“Go all in from the beginning and learn everything you can” with Bryanna La Londe
Photo Credit: Bryanna La Londe, Husband and Daughter
Bryanna La Londe is the founder of Build a Cozy Home, a DIY and home inspiration blog built on the belief that cozy looks different for everyone. A former pediatric rehab worker turned stay-at-home mom, she’s learned that success isn’t about titles or degrees—it’s about creating a life that feels good. These days, she’s chasing her toddler and her passion, sharing budget-friendly ways to turn any house into a personalized sanctuary—one project at a time.
What inspired you to start your business, and what problem were you passionate about solving?
My journey into DIY started long before 2020, but it really took off during the pandemic. I was raised without a father, and my grandfather and uncle stepped in as strong father figures. They were both incredibly hands-on and resourceful, and I grew up watching them build and repair everything in their homes, they even installed a new roof on my grandparents home without hiring it out before I was born—which left a lasting impression on me that people build homes not machines.
When I met my husband in 2012, his family was flipping houses, and we lived in a condo they had renovated. I started adding my own touches, drawing on what I had learned growing up and what I observed during those flips. We were on a tight college budget, so I got creative and started doing projects myself, slowly building my confidence and skills.
Everything changed when we moved to South Carolina in 2020. My husband became a firefighter, often gone for 24-48 hours at a time, and I had to take on more of the home maintenance myself. One summer, our AC broke, and I fixed it on my own after a quick Google rabbit hole. That was a turning point—I realized I wasn’t just capable of making our home beautiful, but of keeping it running, too. That moment sparked a mission in me: to help other women realize they can absolutely do it, too.
How did your early days as a founder look? Can you share one moment that tested your resilience?
My early days as a founder were full of chaos, trial, and error. A year into my blogging journey—with 60 posts already written—I realized I had to start over. My site wasn’t set up for monetization, and I had zero traffic. I now call that my “gap year”—a humbling season filled with steep learning curves and plenty of self-doubt.
At the time, the pandemic was in full swing, jobs were hard to find, and we had just relocated to South Carolina. I was overwhelmed and emotionally drained. On the hardest days, I’d retreat to the closet—the quietest place in our house—just to lie down and block out the noise. A lot of times I’d cry, sometimes I’d nap, but mostly I just needed space to breathe.
As brutal as that beginning was, it shaped me. Motherhood and entrepreneurship taught me to value progress over perfection and to see mistakes as part of the journey. What used to paralyze me—fear of failure—now pushes me to keep going, pivot, and grow with purpose.
What’s the meaning behind your business name or brand identity?
I created Build a Cozy Home based on one simple belief: cozy looks different for everyone. For some, it’s dark and moody; for others, light, bright, and minimal. To me, cozy isn’t a style—it’s a feeling. Your home should always reflect what brings you comfort, inspiration, and peace.
For me, that means a clean, organized space with rich tones and shelves filled with books instead of knick-knacks. For someone else, it might be carefully styled decor or layers of texture and color. There’s no right or wrong—just what makes you feel truly at home.
Photo Credit: Bryanna La Londe
Having moved often as a child, I’ve come to deeply cherish the feeling of home. I believe everyone deserves a sanctuary that feels meaningful and beautiful without breaking the bank. Through Build a Cozy Home, I share how to create that cozy space on a budget, proving it’s personal—and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
What were the first 3 things you did to build momentum in your business?
After a year of hustling on social media, I realized it wasn’t sustainable for long-term growth. That’s when I discovered blogging and hired a web designer to build a professional site, ditching my original DIY version. One piece of advice stuck with me: social media is like renting an apartment, but a blog is like owning a home—you control the space, the traffic, and the content.
I also learned that momentum comes from serving my audience, not just creating content that feels good to me. When I started sharing what my followers truly wanted, engagement grew—and I began using social media as a tool to drive traffic to my blog, rather than seeing it as the end goal.
As a stay-at-home mom to a busy toddler, I became intentional with my time. I focused only on what directly contributed to growing my business and let go of chasing vanity metrics. This mindset shift helped me find clarity, balance, and real traction in my entrepreneurial journey.
How did you land your first paying customer or client?
I landed my first $900 brand deal with less than 5000 followers by pitching a company I genuinely loved—even though they usually worked with bigger creators. That experience taught me not to wait around. I prefer to be proactive, reaching out to brands I already use and trust. Authenticity matters to me, and I’ve learned that confidence and real connection go much further than follower count.
