My Presence is the Strategy

Welcome to the very first newsletter of 2026! 

There’s something meaningful about crossing that invisible threshold between “what was” and “what’s next.” Not in a pressure-filled, reinvent-everything kind of way, but in a softer, more intentional one. A pause. A reset. A chance to take a breath before the year fully picks up speed. Although if I’m being honest, it never really slowed down at the end of 2025… (more on that later)

The beginning of a new year always invites reflection on what worked, what stretched us, what we’re still carrying, and what we’re finally ready to release. It’s a reminder that growth doesn’t have to be rushed and clarity doesn’t always arrive all at once. Sometimes it unfolds slowly, quietly, through small decisions and consistent steps forward.

As we step into this year, it’s worth noting that 2026 is also the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac (although it starts in February, so we have a few more weeks of the shedding energy the Year of the Snake brought). More specifically, its the year of the Fire Horse, a combination that carries powerful symbolism. The Horse represents movement, independence, courage, and forward momentum. It’s about progress that comes from trusting your instincts and choosing motion over hesitation. Add the Fire element, and that energy becomes even more intentional: passion with direction, confidence fueled by clarity, and growth that comes from bold but aligned action. And as a Sagittarius, I’m HERE FOR IT.

What I love most about this symbolism is how well it mirrors the tone of this new beginning. This year doesn’t ask us to sprint blindly or burn everything down in the name of change. Instead, it invites us to move forward with purpose and honor our independence, trust our inner compass, and commit to the long game. The Fire Horse reminds us that momentum doesn’t have to be chaotic to be powerful; it can be steady, focused, and deeply rooted in what actually matters.

As this first newsletter of the year sets the tone for what’s ahead, I keep coming back to that idea: forward motion with intention. Not rushing. Not forcing. Just choosing, again and again, to move in alignment with the life and work we’re building even when the steps are small. If this is the energy we’re carrying into 2026, I have a really good feeling about where it can take us.

Speaking of energy too, my mantra for this year is My Presence is the strategy, watch this video for what I mean. I started using personalized mantras during Bar prep in 2022 and after the year I had in 2025, I felt called to come up with one for this year. As I move forward with intention in 2026, I want to embrace slowing down, being present and letting go more. It served me well when I started to at the end of last year and I feel like with these intentions being my guide this year, it’s the perfect mantra.

FIU x Kayla Moran Law

I can FINALLY share something that’s been in the works behind the scenes. I’m thrilled to announce the inaugural IP x Influence: A Social Media and Creator Rights Conference, taking place March 20th at Florida International University College of Law.

When my assistant Emilee introduced me to FIU Law’s Interim Dean, Michelle Mason last fall, I knew it was the beginning of a great partnership. She introduced me to a local attorney and professor,  David O’Steen, who had been thinking about bringing a conference to FIU Law that ushered in a new era, law schools talking about emerging industries and bringing together students and practitioners in a way that felt fresh, timely and interesting. Since October, we’ve been working on it and now that we have a student planning committee and have begun promoting it, I can share!

With our students, we’ve spent over two months thoughtfully building a conference we genuinely believe in. What started as ongoing conversations about the growing role of influence in today’s digital economy—across FIU Law’s Business Law Society (BLS), Sports, Entertainment, Fashion and Art Law Association (SEFA), and Intellectual Property Student Association (IPSA)—has evolved into a collaborative effort bringing together creators, students, legal practitioners, academics, and industry professionals from both local and national communities.

IP x Influence was created to explore the evolving legal issues at the intersection of intellectual property, social media, influencer marketing, and the creator economy. The conference will feature panel discussions on topics including creator and brand agreements, intellectual property enforcement in digital spaces and the role of platform policies, ethics in advertising in an increasingly digital-first world, and emerging trends shaping the creator economy including the growing involvement of labor and employment, wealth management, and tax professionals.

Hosting this conference at FIU Law is especially meaningful to me. It reflects the university’s commitment to innovation, interdisciplinary dialogue, and preparing the next generation of lawyers and leaders for the realities of the digital landscape. On March 20th, we’re looking forward to welcoming a community that’s curious, engaged, and ready to have honest conversations about content ownership, brand partnerships, influence, and the future of social media.

I’m incredibly proud of the work happening behind the scenes and can’t wait to see it come to life on campus. Shoutout to David and the student planning committee that has been giving it their all. Stay tuned!

Accomplishments in Q1 

Anyone else have a crazy but amazing start to 2026?! Because over here… there’s been no slowing down — and I’m feeling incredibly grateful and excited for what’s unfolding.

December and January have been full in the best way. The kind of busyness that stretches you, challenges you, and reminds you that momentum is being built even when life feels fast. It’s been a season of saying yes, taking aligned steps forward, and trusting that all the behind-the-scenes work will pay off in time.

I’m a little sad I didn’t get to ease in like I usually do. But I once prayed for this work, so I’m sleepy as I write this but excited for the year ahead.

So in the spirit of celebrating small wins (because those matter just as much as the big ones), I want to share a few of mine — and I’d love for you to think about yours too.

