We recently connected with Kristina Ellis and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kristina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Every journey is different and there is no one way to accomplish a set goal. I had to learn this the hard way and I feel in society people are taught success comes by following specific paths and that just is not true. Krysalis was established with the butterfly in mind. The chrysalis process is when the caterpillar is transforming into the butterfly it is meant to be. It is a process and this process takes time and when the process is complete the butterfly breaks out and spreads its wings. Every butterfly’s wings are different. The symbolism in this is that every individual is different and the process will also be different. Krysalis is here to partner with our clients as they experience the journey of change, transformation and innovation within their careers, businesses and personal lives.

We provide HR consulting services, career coaching, executive coaching, life coaching and executive leadership development. Our goal is to assist our clients along their journey through customized services. Our unique approach will help drive and build emotional resilience, cultivating a leadership mindset to run a thriving life and business. Success starts with our clients and their needs. We encourage a customized experience unlike anyone else because each client is unique and we want to provide a service that allows them to become the limitless version of themselves personally and professionally.

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 am the founder and CEO of Krysalis LLC, and I am a Life, Career & Executive Leadership Coach who has spent 20+ years in the Human Resources industry helping organizations and individuals create success. I have been responsible for running all facets of business in a variety of industries. I also have a proven executive management track record and experience driving business, professional and individual growth by turning strategies into actionable goals within the HR and Life Coaching industry. I have witnessed proven success of creating collaborative cultures and implementing change to achieve excellence.

I possess experience and expertise in all areas of Human Resources Management including talent acquisitions, benefit management, policies and procedures, state and federal law compliance and employee relations to name a few. My coaching career started as a HR professional addressing career development, leadership development, and management of mentorship programs. Since the start of my coaching career, I have expanded my expertise to include life and personal development coaching.

Through my many life coaching initiatives I was a part of in 2020, my dreams came true by establishing the “Krysalis Experience” offering mentorship to young women within the ages of 18-30 seeking guidance in discovering themselves and embracing their authenticity. These outreach opportunities are the heartbeat of Krysalis, but HR will always be the foundation of her story. I am honored to currently serve as the Vice President of Human Resources for a nationally well-known non-profit organization. The scope of my role is responsible for providing executive strategic guidance and leadership for all aspects of the Human Resources functions, establishing a vision and direction for the full complement of core human capital programs, policies, and services. I am known for providing unique methods contributing to the transformation of HR into a true strategic business partner, realigning policy, and procedure to ensure federal and state compliance, decreasing turnover rates and increasing retention rates.

I am a Certified Human Resources Professional (SHRM-CP) and I am also an active professional member of many prominent HR organizations including the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) both on the national and local level. I became a Certified Life Coach and professional member of the International Association of Professional Life Coaches in 2020. I am committed to using my expertise to help others build confidence allowing my clients to become the limitless and best version of themselves.

I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services Counseling from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. I also earned my Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Human Resources Management in Chesapeake, VA. Krysalis offers support through services that include one on one coaching, group workshops, organization development programs and much more. Our services are customizable, fitting the needs of our clients. We believe passionately in what we do, and we are here to partner with you.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I have been on the journey to launching my business for over 5 years. I knew that I had a vision for what I wanted my business to be but for some reason I could not get myself to step out because of a fear of failure. I saw so many other coaches and HR consulting firms within the industry and the fear of where I would fit or if I could succeed was suffocating me. When I finally decided to take action I faced one hurdle after another. My financial investments were limited and other resources needed to set the foundation were almost non-existent. I began to utilize my own personal funds putting strain on my family. When attempting to market my business there was a lack of interest further contributing to my fears.

After 5 years of sitting on my dream I had finally started to step out and yet every step I made it felt like I was taking 10 steps backwards. After being faced with one hurdle after another, losing money and having no clients, I wanted to honestly give up. Another year had past and all I could do is pray and recenter myself to ensure I was on the right path or make the decision to put an end to this dream. Through many days of tears shed and feelings of defeat, I gave up and decided to take a break to clear my mind and recalibrate.

I took the next couple of months to review the stepsI had taken and the hurdles I had faced. I started to research resources and ways I could approach things differently. Instead of making the same mistakes I decided to start small and assist people. here and there with their career and life goals to first establish relationships within the market and then build along the way allowing the business to grow organically. I no longer wanted to take on the mindset of making things happen but instead I wanted the doors to open organically. As relationships were established my clientele grew and then before I knew it there was a need for a website and further resources. Financial support was now in place because of the small projects I had worked on along the way.

Overall the lesson I learned was to never give up hope and never give up on your dream. The dream may not come to pass the way you imagined it to, it may not happen within the timeline you establish and if at first it does not work always try again.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

As a business owner a lesson I had to unlearn is – Good counsel from friends and family is needed as a support system. Family is important but in business matters it is sometimes best to keep family separate and I had to learn this lesson because I was always taught to make sure to involve family and that would give me a strong foundation. Also, I had to unlearn comparison. No matter how many businesses there are within your industry, there is room at the table for us all! Someone shared with me one day to think of the “bread aisle” in the grocery store. There are so many types of bread in the grocery store but guess what there are customers buying them all. The lesson in this is, the customers that are meant for you will come. We should not focus on everyone else. Our focus should be on what we bring to the table and ensuring we provide excellent service to those who come to us.

We tend be our own worst enemy and we hold ourselves back too focused on everything around us. But the things around us are distractions and noise keeping us from the success we are destined to accomplish. I held myself back for so many years being worried about fitting in within the industry and worrying about clientele, when my clientele were waiting on me to just step out and walk into my purpose. You have people waiting on you! What are you waiting for?

Contact Info:

• Website: www.krysalisllc.com
• Instagram: @krysalisllc
• Facebook: @krysalisllc

Image Credits
Photographer: Write Dream Do