#33 Wedding Real Talk: Our Planning Process, Lessons Learned & Married Life with Brandon Blum

Facing FWD is going on summer vacation! With Cancer season in full swing, Kara's birthday approaching, and Mercury retrograde on the horizon, it's the perfect time for a soulful reset. She reflects on the power of the pause, the magic of play, and the beauty of trusting your timing. Plus, she offers a sneak peek at what's coming next—including new team members, strategic shifts, and a bold new chapter with 2nd House — Stay tuned!

In this grounding episode, Kara is joined by Ayurvedic content creator and wellness educator Kirti Tewani for a nourishing conversation on presence, simplicity, and sacred self-care. With a background as a makeup artist and founder, Kirti shares her journey from fashion and freelance artistry to becoming a viral wellness creator through authentic, minimalist rituals rooted in Ayurveda.Together, they explore the power of tuning into your body’s wisdom, building a personal brand from a place of truth, and reconnecting with daily practices like tongue scraping, oil pulling, and breathwork to support spiritual and emotional well-being. The episode also touches on the pressure of beauty standards, holistic alternatives to Botox, and why aging can be embraced—not feared.This conversation is a reminder that true wellness doesn’t have to be complicated—just deeply intentional.HIGHLIGHTS:(01:45) Kirti’s background in fashion and beauty, and her pivot into Ayurvedic content creation(06:10) Going viral on TikTok—and why authenticity matters more than algorithms(09:38) How to build a personal brand without losing yourself(14:15) Ayurvedic lifestyle 101: the doshas, intuitive living, and daily rhythm(22:22) Five essential rituals everyone should try (from tongue scraping to oil pulling)(28:30) Natural beauty: holistic alternatives to Botox, face massage, and DIY skin oils(36:40) The energetic roots of aging, gray hair, and the practice of nasya(41:12) Letting go of materialism and cultivating intentional consumption(46:02) Pranayama, presence, and how breath can shift your emotional stateSHOW NOTES:DIY face oil: Jojoba oil + Castor oil + Frankincense ⁠RANAVAT Leave-In Conditioner ⁠⁠Necessaire rosemary shampoo and conditioner⁠⁠What Now by Trevor Noah⁠⁠Feel Good Productivity - Ali Abdaal⁠MORE ON KIRTI TEWANI:• Follow Kirti on Instagram @kirtitewani• Explore her Ayurvedic insights and daily rituals on TikTok• Inquiries: [email protected] CONNECT & CO-CREATE WITH KARA:• Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠ & ⁠TikTok⁠• Check out Kara’s new conscious retail concept: 2nd House• ⁠Book Kara⁠ for Transformational Talks, Workshops & Hosting• ⁠1:1 Conscious Brand Strategy Sessions⁠–If you loved this episode, please rate and review the podcast. Screenshot your review and send it to [email protected] for a free clarity exercise from Kara’s signature toolkit.

In this solo episode, Kara drops in from a space of deep integration—fresh from time out West and moving through a personal portal of recalibration. With no notes and a clear, connected vessel, she speaks candidly about what it means to live with conviction in the face of uncertainty.From the spiritual energy of Gemini season to the surrender required in divine timing, Kara explores the paradox of being both committed to the vision while unattached to the path. This episode is a permission slip for anyone currently navigating liminality, transition, or that tender in-between where answers haven’t fully landed.Through personal storytelling, energetic reflections, and grounded spiritual insights, Kara offers a compassionate lens on how to trust yourself even when clarity hasn’t arrived—and how to make space to receive what’s next.Whether you're building something new, unlearning the hustle, or just trying to stay rooted through the unknown, this episode is a soft place to land.HIGHLIGHTS:(01:30) Returning from the West Coast with a clearer vessel and expanded energy (04:14) The unseen impact of energetic environments on our clarity (07:33) Speaking unscripted: why Kara’s solo episodes are becoming more intuitive (10:29) Holding vision lightly—being committed but unattached (13:45) Gemini season, duality, and embracing the beauty of flux (17:50) Kara’s intuitive “fuck this” moment and the power of following the ping (20:40) Letting go of forced clarity and trusting divine timing (24:03) Gardening as energetic healing + connecting to Earth’s roots (28:00) The magic of slowing down to receive (35:22) Tools that support clarity: LightUp List, journaling, and energetic blueprints (41:16) A reminder: clarity often comes from alignment—not answersRESOURCES & OFFERINGS MENTIONED:Buy Kara’s ⁠Light-Up List⁠Explore Kara's ⁠Energetic BlueprintsJoin Kara’s 1:1 ⁠Mentorship Containers⁠TO CONNECT & CO-CREATE WITH KARA:Follow along on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ & ⁠TikTokCheck out Kara’s conscious retail concept ⁠2nd House⁠Book Kara⁠ for Transformational Talks, Workshops & HostingFor all podcast inquiries, please contact [email protected]. If this episode resonated, we’d love your review. Send a screenshot to [email protected] and we’ll send you Kara’s go-to CLARITY exercise as a thank you.

