Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show As we wrap up 2025, I wanted to take a moment to pause, reflect, and celebrate — both the growth of Build Your Own Fairytale and the incredible conversations we shared this year. In this special Best of 2025 episode, I’m revisiting some of the most powerful moments from the podcast — blending guest wisdom with highlights from my most-downloaded solo episodes. From the courage to just start, to the importance of pausing and stacking s...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Cinderella might have had a fairy godmother—but Megan Lewis built her own magic. ✨ At just 24, Megan founded Dreamland Nannies, an Orlando-based childcare company that helps families enjoy the Disney parks stress-free. In this episode, we talk about how she turned her love for kids and theme parks into a growing business serving hotels and families across Central Florida. You’ll hear how Megan: 🎢 Took the leap from college grad to CE...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show It’s Thanksgiving week — the season of gratitude, chaos, & calendars that somehow manage to fill themselves. If you’ve ever said, “I can’t use an online scheduler… my schedule’s always changing!” or “I don’t want to be boxed in!” — this one’s for you. I’m busting the biggest myths about online scheduling & showing you how a scheduling link doesn’t take away your freedom — it protects it. Spoiler alert: an online scheduler can help ...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Author and entrepreneur Charity Alyse shares the heartwarming story behind Austen’s Shelf, her tiny bookshop on wheels — a Jane Austen–inspired mobile bookstore bringing literary magic to communities across New Jersey. After a health scare reminded her that “someday” isn’t guaranteed, Charity decided to stop waiting and start building. Within weeks, she and her husband transformed a simple trailer into a charming, book-filled escape — comp...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show It’s National Checklist Day, which might as well be my personal holiday! In this episode, I’m sharing the tools that keep my solopreneur business organized, my brain calm (mostly), & my systems running smoothly. From my digital checklist in Asana, to client management made easy with 17hats, to two years of weekly newsletters powered by Flodesk, these are the essentials that help me simplify & scale. You’ll also hear about my favori...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Vlada Bortnik, co-founder & CEO of Marco Polo, the video messaging app, shares what it really means to build technology that helps people feel close, not just connected. Vlada’s journey—from growing up in Ukraine to working at Microsoft to creating one of the most intentional, human-centered apps in tech—reminds us that business can be both purposeful and profitable. She shares how she and her husband built Marco Polo while raising two...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Use October Theory to end 2025 strong & step into 2026 ready! October is the “Second New Year” — the perfect time to reflect, reset, and realign before the year ends. In this solo episode, I share 4 simple steps to make October Theory work for your business: review your 2025 goals, refresh your systems, refine your content calendar, and protect your energy. ✨ Links & resources mentioned in this episode: Grab your free step-by-step ...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Email marketing is the most powerful tool in your business toolkit as a solopreneur—but most people overcomplicate it. In this solo episode, I’ll show you why email matters, how to start your list, and how to stay consistent so your subscribers look forward to hearing from you. 🫶 We’ll cover: Why email beats social media (40× more effective!)How to build your list—even if it’s just your two best friends to startThe role of consistenc...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Spoiler alert: I learned a lot being part of my very first collaboration— not just about launching, but about how even the best laid plans can change AND how important the client POV is. In this solo episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it was like to contribute to a recent collaboration bundle that I was genuinely excited about! I’ll walk you through what went well, what threw me off, and the biggest lessons I took away aft...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Josh Hall shares his inspiring journey from building a successful web design agency to becoming a sought-after business coach for creative entrepreneurs. Today, Josh is a web design business coach, podcast host, and course creator who helps creatives build businesses that give them freedom and flexibility. We dive into how showing up as your authentic self is the key to standing out in a crowded industry – you are your brand’s biggest diff...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Get ready for a little lesson in confidence 101 - with some sandy vibes! Janel Hawkins shares her journey from courageously quitting her job to moving back home to Alabama to pursue her passion for building sandcastles. Janel attributes her "false confidence" and "secondary confidence" to allowing her to keep moving forward, despite some skepticism and negativity around building a business in the sand; she was determined to figure things o...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show When the life you've built no longer feels like yours — what comes next? This week, I’m joined by Jenn Arthurton, founder of Old Chicks Know Sht* and host of the podcast by the same name, for a conversation all about identity, reinvention, and redefining success in midlife. After a career shakeup in her 50s, Jenn found herself at a crossroads — one that required deep unlearning, quiet listening, and a whole lot of courage. What came next w...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show We don’t talk enough about the simple stuff in business — like saying thank you, acknowledging a message, or showing basic respect and professionalism. But today, I’m calling it out. In this episode, I’m diving into why modern business etiquette still matters — and how it can actually become a quiet superpower in your brand. I’m sharing a few real-life moments that sparked this conversation (including my swim team group texts and a frustra...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Alicia Conner is building a business while balancing a full-time job and two young kids—and she’s doing it with purpose. She helps sorority women translate their leadership experience into corporate-ready skills that get noticed and land them the jobs they want. We talk about the value of listening to your gut, especially when the noise of advice and expectation gets loud. Alicia shares how she’s leaned into her support system and why succ...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Ever looked at your to-do list and felt completely paralyzed… or like a cat chasing its own tail getting absolutely nowhere? If yes, this episode is for you. Today, I’m sharing one of my go-to tools when overwhelm hits: the Eisenhower Matrix. It’s quick. It’s simple. It’s effective. Because when you can distinguish between importance and urgency, you can get clear on your priorities and start making strategic progress... which ...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show What do neuroscience, web design, and cake have in common? For Grace "Grey" Pak — everything! In this episode, Grace shares her powerful and unconventional journey from the world of science and tech to becoming a sought-after cake artist whose creations go beyond delicious dessert and head straight into fine art. Grace opens up about the pressures of cultural expectations, the internal reckoning that led to her career shift, and how ...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show 👯‍♀️ Special Guests: Sammy & Gracie (my twin daughters) 🗓️ Recorded on: Take Your Kids to Work Day 2025 Today’s episode is a little different — and a whole lot of FUN! I’m joined by two very special co-hosts: my 10-year-old twin daughters, Sammy and Gracie. In honor of Take Your Kids to Work Day, I handed them the mic to get their honest, unfiltered thoughts on entrepreneurship, what makes a good (or bad) business and what they would...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Meet Michelle, a passionate artist who transitioned from teaching to a career in art. Inspired by influential teachers and her fascination with school, Michelle pursued a career in education, including obtaining her masters (and racking up student loans) only to eventually realize that her love of school didn’t translate to teaching. Michelle shares the calculated risks she took, leveraging her savings and familial support, to ...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Ever feel like your DMs, inbox, and texts are bursting at the seams with client leads—and you have zero idea where anything is? 🙋‍♀️ You're not alone, and you're definitely not doing it wrong. You're just ready for better systems. In this episode, we're taking your lead management from scattered to streamlined with a three-tier approach for every stage of business. Whether you're brand new or scaling fast, there’s a path forward—and I’m go...

Text Kristen your thoughts or feedback about the show Meet Viva Kreis - a trailblazing young athlete and passionate advocate for women in sports. From her eighth-grade project on Wilma Rudolph to playing professional handball in France, Viva’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. In this episode, Viva shares how she landed interviews with WNBA stars at the age of 14, her deep love for sports history, and the motivation behind her book, She Did That: Amazing Female Athletes from A to Z...