We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kristin Pridgen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kristin below.

Hi Kristin, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

I have this mantra written in my office: “I will boldly walk in my God-given calling and create space for others to do the same.” That’s the legacy I hope to leave, not just through my work but overall as a person. I want to lay down a trail that shows how I’m doing what I’m assigned to do, glorifying Christ, and helping people experience life to the full. I imagine the world looking a lot different if we all freely operated in our unique gifts and allowed others to do so as well. I want to do my part in making that a reality.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Sure. I’m a creative and use the art of storytelling to build community and connection among people. I have personal creative outlets like my blog and podcast, but my main offering is copywriting and brand messaging strategy through my business, Harper Kea Storytelling.

In that role, I help creative entrepreneurs and wellness brands find the right words to convey their personalities and build loyal connections with their customers. One of my primary services is brand messaging strategy, the map of how a brand should communicate to its audience. I give each client a 20-page guidebook with a tailored story, voice, and vocabulary for them to use. I also offer done-for-you copywriting services where I write websites, sales pages, and emails.

I grew up loving folklore and family tales and frequently wrote my own short stories. I noticed how people would center around a good story and used that approach throughout my career in public health and entrepreneurship.

After four years of owning a holistic skincare company, I pivoted to copywriting and brand storytelling, a form of digital marketing. I wanted to help other entrepreneurs and small business owners find an effective way to tell their stories and better connect with their customers. I love how working in digital marketing combines my education and career background with my passion for narrative and creativity.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the belief that failure defines you. I tended to view failure as a character trait, like someone saying, “I failed this; therefore, I am a failure.” There was a lot of shame in my way of thinking; a lot of perfectionism I had–and still have–to overcome. I was that kid in school who would cry if I made a B on a test. It was always “perfection or bust” for me. But going into entrepreneurship, I soon learned that the “bust” would happen more times than you’d think or prefer.

My skincare business was my entry point into entrepreneurship. She was my baby; she had to thrive. I knew statistics say 50% of small businesses don’t make it past five years, so I was determined not to be a part of that percentage. I couldn’t fail. But I was so caught up in not failing that I made many mistakes with that company. Products that I thought would be a raving hit barely sold, and I lost money on the materials to make them. I spent thousands of dollars on a trademark that wasn’t approved. There were no breaks in my weekly routine for quality time with friends and family. Yes, the business had some big hits that helped it grow, but the misses stung and broke me down each time. When the business finally made a profit, I was burned out and reeling from all my failures along the way; I couldn’t even enjoy it.

And adding to my struggling skincare line was an apparel brand that didn’t take off as I had hoped and a social event I co-hosted that was canceled due to no ticket sales. I took every loss personally and allowed my poor business decisions and setbacks to negatively define who I was. I took on the label of “failure.”

It required time away from the business, prayer, and guidance (hello, therapy) to unlearn my belief about failure. Now I know failure isn’t a personality trait. We don’t have to allow our setbacks to define us; we can use failure as a tool to evaluate what went wrong and apply the lessons learned to improve. Yeah, my skincare business closed, and my other ventures didn’t take off. Still, from them, I realized what not to do in business and gained real experience with brand communications. I learned how to do customer research, which is essential for any business, but especially for digital marketing. And all of those emails, sales pages, and product descriptions I wrote helped me sharpen my craft for copywriting. It allowed me to improve my skills and give my best to my brand messaging clients.

I think that’s the biggest takeaway from unlearning that lesson about failure: I can give my best. I can let go of the desire for perfection because it isn’t real. Now that’s still a work in progress for me, but I’m aware of it and have already seen and benefited from that mindset shift.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being creative?

While I love crafting a memorable story, I’d say the most rewarding aspect of this work is seeing how my clients respond to their brand messaging.

Oftentimes, my clients will have a vision of how they want their business to communicate, but they’re unsure how to make it a reality. Or they assume their story isn’t remarkable and will share a generic explanation of their business.

I love finding those hidden gems in their backstory and mapping out the framework of how their brand should communicate. It’s exciting to craft a brand persona and messaging style that truly reflects their values and connects with their target audience.

The rewarding moment is when the client receives their brand messaging guidebook and copy. I can see their eyes light up as they discover their unique brand voice and style. It’s theirs. And I see them begin to own their story–even the quirky tidbits they once thought were insignificant. I often tell my clients that their brand is “one of one,” and I use their brand messaging to reflect that. Once they accept their brand story and follow a proven communication strategy, then the magic happens. Their business becomes a memorable, unique brand. I love those moments.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.harperkea.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/harperkeastorytelling
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harperkeastorytelling
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/harper-kea-storytelling
• Other: Stay connected with me! www.kristinpridgen.com

Image Credits
Flashpoint Photography and CE Studios