Meet the Team
Hi, I’m Kristen.
I spent more than 10 years as a miserable success before deciding to burn it all down and go after what I really wanted — instead of resigning myself to what the world told me I was allowed to have.
When I was “at the top of my game” I had the house, the husband, the kids (twins!), the careers…
And yet I still felt like I was slowly being crushed alive by the pressure to do everything and do it all perfectly.
It was the perfect trap, and now that I’ve gotten out of it I’m going back to free the others.
Now, I’m an integrative coach and hypnotist who helps people move from a “fuck me” life that they’re barely surviving to a “fuck yeah” life where they can actually thrive.
I’ve got nearly 20 years of experience helping people radically change their lives and businesses.
My coaching career formally started around 2006 with business coaching, when my freelance communications firm became so successful so quickly that people were beating my door down to find out how I did it just 2 years out of college. My blog was named one of the top 10 blogs for freelance writers for multiple years, I was featured in several books and national publications, and I spoke to and trained at such organizations as the National Press Club, American Independent Writers, the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Writers Union, among others.
Since then, my coaching has spanned the gamut from mental health and wellness to fitness to general life coaching to business coaching — which is why I’m so skilled at coaching the whole person and not just one isolated aspect of your life.
In short, this isn’t my first rodeo.
There’s been a lot of fucking rodeos.
In addition to having an MBA and a master’s in publishing from two of the best public universities in the country AND being a multi-certified coach and hypnotist, I have more than a decade of experience in mental health, trauma, substance use, and peer support, plus intensive training in tools like wellness facilitation, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed approaches.
When I’m not coaching my private clients to create their next “fuck yeah,” I’m the operations and advancement director for a nonprofit that runs a domestic violence shelter and a homelessness services program in Colorado’s High Rockies.
Wanna get to know each other better? Hop on my email list, or better yet, reach out to me directly and let’s talk about working together.
Hey, Meet Erlinda
Erlinda Japson is my executive assistant and an absolute goddess.
Erlinda joined my team in July 2022 and immediately became my right hand and the other half of my brain. You’ll see her in my inbox and in the Fuck Yeah Entrepreneurs Society (F-YES) community, as well as alllllll over behind the scenes, keeping the lights on and the trains running on time.
From her home near Manila, Philippines, Erlinda works off-hours so she can be fully present with her 3-year-old son during his days — a total win-win-win for all of us! (And can we just mention that her kiddo is ADORABLE? Omg, he’s so cute.)
When she’s not working or momming, Erlinda enjoys reading autobiographies and watching a wide variety of TV series, mostly comedy-drama, crime fiction, and adventure.
KK’s Street Cred
Wanna know more?
OKAY FINE, I’ll tell you EVEN MORE about how fucking amazing I am and why you should not wait one more goddamn second to hire me already.
Official Credentials That Are Sexy AF
- Certified Hypnotist, Center for Integrative Hypnosis (2023)
- Certification in Integrative Change Work (including hypnosis), from the Ethical Coaching Collective and International Association of Counselors and Therapists (2023)
- Professional Certified Coach (PCC), The Life Coach School (since 2021)
- Certified Life Coach (CLC), The Life Purpose Institute (since 2020)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA), with a focus on entrepreneurship, from Isenberg School of Management at University of Massachusetts–Amherst (2019)
- Intensive Training in Motivational Interviewing (MI), University of Massachusetts Medical School, Center for Integrated Primary Care (CIPC; since 2019)
- Master of Professional Studies, Publishing, The George Washington University (2007)
- Certified Co-Facilitator, Wellness Recovery Action Plan with Mental Health Recovery, The Copeland Center (since 2011)
Fun Facts
- I live in America’s highest incorporated city, Leadville, CO at 10,200 feet in the high Rockies
- I’ve had dogs that range in size from a 16-lb pug named Steve Buscemi to a 240-lb Neapolitan mastiff named Gruff
- One time I “discovered” an author in the comments of a now-defunct blog and edited the manuscript that snagged her a two-book deal with Bantam/Dell
- Gordon Ramsay kissed me once; he smelled really good
- I’ve performed barefoot on stage at the famous Tabor Opera House
- I’ve taught Zumba at sea level and at 10,200 feet
- I saw NKOTB in the front row TWICE (both times as an adult) and I touched Joey McIntyre both times; he’s just as adorable in person
- I haven’t yelled at my kids for over 2,000 days and counting
- I grew up on a farm
Hot-Shit Badassery
- Presenter/trainer to conferences/organizations including Washington Independent Writers, American Independent Writers, National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, eLearning Guild, Society for Technical Communication, BlogHer, Alternatives, and others
- Finalist, Writer’s Digest Best Writer’s Website Contest
- Multi-year winner, Top 10 Blogs for Writers
- Quoted in Washington Post
- Facilitated/produced/moderated hundreds of webinars and virtual (hosting 10 to 6,000 people) for commercial and federal clients both as a consultant and through employers
- Featured in How to Start a Home-Based Writing Business
- Featured in The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency as a Commercial Freelancer in 6 Months or Less
- Featured in Creatively Self-Employed: How Writers and Artists Deal with Career Ups and Downs
- Featured in Women on Writing, FreelanceSwitch.com, The Urban Muse, and many, many others
- Published in print and online media and featured on numerous podcasts (see my abridged portfolio)
Shit I’m Really Into
- Taking extraordinarily long bubble baths
- Skiing with my dog (not the pug — the other one)
- Smashing the patriarchy
- Doing yoga
- Singing Disney songs (especially late ’80s/early ’90s Disney)
- Telling pirate jokes
- Making lasagna (seriously, it’s amazing)
- Singing karaoke
Shit I’m Still Kinda Working On
- Cooking anything other than lasagna and Instant Pot mac ‘n’ cheese
- Learning Spanish
- Becoming a morning person
- Putting the book down before “just one more chapter”
- Saying no to adorable rescue pets
- Sudoku
Secret Shit I Probably Shouldn’t Tell You (but I’m going to anyway because fuck the rules; also, more to follow)
- Love, Actually may be the literal worst fucking movie ever made; know what everyone’s getting for Christmas? SOME FUCKING BOUNDARIES AND A SHITLOAD OF THERAPY, JESUS FUCKING CHRIST.
