How to Embrace Growth & Evolve Your Business with Kristy Crippen

In this inspiring conversation, I sit down with my dear friend Kristy Crippen, founder of Collaborative Partners, to explore the bold decisions that shaped her business journey. Kristy shares how a single intuitive moment launched her entrepreneurial path and how experiences caring for her parents reshaped her career and purpose. We dive into how she helps mission-driven entrepreneurs bring ease, flow, and structure into their work—and how she embraces her evolution from virtual assistant to intuitive thought partner and business process architect. Together we unpack the importance of self-care, trust, and learning to release perfectionism. This heartfelt chat reminds us that growth comes from listening to our inner knowing, honoring who we are becoming, and allowing our businesses to evolve with us.

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 Laura T.🧡💚💙
Host of the 30 Second Success Podcast

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:03

Welcome back to the 30 Second Success Podcast, where clarity, courage, and connection come to life through the decisions that define us. I'm your host, Laura Templeton, and today we're diving into the bold, messy, and meaningful moments that help us move forward in business and in life. So let's jump in with my good friend Christy Krippin, the founder of Collaborative Partners. Christy and I have been connected for years now. And I think it was one of those moments where she actually reached out to me to come and speak to a group that she belonged to. And we've been fast friends ever since. We even co-founded with another friend of ours, the Create Connect, Convert Podcast. But today you're here on the 30-second success podcast with us two of the three founders of that podcast. So, Christy, why don't you go ahead and share your 30-second message with our audience?

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Awesome. I'm so happy to be here, Laura. Thank you for inviting me. Um, my name, hello everyone. I'm Christy Crippin. I am the founder of Collaborative Partners, and I am your intuitive thought partner and business process architect. So my work is centered around partnering with mission-driven entrepreneurs and small business owners to help them pave the way for greater ease and flow in their business. So we put our heads together and then we holistically examine your time management and scheduling needs, as well as productivity and organizational challenges that you're having. And we also dive into your accountability and habits. It's all about us creating those simple and sustainable systems that help give you greater security and freedom in your business, as well as whom do we need to bring into your business to help you build and expand everything in a truly meaningful and supportive way.

SPEAKER_02 1:52

Wonderful. I love it. I love it. Your your message is always so so inspiring and detailed. And I love that you've gotten really intentional about what you say in your messaging. And I know that's something that you've worked on for a really long time. So I think it's so important for people to realize that your message really is about how you serve your audience. So I thank you for that. And I think it's so important that we, you know, we touch on that and that we share it with the world, right? So I think there's always this beautiful message behind who we are. Well, one of the things that I would love for our audience to know about you, and I always like to ask this question, kind of an icebreaker, is what's something people are often surprised to learn about you?

SPEAKER_01 2:39

You know, it's funny. I think people know me as someone who's very analytical. You know, I I love me a spreadsheet, Laura. You know that. And uh, and yet there is this this other part of me that is, you know, convertible, top-down, hair blowing in the breeze, just you know, just that it's that relaxed side, it's that creative side, it's that um loving heavy metal music side, you know. It I think it's always so fascinating when we can kind of peel the curtains back and see who people are outside of who we know them to be in the business world.

SPEAKER_02 3:23

You know, that's a really great point. I love that you said that. And I'm gonna take you down this uh avenue just a little bit. When you work with clients, is that something that you like to dig into to get them to know them on a personal basis? Because I know the work that you do is really deep sometimes. Does it help you to really kind of dig into who they are?

SPEAKER_01 3:42

I love it. I I've always been fascinated with really getting to know people on a deep level and really like what's under the hood? You know, what keeps you up at night? And what are the things that light you up and why? And what is it that has you be unique versus somebody else who maybe is doing the same or similar work to you? Um, I think that meaningful conversation is one of the most beautiful gifts that we as human beings can experience because it's it's a really amazing way for us to just let ourselves go and just be real with each other and and to form those connections. And I think that that is so important, especially when it comes to working together and creating those foundations of trust.

