We recently connected with Katrina Williams and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Katrina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.
My brother Brian and I grew up in a single parent household. Normally when you hear that statement a sob story follows it but that’s not my story. All of the hard times we experienced laid a solid foundation for the journey. My beautiful mother Phyllis Williams worked three jobs and owned her very own florist/crafting business. GOD blessed her with the gift of creativity, humor, and grace that she used in every area of her life. My mama never made excuses, she never missed a game, a program, or any important moment in our lives. She nurtured our natural born creativity and encouraged us to embrace our GOD given identity.
She willingly showed us the good, bad, and ugly parts of the world. She was forthcoming with information and she purposely taught us how to handle ourselves with integrity. What changed the game was her willingness to retire her management parenting role to become a consultant early on in our lives. The greatest gift she gave my brother and I was the ability to exercise our FREE WILL! After she instilled her life lessons, character, and wisdom in us she stepped back and gave us room to explore. She allowed us to make decisions on our own, to feel failure, to fall, and most importantly absorb the consequences of our actions. She didn’t restrict us with rules, she challenged us to rise to the occasion by giving us information and responsibility!
The creative gene along with the freedom we had to make decisions really gave me a strong sense of self. I’m not afraid to try new things or even fail because I know that every failure is really a lesson. I know that if something doesn’t work the first time I can use the information I gather to make something else or try it again a different way. That creative callus my mother helped me build has changed my approach to life and business as a whole. I don’t mind being the first to do something and I’m not afraid to be the odd ball. Being me flaws and all is my super power. I know who I am because of the way my mama raised me.
Katrina, 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?
Many young adults are struggling with decision making, vision, and maintaining consistency. The masses blame this on laziness but the reality is they’re struggling with IDENTITY! Over my 17 years of working with youth I’ve discovered that when an individual has a strong sense of self, they’re able to create unique ways to navigate the landmines of life. They develop character traits that safeguard them and helps them manage themselves well!
The lack of self-awareness is causing our young adults to mismanage opportunities and be ill prepared for life after high school. Some young adults don’t have access to the people, resources, or experience that’ll expose this issue early on. They know that they want more but they just don’t know where to start! That’s why I started Level 27 Life Coaching and Advising, LLC. My upbringing and collegiate experiences are what sparked my passion for helping the youth! As a first-generation college student, I endured many failures due to a lack of information and not being properly prepared. When I walked across the stage to get my degree, I declared that I would bridge the gap between the community and college campuses.
Hey y’all, I’m Coach K— the coach you call when you need help getting started. I’m a Transition Life Coach who helps student-athletes and young adults find direction, develop a plan of action and set a STANDARD for the journey! My goal is to help them build a strong foundation, discover their purpose, and understand their true identity in JESUS CHRIST!
I have dedicated my life to helping others transition well. I have a podcast called Level Up with Coach K. Each episode exposes the youth to people from all walks of life. My prayer is that they’ll see themselves in my guest of honors story. They need to know that they can make it too. I’m also an Author, who writes inspirational workbooks and creates life content that serves as a resource for those transitioning. I released my latest book entitled “The Cost of Doing Business: Inspirational Workbook for Student-Athletes” in 2025. This inspirational workbook helps student-athletes go on a self-discovery journey to understand their true value and kingdom identity in Jesus Christ. The book exposes them to our signature frame work, The S.O.P.R.O. APPROACH which consists of being: Self-Aware, Organized, Present, Resilient, and Organized. These characteristics help them to establish a solid foundation to build on and navigate their transition process.
Level 27 is a faith-based life coaching company on a mission to help young adults to SIMPLIFY, APPLY, and SIMPLY GET STARTED. We specialize in helping you TRANSITION WELL through CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES and SITUATIONAL PREPARATION!
We assist you with developing the PRACTICAL SKILLS to:
– Create a plan of action
– Increase your mental stamina
– Take ownership of your experience
– Establish a standard for your journey
OUR VALUES:
Our values consist of being CHRIST centered, building character, establishing community, and being consistent. We believe that if you learn how to manage your mindset and not your circumstance nothing can stop your progress.
GUIDING SCRIPTURE: Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 NLT
LEVEL 27 QUOTE: “Stay FOCUSED, TRUST GOD, and Respect The PROCESS!”
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I’m a TRUE TEXAN, that values my FAITH, FAMILY, FOOD, and of course, FOOTBALL! It’s safe to say that the Dallas Cowboys have played a huge role in my development! Everyone in my family has played sports, especially softball, so naturally, I picked up a bat and glove at the age of 2. I participated in softball, basketball, and track & field events throughout her entire life! Unfortunately, I never fulfilled my dreams of playing at the collegiate level due to a knee injury. Like most kids I thought I was going to play pro sports but when I got injured those dreams were taken. I experienced a crack in my identity, it was the first time I really questioned who I was. The turning point for me happened when I was called to serve as a step team coach for the after school program. I started working with this very special group of kids at my alma mater. These kids were experiencing so much during that time, so in order for me to truly connect with them I had to be authentic! I couldn’t hid I had to keep it real and be vulnerable with them. Watching them opened up to me and trusted me really healed me. I knew that the way I connected with them and how fast it happened was all GOD. This experience revealed GOD’S real purpose for my life. I would say to myself, “Wow you trust me with your children Lord.” I credit that group of kids for saving my life. They challenged me to rise to the occasion the same way my mother did when I was a kid. Because of them I feel a sense of responsibility to stand in the gap for young adults to help them transition well. I call myself a SPARK PLUG, because I supply LIGHT in dark places to help others discover what’s already living inside of them. My mission is to help others realize their potential and capitalize on their opportunities!
Although my athletic competition days are over, I simply can’t stay away from sports. The lights, the sound of whistles blowing, and sneakers squeaking on the hardwood floors brings me so much peace. I’ve continued to submerge myself in sports by coaching many youth league basketball teams and mentoring student-athletes. I’ve also served as an Academic Coach for Division I student-athletes at Texas Christian University. My love for the game, teaching life skills, and preparing students for college and life is what inspired her to become a Transition Life Coach and start Level 27 Life Coaching and Advising, LLC! I’ll continue to support the youth as long as I live.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
There are a few books that really helped to reinforce my mindset when it comes to life and business. The list is below:
– Rejection Proof by Jia Jiang was life altering. This book really put life in perspective. It reminded me that what’s important is being secure in yourself and knowing who you are.
– Uncloned Marketing by Audria Richmond was a great book and an easy read. She breaks down the importance of challenging the norms with profitable marketing campaigns.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.level27coaching.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/level27coaching
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/Level27Coaching
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-williams-m-ed-67156a8b
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/level27coaching
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@level27lifecoaching
- Other: Podcast Home Page (Spreaker): https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/level-up-with-coach-k-podcast–2223334
Substack: https://substack.com/@transitionlifecoaching
