Inspiring Conversations with Keziah Wonstolen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Keziah Wonstolen.

Hi Keziah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Six years ago, I was in Colorado Children’s Hospital PICU with Alfie, my then two-year-old, on life support from a virus. He survived the horrible ordeal, but that experience led me to feel a sense of urgency to have a bigger impact. Then, when the pandemic hit, I saw a need for providing talent with a flexible work/life balance. My experience with my son, and my observation of the changing workplace landscape during the pandemic, lead me to launch Vannin as Chief of Staff in January 2020.

I founded Vannin Chief of Staff to Provide opportunities for individuals to work part-time/fractional to professionals. After seeing senior women leave the workforce at a staggering pace during the pandemic to support their children, I had the vision to provide challenging roles to women who wanted a better work/life balance. This is thematic with macro trends in the workforce moving to alternate working options/future of work.

Grow the Chief of Staff role within companies. I see the Chief of Staff role as a valuable tool for business owners, from the early stage to fortune 100. Given my experience in the role, I saw the leverage it provided to the leader to be focused on the most important parts of their business, while also using their time more effectively.

Help fill the need for the Chief of Staff position.

-The Chief of Staff is a position in demand with 10,000 open positions on LinkedIn around the world.

-There is increased demand for the role in startups. For startups, scaling a business is more complex than ever before. From navigating the fundraising process to the complexities of scaling and delivering quickly. The Chief of Staff position allows CEOs leverage to all that is expected of them.

After just two years of operating, Vannin has over 24 clients, a team of 15, and revenue growth of 300%, with projections to hit $1 million within a year. Vannin’s client’s span from Denver, San Francisco, and New York to London and Israel. The companies Vannin serves are able to catalyze their business to the next level with the added talent support, to average growth in revenue of two to three times.

For example, Wish for Wheels, a Denver Non-Profit, has given more than 5,000 bikes gifted through the Team Build & Give Program in 2022, and over 13,000 bikes are projected to be given to Denver-area Title I second graders in 2023-24.

I love staying involved in my community through volunteering serving on local boards, and spending time with my husband and three children, ages 8, 6, and 2.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Taking the risk to leave the corporate job that I had been in for over a decade to start my own business was my biggest challenge. Putting yourself out there with an idea for a company is a very vulnerable experience.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Vannin Chief of Staff?
Vannin Chief of Staff is a team of mostly women consultants who support the Chief of Staff/Chief Operating Officer role for businesses.

Vannin offers interim and full-time talent solutions and trains new Chiefs of Staff. Vannin works with leaders within a company, providing individuals with the opportunity to grow their businesses while still prioritizing a flexible work/life balance.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I love to read and listen to content about business, historical fiction, sustainability, and minimalism. I always have a rotation of each of these four topics on my podcasts/book list!

Podcasts: The Economist, Sustainable Minimalists, All-In, Women & Wealth. Apps: Nuuly, SuperHuman, Personal Capital

Pricing:

• Customized pricing model per engagement: range between $150-$200/hour.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vanninchiefofstaff.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vannin/