What’s one “micro move” that created outsized impact in your growth journey?
One small but powerful shift in my journey was learning to be intentional with my time as a stay-at-home mom. With limited hours in the day, I started prioritizing high-impact tasks—like blogging, pitching, and content planning—instead of chasing social media trends. That simple mindset shift helped me grow my business with more clarity, less burnout, and a lot more momentum.
How do you manage the emotional highs and lows of entrepreneurship?
After becoming a mother, I experienced a whirlwind of hormonal and emotional changes that pushed me to really dive into understanding my cycle. I realized how much my shifting hormones would impact my mood/drive—what feels overwhelming one week might not even phase me the next.
With that awareness, I’ve learned to give myself more grace and adapt my work schedule around my cycle, batching tasks based on the energy and focus each phase brings. It’s helped me navigate both motherhood and entrepreneurship with a lot more balance and clarity.
Photo Credit: Bryanna La Londe
What does your current work-life blend look like—and how has that evolved?
Being completely transparent, I don’t follow a rigid schedule since my husband works 24-48hour shifts with 24-48 hours off depending on the week. Which literally means I’m solo parenting when he’s away. On those days, my focus is fully on our daughter, and finding the right balance between work and family is still a work in progress. It might not look perfect on paper, but this is our reality—and one we’ve learned to embrace.
As a stay-at-home mom and entrepreneur, I truly value the flexibility this lifestyle gives me. It allows me to pivot when needed, keep motherhood my top priority, and build a business that fits around our family—not the other way around.
What are your favorite ways to build thought leadership in your space?
I build thought leadership by consistently sharing helpful, SEO-friendly DIY tutorials on my blog that empower other women to take on projects with confidence. On social media, I keep things real by showing the behind-the-scenes—not just the polished results, but also the lessons learned along the way.
Through educational blog posts and video series, I love helping others feel more confident using tools. I only partner with brands I genuinely trust and use, so my recommendations are always authentic. Most importantly, I stay connected with my audience—listening, answering questions, and creating content that truly serves their needs.
Can you share one risk you took that paid off in an unexpected way?
I made the risky decision to cash out my 401k that I had built over eight years working at a children’s hospital. I invested every dime into hiring a web designer for my blog and used the rest to help cover our living expenses.
It definitely wasn’t the safest move, but it was the only option I had—and I’m glad I took the leap. Nearly three years later, that investment has paid off. My blog has funded itself and two other businesses(we run behind the scenes) that now bring in more income than I ever made working full-time at the hospital.
What are your favorite tools or systems for staying organized and productive?
I am so old school and love to write out a list of to-do’s on paper. Nothing feels better than marking the things on the list as done. I can thank being raised by my grandparents for this and having an old soul mindset! KISS is what my grams always said, keep it simple silly.
What marketing channels bring you the most qualified leads?
Pinterest is hands down my largest traffic driving source to the business.
What’s your approach to pricing your services or offers?
I figure in my time, what supplies I need to make the content and some extra to cover business costs on my end like taxes at the end of the year.
What does success look like for you now vs. when you started?
Success used to have me thinking a mass social media following and getting on a tv show would make me successful. Now, being able to contribute to the family income and not missing a day with my daughter is success for me. I am currently living my success and I am forever blessed for this. I will never get these days back of her being this little.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a founder just starting out?
Go all in from the beginning and learn everything you can as soon as you can about what you are pursuing. Knowledge and time is the most powerful thing you can bring to your success in whatever you are going for. Also, get over the fear of failure. You are gonna fail daily in the beginning and it will suck. But, eventually you will start to succeed more than fail and that is when you know you are on the right path.
What legacy do you hope to leave through your business?
Something my daughter can take over one day and proudly find joy in helping others. At the end of the day we were all put on this earth to work together. If the blog doesn’t fulfill her purpose in this world. I hope the cashflow from it or selling it one day could fund another business dream for her. My legacy is making sure she finds her purpose in this world and has all the support she needs regardless of what she chooses to do.
What can we promote for you (offer, product, launch, etc.)?
Honestly the blog and/or our newsletter is the best thing you all could promote for us, thank you for this opportunity 🫶 🙏
Where can our readers/listeners find you online?
FB, IG: @buildacozyhome
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/buildacozyhome/?actingBusinessId=130041645398755198
