Sarah-Jane: Hey there and welcome to a different episode of the Christian Girls in Enterprise podcast present. It’s so wonderful to have you ever right here at this time and we’re joined from a stunning girl that we’ve had a divine connection from all the best way over the massive pond. , her largest factor to do and, sorry, Her largest mission via her enterprise is to gentle the world to create transformative progress and her favourite factor to do on the weekend is sleep and spend quiet time with the Lord on my patio.
So welcome to the present, Kelly Johnson from Kerius.
Kelley: Thanks a lot for having me. It’s nice to be right here.
Sarah-Jane: So, so our listeners get of their minds the place you might be on this planet. Give us a spin on the place you might be and what half
Kelley: positive. So, , if you happen to can’t inform by my accent, I’m from the U. S. and I reside within the massive state of Texas.
Sarah-Jane: That’s superior. And whereabouts in Texas?
Kelley: I’m within the Dallas space. So that might be the northern a part of Texas.
Sarah-Jane: For all our Australian listeners, that’s simply above Waco. The place Chip and Joanna Gaines are as a result of everybody is aware of.
Kelley: Okay.
Sarah-Jane: That for reference over in Australia.
Kelley: I really like that reference and so it will in all probability take me about two hours to get to the silos in Waco.
Sarah-Jane: Yeah, that’s so enjoyable. That’s so enjoyable. So Kelly and I, we met on the Management Smit. , that was organized by Boldly, , all the best way again in February earlier this 12 months, 2024. , and since then we’ve stayed involved. , it’s been an absolute pleasure to type of be on one another’s journeys out and in and maintain that relationship going.
And Kelly has simply, launched a podcast herself, which is basically thrilling. I don’t know if that is your first podcast that you just’ve launched or not, or that is
Kelley: It’s truly my third.
Sarah-Jane: the,
Kelley: hopefully third time is a appeal.
Sarah-Jane: that’s superior. , yeah. And so we thought we’d do a podcast collaboration. So Kelly’s approaching as After which I’ll be heading over to Kelly. So you possibly can hear one another’s, , interviews. We’ll hyperlink them on the web site, on the present notes to one another. So you possibly can take a take heed to each. , however Kelly’s is, I gained’t inform an excessive amount of as a result of she’s going to share her story with us subsequent, however, , it’s a completely stunning podcast.
Very actual, very uncooked, very genuine, , based mostly, , for leaders. , so if you happen to’re. Within the enterprise and also you’re, you’re in that management function, which most of us are, even when we’re main ourselves, I actually encourage you to go and take heed to that. And once more, we’ll put that within the present notes. So Kelly, are you able to share with us just a little bit about your journey and your story and the way type of God’s taken you to the place you might be at this time?
Yeah,
Kelley: this 12 months and simply so grateful for a way God, , actually connects his folks, his daughters, , on a non secular degree, proper? Like you possibly can simply, generally it’s all the time a deal with whenever you meet somebody and it’s like, your spirits join. Though you don’t actually know lots about one another, and, , I’m simply grateful to have that reference to you, , SJ, and to have the chance for it to unfold. So, to reply your query, my journey when it comes to being a Christian lady in enterprise began about, , it technically began about 9 years in the past.
Formally. , I knew at 16 that I needed to have my very own enterprise. , I’ll always remember. I used to be standing in my mom’s lounge. , and I don’t even suppose I used to be actually doing something particular on the time, however I used to be standing in the midst of the lounge. It was like, I wish to, I wish to have my very own enterprise sooner or later. I didn’t know precisely what it will be. My mom was an entrepreneur in all probability across the time I used to be in highschool. , and so I noticed her journey. I noticed how tough it was. And mockingly, our companies are considerably comparable. So I do management improvement and he or she owned, she owned a coaching firm. , she centered just a little bit extra on like technical coaching, , software program coaching, however I believe it’s attention-grabbing that now we have, uh, form of comparable companies and, , However this isn’t, my agency Kerius shouldn’t be my first enterprise.
So whereas I used to be nonetheless in company America, I had a few what we name facet hustles. And I, do you all say that?
Sarah-Jane: yeah, yeah, completely. Yeah.
