and it's never too late to become yourself.

Muah - K

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If your business feels stuck, it might not be your niche or your website—it might be your identity. In this episode, Kelli shares the messy middle of evolving from “designer” to voice-and-identity activator, why you can’t out-brand not knowing yourself, and how nervous-system safety, self-acceptance, and honest preference-finding turn a boring brand into a magnetic one. We dig into functional freeze, shame, rest, heart-rate variability, and why dialing up the hidden 20% of you does 80% of your brand’s heavy lifting. Perfect for midlife women, creators, and solopreneurs who’ve spent years being “digestible” and are finally ready to be seen—loud and real. 

You’ll hear about:

• Evolving your business identity without burning it down overnight. 
• “You can’t out-brand self-doubt,” and why clarity beats aesthetics. 
• The 20/80 rule for branding: the part you hide is the part that converts. 
• Nervous-system basics (hypervigilance, functional freeze) and creative capacity. 
• Rest, shame, and rebuilding self-reverence so your brand stops feeling performative. 

Callouts & resources mentioned:

• Related episodes: Ep 1 (podcast origin story), Ep 2, Ep 3 (shame + identity). Start there if you’re new. 
• Mentions: Neuro Somatic Institute (nervous-system training)

Thanks for tuning into this episode of Loudmouth Lab (formerly Kelli Was Here). If you made it this far, bless your brave little ears.

If this episode lit something up and you’re thinking, “well, shit… my digital presence is absolutely not keeping up with my actual taste,” come visit me at www.loudmouthlab.com

That’s where you’ll find the ways to work with me—Squarespace website design, messaging, and color palette curation—that is ANYTHING BUT BASIC.

Because, fellow loudmouth, sensible is not your style—and it's never too late to become yourself.

Muah - K

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Feeling stale, over it, and wildly under-engaged? This episode is your nudge to stop creating for palatability and start creating from play. 

We delve into why repeating the same message on seven platforms can drain your life force, how “self-expression vs. oppression” manifests in everyday choices (yes, even in leggings), and why the energy you create in content is the energy your audience receives. You’ll hear simple, human ways to re-spark momentum—think “dress the brand,” use an alter-ego, record like a voice note to a friend, and build a creative environment (somatics, color, zero-pressure hobbies) that makes showing up feel like oxygen again. If you’re a few years in, leads slowed, and you’re questioning your value, this is the fast track back to connection—and to content that actually moves people. 

In this episode, we cover:

• Why “palatability vs. play” is choking your creativity—and how to flip it. 
• The “self-expression out of oppression” lens for content and life. 
• Micro-moves to re-ignite aliveness: dress the brand, channel an alter-ego, make it fun. 
• Process hacks that keep you consistent (record like a voice note; ditch the fancy setup). 
• Somatics + environment: why play state > pressure state for ideas and output. 
• A zero-pressure creative outlet (coloring mushrooms with my daughter) as an alcohol-hour replacement. 
• For the “I used to have traction” crew: reconnecting to your work to rebuild momentum. 

Thanks for tuning into this episode of Loudmouth Lab (formerly Kelli Was Here). If you made it this far, bless your brave little ears.

If this episode lit something up and you’re thinking, “well, shit… my digital presence is absolutely not keeping up with my actual taste,” come visit me at www.loudmouthlab.com

That’s where you’ll find the ways to work with me—Squarespace website design, messaging, and color palette curation—that is ANYTHING BUT BASIC.

Because, fellow loudmouth, sensible is not your style—and it's never too late to become yourself.

Muah - K

Send us a text

In Episode 8 of Kelli Was Here, we’re ripping the muzzle off and talking about the power of saying the quiet parts out loud—in life and in branding.

If you’ve been feeling like the best kept secret or watching your engagement dry up while posting polished, palatable content… this is why.

I share stories of how truth-telling (even something as silly as showing kale in my teeth on Instagram) creates real connection, while over-curated brands are getting crickets. You’ll hear:

• Why your audience isn’t connecting if you’re editing yourself down to “professional” and “presentable.”
• How micro-moments of honesty—like admitting you feel awkward in a mastermind breakout—build instant trust.
• Why transparency is the new strategy in a noisy, AI-filled online world.
• The 20% rule: how the part of you you’ve been hiding does 80% of your brand’s heavy lifting.

This isn’t about oversharing or airing your diary online. It’s about learning to spot where you’re holding back and practicing the art of saying what you really mean—because your quirks, slips, and humanness are exactly what make you impossible to ignore.

