Kristen is native to IL and the NW Suburbs where she lived with her Mom, Dad and older sister Liz. She grew up loving the outdoors, and was a swimmer from a young age through the beginning of high school.
Kristen graduated from Arizona State University in 2001 with a BS in Sociology of work and organizational development. Some of her first positions were in Hospitality, where she built upon her interpersonal skills and learned to connect with and accommodate people in business.
Kristen is an innovative leader with an intense entrepreneurial drive. She has a proven history of forging strong relationships and managing key multimillion-dollar accounts in the publishing and hospitality industries. She was previously also the owner of a small virtual administrative business, Delegate It!, in her late twenties & early thirties.
Q: What is the biggest challenge you have met in your career?
Kristen: Learning how to be patient. I think that there are some startups that have early success and are able to grow their teams and expand quickly, but not every business is that way. We had really humble beginnings and It's difficult not to compare yourself to those businesses moving along faster, wanting to be like them so bad, and batting off the naysayers. I have learnt to give myself a break and be patient in awaiting the success of my business. I am also learning to celebrate the small successes along with the big ones.
Another challenge we had was undervaluing our service. It took us way too long to see that we are valuable, and that people were willing to pay our rates to make sure they were taken care of appropriately. Our clients are so appreciative of what we do for them, and almost always think we are worth every penny.
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Q: How you would describe your company culture, and what are the superpowers of your team?
Kristen: Our company culture is impressive - our super power stems from the personality of our people. To work in this business, you have to have a personality that will jive with different ages, ethnicities, and situations. We work with the elderly, adults, children, fatally ill, collectors, young families with kids, animals, and the list goes on. We have a compassionate team that can understand someone's vulnerabilities, and comfort them in stressful times. We know when a client needs assurance, direction, encouragement, a laugh or a hug. It's priceless, in my eyes.
Q: What are some challenges or trends you see in hiring today?
Kristen: I know that it is near impossible to find people who are as passionate and driven in your business as you are, but it has been a struggle to even find individuals with compassion, interpersonal skills and are driven to work hard. For that reason, has also been difficult to scale this business. We have a great team, but we had to weed through a lot of people to find that great fit.
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Q: How would you describe your leadership style?
Kristen: I have to admit I am a Type A personality mixed with a bit of OCD. However, I am reasonable about the expectations that I have. I know that nothing is ever perfect, and as long as you learn from a mistake, it isn't one. I am particular about everyone following our processes, it is the reason why we have been in business for nearly 7 years, with 0 insurance claims.
I don't tolerate the mistreatment of anyone internally or externally. I am also light hearted, and a jokester. I like to have fun, reward people for their hard work, and take care of the most important part of our business, our clients.
Q: Who inspires you and why?
Kristen: Jesse Itzler – he is fearless in business and is a true entrepreneur who knows that there is never a perfect time to do anything, you just have to jump in and figure things out sometimes. He is very aware of his mortality and, in turn, makes the most of each day of his life. I love that he has an intention to balance his life. He plans his year ahead of time so he can travel, have fun and still accomplish all the things he needs to do. He really motivates me to be a better human.
I am also a big fan of Will Smith, and love his style of looking fear in the eye and just conquering whatever scares him. I love his work ethic, his passion for life and his belief that you can do anything you put your mind to.
My parents are also a huge inspiration. They are in their 70s - super healthy, excited for life and always planning their next trip. They started with nothing, worked really hard and raised my sister and I. They have lost a daughter (my sister) in recent years, but really worked through it and figured out a way to still make the most of their life. Their strength is awe-inspiring and they have been amazing role models for me.
Q: Have you ever had an hourly job? If yes, please share with us your experience.
Kristen: Oh Yeah… I started working when I was 14 years old at the local pool, making $4.25 an hour. I worked at Subway in High School, for a construction company. I put myself through college working administrative jobs at restaurants, andeven cleaned my bosses house every other Friday to make extra money.
I wasn't raised to be afraid of work. I enjoy it. You have to start somewhere and with each step you learn. I have had positive experiences at even the worst jobs, and I always make a point to take stock of all I have learned, what I like and don't like about those jobs to better shape what I want in my future.
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