Trust Yourself by Kaitlyn Parker

Kaitlyn Parker sits down with Adriana Carrig, founder and Chief Brand Officer of Little Words Project, for a conversation about what it really looks like to keep trusting yourself as everything around you grows.Adriana built Little Words Project from a simple idea into a nationally recognized brand and community. But this conversation is not about the highlight reel. It is about what happens after the growth.Because the bigger things get, the louder it all becomes.More opinions. More pressure. More decisions. More at stake.And in the middle of that, the question becomes whether you can still hear your own voice.Adriana shares what it has looked like to navigate this current season, one where she is not starting from scratch, but also not fully certain of what comes next. She talks openly about being in the middle of it, getting knocked down, taking longer to get back up, and learning how to return to what she knows to be true about herself and her work.The conversation explores the reality of building without a roadmap. The tension between trusting your gut and taking in constant input. The shift from early “blind belief” to leading with more data, more responsibility, and more complexity.Kaitlyn and Adriana also talk about the role of AI in business and how it is changing the way founders operate. Not as a replacement for people or creativity, but as a tool that can support capacity in a season where many teams are stretched thin.They also get into the behind-the-scenes of leadership and motherhood. Adriana shares honestly about the tension of wanting to be fully present in both, and what it looks like to hold that reality without pretending there is a perfect balance.Throughout the conversation, one idea comes up again and again. Self-trust is not something you figure out once. It is something you return to, especially in the moments where it feels hardest.In this episode:What changes when you move from starting to scalingWhy self-trust can feel harder as things growNavigating input, pressure, and decision fatigueThe tension between data, instinct, and leadershipUsing AI to support capacity without losing human connectionThe reality of building a business while raising a familyGetting back up and continuing to trust yourselfLinks and resources:Little Words Project: https://littlewordsproject.com/Follow Adriana: https://www.instagram.com/adrianacarrig/The Power of Little Words by Adriana Carrig: https://a.co/d/02CCEzcWKaitlyn Parker and Copy Uncorked: https://copyuncorked.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/copyuncorked/https://www.instagram.com/kaitlynhparkerSubstack: https://bykaitlynparker.substack.com/

At three weeks postpartum, Kaitlyn reflects on one of the most honest moments she has experienced about her actual capacity—and the insight it revealed.In this solo episode, she shares the birth story of her son Ralph and how that experience clarified something many high-achievers struggle with: the gap between the expectations we set during peak seasons and the energy we actually have during harder ones.That gap, she argues, is where self-trust quietly erodes.To navigate it, Kaitlyn introduces a simple framework she calls The Capacity Score—a way to assess your real bandwidth across the different areas of life and align your expectations accordingly.Instead of constantly trying to stretch your capacity, this episode explores what it looks like to build integrity inside it.Through practical examples—including the short daily checklist she’s using during postpartum—Kaitlyn offers a grounded approach to protecting self-trust during seasons when energy, focus, and margin are limited.Because sometimes the most powerful thing you can do isn’t pushing harder. It’s keeping the promises that actually fit the season you're in.Key TakeawaysWhy misaligned expectations quietly erode self-trustThe difference between stretching your capacity vs. building integrity inside itHow the Capacity Score framework helps you realistically assess your seasonWhy high performers often set goals from their “10-capacity self”How naming your true capacity across life areas removes unnecessary pressureA practical example of what a “3-capacity season” can look like in real lifeThe role of small daily promises in rebuilding self-trustHow a short list of non-negotiable daily habits can anchor you during demanding seasonsWhy honoring a lower-capacity season can ultimately strengthen your confidenceQuestions to reflect on after this episode:What is your actual capacity right now—not the one you wish you had?Where is your energy really going in this season of life?Are the promises you're making to yourself sized for the version of you that exists today?Connect with KaitlynFind Kaitlyn and all things Copy Uncorked at https://copyuncorked.com/Join the Interest List to work with Copy Uncorked https://copyuncorked.com/contactJump in with The Essential Copy Course https://copyuncorked.com/teccFollow Kaitlyn + Copy Uncorked on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/copyuncorked/ https://www.instagram.com/kaitlynhparkerSubscribe to Kaitlyn’s Substack:https://bykaitlynparker.substack.com/Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review and share it with a friend. 🤍

