Meet Kahli Schroeder

We were lucky to catch up with Kahli Schroeder recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kahli , looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

My work ethic didn’t just appear out of nowhere — it was deeply rooted in the everyday example I had growing up. I was lucky enough to witness what real dedication looks like in the quiet, consistent actions of my parents. They showed up — for their jobs, for our family, for their responsibilities — day in and day out. Not because it was easy or glamorous, but because it mattered.

They didn’t need to give big speeches about hard work — their actions said everything. I watched them stay late when it was necessary, wake up early when it wasn’t convenient, and do what needed to be done without complaint or excuse. They gave their best even when no one was watching, and that shaped my entire understanding of commitment, resilience, and pride in your work.

That example stuck with me — not just in the way I approached school, or work as an adult, but especially when I began to dream about building something of my own. I knew that stepping outside the safety and structure of the traditional path — especially one as stable as education — would mean working harder than most people would see. And I was ready for that, because I had seen what it takes.

When I started Kahli Made, I was still working full-time. I was also a new mom, navigating the life-changing shift of raising a baby while holding onto this deep creative dream that had lived in me for years. I’d wake up before sunrise to work on designs, spend evenings packing orders once my daughter was asleep, and use every spare moment on weekends to slowly build something that felt true to who I was.

The brand didn’t take off overnight. There were no shortcuts, no viral moments — just hundreds of hours behind the scenes, filled with trial and error, quiet victories, and a lot of staying disciplined when it would’ve been easier to quit or coast.

I built Kahli Made in the in-between moments — the unglamorous ones. At the kitchen table. In my car during breaks. Late at night while the rest of the house slept. And every time I felt tired, or discouraged, or like I was moving too slowly, I came back to the example my parents gave me: Keep showing up. Do it with love. And trust that the work you pour in — even when it’s unseen — is laying the foundation for something meaningful.

That work ethic is now the heartbeat of everything I’ve built. It’s infused into every handmade product, every thoughtful design, every creative service, and every collaboration. It’s the reason I care so deeply about the details. The reason I always go the extra mile. The reason I pour my whole heart into this brand.

Kahli Made is more than a business — it’s a reflection of my roots, my dreams, and the values I carry with me every single day. And I hope that everything I create carries even just a piece of that spirit forward — the quiet kind of strength that builds beautiful things, one intentional step at a time.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

The Kahli Made Story
Handmade with Heart, Built on Purpose

Kahli Made started as a dream rooted in color, creativity, and childhood memories — and it’s grown into a full expression of who I am, where I’ve come from, and what I believe in.

I’ve always been a maker at heart. Growing up in the 90s and early 2000s, I was deeply inspired by the bold, playful energy of the time — glittery lip glosses, butterfly clips, charm bracelets, beaded chokers, and sticker-covered everything. That era wasn’t just a vibe — it was a feeling: expressive, girly, fearless, and fun. It gave me permission to be bold, bright, and fully myself — and that spirit never left me.

My mom played a huge role in shaping that creative spark. She was the original crafty queen, always setting up projects for my sister and me — from handmade jewelry to beading to DIY gifts. She taught us not just how to create, but how to love the process. I still remember sitting at the kitchen table for hours, sorting beads, trying new patterns, and feeling so proud when I made something beautiful with my own two hands. Those early memories are the soul of Kahli Made.

That love for art followed me into adulthood — and eventually into the classroom. I spent five years teaching elementary art, pouring my creativity into my students and learning how powerful art could be as a tool for confidence, identity, and joy. But even while I was teaching, there was this quiet voice inside me saying: You’re meant to build something of your own, too.

So in between lesson plans and grading, I started creating. First, just for fun. Then, as a side hustle. Then, as something I couldn’t imagine not doing.

I built Kahli Made during early mornings before school, late nights after putting my daughter to bed, and weekends spent learning how to turn a creative passion into a brand. Becoming a girl mom only deepened that purpose — I wanted her to grow up knowing she could build her own dreams from the ground up, just like I was doing. I wanted her to see me not just teaching creativity, but living it.

Kahli Made is more than handmade accessories and cosmetics. It’s more than branding or digital design. It’s a love letter to my childhood, to my mom’s crafting table, to the fearless fashion of the 90s, and to the belief that creativity can be a career, a community, and a calling.

Today, Kahli Made Collective brings it all together — from handmade pieces that celebrate girlhood and nostalgia, to digital design that helps other creatives bring their dreams to life, to workshops and events that bring people together in real life.

Every piece, every project, every product is made with intention, inspired by the past, and rooted in the future I’m building — for myself, for my daughter, and for everyone who believes in creating a life that feels like you.

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?