Kelley: Okay. So I had a few facet hustles they usually have been worthwhile, however I discovered it actually tough to juggle my full time job, be a mother, be a spouse, and have, , a facet hustle and I traveled lots on the time.
So my company profession, I spent virtually 20 years in company America the place I used to be accountable. I used to be in. An government function answerable for variety and inclusion, , expertise attraction in addition to, , social accountability or philanthropy. And so, , it was a fairly large job after I left about 9 years in the past. I used to be part of the han sources government group for a fortune 500 firm. And my function was eradicated fairly abruptly. So I had this massive disruption in my profession, my private life. Uh, the timing, I used to be like, Lord, what are you doing? As a result of this isn’t handy. We had simply moved into our dream house. , we had that we prayed for, that we saved for, that we labored onerous for. , we had two youngsters.
Yeah, we had two youngsters in personal college and it was similar to, Lord, what are you doing? And so this was in type of the autumn of 2015 and, I simply took that point to essentially replicate and to essentially search the Lord when it comes to, you already know, what would you like me to do subsequent? And for about six weeks I might stroll and pray. Simply actually in search of the Lord. And by the top of that six weeks, I had my first shopper and I didn’t even know that I used to be supposed to begin a enterprise. , and in order that’s actually the story of how Karis was shaped. Over 9 years in the past. It’s advanced fairly a bit during the last 9 years. I had a really heavy deal with variety, fairness and inclusion that was an enormous a part of my company function. I’m an government coach, and so we’ve achieved lots of management improvement coaching, lots of one on one government teaching through the years, and we’ve had the fortune of our coaching reaching. 4, 000 staff in 10 completely different international locations, and it’s, it’s simply been a wild trip. , we even form of remodeled right into a expertise based mostly firm a few years in the past, which, uh, was, was additionally lots of enjoyable.
However that’s the short story of my enterprise into being a lady, a lady operating a enterprise.
Sarah-Jane: A lady of many abilities.
Kelley: Thanks. Thank
Sarah-Jane: So how did you go from Management. Type of coaching and government coaching into the tech world, like what occurred so that you can type of stble, if that’s the proper phrase. , as a result of it’s an enormous transition from doing government coaching to then operating a tech firm. Prefer it’s fully polar reverse of, , like precise industries if you happen to like.
So how did that, how did that come about?
Kelley: I really like that query. , so it was, it was publish COVID. So in 2020, , after the pandemic hit, by the point it reached the US I’ll say, , inside two weeks of the pandemic hitting, , me, the shutdown taking place, I misplaced two main contracts. Uh, I’m speaking massive, like six determine contracts they usually have been gone.
That’s And I used to be like, Oh my gosh, the sky’s falling. Lord, what are you doing? You understand, it was simply, simply yet one more disruption. And, uh, hopefully you’re, you’re all beginning to see a theme, , that disruption is usually an invite from the Lord. And whereas they’re very, very inconvenient, generally painful, often tough, I’m studying. To embrace these disruptions, , as a result of I now see them as a chance to reset, , or the Lord’s invitation to reset. And so, , when COVID hit and I knew that I used to be going to must pivot, proper, , 2020, the massive buzzword was the phrase pivot and everyone was pivoting, everyone was making an attempt to determine what can we do with this new regular. And I used to be
Sarah-Jane: Silence.
Kelley: for many who is probably not acquainted, , George Floyd was a, a black man who was, was murdered by a police officer. , the police officer was convicted of homicide for that individual crime. And I do know that it made world consideration. It definitely occupied our consideration in the USA. And so due to that tragedy. There was this enormous cry for social justice, this enormous cry for, we’ve received to do higher as han beings. And my, my firm began to have a surge of curiosity in unconscious bias coaching. And so we couldn’t even meet the demand like we’re, our cellphone, our e mail was blowing up left and proper I, I may barely even sustain with the inquiries, simply dealing with the conversations that the preliminary inquiries.
And so now we have this content material that was out there, this coaching, this unconscious bias coaching, we had it out there, but it surely was actually designed for in particular person supply. I had by no means. facilitated it just about. And so at first we have been simply doing zoom like everyone else. I knew that I wanted to discover a extra sustainable method of supporting the demand of supporting and actually assembly our purchasers wants successfully with out dropping high quality.
