Marketing Yourself

Shouldn’t Feel Like Pretending

Done chasing trends and manipulating algorithms?

I help solo business owners and mission-driven groups make connections through beautiful Squarespace website design and thoughtful messaging.

Photo of Karen Lunde, a web designer and marketing consultant in Olympia Washington, working on a laptop in an office filled with plants and boho design elements. 
This is

My Philosopy

I believe kindness and integrity are non-negotiable. Marketing doesn’t have to be manipulative—it can be rooted in honesty, empathy, and respect.

I believe the internet’s guru culture is toxic. The only people making “six figures in six months” are the ones selling the dream. Solo business owners deserve better than false promises and empty formulas.

I believe affordability matters. Too many skilled, passionate people are priced out of support because the industry is built on upsells and scarcity tactics. My prices are set to honor the work and make real help accessible.

I believe business can be progressive. Equity, collaboration, and compassion are the values that guide me—both in how I work and who I work with.

I believe your lived experiences are an asset, not a liability. The way you show up in the world matters, and your marketing should reflect that.

Does this speak to you?

The Boring Stuff

  • Founded and built one of the Internet’s first online course portals for writers in 1998. (Yes, really!)

  • Led teams as a video game journalist and editorial manager for 9 years. (I’m female, so … it wasn’t as fun as it sounds.)

  • Spent four fun years as a contractor with the Grammarly team, writing hundreds of articles and even calling out Donald Trump’s supporters before it was cool.

  • Led editorial and marketing for Macmillan Publishers’ largest digital channel, the Quick & Dirty Tips podcast network, where I got to work with experts in everything from grammar to astrophysics.

  • Led marketing communications for ID.me, where my team launched a consumer blog that earned 1.6 million visits in its first year.

This is how I earned my street cred!

The Fun Stuff

  • I live in beautiful Olympia, Washington. Which is kind of like living in a postcard (at least in summer.)

  • I may be a solo business, but I do have an unpaid Chief Distraction Officer — my scruffy muppet of a dog, Dodger. (Think literary reference, not baseball.)

  • I’m an enthusiastic gardener in the spring, but that enthusiasm wanes the minute it gets above 70.

  • I sing all the time. I’m in a large community chorus and a small musical theater group. They’re my musical tribe.

  • I play piano, ukulele, and a variety of flute-like instruments (but not the actual flute) by ear. But I also do read music. Kinda.

  • I’ve been crocheting for about 12 years. And yes, I made my headband. Thanks for asking! (I get that question a lot.)

This is who I am!

Time to get

Join The Rebel Collective, a newsletter for solo business owners who refuse to do marketing the corporate way. Get practical tips, messaging help, and the encouragement you need to build your business authentically. No soul-sucking strategies or tech bro advice—just real wisdom from someone who escaped the corporate machine to help you thrive on your own terms.

Rebellious!