One of the best parts of hosting a podcast is when a planned conversation expands into something so much deeper. That’s exactly what happened when I sat down with Kelsey Carter for this episode of The Marketing in Action Podcast. We planned to talk about personal branding and habit stacking, but what unfolded was a conversation about identity, empathy, and how to show up in every area of life as your full self.
We kicked things off by talking about Atomic Habits. Kelsey shared how she used habit stacking to create routines that worked for her, not just at the gym, but at work and in her day-to-day life. She mentioned something simple that stuck with me. After she drops her daughter off at school, she goes straight to the gym. The cue is built into her day. That’s the key. Use what’s already happening in your routine to build something more. She also talked about how her ADHD, instead of being a limitation, has become a strength. She’s able to build structure around the chaos, and that structure supports her personal and professional growth.
We also got into the way Kelsey shows up online, especially on LinkedIn. She’s real. She doesn’t filter out the parts of her life that people might say don’t belong in a professional setting. She shares about being a single mom. She talks about her mental health. And in doing that, she cuts through all the polished, impersonal content and connects with people. Her take is that your personal brand is happening whether or not you’re actively shaping it. So you might as well make sure it actually reflects who you are.
Kelsey said something that I’ve been thinking about ever since. “I am the same person at work, at home, and online.” That idea might feel uncomfortable if you’ve been taught to compartmentalize your life. But it’s freeing. If you’re showing up consistently in every area, you don’t have to keep track of different versions of yourself. And if you’re building a personal brand, that kind of alignment creates real connection.
The conversation then took a turn into something even more layered. We started talking about empathy, divisive topics, and how to navigate the pressure to speak on issues that are outside your core message. Kelsey made the point that just because you don’t speak on everything doesn’t mean you don’t care. It means you’re choosing connection. She wants to meet people where they are, and she doesn’t want to block that connection by making her platform about division. That doesn’t mean hiding who you are. It means being intentional about what you share and how you share it.
We talked about how each of us is shaped by different identities, life experiences, and daily realities. And we also talked about how easy it is to assume others think the way we do. Kelsey reminded me that even if we’re sitting in the same room, having the same conversation, we’re still experiencing it differently. That’s where empathy starts. You don’t need to understand everything about someone’s background. But you can choose to respect that they are shaped by things you don’t see.
That kind of perspective takes work. It takes reflection. And it takes being willing to evolve. We closed the conversation by coming back to the idea of a personal why. Not just having one. But being okay with letting it grow. Your why can change. Your goals can shift. What matters is that you stay in tune with where you are right now and stay open to what’s next.
This was a powerful episode for me, and I think it will be for you too. Kelsey shared her story in a way that blends personal growth, professional branding, and the reminder that we’re all just figuring it out as we go.