Meet Krista Gordon

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Krista Gordon. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Krista, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I found my purpose through being a dedicated Wife & healing Mother starting over in a foreign country during my postpartum with baby number 3 in a pandemic. A decision made to TRY, thrive and not just survive would change my entire outlook on life and success. Looking back I know I have been walking and building for my purpose since 2008 but Jan 2019 in Yokosuka, Japan is when I remember a little voice in my heart and mind whisper “bloom where you are planted Goddess”. I thought this was a message about making the best of my military wife’s privilege to travel abroad (which I didn’t fully see as that until a full year of residence). Instead, as I developed valuable and heartfelt connections in every pursuit I made, I confirmed this whisper would be a mantra that fuels my entire growth mindset and now full-service PR & Marketing Agency. Specifically catered to stylists, chefs and fitness executives, my purpose is connecting exceptional people and businesses with MORE. That looks different with every experience; however, the core of my passion is to teach through illustration how to learn and leverage networks of scalable value. If I were to go back to that day, which I have on a 3-part video actually, IT SUCKED! I was a mess! Walking to the train in Japan, feeling defeated with my 6-month-old Rose (my youngest of 3 daughters). After being in the house for months feeling somewhat abandoned, I decided to drop my social media scrolling to get dressed for a networking event that I anticipated would be uncomfortable and maybe even a little boring. On the way to this event, the craziest things happened that felt like nothing but a sign to turn around, go back home and get under my covers. I kept saying to myself “There is more to what I feel. This is a chance to change. This is a turning moment in some way” Crying in the camera on my unofficial and unpublished vlog, I vented on my day and how horrible it was but throughout the horribleness there were people that popped up to pour into my spirit more than they will ever know. I said in that video “I’m not giving up, I will keep going to this event in gratitude for the experiences I was facing both good and bad.”. I finally arrived at the event after walking, bus and train. All that work to attend an event that was in fact boring and uncomfortable. But on the way to leave a lady walked up to me and said “I’m glad you showed up. You and your baby girl are so beautiful, and I would love to see more of you guys.” I burst into tears again in front of this STRANGER. I’m somewhat of a tough Twinkie so I was incredibly embarrassed, but she assured me it was a safe space and that she felt that she should have spoken to me for some reason or another and that she hopes my day and situation go better. I returned back home really deep in processing such a tremulous day. Lots of things happen after but it begin with me hosting my own event, welcoming those who looked like me probably experiencing the same pains to connect and hopefully grow a network while living internationally. Those events completely transformed my understanding of people, connection, purpose and vision and those principles guide me to build relationships that turn into friendships, partnerships and/ or opportunities to grow (more, better, differently).

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a Woman, Wife, Mother and Founder and usually in that exact order. This means there are sooo many layers that make me the person, more known as Kris. Professionally, I am a sum of my life’s experiences.

My personal and professional life often collide because I find real joy in what I do, why and who it helps along the way. As I mature more into womanhood, I realize my understanding and communication on any levels in the room is the most exciting and bold thing about me. I’ve learned to own that I command attention in every space I embrace because I can create in multiple verticals. This leads me to such colorful experiences with so many amazing people. Living freely, rooted in positive energy and growth for myself and those around me, I almost literally feel when the fire burning inside of my purpose ignites others.

Professionally, I am most focused on refining how business see, understand and leverage branding themselves within their desired community. While I have chosen to be selective in the fashion, food, and fitness industries, which are communities I am heavily a part of, I can often highlight huge gaps in marketing a business. The awareness, education and true benefits of having an intentional marketing strategy and corresponding campaigns is misunderstood or undervalued. Using connections that advance to relationships, networking with digital and in-person events, and leverage AI & Agency technology, I’m committed to transforming how businesses journey from idea to impact stage. While there is no “I” in team, there are many I’s that fuel the process forward. My Agency has curated a high-powered tech service, “Marketing Factory”, to substantially scale service-based businesses addressing a cultural business acumen pain point. 90% of Black owned businesses do not grow to legacy stage. That statistic has generationally crippled even the most successful and influential business owners. Owning the conversation, strategy and systems for marketing with community visibility is a top solution to improvement & implementation. Community builds bridges with unlimited opportunity for growth.

