Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Johnson.
Hi Kelly, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started my career in healthcare marketing and spent years building teams, driving growth, and learning what strong leadership really requires. On paper, I was successful. In reality, I was searching for work that allowed me to make a deeper impact while still being present for my family.
That turning point led me to start my own business more than eight years ago. What began as a growth marketing consultancy expanded into coaching, training, and leadership development as I realized how much I loved helping people unlock their potential.
Over the past several years, I have leaned into this work with intention. I now partner with healthcare organizations to align strategy, operations, and talent, and I coach emerging leaders who want clarity, confidence, and purpose in their careers.
My path has not been linear, but it has been deeply rewarding. Every step has brought me closer to the work I was meant to do: helping people and organizations grow in meaningful and measurable ways.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road, but the challenges shaped the work I do today. Early in my career, I was promoted into leadership before I had the tools to lead well. I struggled with confidence, perfectionism, and the pressure to perform at a high level while raising a young family.
When I stepped out on my own to start a business with three small children, the learning curve was steep. I had to build everything from the ground up while managing uncertainty, financial pressure, and the reality of being responsible for my own success.
The last few years brought their own challenges as I shifted part of my business toward coaching and leadership development. Any time you reinvent yourself, you face doubts, setbacks, and moments where you question the path.
But each struggle brought clarity. I learned resilience, boundaries, and how to trust myself. Those experiences now allow me to walk alongside leaders who are navigating their own transitions and doubts. The road was not smooth, but it made me better equipped to help others grow.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My primary work centers on coaching emerging leaders. I help first-time managers through aspiring VPs build confidence, strengthen their leadership skills, and show up with clarity and purpose in their roles. Alongside coaching, I teach professional development in the UGA Master of Health Administration program, where I get to support future healthcare leaders as they grow into their careers.
I also partner with healthcare organizations on growth strategy and leadership development. After 25 years in healthcare marketing and strategy, I understand how much organizational success depends on developing people, aligning teams, and creating structures that support both performance and well-being.
What I’m most proud of is the transformation I get to witness in others, leaders finding their voice, students discovering their strengths, and teams gaining alignment that moves their work forward.
What sets me apart is the combination of deep healthcare experience and a coaching approach grounded in authenticity, empathy, and accountability. I draw from both my professional background and personal journey of resilience and reinvention, helping people grow in ways that are meaningful, sustainable, and tied to real results.
What does success mean to you?
I define success by the lives I influence, not the titles I hold. Success is watching an emerging leader step into their potential, seeing a student gain confidence, or helping a healthcare team find alignment in a complex environment. It is less about achievement and more about the ripple effect of the work I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://crystallakemarketing.org
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-johnson-coaching/
