Summary: 

In today’s episode of Elevate Your Career, Nicole is joined by Kristin Leffel, who shares her journey from being a small-town girl in Kansas City to becoming a model and actor in California, and eventually founding her own company. The discussion explores Kristin’s early career, her experiences in reality TV, and her transition to entrepreneurship.

Kristin discusses her background, including her stint on “Temptation Island,” her move to California, and her initial attempts at modeling and acting. She shares insights into the challenging nature of the acting industry and her eventual realization that this path might not be her future. Kristin then talks about starting a family and her decision to shift focus towards entrepreneurship, influenced by her mother’s entrepreneurial spirit and her husband’s business acumen.

The conversation then shifts to Kristins’s latest venture, a pickleball accessory brand named ‘Volée.’ She recounts how the idea emerged from her passion for pickleball, a sport she discovered and fell in love with through a community of mothers. Kristin and her partners, realizing the potential in this fast-growing sport, decided to create multifunctional court and lifestyle bags. She discusses the challenges of finding a good manufacturer, the importance of networking in the industry, and how their brand has gained recognition even before its official launch. Kristin emphasizes the value of partnership in business, sharing responsibilities and visions with her partners, and the use of business organization techniques like EOS Traction for efficient management.

Join Nicole and Kristin for this fascinating and inspiring conversation!

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show:

• The unpredictable nature of the acting industry and the realizations that led Kristin to pivot her career towards business.
• How Kristin’s move from Kansas City to California opened new avenues, including her stint on “Temptation Island” and her eventual entry into the world of business.
• The importance of building professional relationships and how networking has played a crucial role in Kristin’s entrepreneurial success.
• The creation of ‘Volée’, a pickleball accessory brand, and how identifying a niche market can lead to a successful business venture.
• The hurdles in finding a reliable manufacturer and the trial and error involved in producing high-quality products.
• The influence of family entrepreneurship and mentorship on Kristin’s business decisions and mindset.
• How Kristin and her partners divide responsibilities and utilize different skills for the benefit of their business.
• Strategies for maintaining a healthy work-life balance, emphasizing the importance of personal time and family.
• And so much more…

Quotes:

“I was acting for about 10 years…and realized, hey, you know, this is probably not going to be my path.” – Kristin Leffel

“I got recruited to be on a reality show…and then moved out to California shortly thereafter.” – Kristin Leffel

“I love meeting people…I think networking and being around people in your industry is so key.” – Kristin Leffel

“Finding a good manufacturer…it’s very challenging, and we didn’t realize this to find a good manufacturer.” – Kristin Leffel

“I have so many good role models to around me…my husband who I see on a day-to-day basis that is in private equity.” – Kristin Leffel

“I think clarity is so key when you’re parenting and you’re also running a business.” – Kristin Leffel

“Every successful entrepreneur that I’ve ever come across, they have failed, because you learn from your failures.” – Kristin Leffel

Resources:

Volée website

Podcast: