November 21, 2024 • 36 mins
Christal Newkirk, a two-time international best-selling author and executive coach, joins us for an inspiring conversation on her journey from corporate life to thriving entrepreneurship. As the oldest daughter in a family of seven, Christal Newkirks path was influenced by her mother's success in the telecommunications industry, igniting her ambition to break away from the confines of a traditional nine-to-five job. Tune in as she shares how her spiritual beliefs and the unwavering support of her entrepreneurial twin brother guided her through the challenges of self-doubt and imposter syndrome, ultimately leading her to a life of independence and purpose.
Throughout the episode, we explore the courage it takes to transition into entrepreneurship, especially when health challenges demand a reevaluation of priorities. Christal shares valuable insights on finding mentors, embracing new opportunities, and aligning one's career with personal values and well-being. Discover how understanding your identity and recognizing your innate gifts can empower you to walk in purpose, as Christal recounts her own experiences in talent acquisition and her passion for empowering others. This episode is a heartfelt guide for anyone ready to pursue their calling and create a life that resonates with their true self.
Mentioned during this episode:
Connect with Christal!
Linkedin: ChristalTheCoach
Facebook: ChristalTheCoach
Instagram: ChristalTheCoach
Queen City Women In Business, Georgia Chapter: QCIB Georgia
Christal's Mentor/Coach: Denise Taylor
Please subscribe to our mailing list to stay connected and get updates! Thanks for listening to the Graced to Lead Podcast.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Belinda Gaston (00:08):
Welcome to the Graced to Lead podcast.
I'm Belinda Gaston, your host,and listen.
If you are a Christian womanwho leads at work, in your own
business or even in ministry,you are in the right place.
Here.
You'll find practical adviceand encouragement as you lead
through real conversations thatwill challenge and inspire you.
So join me on this journey tobecoming better leaders, god's
(00:31):
way.
Are you ready?
Let the journey begin.
Welcome to the Graced to Leadpodcast.
I am Belinda Gaston, your host,and listen.
Today we have a dynamic guest.
I don't even want to spoil thisfor you, except to say that she
is the woman that knows how tobe a spark in this world, and
(00:53):
I'm so grateful for her.
Yes, so I want to welcome tothe show the one and only
Christal Newkirk, and before Ilet her speak, I need to tell
you who we're dealing with,y'all, because Christal is an
amazing woman.
Listen, she is a two-timeinternational best-selling
author.
She's an executive coach.
(01:15):
She's the CEO and managingpartner of ACS, a division of
Above HR Solutions.
Acs partners with majororganizations to provide general
construction and facilitiesmanagement services.
Let me start that again.
Christal Newkirk is a two-timeinternational best-selling
(01:36):
author, an executive coach, ceoand managing partner of ACS, a
division of Above HR Solutions,and, for those of you who don't
know, acs partners with majororganizations to provide general
construction and facilitiesmaintenance services.
Christal is also the incomingGeorgia Chapter President for QC
(02:00):
Women in Business, effectiveJanuary 1st 2025.
She will have five locationsthroughout the state of Georgia
to help women-owned businesssuppliers connect faster with
B2B and corporate buyers.
Christal has over 20 years ofcorporate recruitment, dei,
(02:21):
affirmative action planning andcompliance experience.
She earned her Master ofScience Management degree in
Process, dei, affirmative Action, planning and Compliance
Experience.
She earned her Master ofScience Management degree in
Process Improvement and aBachelor's degree in Marketing
from North Carolina StateUniversity, as well as completed
her Executive CoachCertification with the John
Maxwell team.
(02:42):
Christal and her husband, Rodneyare co-preneurs and currently
manage multiple businesses,including a real estate
investment firm.
They reside in South Carolinawith their fur baby, Dundee, and
they enjoy cycling, travelingand spending time with their
family.
Listen, Graced to Leadlisteners.
I need you to put your virtualhands together, give a virtual
(03:05):
applause for none other thanChristal Newkirk.
Welcome to the show, Christal.
Christal Newkirk (03:13):
Linda, thank you so much.
I think I need to take you onthe road with me with the
introductions.
I love that.
Thank you so much for theopportunity to be here today.
Belinda Gaston (03:22):
You're welcome and I am excited because there
are a couple of things for ourlisteners that I need you to
recognize when I was reading herbio.
One is that she is a businessleader who really knows
businesses.
She has her own business andshe also knows how to connect
people I don't know if you heardme when I said that, but being
able to connect women businessowners with the resources they
(03:46):
need, and she's also a coach,and so I think when you bring
those things together and y'allshe works with her husband we
don't have to talk about thisco-preneurship, but there is a
wealth of information here.
So first, I think, to help usframe this conversation, it
would be wonderful, Christal, tohear from you about your
journey to entrepreneurship.
Can you tell us a little bitabout that, and how did you know
(04:08):
that this was something youwanted to do?
Christal Newkirk (04:11):
Now that's an excellent question.
Honestly, growing up with asingle parent of seven children
and as the oldest daughter, Isaw my mom working hard and I
always knew that I wanted to bea businesswoman like my mom.
So, seeing her work in thetelecommunications space and
(04:32):
seeing her just talking and agreat public speaker, I knew
that.
But it wasn't until I attendedcollege and graduated and
started my first job that Irealized that the typical nine
to five was not for me, becauseeven though I finished my
master's at age 25 and startedworking at that time, I
(04:55):
immediately started a sidehustle.
I started my business part-timein my early 20s because, number
one, I wanted to make more moneythan what they were paying me
and I knew I could.
But and so I think I know thatit was the freedom to make more
and to control my financial life.
That was the initial reason whyI decided and I started just as
(05:20):
an independent consultant.
My twin brother was anentrepreneur at that time and so
I think my siblings say it's anegg thing, you know, because of
the twins.
So when my twin, he had startedhis business and I was like I
think I want to do the samething and he walked me through
the process.
But again, that first step wasthe desire to make more than
(05:43):
what I was receiving from my Icall it my W-2 investor, but
that was my daytime job.
Belinda Gaston (05:52):
And so that desire for you.
This is great.
Thank you for sharing that.
This desire for more.
It seemed to either come fromthe role modeling you had with
your mom, but there was probablysomething else innately there.
Do you know what the otherthing was?
I mean, you said you wanted tomake more money than what your
(06:12):
W-2 investor provided, but wasthere anything else there that
pushed you forward?
It sounds like there may havebeen something innate there.
Could you describe it?
And if you can't describe it, Itotally.
It's fine, but I'm just curiouscan you describe that?
Christal Newkirk (06:27):
Yes, and thanks for that follow-up
question.
Honestly, it started there, butit was during my spiritual
journey in my early twentiesthat, as I start to study the
word and really believe the word, I instantly connected to the
word when it stated that thewealth and riches were laid up
(06:52):
for the just that God created usfor an abundance.
I remember taking assessmentswhile I was in my layman's
school of studies for spiritualgrowth and at that time my
spiritual gift was undefined asthat of a financial dominator,
that I was called to not onlybring in the wealth but also to
(07:14):
be the king and the priest.
So I quickly identified that Iwas willing to take the risk to
go after that.
It's so funny early in my 20s Iwas willing to take the risk.
It's funny now, as I age, thatsometimes you can get
comfortable but I digress.
