Meet Kyla Cook

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kyla Cook. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kyla, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us today. We’re excited to dive into your story and your work, but first let’s start with a broader topic that might be stopping many of our readers from pursuing their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. How have you managed to persist despite haters and nay-sayers that inevitably follow folks who are doing something unique, special or off the beaten path?
Persisting Despite the Noise I never imagined my first lesson in persistence would come wrapped in betrayal—right as I launched the most exciting project of my creative life. I had just launched my podcast, You Don’t Even Know! The mic was still warm when a co-host I trusted attempted to turn her platform against my own. What followed was a crash course in boundaries, self-trust, and showing up for my audience even when it hurt.

The Turn I Couldn’t Ignore
At first, we were aligned. I brought vision, structure, and purpose; she brought energy and amplification. Then the criticisms shifted from subtle to public—questioning my leadership, painting my clarity as “control,” and eventually telling people not to listen. It hit my audience and my spirit. I did what I do best: communicated clearly, documented consistently, and offered a reset. When the pattern didn’t change, I respectfully dismissed her. That’s when the slander ramped up—loud, messy, and designed to separate me from our community.

What It Cost—and What It Clarified
Mental Health: Constant monitoring and bracing for the next post drained me. I chose nervous-system care over nonstop defense. Hurt people, hurt people. So, I reasoned with her and her misfortunes, voiced my peace and moved forward with the show.

Community Trust: I learned trust isn’t won by arguing louder—it’s earned through consistency, transparency, and steadiness. You are a reflection of your work and, quite frankly, the company you keep, and I simply did not want my vision being tainted by proxy.

Creative Focus: Chaos is creativity’s enemy. I re-centered the show’s mission so the noise didn’t become the narrative.

How I Persist in Practice
Name the Harm, Protect the Story: I acknowledge what happens without feeding the fire. I share calm, value-led updates and keep it moving.

Document and Set Guardrails: I keep clean records, tighten access, and use clear contributor agreements. Trust is a gift; access is earned.

Care for My Capacity: Rest, prayer, walks, journaling—because leadership requires regulation.

Double Down on the Work: I have poured into these episodes for years, inviting intentional guests and engaging listeners directly. I ask for feedback and turn their questions into content, letting the quality speak where I refuse to argue. I’ve also been adding interactive widgets to my website (udontevenknow.co), building new collaborations, launching merch, and more.

Call in Community: Mentors, peers, and listeners remind me I’m not alone—and that perspective beats isolation.

What Stayed—and What Strengthened
Audience Alignment: Some left. The right ones stayed and leaned closer. The conversations are deeper because the container is clean.

Creative Freedom: No more negotiating my vision. The mission is intact, and the message is clearer.

Self-Trust: I didn’t abandon myself to keep the peace. Now the peace is real—not performative.

My Cadence Moving Forward
Purpose Check: Why this episode? Why now? Who needs it?

Boundary Check: Are roles, expectations, and access clear—and written?

Wellness Check: Do I have the bandwidth to hold this? If not, what pauses?

Community Check: Have I invited my audience in with transparency and care?

I won’t pretend it didn’t hurt. It did. But the loudest thing about me will be my work and work ethic. I persist by choosing purpose over performance, stewardship over spectacle, and truth over tug-of-war. You Don’t Even Know! is here to make space for real conversations—still building space for real conversations, with clarity, courage, and a mic that’s not going quiet.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Kyla Cook — a curriculum-focused creator, podcast host, and community advocate based in Memphis, TN. My work lives at the intersection of storytelling, strategy, and soul. Whether I’m scripting an episode, designing a behavior chart, or helping a teen prep for a job interview, I build tools that are heartfelt, functional, and rooted in real life. Safe to say, I live where narration, advocacy, and design meet purpose.

I wear a few hats:
• Host of You Don’t Even Know! — a podcast for truth-telling, healing, and community-led conversations
• Founder and Head of Programs & Outreach at Closed Spaces Inc.
• Web Content Manager for Kesha Cook LLC
Each role reflects my commitment to clarity, compassion, and creative impact.

Who We Are
Closed Spaces Inc. and I create spaces — on-mic, online, and in community — where safety isn’t just a promise, it’s a practice. Where a Safe Place Is a Closed Case.
We believe that sharing raw personal experiences can be a tool for healing, advocacy, and transformation. And we know: You Don’t Even Know how your story could impact someone else’s life, shift someone’s perspective, soften their grief, or spark their next move.
If you want the fuller backstory, check out my previous features in Memphis Voyager and Canva Rebel Magazines online! We are still building. Still listening. And always making space for stories that matter.

