From Corporate Recruiter, Blogger, and Nutrition coach to Entrepreneur and Podcast Host: Kayleigh Clark

True to the name of her podcast “Balancing Your Hustle”, Kayleigh is a master at balancing hers. On top of her full-time corporate job, she was also a blogger, freelance writer, and nutrition coach. But after a life-changing health struggle, she is now the co-founder of a skincare brand that also aims to empower and educate individuals on health and wellness. In this interview, she shares her story and tips on how to handle juggling different careers.

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Q: Tell us about your current work roles.

I am the Co-founder of a skincare brand called CLEARstem. I also have a podcast called “Balancing Your Hustle”

Q: Did you have any life-changing experiences that led you to what you’re doing today?

Yes. About four years ago, I was juggling a lot of different things. I was working a full-time recruiting job where I was traveling 6 months out of the year, had a lifestyle and wellness blog, and doing some freelance writing for other companies. Shortly before that, I had gone back to school to get my degree in nutrition. I was also individually coaching people on health, running some group coaching programs, and doing some corporate consulting on nutrition.

I started to have a lot of different health issues, in a two-month period, my skin completely broke out in bright red cystic acne everywhere. I didn’t know what the heck was going on. I went to every single doctor, dermatologist, and esthetician. The doctors wanted me to go on birth control, the dermatologist wanted me to go on Accutane but no one can tell me what is causing this and it really hit my confidence.

When I was leaving the house, I was packing theater makeup which was like clay for the face. I didn’t leave my house for two months and I didn’t want to see my friends. I was so embarrassed because I was working as a holistic nutritionist. I was thinking, “Who would believe that I can control my own health when I look like this?” I would look in the mirror and wouldn’t even see myself. I see a face covered in cysts and boils and I didn’t know what to do. I felt like I tried everything, from changing my diet to taking supplements, all while spending thousands of dollars in skincare.

Then I went to a San Diego acne clinic where I met the owner, Danielle. We sat down and spent an hour and a half going through all the products I use on my skin before she treated me. I realized that I knew so much about nutrition when it comes to maintaining weight, feeling good, digestion, etc., but I was not well versed on supplements and nutrition as it relates to acne. We cleared my skin in two months. We then decided to go into business together and create a line for men and women who are dealing with acne but are also concerned about aging.

Q: What is your educational background?

I have a Bachelor's in Marketing & Sports Management (before recruiting, I worked in professional sports) and a degree in Holistic Nutrition.

Q: How has your family and upbringing influenced your career choices?

I feel like they’ve indirectly influenced my career. My parents divorced when I was young, so I was always very independent and took care of myself growing up. They also gave me a lot of freedom for creativity. I was starting businesses when I was young, whether it was a lemonade stand, a cleaning business, or babysitting - my parents never said no when I came up with new ideas and they encouraged it so I feel like they didn’t dim my entrepreneurship light at all. They just let me be me and never pushed me in a career direction ever. I wanted a corporate job so bad and never saw myself as an entrepreneur, but looking back, everything I did as a kid was pointing me towards it.

Q: Who has been your strongest influence in life?

I don’t feel like I have just one but in San Diego, I have a really amazing, strong group of women and friends. Each one of them is an entrepreneur in their own way and they all have their own thing. We all just support each other, have an amazing friendship and resource for personal and professional support. They influenced me in a lot of different ways and they inspire me on the daily.

Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing?

Without a doubt, building our business, CLEARstem. It’s more than a just brand or creating a product and putting it out there. Our goal is to make a positive impact and empower people to take control of their health.

Q: What would you say motivates you most to do what you do?

On the daily, the positive impact in other people’s lives, whether it’s a conversation I’m having, putting education out there that’s making a difference for someone, helping someone find that AHA moment, either in health or personal life. I strive to make a positive impact on people’s lives.

On Making a Career Shift

Q: Can you share about your past careers and what made you decide to transition/leave that field?

When we started the company I still worked at my recruitment job, so I juggled working full-time, traveling, maintaining my blog, being a nutrition coach, and starting our business. It was a lot but I juggled all those for a year and a half. Then I left my job to do our business full-time, but I was still blogging and coaching.

I was still spread all over the place but after building a company and brand, I realized it’s okay to be doing a lot of things, but they all need to filter in the bigger picture of what you’re doing because if your mind is spread in too many directions, you’re just not giving a hundred percent. 

I stopped nutrition coaching and my own blog and just wrote on our website’s blog. Every once in a while, I do consulting gigs here and there but I make sure for my own mental health that all the additional things I take on were related to our business. They have to support each other or else I’ll be spread myself way too thin and burn myself out.

It’s okay to be juggling so many different things but just make sure there’s one big thing supporting that. Do crazy separate things for years and you will face burnout.

Q: How did you find the courage to leap from one field to another?

This is for those leaving a safe and stable job to do their own thing. I believe there are two ways people go about it and it really comes down to personality. Some are driven to burn the ship but are thinking, “I don’t have any money, I barely make rent.” and that’s gonna drive them. “I have nothing so I have to build something.” That’s not me.

I do not thrive out of fear. I thrive off safety and security and I’d rather burn myself out working a lot of jobs and not have a fear-based around money. I was willing to juggle everything however long I needed to until we were making enough money that I could pay myself. I can’t work to the best of my ability if I am stressed about making rent and paying for food, etc. so that was important for me.

Q: What has been the greatest challenge for you when it comes to switching careers?

I was already versed at working from home so I didn’t have a learning curve when it came to structural adjustment but I had a hard time saying no to people. So when I had a lot of freedom and flexibility with my schedule, I find myself giving away my time a lot more than I should. I would be so focused on helping other people grow that I’ll disregard a lot of things that I had to do. I realized there had to be a balance. I had a huge drive to help other people but I also had to help myself. I learned to find the balance between freedom and time.

Q: What advice do you have for others who are still trying to find their passions?

Just go for it. At the end of the day, you can always go back. Worse come to worse you can go back to your old career. There’s a job out there for you. You might take a leap of faith and realize that you don’t like it, and it’s okay to go back. More importantly, if you go after it and realize whether it’s a huge success or not, either way, it’s a positive.

If finances are an issue, it’s okay to just dip your toes. Going after it doesn’t mean you have to completely burn all your bridges and leave where you’re at to start where you’re making no money. Start that podcast or blog, research, or start building on the side in your spare time but just start somewhere. You might even find during the building process before you leave your job if you like it or don’t. You can always grow it enough where you can leave where you are and it’s gonna be a better transition for you.

If you go after it and realize whether it’s a huge success or not, either way, it’s a positive.

Q: What’s next for you, what are you looking forward to?

I’m looking forward to spreading my knowledge, speaking, and mentoring. I am in a stage where I have more flexibility for that and I can share a lot of stuff and tips we used to build our company to help other people build theirs too. I’m excited to grow and inspire others as part of my personal brand.

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Learn more about and connect with Kayleigh at:

Website: www.clearstemskincare.com, www.balancingyourhustle.com

Instagram: @kayleigh.christina, @balancingyourhustle, @clearstemskincare