We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Krystle Dorsey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Krystle, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with important influences in our lives. Is there a historical figure you look up to?
The historical figure I look up to is Madam C.J. Walker, the first African-American woman millionaire. She is the quintessential American “rages to riches” story – an example that you do not need a certain pedigree to be a successful business owner. Instead, you need a great product that fits the needs of your target population. Madam C.J. Walker gradually scaled her business that not only pathed the way for her own wealth, but she also proactively hired women, which enabled them to become financially independent. Some of them became business owners themselves by becoming commissioned agents of her products, similar to business models of profitable enterprises we know today, such as Mary Kay, Air BnB, and Lyft. During Madam C.J. Walker’s time, there were not many career opportunities for women, especially Black women, to become financially independent. The headquarters of her business in Indianapolis was also one of the few companies where Blacks could earn a reasonable wage. The belief in herself, her product, and her community fostered generational wealth for a group of people that would not have had access without her courage and determination.
Additionally, Madam C.J. Walker invested her wealth into women and the Black community through charities, foundations, and social organizations. She financed social campaigns and developed scholarships. She hosted gatherings with Black thought-leaders, and her daughter, A’Leila Walker, hosted parties at their grand home, Villa Lewaro, in New York. A’Leila’s parties featured artists and writers in the era of Black history that we now know to be the Harlem Renaissance. Madam C.J. Walker’s legacy teaches me the lesson that an individual’s success has the power to impact one’s community and culture, both directly and indirectly, for ages to come. Her life affirms my value for philanthropy and making a difference in the community – using one’s wealth, talent, and influence for the collective good.
Unfortunately, Madam C.J. Walker’s great wealth did not last more than one generation. Her daughter was not as business savvy or financially literate, so she spent much of what she inherited from her mother’s wealth. The business closed some decades later due to the significant loss of funds and limited vision of later successors. The family also lost ownership of Villa Lewaro. This lesson is very powerful for me, because it highlights the importance of succession planning as a leader and business owner. When you have something successful, especially a beacon of empowerment, such as Madam C.J. Walker’s business, you must be proactive about teaching the value of generational wealth to younger generations and passing the enterprise down to someone who shares the same vision and commitment to its long-term success. Ideally, this would be a family member, but it does not have to be! Black beauty products are still a multibillion-dollar industry, so there has always been a market for her products, and I believe her business would have continued to grow had there been a competent successor to sustain its growth. There’s no other reason why her business would otherwise have been among those that still exist from that time, or Villa Lewaro could not be a profitable historic estate for the family today, similar to the Biltmore in Ashville, North Carolina of the Vanderbilt family.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I realized that I wanted to be a counselor when I was in the 6th grade. I set my heart on majoring in Psychology in college, which is what I studied at George Mason University. I continued to a Master of Education in Counseling and Development at Mason. While going through my master’s program, I realized that mental health was not a fit for me. I felt more connected in the higher education space and preferred helping middle school and high school adolescents make decisions about their futures. I switched to focusing on educational counseling and career counseling in my final year of graduate school. I started my counseling career working in college access programs at higher education institutions. I did that for two years and then switched to working in career services. I was so in love with career counseling that I wanted it to be my primary focus. Today, I have been an Assistant Director at university career centers for 8 years, and I also own my own business doing career services for a niche population.
I am Certified Career Counselor, social justice advocate, writer, and change agent. I have 15+ years of experience as a career services professional, primarily in the higher education industry. My business, Uplift Opportunity Career Services, LLC is a career services and media platform specializing in the needs of diverse mid-career professionals. I am the CEO and Founding Editor, and I help mid-career professionals get unstuck and prepare for their next opportunity. I provide helpful information and proven, hands-on strategies to help them reach careers on the next level. My six-step career development strategy empowers my clients to gain clarity about their purpose and live a more balanced life.
Services include reviewing career documents, such as resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles. I also provide coaching and deliver workshops about topics such as career changing, job searching, graduate school, and career planning.
I am most proud of the clients, students, and loved ones that I have helped to achieve their goals and dream careers, including my younger brother who just recently graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering to be a pilot. I want potential clients/followers/fans to know that I care about their purpose just as much as they do, because my purpose is to empower them to achieve theirs.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I am a first-generation business owner, so I had no idea how to start a business. The book that inspired me to get started is “Born for This” by Chris Guillebeau. It really helped me to understand the different types of business ventures and how to find which one is the best for your career plan. It also helped me to understand valuable mindset lessons, such as gradually growing your audience. I also learned that a business concept doesn’t have to be perfect to execute it. The courage to execute your idea empowers you to learn what you need to improve it. I think that’s the thing that held me back when I was first wondering about whether to start my business. What if people don’t want it? How do I get the money for x, y, z so that it looks the way I want? Reading Guillebeau’s book inspired me to realize one can start with what you have, and the product/service/business will grow over time, just like Madame C.J. Walker did!
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy in growing my clientele is being connected to an organization that fits my target population. I am a member of the Urban League Greater Richmond Young Professionals (ULGRYP), which is a volunteer auxiliary of the National Urban League movement. I have been a member since moving to the region six years ago, and I have served as an officer for the past 4 years. When I started my business 5 years ago, I used flyers to offer my services to its members. ULGRYP members were my first clients, and the support I received led to word of mouth marketing and referrals. Now, every time I add a product, service, or workshop, they are the first group that I market to, and I offer a discount to members. I think connecting with an organization fosters trust with individuals and brand loyalty for your business. I love ULGRYP and the overall National Urban League mission, even if I didn’t have a business to promote. I think genuinely committing to the organization over the years lets people know that I truly care about others and the community, and it makes them feel good about supporting me as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://krystledorsey.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kduplifts_u/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kduplifts
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystledorsey/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kduplifts_u
Image Credits
All images are my own