SPEAKER_02 4:33

I love that. I love that. You know, and I think it's so it you're absolutely right. That the the foundation is there. So building, building from a place of trust and listening and doing that deep reflective work alongside of your clients really makes an impact. I know that, you know, from personal experience and and spending so much time with you, I know that for your clients and for myself as you know, as one of your clients, I it it has always impressed me about how not only do you dive into those really intentional conversations, but you held that you hold that sacred space for people to feel that that compassion, that drive that really you have for helping people feel heard and seen. So I I really appreciate that about you. Um you're very welcome. So have you ever made a fast decision that felt scary but ended up being the exactly right thing for that moment?

SPEAKER_01 5:33

Oh yeah. I remember back in 2016, um we were out in the backyard with our landscaper, and at that time I had I was I was going down a different career path. And he said he he said something so off the cuff. Um I I had said to him, I asked him, I said, Oh, you know, so what do you have planned for the rest of the afternoon? And he said, Oh, you know, I've gotta I've gotta enter all my client invoices in. And I could just tell by his body language and how his voice sounded that it was not something he enjoyed. And there was this voice within me saying, Ask him if he needs help. And then it's almost like I was saying, but I don't do that work anymore. I I've moved into something else. And that inner knowing within me was saying, No, you've got to ask him that question. And I said, Are you so then before I knew it, I I could hear myself asking him, Do you need help? And he and he just, you know how you see um a prairie dog just pop out of the hole and is like this, like looking around. And he just his head was like on a swivel, and he was like, Do you know somebody? And I and it without even thinking, I said, Yeah, me. And he was like, What? And and and it was just this beautiful moment. And and and that's how I really I that's how my my my business really officially began. And and so it was just me being in the moment, being fully present, listening to my inner knowing, listening to my intuition, and then taking action and look at what hit it where I am today, all because of that singular moment.

SPEAKER_02 7:20

I love that. And I love the transformation that has happened in your business because of that. One of the things that you touched on was, you know, do I do that kind of work? Right. And a lot of people struggle with understanding that, you know, what type of work they do. So what led you to, you know, saying, yeah, me, uh, from that perspective. So tell us a little bit about your background and why you felt led and compelled to actually offer your services in that moment.

SPEAKER_01 7:49

Thank you. Um when I was in college, I wanted to be um a high school English teacher. And then, and then I think I got through maybe halfway, I was halfway through my first semester, and I went, oh no, that is not my that's not the career path I should choose. And so I changed my major to um a bachelor of arts in uh literature. And I remember thinking how amazing it would be to go work at one of the publishing houses. And then when I graduated, I thought, oh, I'm really not a city dweller. And then I thought, okay, what do I do with my life? And and then I got into telecom. This was in the late 90s, and I uh what at the time was a um what they call a telephone account manager, meaning that I had this whole roster of clients, and I would reach out to them and say, you know, how are your um your phone system, like, you know, what your needs, and do you and what really appealed to me about that position was the fact that I could be someone's go-to, was the fact that I could help them with their needs, but yet I was not an ideal fit for that position because of my, I just didn't gel with telecom. And I I thought, okay, I've got this opportunity, so what do I do now? And my team lead said, you know, they have an opening on the clerical team. Do you think you maybe you want to do that? And that was the start really of my administrative career. And, you know, I I I worked in corporate for seven and a half years, and then um, you know, working for um um uh uh um forgive me, working for um an independent, you know, business owner, and then working um, I worked for a time um uh uh in construction, three and a half years in construction. And what I the thread, the common thread throughout all of that, Laura, was how can I help you? How can I make your life easier? You know, it would it would be what do you need help with? And then they would tell me, I would ask the questions, I would go off and do the thing. If there were questions that needed to be asked during the process, I would do that. And then it was okay, here's what I've done, and what's next? And so when I started my business, it I started it I as as a virtual assistant because that's what I knew. And so in that moment with him, it was this overwhelming desire to say, How can I help? I just saw the pain of him having this repeated task that he did not like doing. And I thought, how great would it be if I could take that off his shoulders and then make his life a little bit easier?