Building Kahli Made has been a journey of heart, hustle, and creative growth — one that’s pushed me, shaped me, and ultimately helped me discover my purpose in a way I never imagined. If I had to narrow it all down, there are three qualities and areas of growth that have truly made the biggest impact on my journey so far:

1. Consistency & Discipline
It might sound simple, but the act of showing up day after day — especially when no one is watching, cheering, or even buying — is what built the foundation of Kahli Made. I started this brand while working full-time as an elementary art teacher. I was balancing lesson planning, grading, and pouring into my students every day, while also carving out time early in the mornings, late at night, and on weekends to bring this dream to life. There were no shortcuts, no overnight successes — just tiny steps stacked over time.

📝 Advice: Don’t wait for perfect timing or ideal conditions. They rarely come. Start small. Start messy. Start now. Carve out whatever time you can consistently commit to, and protect it like it matters — because it does. Maybe it’s 30 minutes after your kids go to bed, or a few hours each weekend. Whatever it is, make it sacred. Those small, consistent blocks of time are what build long-term trust — in yourself, your process, and your vision.
2. Creative Adaptability
Creativity has always been a core part of my life — from growing up taking art classes, to making jewelry with my mom and sister, to eventually teaching art in the classroom. But building Kahli Made meant stretching myself into new creative spaces I’d never been trained in. I had to teach myself product photography, branding, packaging, digital design, marketing, and more. I didn’t have a degree in business or design — I had a deep desire to create and a willingness to figure things out along the way.

What kept me going was curiosity. Every new challenge — whether it was learning how to edit a website, design a logo, or run a pop-up — became an opportunity to grow.

📝 Advice: Don’t be afraid to be a beginner. So much of this work is learned by doing, not waiting until you feel “ready.” You don’t need to know everything to get started — you just need to be willing to try, fail, pivot, and learn forward. Tap into resources like YouTube, online workshops, or creative communities. Ask questions. Stay curious. It’s okay to evolve — in fact, it’s essential.
3. Connection & Community
If there’s one thing that makes Kahli Made more than just a business, it’s the people. Every charm bracelet sold, every branding project designed, every story shared at a workshop or pop-up — it all comes back to connection. From customers who found joy in the nostalgia of handmade accessories, to the fellow creatives and small biz owners I’ve collaborated with — community has been the heartbeat of everything.

Kahli Made grew because of real relationships. I didn’t just want to sell things — I wanted to inspire, uplift, and create a space where others felt seen, celebrated, and supported in their own creative dreams.

📝 Advice: Don’t be afraid to show the human side of your brand. Share your process, your story, your mistakes, your wins. People connect with you, not just your product. Show up authentically online and in person. Build relationships. Collaborate. Ask questions. Cheer others on. When you build community around your brand, your work becomes something much bigger than yourself — and infinitely more meaningful.

You don’t need to have all the answers or a perfect plan to begin. You just need to start where you are, stay rooted in your “why,” and commit to growing as you go. That’s exactly how Kahli Made was built — piece by piece, through early mornings, late nights, a lot of trial and error, and a whole lot of heart.

So if you’re at the beginning of your journey, wondering if you have what it takes — you do. You already have the spark. Now all that’s left is to keep showing up and fan it into something beautiful.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert has been one of the most important books in my creative journey. I read it right around the time I was beginning to take Kahli Made seriously — not just as a fun outlet, but as something I could really grow into a brand. It felt like a permission slip I didn’t know I needed — to be curious, to trust my instincts, and to create without apology.

Here are a few of the most impactful nuggets of wisdom that have stayed with me:

1. “Done is better than good.”

This shook me in the best way. As a creative person, it’s easy to obsess over perfection, especially when you’re putting your work out into the world. But Big Magic reminded me that perfectionism kills momentum. It’s far better to finish something and share it than to sit on an idea forever waiting for it to be flawless. That mindset helped me actually launch things — from products to services to events — without overthinking every detail.

2. You don’t need permission to create.

Gilbert talks about how no one is coming to officially tell you you’re allowed to be an artist, a maker, or a creative entrepreneur. You have to give yourself that permission. That message gave me the confidence to stop waiting until I felt “ready” and just start. That’s how Kahli Made was born — not because I had a perfect plan, but because I finally decided to act on the creative nudges I’d been feeling for years.

3. Ideas are living things — respect them.

One of the most magical parts of the book is the idea that creative ideas come to us like little visitors, and if we don’t grab them and take action, they’ll move on to someone else. It taught me to listen more closely when inspiration shows up — and to treat those sparks as sacred. That’s how some of my best products and workshop ideas came to life — by saying yes before I talked myself out of it.

Big Magic helped me let go of fear, stop romanticizing perfection, and start building a creative life based on trust, joy, and momentum. I truly believe that book helped me take Kahli Made from a dream to a reality — and continues to guide how I create today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shopkahlimade.com
• Instagram: @shopkahlimade
• Facebook: Kahli Made

Image Credits

Hayley Geeseman: Chic Shed Studio