I recently had the pleasure of hosting Caitlin Crosby, the founder and CEO of The Giving Keys on this week’s episode of Flourish or Fold. Caitlin is a visionary who has been named among Oprah's Super Soul 100 list. Her company, The Giving Keys, is a jewelry and lifestyle brand that operates on a pay-it-forward model which creates products with inspirational words and encourage customers to pass them on to someone who needs them more. Each key comes with a story of why it was given away.

Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:

The Birth of The Giving Keys: Caitlin's journey began with a simple hotel room key turned necklace. This sparked an idea that has since employed over 150 people transitioning out of homelessness.

Adapting to Change: The pandemic forced The Giving Keys to pivot their business model. They now donate proceeds to nonprofits helping those experiencing homelessness find jobs and continue to share inspiring pay-it-forward stories.

Authenticity and Genuine Care: Caitlin emphasizes the importance of authenticity when starting a brand or movement. She believes consumers can sense when someone is not truly invested in their cause.

The Power of Creativity: Caitlin shares the pros and cons of being a freely creative and vision-led entrepreneur. She acknowledges that being driven by emotions can sometimes be a challenge, but it also allows her to bring her ideas to life in the moment.

Overcoming Challenges: Caitlin opens up about the hardships she faced when her former CFO embezzled funds from the company, and the struggle of balancing motherhood and running a stressful business. Despite these challenges, she remains determined and has found empowerment in taking on additional roles within the company.

A Message of Hope: Caitlin leaves us with a heartfelt message, assuring us that we are not alone and that there is always hope. She encourages us to believe in our purpose and not give up.

As a token of appreciation for your support, Caitlin is offering a 30% discount on The Giving Keys website with the code "flourish30". Each purchase helps uplift humanity and support important charities.

I hope you find Caitlin's story as inspiring as I did. Remember, true joy and happiness come from meaningful connections with others. So, why not like, comment, download and share this episode with someone who could use a little inspiration today? We're excited to hear your thoughts and what you've learned from our conversation.

To learn more about Caitlin and her work visit: https://www.thegivingkeys.com/ and on Instagram @caitlincrosby

Here are some highlights of the episode to look forward to:

The giving keys and its mission (00:04:31 ): Caitlin explains the concept behind The Giving Keys, a pay-it-forward jewelry company that empowers people through inspirational words and stories.

Meeting a homeless couple and starting The Giving Keys (00:06:13 ): Caitlin shares the authentic moment that led her to employ a homeless couple to engrave inspirational words on old keys, which eventually grew into The Giving Keys.

Evolution of The Giving Keys and its impact (00:08:32 ): Caitlin discusses how The Giving Keys adapted during the pandemic and shifted its focus to donating proceeds to nonprofits that help people transition out of homelessness.

The moment that sparked The Giving Keys (00:11:34 ): Caitlin recounts the moment she saw two people holding a sign that said "ugly, broke, and hungry" and how it inspired her to help others.

The importance of authenticity in starting a brand (00:14:11 ): Caitlin emphasizes the importance of genuinely caring about the cause or movement behind a brand, and how consumers can sense authenticity.

Using personal pain and struggles for a greater purpose (00:18:25 ): Caitlin discusses channeling personal pain, trauma, and struggles into creating products, writing books, and other projects that can help others.

The Highlights (00:27:15 ): Caitlin talks about the highlights of her journey with The Giving Keys, including being chosen by Oprah and helping people turn their lives around.

Challenges of Entrepreneurship (00:35:06 ): Caitlin shares the challenge of having a CFO embezzle money while she was on maternity leave and the importance of trusting her intuition.

The Importance of Humanity (00:33:52 ): Caitlin discusses the importance of focusing on the humanity aspect of success and happiness, rather than just business achievements.

The CFO Embezzlement (00:36:22 ):Caitlin talks about her experience with a CFO who embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from her company.

Balancing Work and Motherhood (00:37:21 ): Caitlin discusses the challenges of being a working mom and trying to find a balance between running a company and being present for her children.

Trusting Your Gut (00:41:33 ): Caitlin shares her advice on trusting your instincts and listening to your gut when something doesn't feel right in a relationship or situation.

Discount code for The Giving Keys (00:47:58 ): Caitlin Crosby offers a discount code, "flourish30," for 30% off on The Giving Keys website.

Message of hope and inspiration (00:49:19 ): Caitlin Crosby shares a heartfelt message of hope, reminding listeners that they are loved, special, and not alone.

The impact of purchasing Giving Keys (00:49:48 ):The host highlights the significance of purchasing Giving Keys as holiday gifts, as a portion of the proceeds goes towards uplifting humanity and important charities.