Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Crystal Chapman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Crystal thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?
All in all, I absolutely LOVE being a business owner. There are hard days, and there are days when I feel lonely, but I wouldn’t choose a different path in life for myself. For as long as I can remember, I’ve liked to do things my way and never gave much thought to what those around me were doing. I don’t think my way is necessarily better than another person’s, but it’s the best way for me. I want to live life on my terms.
I had a vision growing up that I would be a successful working mother. End of story. There was no alternative plan. I worked hard through school to get my associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees, and in theory, I don’t use any of them. I’ve got that fabulous student loan debt to show for it, though. In retrospect, I only went to school for my master’s degree because I was told in high school that I was associate degree material and to not set myself up for failure by dreaming bigger.
Like I said, I do things my way. And I don’t like to be doubted.
But everything changed when I had my son. Suddenly, the thought of leaving him with someone else to cuddle him on the hard days and witness his firsts was more than I could take. Fortunately, I have the most amazing and supportive husband one could imagine, and there was never any pushback when I said I couldn’t leave him. In time, we had our second child, a girl, and got into a nice groove. But too much of the same leaves me feeling uninspired. As fulfilled as I was, I was beginning to feel empty on the inside because I wasn’t using my brain. I needed that outside stimulation. I wanted to feel needed for me as a person, rather than just a mom or wife. I’d lost my identity. Don’t get me wrong, I was grateful and in awe of the life we’ve created, but I was missing something.
I’d look for jobs that would excite me and then I’d begin to look at childcare. I’d go from a high of excitement to the lowest of lows from anxiety. I knew if I couldn’t fathom the thought of leaving them, I’d never actually be able to leave them.
So I went back to my roots and did things my way. I started a business and set a goal of making a certain amount before my daughter started kindergarten so that I could justify to myself staying home. You see, I still wanted to be home even when they weren’t! They both started in public school, and they’re both in competitive sports. I don’t want to miss anything. I don’t want to have to ask permission to skip out on work to make it to their events because their events are non-negotiable for me. Even though I don’t want to only be a mother, a mother is exactly what I will always be first and foremost.
As a business owner, I get to spend my days shuttling my homeschooled children to and from sporting activities while working with an amazing team of women I’ve cultivated. If that’s not the definition of living life on my terms, I’m not sure what is.
Crystal, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
At CJC Dynamic Solutions, we are a custom design and marketing firm dedicated to bringing your business vision to life. We specialize in creating stunning websites and leveraging powerful tools like Google My Business, various Google platforms, and social media to boost your online presence. What sets us apart is our coaching approach. We believe in empowering you with a business strategy that not only reflects your unique aesthetic but also captivates your ideal customers. Our goal is to teach you how to effectively use all the systems we implement, ensuring you’re in full control of your marketing efforts.
I am passionate about providing my clients with the tools necessary to take intentional steps forward in their business with confidence and knowledge. I don’t withhold information from my clients because the more they know, the better their chances of achieving long-term success. That success should be achievable with or without my continued monthly support.
Having witnessed countless horror stories of business owners being taken advantage of, I have fully embraced my love of teaching and empowering others. Our customer retention rate is incredibly high, and it’s something I’m very proud of. Between our repeat clients and project clients who convert to monthly clients, we are extremely busy. We have spent years building relationships with some clients, walking hand in hand with them through times of struggle and prosperity. Nothing fills my bucket more than reviewing year-end progress with our monthly clients and seeing their growth. We have built relationships with these women that truly revolve around trust and respect.
One of my favorite things to do with my clients is to review their goals and create a strategy to help them achieve them. More often than not, we are able to reach these goals together, and that’s beyond exciting. While it may cause us trouble at times, our team is overly invested in our clients’ success. We are passionate about their goals, seeing them grow and improve, helping them pivot towards necessary changes, and simply being their cheerleader.
At CJC Dynamic Solutions, we offer you the flexibility to choose your currency—time or money. Whether you prefer to invest your time learning and managing your marketing or let us handle it for you, we have a solution that fits your needs. Join us in transforming your business into a dynamic, engaging, and successful brand.
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
When I first began my business in 2019, I was only looking to bring in $500 or so a month so that I could cover my student loan and our children’s activities. I brought on my first employee in January 2021 and we exceeded the previous year’s revenue by 5x! At this time, both of my children were in gymnastics and each spent 3 hours a day, 3-4 days a week, at the gym. It was difficult for me to work, and I was incredibly fortunate when a friend subleased a single office space for me to work from. When I say fortunate, I’m not exaggerating. It was $300/month with all utilities and garbage included, and they also allowed my children to be there.