In this expansive episode, Kara is joined by Human Design expert Erin Claire Jones for a deeply intimate conversation on energetic alignment, relational dynamics, and what it truly means to live, love, and lead as a projector in a world that rewards constant doing.Together, they explore the beauty and complexity of trusting your unique energetic blueprint—especially in partnerships, purpose-led work, and seasons of transformation.From navigating invitations as a projector to building conscious businesses and families with intention, this dialogue unpacks the spiritual technology of Human Design in a way that’s both practical and profound.Whether you're new to the system or steeped in it, this episode invites you to soften into self-trust, create space for rest, and honor the quiet intelligence of your energy.HIGHLIGHTS:(03:12) Erin’s origin story with Human Design and her first life-changing reading(07:45) The five energy types explained and how to apply them in daily life(15:38) What it really means to live as a projector and reclaim rest(22:09) Kara and Erin reflect on projector relationships and mutual recognition(28:14) Understanding strategy and authority in Human Design(35:02) Navigating love, fear, and the timing of invitations(40:10) Parenting and partnering with Human Design as a guide(46:37) Kara’s current season of burnout and building a business as a projector(51:12) How to create a dream team using Human Design(52:40) A reminder that this is a tool—not a rule—to return to your truthMORE ON THIS EPISODE’S GUEST, ERIN CLAIRE JONES:• Discover your Human Design Blueprint HERE • Buy Erin's Book HERE • Follow Erin on Instagram HERE TO CONNECT & CO-CREATE WITH KARA:Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠ & ⁠TikTok⁠Check Out Kara’s new conscious retail Concept 2nd House ⁠Book Kara⁠ | Transformational Talks, Workshops & Hosting ️⁠Book a 1:1 Conscious Self x Brand Growth Strategy Session⁠ –For all podcast inquiries, please contact [email protected], it would mean the world to us if you could rate and review the podcast. If you do, please send a screenshot to [email protected] and we'll send you my go-to free CLARITY exercise.

In this solo episode, Kara drops in with the grounded, sensual energy of Taurus season to explore what it truly means to live a sacred life. She shares personal reflections on slowing down, attuning to the beauty of the everyday, and re-sacralizing the mundane. From navigating resistance to stillness, to finding ceremony in simple rituals, Kara invites you into a conversation about presence, embodiment, and the quiet magic that emerges when we choose to honor life as holy—moment by moment.Whether you’re in a season of recalibration or simply yearning to feel more connected, this episode offers gentle yet powerful wisdom on returning to yourself and remembering what matters.HIGHLIGHTS:(02:45) The discomfort of stillness and what it reveals(04:03) Reclaiming slowness as a spiritual technology(05:15) Simple rituals Kara’s been returning to lately(06:48) Embodiment, sensuality & how Taurus energy roots us(08:12) How hustle culture dulls our reverence for life(09:36) Living cyclically & Kara’s personal recalibrations(12:24) Sacred practice vs. performance—spotting the difference(15:10) A closing invitation: soften, listen, live sacredly