What happens when the business you built from scratch is suddenly ready for a chapter you never planned for? In this conversation, I sit down with Brooke Apffel, founder of Coastal Collective Marketing, to unpack her journey from freelancing at her kitchen table to building and ultimately selling a seven-figure agency. Brooke shares what it really looked like to grow a thriving company while raising three kids, how her relationship with risk shifted over the years, and the moment she knew she was ready for something different in 2024. We also talk candidly about the acquisition process, what buyers were actually looking for, and why she made the brave decision to walk away from a deal just before signing. That decision ultimately led to a far more aligned partnership with Stellar, reinforcing the power of trusting yourself when the stakes feel high.Throughout our conversation, we explore what it means to lead with your values, make strategic pivots, and build a business that evolves alongside you in a constantly changing social media landscape.Key Topics Covered:The timeline of Coastal Collective from 2020 to presentBuilding and scaling a marketing agency while raising a familyHow Brooke’s relationship with risk and mental load changed as the business grewWhat made her feel ready to sell and how she knew it was the right timingThe acquisition process - how Brooke handled the process behind the scenesBreaking the news to the team and thoughts on her new role in Coastal CollectiveWhy social media isn’t dead, shareable content is critical, and good strategy prevailsSee more from Coastal Collective Marketing on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coastalcollectivemarketing/ and their website https://www.coastalcollectivemarketing.com/Find Kaitlyn and all things Copy Uncorked at https://copyuncorked.com/Follow Kaitlyn + Copy Uncorked Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/copyuncorked/ https://www.instagram.com/kaitlynhparkerSubscribe to Kaitlyn’s Substack: https://bykaitlynparker.substack.com/Topics: self-trust, business growth, acquisition, social media strategy, brand value, entrepreneurship, risk management, community support, personal development, agency life, Coastal Collective, Brooke Apffel, Stellar, marketing agency, social media marketing

Pregnancy and postpartum can feel like stepping into a body and life you no longer recognize, and the only way through it is to talk about what most people are afraid to say out loud.Liz Martin, DPT, pelvic floor physical therapist and founder of The Mama PT, joins the conversation to explore what it means to trust your body through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum healing. As sisters with very different comfort levels around vulnerability, we unpack Liz’s “nothing is TMI” philosophy and why honest conversations are essential for women navigating seasons that can leave them feeling foreign in their own skin. Drawing from her clinical expertise and her experiences as a mom of three, Liz shares how nervous system safety, breathwork, stress cycle completion, and honoring your changing energy all play a role in true healing. From setting boundaries around rest to hiring support and redefining strength in motherhood, this conversation is a reminder that unfamiliarity is not wrong and that you have the freedom to change your mind at any point along the way.Key Topics Covered:• How Liz became a pelvic floor physical therapist and why she was drawn to this specialty• The “nothing is TMI” mindset and why open conversations create real healing• Feeling unfamiliar in your body during pregnancy and postpartum• Why you cannot control the process of becoming a mother, and why that is not failure• The nervous system’s role in healing and the impact of living in fight or flight• Breathwork and mind-body connection as powerful postpartum recovery tools• Completing the stress cycle so your body can truly rest and repair• High-achieving women, masculine energy, and the transition into motherhood• Learning to lean into feminine energy without losing your identity• The freedom to change your mind during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum• How Liz intentionally structured her third postpartum experience differently• Medication, doulas, pastoral support, and unexpected outlets for healing• The importance of a supportive spouse and shared energy in marriage• Why taking care of yourself sets the spiritual and emotional tone for your homeVisit Liz’s Website: https://themamapt.com/Follow Liz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themamapt/Find Kaitlyn and all things Copy Uncorked at: https://copyuncorked.com/Follow Kaitlyn + Copy Uncorked Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/copyuncorked/https://www.instagram.com/kaitlynhparkerSubscribe to Kaitlyn's Substack:https://bykaitlynparker.substack.com/topics: pregnancy, postpartum healing, pelvic floor physical therapy, Liz Martin DPT, The Mama PT, nervous system regulation, fight or flight, stress cycle completion, maternal mental health, motherhood transition, trusting your body, postpartum recovery, feminine energy, high achieving women, birth experience, postpartum support, breathwork for moms, pelvic floor health, maternal wellness, marriage in motherhood

