Kristy Kellam

I attribute my success to staying positive, because I believe positive things will happen when you maintain that mindset. I've got 110% motivation and I've always been a really hard worker. I always give more than 100% into my work, and I'm very detail-oriented. These are the kinds of attributes I've learned along the way and picked up from other people, and I know I'll definitely carry them into my own company. Even though I'm just getting started and learning a lot of new things, I believe that hard work pays off. I also believe in work-life balance, that you work hard and you play hard too, and that's one of the reasons I wanted to leave employment so I can make my own schedule.

I would say don't stay in the corporate world too long. Get your feet wet, get a little bit of experience, and then get out on your own and do your own thing. I would tell them, don't wait and wait and wait to figure out if you can do it or not. Just take the leap. Sometimes when you get caught in the corporate world, you don't realize how many years you've been in it, and you kind of get comfortable because you get comfortable with the hours, the pay, and the benefits. At some point, it's like, oh, well, now I feel like I'm too old to go out on my own. So I would say stay in the corporate world long enough just to get experience, and then get out and go on your own, because I feel like that person or that woman would feel the most accomplished with their career and in their life. They would feel more successful if they worked for themselves versus working for someone else. Be brave, don't get comfortable, and forge your own path, even if it's scary. Take that leap, just do it. I wish I had gotten out years ago, but I just didn't have that confidence and I didn't have anyone there to guide me.

I believe in putting in everything to make it work and that hard work pays off. But I also believe that you work hard, you play hard too. Work-life balance is very important to me, and that's one of the main reasons I wanted to leave employment, so I can make my own schedule and have that balance. In the corporate world, I was working until 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning every night, completely drained and burnt out. I wasn't sleeping, I wasn't eating, I wasn't exercising. I realized I can't keep doing this, I have to step back and be able to breathe. I'm also open to charity and volunteering, and I value being able to help people out, even doing pro bono work for clients who are in really bad situations. Staying positive is important to me because I believe positive things will happen.