But I do remember just thatboldness to go for more and
(07:36):
really believe.
At that time it was the wordand what it says who I was and
what I could have.
And in the markets, when I sawthat the job was only going to
limit one thing, my attitude wasI could create a job, I could
go get more, I don't have tolimit myself.
So it was definitely thatcourage, the boldness, that
determination that just made mewant to go for more and not just
(08:00):
stay with what was given.
But a large part of that wasgrowing up with a single parent
of seven kids and did not wantto.
I didn't want that life, and sothat created a determination in
me to go for more.
That makes sense.
Belinda Gaston (08:17):
It does make sense, and, I think, for our
listeners.
There are two things I wannapoint out in what Christal said.
One is it doesn't matter whereyou start, right, she started in
a home that she describes asbeing one where her mother was a
single parent with sevenchildren.
That means that there's a lotof activities, there's a lot of
(08:38):
busyness, and we always saybusyness, busyness, there's a
lot of busyness going on in thatspace, say busyness, busyness,
there's a lot of busyness goingon in that space.
And there wasn't.
It sounds like.
What I heard you say, Christal,is that there wasn't exactly a
teaching on entrepreneurship,but there were role models in
your life, like your brother,your twin brother, who said I'm
doing this, you can do this too,right, and so I want to point
(08:59):
out that it doesn't matter whereyou start.
It does matter, though, when youhave the people who can
influence you, like Christaltwin brother, that you are
willing to take the risks, takethe risk, and so those are two
things that I think stood out,and it's interesting, Christal,
that you mentioned therisk-taking, because it is so
(09:22):
much easier to take risks whenyou're younger than as you get
older.
It really is, and so I think ifyou were to, it's almost.
We often ask this question whatwould you tell your younger
self as it relates torisk-taking?
But I'm going to flip thisquestion for a second.
But I'm going to flip thisquestion for a second.
(09:45):
What would that firecracker,risk taker, Christal, tell her
older self about taking risks?
What advice do you think thatshe would give to you, as a
person that's older than whereshe was when she started?
Christal Newkirk (10:00):
No, that's a great question.
And I want to circle back.
My twin brother name is ChrisSpence because I keep saying
twin, but even in my phone he'sa great question.
And I want to circle back.
My twin brother name is ChrisSpence because I keep saying
twin, but even in my phone he'slisted as twin.
So so Christal and Chris.
His name is Chris, so I knowthe younger Christal would tell
(10:20):
me now, and I heard this word acouple of weeks ago and I made
it my own and that word is beton yourself.
I wish I'd have taken more riskthan what I have done.
So I started strong andsomewhere in my season I
definitely became comfortable.
(10:41):
And now in my later life, justeven recently, that in in
leaving my W2 investor lastmonth.
I know that that decision couldhave been made sooner,
especially when multiplicationsstart to occur, but the best,
the number one, was bet onyourself.
Believe that you are who Godsays you are, and that belief
(11:05):
then results into correspondingactions.
So betting on myself, what doesthat look like?
It is like going for that goalthat I have in mind, taking more
steps to really obtain it andnot just stop at the first
obstacle that I experience.
Stop at the first obstacle thatI experienced and like I had a
(11:28):
letdown or something didn't gothe direction that I expected,
and I allow that to slow me downversus and then slow down for a
season, but don't let it stopme and allow yourself to get
stuck.
So that's definitely what myexperience have been and that's
definitely something that Iwould tell myself now experience
have been, and that'sdefinitely something that I
would tell myself now.
Belinda Gaston (11:52):
That is great advice and embedding on yourself
is.
It's so difficult because it'sreally tied to so many things.
It's tied to your own kind ofinnate confidence in what you're
doing.
It's tied to what people sayyou should be, and, you know,
one of the reasons I was reallyexcited about having you on this
show is because there wassomething about you that I can
relate to, and it's the idea ofbeing able to do things and new
(12:13):
things, whether it's for formingyour business, whether it's
your executive coaching, doingthat thing despite what other
people may think about it right.
And that is something I think.
As women who lead, we often getin this trap of I'm doing this
because, one, I'm good at it and, two, it's what I'm supposed to
(12:36):
do, and so I'd like to talkabout that a little bit, because
I know a little bit of yourjourney.
I don't know the whole story,but as you made this transition
from you know, working forsomeone else to being an
entrepreneur, how did you manageto overcome the supposed tos
(12:58):
that's what I call it whatyou're supposed to be doing,
what other people think you'resupposed to be doing.
How do you overcome that as aleader, when you know that it's
something that God put in yourheart but it doesn't make sense
to other people?
Christal Newkirk (13:12):
Man just thinking about that question,
because what I was supposed todo was to, like I was taught, go
off to college, work for acompany 25, 30 years and retire.
But, honestly, because I at anearly age, when I received Jesus
as Lord and my Savior at age 13, and then after I rededicated
(13:32):
my life back to Christ at age 29, I decided then that I really
wanted to seek purpose.
So that became a regularconversation with God and I I am
truly a journal, I lovejournaling, and so that's a
question that I will askregularly.
And, to be honest, when we lookat my background and look at
(13:52):
when I ask God in differentseasons, what am I supposed to
do next?
And look at when I ask God indifferent seasons, what am I
supposed to do next?
When the opportunity came tostart the business, I was like I
battled self-confidence, Ibattled self-doubt, which
meaning that there was an areaof confidence that was not
developed.
So, for every journey, then thenext season, I'm like, okay,
lord, what is it next thatyou're telling me to do?
(14:14):
And then, when he would driveme, point me down the road of
coaching and mentoring, which ismy true heart, and to go get a
certification.
I'm like a coach Again.
I battle really self-doubt andthat imposter syndrome me like
can I really do this?
But when I pose that questionto my tribe and my close family
(14:34):
and friends, they're like thisis who you are.
I may not have referred tomyself as a coach, but when I
found, when I went to get thecertifications, then I felt like
I could then call myself that.
And even when it came to writingmy first anthology and now I'm
working on the third anthologyis that when the opportunity
presented itself again, it wasanother level.
(14:57):
You know in college or injunior high you pass first.
You know addition, subtraction,multiplications, geometry.
You know trigonometry.
So all those different levelsof math is like that for me.
Concerning courage andconfidence, there was a level
that was needed to get started.
But for every step on theladder to the next season of
(15:20):
purpose there was another testand there was another.
I'm flexing by putting onmuscles, but I had to develop
that spiritual muscle in thatarea for the next level of the
assignment, if that makes sense.
So when you ask the questionwhat it's like as a leader for
me, I'm constantly retesting inthose areas for the next level
(15:44):
that I know that he's calling meto do.
Belinda Gaston (15:47):
Thank you for sharing.
That's an excellent analogy.
I love that that there arethese levels and you just you
have to keep re-upping, so tospeak, your skills and to get to
that, and so I want to talk alittle bit about your move from
your corporate space as a leaderto entrepreneurship.
(16:09):
It's clear that things aregoing phenomenally well since
you made the move, but can youtell me and our audience what it
was like making that decision?
There are some people who arelistening right now, Christal,
who are.
They have a desire in theirheart to step out on faith and
build their own businesses, butthere are, for whatever reasons,
(16:32):
haven't done that.