SPEAKER_02 10:40

We love that. And I and we're gonna jump in in a moment into how the transition has happened in your business because I think a lot of business owners experience the same thing that I've I've witnessed you go through. But right now, I just want to share a quick reminder: if you're enjoying this podcast, please take a moment to like, follow, or subscribe to the podcast. Your support helps us reach more people with stories and strategies that inspire real connection. So, Christy, what's a challenge? And I know this is something that you've had to overcome. What's a challenge you've overcome that most people don't see from the outside? And I'd like for you to share that from the perspective of the transition that is happening within your business regarding, you know, that some of the things that you've shared with me in the past. So I and I don't want to give it all away. I don't want to talk to you.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

Let's let you talk. So um, is it okay if I if I get personal with you and with your audience? Is that all right?

SPEAKER_02 11:35

Please do.

SPEAKER_01 11:36

Cool here for um so around the time that I started my my business, my my mother's health was really declining. And she in 2015, well, both my parents, they were in and out of the hospital. Um, five hospitalizations between the two of them. Um and at the end of 2015, my mother went to live in a nursing home. And and so in 2016, it was all about we have to apply for Medicaid, otherwise, my father would have become bankrupt. And so I we hired a company to help us apply for Medicaid. And so it was every time the our our our point of contact at the company would need information for the applic application, I would have to hop in the car, drive to my family home, which is 45 minutes to an hour away, depending on traffic, desperately try to find the things I need, and then come home and get her the information. So very often the plans that I had laid out for myself would derailed sounds like such a harsh word, but things would change on a dime. And and then uh even after that, Laura, it was how do you recover from the suddenness of that, you know, from the emergency type, you know, I need this stuff, you know, immediately type of the situation, you know, in the days after that. And then and then there were there were weeks that would go by where maybe I wouldn't, I would have phone calls with her and she would be fine and wouldn't need anything. But then there would be weeks where there were maybe two or three trips that I would be making to my family's home. And what I was unaware of in that moment, Laura, was my experience with that situation. It was teaching me all about organization. I mean, I already understood organization, but not to that depth. My my whole focus was on the task doing and being a virtual assistant. So it it was time management and scheduling. It was also productivity. How do you rebound from challenges? Um, what habits do you need to have to support yourself? Because I'll be honest, I took really poor care of myself and I and I and I got burned out in that time. And then I remember having a conversation with my my business consultant. Um she we were in one of our sessions together, and she said, you know, when I think of a traditional virtual assistant, that's you don't fit that mold. And I said, Well, what do you mean by that? Can you go deeper into that? And she said, when I think of a traditional virtual assistant, it's it's the taskdoer and the question asker. And she said, You get into the psychology of things with your clients. And and years later, uh I lost both my parents in 2020 within four four months of each other. And a couple years after that, she and I were having a conversation, and she said, if you look back on that time period, all of those events that were going on in your parents' lives and also your life directly influenced and shaped your business. So you went from being a virtual assistant into more of the coaching sphere. And I really saw, Laura, how the coaching really lit me up. Not that doing the task didn't light me up, but I really started to move away from having the identity of being the virtual assistant and as more of a coach. And I had to have amazing people like you say to me, hey, from this outside perspective, this is who you've become. And so now if one of my clients needs a virtual assistant, I am more than happy to make an introduction to somebody to say, hey, I think this person would be a great fit for you in your business. Let me make that introduction for you. Uh, it's really fascinating to me how things can happen in our lives, and then it can directly affect the trajectory of our business. And sometimes we're not even aware of it. I know I myself I was not.

SPEAKER_02 15:59

And I think that's a beautiful explanation of how a lot of people's businesses transition and we don't even see it, right? We go through the experience, we have the transition, and we start to align with the how we serve people in a different way, right? And I think a lot of that comes from growth and experience. Like you're like you said, with everything that went on with your parents, it was the growth that you experienced in that time. That was such a difficult time, and yet it was so entrenched in who you were on how you could help them. I love that you have transitioned away from calling yourself an administrative assistant to an intuitive thought partner and business process architect, which totally describes what you do and how you work with your clients. So that is absolutely beautiful. Thank you. So, you know, what's something, you know, we talk about, you know, how your mission and your message have really kind of evolved because of the work that you've done and the and the coaching that you've received and now what you're stepping into. It's like this new evolution of who you are. And I love seeing it. I love seeing you just like light up and expand. So what's something you've had to unlearn in order to grow?

