15: Launch Strategy for Squirrel Brains with Kelsey from Coming Up Roses
Squiggly-brained? Squirrel-brained? Either way, your launch is about to slay.
I wanted this episode to feel like a cozy little pep talk for the creative entrepreneurs who’ve got 17 ideas, 43 open tabs, and a Notes app full of brilliance — but somehow still feel stuck on “where the hell do I start?”
So I brought in the queen of calm launches and chill marketing energy, Kelsey McCormick from Coming Up Roses. Kelsey is the kind of launch strategist who doesn’t make you feel like you need a 42-email funnel and a six-month plan to sell something. She's all about launching your own way, especially if your “own way” involves ADHD, self-doubt, and forgetting what day it is.
In this episode, we talk launch strategy for squiggly-brained creatives, what to do when your audience is cold and your confidence is colder, and why setting a deadline might just change your life.
Rapid-Fire Squirrel Brain Questions
Here’s what we learned about Kelsey in her obligatory round of squirrel brain questions:
If she could gather “nuts” like a squirrel: Experiences. Concerts, trips, and memories over mortgages.
If her brain had a pop-up ad: Chill vibes. She’s in Australia, pregnant, and still running launch strategy like a boss, but her inner ad is out here begging for a mindfulness app she’ll use for 10 days and forget about.
If her life came with a warning label it would say: Don’t hand her your stuff unless you don’t want it back. She misplaces everything. Her son is now officially the family’s designated “Finder of All Lost Things.”
What she would win an Olympic gold medal for: Friend-matching. If you’ve made a new bestie in the online space recently, there’s a decent chance Kelsey introduced you. She's the LinkedIn of real life.
Something she thought she’d have figured out by now: Big adult things like buying a house.
Her walkout song: “Groove Is in the Heart” by Deee-Lite. A throwback bop that still hits every time.
And mine? TBD. But it’s probably something pop punk with an identity crisis.
Campaign Thinking 101
Let’s talk about the biggest mindset shift that could change your whole damn business:
You don’t need to be “on” 24/7 to make sales — you just need to think in campaigns.
According to Kelsey, most creatives are stuck in “freelancer mode,” where your offers are technically always available, but you’re constantly scrambling to book the next client.
It’s giving stress.
It’s giving unpredictable income.
It’s giving “I don’t know where my next project is coming from and now I have to binge-watch Love Is Blind to cope.”
Instead, Kelsey recommends campaign thinking, which means you give your offers the same spotlight energy you'd give to a product launch. Whether it’s your signature service, a juicy freebie, or a high-ticket program, treat it like a moment.
Here’s the general formula she swears by:
One big launch per quarter (that’s your main offer, the star of the show)
One to two micro launches (think: a paid strategy call, a live workshop, a low-ticket offer, or even a lead magnet with a little extra flair)
These warm-up offers are how you build momentum and heat. Because no one’s gonna throw down thousands of dollars if they’ve never even heard your name.
Also: please retire the term “clarity call.” What are we clarifying, exactly?
The Inaction Problem No One Wants to Admit
The moment that really smacked me across the forehead (in the best way) was when Kelsey said: inaction is the biggest obstacle for service providers trying to launch — the fact that you’re so busy doing client work that you never get around to working on your work.
I literally told Kelsey that my evergreen funnel was supposed to be done in January. As of this recording? Not done. Could’ve been bringing in income. Could’ve been changing lives. Instead, I’m over here setting a goal to walk 100 miles in March and letting my course chill in Google Drive.
(It’s me, hi! I’m the problem, it’s me.)
So what’s the fix?
According to Kelsey, it’s twofold:
Mindset first — Get real about why you’re doing this. What are you trying to create in your life that your current business model isn’t allowing? If you’re losing sleep over inconsistent income or spiraling over where your next client is coming from… you need a plan.
Then make a real plan — Not a vague “I should launch eventually” kind of thing. She’s talking due dates, goals, a reverse-engineered to-do list. Like, literally block off the time to write the sales page. Put “create the checkout link” on your calendar. Make it as granular and squirrel-brain-friendly as possible.
