We were lucky to catch up with Crystal Bell recently and have shared our conversation below.
Crystal, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
Honestly… yes. But it’s not the kind of happy people imagine. It’s not all smiles and “boss moves.” It’s peace mixed with pressure. I wake up every day knowing I’m in control — but that control comes with a price: no guaranteed check, no safety net, no clock-out. Just faith, drive, and a vision that keeps me up at night.
Some days, I think about what it would be like to just have a regular job again. The last time that hit me, I was sitting after a long day, exhausted from planning, calls, and handling everything that comes with building something from scratch. For a moment, I thought: “Man… a regular job would be easier. Someone else handles the stress.”
Then I remembered what that life felt like — asking for permission to take a day off, feeling stuck, being limited by someone else’s schedule or rules. That snapped me back. I didn’t come this far to trade freedom for comfort. I’d rather grind through the hard than trade my dreams for someone else’s plan.
Some days it’s lonely. Some days it’s exhausting. But every late night, every decision, every challenge — it’s building something that’s mine. That kind of hard grows you, not breaks you.
Crystal, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m CB, also known as The GOATED CHILD, and I’m an entrepreneur and creator building my own lane. I didn’t grow up with a roadmap for success, and life definitely threw challenges my way — including some moments that could have set me back for good. But I learned early on that if I wanted something done right — or if I wanted it at all — I had to do it myself. That mindset is what brought me into entrepreneurship.
I’m currently building a business focused on vending machines, merchandise, and creative branding. My products include custom apparel, motivational stickers, and personal branding services, and eventually, I’ll expand to include curated vending machine selections that provide convenience and enjoyment to everyday spaces. What sets my work apart is that everything I create comes from a place of authenticity, resilience, and vision. I solve real problems for my clients: giving them products that inspire, services that help them level up, and experiences that make life a little easier and a lot more motivated. I don’t just provide merchandise or services — I provide tools, energy, and a mindset to push forward.
What I’m most proud of is my journey. I’ve turned challenges into a blueprint for success, and I’m constantly learning, growing, and proving that setbacks aren’t the end — they’re just steps in the process. I’ve built a brand and a vision that reflect my values: independence, hustle, authenticity, and excellence.
For potential clients, followers, or fans, the main things I want them to know are: I work hard. I’m committed. I care deeply about the quality and energy of what I put out into the world. When you engage with my brand, you’re not just getting a product or service — you’re supporting someone who is building her dream from the ground up and inviting you along for the journey.
At the heart of everything I do is the belief that your circumstances don’t define your destiny — your hustle, your vision, and your mindset do. That’s what The GOATED CHILD stands for.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
One moment that really tested my resilience happened when I had just finished a big project for a client. I designed her website, created her logo, business cards, thank-you cards, and even made custom bags — going above and beyond by introducing her business to my coworkers, which ended up making her $300 that day. I wanted her to succeed and gave her every advantage I could.
But after all that work, she disputed $500. I was discouraged, frustrated, and for a moment, I questioned if it was even worth offering that level of care and effort again. I thought, “Maybe I should just stop going above and beyond. Maybe this isn’t worth it.”
Then I remembered why I started. I realized that if I let this shake my hustle, she won — and that’s not who I am. I don’t give up easily. I picked myself up, kept going, and used that experience as fuel. It reminded me that resilience isn’t about avoiding setbacks — it’s about facing them head-on, learning from them, and continuing to build despite them. That day taught me that my vision, my work, and my dedication are bigger than anyone else’s attempt to slow me down.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Another lesson I had to unlearn was thinking that setbacks meant failure. Growing up, I was conditioned to see mistakes, rejection, or obstacles as signs that I wasn’t good enough or that I should quit. Early in my journey as a business owner, whenever something went wrong — a client issue, a project that didn’t go as planned, or a deal that fell through — I would take it personally and let it shake my confidence.
Over time, I realized that setbacks aren’t the opposite of progress — they’re part of it. Each challenge is actually a lesson, a test of resilience, and an opportunity to improve. Once I unlearned the fear of failure, I started approaching my business and life differently. I embraced mistakes as feedback, setbacks as redirection, and challenges as proof that I’m stretching myself. That mindset shift made me more confident, persistent, and willing to take risks, because now I understand that falling doesn’t mean I’ve lost — it just means I’m learning.
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