Can you share a little bitabout your transition for our
audience?
What kinds of things?
What were you feeling at thetime and what were the obstacles
that you had and how did youovercome those things?
Christal Newkirk (16:48):
Yeah, and actually the easy part was
starting the business for meBecause, as I mentioned, in my
late 20s I sought assistancefrom someone that I saw doing
the job.
So the first thing that I wouldhighly recommend is that, when
you're pursuing anything,identify an individual or two
(17:11):
that are doing what you want todo and spend time to inquire on
how to do that.
So for me, with starting thebusiness, I jumped into it and
started quickly and, because I'ma true connector and enjoy
marketing, I reached out and wasable to obtain clients.
My challenge from going fromcorporate to full time
(17:34):
entrepreneurship is that Iactually was doing the business
full time with multiple clientsas well as working full time.
So my challenge became leavingthat safety net of the W-2
employer which is the W-2investor because they're
investing in my future, which isthe W2 investor because they're
(18:00):
investing in my future leavingthat corporate job and really to
do it 100%.
I got very comfortable with thecorporate because I got the
feedback.
You know in corporate Americayou have performance review.
So I didn't realize that partof my confidence was tied to who
they say I was and how Iperform was tied to who they say
I was and how I performed andso in corporate America, even
though I had a level of success,I did not have the confidence
(18:23):
that went with the success.
So when it came time, when HolySpirit directed me in the new
season now it's time to pivot.
Honestly, it took me about fouryears to obey it 100%, to
really walk away and say, okay,lord, I'll surrender.
And that date was just recentlyJuly 12th, 2024.
(18:46):
So as we look at the calendar,that's just six weeks ago, but
it took almost four years tomake that step.
Now, along the way there waslevels of obedience, but we know
that Father God wants completeobedience, 100%.
So in the last year my healthbecame greatly impacted because,
(19:07):
again, I was carrying too much,such that I found myself
drowning.
When he's like, let go, I'vealready shown you I'm Jehovah
Jireh, I've already provided foryou.
Trust me and release this.
So I got more over here for youon this side.
But over the last year I prayedafter another health scare.
(19:29):
I found myself in the hospitalfighting.
There were blood clots in mylungs.
But that morning I found myselfwaking up early and having
difficulty breathing and thencame downstairs and talked to my
husband and he immediately tookmy pulse and my blood pressure
and gave me aspirin and took meto the emergency room when we
saw that the symptoms did notrelieve itself, and that's when
(19:52):
the ER, the doctor, found thatthere were blood clots.
So even after that, I still waslike, okay, lord, give me the
strength, give me the courageand confidence, because I had
identified the root to this, andthe root was I lack confidence
in myself.
And so, therefore, what Ineeded in addition to the
(20:13):
mentoring and the coaching but Ihad already hired a mentor she
gave me the tools.
I've already prayed.
God has given me direction.
The last step was up to me tonow do in the natural, to take
that step, but through prayer,holy Spirit had revealed in a
dream that I would have anexperience, and I didn't know
(20:34):
when it would take place.
But that particular morning Ihad an encounter at my daytime
with a W-2 employer, w-2investor, and I realized that
today was that day.
Of course, when I woke up thatmorning I didn't know, but it
was during that that I was ableto finally make that step.
But the things that helped mealong that journey definitely
(20:54):
was the support of my family,hiring a mentor to assist me on
that journey, having myspiritual tribe to keep me in
prayer as I am walking out andpraying, and then having wise
counsel that I could talk tothat was still holding me up.
Now, just because I prayed andbelieved God, there was still an
(21:15):
action step that was requiredto do what he told me to do, and
I'm happy to share that.
I did take that step and todayI am in the business full-time
as an entrepreneur.
But, for those that arelistening, one tool that I use
over the last few years and alsovolunteered as well is
definitely with SCORE.
Score is a nationalorganization that's funded by
(21:38):
the SB&A and provides freebusiness mentoring to
entrepreneurs who are looking tostart their business or expand
that business, and so that Ialways recommend, as a coach
myself, start free first, sostart free and then but I did
pay for a mentor as well thatassists me, and my mentor is
(22:01):
Denise Taylor, and she's beenphenomenal and holding my arms
up over the last three years.
Belinda Gaston (22:10):
You have given us so much so for our listeners.
Let's recap what I heardChristal say us.
So much so for our listeners.
Let's recap what I heardChristal say.
So the first thing I want tojust kind of pose as a moment
for us to pause and think aboutis the idea of what we're
carrying, because you said thatyou know you had to think about
(22:31):
kind of what you were carryingand that was a burden, it was
affecting you physically, right,but when you said it, it made
me also think about what we'recarrying innately.
So there are the burdens thatwe're carrying.
Listeners, what burdens are youcarrying?
What burdens are you carryingright now that you can rid
(22:52):
yourself of that you arecarrying, not because you have
to, but because you're holdingon to a place where you're not
trusting God.
What are you carrying that'skeeping you from trusting God?
That's the first thing.
And then the second thing thatcame up, Christal, as you were
(23:14):
talking, is what are youcarrying to get you further
along in your purpose?
What are those gifts, what arethose skills?
I can already tell, Christal,that you are a natural
communicator and you've probablybeen this way your whole life.
How are we, as leaders, lookingat that.
How are we embracing what wecarry?
(23:34):
Those are two things.
And then you gave us some steps.
You said, listen, if you wantto get from this place, then you
first have to move.
You just have to move, and thatpartial obedience to what
you're hearing God say to you isstill disobedience.
And so, in your move, whathelped you overcome was your
(23:54):
family support, seekingmentorship and then relying on
your tribe, your faith tribethat's what you called it, your
tribe of faith friends.
And so I think that's great.
I hope that if you're listening, you're taking this all in.
And the last thing I want tohighlight that I heard Christal
say is listen, start free.
(24:15):
She just gave us a whole freeresource for starting your
business, and we'll make surethat we put the information in
the show notes, but you don'thave to have it all together.
It's interesting to me in thisshow notes, but you don't have
to have.
You know what, what you don'thave to have it all together.
It's interesting to me in thispodcast journey and now business
journey it's the idea of ofprogress over perfection.
(24:37):
Right, we want everything to bejust, right and we have to have
everything.
But as you move, god provides.
And Christal, you're walkingevidence of, as you move, god's
provided.
You just became a full-timeentrepreneur and your schedule
is packed, your resources arefull, your baskets are
overflowing.
That's amazing.
(24:58):
That's amazing.
So thank you so much.
Thank you so much for sharingthat, Christal.
Okay, I'm curious about thisidea of purpose, and so I want
to ask you about this, because Iget the sense that what you're
doing is tied very closely towhat you believe your purpose is
.
So can you talk about how youeither found your purpose or how
(25:23):
you knew what your purpose wasand you began to walk in this?
How did you make thatconnection between purpose and
what you do every day?
Christal Newkirk (25:34):
Yes, actually, I enjoyed human resources
because it allowed me to make animpact into people's lives
professionally.
So talent acquisition I reallyenjoyed, which was a starting
point.
I didn't know that was anextension of my purpose.
I just knew that, as a type Apersonality, I'm driven by
(25:57):
results.
So I wake up ready to driveresults.
So I need to see outcomes.