What does it really take to end something well?In this episode of Trust Yourself, Kaitlyn is joined by Ashley Knepper—former founder and president of Reed & Associates Marketing—for an honest conversation about leadership, self-trust, and the courage it takes to recognize when a season is complete.Ashley spent 14 years building and leading a successful marketing agency he co-founded in her early twenties. What began with willingness and grit grew into a business that supported a team, served clients across the country, and demanded sustained emotional and mental endurance. And then, during the pandemic—and while pregnant with her third child—Ashley made the intentional decision to close the business.In this conversation, Ashley reflects on:What self-trust looked like before she had confidence or proofThe loneliness and responsibility that come with leadershipWhy sustaining a business for over a decade requires emotional stamina, not just strategyHow motherhood reshaped her priorities and capacityWhat it meant to close a business with integrity instead of selling itThe mix of grief and relief that followed letting goRedefining success as alignment, presence, and capacityCreating space for creativity and life without rushing the “next step”This episode isn’t about quitting, it’s about discernment. About choosing people and principles over optics. And about trusting yourself enough to honor what was, without forcing what’s next.If you’re navigating a transition, feeling a nudge, or sitting in a season that doesn’t need to be rushed, this conversation offers language, permission, and perspective.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeAshley Knepper’s Blog:A Hint of Sunshine — recipes, crafts, fashion & family lifehttps://www.ahintofsunshine.com/“14 Years in Business Marks the End”Ashley’s closing letter reflecting on intuition, timing, and choosing peacehttps://www.ahintofsunshine.com/post/14-years-in-business-marks-the-end“Selling the Building Behind the Teal Doors”A reflection on place, memory, and letting gohttps://www.ahintofsunshine.com/post/selling-the-building-behind-the-teal-doorsFollow Ashley on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/ank22/Find Kaitlyn and Copy Uncorked at: https://copyuncorked.comhttps://instagram.com/copyuncorkedhttps://instagram.com/kaitlynhparker

In this solo episode, Kaitlyn hits pause 5 episodes in to reflect on the through-line of the show so far—and to offer practical ways to strengthen self-trust when you’re overwhelmed, unsure, or staring down a season with more questions than answers.She revisits what self-trust has looked like across early guest conversations (from resilience in the face of disappointment to building the plane while flying it), shares a pregnancy + podcast cadence update, and walks through five core practices—plus a sixth “bonus” lens—that can help you move from I don’t know to I can take the next step.What You’ll Hear in This EpisodeA quick recap of the first five episodes and what’s connecting the conversations so farHow self-trust can shift depending on timing, context, and cost—and why “cost” mattersA 35-week pregnancy check-in + what’s coming next for the podcast (perfect plan be darned)Five practical ways to strengthen self-trust when you feel unclearA bonus reminder about feelings: valuable information… but not always the authorityA very real mirror moment involving pregnancy exhaustion, skincare panic, and why you shouldn’t make big decisions when depletedUpdates on upcoming guest episodes + Copy Uncorked spring waitlistA Reflection Question to Sit WithWhat do you already know… and where might you need to trust it a little more?And if you’re in a fog right now:What’s one small act of self-support you could practice this week—preparation, reflection, conversation, or simply giving it a little more time?Connect + Work With KaitlynLearn more / inquire: copyuncorked.comRead the latest + subscribe at: bykaitlynparker.substack.comStay in the loop on episodes, baby updates, and spring project openings: watch for the spring waitlist announcement.

