From Corporate Buyer to Creator: Katie Rudicil on Leaving Retail, Finding a Niche, and Staying Consistent on TikTok.

This week on The Hype Squad, Charli welcomes Katie Rudicil to discuss Katie’s transition from a 15-year career as a corporate buyer for retailers including Zulily, Lane Bryant, Victoria’s Secret, and Ashley Furniture to pursuing content creation and rebuilding her online boutique, Katie Lizzy. Katie shares feeling trapped in the corporate mindset, wanting “something more,” and the challenges of full-time influencing, including burnout, consistency, algorithm uncertainty, and fear of judgment and perfectionism. They unpack what made a three-second Dunkin’ drive-thru hair video go viral, debate influencer haul backlash and shadowbanning, and explore strategies like going live, posting timing, and focusing on story-driven, relatable content—especially for current or post-corporate women. Katie also recounts moving from Ohio to Florida on a whim during the pandemic and ends by bragging about being a risk-taker.

Connect with Katie:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok: @‌katierudicil

Connect with Charli:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.charlimcconnell.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@charli_mcconnell_co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cmco.womenscoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌charli_mcconnell_co

This week on The Hype Squad, Charli welcomes Leah Morrison, founder of Serenity Design Interiors, who shares how repeated moves in Rhode Island helped her develop interior design skills and confidence.

Leah describes her intuitive process for understanding clients’ styles, using mood boards and optional 3D renderings, and handling shopping and returns, while advocating for color and personality over all-white trends. She discusses inspiration sources like HomeGoods, Hobby Lobby, World Market, local shops, and plants, and explains how she curated an Arizona-inspired “Oasis” home after purging most belongings when moving to Auburn.

Leah also explains her prior work as a professional matchmaker arranging blind dates, draws parallels to “matching” people with spaces, emphasizes rest and weekly Sabbath practices, and brags about being unapologetically herself, shaped by her faith and a transformative year living in Germany.

Connect with Leah Morrison:

Instagram: @serenity_designinteriors

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Serenity Design Interiors

Connect with Charli:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.charlimcconnell.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@charli_mcconnell_co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cmco.womenscoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌charli_mcconnell_co

In this episode of The Hype Squad, Charli chats with Jean Brunson, owner of Jean Brunson Photography, to discuss the art of creating empowering photographic experiences. Jean shares insights into her background, ranging from being a backpacking guide to transitioning to studio photography and ultimately specializing in boudoir and fine art photography.

The conversation touches on the importance of feeling seen and valued, the complexities of posing for the camera, the significance of embracing one's body, and the journey of self-discovery. Jean and Charli also explore the challenges of social media in marketing their businesses and emphasize the transformative power of professional photo shoots.

Connect with Jean Brunson:

Instagram: @jeanbrunsonphotography

Website: jeanbrunsonphotography.com

Facebook: jeanbrunsonphotography

Connect with Charli:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.charlimcconnell.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@charli_mcconnell_co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cmco.womenscoach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌charli_mcconnell_co