Today we’d like to introduce you to Karlie Stawychny.
Hi Karlie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
For almost ten years, my classroom was my world. I was a special education teacher, and I loved it. I loved the structure, the problem solving, and the moments when a student finally felt seen and understood. I didn’t know it then, but those years were teaching me the exact skills I would need to build a business one day: patience, organization, and the ability to meet people exactly where they are.
Then life got very full, very fast. I had a toddler, and then I became a twin mom, which meant I had three babies under the age of two. On top of that, I was also helping raise and care for my nephew. My days were a nonstop rotation of bottles, diapers, naps, and little hands needing me all at once. The math was simple. Childcare for all of those little ones didn’t make sense for our family, and I wanted to be home with them. So I stepped away from teaching and became a stay-at-home mom for two and a half years.
Those years were beautiful, and they were also some of the hardest of my life. I went through postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression, and some days the world felt very small. What kept me connected to the outside world was content creation. Filming, editing, and sharing little pieces of our life online became my creative outlet. It was the one thing that felt like mine. It gave me a way to express myself, connect with other people, and remember that I was still me underneath it all. I didn’t know it was the start of a business. I just knew it was helping me breathe.
When the time came to decide whether I would go back to teaching or find another job, I realized I didn’t want to go back to the way things were. I wanted to take the creative passion that had carried me through those years and turn it into something bigger for myself and my family. So I started small. I became a virtual assistant, and my very first client was in property management, a client I still work with today. I also joined The Virtual Savvy, a program that taught me how to actually run a business, from setting one up to writing contracts. It gave me a foundation I didn’t have as a teacher, and I’m so grateful for it. From there, I kept learning. I took marketing classes, taught myself how to use a camera and how to edit, and started creating content for myself and then for other business owners.
The more I worked with clients, the more I noticed a pattern. Women business owners were brilliant at what they did, but they were hiding. They overthought every post, felt awkward on camera, and didn’t know what to say without feeling salesy. I understood that feeling. Being seen as a woman on camera is hard, and we are often judged on how we look, how we sound, and how much space we take up. But in today’s world, visibility is not optional for female business owners. If people can’t see you, they can’t choose you. That is when I decided to niche down and work only with female business owners, and that is how Bold Savvy Socials was born.
Today, I offer social media management, content creation, social media coaching, and audits and strategy for female business owners, both locally across the Chicagoland area and with clients across the country. Social media management is a big job, and for a lot of business owners it feels overwhelming and cumbersome, one more thing on a list that is already too long. That is where I come in. Bold Savvy Socials is where my type A organization and my creative side finally get to live in the same place. The teacher in me builds the systems and the strategy, and the creator in me brings the story to life.
In the fall of 2025, I took a big risk and bet on myself by applying for Dubsado’s new business owner grant. Dubsado had been a huge part of how I built my business, helping me automate my client process and run things smoothly behind the scenes as I grew. Applying felt like a long shot, but I went for it, and I won. As one of the grant winners, I traveled to Los Angeles in February 2026, where I met incredible people, made connections I will carry with me for years, and got to be part of an amazing team that believes in small business owners the way I do. For a mom who once felt like her world had shrunk to the size of her living room, it was a full circle moment.
Almost two years in, Bold Savvy Socials has become my business baby. It has grown, it has thrived, and it supports my family. I bring in a good income, I set my own hours, and I get to show up for my kids when it matters and be home with them, all while doing creative work I love and getting paid for it. I don’t take that for granted for one second.
The part that means the most to me is the women I get to work with. I get to watch them grow, going from nervous and stiff on camera to confident and comfortable. I watch them stop hiding and start showing up as who they really are. My job is to help them see the true version of themselves and then show that version to the world. That is what being bold and savvy means to me. It isn’t about going viral or being perfect. It’s about being seen, on purpose, as exactly who you are.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Building a business and creating something worth a damn takes an incredible number of hours, and in the beginning, I gave it every single one I had. I was laser focused and, honestly, on the fast track to burning myself out. I worked during the day while my girls napped or were at their half-day school, and then I worked again at night, sometimes until two or three in the morning. I was trying to get everything right and perfect, but I was also just doing it. That has always been my mindset. I know I’m going to figure it out, so I jump in and figure it out as I go. Looking back, I think that is one of the biggest keys to my success. Letting go of perfection gave me permission to be a real person and to learn along the way instead of waiting until I had it all figured out.
