Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Styles.
Crystal, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My passion for helping people steered me first into broadcast journalism. After graduating college, I became an anchor/reporter at news stations in both Alabama and Georgia, with humble beginnings as a media intern at WSBTV, the ABC affiliate in Atlanta, Georgia, where I produced and reported on segments for The Atlanta Association of Black Journalists’ show called In Contact.
After a dear friend of mine read a few advice columns I wrote for national publications such as Sophisticate’s Black Hair, Sophisticate’s Hairstyle Guide and Black College Today magazine, she said to me, “Crystal Knows.” From that comment, I created my brand, Crystal Knows Beauty! I realized at that moment my genuine love for people is God-driven. It is a part of my life’s purpose to help people with their health, beauty and overall wellness, both externally and internally, both naturally and spiritually. Pre Covid-19, I traveled quite a bit as an International Certified Trichologist & Beauty Motivator teaching about healthy hair, scalp and overall body & emotional wellness, from the Inside – Out. I am really eager to get back to travelling regularly.
Seeking to learn more, in an effort to teach more, is the reason I became an International Certified Trichologist which has taken me across the seas to speak at large beauty industry conventions in places like Johannesburg South Africa, Cape Town, South Africa, London England, Lagos Nigeria and the Caribbean where my desire has been to inspire hundreds of beautiful people at workshops, expos and seminars around the globe – people who need to know that someone truly cares about them as individuals.
In addition to international mission work, I have also had wonderful opportunities to reach and teach thousands while circling the United States speaking at various consumer events from small quaint VIP meetups to large facilities including the Georgia World Congress Center (Atlanta, GA), the Georgia International Convention Center (Atlanta, GA), Orange County Convention Center (Orlando, FL), Gwinnett Infinite Energy Convention Center (Atlanta, GA), the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (Birmingham, AL), and the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (Washington, DC).
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, sheltering in place and the national and global social unrest, I became very restless in knowing that God always intended for me to be a frontline community servant. It was very unsettling for me to sit back while so many people needed guidance and information to help them survive and cope during these trying times. It was this moment that guided me back to the roots of my strengths as a journalist. From the urgency to help others, I birthed “The Beautiful Spirit Podcast” to help inspire, uplift and inform the community about vital and life-saving information. You can find “The Beautiful Spirit Podcast” on Apple, Pandora, Google, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher, or any of your favorite podcast apps! But–my passion for mankind does not stop there…
I am also the Co-founder and Co-Chairperson of a wonderful nonprofit, Proactive Change, Inc. Our dedicated mission is to Proactively Change lives by helping those in need of educational resources, livelihood stabilization, and social awareness for the overall wellness of the community. Our current focus is Love Thy Neighbor; a Covid-19 Mitigation Project to help stop the spread of this deadly virus throughout our communities. Covid-19 has No Color, No Age, No Gender, No Smell and No Taste. It does not discriminate and neither should we, as we help and encourage each other to stay safe.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not always been a smooth road along the way, but the road has not always been rough either. My mother told me once when I was facing one of many challenges, “You will never become sharp if you never have to rub up against any hard surfaces. In order to be successful, in order to make a difference, in order to make a positive impact in the lives of people in your community, you must face and conquer challenges along the way. It is a part of the journey.” I don’t think there is enough publication space for me to tell ALL of my struggles along the way lol… so, I will only tell you one significant one that I believe will help someone who may be doubting their own journey.
During the early stages of my media career, I made a decision to come out of broadcast news altogether in an effort to raise my son. At that time, I was working as a 2nd shift reporter in the day and anchoring the 10 pm news each night, including working overtime when breaking news happened. My career choice versus being a more available mother weighed heavily on me. So I made a personal decision to leave a career field that I had longed to be a part of — just the thought of keeping citizens informed about vital information and being able to be a community advocate for the voiceless and powerless, inspired me as a journalist.
The decision to walk away was very difficult for me. It was a pivotal moment in my life because I had worked so hard and sacrificed a lot to get to that point. But now, life had changed, and I then had to also make changes. I decided to apply for a job in corporate where my work hours were regular and my daily pattern and accessibility for my son were more steady. I must say…looking back, I would have still made the same choice today, as I did then, no regrets. But during that time, I had no idea what else God had in store for me. It was like starting from scratch, but I knew I needed to trust Him to show me, teach me, lead me, guide me and He did just that. Through a few more tests and trials, God has given me so much to do in my Life’s Purpose. My friends joke with me that I just can’t be content with doing things the simple way–the basic way. Creativity and my passion for helping people positively overwhelm me at times. I just can never do enough in my desire to help and care for others. I have come to realize that I am simply made that way. It is just not enough for me to be settled with my own successes when I know that true success is when you can bless so many others. Because of my mannerisms…the same dear friend who inspired Crystal Knows Beauty, also nicknamed me…the Butterfly lol.
My struggles…have made me stronger, wiser and better equipped to be a better helper for God. Out of my struggles, I raised a wonderful, responsible son. Out of my struggles, I became a Co-founder of an amazing community service nonprofit, Proactive Change, Inc. Out of my struggles, I established an annual scholarship that I offer to high school seniors at my church. Out of my struggles, I have been able to inspire others to keep going. So, out of my struggles…I won’t complain.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Crystal Knows Beauty, LLC is a beauty inspiration space… beauty being more than what you see. Under my brand, I teach, educate and inspire people to embrace both their inner beauty and outer beauty. I have extended my brand to include speaker/communications training, in addition to creating “The Beautiful Spirit Podcast” where I interview ordinary people doing extraordinary things – your neighbors, your friends, your co-workers–people who have decided to level up and make a difference in society. My goal is to inspire people to live out their life’s purpose. My slogan: Don’t Sit On It! Get To It!
I am most proud of how God has chosen me to motivate others. Through my speaking engagements, while mainly talking about beauty inspiration, I have been able to help people find their true selves, strengthen their self-esteem, and realize that they matter. I believe what sets me apart from others is my God-given mission, my natural and genuine ability to relate to people and help guide them to a better understanding of themselves. I truly believe that we are all more effective when we hone in on our natural talents.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The characteristic that I feel is most important to my success is determination. It is the initiative and drive that helps me know… Yes, I Can… and You Can Too!
If you would like to help Proactive Change, Inc. support our communities, please donate via the website link below:
- Suggested donations for individuals: $25; $50; $100;
- Suggested donations for companies/brand sponsors: $1,000; $2,500; $3,500; $5,000 (sponsorship promotions available, Contact Us for details)
Contact Info:
- Address: 730 Peachtree Street NE, #570 Atlanta, GA 30308
- Website: www.proactivechange.org
- Phone: 404-987-0805
- Email: proactivechangeinc@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/proactivechangeinc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProactiveChangeInc/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/incproactive
- Other: https://crystalknowsbeauty.com/the-beautiful-spirit/
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