And one thing that talentacquisition allowed me to not
receive the job found myselfspending more time with them to
(26:30):
coach them, to help them preparefor the next step, to stay
connected, that they would stillreach out to give them free
advice on their resumes and say,hey, when I would interview
them over the phone and theywould give me an answer that
could have been phraseddifferently, I would pause the
conversation.
Hey, take notes.
(26:50):
You got your pencil and paperout.
I need you to write this downbecause for the next step I need
you to prepare by phrasing itlike this or when it came to
compensation and they say, oh,I'm negotiable.
I'm like negotiable is neverthe right answer, come arm in
dangerous understanding what isyour market value.
So, as you see, I get excitedjust talking about it.
(27:12):
But I found myself along thatpath, spending more time with
those to equip them and preparethem.
So through that I realized inprayer that my purpose is
empowerment through education,that my purpose is empowerment
(27:32):
through education.
I enjoy that piece and seeingthe impact in people's lives.
But it first started witheducation, because education
helps renew your mindset andchange your mind and sometimes
change your direction.
So through that my path becamepeople like me, or women, or in
marriage.
Every season that I'm in Godwould bring people across my
(27:52):
path that, as I'm learning mylesson, I can empower them even
if I'm midstream, in the midstof what I'm going through.
So my passion is truly that ofworking with women, especially
those that are entrepreneurs buteven not entrepreneurs.
But in this season it is womenentrepreneurs that are looking
to expand their business, but,more importantly, those that are
(28:14):
interested in multiple streamsof income.
I'm a true believer thatmultiple streams of income are
available to those that wantmore.
And then, secondly, they'rewilling to do the work.
And that's why, when theopportunity to present itself to
purchase the Queen City Womenin Business Georgia chapter, I
(28:36):
said yes to that, because forthree reasons.
It was number one, an extensionof my passion.
It aligned with my purpose.
And then, thirdly, at that timeI was in prayer about expanding
my business, so it aligned withmy business goals.
So it was.
I never imagined that at thebeginning of the year it wasn't
part of my yearly plan, but whenthe opportunity presented
(28:59):
itself and I went to God inprayer and then also discussed
it with my husband, I decided tofollow peace and to accept that
opportunity.
So you're right, my schedule isbusier now than it was before,
but God has just proven that hey, I've been with you, I'm
walking alongside you, I am foryou, and that he's.
(29:21):
And because I did move and takeaction, I was able to, in this
season, really capitalize on allthat he already had prepared
for me, and I'm super excitedabout that.
Belinda Gaston (29:33):
And I'm excited for you, and I think this leads
to probably what will be my lastquestion is you know, based on
all that you share, you reallyhave taken your leadership
journey into a place where youare walking in purpose, and you
just described all that youshare.
You really have taken yourleadership journey into a place
where you are walking in purpose, and you just described all
that.
For our listeners, who aremaybe trying to figure out how
(29:55):
they can walk in purpose inentrepreneurship, or walk in
purpose even in their careers,what kinds of tips would you
give them for how they can walkin purpose in their leadership
journey?
Christal Newkirk (30:11):
Yes, one thing that really helped me to
understand a walking in mypurpose is number one was
knowing my identity and knowingthat I am the gift and that as I
give I am given, showing loveand showing light.
That's an extension of purpose,because as I pour what's in me,
(30:32):
pouring out of my overflow,which sometimes you know, that's
a work in progress aroundself-care, that's another topic.
But understanding my identityand who I am and my gifts and
talent, and that is a gift, asI'm giving out of my gift,
that's an extension of mypurpose.
But during that season Iquickly was able to align just
(30:55):
in prayer, where my passion andmy purpose, because some seasons
they are aligned, but thenthere's other seasons, like now,
like I said, I didn't go intoprayer asking initially about
purchasing a franchise, but Iknew that that aligned.
So it was really that piece,following what I felt like how
(31:16):
God was leading me as I tookthose steps of faith and saw
that it aligned internally andthen it aligned with what he had
already told me externally aswhat I'm supposed to accomplish.
So that would be myrecommendation is to start with
just your identity and know whoyou are in your zone of genius,
as my mentor would say, and pourfrom there, but as you're
(31:39):
pouring, it will grow, and thenyou'll learn more about yourself
and more in the next step.
I didn't get the next stepsuntil I started in my current
steps, so I didn't have theroadmap until I took steps.
And as I took the next step andthen the next step, god, then
my path was enlightened.
He was then able to show mewhich way to go.
(32:00):
So that would definitely be myrecommendation Start where you
are, pour where you are, and asyou're pouring, it will be
revealed.
Belinda Gaston (32:10):
Excellent advice and so, listeners, if you're in
the place where you really wantto align what your purpose is
with your leadership journey wejust heard Christal say first
know who you are, know yourself,recognize that you are the gift
and then, as you begin to useyour gift, as you begin to move
(32:31):
in that space, then the restwill be revealed.
I think a lot of times we wantto wait for things to happen and
it seems constantly through.
This conversation wasconsistent If everything happens
as you move, everything happensas you move, everything happens
as you move.
Do you have any kind of finalthoughts that you'd like to
share?
And then we'll ask.
(32:52):
I'm going to ask you to tell uswhat you're working on and how
people can reach you, but isthere final thoughts for anyone
listening from you?
Christal Newkirk (33:00):
Final thoughts for those that are listening is
that this truly has been aseason of really just facing
fear.
So my first recommendation isthat find the root issue to that
fear.
If you're stuck and you'reready to move forward and you're
unable to move forward in yourjob or your relationship or just
in your personal life, identifythat, the fear that you're
(33:24):
facing, and then dig deeper tounderstand where did that come
from?
I realized that the reason thatI was stuck is that I was still
thinking of that little girlthat was that grew up with not
having a lot, so the fear ofstepping out of my comfort zone
and running out prevented mefrom from stepping out at all.
(33:44):
And then I had to then go backand realize where's the root of
that from.
And once I identified that root, then I could then face it and
then overcome it.
And then secondly, as I statedbefore, do free first, but
highly recommend a mentor.
And then, thirdly, find yourtribe.
Find your group of peopleprofessional women.
(34:05):
Find your faith tribe, but alsothe professional women that
align, that help lift you up onthis journey, because it can be
overwhelming at time and it'sgreat just to have that tribe
that you can bounce it off.
Belinda Gaston (34:19):
Thank you, what a great way to end this
conversation, Christal.
It has been such a pleasurehaving you on.
I have a feeling that you willnot be a stranger to the Graced
to Lead community, so I thankyou for that.
Can you just tell us a littlebit about what it is that you're
working on, how people canreach you?
(34:40):
Can you share that with ouraudience, please?
Christal Newkirk (34:44):
Yes, I have two projects I'm working on.
Currently We've discussed theQueen City Women in Business.
We're starting that Georgiachapter on January 1st, but
currently we have a chapter tolaunch in Indiana that launched
May, but we're founded here inthe Carolinas, and so, if you're
interested, definitely followme.
(35:06):
You can reach me on LinkedIn atChristal the Coach.
You can reach me on Facebook atChristal the Coach or on
Instagram at Christal the Coach,and the second project that I'm
working on is my thirdanthology with the publisher and
author, joan T Randall, and sothat is to be released at the
beginning of the year as well.