What We Do
Podcast and Platform: You Don’t Even Know! — candid conversations, community-driven topics, and listener-led content.

Education and Resources: Early-childhood curricula, printables, and interactive tools that make learning joyful and doable. Resume building and mock interviewing is also a skill I utilize with teens and young adults.

Creative Services: Strategy, messaging, and collaborative builds for purpose-led projects and events.

What’s Special
Clarity with Compassion: We tell the truth without theatrics — and turn lessons into tools.

Structure That Flexes: Systems that work in real households, real classrooms, real teams.

Community-First: Listeners help shape episodes; feedback becomes content.

What’s New
Interactive Site Updates: Fresh widgets and features at udontevenknow.co to deepen listener engagement.

Collabs and Guests: Intentional partnerships and voices expanding our conversations.

Merch Drops: Message-led pieces that carry the mission offline.

Bookings: Event and feature inquiries now streamlined through our site; promos announced via episodes and newsletter.
If you’re looking to add a quick “elevator pitch” for your small business to advertise during the show or just shouting out your favorite local hangouts for grand customer service, feel free to check out our services on our website for more information on how to book us for a panel, live event, or advertisement. You can even do a few practice runs before recording via SpeakPipe voice message and submit your entries today!

Subscriber Push: Be sure to subscribe through whichever app you use to listen to podcasts—especially Spotify! We’re shooting for 500 subscribers to unlock exclusive content and deeper, more mature conversations. We are also available on iHeart, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Amazon!

Whether you’re a parent, a creative, or someone just trying to make sense of the noise — there’s space for you here. Come listen, collaborate, or build with us.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, the three most impactful tools in my journey weren’t just skills—they were survival strategies. They helped me navigate advocacy, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and creative leadership with clarity and conviction.

1. Emotional Intelligence and Boundary-Setting
I had to learn how to read the room, hold space, and still protect my peace. Whether I’m advocating for my children in school settings or managing creative collaborations, emotional intelligence helps me respond—not react. And boundaries? They’re not walls—they’re doors with locks I control.

Advice: Start by naming what drains you and what fuels you. Practice saying “no” without a paragraph. Your clarity will attract the right people and repel the ones who were never meant to stay.

2. Documentation and Strategic Communication
Receipts matter. Whether I’m emailing a school, drafting a podcast statement, or organizing transcripts for ESA applications, clear documentation protects my time, my truth, and my children. Strategic communication isn’t just about being heard—it’s about being undeniable.

Advice: Keep a folder. Screenshot the nonsense. Write with dates, facts, and calm tone. You don’t need to be loud—you need to be clear. And clarity is power.

3. Creative Resourcefulness
From curriculum planning to podcast production, I’ve built entire systems from scratch using what I had—printer paper, Canva, voice memos, and grit. I design behavior charts, heartfelt messages, and interactive tools that meet real needs in real time for people that we interact with throughout our day-to-day lives.

Advice: Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Start with what’s in your hands. Creativity isn’t about having more — it’s about making more out of less. Your resourcefulness will become your signature.

These three qualities — emotional intelligence, strategic communication, and creative resourcefulness — have shaped every part of my journey. These aren’t just skills. They are the scaffolding of my story — and the reason I am still standing, still building, and still believing in what’s next.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Collaboration is at the heart of everything I build — and I’m always open to working with likeminded individuals who bring fresh energy, lived experience, and purpose.

Yes, we are always looking to collaborate—especially with new talent who bring knowledge, perspective, and self-motivation. Right now, I’m actively seeking a new co-host for future episodes of You Don’t Even Know! If you’re passionate about real conversations, community impact, and storytelling that matters, I’d love to hear from you.

I’m also open to ghostwritten dialogue contributions—if writing behind the scenes is more your lane, let’s talk!

Feel free to send your resumes or pitches to [email protected] anytime. Let me know what you vibe with, what you bring, and how you see yourself adding to the mission. If our missions align, let’s create something that moves people — and makes space for what matters.

Contact Info:

Website: https://www.udontevenknow.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_anopenspace?fbclid=IwAR0LJty50n9u-n3AWeEMHvE2_mRY0Ln6uwcxIJIukaFOw5NBacHh-dHgdRQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/closedspacesinc
Twitter: https://x.com/_anopenspace
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@closedspacesinc
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/kyla-cook-2
Other: https://www.anopenspace.art

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