Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Krystle J Bailey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Krystle J, thanks for joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I’ve tried time and time again to live a “regular” life and seek out “regular” jobs, only to be left wondering what “regular” and “normal” even mean. To say I am happy as an artist or creative would depend on the day. I don’t work a regular job or bring home a salary. I struggle with routine and self-motivation at times, and while I often find myself wondering, “What would life look like if I took a more traditional route,” I end the daydream with a shake of my head and a deep sense of gratitude that I’ve been afforded such a life. The days I am happiest are when I am creating freely. I find the biggest sense of joy in my heart when I am surrounded by other creatives or consumed by the creative process.

In a world where women have been silenced and artists have been mislabeled and judged, it is an honor not just to share my art, but through my work, I’ve been able to share dozens of stories about other artists and creatives as well. It is through their stories that I have been reminded on countless occasions that my work and my art are not just important, but necessary. I have been reintroduced to myself over and over through my own healing and self-evolution and it is my understanding that for the world to be as great as it has the potential to be, it is up to each of us to be operating in our purpose. Writing and communication are my innate gifts and I am on this Earth to use my gifts to live fully in my own purpose. To fight that tide would be an exercise in futility, so to answer simply: Yes, I am happy as a creative because I have no idea what else I’d rather be doing with my hands, my mind, and my time.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

In 2010 I began a blog entitled Skinny Jeans Dreams. When social media was still becoming what it is today, I was a 22-year-old new mother sharing a story of weight loss on the internet. As Facebook business pages were introduced, I took my storytelling to a new platform and quickly gained a significant audience. What seemed like overnight, my Facebook page went from zero to 10,000 likes and ultimately, up to 18,000+. As I proceeded to lose over 100 pounds in the public light, women across the world were inspired by my authenticity and storytelling ability. Soon, Skinny Jeans Dreams t-shirts and water bottles were being delivered across the world, from Canada to Australia and across the United States.

As my audience began to ask when I would write a book, I remembered the days of my childhood when I would often pen short stories for my family members. I had always been a writer at heart, though I had no idea I could make a career out of it. In 2017, my first book, Nourish, was released – a Journey to Loving and Embracing the Woman Within. In this book, I write about the things I understood about life, healing, love, and womanhood up until that point. Growing up on the internet, mentoring hundreds of women across the country, and being in the limelight at an early age has given me a unique perspective on the human experience.

Following the release of my book, I joined forces with a local news publication as a columnist and contributor. Over the last several years as my media presence grew, I have had the honor of meeting hundreds of artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs, all of whom have inspired me in some way. I’ve sat at tables with millionaires and told stories of those who picked themselves up from rock bottom. Through my journeys and travels, I have met countless individuals who have inspired me in ineffable ways.

In 2023, I began co-hosting a local radio show, which led me to my most recent platform – The Coolest People in the World Podcast, where I feature stories of really cool people, flying just under the radar, but making a huge impact in their respective worlds. From chefs and farmers to dancers and performers, advocates, healers, and more, The CPW is a place for really incredible humans to share their story.

While I look forward to more books, upcoming speaking engagements, and more, I am excited to see what the future holds. I’ve been on a unique communications ride of my own creation since 2011, and it looks like I won’t be stopping any time soon. When I am not hosting or writing books, I offer client services including social media management, copywriting, and content creation.

I am most proud of my children. Through all of this growth, worldwide pandemics, business building, and more, I’ve been fortunate enough to mother two of the most incredible kids to ever walk the earth (in my humble opinion.) They are creative, intelligent, kind, and driven, and they both seem to have a good understanding of what life’s all about. My kids inspire me every day and I hope to leave an empire of love in my wake when I’m gone.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I have used this word, “pivot” more times than I care to admit. I’ve pivoted my way in a circle, right back to where I was a time or two. Feeling frustration, I almost threw this word out of my personal lexicon, until I began to think about this idea of pivoting back to the starting point. I began to wonder what if the pivots didn’t stand alone, but I was actually moving in a circular motion. With experience, awareness, and the gift of retrospect, I’ve been able to see pivots as nudges back to truest self.

The idea of evolution is to rise higher in a cyclical nature. Given that thought process, we are faced with many of the same decisions over and over, each time given the opportunity to do something different this time.

These days, I welcome a pivot. I see it as an opportunity to keep evolving and the next step on this journey through life. Rather than seeing the thing I am moving away from as a “loss” or something of the past, I choose to look at it as another trip around the cycle of evolution. Those parts of my story served me well for the time that they did and now I am being called to move on. It’s up to me whether I do so with a fight or with love and grace. I try to choose grace – for myself, for my career, and for life’s journey.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

According to Google, the Ancient Egyptians said it first, but I heard it from Maya Angelou. The theory states that we die twice; first, when we take our last breath and again when our name is spoken for the last time.

I want my future great, great, great grandkids to know the woman that came before them, and I want generations of women that come after me to know what authenticity and creative expression can look like. I hope that one day one of my books is dusted off from a 100-year-old shelf and a young person finds the hope she is seeking. So many authors and creatives have inspired me long after they’ve taken their last breath and it is my hope that the sacrifices made as an artist in this lifetime will long pay themselves back in the generations yet to come. If I’m lucky, I’ll get to experience that feeling in this lifetime, too.

For now, I keep writing and showing up. Like every other woman of my generation, I know that my voice is meant to be used ferociously and bravely in ways that feel true and authentic. That is how we discover the people who are meant for us on the journey of life.

Contact Info:

• Website: thecoolestpeoplepodcast.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/krystlejbailey
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/krystlejbailey1
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystle-j-bailey-47650b153/
• Twitter: twitter.com/thecoolestpeoplepodcast
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@TheCoolestPeoplePodcast
• Other: The Coolest People in the World is available wherever you stream podcasts.

Image Credits
Main picture, jean jacket picture, and mural painting picture: Grate Vision, LLC (@gratevision) Picture with black and white paint: Body painting by Heather Deegan Hires (@Bodypaintingbyheather) Photo by Ruben Garcia (@thephotographyofrubengarcia)