(35:27):
So, 2025 is already exciting,as I'm working on a couple of
projects, and I look forward toconnecting with anyone that's in
the audience, that's listeningand want to learn more.
Belinda Gaston (35:39):
Thank you, Christal, and for our audience,
we will have all of thisinformation in the show notes
for you, so please take note ofit, Christal.
Again, thank you, thank you.
Thank you for your time.
This has been a wonderfulconversation.
Thank you, I've enjoyed myselfand, to our listeners, thank you
so much for tuning into theGraced to Lead podcast.
(36:00):
I do not take lightly yourchoice to listen and to download
these episodes.
So thank you so much and untilwe meet each other again,
remember you are indeed gracedto lead.
Bye-bye.
Welcome to the Graced to Lead podcast.
I'm Belinda Gaston, your host,and listen.
If you are a Christian womanwho leads at work, in your own
business or even in ministry,you are in the right place.
Here.
You'll find practical adviceand encouragement as you lead
through real conversations thatwill challenge and inspire you.
So join me on this journey tobecoming better leaders, god's
(00:31):
way.
Are you ready?
Let the journey begin.
Welcome to the Graced to Leadpodcast.
I am Belinda Gaston, your host,and listen.
Today we have a dynamic guest.
I don't even want to spoil thisfor you, except to say that she
is the woman that knows how tobe a spark in this world, and
(00:53):
I'm so grateful for her.
Yes, so I want to welcome tothe show the one and only
Christal Newkirk, and before Ilet her speak, I need to tell
you who we're dealing with,y'all, because Christal is an
amazing woman.
Listen, she is a two-timeinternational best-selling
author.
She's an executive coach.
(01:15):
She's the CEO and managingpartner of ACS, a division of
Above HR Solutions.
Acs partners with majororganizations to provide general
construction and facilitiesmanagement services.
Let me start that again.
Christal Newkirk is a two-timeinternational best-selling
(01:36):
author, an executive coach, ceoand managing partner of ACS, a
division of Above HR Solutions,and, for those of you who don't
know, acs partners with majororganizations to provide general
construction and facilitiesmaintenance services.
Christal is also the incomingGeorgia Chapter President for QC
(02:00):
Women in Business, effectiveJanuary 1st 2025.
She will have five locationsthroughout the state of Georgia
to help women-owned businesssuppliers connect faster with
B2B and corporate buyers.
Christal has over 20 years ofcorporate recruitment, dei,
(02:21):
affirmative action planning andcompliance experience.
She earned her Master ofScience Management degree in
Process, dei, affirmative Action, planning and Compliance
Experience.
She earned her Master ofScience Management degree in
Process Improvement and aBachelor's degree in Marketing
from North Carolina StateUniversity, as well as completed
her Executive CoachCertification with the John
Maxwell team.
(02:42):
Christal and her husband, Rodneyare co-preneurs and currently
manage multiple businesses,including a real estate
investment firm.
They reside in South Carolinawith their fur baby, Dundee, and
they enjoy cycling, travelingand spending time with their
family.
Listen, Graced to Leadlisteners.
I need you to put your virtualhands together, give a virtual
(03:05):
applause for none other thanChristal Newkirk.
Welcome to the show, Christal.
Christal Newkirk (03:13):
Linda, thank you so much.
I think I need to take you onthe road with me with the
introductions.
I love that.
Thank you so much for theopportunity to be here today.
Belinda Gaston (03:22):
You're welcome and I am excited because there
are a couple of things for ourlisteners that I need you to
recognize when I was reading herbio.
One is that she is a businessleader who really knows
businesses.
She has her own business andshe also knows how to connect
people I don't know if you heardme when I said that, but being
able to connect women businessowners with the resources they
(03:46):
need, and she's also a coach,and so I think when you bring
those things together and y'allshe works with her husband we
don't have to talk about thisco-preneurship, but there is a
wealth of information here.
So first, I think, to help usframe this conversation, it
would be wonderful, Christal, tohear from you about your
journey to entrepreneurship.
Can you tell us a little bitabout that, and how did you know
(04:08):
that this was something youwanted to do?
Christal Newkirk (04:11):
Now that's an excellent question.
Honestly, growing up with asingle parent of seven children
and as the oldest daughter, Isaw my mom working hard and I
always knew that I wanted to bea businesswoman like my mom.
So, seeing her work in thetelecommunications space and
(04:32):
seeing her just talking and agreat public speaker, I knew
that.
But it wasn't until I attendedcollege and graduated and
started my first job that Irealized that the typical nine
to five was not for me, becauseeven though I finished my
master's at age 25 and startedworking at that time, I
(04:55):
immediately started a sidehustle.
I started my business part-timein my early 20s because, number
one, I wanted to make more moneythan what they were paying me
and I knew I could.
But and so I think I know thatit was the freedom to make more
and to control my financial life.
That was the initial reason whyI decided and I started just as
(05:20):
an independent consultant.
My twin brother was anentrepreneur at that time and so
I think my siblings say it's anegg thing, you know, because of
the twins.
So when my twin, he had startedhis business and I was like I
think I want to do the samething and he walked me through
the process.
But again, that first step wasthe desire to make more than
(05:43):
what I was receiving from my Icall it my W-2 investor, but
that was my daytime job.
Belinda Gaston (05:52):
And so that desire for you.
This is great.
Thank you for sharing that.
This desire for more.
It seemed to either come fromthe role modeling you had with
your mom, but there was probablysomething else innately there.
Do you know what the otherthing was?
I mean, you said you wanted tomake more money than what your
(06:12):
W-2 investor provided, but wasthere anything else there that
pushed you forward?
It sounds like there may havebeen something innate there.
Could you describe it?
And if you can't describe it, Itotally.
It's fine, but I'm just curiouscan you describe that?
Christal Newkirk (06:27):
Yes, and thanks for that follow-up
question.
Honestly, it started there, butit was during my spiritual
journey in my early twentiesthat, as I start to study the
word and really believe the word, I instantly connected to the
word when it stated that thewealth and riches were laid up
(06:52):
for the just that God created usfor an abundance.
I remember taking assessmentswhile I was in my layman's
school of studies for spiritualgrowth and at that time my
spiritual gift was undefined asthat of a financial dominator,
that I was called to not onlybring in the wealth but also to
(07:14):
be the king and the priest.
So I quickly identified that Iwas willing to take the risk to
go after that.
It's so funny early in my 20s Iwas willing to take the risk.
It's funny now, as I age, thatsometimes you can get
comfortable but I digress.
But I do remember just thatboldness to go for more and
(07:36):
really believe.
At that time it was the wordand what it says who I was and
what I could have.
And in the markets, when I sawthat the job was only going to
limit one thing, my attitude wasI could create a job, I could
go get more, I don't have tolimit myself.
So it was definitely thatcourage, the boldness, that
determination that just made mewant to go for more and not just
(08:00):
stay with what was given.
But a large part of that wasgrowing up with a single parent
of seven kids and did not wantto.
I didn't want that life, and sothat created a determination in
me to go for more.
That makes sense.
Belinda Gaston (08:17):
It does make sense, and, I think, for our
listeners.
There are two things I wannapoint out in what Christal said.
