We were lucky to catch up with Kristen O’Briant Fickeisen recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kristen, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome, for me, has never been about a lack of ability. It’s been about forgetting to fully acknowledge everything that brought me here.
What’s helped most is creating space for reflection. Not surface-level reflection, but really looking at my life, what I’ve been through, what I’ve learned, what was in my control and what wasn’t. When I take the time to do that honestly, I’m reminded that what I have is not nothing. It’s experience. It’s perspective. It’s earned wisdom.
I’ve come to believe that if you’re paying attention to your life, you develop a kind of “degree” in it. Maybe not formal, but real. We all carry insight that can help someone else, and remembering that shifts everything for me. It moves me from questioning my place to understanding that I have something meaningful to contribute.
Another thing that grounds me is conversation. When imposter syndrome starts to creep in, I don’t isolate. I get curious. I talk to people. I listen deeply to their stories, their struggles, how they’ve navigated their own challenges. Those conversations remind me that no one has it all figured out, and that we’re all learning in real time. It brings me back to the truth that our stories matter, and that sharing them is part of how we grow and stay connected.
Imposter syndrome, I’ve realized, is really just a form of fear. It shows up differently, but at its core, it’s the same thing, a hesitation to step fully into who you are and what you’ve built. And like any fear, it loses its power when you face it.
What I’ve noticed is that the moment you move through it, not around it, you come out stronger. More certain. More grounded in yourself. It doesn’t mean it never comes back, but it doesn’t feel the same. It becomes something you recognize instead of something that controls you.
That shift changed everything for me. Instead of waiting to feel ready or confident, I focus on continuing forward anyway, knowing that strength comes from action, not from avoiding the discomfort.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m the founder of Ko-Create Marketing, where I help entrepreneurs turn their visibility into real, consistent growth. A lot of the founders I work with are already putting in effort, posting, networking, trying different strategies, but they’re not seeing consistent results. What I’ve found is that it’s usually not a visibility problem, it’s a decision problem underneath the business.
I remember working with a founder who was doing everything right on paper. She was showing up consistently, investing in new strategies, staying visible, but nothing was converting. When we slowed down and really looked at what was underneath it, her offer was unclear, her audience wasn’t well defined, and her messaging kept shifting. It wasn’t a marketing issue. It was a foundation issue.
That realization is what led me to create Founder Build Lab™.
Founder Build Lab™ is a six-week program designed to help founders stop circling the same decisions and actually lock in the foundation of their business, things like niche, offer, positioning, and how to consistently attract the right customers. Instead of giving people more strategies, we focus on helping them make clear decisions and build something that actually works.
By the end, they walk away with a clear path for growth and a system they can execute with confidence.
From there, some founders choose to continue working with us through our marketing and visibility services, where we help bring that strategy to life and support them as they grow.
What excites me most is seeing the shift that happens when someone finally has clarity. They stop guessing, stop starting over, and start building momentum in a way that actually works.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, the three things that have made the biggest difference in my journey are self-awareness, decision-making, and curiosity.
Self-awareness was the starting point for everything. The more I understood how I think, how I work, what actually energizes me versus what drains me, the better decisions I could make. A lot of people try to follow someone else’s blueprint, but if it doesn’t match how you operate, it won’t hold. Taking the time to really understand yourself gives you a foundation you can actually build on.
Decision-making is the one I see most founders struggle with, and it’s the one that impacts growth the most. You can have great ideas, strong skills, and even a good strategy, but if you keep circling decisions or second-guessing yourself, nothing moves forward. Progress comes from making clear decisions, testing them, and adjusting, not from waiting for certainty.
Curiosity is what keeps everything evolving. It shows up in conversations, in listening, in being willing to ask better questions instead of rushing to answers. Some of the biggest shifts in my business have come from simply paying attention to what people are actually saying and being open enough to change direction when needed.
For anyone early in their journey, my advice is to focus less on collecting more information and more on building these three things. Learn to understand yourself, practice making decisions even when they feel uncomfortable, and stay curious enough to keep learning from real conversations and real experiences. That combination will take you further than any single strategy ever will.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I would love to connect with people who are building thoughtfully and are committed to doing things with intention.
The kinds of collaborations that excite me most are with founders, communities, and organizations that support entrepreneurs in meaningful ways, especially those working with service providers, creatives, and women in business who are in that “messy middle” stage of growth.
I’m especially drawn to partnering with people who value both strategy and depth, not just in business, but in personal and professional development as a whole. People who understand that growth is not about doing more, but about making better decisions, building something that actually works, and becoming the kind of person who can sustain it.
I’m also very interested in speaking engagements and conversations around mindset shifts, particularly the ways our business challenges reflect what’s happening in our personal lives and vice versa. That intersection is something I’m deeply passionate about, because real growth rarely happens in just one area.
Whether that looks like workshops, speaking, collaborative programs, or supporting communities through education and strategy, I’m interested in opportunities that create real value for the people being served.
The best way to connect is through my website (www.kocreatemarketing.com), Instagram @kocreatemarketing, or LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/kristenfickeisen)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kocreatemarketing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kocreatemarketing
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenfickeisen/
Image Credits
Headshot: Leigha Smith Photography
Lifestyle: Mariah Greene Photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
