"If you’re always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be.”
-Maya Angelou

About Me

Hi there! I'm Crystal Richards and I am a misfit project manager.

misfit, noun

: a person who is different from other people and who does not seem to belong in a particular group or situation

In my professional career when I focused my energies to project management, I noticed that I was a bit of an oddball.  You see, my projects were in the non-traditional side of things.  I worked in healthcare improving patient flow, improving our operations with patient registration, and leading efforts for training employees.

My background is not in IT project management, not the fancy software development projects, nor in construction project management.

When I would attend networking events, it seemed I only encountered project managers who DID work in IT and software development and construction projects. When I would explain my work, I would get the side-eye and then the uncomfortable, "I think I left my keys in the restroom" escape excuse.

Aaaawkward!

Has that happened to you?  

You don't have to feel that way in MindsparQ™ Connect.

This is the space where unique project managers like you and me can come together for support, brainstorming, learning, and "sparking" ideas into action.

With my 20 years of professional experience and my love of teaching, consider me your coach and your guide in this space to facilitate thought-provoking discussions.

I'm a business owner (check out MindsparQ™), mom, wife, and a Xennial. And oh yeah, I teach people to be better project managers.

About You

Were you an accidental project manager? I was!

You probably didn't spend your childhood saying, "I want to be a project manager when I grow up!"

Most people don't.

More than anything, you have a knack for getting shhh...er, stuff done.  I do too and you probably enjoy creating things and having something to show for it.

Me too!

You see, you and I are a lot alike.  I get you.  

But what makes you and I super cool (that's what the cool kids say, right?) is that we are unique within our organizations given our talents and penchant for project management.

Do any of these words resonate with you:

An uncommon project manager. A misfit.  An oddball. 

The only project manager or PM-thinking person in your organization.

Or perhaps you're dabbling in project management in pursuit of career growth or a career change. 

You're tired of "Googling" your way to an answer for your projects and you just wish you had a community of people that you can ask a question without feeling like you're being judged.

Sound familiar? 

MindsparQ™ Connect is the place for you!

This is a connection space where if you are trying to figure out how to get started in project management, figure out better ways to manage your projects, or make a clean start by translating your project management experience into other careers. 

We all share a common interest in being better project managers and adding value to our organizations--even when sometimes our organizations struggle to see the value in our project management pursuits.

Why You Should Join Us!

Maybe you are feeling stuck.  Then this is the connection space to help you get unstuck. 

Are you figuring out your next move into a career in project management? This is the space to help you navigate into that next role.

If you are ready to build your confidence from being the order-taker to being the influencer and consultant on your projects, this is the space to guide you.

With MindsparQ™ Connect we will co-create the blueprint to successfully develop your project management skills by empowering you with the tools, mentorship, and peer support to make an impact on your projects.

You need to be here.

What others are saying...

"I've personally worked with you before, so in my eyes, I know you're legit. So that in itself gives credibility to what you're doing. To that point, I immediately forwarded the link to your MindsparQ to a fellow PMP friend of mine as I think it could help him."  -B.W.

"You hit the nail on the head regarding sharing information that will help people make better decisions: take that next step and most importantly; keep the CEU’s rolling for up-to-date PMP status...People are stuck in their jobs and COVID gave them an excuse to sit on their skills. People will get brave and start looking. Once they have the push, the fire, the encouragement and the structure to do so, I think more people will rise up." -S.C.

Member Benefits

While there are opportunities to obtain continuing education credits (i.e. PDUs), this MindsparQ™ Connect is about so much more.

As a member of MindsparQ™ Connect, you get access to:

• 🔐  A mobile-enabled private space that's fun to use and customizable to your interests (this is not another Facebook or LinkedIn group!)
• 📆  Monthly Mindset Address where Crystal provides a monthly address to members to kickstart the month with encouragement
• 🕙  Mentor Office Hours serve as group coaching calls with Crystal to discuss current work challenges, career growth, and professional development (Advantage Members only)
• 💻  Indoor Recess Zoom calls that serve as a lunch & learn session on a specific topic.  Participants may occasionally be in breakout groups (PDU-eligible)
• 💡  Study Hall Co-Working sessions to update our resume or draft that upcoming presentation
• 📘  Recommended reads & listens where Crystal curates reading resources and podcasts on project management, career growth, and being a better human being (PDU-eligible)
• 💬  Live Q&A chats with Crystal where you can get your questions answered on a specific topic
• 🎦  Call recordings of meetings and events only available to members (Advantage Members only) for later playback
• ❤️ A supportive and friendly network of misfit project managers
  
• And more!

Where else can you find a networking that provides these kinds of benefits?  If you know of one, you should join them too!

Join Today!

Stop the rabbit-hole research of random, questionable information on Google (everything on Google is not true) and get what you need straight from people who've been there and are willing to share their experiences to be better project managers.  

Chances are, their story is your story with a solution that makes sense to your unique project challenges.

A word of caution on the iOS App!

THINK TWICE about paying your membership subscription using the iPhone or iPad app. Apple charges a 30% Apple Tax when you pay using this format.

RECOMMENDATION: Use a web browser on your computer or an Android device to pay your subscription fee.

The iOS app can be utilized to do everything else within the community.