Description

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 Kelli Was Here. If you made it this far, bless your brave little ears.

For those who are ready to stop orbiting their brilliance, Book an Uncensored Session – where your nervous system meets brand strategy.
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If this episode felt like a peek into your own brain, come hang with me on Instagram. That’s where I share behind-the-scenes chaos, brand rants, design tips, and questionable thoughts I probably should’ve kept in my Notes app.

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