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Women of Distinction

rista Clive-Smith was only four when Krista was brave enough to realize what
she knew what she wanted to do with she was doing before committing more to
Kher life. Her Mom had taken her to an the franchise model she realized was wrong
ice show in her hometown of Kamloops, for her. “I just put down the paper, slid it
British Colombia, when Karen Magnuson, across the table and said I'm out.”
Canadian Olympic silver medalist skated out While Krista had been busy building
onto the ice and struck her pose. “I had nev- her organizing company, she had kept in
er seen skating before, but in that instant, I mind the other two comments made by her
said to my Mom, I want to do that!" For the teachers and decided that she would also
next 19 years, that is precisely what she did. develop her writing and speaking skills.
Krista had several nationals under her "When I worked for the hockey team, I used
belt, and her skating career was going to write the scripts for the on-air announc-
well when a serious injury brought it to a er. One night the announcer got sick, and
crashing halt, "As I was sort of peaking in my my boss handed me a microphone, and
career, I had a career ending injury, I tore my said, 'There are 6,000 people out there, so
hip flexor. Instantly in that one moment, I you're either going to sink, or swim. And
felt like I had lost everything, because I real- off I went with the microphone. When I
ly had identified with skating as part of who got out there, it was like I came to life. And
I was and part of my personal identity.” so, the poor guy who was the announcer
Living through this process spurred never actually got his job back, because
an interest in Krista to go on to be a sports that became part of what I would do for
psychologist. Unfortunately, at that time, the hockey team. Thirty-six nights a year, I
there were no college programs for this ca- would be engaging from the stage with the
reer choice. She wrote professionals in the Krista 6,000 people.”
field and received vague responses. So not While trying to discover who she was,
knowing what to do, she decided to take a Krista had utilized the other skill set and
job as a travel agent, because she felt that wrote a book. The book was entitled Get
no matter what she chose to do in life she Clive-Smith Noticed, Be Remembered “I had launched
would want to travel. my book in Canada, but what I realized very
Being a Canadian, two things were con- quickly is that personal branding in those
sidered the fabric of the country, so Krista NAVIGATING THE days wasn't a topic anyone wanted to talk
decided to take on both. "The two things about because social media hadn't been
that many Canadians view as part of the cul- ROAD TO HAPPINESS invented yet. At that point, the idea of be-
ture are beer and hockey. So, the next job I ing a personal brand was just too foreign to
acquired was working for Molson Breweries By Judith A. Habert people. I sold the first 2000 copies and then
in merchandising and marketing, and then shelved it and thought, you know what?
went on to become the marketing director When the world catches up then someday,
for a major junior hockey team in Canada. At I'll rerelease it."
the time, I was one of only three women in This exercise led Krista to start an After her experiences with the book, it
the entire Canadian hockey league. I think organizing company. She started it as a solo was time for Krista to once again take a look
that for me was one of those first instances entrepreneur, but soon grew it to include at her life and figure out what things in her
where I really began to connect with the franchises in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toron- life were working and what things weren’t.
inequality of women in the workplace and to with 36 employees. "It was a wonderful “I had a vision that my life would be split
what that looked like.” experience growing the brand, the systems, living somewhere warm half the year, be-
Krista moved and found it was time to and the infrastructure that was required cause although I loved living in Vancouver,
figure out what she really wanted to do with with franchising. But at the end of the day, I the Canadian winters were not my thing.
her life. She took a very unique approach, was sitting at the table with the term sheet Krista had a speaking engagement
"I started to hone in on my entrepreneurial in front of me before the investors that in Palm Springs and decided to rent a
side, because I knew it had been brewing were going to handle our North American convertible. She planned to go as far
for years, but at the time had no clue which expansion. I suddenly had one of those Jer- south in the US as she could to San Diego
direction to take. So, I sat down and went ry Maguire moments in that I realized that and then drive north along the coast of
through my report cards from when I was a brick by brick, I had built a prison that I was California. “This was in 2008 that I got into
little kid, starting from kindergarten all the living in. I just had built this life that wasn't that convertible to explore my options. I
way through to grade 12. I took a pencil, for me because if someone had said, what thought that I would just see what speaks
and I underlined the words that were the business do you want to be in I would have to me. Then that next following winter, I
common patterns and threads. What my told them straight out that I want to be in would return to that spot. Well, I drove into
teachers had said were my strong suits. the business of building and growing the San Diego, and every cell in my body said
On every report card from kindergarten to best organizing company on the planet. But welcome home. I thought, I don’t know a
grade 12, the first word was organized. So, what I didn't realize is that when I started single soul here, but this is where I belong.”
I wrote that down. And the second most franchising my business, I was now in the While in San Diego, she was introduced
frequent comment made by my teachers business of selling franchises. That was a to a gentleman who offered to give her
was that I talked a lot, and the third thing critical mistake that I made in choosing the the grand tour. Before beginning, he asked
was that I was a good writer.” wrong growth model.” a favor of Krista. He was in the process of

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