Hi, friend!! I am so excited you are here!
My name is Kelly and I’m the girl behind Lipstick & Ink®. I’m based in the beautiful city of Chicago and have been an Illinois girl all of my life. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and then made the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (I-L-L anyone?!) my treasured home for four wonderful years. I received a bachelor’s degree in Advertising and started my professional career at a Chicago ad agency. These days, I work full-time in the advertising tech industry at Salesforce and currently live in Chicago with my husband, Adam.
I’m fueled by black coffee, sunshine, candles, fresh flowers, a bold lip and a really good ink pen. I’m a collector of handwritten notes and cards. I am honest to my core and always stand up for what I believe in. The fall season gives me life with the crisp leaves, warm apple cider and football Sundays. Anything that glitters catches my eye and I believe gold is never out of style.
I started Lipstick & Ink in January 2018 when I was fresh off the holidays and my honeymoon. I no longer had a wedding to plan to occupy all of my time and there was no better time to dig deep and figure out what I wanted to do – it was the start of a new year after all! I knew something was missing in my life – and as I really thought about it, I realized it was writing.
I’ve always known that I was destined to be a writer. Ever since I’ve been able to pick up a pen, I’ve been writing. As a kid, I’d lock myself up in my room and write short stories and poems that I dreamed up in my head. I started writing in journals at the ripe age of seven. I secretly got excited any time I got a writing assignment at school. I followed my passion into high school when I wrote for newspaper. In college, I jotted down my thoughts on various blogs that I had started.
But for the better half of my 20s, I pushed my passion for writing to the side. I let judgment, ridicule and self-doubt over my writing get to me, so I buried it for years. I also let myself get caught up in my every day life and blatantly ignored my urge to write.
But on that snowy Saturday in January, something changed. I resurrected my writing and I was determined to do everything in my power to do something good with it. I wanted to motivate other women to achieve their highest potential in their career and life. I wanted to remind them that they had all of the power within them to accomplish their goals – they just needed to write them down, take action and make them a reality.
And ever since that cold, wintry day when I made that decision, I can say that I’ve never been happier to be following my dreams of being a writer and helping others in the process.
On an average day, you’ll find me…
- jotting down thoughts, to-do’s or writing for L&I and my upcoming book
- with at least 3 lipsticks in my purse
- giving career advice or reviewing resumes
- staying on top of the weather forecast
- keeping things organized and making a plan
- at home or running errands in athleisure
- always wearing earrings
- researching and planning out an itinerary for our next travel destination
- only drinking coffee, wine or water
Speaking of, I hope you’ll pour your own cup of coffee or glass of wine (or both, cuz #YOLO) and stay awhile while exploring everything that is Lipstick & Ink®. Learn more about how we can work together or book a 1:1 career consultation with me.