SPEAKER_01 17:17

Having such a white knuckle grip on that perfectionistic side of myself. Um I I would agonize over things, and and even though I knew something was 100% correct and all the commas were in the right place and and there were no misspellings, and you know that everything was ready to be shipped, I was afraid to ship it. I would sit in the parking lot with the package in the front seat, and I would never walk into UPX or UPS or FedEx. And I'm like, oh, maybe I should just examine the tape again. And oh, is the is the address label spelled right? And and and and it was, I think it was that fear of release it and put it out into the world. And I really had to get comfortable with that place of greater ease for myself and that greater that flowy place, you know, just okay. You know, sometimes people they um say, for example, uh they they're updating their website and they uh they fear hitting the publish button because oh gosh, what if I forgotten something? Or, you know, let me read it again. Like I feel safe when I'm reading it and reviewing it. And in the meantime, the world needs your brilliance. The world needs to know how have you evolved and what are those exciting changes you can share with us. So for me, that's been a big, big thing to unlearn.

SPEAKER_02 18:50

I love that. I love that, and I know powerfully that you also help your clients unlearn that.

SPEAKER_01 18:57

Thank you. It's isn't it funny how when we look at others and we can see, oh, I see you. And and I would love to help you navigate through that. And then at the same time, we're walking the very same path right along with them. And it's like, hmm, maybe I should take my own my own counsel there.

SPEAKER_02 19:21

Oh, I love this conversation. You're absolutely right. You know, we we see ourselves in what we want to fix in ourselves and everybody else. And it's like, okay, if I'm gonna work on me, I might as well work on them too. Right. So I think that's it. It is a very powerful um experience to be able to come alongside someone that you're working with and help them from a perspective of been there, done that. Now let me help you. Here's what here's what I've experienced, and it and it really does make an impact. So thank you for sharing that. So if today's conversation got you thinking about your brand, your message, or how you're showing up in the world, come check out the brand success hub. It's my on-demand resource center packed with tools, trainings, and templates to help you get clear, consistent, and confident in your brand. And yes, Christy has agreed to share her talk on getting doing a deep dive around desk organization, and it's not what you think, people. So definitely check that out, the brand success hub. Head on over to 30secondssuccess.com and click on the hub, and I'll see you on the inside. So, Christy, what does it feel like when you watch your clients achieve a goal or think differently or or rise higher? You know, what what does it feel like for you to experience that?

SPEAKER_01 20:42

It's that image of a hot air balloon just going up in the air, you know, just higher and higher. That's how it feels internally. Just to see them like relaxing into it or easing into it, or you you watch their shoulders drop, you watch this the smile slowly spread across their face, you watch them maybe just get giddy and and like you can watch the tension melt away. Um when you have those moments where you have those brilliant, you know, aha's you know, with them, um you know, you innocently say something, you know, like, hey, could I make a suggestion? I wonder if maybe this would help. And then, oh my gosh, that yes, that's exactly it. And uh it's indescribable. What a gift it is. Really and truly.

SPEAKER_02 21:36

I would love that. So so what do you wish more people understood about entrepreneurship and growth?

SPEAKER_01 21:49

We are always evolving, we are always growing. Uh, if you were brand new to entrepreneurship and you feel like a baby entrepreneur and you feel like you're you know just green and remember that every single entrepreneur started somewhere started you know in the beginning and um you know you may be idolizing another entrepreneur going oh this person looks so put together and they've got it all figured out and that very person you're idolizing is probably idolizing somebody else going oh that person is so so put together and that's so not me and and we are always always a work in progress I'm sorry we are all of us always a work in progress and that would be the the first thing and the second thing Laura is you've got to give yourself time away from your business to refuel I think it's so easy for us entrepreneurs to always be in go mode or always be in on mode I you know when you go to your child's uh baseball game and you're sitting in the stands be there watching your child run the bases or out in the infield you know catching the ball or um when you're out on a date with your special someone be in the moment if you're out hiking and you find this really amazing rock to sit on and you can just look out at the landscape be in the moment because all of that that's refueling us so that we can come back into our businesses feeling refreshed and feeling like we're a better version of ourselves it helps us to move away from feeling depleted and and um low energy and oh like I never get a clear break from my business. Give yourself that clear break you know see if how you can structure your your schedule if you want to take a Friday off once a month or maybe you want to take Friday afternoons off or um if you want to um maybe start your your maybe you start your day at nine but you your first meetings you have them start at 10 a.m you get to call the shots as an entrepreneur. I think that for us entrepreneurs who formerly worked in corporate or we worked in a small business we're operating from that framework. And so then so mentally we're sort of split between this is my the the new iteration of myself but we're also kind of still back there too so and and who do you need to lean on Laura? You know like you and I we lean on each other all the time and we support each other. Who are those people who are in your circle who you can just be real with and you can just let your hair down and say ooh here's where I'm feeling really challenged what is the help you need and whom do you need to to seek out to get that help you know do you need a business consultant?

