Building Influence and Impact: My Journey as a Black Woman Entrepreneur
- Crystal Coleman
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
Entrepreneurship for me has never just been about starting a business. It has been about building influence and creating impact. Over the past few years, my journey has taught me that influence grows your reputation, but impact builds your legacy. Both matter, and both can be achieved no matter how small your business starts.
When I started LYF According 2 Cree, I knew that part of my work would be sharing my truth. Social media became my outlet to tell my story, the highs, the lows, and everything in between. Speaking at local events gave people a chance to see my “why,” and that transparency opened doors I never imagined.
In 2018, I hit a turning point. At 37, single, heartbroken, and stuck in a whirlwind of self-doubt, I realized I wasn’t living fully. Yet even in that season, a quiet voice told me something greater was ahead. That voice led me to use my own experiences to help others, starting with speaking openly about heartbreak, healing, and growth.
As my confidence grew, I learned to partner with others. Collaborating with schools, nonprofits, and fellow entrepreneurs allowed me to host events and workshops that pour directly back into the community. These partnerships made it clear that we rise higher when we rise together.
From launching LYFtheBrand Affirming Athleisure Wear to creating the LYF Works Journals and LYFKids Series, I’ve made it a priority to serve with excellence. Every product and event is a reflection of care, quality, and the values I stand for. Word of mouth has been my strongest form of marketing, and that only comes from consistently exceeding expectations.
Mentorship has always been at the heart of my work. In 2010, I became a high school basketball coach, a role that changed my life. Coaching young women on the court taught me how to mentor them in life. They didn’t just look for basketball guidance; they found a mentor who had walked through storms and kept going.
That experience planted the seed for everything I do now. In 2023, I became an IAPCC Certified LYF Coach. Through LYF Coaching, I help others create customized plans, build actionable tools, and develop the confidence to step into their full potential. My role isn’t therapy, it’s transformation.
Every chapter of my entrepreneurial journey has been about solving problems. Whether it’s helping someone heal from self-doubt, giving women a platform to connect through the annual Galentine’s R&B Brunch, or creating journals that help others reflect, the goal has always been the same: make life better for someone else.
From 2018 to now, my journey has been one of rebuilding, reimagining, and rising. Returning to South Carolina allowed me to do the deep work of forgiveness and self-discovery. Out of that came LYF According 2 Cree, a platform that now includes:
LYFtheBrand Affirming Athleisure Wear (2020)
LYF with Cree LifeCast on YouTube (2021)
LYF Works Series Interactive Journals (2023)
LYFKids Series on Amazon (2024)
Annual Galentine’s R&B Brunch
Each of these ventures isn’t just a business move, it’s a piece of my purpose in motion.
At the end of the day, everything I’ve built comes back to one truth: I want to empower others to embrace their true selves and create a life they love. My influence shows up when someone hears my story and feels less alone. My impact is in the lives that are changed because of the tools, coaching, and spaces I create.
For me, being an entrepreneur as a Black woman is about more than profit. It is about legacy. Influence may open doors, but impact keeps them open for others to walk through.
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