CASE STUDY: KJ Blattenbauer

Complete Website Redesign & Brand Upgrade

"I came to Corine with strong opinions, a very specific aesthetic, and a brand that was actively evolving. I needed a website that could catch up to where I was headed, not simply package where I’d already been. Corine got it."

– KJ Blattenbauer, www.kjblattenbauer.com

summary:

The Client

KJ Blattenbauer: Recognition strategist, bestselling author, speaker, and... my first paying client. Yep, back in 2018 Invoice #001 went to KJ for a whole $60!

Since then, we’ve partnered on dozens of projects for her and her clients, and one thing has always been clear: her standards are sky high. KJ knows the difference between good & exceptional, and "close enough" isn't acceptable.

The Challenge

KJ came to me with a frustrating but not uncommon struggle: she’d gone through multiple designers and spent $$$$ trying to revamp her website, but the final result never looked or felt like her.

She knew what she wanted, but couldn't find someone who “got it".

How I helped

Fortunately for KJ, I've been referred to as a 'design chameleon' more than once. I knew with the right questions and some digging, I’d be able to effortlessly step into her vision & style and translate it into an elevated, polished website that looks & feels *unmistakably* like 2026 KJ.

Result Spotlight

Aligned & Tailored
to Her Next Evolution

After launch, KJ said:
"I'm deliberately expanding what people associate my name with, and the website gives that new positioning a credible home I'm confident sending people to. I never felt like I had to settle for something that was *almost* right."

swipe

to reveal the ‘before’

"For the first time, I felt like my website represented the level I was operating at and the direction I was headed. It felt polished, elevated, confident, and completely aligned with where I was taking my brand—not where it had already been."

project details:

CLIENT:

KJ Blattenbauer

PACKAGE BOOKED:

Custom Website Design

TIMELINE:

6 weeks

I know how to ask the right questions, dig deeper, and uncover what you can’t always put into words.

What KJ had to say:

"Corine is one of those rare people I genuinely enjoy having in my corner. She cares about the work, she cares about getting it right, and she makes the process feel collaborative rather than transactional.

She was also incredibly patient with my tendency to say, ‘I don’t know exactly what’s wrong, but this isn’t it yet,’ and somehow always figured out what I meant."

Custom Tailored for Success

By taking the time to understand your unique brand, vision, and goals I’m able to effortlessly step into your shoes and create a website that not only looks & feels like YOU but is also designed to achieve your version of success.

Here are a few strategic design choices I made to ensure KJ's website is set up to achieve her vision for success.

Elevating Her Brand Visuals

Internally, KJ's brand aesthetic was modern, sophisticated, and a little sexy. But on paper, it wasn't translating.

Before we began her website, I proposed a subtle but critical shift in her brand visuals. By curating a more polished, refined, and editorial font suite and a highly specific, personalized imagery style, we not only made the brand feel instantly “more KJ” but gave ourselves a clear visual direction to carry throughout the website.

Keeping the Navigation Focused

KJ had numerous credibility markers we wanted accessible, including her podcast, book, blog, and press features. However, too many items in the main menu can quickly become overwhelming and negatively affect the user experience.

I grouped these into an “Insights” dropdown, keeping everything accessible while the primary navigation stays focused and intentional.

Making the Outcome Tangible

KJ's work is exceptional and she has numerous case studies to back it up. However, because her work is largely words I knew text-only case studies wouldn't fully communicate the value of what she does.

By designing custom “before and after” graphics for each case study, the transformation and value of KJ's work instantly became tangible and unmistakable.

"If you’re looking for someone who will simply execute exactly what you tell her, you can probably find plenty of designers.
If you want someone who will understand the bigger vision, bring her own expertise to the table, and care as much as you do about getting it right, hire Corine."

– KJ Blattenbauer, www.kjblattenbauer.com