Bonus tip: Get support. Whether it’s Launch Your Own Way, my copy mentorship, or a friend who’ll lovingly roast you until you press “post,” don’t do it alone. Accountability is the only reason half of us have businesses at all.
Also: set a date.
I know, it’s scary. But if you don’t, that “I’ll launch next week” thing will turn into “maybe next quarter” faster than you can say “I need a nap.”
How to Warm Up a Cold Audience
Alright, let’s say you’re launching something new. Your audience is colder than your iced coffee in November. You have no content plan, no emails written, no nothing except the offer. What now?
I hit Kelsey with this hypothetical on air and bless her, she didn’t even flinch (even though it was 6 a.m. in Australia).
Here’s her game plan for this situation:
1. Know what you’re warming up your audience for.
Seems obvious, right? But you’d be shocked how many creatives are like, “I just need to grow my audience.”
No, babe, you need to warm them up for something. That means knowing exactly what your offer is, what problem it solves, and how people will benefit from it. Don’t try to warm them up for ten things at once. Pick one. Kelsey calls this building an “attuned audience.” (A.K.A. people who are fully tuned into what you're about to sell.)
2. Build in public.
Gone are the days of “new offer coming soon 👀” with nothing but a mysterious launch date.
We’re in our process era. Your audience wants to see you building. Ask them what they’d want to see on the sales page. Post about your thought process. Share the behind-the-scenes. Like Kelsey said, “The process should be profitable.”
3. Set a due date and make a micro to-do list.
Treat it like a client project and work backwards.
This is where the micro to-do list saves lives. Check those little boxes one by one, and before you know it, you’ll be ready to go.
Kelsey even built this into her Launch Your Own Way program with click-and-go launch cards and auto-populated calendars (which makes my squirrel brain incredibly happy).
Hot tip from both of us: Don’t overthink being repetitive.
You’re not annoying people by talking about your offer a lot. You’re reminding the right people that it exists. (And if you’re documenting your process as you go, it’ll never feel stale anyway.)
Also, don’t sleep on meta marketing. When I said I was going to talk about my newsletter workshop 30 times, people watched because I was counting. It made them want to see how it played out.
People want to root for you. Let them.
Can You Just Copy-Paste a Launch That Worked?
Okay, so you’ve launched something before.
It worked. Like really well.
The sales page? Fire.
The emails? Dialed.
The conversions? Chef’s kiss.
You’re thinking: can’t I just hit copy-paste on this whole thing and ride off into the sunset?
Not exactly because (and I’m going to write this in bold because it’s that important) people go cold between launches.
You can’t assume your audience is still hot for the thing just because you are. People get distracted. They solve their problems in other ways. They forget. They’re new here. They missed it the first time.
So what do you do instead of rinse-and-repeat launching?
Kelsey’s Launch Remix Plan:
Dig into the data. Ask your people: What held you back from buying last time? Use those objections to shape your new content. Anticipate and address hesitations before they bubble up.
Still show the process. Even if you’re not building the offer from scratch, you’re still doing things. Launch prep. New bonus. Fresh student story. “I’m updating the FAQ section today — what Qs do you have?” This is all content, bestie.
Add a fresh warm-up element. Run a live workshop. Drop a challenge. Host a Q&A. A launch roundtable with past students. Whatever fits your style — just get people hyped in real time.
Pro Tip: Refresh Your Messaging
This is the hill Kelsey is willing to die on—and I agree.
Seasonal energy matters.
Selling in January? Give me New Year, new money.
Selling in July? Talk to me about vacation funding.
Same offer, same result... but tailored messaging.
And listen. Actually listen to your people.
Take note of what they say, what they ask, what they click. You’ll never write better copy than what your audience hands you.
Point of the Story
You don’t need to figure it all out before you start launching, but you DEFINITELY need a deadline.
Kelsey Links
Follow Kelsey on Instagram
Check out her website
Kelsey’s famous progam Launch Your Own Way
Listen to her private podcast, The Warm Up
Kelsey’s walkout song
BTL Links
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Other Links
Mentioned by Kelsey: Michelle @byhellolemon and Alyssa @atnndesign
This episode was edited by Adrienne Cruz.