Whether you’re a solopreneur coach, creative, or consultant, this episode will help you drop the prototype and build a brand (and business) that has so much more than a presence; it has a PULSE. 

Thanks for tuning into this episode of Loudmouth Lab (formerly Kelli Was Here). If you made it this far, bless your brave little ears.

If this episode lit something up and you’re thinking, “well, shit… my digital presence is absolutely not keeping up with my actual taste,” come visit me at www.loudmouthlab.com

That’s where you’ll find the ways to work with me—Squarespace website design, messaging, and color palette curation—that is ANYTHING BUT BASIC.

Because, fellow loudmouth, sensible is not your style—and it's never too late to become yourself.

Muah - K

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Feeling stuck in a “functional freeze”? In this episode, Kelli shows female solopreneurs how to uncover the 20% that does 80% of the brand’s heavy lifting—so your brand stops blending in and starts bleeding out. 

Episode summary

If your brand looks polished but feels flat, this one’s for you. Kelli unpacks why so many smart women are operating in a functional freeze—going through the motions while feeling disconnected—and how that freeze shows up as safe, palatable, ultimately boring branding. You’ll learn to swap the “shoulds & shame” loop for simple attention practices that reconnect you to what you actually love, then translate those loves into visuals, copy, and a vibe clients can feel. She also introduces 20-in-12, a free scavenger hunt to help you excavate your brand’s “potent pulse point” and build assets like stock-photo sets, color palettes, and fonts that are unmistakably you. 

What you’ll learn

• How functional freeze disguises itself as “busy, productive… dead inside” and quietly flattens your brand. 
• A simple attention practice to notice what you actually love (and what you don’t)—without journaling marathons. 
• Why safety-seeking brands default to generic—and how to put your potent pulse point back at the center. 
• Translating identity into design choices (stock photos, color, type) that create a visceral feeling online. 
• The Airbnb “vibe vs. beige” test for every brand decision. 
• Why the first move isn’t fonts or funnels—it’s removing the muzzle you didn’t know you were wearing. 

Resources & mentions

• Join the free 20-in-12 Scavenger Hunt. Daily prompts → color palette, stock-photo set, fonts, and clarity that actually converts. 
• Kelli Was Here — Coming Soon Page
• Betty the Brand Aid Bot 
• Stock Photo Freebie 
• Trauma Rewired podcast 

Thanks for tuning into this episode of Loudmouth Lab (formerly Kelli Was Here). If you made it this far, bless your brave little ears.

If this episode lit something up and you’re thinking, “well, shit… my digital presence is absolutely not keeping up with my actual taste,” come visit me at www.loudmouthlab.com

That’s where you’ll find the ways to work with me—Squarespace website design, messaging, and color palette curation—that is ANYTHING BUT BASIC.

Because, fellow loudmouth, sensible is not your style—and it's never too late to become yourself.

Muah - K

Send us a text

What do you do when your old tricks stop working? When Instagram engagement tanks, referrals dry up, and even posting feels like pulling teeth? 

In this episode of Kelli Was Here, I dig into the invisible gap that shows up when you’ve outgrown the version of yourself your business was built on. Spoiler: the thing you’re stuffing down—the 20% of you that only your inner circle gets to see—is the very thing doing 80% of your brand’s heavy lifting.

We’ll talk about:

• Why repeating what used to work now feels like screaming into the void.
• The hidden cost of playing “digestible” instead of real.
• Client stories that show how repressing your quirks repels your people.
• How color, whimsy, and “circus performer chic” helped me unlock a brand voice that actually felt like me.
• Two game-changing questions to excavate the version of you your brand is dying for.

If you’ve hit a plateau—or worse, you’re sliding backwards—this conversation will help you stop second-guessing and start showing up as the you your people are actually looking for.

Episode Call-Outs & Links to Include:

• 🔗 Episode 4: The Impact of Shame on Your Brand- Spotify  / Apple 
• 📚 Rick Rubin’s book The Creative Act: A Way of Being
• 🎤 Rick Rubin interviews 
• ✨ Book an Uncensor Session

Brand Questions:

And because I know you’re not here just to nod along, here are two questions straight from this episode that can help you start excavating that hidden 20%:

Think of them as brand X-rays — simple prompts that expose what’s under the surface and show you where you’ve been diluting yourself.

1. What’s the unconventional thing about your brand you’re afraid to lean into?

2. If your brand walked into a room, what would it be wearing? 

Thanks for tuning into this episode of Loudmouth Lab (formerly Kelli Was Here). If you made it this far, bless your brave little ears.

