Meet Angela Crutchfield | Transformational HR Consultant, Lifestyle Coach and Motivational Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Angela Crutchfield and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angela, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?

“My heart overfloweth with a goodly matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” – Psalm 45:1

This scripture really jumped off the page and landed squarely in my heart one day! I mean, really!!! As I focused on writing my personal mission statement a number of years ago, it was this scripture from the Bible, that reminded me of how I had approached my interactions with others for years and it also helped me shape my thoughts for ALL things that I do in my business. My focus is on a true effort to add value and have impact on the lives of other people. I rely on my higher power when I speak, write, sing, etc. My capability to do what I do, comes from someone much greater than me. So a portion of my personal mission statement is directly from this scripture – Let my tongue be the pen of a ready writer.

I even wrote a song about it called, “Upon My Heart.” My mission and the song really speak to the approach I take in my coaching, consulting and all that I do. Here are a few of the lyrics:

Let my tongue be the pen of a ready writer
Speaking life to a lost and dying world
Let my heart be filled with truth and love
As I write the same love upon your heart

The undercurrent of my work is from a spiritual perspective. I can’t hide that or shy away from it, however, I know how to effectively position it so that I am able to reach a broader population of people. It’s worked well for me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

It was difficult to select one thing from your list of items to focus in on because my work encompasses my business, my professional career and aspects of being a creative. I have worked in the space of transformational human resources for many years and this is also the type of work that makes up a significant aspect of my coaching/consulting business. I’ve also been active in music ministry for many years, so I’ve found creative ways to infuse music in many of the things that I do.

My journey has not been easy. There are always challenges that someone with more melanin like me faces daily. The challenges I face as a black woman often are not the same as my colleagues who don’t look like me. Let me give you an example of what I mean. Back in 1999, I completed a training program to become a Certified Professional Public Speaker. This certification provided opportunity to begin traveling the country as an independent contractor delivering training programs/public seminars. I was the only Black female participant. I recall vividly being told directly by the certificate program instructor, in front of the whole room of participants, “Angela, you have to understand something; you will not be successful in this business because you have three strikes against you. You are young, your Black and you are a female. You will never be viewed as credible.”

To hear that was almost devastating, however, the desire to prove that negative narrative wrong, drove me to dig in and do the work! I knew I had to work 10 times harder than others who more commonly than not, were older, caucasian men. Even when the odds were against me in some ways over the course of my career, I found a way to rise above the noise. I was intent on being viewed as credible. I would not let others define me based on the melinon in my skin or the gender I was given.

After completing that program, while living in Los Angeles and working full time, I started my business and began contracting as a public speaker/trainer. I simultaneously worked the HR career path as a training and development professional, with each new position giving me higher levels of leadership. With me ultimately moving into higher levels of leadership including senior leadership, VP level. I also continued my educational journey, even with a lot of starts and stops along the way, I ultimately reached my goal of becoming, Dr. Angela Crutchfield. And to even do much of this while being a single parent, speaks to the possibility that is found in that which others may call impossible. My son turns 24 this year, so I know it’s been a long journey! But for sure a successful one.

I have had my own consulting/coaching business for a very long time, with a few name changes along the way. Currently, Crutchfield Group, LLC, has three primary swim lanes:
1. Executive Leadership Consulting/Coaching focused on transformational HR and Culture Change (Diversity & Inclusion)
2. Lifestyle Coaching for Women with a focus on wholeness
3. Keynote/Motivational Speaking

I have a specific model for my approach to business consulting/coaching as well as my lifestyle coaching for women. I am most proud of my lifestyle coaching and leadership competency models, PESSCE Lifestyle Wholeness and PESSCE Leadership Competency Model. The PESSCE approach came to me during a very challenging time in my life, and it’s a process that I leveraged for myself, and continue to apply daily. The lifestyle coaching model reflects self-discipline across six areas of life most common to human beings: physical, emotional, spiritual, social, career, and economic (finances). The first letter of the lifestreams reflect the name PESSCE (pronounced peace). With the PESSCE lifestyle model, it’s not about perfection across our lifestreams; it is about wholeness. When we have wholeness, we can find our true PESSCE (peace)! For the leadership competency model, PESSCE, reflections precision, engagement, speed, self-assurance, and excellent. These competencies will help women in the workplace thrive in leadership.

There are many details I could write about my career journey and my self-employment as a consultant/coach. However, I’ve gotten to a point where I allow my resume and my work to speak for itself. So, instead, I will say this, each day, I try to live life based on my personal passion to positively impact the lives of others. I have served in senior human resources leadership positions for much of my career, I’ve trained thousands of people, and coached hundreds. I’ve had opportunity to teach as an adjunct professor and guest lecturer. I have held numerous past leadership positions across industries including healthcare, aerospace & defense, and academia. And my business clients span the country across many industries. What’s most important to note about all of this, my foundation has remained the same, staying true to my personal mission statement, “To live a life of influence and impact in a way that motivates, encourages, and promotes positive change in the lives of others. My mission and the calling on my life is that my tongue would be the pen of a ready writer to motivate others.”

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

So I find this question very interesting. I’ve lived in a number of cities including Memphis, TN; Chattanooga, TN; Nashville, TN; Boston, MA; and Los Angeles, CA. I’ve also traveled the country and be in almost every state. For me, I believe a city is what you make of it, so to show a person the BEST TIME ever, it has to hinge on that which is of interest and excitement to them. The platnium rule fits nicely, treat others the way THEY want to be treated.

So, for me, everywhere I’ve lived, I’ve become the ultimate host/tour guide and visited many different places because of my approach to hosting guests. So if I were to name a few things that many have loved and requested mostly, for the cities where I’ve called home would be:
1. Memphis, TN – Graceland, the Lorraine Motel, Beale Street (I loved Elvis – Memphis is where I was born and raised – you HAVE to LOVE Elvis)

2. Chattanooga, TN – Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls, the Tennessee Aquarium and The Chattanooga Choo Choo (Fun fact: My 1979 Camaro overheated trying to drive up Lookout Mountain my freshman year at the University of TN, Chattanooga in 1989 – LOL)

3. Boston, MA – Faneuil Hall, Boston Commons, Freedom Trail (Well, I guess I can’t forget the Duck Tour is a must – the only person who hated that was my Mother!! – She refused to get on a bus that would go plunging into the water! LOL)

4. Los Angeles, CA – Griffith Observatory(my favorite!!) (For LA, there are too many more to name – but the strangest request was to visit Nicole Brown Simpson’s Condo – Although strange, I made it happen!)

5. Nashville, TN – the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman, the Parthenon and the National Museum of African American Music (The museum is awesome and sits right at 5th and Broadway in downtown Nashville in the middle of ALL THINGS COUNTRY!)

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are MANY, however, I will only include my core.

I am grateful for the ongoing support of my family. First, all that I do is for my son, Jonathan, whom I love dearly.

My mother, Ruby Crutchfield, for her love and support. My Mother is always a cheerleader for all her children and grandchildren with all that we do. Her encouragement is irreplaceable.

My sisters, Jacqueline, Victoria and Pamela for always being there for me. Who needs best friends when you have the best sisters?

I also acknowledge my father, Clyde and my sister Janet. Both have passed on, however, I know they are both smiling down on me from Heaven. My Father, who was born and raised in Mississippi, is likely saying at this moment, “Alright, way to go youngin!”  

Website: https://www.crutchfieldgroupllc.com/

Instagram: @drangelaspeakspessce

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drangelacrutchfield/

Twitter: @drangelaPESSCE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAngelaSpeaks

Youtube: @dr_angela_crutchfield