One is it doesn't matter whereyou start, right, she started in
a home that she describes asbeing one where her mother was a
single parent with sevenchildren.
That means that there's a lotof activities, there's a lot of
(08:38):
busyness, and we always saybusyness, busyness, there's a
lot of busyness going on in thatspace, say busyness, busyness,
there's a lot of busyness goingon in that space.
And there wasn't.
It sounds like.
What I heard you say, Christal,is that there wasn't exactly a
teaching on entrepreneurship,but there were role models in
your life, like your brother,your twin brother, who said I'm
doing this, you can do this too,right, and so I want to point
(08:59):
out that it doesn't matter whereyou start.
It does matter, though, when youhave the people who can
influence you, like Christaltwin brother, that you are
willing to take the risks, takethe risk, and so those are two
things that I think stood out,and it's interesting, Christal,
that you mentioned therisk-taking, because it is so
(09:22):
much easier to take risks whenyou're younger than as you get
older.
It really is, and so I think ifyou were to, it's almost.
We often ask this question whatwould you tell your younger
self as it relates torisk-taking?
But I'm going to flip thisquestion for a second.
But I'm going to flip thisquestion for a second.
(09:45):
What would that firecracker,risk taker, Christal, tell her
older self about taking risks?
What advice do you think thatshe would give to you, as a
person that's older than whereshe was when she started?
Christal Newkirk (10:00):
No, that's a great question.
And I want to circle back.
My twin brother name is ChrisSpence because I keep saying
twin, but even in my phone he'sa great question.
And I want to circle back.
My twin brother name is ChrisSpence because I keep saying
twin, but even in my phone he'slisted as twin.
So so Christal and Chris.
His name is Chris, so I knowthe younger Christal would tell
(10:20):
me now, and I heard this word acouple of weeks ago and I made
it my own and that word is beton yourself.
I wish I'd have taken more riskthan what I have done.
So I started strong andsomewhere in my season I
definitely became comfortable.
(10:41):
And now in my later life, justeven recently, that in in
leaving my W2 investor lastmonth.
I know that that decision couldhave been made sooner,
especially when multiplicationsstart to occur, but the best,
the number one, was bet onyourself.
Believe that you are who Godsays you are, and that belief
(11:05):
then results into correspondingactions.
So betting on myself, what doesthat look like?
It is like going for that goalthat I have in mind, taking more
steps to really obtain it andnot just stop at the first
obstacle that I experience.
Stop at the first obstacle thatI experienced and like I had a
(11:28):
letdown or something didn't gothe direction that I expected,
and I allow that to slow me downversus and then slow down for a
season, but don't let it stopme and allow yourself to get
stuck.
So that's definitely what myexperience have been and that's
definitely something that Iwould tell myself now experience
have been, and that'sdefinitely something that I
would tell myself now.
Belinda Gaston (11:52):
That is great advice and embedding on yourself
is.
It's so difficult because it'sreally tied to so many things.
It's tied to your own kind ofinnate confidence in what you're
doing.
It's tied to what people sayyou should be, and, you know,
one of the reasons I was reallyexcited about having you on this
show is because there wassomething about you that I can
relate to, and it's the idea ofbeing able to do things and new
(12:13):
things, whether it's for formingyour business, whether it's
your executive coaching, doingthat thing despite what other
people may think about it right.
And that is something I think.
As women who lead, we often getin this trap of I'm doing this
because, one, I'm good at it and, two, it's what I'm supposed to
(12:36):
do, and so I'd like to talkabout that a little bit, because
I know a little bit of yourjourney.
I don't know the whole story,but as you made this transition
from you know, working forsomeone else to being an
entrepreneur, how did you manageto overcome the supposed tos
(12:58):
that's what I call it whatyou're supposed to be doing,
what other people think you'resupposed to be doing.
How do you overcome that as aleader, when you know that it's
something that God put in yourheart but it doesn't make sense
to other people?
Christal Newkirk (13:12):
Man just thinking about that question,
because what I was supposed todo was to, like I was taught, go
off to college, work for acompany 25, 30 years and retire.
But, honestly, because I at anearly age, when I received Jesus
as Lord and my Savior at age 13, and then after I rededicated
(13:32):
my life back to Christ at age 29, I decided then that I really
wanted to seek purpose.
So that became a regularconversation with God and I I am
truly a journal, I lovejournaling, and so that's a
question that I will askregularly.
And, to be honest, when we lookat my background and look at
(13:52):
when I ask God in differentseasons, what am I supposed to
do next?
And look at when I ask God indifferent seasons, what am I
supposed to do next?
When the opportunity came tostart the business, I was like I
battled self-confidence, Ibattled self-doubt, which
meaning that there was an areaof confidence that was not
developed.
So, for every journey, then thenext season, I'm like, okay,
lord, what is it next thatyou're telling me to do?
(14:14):
And then, when he would driveme, point me down the road of
coaching and mentoring, which ismy true heart, and to go get a
certification.
I'm like a coach Again.
I battle really self-doubt andthat imposter syndrome me like
can I really do this?
But when I pose that questionto my tribe and my close family
(14:34):
and friends, they're like thisis who you are.
I may not have referred tomyself as a coach, but when I
found, when I went to get thecertifications, then I felt like
I could then call myself that.
And even when it came to writingmy first anthology and now I'm
working on the third anthologyis that when the opportunity
presented itself again, it wasanother level.
(14:57):
You know in college or injunior high you pass first.
You know addition, subtraction,multiplications, geometry.
You know trigonometry.
So all those different levelsof math is like that for me.
Concerning courage andconfidence, there was a level
that was needed to get started.
But for every step on theladder to the next season of
(15:20):
purpose there was another testand there was another.
I'm flexing by putting onmuscles, but I had to develop
that spiritual muscle in thatarea for the next level of the
assignment, if that makes sense.
So when you ask the questionwhat it's like as a leader for
me, I'm constantly retesting inthose areas for the next level
(15:44):
that I know that he's calling meto do.
Belinda Gaston (15:47):
Thank you for sharing.
That's an excellent analogy.
I love that that there arethese levels and you just you
have to keep re-upping, so tospeak, your skills and to get to
that, and so I want to talk alittle bit about your move from
your corporate space as a leaderto entrepreneurship.
(16:09):
It's clear that things aregoing phenomenally well since
you made the move, but can youtell me and our audience what it
was like making that decision?
There are some people who arelistening right now, Christal,
who are.
They have a desire in theirheart to step out on faith and
build their own businesses, butthere are, for whatever reasons,
(16:32):
haven't done that.
Can you share a little bitabout your transition for our
audience?
What kinds of things?
What were you feeling at thetime and what were the obstacles
that you had and how did youovercome those things?
Christal Newkirk (16:48):
Yeah, and actually the easy part was
starting the business for meBecause, as I mentioned, in my
late 20s I sought assistancefrom someone that I saw doing
the job.
So the first thing that I wouldhighly recommend is that, when
you're pursuing anything,identify an individual or two
(17:11):
that are doing what you want todo and spend time to inquire on
how to do that.
So for me, with starting thebusiness, I jumped into it and
started quickly and, because I'ma true connector and enjoy
marketing, I reached out and wasable to obtain clients.