In pursuits to connect better with my target, build faster with collaborative business owners and grow more network and net worth value in the service industries, I find myself drawn to Youth Development organizations and non-profits. Being holistically emerged in these collaborations helps fuel seamless growth with the next gen of executives. This journey created a side hustle to small business roadmap to share which guides the mindset and skillset of our future leaders, a blueprint to entrepreneurship. Partnering with incredible founders, in their events and public relations activities, shows formidable presence and representation as a Black Women in business. Consistently choosing collaboration over competition has been a rewarding energy source for abundance and diversifying my networks and outreach. A Win for all sides.

Lastly with a principal strategy to leverage OP A.R.M.S (audiences, resources, money and services/systems), I champion the expression to starting with what you have. Whether my active networking entourage, my military community, my skate crew, my corporate network or whatever the setting, I continue to drive an even deeper purpose in my mantra to “Bloom Where You’re Planted”. This proves to be a timeless and innovative approach to a collaborative and growth mindset that encourages new ways of thinking, new opportunities, new conversations and new energy to beginning again. And I’m always excited to organically use my own experiences and network to support more people just showing up. Increased visibility will always be the best marketing strategy to empower more growth.

Continuing my journey as a CMO Visionary I hope that Within the next 5 years, House of PRVLG Inc, progress to globalize the Marketing Factory service as a core business product that showcase and implement the privileges in marketing. Until then, we’re enjoying being a creative and strong bridge that boost the service industry from all sides.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Growth mindset, strategic communication and community are the tree top qualities and skills that instantly set my personal and professional brand apart from other marketing leaders and business professionals. I know these seed planting qualities impact the start, pivot and exit of anything of value. I’m confident these qualities serve as an entourage for success in any journey pursued. The growth mindset shows up as questions, a thirst for learning and the ability to be flexible in your steps. Strategic communication is knowing when to observe and when to speak, implementation after learning and focus to serve first in your connections. Community is a network of diverse yet like-minded, nurturing and supportive ecosystems that fuel the path forward through the failures and to the victories that make living and growing worth it. I usually avoid giving advice because everyone’s situation changes the process but if sharing insights with someone looking to accelerate their growth, I would encourage them to develop principles that guide them even on the worst day. Being committed to the mission means every choice needs to be intentional long term focused. The common denominator in each of the qualities was PEOPLE. Who you speak to, about what and why guides your journey to improvement and patiently, from the beginning, aim to be in the driver seat of those conversations.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

There have been 1 or 2 recent books that have helped me make transformational changes in my Entreprenurial journey as a CEO with my Agency, a PR executive and CMO to my network globally. As of late, I find myself often reflecting and referencing insights from Key Person Influence by coauthors guiding a message about personal and professional branding. There are countless nuggets and principles shared that highlight best methods to show up as the high value and high paid people in your industry. While high pay is a priority in measuring performance, it’s the hidden themes, technical notes and examples that help me find new ways to express my mission and company value. This read not only helped me strategically reset from work and/or home life to invest in my continued development, but it also actively assists me with redefining my functional roles and services into vital ones. This book plainly identifies keyways to be highly capable or high replaceable and I was most energized by the opportunity to think expansively. One of my favorite nuggets. “Your best ideas will come out to play…not to work”. I’m coming to the finish line on completing the book and can honestly say the most significant evolution gathered from this read is refining my PR & Marketing Agency as a tech company. Repositioning my company’s UPV has instantly boosted my pitch and my purpose. There are endless amounts of wisdom is this book and I’m grateful for the partner that made the free suggestion.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of

Productivity
Beating Burnout

Often the key to having massive impact is the ability to keep going when others

Leadership Development
Finding Your Why

Not knowing why you are going wherever it is that you are going sounds silly,