If this episode lit something up and you’re thinking, “well, shit… my digital presence is absolutely not keeping up with my actual taste,” come visit me at www.loudmouthlab.com

That’s where you’ll find the ways to work with me—Squarespace website design, messaging, and color palette curation—that is ANYTHING BUT BASIC.

Because, fellow loudmouth, sensible is not your style—and it's never too late to become yourself.

Muah - K

Send us a text

RIP to the “soft girl era.” The internet has declared her dead—and in her place? A messy mashup of “anti-hustle” and “anti-soft-girl” takes that all kind of miss the point.

Here’s the truth:
 It’s not about hustle vs. softness. It’s not even about hustle vs. hard work. It’s about fear vs. love—and how your nervous system responds when you’re creating, selling, or simply trying to post an Instagram caption without spiraling.

In this episode of Kelli Was Here, I share:

• Why the so-called “death of the soft girl era” is actually a nervous system convo in disguise.
• The difference between hustle (fear-fueled, survival-mode action) and hard work (love-fueled, sustainable effort).
• How I cycled through functional freeze → burnout → depression—and why antidepressants, nervous system work, and my voice memo app helped me crawl out.
• Why visibility can feel like literal death (spoiler: it’s tribal survival wiring, not weakness).
• The sneaky self-abandonment trap: how following other people’s “professional” rules nearly killed my creative spark.

This isn’t about working less or grinding harder. It’s about working from a place that feels like you—where your business becomes a creative act of self-love instead of a fear-based performance.

🔑 Key Takeaways

1. The soft girl era is dead—but what replaces it matters. Fear-driven hustle burns you out. Love-driven hard work sustains you.
2. Functional freeze looks like productivity but feels like emptiness. That’s a nervous system issue, not a willpower issue.
3. Visibility gets easier when your body feels safe. Safety is the real strategy.

📌 Resources & Episode Callouts

• 🎧 Trauma Rewired Podcast
  (episode I referenced)
• 🎙️ Mic hack: your iPhone voice memo app might beat your Shure mic. Shocking, but true.
• 💡 Related listen: Burnout Isn't A Business Problem

Thanks for tuning into this episode of Loudmouth Lab (formerly Kelli Was Here). If you made it this far, bless your brave little ears.

If this episode lit something up and you’re thinking, “well, shit… my digital presence is absolutely not keeping up with my actual taste,” come visit me at www.loudmouthlab.com

That’s where you’ll find the ways to work with me—Squarespace website design, messaging, and color palette curation—that is ANYTHING BUT BASIC.

Because, fellow loudmouth, sensible is not your style—and it's never too late to become yourself.

Muah - K

Send us a text

The shame script behind analysis paralysis, course debt, and why you’re still stuck

Episode Summary

If your business currently feels like an expensive hobby with a side of panic, this one’s for you. We dig into the silent operator under your burnout, pricing wobble, perfectionism, and “maybe one more course” habit: shame. Not the buzzy kind—the embodied, nervous-system kind that quietly hijacks decisions, keeps you over-researching, and convinces you visibility is dangerous. In short, you don’t have a strategy problem; you have a safety problem. Today, we name it, normalize it, and show you how to rebuild momentum from self-trust, not self-doubt. Cue the self-sabotage soldiers packing their bags.

What You’ll Learn

• Why rebrands, certifications, and funnels won’t fix a safety problem
• How perfectionism is a protection strategy, not a productivity flex
• Signs you’re outsourcing self-trust (and what to do instead)
• A humane, nervous-system-aware way to get traction without burning out

Mentions

• Shame research & vulnerability work (e.g., Brené Brown)
• Trauma-informed perspectives on business and the nervous system (e.g., Gabor Maté)
• Somatics and safety-first creativity in branding

If this hit home, follow/subscribe, leave a review (it helps more humans find this), and send this to that friend who keeps buying PDFs instead of pressing “publish.”

Content Note

This episode includes a candid discussion of trauma and shame. Take care of yourself while listening.

Thanks for tuning into this episode of Loudmouth Lab (formerly Kelli Was Here). If you made it this far, bless your brave little ears.

If this episode lit something up and you’re thinking, “well, shit… my digital presence is absolutely not keeping up with my actual taste,” come visit me at www.loudmouthlab.com

That’s where you’ll find the ways to work with me—Squarespace website design, messaging, and color palette curation—that is ANYTHING BUT BASIC.

Because, fellow loudmouth, sensible is not your style—and it's never too late to become yourself.

Muah - K