The other big lesson was work-life balance, and with it, boundaries. I had to learn how to tell clients no. No, you can’t have something that isn’t in our contract. No, you can’t send me something late and expect it to happen on the original timeline. Those conversations didn’t come naturally at first, but they are part of being a business owner. You have to learn those lessons and actually put them into action, because if you don’t, your clients will end up running your business instead of you running it.
Systems changed everything for me. Having the right processes in place gave my business structure and finally let me take a breath and live my life, and I truly thank Dubsado for that. Now I can focus on the work I love, creating drool-worthy content that helps my clients connect with their audience and get visible, while also taking a walk in the middle of the day, heading to the pumpkin patch on a weekday morning, and going on every single school field trip. I have been able to slow down and stop working nights so I can be fully present with my girls, because they are the reason I started this business in the first place.
As you know, we’re big fans of Bold Savvy Socials. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Bold Savvy Socials is a social media management and content strategy business for female entrepreneurs. I work with women who are the face of their business: service providers, realtors, coaches, creatives, consultants, and personal brands. I serve clients locally across Northern Illinois and the Chicagoland area, and virtually with women across the country. I like to call myself “Your No BS Business Bestie,” because that is exactly how I show up for my clients. I’m honest, I’m in their corner, and I’m going to tell them what they need to hear to grow.
My offerings are built so women can get the level of support that fits where they are in business. For women who want to hand off social media completely, I offer done-for-you monthly social media management, where I handle the strategy, planning, captions, posting, and monthly performance analysis. I also offer a content planning and scripting retainer for women who want to film their own content but need the plan and the words. My brand content shoots are where a lot of the magic happens, and my process is simple: “I plan it. You approve it. We film it. You post it.” For women who want to learn to do it themselves, I offer one-on-one social media coaching, audits and strategy sessions, and my group coaching program, Savvy School Socials.
What I’m known for is helping women get comfortable on camera and actually be seen. So many of the women I meet have built something incredible, but nobody is finding them. They post inconsistently, freeze up when the camera turns on, or feel like they have to perform for an audience instead of speaking to the clients they want. I always tell them, “You built something too good to be this invisible.” My job is to change that.
What sets me apart is that I’m one strategist handling every layer. You aren’t passed around an agency or handed off to someone who doesn’t know your business. I do the strategy, the filming, the editing, and the reporting, which means everything we create connects back to a real goal. I don’t chase viral trends or vanity metrics. I track what actually matters, like reach, leads, and conversions, and we adjust together every month. I also believe confidence is part of the deliverable. I’m not just making content for my clients. I’m helping them see themselves differently. My background as a special education teacher plays a big role in that. I know how to meet people where they are, break things down, and build systems that make something overwhelming feel manageable.
The thing I’m most proud of brand-wise is the transformation I get to witness. Watching a client go from avoiding the camera to showing up confidently, and then seeing inquiries come in from people who already know, like, and trust her before they ever get on a call, never gets old. I’m also incredibly proud of being named one of Dubsado’s new business owner grant winners, which was a huge moment of validation that this business I built from my living room is the real deal.
What I want readers to know is this: “A business owner should never have to become an influencer just to be found.” You don’t need to dance on camera or post five times a day. You need a clear strategy, content that sounds like you, and someone who helps you stay consistent. My philosophy is to stop guessing and start growing. I’m not for everyone, and that’s exactly how I like it. I work best with women who are ready to stop being the best-kept secret in their industry and finally be seen.
You can learn more and book a discovery call at boldsavvysocials.com or email me at info@boldsavvysocials.com.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
First and foremost, I have to thank my husband. He doesn’t always understand what my work is, and he definitely doesn’t love anything to do with being on camera, but he has always supported my decisions. He has given me the freedom to work late, to be there for our kids, and to find myself again through this business, even through the hard seasons of marriage. I don’t take that for granted.
I also want to thank Abby Ashley and The Virtual Savvy for creating incredible opportunities for moms to build this kind of life. The foundation I learned there is what gave me the confidence to start.
To the entire team at Dubsado, thank you for betting on me, believing in me, and choosing me as one of your 2025 New Business Owner Grant winners. That opportunity launched my business further and faster than I ever imagined, and the connections I made along the way are ones I will never take for granted. I am so thankful.
To my family and friends who have supported me along the way, thank you. In the seasons when I pull away, you understand that I’m busy building something, and you never hold it against me. That kind of understanding and friendship means more to me than you know.
And to my mom and my grandma, thank you for helping me raise my babies and for picking up the pieces when things fall apart quickly. I couldn’t have done any of this without you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.boldsavvysocials.com
- Instagram: @boldsavvysocials
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572375906673
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BoldSavvySocials
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@boldsavvysocials
