Kayla Hollatz shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Kayla, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I’m a long-time fan of well-timed comedy writing. While I’m a writer by trade, comedy writing is one discipline where I’d rather be an audience member than a practitioner. Unlike the copywriting, poetry, and essays I write, comedy provides me with a healthy escape from the mundanity of everyday life.
For the last few years, I’ve been navigating a grieving season, and comedy has been a welcome companion along the journey. Everything from rewatching my favorite comfort shows—like The Office, Parks & Rec, and Freaks & Geeks, to name a few—to experiencing live standup comedy shows in Minneapolis has been a joy. Laughter may not be the very best medicine, but it certainly is a balm to a grieving soul.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
If it’s our first time meeting, I’m Kayla Hollatz, a copywriter and website strategist who loves working with creative entrepreneurs and founder-led brands. I’m also the creator of WireFramework Method™, a website wireframing and strategy framework based on my decade-long experience and process. I bring conversion strategy, SEO, storytelling, and brand voice development back into the copywriting conversation, joyfully collaborating with clients with my “strategy first, words second” approach.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I still remember navigating through a season of radical self-discovery in my early 20s after my first business failed. I sought the advice of my closest friends and family to ask them to describe me in three words—not from a business perspective but rather from a personal lens. To this day, I don’t remember anyone else’s words but those from my father.
My dad described me as “sensitive, hard-working, and fun-loving.”
At the time, I was a little disheartened to have a spotlight on my sensitivity—something that was always posed as a negative trait, which I now see as a positive. However, “hard-working” felt like a badge of honor as he was the hardest-working person I knew. When I heard him say “fun-loving,” though, I hardly believed him. As an old soul, my definition of fun looked drastically different from my peers, but it spoke to our relationship and the way he saw me.
I try to infuse all of these traits into my business: (1) sensitivity through my warm and accommodating spirit, (2) hard-working through my relentless work ethic and commitment to excellence, and (3) fun-loving through my high-energy presence and ability to approach work with a playful attitude.
In these ways, I hope to honor my dad and his legacy of love and fierce determination.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would say to listen when the people you love tell you that you’re being too self-critical. No one has a higher standard for me than I have for myself. I always believe I can be more—more productive, more compassionate, more accomplished… the list goes on.
I wish more entrepreneurs talked about how difficult it is when you fall short of your own lofty expectations. I’ve learned I can’t partner with a self-critical spirit. It will never take me where I want to go. Instead, I’d tell my younger self to partner with self-compassion and grow in the spiritual fruit of gentleness. Only then can you create from a place of stability and groundedness.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’ve been engaged in a trademark registration process for over two years, and it’s been the ultimate waiting game. There have been so many rounds of collecting evidence, navigating rejections, and crafting rebuttals, but the end is coming soon. It’s taught me a lot about patience and believing the timing will work in my favor in the end.
The trademark is to cement the name of my unique wireframing process, but I’m holding the outcome loosely. It may or may not be successfully registered, but for now, I wait in hope.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
As someone who used to have my identity connected to my work, this question would have scared me. Now, with my identity firmly rooted in Jesus, my faith is the most important part of me that would remain. I think more about the person I’m becoming these days rather than what the world wants me to create or produce. I care more about how I’m being shaped by love than the opinions of other people. I’m not defined by the world anymore, and there’s an everlasting peace that comes from that shift.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kaylahollatz.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylahollatz
- Other: Substack: www.threemph.com
Image Credits
Photo Credit: Aly Cross Photography (alycrossphotography.com)