In this episode of Trust Yourself, Kaitlyn sits down with designer and founder of Saffron Avenue, Angela Mondloch, for an honest conversation about building a creative business over time — through growth, comparison, experimentation, motherhood, and major life transitions.Angela reflects on starting her business in an earlier era of the creative industry, when self-trust often came from simply moving forward without overthinking. As competition increased and the landscape shifted, she shares how staying in her own lane — and intentionally limiting outside noise — has become essential to protecting both her creativity and confidence.Together, they explore how intuition shows up in real decision-making: spotting red flags with clients, knowing when an offer no longer fits, experimenting without overcommitting, and giving yourself permission to change course without labeling it failure.They also discuss AI and creativity, not as a replacement for human skill, but as a tool that requires discernment. Angela shares how she’s integrating AI thoughtfully while preserving the intuition and judgment that only experience can provide.The conversation closes with a powerful reflection on what trusting yourself looks like now: not constant confidence, but staying in your lane, resisting comparison, and continuing forward even when outcomes aren’t guaranteed.In this episode, we cover:Building a creative business through different seasons of lifeHow self-trust changes as experience and responsibility growStaying in your lane when comparison creeps inUsing intuition to guide creative and business decisionsRed flags with clients, contracts, and unrealistic expectationsExperimenting with offers — and pulling back without guiltMaternity leave as a solo business owner and breadwinnerIntegrating AI without losing creative authorityTrusting yourself without needing constant certaintyAbout AngelaAngela is a brand stylist and website designer who’s been running Saffron Avenue since 2011. She’s known for thoughtful, heart-driven design, the kind that favors personal stories, craft, and restraint over trends. Her work blends custom illustration, timeless typography, and a practical understanding of how small businesses grow.Beyond client work, Angela runs a digital shop of mockups, templates, and workbooks used by thousands of creatives. She’s built her business slowly and deliberately, choosing intention, and putting honesty and integrity at the center of every project.When she’s not designing, you’ll usually find her trying to be a gardener, turning their new country house into a home, or coloring Bluey books with her daughter.Connect with Angela:Website: https://saffronavenue.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/saffronavenue/Resources mentioned:Angela’s Brand Clarity AI prompt - https://utm.guru/ujrL3Learn more about Kaitlyn’s work at Copy Uncorked at https://copyuncorked.com.

What does it really mean to choose your life values, not just your business values? In today’s episode, we explore how identifying and honoring your core values can shape every decision you make, from how you lead to what you create.I’m joined by Lauren Bronson Petrous, a leadership consultant, conflict resolution specialist, and the founder of Boundless & Co. I’ve worked with Lauren both as a client and through one-on-one coaching, and her work helped me clarify my own personal values and make some of the biggest pivots of my life and business.Lauren shares what “trust yourself” means to her: a woman who may not have every next step mapped out, but is deeply secure in who she is and who she’s called to be. We talk about the wide range of leaders she works with from mission-driven entrepreneurs to executives navigating high-stakes decisions and how she helps them move forward with clarity when the pressure is high.We dive into Lauren’s life-first approach to identifying core values and how she helps people cut through performance, expectations, and roles they may have been forced into. She describes herself as a bit of a dark horse in this space, helping clients uncover what has already shaped them and decide whether those values truly belong to them. She also shares a powerful example of how “excellence” is often mistaken for a value, when it may actually be perfectionism in disguise.Conflict is another major theme of our conversation. Lauren explains why conflict itself isn’t the problem, but our lack of skills and comfort around it often is. She breaks down the difference between kindness and niceness, and shares two grounding questions you can ask yourself to decide whether a situation is worth addressing.We also talk about the role faith plays in how Lauren leads and lives, how she views intuition in relationship with God, and how that alignment allows her to live and lead more decisively. If you’re navigating leadership while trying to stay grounded in your own values, Lauren shares practical ways she replenishes herself and stays aligned amid the pace and pressure of her work.This episode is an invitation to slow down, look honestly at what drives you, and practice trusting yourself from a deeper place.The Essential Copy Course: https://copyuncorked.com/teccFollow Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenbronsonpetrous/Boundless & Co’s Website: https://boundlessandco.com/Follow Boundless & Co on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boundless_andco/

