Kris Mathis, motivational speaker, author, business coach and serial entrepreneur, revealed that he has coached more than 1,100 entrepreneurs as part of his Full Circle business coaching program. In Full Circle, Mathis works closely with clients and shares with them the various tools, tips and strategies that he used to build his portfolio, which is now composed of five businesses, with 12 brands under that umbrella.
As a Black youth who grew up in poverty and was raised by a single mother, Mathis says the odds were stacked against him. Having no generational wealth, Mathis experienced significant struggles in the early stages of his entrepreneurial journey, including being homeless at one point, suffering multiple physical injuries due to a bad car accident in 2014 and being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, brought on by the hardships of his childhood.
Despite these challenges, Mathis was able to overcome the odds and lift his family from poverty. After becoming an entrepreneur, Mathis says he received interest from others about his journey. That’s when he decided to find a way to support others on their own journeys, which led to him becoming a business coach, investor and keynote speaker.
Mathis has worked with businesses of all sizes—from startups to Fortune 500s—from all over the U.S. And, thanks to the internet, he says he has reached entrepreneurs in more than 100 countries. Most of the clients he has worked with are small, minority-owned businesses. He also has a special interest in helping woman-owned businesses grow. In fact, he produced Let’s Help Her Win!™, a reality series that aims to discover the next successful woman entrepreneur and innovator. Plus, he recently invested in Stories on a Board, a woman-owned charcuterie board and grazing table company created by Amber Clingman.
But achieving this success was not easy; there were many sacrifices and setbacks along the way, including, he says, being homeless at one point while building his business and the 2014 car accident. This is why Mathis wants to impart the knowledge and lessons he learned to other entrepreneurs, guiding them toward success and, hopefully, lightening their burdens.
Utilizing his experience in building businesses from the ground up, Mathis reviews the various needs of a business, identifies the problems and creates ready-to-use solutions and strategies for growth. Mathis and his team provide instruction in areas such as marketing, launching a new product, bookkeeping and overall business operations.
According to Mathis, business coaching is what he was meant to do, as he helps people, especially those from minority and impoverished backgrounds, unlock the power of entrepreneurship to provide a better life for themselves and their families.
“I believe that business coaching is part of my calling to serve the world. I grew up poor, and I wanted to get into business to earn money and give my family a comfortable life,” Mathis says. “But, now that I’ve achieved it, I believe that it is time to give back. I want to use my experience to help other entrepreneurs who may be struggling now but just need access to the right resources and knowledge to help lift their businesses off the ground.”
