$30K with Under 1K Followers: Kelly Leardon’s Secret to Scaling with Systems, Not Stress

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Have you ever finished a full workday feeling exhausted but unsure what you actually accomplished?

In this episode of Strut It, I sit down with Kelly Leardon, certified Director of Operations and founder of Walk Like Warriors. We talk about why traditional time management systems fail entrepreneurs and what actually works instead.

Kelly breaks down her signature approach to theming your week, building rhythms that support focus, and reducing the mental load that keeps business owners stuck in constant busy mode. We also dive into how she generated over $30,000 from a single launch using Instagram Stories with fewer than 1,000 followers.

What You’ll Learn

[00:00] Why feeling busy does not mean you are productive
[00:27] Kelly’s approach to theming your week
[02:01] Why entrepreneurs struggle with traditional time management systems
[06:21] Why decision fatigue drains your energy and momentum
[07:15] The real cost of task switching and constant notifications
[13:24] Why theme days work better than task batching
[15:16] Kelly’s play, rest, and work philosophy
[25:54] How Kelly sold over $30,000 with a small Instagram following
[27:17] Why Instagram Stories build trust faster than posts
[29:40] A simple Monday through Friday Instagram Stories selling framework
[33:25] Why you do not need a large following to make sales
[36:05] The importance of clear calls to action
[38:51] Kelly’s final advice on designing a business you actually want

This Week’s Challenge

Choose one theme day for the upcoming week. Commit to it fully. Notice how your focus, energy, and clarity shift when you stop task switching and work in rhythm. Then share one takeaway from this episode in your Instagram Stories and tag Elizabeth and Kelly.

Guest Bio:

If you’ve got a brilliant brain but 47 tabs open - Kelly’s your girl. She's a business coach and strategist who teaches overwhelmed entrepreneurs how to manage their time and turn their chaos into calm with simple, no-fluff systems that stick. Kelly's superpower? Turning “hot-mess energy” into laser-focused action with simple, proven strategies for the ambitious-but-exhausted business owner.

Links and Resources

• Learn about the Success Squad with Kelly HERE
• Join the VIP Success Squad Waitlist HERE
• If you want {FREE!} daily business coaching Monday-Friday in Instagram Stories, click here

CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST, ELIZABETH MARBERRY:

WORK WITH ELIZABETH

• Apply for your FREE Instagram Breakthrough Session with Elizabeth
• Free guide to Monetize Your IG: Seven Simple and Proven Ways to Finally Make Money on Instagram

Follow Elizabeth Marberry on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook

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