I’ll go first:

• I filed two trademarks for a client I connected with through Maggie Sellers Reum’s Hot Smart Rich community

• I’m officially moving into my first apartment ever in Miami (more about that below)

• We announced IP x Influence at FIU Law and locked in our first four speakers

• My Capitol Hill testimony was mentioned in a law review article! This one feels especially meaningful because it highlights the work I’ve been doing at the intersection of law, policy, and creators’ rights. Seeing it cited in a law review reinforces that these conversations aren’t just timely; rather they’re shaping the broader legal discourse and impacting the way lawmakers, practitioners, and academics think about intellectual property and the creator economy.

And because the energy couldn’t be better to kick off 2026… Miami is going to the championship and it's in Miami… if only I could afford those tickets

What’s one small win you’ve had so far this year? Sometimes pausing to name it is the reminder we need that we’re already moving forward — even in the middle of the busy.

First Apartment Updates

There’s also been a big, personal shift happening behind the scenes: I’ve officially moved out of my childhood home and moved into my very first apartment. Since I lived with roommates at UCF and UTK Law and then moved back home to focus on my firm, it felt further away every year to get my own place. 

But over the last few months, it slowly became more possible. It’s a milestone I’ve been anticipating for a long time, but actually stepping into it feels… different. Exciting, yes, but also a little bittersweet. Leaving the place that shaped so much of who I am — the rooms filled with memories, the corners of familiarity, the comfort of everything I’ve known — is harder than I thought it would be. I fell in love and came home cracked open but with my head held high here, I launched and/or grew three businesses here, I laughed and cried and bled here. But it’s definitely time for a new chapter.

This move is a reminder of growth in its purest form. I’m creating a space that reflects who I am now, not who I was when I first was carried through those doors as a baby or came home to at 24 years old. Every box I unpack, every piece of furniture I choose, every little corner I personalize feels like a quiet declaration: this is me, stepping into my next chapter, fully and intentionally.

Moving has been slow going, but we’re almost done — and in the process, I’ve found joy in the little details. I’ve been curating pieces that make the space feel like home, from my Wayfair storefront to some favorite staples from Quince, blending function, style, and comfort in ways that actually feel like me.

There’s something profound about this kind of transition. It’s more than just a change of address — it’s a step toward independence, self-trust, and the kind of life you build for yourself when no one else is designing it for you. And honestly? It feels like the perfect metaphor for how I want 2026 to unfold: intentional, grounded, and full of space for growth.

Special shout to Facebook Marketplace and my family: Mom, Dad, Abuela, her cousin, my brother (I call him Bubba) and my Madrina for helping me with this move, I couldn’t do it without you all, and Bubba’s truck lol

January Realizations

“They told Teyana to pick a lane.”

Teyana Taylor is a singer, a dancer, a choreographer, a creative director, a fashion designer, an actress… and yes, a Golden Globe winner. The advice she was often given — the same advice I hear echoed in business circles — is: “niche down.”

Here’s the truth: that advice isn’t wrong if you’re building a business, but for people who ARE the business, whose work, creativity, and brand are all one and the same, it’s incomplete. Limiting yourself to a single lane can quietly throttle your potential.

If your brand is your brain, your taste, your perspective, why would you limit the channels through which you express it? Teyana didn’t scatter herself — she compounded. Every role fed the next. Dance informed choreography. Choreography built directorial vision. Creative direction sharpened aesthetic authority. All of it created the presence that makes her unmistakable.

The people who truly need to “niche down” are the ones who haven’t built enough clarity to maintain coherence across verticals. The people who can be multi-hyphenate are the ones whose through-line is so sharp that everything they touch feels inevitable. Your audience isn’t following your niche — they’re following your clarity applied to different problems.

This is something I see all the time in my work at Kayla Moran Law. Many creators and entrepreneurs worry they need to pick one lane or stick to a single type of brand or business structure, but the truth is, the more clearly you know who you are and what you value, the more confidently you can expand. 

As I’ve learned, whether it’s filing trademarks, advising on contracts, or building intellectual property strategies for a growing creator empire, the right legal guidance compounds with my clients’ creativity and vision — it doesn’t constrain it. When the foundation is strong, you can show up anywhere, do multiple things, and protect everything you build along the way.

I also see it in my own life. I am a personal brand and my brand is broad and multi faceted. My business is niche, so I can provide true value to the clients who really matter.

Outro

As we step into this new year, I keep coming back to one idea: forward motion with intention. The end of 2025 and start of 2026 have reminded me that growth isn’t always visible, and progress isn’t always linear. Sometimes it’s built quietly, through small steps, deliberate choices, and the courage to show up fully as yourself.

Whether it’s moving into my first apartment, reviewing dozens of contracts, filing trademarks for clients, launching the IP x Influence Conference, or leaning into the multi-hyphenate energy that fuels me and my work at Kayla Moran Law, each piece matters. Each step compounds, creating the presence, clarity, and foundation that will carry us forward.

Here’s to a year of intentional momentum, small wins, and bold steps forward. I have a really good feeling about where 2026 can take us.

Keep Up With Kayla and Kayla Moran Law

Let’s make January a month of purpose, passion, and productivity.

Thanks for reading!

Talk soon,

Kayla