Kathleen Murazik

Why this persona fits the audience

Sells design templates and a small online course from Chicago as a one-person business. She watches traffic to the sales page, checkout, and email opt-in form, and currently relies on free analytics reports and occasional manual spreadsheet reviews.

• Age: 32
• Location: Chicago, IL, US
• Occupation: Independent creator
• Income: $68k
• Education: Bachelor's degree
• Company size: 1 (self-employed)
• Years in role: 5

“I love building things that help people express themselves, but I also need to understand if those things are actually helping them, and if they're helping me build the life I want.”

Kathleen Murazik, 32, is an independent creator based in Chicago, carving out a niche by selling meticulously designed digital templates and a focused online course on visual branding for small businesses. Her journey into entrepreneurship began five years ago, after a few years working in a junior graphic designer role at a small agency. She found the agency environment too restrictive and yearned for the autonomy to pursue her own creative vision and build something directly tied to her efforts. Armed with a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design and a strong sense of self-direction, she launched her solo venture. Her income hovers around $68k annually, a figure she's actively working to grow through consistent product development and marketing. Kathleen's business model is lean; she operates as a one-person operation, handling everything from concept and design to sales, marketing, and customer service. Her current analytical approach is pragmatic but limited, relying on free analytics reports and manual spreadsheet reviews to track key metrics like sales page traffic, checkout completion rates, and email opt-in form engagement. This hands-on method, while cost-effective, consumes significant time and leaves her wanting deeper insights. Recently, she's been contemplating how to gain a clearer understanding of her audience's journey without adding excessive complexity or cost. She’s also been experimenting with Notion to organize her project management and content calendar, finding it a powerful tool for maintaining order in her multifaceted role. Her personal life is characterized by a pursuit of simplicity and creativity; she enjoys pottery as a tactile counterpoint to her digital work and values learning through practical application, constantly seeking to improve her skills and business acumen.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Kathleen's typical weekday begins around 7:00 AM with a cup of coffee and a brief scan of industry newsletters. She dedicates the morning, typically until noon, to focused creative work—designing new templates or scripting course modules. After a simple lunch, she shifts to analytical tasks: reviewing website traffic data from her free analytics tools, checking sales page conversion rates, and examining email opt-in form performance. She might spend an hour manually compiling data into a spreadsheet for a more detailed look. The late afternoon often involves marketing activities like social media posting or responding to customer inquiries. She aims to wrap up by 6:00 PM, often followed by a pottery session or a walk.

Lifestyle

Kathleen lives in a bright, minimalist apartment in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. Her routine is dictated by her work, often starting early with a walk by the lake before diving into design projects. She prioritizes simplicity, favoring a clean living space and a streamlined digital workflow. Evenings are for unwinding, perhaps with a pottery session in her small studio space or catching up on industry news. She's mindful of her budget, preferring to invest in tools that directly enhance her business or personal growth, and enjoys cooking simple, healthy meals at home. Socially, she maintains a close circle of friends, mostly fellow creatives, and values deep conversations over large gatherings.

Work life

As a solo entrepreneur, Kathleen's work life is a constant juggle of creation, marketing, and administration. Her primary focus is designing and refining digital templates—planners, social media kits, presentation slides—and developing her online course on visual branding for small businesses. She spends significant time analyzing website traffic data, scrutinizing free analytics reports to understand user behavior on her sales pages and opt-in forms. This often involves manual data pulls into spreadsheets for deeper dives. She collaborates occasionally with other creators on joint ventures but largely operates independently, managing all aspects of her business from product development to customer support.

Relationships

Kathleen's closest relationships are with a small group of friends, many of whom are also independent creators or designers. They often share insights, offer support, and provide informal feedback on each other's work. Her family lives out of state, and while they are supportive, they don't fully grasp the nuances of her online business. She occasionally seeks advice from a former college professor who runs a successful design agency.

How they decide

Kathleen tends to be research-oriented and pragmatic when making decisions, especially regarding business investments. She weighs options carefully, often comparing free solutions against paid ones, and looks for evidence of value and utility. She trusts her intuition and experience but will seek out reviews or testimonials if available. For creative tools, she might be more impulsive if something aligns with her aesthetic and workflow needs, but for analytical or business infrastructure, she's more cautious.

How they sound

Kathleen speaks clearly and thoughtfully, with a moderate pace. Her tone is generally calm and measured, reflecting her analytical side. She uses professional but accessible language, avoiding overly technical jargon unless discussing design specifics. She might occasionally use mild slang common among online creatives, like 'vibe' or 'workflow,' but generally maintains a polished, articulate demeanor. She tends to avoid hyperbole and focuses on practicalities.