From Weddings to Visibility Coaching: Kylie Kelly’s Journey to Empowering Female Entrepreneurs

At Website Planet, we sat down with Kylie Kelly, a Visibility Coach & Audience Growth Expert who helps female entrepreneurs grow businesses without the burnout of constant social media hustle. After more than a decade as a wedding photographer, the pandemic forced Kylie to pivot, and in doing so, she discovered her passion for teaching women how to build aligned, sustainable businesses. In this interview, she shares the story behind her transition, her signature RISE Framework, and why being bold in 2025 is about building your empire your way.

What inspired your transition from over a decade as a wedding photographer to becoming a visibility coach for female entrepreneurs?

When the pandemic hit in 2020, every single one of my weddings was cancelled overnight. It was the wake-up call I didn’t know I needed. By then, I also had two little kids at home, and the idea of spending every weekend away from them shooting weddings no longer felt aligned. I knew it was time to pivot.

Instead of trying to rebuild what I had, I leaned into building something new – an online business I could run during school hours, that didn’t rely on social media, and that gave me freedom instead of burnout. As I figured out how to grow without the constant hustle, other women started asking me how I was doing it. That’s what led me into coaching, helping female entrepreneurs grow businesses in a way that’s sustainable, strategic, and actually supports their life.

How does each pillar of your RISE Framework – Reach, Influence, Scale, Empower – work together to create lasting business growth?

The RISE Framework is my roadmap for aligned, sustainable growth:

• Reach is about attracting new people into your world, but not through endless posting on social media. I lean into relationship-based strategies: collaborations, bundles, podcast swaps, guest speaking & more. These methods not only bring in new leads, they bring in the right people because they come through trusted connections.
• Influence is where the real magic happens. It’s not just about growing an email list (though email is my favorite tool to nurture and build trust). Influence also comes from stepping into spaces where you can borrow credibility and amplify your voice – podcast guesting, collaborations, PR, even TEDx stages. When you layer consistent email communication with those visibility opportunities, you’re not just growing an audience, you’re positioning yourself as the go-to name in your industry.
• Scale is about building systems and offers that allow you to serve more people without burning out. That might look like refining your offers so they stack together strategically, creating evergreen funnels, or hiring support so your business can grow beyond your personal capacity. Scale isn’t about “doing more” – it’s about doing the right things in smarter ways.
• Empower is the final piece and honestly the glue that holds it all together. This is about you stepping into your role as CEO, trusting yourself to make bold decisions, and building a business that supports your whole life, not just your bank account. Without this piece, growth feels heavy and unsustainable. With it, you build not just a business, but an empire.

The magic happens because these pillars aren’t separate, they layer together. Reach without nurture doesn’t work. Influence without visibility doesn’t spread. Scale without empowerment leads to burnout. Together, they give you sustainable momentum.

Why do you believe building an email list is more powerful than relying on social media or paid ads, and what’s the first step you recommend to start?

Social media is like renting space. You’re always at the mercy of algorithms, and you don’t own your audience. With email, you’re building a home base – you control the relationship, the timing, and the way you show up. And your list is actually a business asset that compounds over time.

The first step I recommend? Create a lead magnet that actually leads somewhere. Not a throwaway freebie, but something that naturally flows into your offers. Think of it as the first step in a bigger conversation, not just a quick download.

What key factors made your recent quiz funnel so effective at attracting and converting leads without paid advertising?

Two things: alignment and personality. The quiz tapped into a core question my audience was already asking – “What visibility strategy is right for me?” – which made it irresistible. And each result wasn’t generic; it tied directly into my framework, gave tailored next steps, and offered a natural pathway into working with me. 

I also didn’t overcomplicate the promotion. I leaned on collaborations, bundles, and my podcast to share it, which meant the leads were already warm and pre-qualified. That’s why it converted so well without a single ad.

After reaching 200 episodes of your podcast, what have been your biggest lessons about consistency and audience engagement?

First, consistency doesn’t mean perfection. I’ve changed formats, tested different rhythms, and even taken breaks, but I kept showing up. That’s what builds trust. Second, engagement isn’t about numbers; it’s about connection. Some of my best feedback has come from listeners who stayed silent for months and then suddenly reached out to say an episode changed how they saw their business. 

The lesson? Keep creating. People are listening, even if you don’t always see it in real time.

What does “being bold” mean to you in 2025, and how do you hope it impacts the women you work with?

For me, being bold this year means saying the thing others are afraid to say, trusting my intuition, and not watering down my message just to fit in. It’s about choosing depth over noise, alignment over hustle, and impact over vanity metrics. 

My hope is that every entrepreneur I work with sees boldness not as being loud or flashy, but as having the courage to build her empire her way. Because when women are bold and unapologetically themselves, they don’t just build businesses. They change industries.