- The only thing olives are good for are olive oil and making my martinis look fancy.
- I’m fucking STELLAR at Balderdash and I will absolutely kick your ass and gloat with zero remorse while I do it.
- I absolutely, irredeemably suck at Scrabble, despite being a voracious reader with a bachelor’s in English.
Career History
- Coach/consultant, 2004-Present
- Public health consultant, 2009-2021 — Director of Digital Strategy (2020-2021), WRAP Project Manager (2016-2020), Manager of Virtual Solutions (2015-2020), Senior Writer/Technology Coordinator (2012-2015), Writer (2009-2012)
- Adjunct Professor, The George Washington University (2009-2011)
- Blogger, b5Media (2007-2008)
- Medical Editor (Journal of Clinical Oncology, Journal of Oncology Practice), American Society of Clinical Oncology (2004-2006)
- Early career included roles in newspapers and magazines
Kristen was my coach for over a year. She changed my fucking life and helped me double my business income, which my brain definitely thought was impossible. Kristen helped me become more of myself and my business become more aligned with who I’m meant to be. She’s a bomb coach and you should definitely coach with her because she’s a fiery ambitious bitch who’s changing the world.
Kristen is an amazing coach. She is listening carefully, knows the right questions to ask and the right lessons to share at the right time. She helped me to solve major problems in my personal life and finally start my own business. Step by step I rediscovered myself. We went deep. Sometimes it hurt. I trusted Kristen. I felt understood and supported. So thankful and happy that we met.
Kristen’s coaching is that perfect balance between tough love and empathetic support. In just the past 6 months, her sessions have allowed me to overcome perfectionistic blocks that I didn’t even know were present. I’m healing burnout, learning to show up as myself, and letting tasks be easy. I’m experiencing more freedom than ever in my business. And now, I’m able to better access the joy and fulfillment in my life that I felt like was missing. I can’t recommend her enough!
Kristen's container is energetic and laser-sharp focused on the results I wanted to get, and I got them overnight!
Kristen is an absolute genius at business strategy and mindset, with the added bonus of being an unapologetically hilarious-as-fuck feminist. She's built multi-6 figure businesses and grown national presence with her marketing and teaching brilliance. Her ability to make you feel understood while cracking wise with new perspectives is unparalleled. Hire her immediately and thank me later.
I hired Kristen King because I felt professionally stuck and my brain was on repeat: "It's never going to get better than this"; "I don't deserve to make more money or get a better job"; etc. Kristen helped me see that my mindset and preconceived ideas were the only things in the way of achieving my goals. It sounds simple, but it really is a profound experience when you realize you can change your life if you change your thoughts. The insights and epiphanies that I had while working with Kristen have been invaluable to my professional and personal growth. I highly recommend her services.
Kristen takes the time to really understand and to see me and to see what the exact problem is — whether it's in my business or in my personal life. Not only that, but she can help me see it. And when I can see what's happening, I have so much awareness and the choice to just absolutely fucking stop right there or choose to go on. Kristen has taught me how to fuck around and find out — which has helped me explore many things in my life and business sooner than I would have, had I hesitated for fear of getting in trouble or staying small. I highly recommend working with Kristen King. She will not only tell you how it is, but she will lovingly give you tools and the ability to express yourself, while always making you feel seen and heard in her programs.
Kristen is a phenomenally talented coach. I experienced her coaching directly as peers in a MM together — and HOLY WOW the insights she revealed to me were nothing short of life altering. She colors outside the lines; she weaves her mindset coaching, her brilliant knowledge of pop culture (she mentioned a scene in Harry Potter that illuminated a whole new POV for me), and her CALM commanding demeanor create an infinitely safe-but-strong space for you to get to the heart of what’s going on. I recommend working with her highly and endlessly.
As a Jew from NY I can assure you I have been through my share of therapists. Within this last year I sought out Kristen King. Her approach to supporting each person is like nothing I've ever experienced. The way she speaks, the way she gathers information, the way she shares, the way she guides is truly remarkable. Hang-ups that I've held onto for decades, she has helped me wipe away in just a couple of brief sessions. I've never worked with anyone like her. If you are looking for a truly authentic human who has a way with words and approaches to helping you with every part of your life — she's seriously the one. This last year hasn't been the easiest for me, and she's really given me incredible perspectives, shifts, acceptance and ways to take on life moments that I'd never considered before. Thanks to our work together, I finally let go of the shit that had been holding me back and reopened my private practice post-kids.