I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes journey through the first two major “versions” of myself as an entrepreneur—what I call KJ 1.0 and KJ 2.0—and how each one shaped the business (and the woman) I’ve become.

Because let’s be honest:

You don’t stay the same in 17+ years of entrepreneurship.

And you shouldn’t.

What Are Business “Versions” and Why Do They Matter?

We all live our life in seasons. But often, as business owners—especially creatives—we don’t give ourselves permission to grow out of the version we used to be.

I’ve realized my growth has come in clear eras. I’ve started to name them:

• KJ 1.0 = The Hustler
• KJ 2.0 = The Scaler
• KJ 3.0 (where I am now) = The Refiner

When I look back, each version had a different purpose, and each version also had some blind spots!!

And if you’re feeling like your business doesn’t fit you anymore, or you’re quietly asking, “Is it okay to do things differently now?”…I hope sharing this with you might set you free!

 

KJ 1.0: Building Without Pressure (and Without Boundaries)

I started my business in college, not because I had to, but because I wanted to. 

There was no pressure to pay a mortgage or feed a family. It was just me, my camera, and a deep drive to see what I could build!

And I built fast.

I was the girl who’d shoot a wedding, race home, and stay up until 4am adding new portfolio images to my website—just to wake up four hours later and head to class. 

I’d hang out with friends, host gatherings, pack my schedule with social events… and then slip away to build this dream when everyone else was sleeping.

Looking back, it’s almost dizzying to remember! I wasn’t trying to prove anything to anyone. I genuinely loved it. 

Every shoot felt like fuel. 

Every inquiry felt like a win. 

I was addicted to the momentum and motivated by the thrill of what might come next.

But underneath all that energy was something else: a quiet fear.

I had no boundaries, no rest rhythms, no real understanding of sustainability. 

I believed (without even realizing it) that if I let my guard down or slowed my pace, everything I’d built might fall apart. 

So I kept pushing. I kept saying yes. I kept believing I had to do it all myself.

It wasn’t just scrappy…it was sacrificial.

If I booked a wedding, I’d use that income to buy the lens I needed for that wedding. 

I didn’t have parents shelling out money for gear or websites. 

I figured it out as I went. Hustle was the only option, and I made it work!

But what I didn’t know back then was that doing it all would cost more than I could see.

I carried this internal pressure that told me I was the only one responsible for our future, and that weight started showing up everywhere, especially in my marriage. 

Not because I didn’t love Michael, but because I genuinely didn’t know how to stop building long enough to see that what we had was already enough.

If I could go back, I’d hug that version of me and say…

“You’re doing amazing. You don’t have to earn the life you’ve already been given. You can build something beautiful and take a break. You don’t have to choose.”

KJ 1.0 taught me how to work hard, how to risk big, and how to pour myself into something I believe in.

But she also taught me what happens when your identity is wrapped up in performance and your worth is tied to output. 

And for me, that realization didn’t come until much later.

KJ 2.0: Scaling While Grieving

The shift into KJ 2.0 came quietly, disguised as a positive pregnancy test!

At the time, I was still saying yes to everything. 

Shooting 25+ weddings a year, teaching, launching products, traveling internationally. 

I was used to the chaos. I knew how to hustle. 

What I didn’t know was how much everything would change once I became a mom.

When I got pregnant with Evy, something shifted in my heart before she was even born. 

I couldn’t name it then, but I can now: it was the beginning of a deeper transformation. 

Suddenly, I wasn’t just thinking about building a business—I was thinking about building a life that could hold everything I cared about.

And then came the pain. Literal, physical pain.

One night, I bumped my hand on the fridge and something in my finger joint popped. 

The swelling, the throbbing, the burning—it didn’t stop. It got worse. I was nine months pregnant, in the bathtub alternating hot and cold water just to survive the pain. 

Screaming. Crying. I couldn’t type. I couldn’t blog. I couldn’t work!

And for the first time since 1.0 began, I had to stop.

Doctors eventually found a tumor in my hand, and it was that diagnosis (along with the reality of carrying new life) that forced me to lay everything down. 

It was also the first gift of 2.0.

Because when you’re forced to slow down, you start to see what you couldn’t when you were running.

I realized I’d built a business that was never meant to run on sheer effort alone. And in that pause, I started to ask new questions:

‘Can this business scale without me doing everything?’

‘Can I let people in to help?’

‘Can I create something that supports my life instead of consuming it?’

That’s when KJ All Access was born.

That’s when our digital courses began to scale.

That’s when I learned that the brand I had built was strong enough to carry me—even when I couldn’t carry it.

And then… our world shattered.

Evy was eight months old when we found out we were pregnant again…unexpectedly. 

But halfway through that pregnancy, we were told our baby boy wouldn’t survive. 

I carried him for three more months, knowing I wouldn’t get to keep him. 

And when James was born, he passed away the same day.

Everything stopped. Again.

But here’s the part that still feels wild to say:

That year, we had our highest revenue ever. Over $3 million.

Not because I was striving. Not because I was “on.”

But because I had spent years building a brand that was personal and trusted. 

And when I couldn’t show up polished, I could still show up as myself.

Sharing our story publicly wasn’t strategic. It wasn’t planned… it was just obedience. 

I wanted people to know who our son was. And as I did, I watched the threads of my life begin to weave into other people’s stories. 

Brides who had lost babies. Photographers walking through grief. Strangers who suddenly saw more than just a woman with a camera…they saw a human being.

And that’s when it clicked.

That is what a personal brand is.

A personal brand is not curated. It’s not a performance. It’s your presence.

Your lived experience. Your voice. Your values.

It’s the kind of connection that not only builds trust, but carries you when your strength runs out.

2.0 was a season of growth, yes… but not just in business. 

It was a season of surrender, becoming a mother, laying down the hustle and learning how to build with purpose.

And I found out: I could still grow. (And maybe even grow more.)

Because the version of me who had nothing left to prove was finally ready to lead from a deeper place.

 

How This Applies to Your Business

You might be in your 1.0 right now, running on passion and adrenaline, booking whatever you can, staying up too late, building something from scratch with a whole lot of grit and not a lot of margin. 

You’re chasing momentum, figuring it out as you go, and wondering if it’s okay to want more without burning out.

Or maybe you’re in your 2.0, realizing that your life has changed. 

Maybe you’ve had kids, or faced loss, or your capacity looks different than it used to. You’ve built something good, but now you’re asking: Can I keep doing it this way? Should I?

Maybe you’re starting to notice that your old way of working doesn’t fit anymore. Not because you’ve failed, but because you’ve grown.

And if that’s you, here’s the permission you may not have heard yet (but desperately need):

• You’re allowed to outgrow the business you once loved.
• You’re allowed to pivot, pause, or reimagine the way you show up.
• You’re allowed to build a business that serves your life—not swallows it.
• You’re allowed to honor the season you’re in, without apologizing for it.

Growth isn’t just about hitting new goals. It’s about becoming someone who no longer sacrifices their peace, their health, or their relationships in the name of performance.

And sometimes?

The most powerful thing you can do for your business is to stop trying to be the old you, and start showing up as the current you!

What Season Are You In?

If your business doesn’t feel like you anymore, or if you’re not sure what your brand is actually communicating…I made something to help!

“What Your Brand Says About You”

Is a free guide with audio coaching that is all about identity. Because your brand is saying something, even when you’re not speaking.

And if it doesn’t feel aligned, it’s worth paying attention!

Let’s make sure your brand sounds like the version of you you’re becoming, not the one you’ve outgrown.