In this episode of Trust Yourself®, Kaitlyn sits down with attorney and serial entrepreneur Paige Hulse to explore what happens when self-trust becomes a lifeline. From a life-altering health diagnosis and a near-fatal riding accident to building multiple businesses and recently merging her law firm with Winters & King, Paige shares how she returns to the “quiet place” inside herself again and again.In this episode, we cover:How Paige went from oil & gas litigator to serving creatives as an IP + business attorneyThe health crisis (including median arcuate ligament syndrome) that reshaped her life and careerWhat she calls the “quiet place” of intuition—and how she learned to trust itThe horse accident that became a turning point (and why loosening her grip literally saved her life)How she used that recovery season to dream up The Creative Law Foundry™, an AI-powered contract-building platform for creativesWhy she merged Paige Hulse Law with Winters & King, and what this next chapter is opening upSelf-trust in branding, pivots, and “sea changes” in businessIntellectual property as a deep form of self-trust for creativesWhy self-pity is a luxury—and what agency looks like in hardshipAbout PaigePaige Hulse, J.D. is an attorney, entrepreneur, and thought leader for diligent founders shaping their own version of the modern American Dream. She’s the founder of The Creative Law Shop®, offering attorney-drafted contract templates and legal education for creative entrepreneurs, and the creator of The Creative Law Foundry™, a guided platform that helps creatives build and customize legally sound contracts with embedded attorney insight.Most recently, Paige merged her long-running firm, Paige Hulse Law, with Winters & King, a Tulsa-based law firm serving clients worldwide since 1983.Links & Resources MentionedPaige’s Work & BrandsPaige’s personal site & brand hub – https://paigehulse.comThe Creative Law Shop® – https://www.shopcreativelaw.comThe Creative Law Foundry™ – https://www.shopcreativelaw.com/foundryWinters & King, Inc. – https://wintersking.comPaige on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/paige.hulse/Kaitlyn & the ShowTrust Yourself® Podcast home – https://copyuncorked.com/trust-yourself-podcastCopy Uncorked – https://copyuncorked.comCU on Instagram – https://instagram.com/copyuncorked

In this first guest episode of Trust Yourself, Kaitlyn sits down with Mallory Riley, Cofounder and Chief of Staff at Born Primitive—a self-funded, veteran-owned apparel brand that started at home in Virginia Beach and has since grown into a $100M company.Mallory’s path wasn’t traditional. She had no formal business training and no blueprint to follow, yet she learned every part of the business from the ground up. What emerges through this conversation is a story of instinct, grit, and an ability to trust herself long before she had “experience” to lean on.Kaitlyn and Mallory talk through the early, scrappy years of building Born Primitive, the internal shift that led Mallory to step back from the COO role, and how she now leads with a blend of decisiveness, humility, and deep intuition. Mallory shares how self-trust has evolved for her—through major transitions, through motherhood, and through the pressure of scaling a rapidly growing brand.They explore what success means to her now and how she knows when something is (or isn’t) aligned. Her honesty is both inspiring and grounding and serves as a reminder that you don’t need a perfect plan to build something meaningful. Just the next right step and the courage to take it.Links & ResourcesBorn Primitive: https://bornprimitive.com/Born Primitive on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitive/Connect with Mallory: https://www.instagram.com/mallorybrnprmtv/Learn more about the Trust Yourself Podcast® and Kaitlyn’s work through Copy Uncorked: https://copyuncorked.com/trust-yourself-podcast