SPEAKER_02 24:53

Do you like you know you you have your brand success hub um you I'm I have the privilege of being in your mastermind um do you need a bookkeeper to help free up your time what is it that you need and honor yourself to give that to yourself and to your business because it just it just pays dividends for both you and your business I love that I love that you're absolutely right honoring yourself making sure that you are taking time for what's important so that you can refuel and be grounded so that you can actually move forward does make a difference.

SPEAKER_01 25:33

It really makes an impact because again who are we doing this for right it's it's about the growth but more importantly it's about being present and really enjoying the process so thank you for sharing that I think that is such a beautiful a beautiful um perspective to share with our audience so I appreciate you doing so Christy what's lighting you up right now in your work in your life in your faith what's got you excited what's what's happening for you right now oh I feel I feel like I'm really stepping in really fully and truly stepping into that next iteration of myself um I feel like I am stepping into a place of for sure of greater expansion um of greater ease more excitement um getting back in touch with things that maybe I've kind of walked away from and I'm just coming back to it and exploring it again um I I'm working on a memoir as well about my my journey as an entrepreneur and have you know with the situation with um with my parents and and uh um looking at creating my very first course which will be around desk organization um you know what new talks could I give um you know right now I'm working on um updating my website so that it really reflects who I am as a business owner um and and I and also how my business has evolved so I think it's just really embracing that new evolution of myself and just being in it you know life is so fast paced and that's one of the reasons why I started my business it's it's how can I help you in whatever way I can to help you really just love life love your business love be so in love with your business and and I I think that life is such a beautiful experience and I want people to feel that I love that love that you're absolutely right you know the there's been it there's been many times where I know that there are people that are just frustrated and tired and they need that that one person that they can lean on to help them figure things out and and you do that so beautifully for your clients I think it's beautiful. So thank you for doing that what's the best way for people to connect with you or go deeper into your work oh visit my website collaborative partnersadmin.com there's a um um a contact box at the very bottom if you would like to reach out to me and and uh I love getting to know business owners and and the type of work they do and and uh um it's such a joy to meet new people isn't it absolutely I love I love making made making new connections so thank you yeah so before we go what final thought of encouragement would you like to leave our listeners with today your show is so inspiring Laura I love it um I would say remember that you matter you you are the foundation of your business and you matter and how you feel about your business matters how you feel about yourself matters so what is it that you need that will get you back in that place of balance and to help you feel grounded again um don't wait i i have had so many conversations with people over the years who have said oh I so need your services and then I think that they are so overwhelmed in in where they are in their business that it's almost it feels like too big of a mountain to climb to actually move forward so you know no matter who it is that you if you know I I don't care if it's a personal trainer if it's if it's a bookkeeper if it's you Laura like if you need the help really think about how much different could your business and your life be when you get that help and and immerse yourself in that think about where are you right now and where where can you be celebrate everything you've accomplished up to this point but ask yourself what is next and what do I need to bring that next piece into my life and into my business I love that I love that and and finding the right support matters.

SPEAKER_02 30:29

It's amazing when you realize that how many more people you can help how many more people you can serve when you actually hire the right help. And it makes such a difference made such a difference.

SPEAKER_01 30:42

Without a quote I love that you said that it's um it can take you from a place of overwhelm and struggle and fear into a place of lightness and ease and excitement and feeling energized and like how delicious does that feel Lara absolutely I love it.

SPEAKER_02 31:03

I love it I love it great great way to end today so thank you so much for joining us on the 30 Seconds success podcast if you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe so you don't miss next week's inspiring conversation and until then stand in your brand trust your voice and remember success is just 30 seconds away