So I knew I knew what we have been able to doing in particular person we have been determining this entire digital coaching factor. However I used to be actually dedicated to creating positive that the, the expertise, the standard didn’t endure as a result of we have been restricted to a digital format or supply. And in order that we wanted to have the ability to scale effectively, , we wanted to have the ability to actually operationalize the, the coaching expertise and have a degree of constant high quality and execution. We began to develop. E studying, , digital studying. And so we, we constructed over a few years time period, we constructed a 5 12 months studying curricul, , for our purchasers that grew to become out there via our digital platform. So we constructed our personal studying administration platform, , We actually needed to not solely personal the content material, however we needed to personal the supply on the format. And so we bootstrapped it. We invested our personal {dollars} to construct the expertise, , clearly to develop and write the entire content material, produce the entire movies. So it was an enormous endeavor. And I might say that our software program builders have been like, we constructed a platform from scratch in 18 months.
Sarah-Jane: Yeah, that’s loopy.
Kelley: yeah, our software program builders have been like, uh, this doesn’t occur usually. And so I
Sarah-Jane: Six years.
Kelley: God, yeah, God completely was, was there to assist us.
Sarah-Jane: That’s wonderful. That’s so good. And so if, , if I’m a enterprise proprietor and I’m trying into getting, , delivering coaching, like, what’s it that the product does that, how can I exploit that?
Kelley: Positive. So proper now, , now we have traditionally, we’ve used our Kerius platform, , to ship our personal e studying content material. And so we at the moment are taking a look at methods to scale once more and actually maximize, optimize the funding that we’ve made. And so we’re, we’re entertaining the chance for different organizations to buy. Type of a white label model of our studying administration platform. , however certainly one of my coronary heart’s wishes additionally to essentially have a look at how can we repurpose it for the dominion? And
Sarah-Jane: ,
Kelley: come on that. We’ll see what, what God decides to do. However, , Yeah, I might say proper now, a number of the alternatives are for organizations, particularly smaller firms, , who want a really versatile, , of a, an entry level into having their very own studying administration platform. Kerius would positively be an important instrument for that.
Sarah-Jane: Yeah, even when such as you’re doing what workers coaching and also you simply want like an inner platform to, , maintain all your workers coaching on and that type of stuff, it will be capable of type of do this.
Kelley: Completely. Sure. So it homes video content material, PDFs, , you possibly can construct programs within the platform, , and you’ll register your learners contained in the platform and form of assign them completely different programs. And so it has lots of the performance of like a teachable, , It truly type of the interface seems to be fairly much like a teachable platforms for these of you who is perhaps accustomed to that or, or who’ve checked out it. , and so it’s, it’s a, it’s a reasonably cool instrument. We benchmarked towards a number of the greatest platforms as we have been constructing our personal. , however once more, we actually simply needed to guarantee that we may additionally personal the expertise. Some, most of our purchasers are fortune 500, very giant organizations. And so one of many the explanation why we constructed our personal platform is that we needed our purchasers to have a single signal on alternative to hook up with our platform in order that their staff may seamlessly connect with our content material with out having to love go in and what’s my login for this?
What’s my login for that? And so. our platform has SSO or single signal on functionality, and that was actually necessary, , a very necessary characteristic that we needed to verify we had,
Sarah-Jane: So how did you personally, in like your personal mindset shift from, I’m simply going to ship content material to, Oh, truly now I’m going to construct my very own software program. Like that’s an enormous transition in your mindset. Like how did that go? Was it, have been you similar to, okay, right here’s an enormous studying curve coming my method.
Let’s simply hit it proper on or,
Kelley: you already know, so I’m an Enneagram eight. Uh, and I like to go massive or go house. So I wasn’t actually intimidated by. I don’t know if it ever occurred to me to form of be like, Oh, my gosh, you already know, ought to I do that or not? It simply it, it was thrilling. I needed the I needed the flexibility to scale. I really like reaching the most individuals I can, however do it successfully and with out dropping high quality. And so in my thoughts, expertise actually checked all of these bins and it made sense. And I and I additionally simply from You understand, working with a monetary advisor for my firm, , I had, I’ve a CFO that form of helped me suppose via the financials of it in addition to, Hey, you’re, you’re doing effectively at this time as knowledgeable providers agency, including, including expertise actually diversified our choices and created a pathway for an exit technique.