In this episode of Facing FWD, I sit down with Laura Thompson, co-founder and CEO of Three Ships Beauty, to unpack how a brain cancer diagnosis became the catalyst for both deep healing and building a multimillion-dollar clean beauty brand.Laura shares the origin story of Three Ships, what it really takes to build trust in an unregulated industry, and how she’s redefined leadership and success through transparency, integrity, and resilience. We talk about fundraising as a female founder, navigating co-founder dynamics, and the daily rituals that keep her grounded as she scales consciously.This episode is for the founders healing as they grow—and anyone building with heart, purpose, and clarity.HIGHLIGHTS:4:40 – From coconut oil to calling: the aha moment that sparked Three Ships8:18 – Rebranding the business after a brain cancer diagnosis12:04 – What it’s like to build a company while navigating life-threatening illness20:45 – Clean vs. natural vs. non-toxic: decoding the industry's biggest buzzwords25:15 – The hidden ingredients most brands don’t disclose—and how Three Ships does things differently37:02 – Fundraising as a female founder in a male-dominated space44:50 – Redefining success after cancer: from chasing metrics to honoring joy47:20 – The daily healing rituals that keep Laura grounded and energized54:04 – How co-founder communication rituals saved their partnership1:00:42 – What’s next for Three Ships: staying rooted while scaling consciouslyTO CONNECT & CO-CREATE WITH KARA:Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠ & ⁠TikTok⁠Check Out Kara’s new conscious retail Concept 2nd House ⁠Book a Speaking Engagement⁠ | Transformational Talks, Workshops & Hosting️⁠Book a 1:1 Conscious Self x Brand Growth Strategy Session⁠ –MORE ON THIS EPISODE’S GUEST, LAURA THOMPSON: • Learn more about Three Ships HERE — HERE for a $15 trial kit • Follow Three Ships on Instagram • Follow Laura on Instagram –For all podcast inquiries, please contact [email protected], it would mean the world to us if you could rate and review the podcast. If you do, please send a screenshot to [email protected] and we'll send you my go-to free CLARITY exercise.

In this impromptu solo episode, Kara shares a timely energetic update amidst retrogrades, world tension, and the push-pull of building a mission-driven business. Fresh off her New York Times feature, she reflects on how even high moments can feel misaligned when our energy is off.Kara explores the quiet power of pausing—not from fear, but from inner knowing—and how honoring her Splenic authority helped her recalibrate. She also shares updates on her upcoming conscious retail concept, 2nd House, and her newly relaunched Light Up List journal.This is a heart-forward reminder that slowing down is sometimes what lets everything we’ve been chasing finally land.HIGHLIGHTS:(00:52) Why this week called for an energetic update instead of an interview(02:04) Retrograde reflection: Navigating Mercury + Venus retrograde energy(03:15) Kara’s New York Times feature and the subtle eclipse of celebration(04:28) Listening to Splenic authority in Human Design & choosing to pause(06:00) The difference between pushing through vs. pausing with intention(07:25) Micro-pivots & the expansive impact of small energetic shifts(08:52) Behind the vision for 2nd House and where things need to shift(10:30) Re-rooting in practices that restore energy & feminine flow(11:50) Relaunching the Light Up List to reconnect with soul clarity(13:20) The deeper message behind ritual, love, and softening into surrender(14:55) Final reflection questions to support alignment and easeTO CONNECT & CO-CREATE WITH KARA:Follow along on⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠⁠ &⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠Check out⁠ Kara’s new conscious retail Concept 2nd House ⁠⁠Book a Speaking Engagement⁠⁠ | Transformational Talks, Workshops & Hosting️⁠⁠Book a 1:1 Conscious Strategy Session⁠⁠ | Consider This Your Catalyst Container–For all podcast inquiries, please contact [email protected], it would mean the world to us if you could rate and review the podcast. If you do, please send a screenshot to [email protected] and we'll send you my go-to free CLARITY exercise. 