By the time 2022 was over, I had hired 5 more employees—half were working with me at the office and the rest from home. At year-end, we had doubled the revenue from the prior year. By the end of 2023, we were at 1.5x above our 2022 revenue. At the start of 2024, we were on track to match our 2023 revenue with just our recurring monthly clients, which is huge considering our client retention rate is higher than anyone else I know in my industry. We’re halfway through 2024, and I have an incredibly talented team of 8 women, with a freshly posted job listing as of this morning!
Our growth did not go unnoticed by our friendly landlords, and we were in drastic need of finding our new home. We again got very fortunate when the downstairs unit decided to vacate their lease early, and we were able to move in below market value. We subleased from our friends for 3 years and now we are renting their beautiful 1,100 sqft office space I was terrified to move into.
I think the main reason for such fast-paced growth in my business is because I’m fueled by a challenge. I don’t spend much time worrying about what other businesses are doing and don’t give much thought to my competitors, but I’m always watching to learn from those around me that are doing well. I pivot quickly and I can keep things quite compartmentalized when it comes to business. This can sometimes be a weakness for me, but more often it’s one of my greatest strengths. I lean on my husband a lot. He’s literally my rock and always in my corner and has zero doubt in my capabilities. He has been there to pick me up from every setback and to celebrate all of my victories, regardless of size. His unwavering support and my passion for constant improvement and unwillingness to say no is what keeps me moving in the right direction day after day.
Mistakes are life’s lessons and they’re only really mistakes when you allow them to happen again. When you choose to take your setbacks and see them for the lessons they are, you’re unstoppable. There isn’t room for victims in business, and a negative mindset unwilling to see the good in the bad is the road that leads to failure. I make mistakes all the time but you’ll never see me make the same one twice.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
Running a business with team members brings a whole different dynamic because now you’re in a position that requires managing client and employee emotions. It’s a lot at times. While leadership has always come naturally to me, I never actually held a leadership position in the traditional workforce. Instead, I often found myself willing to lend a helping hand, only to end up feeling taken advantage of and bitter. This was a recurring situation, likely because I like to help and get bored easily when I’m no longer feeling challenged. It never took long after hitting the point of resentment before I’d leave for a new opportunity.
Upon reflection, this was likely because I didn’t value my skill set and what I brought to the table. I didn’t feel confident enough in my abilities to ask for a justified raise or promotion and kept chugging along until I couldn’t take it any longer. I turned 39 this year, and there’s something to be said for the old saying, “with age comes wisdom,” because I’ve certainly learned a lot. Being that I love to learn new things and help people, I still find myself in this position on occasion, but I’m more intentional about it. I take time to pause before answering or realize sooner when it’s time to pull back.
In spite of not having proper leadership experience, my experiences have taught me a lot about navigating a team. I’m still learning and I make mistakes, but keeping my team happy and feeling appreciated is incredibly important to me. If I’m being honest, I probably place most of my efforts in this area. I’ve cultivated a team of women who choose daily to support my vision and passion. I truly value this group of women and am tremendously grateful for them.
I put a lot of effort into understanding what tasks they’re most interested in, checking in often to see if we need to move jobs or clients around, and maintaining a very flexible schedule. I don’t approve time off because it’s always available with the expectation that their workload is prepared for their time away and we’re aware of what needs to be tended to. The majority of my team is made up of mothers, and kids get sick, and they have events at school that can’t be missed. Sometimes it’s simply too nice to be inside all day! Or sometimes you just need a long lunch or to leave early.
While I still make mistakes, I pride myself on not making the same mistake twice. I put a lot of effort into learning my employees’ personalities and what fills their bucket. To me, this is what matters most. It’s what I wish I had in a boss years ago. I never want to be the boss who is so far removed from the tasks my team is doing that I make impossible demands. I’ve done all their work, and I’m involved in all our accounts, so while I’m getting further removed by default of growing and having to give up the reins a bit, I’m still involved. I also realize when I need to defer to my team for their opinion because I’m rusty in an area.
To me, those are the things that matter most. It makes it so even on my not-so-stellar days or when I put my foot in my mouth, they brush it off and choose to show up again the next day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cjcdynamicsolutions.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cjc_dynamicsolutions
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/crystaljchapman
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjcdynamicsolutions/
- Other: Facebook Community Group – www.facebook.com/groups/cjccoachingcenter
Image Credits
Heather Dunn with Ambience Photography