We recently connected with Kelli Dennehey Christina and have shared our conversation below.

Kelli, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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?

As a business owner, you have to be conditioned to handle both strong result years and slowdown periods for the long term survival towards any business. Planning and budgeting is imperative while handling any operations and your team. Often people can perceive a CEO or business owner as “lucky or special” while the stress level and responsibility can be overwhelming including long hours and a constant challenge for balance in life. It’s an easier role to become labeled as a “workaholic.” As an individual person then you have to stop and reprioritize sometimes on life paths. The livelihood of any business is often delegated to the owner and late night worrying typically achieves nothing but added stress.

As the owner of a recruiting and staffing company then I have been handling and talking to people about their jobs for a couple decades. Often bosses, executives, owners, directors and managers can reach a period in their careers where “being the boss” isn’t always imperative. In other words, there is a defined beauty in both avenues as a leader or an employee. There are positives and negatives on both paths. As an employee, often you have the ability to walk away from job and business for more fun and meaningful times in life.

Throughout my own career, I started as a restaurant manager at 19 years old with a Hospitality Business degree three years later. I have had times in my career where I am out “moonlighting” or rebuilding and someone else is the boss. I find these roles enjoyable and I have the proven abilities to follow instructions and “go above and beyond” as an employee too. So whether you’re the boss or employee, work above and beyond to find success in your career.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I opened KD-Staffing in 2007 for permanent medical professionals, and we are a contingency staffing firm. We tend to stay specialized and focused on permanent staffing for our hospitals and medical practices. We staff all nursing departments, nursing managers, directors, mid-levels, and/or “hard to fill” positions. KD-Staffing’s mission statement is simple: Accelerate the interview and transition process into successful new jobs.

I have 23 years in recruitment and the medical industry, and ten years prior in restaurant management. My corporate background in recruitment included running the travel divisions prior to opening KD-Staffing in 2007. We offer fair and affordable rates to our clients.

In 2018, I opened a second company called “KDC-Making a Difference, LLC” which is current day books and public speaking. I am a proud international best-selling author on my second book “Riding the Executive Roller Coaster-Medical Staffing cases.”

My branding revolves around “Business, Sales Awards, setting your people for success and making a difference in the communities including service work.” I take a lot of my life philosophies and apply them towards my business model. I have a life program and life coach for 18 years and I take this knowledge and pass it on for years. I believe that if you can set people up for success in the beginning stages that they have a higher chance for success. I often coach my team to “go above and beyond” in their own job roles. Extra ambition, creative thinking and passion will take you extremely far in achieving stronger results. At KD-Staffing, we sell services and people in jobs and recruitment.

There are many different leadership styles. I often avoid being the “know it all leader” that keeps their mind closed and believe they have all the personal answers. Stronger leaders can learn so much by having the ability to sit down, shut their mouths and listen to other people. There is a wealth of knowledge from listening to other people. I believe that you can achieve greater success with cooperation from others and teamwork.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

While handling day to day jobs then I believe strongly in a “word of mouth” reputation. I will train other recruiters towards establishing a “word of mouth” reputation with their own clientele and job candidates. Excellent communication during the job interview process is key. Our industry gets general complaints about this topic often. When job candidates take the added time and efforts with recruiters then they deserve a “Yes” or “No” answer towards moving forward or interview cancelled. Sometimes, new recruiters will hide out or ignore giving out negative feedback instead of issuing feedback either way. People tend to appreciate the “honest answer” and communication either way and they will often remember your name for the excellent follow up and feedback.

Recruiters that often follow up and stay organized with communication can earn an extra book of business and referrals for future business while operating with a strong “word of mouth” reputation. People refer people in business over excellent business practices.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

In the medical industry, I have been known as a medical lobbyist for healthcare and staffing. In 2021, I launched a best-selling book “Riding The Executive Roller Coaster-Medical Staffing Cases.” This book tells my own personal storyline for a period of eight years. Throughout your life and career, you evolve, learn, change and grow. My entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy changed through the life lessons in this book.

While creating the name of this best-selling legal drama, I personally thought of a “Roller Coaster” with of all the highs and lows in life and business. The book opens with a larger lawsuit that would cause 85 percent of the recruitment staff to lose their jobs and a dozen Dallas law firms to become engaged with the initial problems. A couple recruiters would become homeless later months and I am a “homeless recruiter” character in 2011. This homeless experience while short lived taught me a new sense of humility that I carry with me current day. I was forced as a rather spoiled business professional for many years to walk “on the other side of the fence” with the underprivileged. I would be forced to take jobs that I was overqualified for and rebuild my own business from ground up while practicing “do what it takes.” The days of carrying around 25 credit cards would be replaced with “pay cash as you go” or go without.

Contact Info:

• Website: KD-Staffing –www.kdstaffing.org Author Website- www.kellidenneheychristina.com
• Instagram: Kelli Dennehey Christina (@kelli.christina) • Instagram photos and videos
• Facebook: (1) Kelli Dennehey Christina | Facebook
• Linkedin: Kelli Dennehey Christina | LinkedIn
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kelli5884
• Youtube: Kelli Dennehey Christina – YouTube
• Other: Second UTUBE KD-Staffing- Kelli Dennehey Christina (@kelli.christina) • Instagram photos and videos Second Instagram- Kelli Dennehey Christina (@christina.kelli) • Instagram photos and videos Facebook Pages: (2) (1) Kelli Dennehey Christina | Facebook (3) (1) Recruitment Is an Art | Facebook (4) (1) KD-Staffing | Facebook (5) (1) KD Staffing | Facebook

Image Credits
These are my owned personal pictures and ads. Company photographer Angie Dawn in Texas that runs my photoshoots for years.