In EP 35 of the FACING FWD: podcast, Kara connects with modern-day witch, embodiment guide, and author, Mia Magik. In the episode, Kara and Mia dive into the transformational power of embodiment, sexuality and somatic healing. They explore the deep connection between feminine energy and manifestation, the viral impact of Mia’s ‘Rage Rituals,’ how the Law of Correspondence can shift your reality, and why reclaiming ancient wisdom is the key to modern-day empowerment—and so much more.–HIGHLIGHTS:(05:12) How Tantra changed Mia’s life (18:30) Healing the witch wound & reclaiming sacred feminine energy(24:15) The viral Rage Ritual – why it resonated with so many people(31:40) Emotional and somatic healing – moving from intellect into the body(38:10) The Law of Correspondence & how it impacts manifestation(52:20) Daily rituals to shift your energy & embody your highest self(58:40) What’s next for Mia – coaching certification & stepping deeper into leadership(1:02:00) Face Off: Rapid-Fire Questions–TO CONNECT & CO-CREATE WITH KARA:Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠ & ⁠TikTok⁠Check out Kara’s new conscious retail Concept 2nd House ⁠Book a Speaking Engagement⁠ | Transformational Talks, Workshops & Hosting⁠KL Conscious Marketing Consulting⁠ | Intentional Integrative Marketing Strategy for Modern, Mindful Brands⁠Book a FREE Clarity Call⁠ | Connect with Kara about your current self & brand goals and see if her marketing consulting offerings align️⁠Book a 1:1 Conscious Strategy Session⁠ | Consider This Your Catalyst Container–MORE ON THIS EPISODE’S GUEST, MIA MAGIK:Learn more about Mia Magik’s work HEREShop Mia Magik’s book HEREFollow Mia Magik on ⁠Instagram⁠ Check out Layla Martin’s work HERE — mentioned at the beginning of this episode –For all podcast inquiries, please contact [email protected], it would mean the world to us if you could rate and review the podcast. If you do, please send a screenshot to [email protected] and we'll send you my go-to free CLARITY exercise. 

In EP32 of the FACING FWD: podcast, Kara connects with holistic skin care pioneer and renowned aesthetician, Tammy Fender. Receive 15% off with code KARA15 for the next 30 days.In the episode, Kara and Tammy discuss the profound connection between skin and soul, Tammy's journey from her early days in the beauty industry to becoming a pioneer in holistic skincare and wellness, how simple practices can lead to profound transformation in both beauty and spirit and much, much more.–Highlights:(2:30) Tammy Fender’s Early Career Journey(10:15) Building a Brand with Purpose(18:45) The Science & Soul of Skincare: Energy, Intention & Plant Medicine(25:30) The Skin-Soul Connection & How Emotions Manifest in the Skin(32:20) The Power of Botanicals: Rose, Helichrysum & Collective Energy(40:10) Spiritual Awakening & Intuition(46:55) The Art of Skincare Rituals(52:00) Face Off: Rapid-Fire Questions –TO CONNECT & CO-CREATE WITH KARA: Book a Speaking Engagement | Transformational Talks, Workshops & Hosting KL Conscious Marketing Consulting | Intentional Integrative Marketing Strategy for Modern, Mindful Brands Book a FREE Clarity Call | Connect with Kara about your current self & brand goals and see if her marketing consulting offerings align️ Book a 1:1 Conscious Strategy Session | Consider This a Catalyst Container Follow along on Instagram & TikTok–MORE ON THIS EPISODE’S GUEST, TAMMY FENDER:Read the Story behind Tammy Fender HEREShop Tammy Fender Skincare products 15% off HERE (Code KARA15)Follow Tammy Fender on Instagram Explore future Tammy Fender's retreats HEREListen to Facing FWD: Cooking Up a Well-Nourished Life with Charlotte Hardwick HERE–For all podcast inquiries, please contact [email protected]. Lastly, it would mean the world to us if you could rate and review the podcast. If you do, please send a screenshot to [email protected] and we'll send you my go-to free CLARITY exercise.

In EP33 of Facing FWD:, newlyweds Kara & Brandon Blum discuss their wedding planning process, the emotional and spiritual impacts of the celebration, managing expectations and the various components that made their wedding day special — and stressful! Finally, they reflect on the post-wedding period, sharing insights about managing post-wedding emotions and the ongoing process of integrating their experiences into their new life together.HIGHLIGHTS:(5:20) The unexpected emotional depth of wedding planning(7:55) The post-wedding integration experience(12:10) Finding your wedding “type”(18:55) Family boundaries & protecting your vision(23:25) Wedding industry realities—intentional spending & avoiding the trap(27:50) The most spiritually fulfilling moments of our wedding(33:10) Special rituals & how we infused meaning into our day(38:30) Perfectionism, surrender, and the beauty in what went “wrong”(43:35) Did we feel an energetic shift after getting married?(48:15) The post-wedding blues (or lack thereof)WEDDING SHOW NOTES:Nicole Silver Events: Wedding Planning & Design FirmAlicia Rinka PhotographyEnergy Muse CrystalsAkalo Organic Vitamin PatchesSakara – code: KARALADDSAKARA for 20% off Maureen Dodd Energy Healing