If I ever needed one, , that, Might not be as, as useful if I, if I remained only a skilled providers agency,
Sarah-Jane: that’s so good. Good for you. What a cool story to have the ability to share. I do know all listeners minds are in all probability going boof. That’s so cool, as a result of mine is.
Kelley: Thanks.
Sarah-Jane: So, are you able to include us subsequent then? , I’m unsure the place Kelly’s going to go together with this. 5 prime ideas of your craft with our viewers at this time.
Kelley: Sure. , so I will likely be trustworthy, uh, S. J. Like, that was just a little onerous. I used to be like, okay, what, what can I share? And so what, the place I’ve landed, , it’s one thing that has benefited me all through my profession. [And I didn’t actually know it at the time. It’s it’s in hindsight over the last 15, 20 years, Lord has really highlighted the five tips that I’m about to share. I call them the five dynamics of transformational leadership. And I really wanted to share some things with with your listeners. they could use regardless
Sarah-Jane: Silence. Silence. Silence.
Kelley: or in this case, I really consider them the five dynamics of transformational leadership. , we teach this in our, our leadership development, but I want to give you all a quick version of it. So it’s reflect, relate, resource and reframe, and I’ll explain those. So transformational leaders reflect. , we think futuristically,
Kelley: If you think of the, the word in the Psalms, Salah, pause and reflect, , it’s just very biblical to have times and seasons of reflection. , and so the first step a transformational leader is to reflect. Second would be relate, and these aren’t necessarily sequential. So let me just.
Sarah-Jane: Okay.
Kelley: know that you are my disciples, if you
Sarah-Jane: So, , I have a question for you, and I’m not sure if I can answer it. , I’m not sure if I can answer it. I mean, I know you are, but I just want to ask if I can I’m not sure if I can answer it. It’s just a question. , I don’t know if I can.
Kelley: The priority always has to be how, how will my actions, how, how will my words, uh,
Sarah-Jane: Silence.
Kelley: their impact over time. , this is not just sort of a, hey, you know,
Sarah-Jane: Yeah, you can. I can’t. I can’t. It’s a lot. , I can’t. Yeah. , I can’t.
Kelley: be researching scripture. We should understand, ,
Sarah-Jane: And, uh, uh, I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing. Oh, I need to do this. Oh, I’m sorry. So, Uh, Okay.
Kelley: the kingdom, to trans to create transformative results. And so, uh, making sure that you’re really allocating your resources appropriately and strategically using wisdom from the Lord, to make sure that you are, that we are using those resources appropriately and assigning them or aligning them in the right way. One of my favorite biblical examples would be Joseph Old Testament, , and how he saved millions of lives because he resourced appropriately saving the lives of millions of people for seven years. then the last is reframe. Uh, transformational leaders use situational
Sarah-Jane: Okay.
Kelley: It doesn’t mean
Sarah-Jane: ,
Kelley: that the decision will change. Sometimes we have to
Sarah-Jane: So, , I’m going to go ahead and get started and I’m going to go ahead and show you a little
Kelley: act of adultery.
Right? And, , Jesus did not take the stance that might have made sense culturally at the time, , Those, those men who caught her were ready to stone her and they had the legal right to do that. But I love how Jesus reframed that entire situation. He reframed it around grace. He reframed it around the heart of God, the love of God.
And he said, Hey, whoever is without sin, then you get to throw the first stone. And so he
Sarah-Jane: Yeah.
Kelley: right? He reframed the situation one of love of grace, , as well as, you know, really avoiding hypocrisy, right? , and so those are the five dynamics of transformational leadership. And those are really the five tips that I would love to just share with all of you who are listening to. Help you grow to continue to make a transformative impact in everything that you do.
Sarah-Jane: Ah, that’s so good. That’s so good. I love the story at the end, , with Jesus. Is that the one where he starts writing in the sand?
