Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Casey Kidwell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Casey, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

To be honest, I think I’ve always known. A deep-rooted part of me, call it my inner voice, my intuition, my gut, has always been compelled by pursuing a career in some creative capacity. I studied Business Marketing in school because I wanted to have a degree that could be applicable to numerous fields not yet knowing which exactly I wanted to explore, but I chose Marketing specifically because I saw it as the ‘creative way’ to pursue business.

I remember being 22 years old, sitting in an interview with one of the biggest companies in the world, the company that would soon employ me for over seven years, telling them that I never imagined myself in a traditional ‘9-5 job.’ Can you imagine!? Joke’s on me as days after that interview I said yes to my first job offer as a college graduate and entered the work force in a 9-5 job…Perhaps not super traditional but it was Corporate America alright.

I would spend years trying to navigate the politics, the corporate structure, the ins and outs of the working world and while all of that seemed to change on a weekly basis, one thing always remained – that inner voice, that 22 year old me saying ‘I never imagined myself in a traditional 9-5 job…’

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi friends! I’m Casey, a Freelance Creative living, working and playing in Austin, Texas. After 7.5 years working in Sales and Marketing in the athletic apparel industry, I left Corporate America to pursue life as a solo-preneur. I specialize in creative copywriting, copyediting and manifesto writing and love partnering with brands and individuals to bring their ideas to life through the written word.

I’m also a lifestyle blogger focused on showcasing local gems in my home state, vintage and thrifted fashion and home decor as well as healthy and happy living. I left Corporate America at the end of 2022 so while life as a solo-preneur is still a new adventure for me, I have a lot of projects in the works that I’m very much looking forward to in 2023!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The pursuit of discovering my purpose and living a life of pure, unadulterated bliss along the way. I spent WAY too many years staving off bouts of Sunday Scaries and waking up begging for just five more minutes before I had to get my day started and inevitably sit in front of a computer screen jumping from zoom call to zoom call while staying on top of an inbox flooded with emails. Going back to that 22-year-old me, I always knew there was more to this life, more for me, seeking me as much as I was seeking it. Nowadays, what drives me is that inner voice. What drives me is knowing that I am meant for more, that this big, bold, creative life I’ve always dreamed of truly is within reach. We’re only gifted this one life and what a shame it would be for me not to squeeze every single ounce out of it. What a shame it would be not to set my soul on fire in pursuit of that which lights me up. What a shame it would be to waste another minute doing things that don’t energize and uplift me. That’s what drives me and what I hope to inspire others to do along with me on this crazy, creative journey of mine.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

As a voracious reader, books are my favorite way to learn and educate myself across a variety of topics. Since 2020 I’ve aimed to read 50 books a year which, as you can imagine, makes for a lot of books in a fairly short period of time! That being said, while difficult (read as darn near IMPOSSIBLE!) to narrow it all down, here are some of my favorites that have left a lasting impression on me as an entrepreneur, a creative, a teammate and a leader: The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work by Shawn Achor; The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What you Were Meant to Do by Jeff Goins; Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything by BJ Fogg, Ph.D; The Multi-Hyphen Life: Work Less, Create More and Design a Life that Works for You by Emma Gannon and Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live by Martha Beck.

Even as I’m looking at that list I’m feeling anxious thinking of all the other amazing ones I regrettably left out! When you read as much as I do, books (especially the great ones!) can feel like your babies! I know they do for me. Should you be interested in expanding upon the aforementioned recommended reading list please don’t hesitate to reach out or check out my blog, AlmostFabulousMe.com as well as my Instagram @almostfabme or TikTok @almostfabme where I share plenty more recommended reads.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.almostfabulousme.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/almostfabme/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-kidwell-a8236b56/
• TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@almostfabme?lang=en