We were lucky to catch up with Stacy Crawford recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Stacy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

In the last few years, I have taken quite a few risks. For one, I recently moved my Mom, who has dementia, from Florida to Minnesota. I attempted this move a few years prior and vowed to myself that I would never do it again. Alas, I was wrong. I packed up Mom’s belongings in Florida and let her know we were going on a drive. Four days later, after many challenges, laughs, tears, and a snowstorm – we arrived in Minnesota. I could write a book about that adventure.

The next biggest risk I took was to quit my day job where I had spent 28 years in the comfort of the higher education system. I started my company Klear Water Coaching & Wellness several years before I gained the courage to take the big leap. After a life-changing injury my son sustained in 2021 (and many other family health events), I began to pull away from my administrative duties at the university and gradually let go of what had become such a large part of my identity. I accepted an entry-level part-time position to grow my own business.

Due to the support of my family and supervisor, I was able to take advantage of many opportunities that helped build my confidence about leaving the university. I began to see a clear path to the services that I provide now.

I found myself working very long hours. I would work my day job and then come home and work until bed. My partner was picking up all of the household chores and I was exhausted. One day, he suggested we take a family trip to Germany. My usual response of “no” was often centered around my lack of vacation days and other stories of scarcity that I told myself. I had been working with my own coach to change my narratives to open to possibility and abundance. So, this time, when asked about the trip I said “yes”. Together we figured out how to take the trip even if I didn’t have the vacation time to support it. The solution we arrived at was for me to leave my long-term position and move full-time into my company.

I have never looked back. Business is growing and I am truly aligned with my sense of purpose and meaning. My work brings more joy, opportunity for connection, and continuous learning than I could have dreamed.

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 am honored to partner with teams, organizations, and individuals to go beneath the surface to create clear and lasting change. I use the CliftonStrengths assessment as a starting place to help individuals identify what is right about them.

Once a level of individual understanding and self-awareness is established, we look at what each individual brings to and needs from the team. Such conversations are invaluable and allow individuals to set aside false narratives and share a common language. Some organizations choose a longer-term engagement to create a sustainable strengths-based culture.

Clients report greater individual clarity and the ability to work smarter as a team. Team and individual engagement increases when people are able to do work that aligns with their talents. Employees are excited to come to work when they are able to use their talents and what comes naturally to them. They feel seen and appreciated when supervisors notice their strengths in action. When people learn about team members, they are more open to creating partnerships that draw upon one another’s strengths. Because our unique talents impact our communication styles, individuals report clarity in communication and are more open to addressing challenges.

In addition to providing corporate and Strengths-based team building, I maintain a private coaching practice. Many of the individuals I work with are building small businesses, navigating transitions, or striving to live a more balanced and joyful life. I infuse mind-body awareness and self-care tools into my practice as desired by clients.

Finally, I am a frequent public speaker on many topics including mindfulness, self-care, wellbeing, resilience, navigating adversity, and relationships.

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

In 2021 my son, Mason (then 17) sustained a spinal cord injury that resulted in lifelong paralysis. The accident happened in our hometown of Duluth, Minnesota. At the time, we knew that he needed a supportive long-term care rehabilitation program and I began researching and calling to learn about the best options. I was able to spring into action and arrange his transport, pack our needed belongings, navigate insurance and so much more. We were all in shock and there is never a playbook for such events. I am grateful for all of the community support we received and the strengths in our own family that allowed us to make a strategic plan to move to Colorado. We spent the next several months anchored to Craig Hospital for in-patient and out-patient rehab.

During that time, we collaborated with a dear friend and talented contractor who created an accessible home for Mason to return to. So many generous people supported us during those months and beyond.

Now, three years later, we continue to navigate this new life together. As a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths coach, I am grateful for my own orientation towards individual and team strengths. We call our family “the Wave Riders”. We know with certainty that we can navigate all things.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Without a doubt, word of mouth and connections are the greatest strategy for growing a business. I am not a social media influencer. I post enough to get buy. However, my past and current clients love to share about the successes they have experienced as a result of our partnership.

One of my greatest referral sources is the students, staff, and faculty that I worked with years ago. It delights me when someone from my past pops up in my email or social media feed and asks to collaborate on a project or coaching.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.klearwatercoaching.com
• Instagram: klear_water
• Facebook: Klear Water Coaching & Wellness, LLC
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/stacycrawford-klearwater