We recently connected with Crystal Smith and have shared our conversation below.

Crystal, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

The story behind my mission is that I personally am a single mom who has been faced with a lot of adversity. When I became a single mom in college it wasn’t planned nor expected. I was always a determined scholar who had the drive to succeed, but when I had my daughter I quickly realized that I would have to put some strategic plans into overdrive if I wanted to stay the course. When starting to plan I was having all of these overwhelmingly subconscious feelings of defeat and the loneliness that I had never felt before. I began to slow down, allow myself some grace, and realign my life’s plan. It took about 3 years for me to get past the shock of my situation, but I kept doing the self-work. After being able to function daily with a “can do” attitude again which was what I was used to, I began to think to myself if I feel like this then I can only imagine what other single moms are feeling. This prompted my business of Six Figure Single Mom where my mission is to career coach professional women who are parents when they feel unclear and/or “stuck” in their careers. I said to myself if I could help other moms gain the courage and confidence back and couple that with skillsets they could leverage when they want to elevate their careers as a career coach, then it would be fulfilling my mission and purpose of elevating other moms around me. Over the years I had been always doing this, but now I am more intentional.

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

I got into the industry of career coaching by having a passion for helping people to advance their careers (by re-vamping their resumes, mock interviewing them, teaching them how to research their industries, teaching them how to advance in the workplace, etc). Throughout my career I have always had a professional mentor / coach who has guided me on what steps to take in order to advance professionally. Six Figure Single Mom career coaching business was created because I wanted a place to give single parents hope, to know that they too can excel professionally with a few intentional guided systems. I personally am a single mom, so I know how much effort it takes to be the breadwinner of your household and to be financially responsible for everyone under your roof. Since this is true, I have been very intentional about maximizing my salary and teaching my clients how to do the same by leveraging their skillsets when they feel stuck in their careers through 1 on 1 coaching, group coaching, workshops, materclasses, and motivational & transformational speaking. When working with my clients we get very detailed in assessing their strengths and weaknesses, as well as passions and purpose so that we are clear about the value that they can bring an organization.

I am most proud of the impact that these single parents are making when they begin to lean into their best self. When they become focused with a plan and totally transform their mindsets and finances, then they are able to create a better life for their children so that they are able to make positive and productive waves. And that’s something I am proud of. I want potential clients and followers to know that they are not alone and I see them pressing forward everyday, even when they are internally battling thoughts that they are not good enough. We address those feelings, so that they are confident and know exactly what they bring to the table.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I went to graduate school there was a lot going on in my life. I was consistently traveling to our project sites at my corporate job, attending graduate school almost an hour away from where I worked, was heavily involved in many church activities, all while still trying to be a very present and active mom for my daughter. There were times in graduate school I remembered meeting my professors outside of class times to take my exams because of everything that I had on my plate. This was an extremely busy time for me, however I knew obtaining my MBA would give me a competitive advantage professionally so I kept moving in stride to get it done. There were many times that I was exhausted almost feeling like I was hardly getting any sleep or proper nutrition, but when I have my mind set to something I try to stick to the plan as much as I can. In doing this I learned a lot. I learned the power of keeping a focused mindset which is something I always encourage my clients to do. The power of shifting your mindset is not only critical but life-changing. When you really put your mind to something, no one but you can stop you. In my business this translates very well. Many would think how would I be able to handle all that I was doing, but for me it wasn’t optional. I knew that I owed a better life to myself as well as my daughter.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When I first started my business I thought I would only be helping single mothers, however I get inquiries daily from moms who don’t consider themselves single moms that want and need career coaching also. This was really hard for me at first because I had written out a business plan specifically geared towards single moms, however I started to meet a lot of other moms who were doing things alone and wanted to learn strategies to excel professionally as well. Because of this I had to sit down and really think about the future of my business and who I intentionally want to help. Once I did that I realized that the name of the business is simply who I am, however the mission of Six Figure Single Mom is to help moms who don’t necessarily fit into the traditional mold of a single mother but still feel the burden & responsibilities as if they were one.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sixfiguresinglemom.com
• Instagram: @thesixfiguresinglemom
• Facebook: Six Figure Single Mom
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/six-figure-single-mom
• Twitter: @sixfigsinglemom

Image Credits
Charles & Charles Photography