Kelley: Yes.
Sarah-Jane: and the big question is what do you think he’s writing in the sand? , we had a discussion about this a few years ago and I’m like, we came to the conclusion that it was probably their names when he says he was without sin.
, and that’s when you see them one by one starting to leave and we’re like, yeah, he was probably writing their names down in the sand.
Kelley: Oh,
Sarah-Jane: That’s so good.
Kelley: that.
Sarah-Jane: Thank you so much. I, you shared that so beautifully. I don’t even feel like I need to recap. Like, that was so eloquently done , and it’s such a different perspective on leadership. , that is super refreshing , and super relatable. as well, which I think is just so good. So thank you so much for sharing.
I know that’s been a lot of years, , and trial and error of you coming together. And like you say, you put that in your training and that’s just the tip of the iceberg with it. But, , I think if we can pick one today and start working on that, so whatever you feel for this season, whether it is the reflect, relate, research, resource, or reframe, , don’t overwhelm yourself, pick one, , and, and start with that, and, you know, start implementing.
praying over it, what is it that we need to do to, , move forwards with that? And how do I incorporate that into my business and into my leadership? , so can you share with us next, Kelly, how do you incorporate God into your business? I know you shared quite a bit on this, but, , just from a back, back end point of view of you and your personal, , life and, you know, what is it that you do to incorporate God into your business?
Kelley: Yeah, I think it’s important to know. So I was, uh, I accepted Christ when I was about six or seven years old. And so I’ve been a Christian for the majority of my life. But when I became a business owner, I realized I really didn’t know how to integrate my faith into my work giving God the credit, right?
Oh, something good happened. God did it. God made it happen. Right. I really didn’t know. What it would look like to truly and authentically integrate my faith into my company. And early on, I shared the quick story, the very quick version of how the Lord provided me my first client before I even knew I was supposed to start a company. so it was really clear that the Lord was speaking and moving. And so I wanted to make sure that I. Accomplish two things with this company. Number one, I wanted to, I want to glorify God and all that I do. And number two, I want to give other people an opportunity to do meaningful work. But that was my two big goals in 2015 when I started this company, and I knew that I didn’t have the ability to do that just kind of in my own natural ability, nor did I want to do it without the Lord.
And so, , Biblical principles are, are really embedded in the way that I interact with my clients, the way that I make decisions. , and so because almost all of my clients, quite frankly, are secular large organizations, I rarely get the opportunity to do faith based training or faith based content.
Occasionally I get to work, , , I had, you know, when I’m doing one on one executive coaching, coaching, oftentimes of those clients are Christians. And so those are fun. And then I would even say, just as a quick example, , Harris was not the original name of the company. , when I first started in 2015, I just had to quickly catch up to what God was doing.
And so I had a very generic company name. I thought it was generic. , it was KJE coaching and consulting. And in, uh, three years ago, when we launched the technology platform, needed to come up with a name for the platform. And I was praying and really seeking the Lord, I ended up listening [00:30:00] to a sermon and within the sermon, this pastor Darius Daniels talked about the phrase charis, and he’s like, it’s, it’s Greek and it, it stands for, it means grace, goodwill, and kindness. And I assumed, Oh, wow. you ever had these moments the place it’s such as you’re, you’re praying and also you’re in search of course and it’s like the reply comes and also you simply understand it in your spirit. And in that second, I knew the platform needed to be named Karis and, , it was going to be an effective way to rebrand. The corporate, not simply title the platform, but in addition to rebrand my agency to, to reside our values out loud, proper? Simply within the phrase, simply within the title itself, , grace, goodwill, and kindness. And in order that’s simply one other fast instance of how my religion is embedded in my firm.
Sarah-Jane: Oh that’s so good. That’s so good. In order that leads fantastically on to the following query. Uh, what’s your bible verse for this season and why?
Kelley: Yeah. So I’m going to learn it, it’s first Corinthians two 9. Uh, that is what the scriptures imply after they say, no, I has seen. , No ear has heard and no thoughts has imagined what God has ready for many who love him. And that verse was actually dropped in my spirit about three years in the past, at a, at a transitional season in my firm.
