Online Business & Operations Management

SYSTEMS, PLANNING &
A TOUCH OF MAGIC.

Crystal Coleman
Crystal Coleman
The Systems Witch

Meet Crystal

Let me introduce myself! Certified Online Business Manager I am Crystal Coleman – the Systems Witch!  I am referred to by the ‘she/her’ pronouns.

I’m a Certified Online Business Manager (certified December 2011),  Infusionsoft Certified Consultant and I’m a self-proclaimed techie geek.  

I’m committed to the Certified Online Business Manager Community at IAOBM, and am honored to serve on the Certification Committee for new OBMs since 2018.

My clients describe me as an operations whiz. And, I’m excited by systems and processes, which tends to be a gap for most entrepreneurs. 

I love taking an idea from concept stage through to execution; when a client is describing their plan or goal, I'm thinking through the logistics of how to get it done.

The logistics in getting a project from “twinkle in your eye” idea through to execution drives me. I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty and fight fires (in fact, I expect it), but for the long-term health of your business, my focus is to prevent fires so that we can funnel our collective energy to the growth and continued success of your business.

As a Certified Online Business Manager, I work with my clients and their teams on a one-to-one basis, focusing on support for six-figure online entrepreneurs: Business Coaches & Trainers, Marketers and Thought Leaders.

For those clients that aren’t quite at the six-figure level, or don’t need all of the support an OBM provides, I offer project-based packages.

A Personal Glimpse

I have been working online since the  fall of 2008, first working as a Virtual Assistant, then transitioning to Online Business Management in 2010 when I discovered my passion for that segment of the online support field. I invested in the Online Business Manager training program (with Tina Forsyth) in March 2011 and was granted the certification status that December.

Confession... I was a Terrible Employee

I left my very comfortable government office job in late 2008 as part of a lifestyle change for our entire family, which coincided with a move to a more rural location (in Alberta, Canada) to support my husband’s career change. This provided a perfect transition point for my own career, and allowed me to pursue my life-long entrepreneurial ambitions.

My motivations were based on gaining more freedom in how and when I worked, as well as opening up new horizons that simply were unavailable to me in our small, remote community. Our oldest child required weekly and monthly specialist appointments that made it difficult to perform well at my job, while our youngest was pre-school aged and needed and deserved more of my attention.

It was the best move I could have made for myself and for our family.

I live on a Funny Farm... by choice!

When I’m not in my office, you’ll find me outdoors.  We live on a small acreage out in the middle of nowhere (the nearest traffic light is 40 minutes away) where we raise chickens, turkeys and rabbits for our consumption and enjoyment.  We also have a small herd of meat & pygmy goats and a couple horses. Our furry family is complemented by several cats, dogs and a few tarantulas.  In the past we’ve had birds, geckos and other assorted creatures. If you have allergies, my house is a nightmare.

It’s not uncommon to find me with a baby something down my shirt.  Usually, it’s a chick or turkey poult.  

For a few wonderful months, we had a house goat, Lucy.  It’s not out of the realm of possibility that we’ll have another in the future. She did not live down my shirt 😉

lucythekid

I have a potty mouth...

I consider myself a rustic, no-nonsense gal with a deep appreciation for a well-placed cuss … or two

I rarely put on make-up, and it’s rarer still to see me using a curling iron or blow-dryer.  Jeans, a tshirt and bare feet are my uniform!

My happy place is out camping out in the bush with no electricity, wifi or amenities.  I love to fish, kayak and sit by a smoldering campfire with a favorite beverage. You won’t find me glamping!

Since 2016,  I have homeschooled my children.  We’re secular academic homeschoolers, with one child completing Grade Twelve in 2021, and one entering high school in the fall of 2020. It’s been an amazing journey.

In a past life, my children and I  created 2soapykids, a business originated from a need to control the ingredients in their shampoos and soaps to manage their Celiac Disease; which is managed through living a 100% gluten-free lifestyle.

The family