The Art of Aligned Growth: The Visionary Journey of Kristen Fickeisen
Kristen O’Briant Fickeisen is the heart and mind behind Ko-Create Marketing—a boutique marketing and design studio where aligned strategy meets soulful storytelling. With a signature blend of clarity, creativity, and compassion, Kristen helps entrepreneurs grow their businesses from the inside out—without burnout or overwhelm.
Through brand strategy, coaching, content creation, and social media support, she guides purpose-driven leaders toward growth that feels sustainable, intuitive, and joyfully effective. But behind her expertise lies a powerful story of transformation—a story about navigating loss, honoring intuition, and rebuilding a life (and business) grounded in resilience and heart.
Q: What do you do and who do you serve?
Kristen: I’m a marketing strategist, creative coach, and founder of Ko-Create Marketing + Design. I work with small business owners—especially in the wellness, arts, entertainment, and real estate worlds—who are ready to grow with intention. Through one-on-one and group coaching, as well as boutique social media and design services, I help entrepreneurs find clarity, get unstuck, and reconnect with the soul of their work. Together, we build roadmaps rooted in authenticity and sustainability—because marketing should feel energizing, not exhausting.
Q: What inspired you to start your business or current career path?
Kristen: Ko-Create began at a crossroads. In 2020, I made the incredibly hard decision to close my yoga and tea house—just as the father of my children passed away. I was grieving, holding space for my kids, and questioning everything. And then… something unexpected happened. Clients and friends began reaching out—not for yoga or tea, but for help: with launches, newsletters, websites, social content.
It felt like a calling back to myself. With a background in photography, psychology, and marketing, I’d always been passionate about connection and storytelling. So I followed the breadcrumbs. What began as a few supportive calls evolved into a full boutique agency rooted in aligned growth. I now get to weave my creativity, compassion, and strategic thinking into work that supports others in a deeply meaningful way.
Q: What does success mean to you now, versus what it used to mean?
Kristen: Early on, success looked like filling workshops, hitting numbers, checking every box. Today, it’s about alignment and energy. I measure success by how much joy I bring into each project, the trust I build with clients, and the balance I maintain in my life. It’s about thriving—creatively and personally—not just producing. For me, success is being able to grow and rest. Serve and receive. It's living in harmony with my values: creativity, compassion, and sustainable momentum.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone in your industry just starting out?
Kristen: Keep it simple. Master one thing before trying to do everything. Get really good at that one core skill and let your confidence build from there. And don't underestimate the power of consistency—those small, aligned actions build real momentum. Track your wins, protect your rest, and remember: sustainable success comes when strategy and self-care walk hand in hand.
Alignment over hustle. Connection over perfection. Growth with peace of mind.”
— Kristen Fickeisen
Q: What lights you up outside of work?
Kristen: I’m lit up by golden-hour beach walks, spontaneous family road trips, and getting my hands dirty in our wild backyard garden full of heirloom tomatoes, herbs, and flowering vines. I love bubble baths with a good book, soulful hikes that overlook the ocean, and hot or aerial yoga classes that help me reconnect with my body.
But above all, it’s the quiet joy of being with my kids, cooking for loved ones, laughing with friends, and watching people I believe in shine. I love music, dancing, and those magical conversations that leave your heart full. I believe beauty lives in everyday connection—and I try to soak it in wherever I can.
Q: What are you currently learning, healing, or exploring?
Kristen: I’m learning to lean deeper into trust—especially in the spaces between “knowing” and “becoming.” I’m healing my relationship with hustle culture and learning how to expand without overextending. I’m exploring new ways to guide my clients and community through more intuitive, joy-based growth. More listening. More presence. More flow.
Q: What’s something about you people might not know—but should?
Kristen: I’m neurodivergent—I have ADHD—and it’s one of my greatest strengths. It gives me bursts of creativity, helps me connect dots in unexpected ways, and fuels my big-picture visioning. I've learned how to build structure around it with rituals and intentional pauses. That blend of freedom and flow is what helps me create fresh, aligned strategies for my clients.
Q: What are you currently celebrating (big or small)?
Kristen: I’m celebrating the launch of my free YouTube series and our first Growth Circle cohort—a beautiful group of entrepreneurs co-creating content calendars, sharing insights, and cheering each other on. I’m also celebrating my garden's tomato explosion, spontaneous kitchen dance parties with my kids, and the fact that my chihuahua insists on joining every Zoom call and adventure. These moments, big and small, are the heartbeat of my life—and I’m grateful for them all.
Q: If you could go back and tell a past version of yourself one thing, what would it be?
Kristen: I’d say: You don’t need to have it all figured out right now. Trust your energy. Lean into what lights you up. Give yourself permission to pause. The detours, the slow seasons, the unexpected pivots—those are the paths that will lead you to purpose. You’re not behind. You’re right on time. Just keep taking those small, aligned steps. You’re doing great, baby girl.
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Kristen O’Briant Fickeisen | Ko-Create Marketing + Design
Helping conscious businesses grow with clarity, creativity, and ease. Whether you're looking for soulful content strategy, coaching, or visual storytelling, Kristen brings the magic of aligned marketing to every client experience.