And we had simply moved into, , our first workplace area and, , that, that verse dropped in my spirit and it, it. Felt like a promise, , there’s been many occasions during the last three years particularly. So whenever you say season, this verse has been with me for at the least three years now.
Sarah-Jane: Oh, that’s nonetheless a season.
Kelley: yeah, yeah, I’ve been holding on to it, as a result of I imagine it’s a promise and it retains me going.
In order that’s my why. Hmm.
Sarah-Jane: Yeah, that’s superior. I’ve had, , the identical verse that has been shared with me from all completely different folks. , the identical one or, truly, it began to go, like, it began off as one, as I54, after which it, it prolonged, , to a few different verses straight after that. , throughout just a few years, in all probability Pre Covid after which it’s nonetheless related to at this time and it nonetheless retains arising and it completely blows my thoughts how that you may have probably the most random conversations with folks they usually’ll simply be or Regardless of the scenario is and that verse will nonetheless maintain arising So, you already know, there’s a season that’s within the 12 months seasons after which there’s like I ought to possibly change the query to share your Bible verse, no matter, and why, as a result of, I imply, seasons are all completely different lengths.
However, , I actually admire that. And it’s so cool to listen to how, , how your title took place, and the way it matched your values. , that’s simply so cool. It’s such, this is the reason, like, now we have the podcast, and this is the reason we do what we do, as a result of we wish to share these tales. And simply actually encourage and encourage girls all around the world that, you already know, simply let it, issues don’t must be pressured, like, we will pray, and we will maintain praying, issues will come naturally on the proper time and it’ll, it’ll be probably the most excellent.
Phrase, , and, or no matter it’s that you just want. It’s simply having that endurance within the interim, , that I believe’s probably the most testing. So, are you able to share with us the place can our listeners discover you? The place do you hang around on the socials and all that type of stuff?
Kelley: Yeah. So, and I’ve to let you know, I’ve so as to add just a bit extra coloration to that story of after I received the title Karis. I used to be
Sarah-Jane: Yeah.
Kelley: in my rest room doing my hair. I’m like actually flat ironing my hair, listening to a sermon. And I’m like, God, wait, what was that? He simply mentioned. So I like I rewound the video and I’m like, what’s that phrase?
And I began Googling. I didn’t even know learn how to spell it. , so it was simply, anyway, I simply had so as to add that to it. However one of the simplest ways for folks to get in contact with me is on Instagram at I’m Kelly Johnson. I spell Kelly with an E Y on the finish. After which my web site, I’m kelly johnson. com is the opposite greatest method you’ll find me and type of connect with all of my different contact data, LinkedIn, my Kerius web site.
so these are the 2 spots that it’d in all probability be the best.
Sarah-Jane: Oh, that’s superior. And we’ll pop them on the present notes, so, so don’t fear, however at the least you’ve received a sign. And I really like that. Most of my good concepts come after I’m within the bathe or like gold nuggets or no matter it’s. It’s within the bathe. However , it’s ’trigger you calm down and also you simply flip such as you’re. Effectively, I imply, it’s simply staring on the wall within the bathe, proper?
Like, you simply want that point. And different occasions, you’re busy simply doing no matter, and your thoughts’s type of switched off to the on a regular basis, Oh, I want to do that, I want to do this, I’m worrying about this, I’m worrying about that. You understand, you type of calm down a bit, after which it’s like, okay, right here’s the data that you might want to know.
Go and use it. That’s so superior. Effectively, thanks a lot for approaching the podcast present at this time. Is there the rest that you just needed to share with our viewers earlier than we finish?
Kelley: Oh, I simply admire you. Thanks for all of the work you’re doing to assist Christian girls in enterprise. And it’s only a delight to spend a while with you.
Sarah-Jane: Yeah, no worries, thanks too. Effectively, you’re listening to the Christian Girls in Enterprise podcast present. It’s been such a pleasure, Kelly, to have you ever on board at this time. And, , yeah, we’ll catch you subsequent time.
Cool.
Kelley: Hey,
Sarah-Jane: Yay! I’ll simply hit cease recording after which