My challenge from going fromcorporate to full time
(17:34):
entrepreneurship is that Iactually was doing the business
full time with multiple clientsas well as working full time.
So my challenge became leavingthat safety net of the W-2
employer which is the W-2investor because they're
investing in my future, which isthe W2 investor because they're
(18:00):
investing in my future leavingthat corporate job and really to
do it 100%.
I got very comfortable with thecorporate because I got the
feedback.
You know in corporate Americayou have performance review.
So I didn't realize that partof my confidence was tied to who
they say I was and how Iperform was tied to who they say
I was and how I performed andso in corporate America, even
though I had a level of success,I did not have the confidence
(18:23):
that went with the success.
So when it came time, when HolySpirit directed me in the new
season now it's time to pivot.
Honestly, it took me about fouryears to obey it 100%, to
really walk away and say, okay,lord, I'll surrender.
And that date was just recentlyJuly 12th, 2024.
(18:46):
So as we look at the calendar,that's just six weeks ago, but
it took almost four years tomake that step.
Now, along the way there waslevels of obedience, but we know
that Father God wants completeobedience, 100%.
So in the last year my healthbecame greatly impacted because,
(19:07):
again, I was carrying too much,such that I found myself
drowning.
When he's like, let go, I'vealready shown you I'm Jehovah
Jireh, I've already provided foryou.
Trust me and release this.
So I got more over here for youon this side.
But over the last year I prayedafter another health scare.
(19:29):
I found myself in the hospitalfighting.
There were blood clots in mylungs.
But that morning I found myselfwaking up early and having
difficulty breathing and thencame downstairs and talked to my
husband and he immediately tookmy pulse and my blood pressure
and gave me aspirin and took meto the emergency room when we
saw that the symptoms did notrelieve itself, and that's when
(19:52):
the ER, the doctor, found thatthere were blood clots.
So even after that, I still waslike, okay, lord, give me the
strength, give me the courageand confidence, because I had
identified the root to this, andthe root was I lack confidence
in myself.
And so, therefore, what Ineeded in addition to the
(20:13):
mentoring and the coaching but Ihad already hired a mentor she
gave me the tools.
I've already prayed.
God has given me direction.
The last step was up to me tonow do in the natural, to take
that step, but through prayer,holy Spirit had revealed in a
dream that I would have anexperience, and I didn't know
(20:34):
when it would take place.
But that particular morning Ihad an encounter at my daytime
with a W-2 employer, w-2investor, and I realized that
today was that day.
Of course, when I woke up thatmorning I didn't know, but it
was during that that I was ableto finally make that step.
But the things that helped mealong that journey definitely
(20:54):
was the support of my family,hiring a mentor to assist me on
that journey, having myspiritual tribe to keep me in
prayer as I am walking out andpraying, and then having wise
counsel that I could talk tothat was still holding me up.
Now, just because I prayed andbelieved God, there was still an
(21:15):
action step that was requiredto do what he told me to do, and
I'm happy to share that.
I did take that step and todayI am in the business full-time
as an entrepreneur.
But, for those that arelistening, one tool that I use
over the last few years and alsovolunteered as well is
definitely with SCORE.
Score is a nationalorganization that's funded by
(21:38):
the SB&A and provides freebusiness mentoring to
entrepreneurs who are looking tostart their business or expand
that business, and so that Ialways recommend, as a coach
myself, start free first, sostart free and then but I did
pay for a mentor as well thatassists me, and my mentor is
(22:01):
Denise Taylor, and she's beenphenomenal and holding my arms
up over the last three years.
Belinda Gaston (22:10):
You have given us so much so for our listeners.
Let's recap what I heardChristal say us.
So much so for our listeners.
Let's recap what I heardChristal say.
So the first thing I want tojust kind of pose as a moment
for us to pause and think aboutis the idea of what we're
carrying, because you said thatyou know you had to think about
(22:31):
kind of what you were carryingand that was a burden, it was
affecting you physically, right,but when you said it, it made
me also think about what we'recarrying innately.
So there are the burdens thatwe're carrying.
Listeners, what burdens are youcarrying?
What burdens are you carryingright now that you can rid
(22:52):
yourself of that you arecarrying, not because you have
to, but because you're holdingon to a place where you're not
trusting God.
What are you carrying that'skeeping you from trusting God?
That's the first thing.
And then the second thing thatcame up, Christal, as you were
(23:14):
talking, is what are youcarrying to get you further
along in your purpose?
What are those gifts, what arethose skills?
I can already tell, Christal,that you are a natural
communicator and you've probablybeen this way your whole life.
How are we, as leaders, lookingat that.
How are we embracing what wecarry?
(23:34):
Those are two things.
And then you gave us some steps.
You said, listen, if you wantto get from this place, then you
first have to move.
You just have to move, and thatpartial obedience to what
you're hearing God say to you isstill disobedience.
And so, in your move, whathelped you overcome was your
(23:54):
family support, seekingmentorship and then relying on
your tribe, your faith tribethat's what you called it, your
tribe of faith friends.
And so I think that's great.
I hope that if you're listening, you're taking this all in.
And the last thing I want tohighlight that I heard Christal
say is listen, start free.
(24:15):
She just gave us a whole freeresource for starting your
business, and we'll make surethat we put the information in
the show notes, but you don'thave to have it all together.
It's interesting to me in thisshow notes, but you don't have
to have.
You know what, what you don'thave to have it all together.
It's interesting to me in thispodcast journey and now business
journey it's the idea of ofprogress over perfection.
(24:37):
Right, we want everything to bejust, right and we have to have
everything.
But as you move, god provides.
And Christal, you're walkingevidence of, as you move, god's
provided.
You just became a full-timeentrepreneur and your schedule
is packed, your resources arefull, your baskets are
overflowing.
That's amazing.
(24:58):
That's amazing.
So thank you so much.
Thank you so much for sharingthat, Christal.
Okay, I'm curious about thisidea of purpose, and so I want
to ask you about this, because Iget the sense that what you're
doing is tied very closely towhat you believe your purpose is
.
So can you talk about how youeither found your purpose or how
(25:23):
you knew what your purpose wasand you began to walk in this?
How did you make thatconnection between purpose and
what you do every day?
Christal Newkirk (25:34):
Yes, actually, I enjoyed human resources
because it allowed me to make animpact into people's lives
professionally.
So talent acquisition I reallyenjoyed, which was a starting
point.
I didn't know that was anextension of my purpose.
I just knew that, as a type Apersonality, I'm driven by
(25:57):
results.
So I wake up ready to driveresults.
So I need to see outcomes.
And one thing that talentacquisition allowed me to not
receive the job found myselfspending more time with them to
(26:30):
coach them, to help them preparefor the next step, to stay
connected, that they would stillreach out to give them free
advice on their resumes and say,hey, when I would interview
them over the phone and theywould give me an answer that
could have been phraseddifferently, I would pause the
conversation.
Hey, take notes.
(26:50):
You got your pencil and paperout.
I need you to write this downbecause for the next step I need
you to prepare by phrasing itlike this or when it came to
compensation and they say, oh,I'm negotiable.
I'm like negotiable is neverthe right answer, come arm in
dangerous understanding what isyour market value.
So, as you see, I get excitedjust talking about it.
(27:12):
But I found myself along thatpath, spending more time with
those to equip them and preparethem.
So through that I realized inprayer that my purpose is
empowerment through education,that my purpose is empowerment
(27:32):
through education.
I enjoy that piece and seeingthe impact in people's lives.
But it first started witheducation, because education
helps renew your mindset andchange your mind and sometimes
change your direction.
So through that my path becamepeople like me, or women, or in
marriage.
Every season that I'm in Godwould bring people across my
(27:52):
path that, as I'm learning mylesson, I can empower them even
if I'm midstream, in the midstof what I'm going through.
So my passion is truly that ofworking with women, especially
those that are entrepreneurs buteven not entrepreneurs.
But in this season it is womenentrepreneurs that are looking
to expand their business, but,more importantly, those that are
(28:14):
interested in multiple streamsof income.
I'm a true believer thatmultiple streams of income are
available to those that wantmore.
And then, secondly, they'rewilling to do the work.
And that's why, when theopportunity to present itself to
purchase the Queen City Womenin Business Georgia chapter, I
(28:36):
said yes to that, because forthree reasons.
It was number one, an extensionof my passion.
It aligned with my purpose.
And then, thirdly, at that timeI was in prayer about expanding
my business, so it aligned withmy business goals.
So it was.
I never imagined that at thebeginning of the year it wasn't
part of my yearly plan, but whenthe opportunity presented
(28:59):
itself and I went to God inprayer and then also discussed
it with my husband, I decided tofollow peace and to accept that
opportunity.
So you're right, my schedule isbusier now than it was before,
but God has just proven that hey, I've been with you, I'm
walking alongside you, I am foryou, and that he's.
(29:21):
And because I did move and takeaction, I was able to, in this
season, really capitalize on allthat he already had prepared
for me, and I'm super excitedabout that.
Belinda Gaston (29:33):
And I'm excited for you, and I think this leads
to probably what will be my lastquestion is you know, based on
all that you share, you reallyhave taken your leadership
journey into a place where youare walking in purpose, and you
just described all that youshare.
You really have taken yourleadership journey into a place
where you are walking in purpose, and you just described all
that.
For our listeners, who aremaybe trying to figure out how
(29:55):
they can walk in purpose inentrepreneurship, or walk in
purpose even in their careers,what kinds of tips would you
give them for how they can walkin purpose in their leadership
journey?
Christal Newkirk (30:11):
Yes, one thing that really helped me to
understand a walking in mypurpose is number one was
knowing my identity and knowingthat I am the gift and that as I
give I am given, showing loveand showing light.
That's an extension of purpose,because as I pour what's in me,
(30:32):
pouring out of my overflow,which sometimes you know, that's
a work in progress aroundself-care, that's another topic.
But understanding my identityand who I am and my gifts and
talent, and that is a gift, asI'm giving out of my gift,
that's an extension of mypurpose.
But during that season Iquickly was able to align just
(30:55):
in prayer, where my passion andmy purpose, because some seasons
they are aligned, but thenthere's other seasons, like now,
like I said, I didn't go intoprayer asking initially about
purchasing a franchise, but Iknew that that aligned.
So it was really that piece,following what I felt like how
(31:16):
God was leading me as I tookthose steps of faith and saw
that it aligned internally andthen it aligned with what he had
already told me externally aswhat I'm supposed to accomplish.
So that would be myrecommendation is to start with
just your identity and know whoyou are in your zone of genius,
as my mentor would say, and pourfrom there, but as you're
(31:39):
pouring, it will grow, and thenyou'll learn more about yourself
and more in the next step.
I didn't get the next stepsuntil I started in my current
steps, so I didn't have theroadmap until I took steps.
And as I took the next step andthen the next step, god, then
my path was enlightened.
He was then able to show mewhich way to go.
(32:00):
So that would definitely be myrecommendation Start where you
are, pour where you are, and asyou're pouring, it will be
revealed.
Belinda Gaston (32:10):
Excellent advice and so, listeners, if you're in
the place where you really wantto align what your purpose is
with your leadership journey wejust heard Christal say first
know who you are, know yourself,recognize that you are the gift
and then, as you begin to useyour gift, as you begin to move
(32:31):
in that space, then the restwill be revealed.
I think a lot of times we wantto wait for things to happen and
it seems constantly through.
This conversation wasconsistent If everything happens
as you move, everything happensas you move, everything happens
as you move.
Do you have any kind of finalthoughts that you'd like to
share?
And then we'll ask.
(32:52):
I'm going to ask you to tell uswhat you're working on and how
people can reach you, but isthere final thoughts for anyone
listening from you?
Christal Newkirk (33:00):
Final thoughts for those that are listening is
that this truly has been aseason of really just facing
fear.
So my first recommendation isthat find the root issue to that
fear.
If you're stuck and you'reready to move forward and you're
unable to move forward in yourjob or your relationship or just
in your personal life, identifythat, the fear that you're
(33:24):
facing, and then dig deeper tounderstand where did that come
from?
I realized that the reason thatI was stuck is that I was still
thinking of that little girlthat was that grew up with not
having a lot, so the fear ofstepping out of my comfort zone
and running out prevented mefrom from stepping out at all.
(33:44):
And then I had to then go backand realize where's the root of
that from.
And once I identified that root, then I could then face it and
then overcome it.
And then secondly, as I statedbefore, do free first, but
highly recommend a mentor.
And then, thirdly, find yourtribe.
Find your group of peopleprofessional women.
(34:05):
Find your faith tribe, but alsothe professional women that
align, that help lift you up onthis journey, because it can be
overwhelming at time and it'sgreat just to have that tribe
that you can bounce it off.
Belinda Gaston (34:19):
Thank you, what a great way to end this
conversation, Christal.
It has been such a pleasurehaving you on.
I have a feeling that you willnot be a stranger to the Graced
to Lead community, so I thankyou for that.
Can you just tell us a littlebit about what it is that you're
working on, how people canreach you?
(34:40):
Can you share that with ouraudience, please?
Christal Newkirk (34:44):
Yes, I have two projects I'm working on.
Currently We've discussed theQueen City Women in Business.
We're starting that Georgiachapter on January 1st, but
currently we have a chapter tolaunch in Indiana that launched
May, but we're founded here inthe Carolinas, and so, if you're
interested, definitely followme.
(35:06):
You can reach me on LinkedIn atChristal the Coach.
You can reach me on Facebook atChristal the Coach or on
Instagram at Christal the Coach,and the second project that I'm
working on is my thirdanthology with the publisher and
author, joan T Randall, and sothat is to be released at the
beginning of the year as well.
(35:27):
So, 2025 is already exciting,as I'm working on a couple of
projects, and I look forward toconnecting with anyone that's in
the audience, that's listeningand want to learn more.
Belinda Gaston (35:39):
Thank you, Christal, and for our audience,
we will have all of thisinformation in the show notes
for you, so please take note ofit, Christal.
Again, thank you, thank you.
Thank you for your time.
This has been a wonderfulconversation.
Thank you, I've enjoyed myselfand, to our listeners, thank you
so much for tuning into theGraced to Lead podcast.
(36:00):
I do not take lightly yourchoice to listen and to download
these episodes.
So thank you so much and untilwe meet each other again,
remember you are indeed gracedto lead.
Bye-bye.
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