Crystal Gonzalez shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Crystal, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I’m a firm believer in maintaining a solid work/life balance. In the early years of my business – eight years ago now! – it was all about the hustle. I poured every ounce of energy into growing RevComm, and while I’m proud of that chapter, I’ve worked really hard since then to scale back and reconnect with my why: spending quality time with my family and creating space for things that fill my cup (more on this later!)
That shift opened the door for me to explore more of what brings me joy personally, things like family adventures, being outdoors, and, unexpectedly, powerlifting. I started almost five years ago and it completely changed my life. It became something that was just for me – not as a business owner, not as a mom, not as a wife, but as an athlete. I found a version of myself that thrived on discipline and growth.
Over the past five years, I’ve trained and competed in powerlifting, but recently I decided to venture into a new challenge: Strong(wo)man training. It has been exactly what I needed during a season of burnout and transition. There’s something really special about being a beginner again, learning new movements, pushing my limits in different ways, and celebrating those small wins (and big PRs!) along the way.
Sometimes even the hobbies we love can start to feel like work, and I was starting to hit that wall with powerlifting. Switching to strongman these past couple of months has reignited my excitement. It’s fun, humbling, and honestly has brought me so much joy. Also, how many people get to say that they can pull a u-haul or deadlift a car? Not many, but I can!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hey there! My name is Crystal Gonzalez, and I am the Founder and Chief Changemaker here at RevComm Consulting (+ Co-Founder of RevComm Foundation, a volunteer-driven nonprofit arm we have to our work at RevComm). This year, RevComm Consulting rang in 8 years in business and I couldn’t be happier with how far we’ve come.
I’m often asked where the name “RevComm” came from, and it’s one of my favorite stories to share. Coming up with a business name is hard, y’all! My husband and I spent weeks brainstorming and whiteboarding ideas. Funny enough, our tagline came first, and the name followed: Revolutionizing Communities through the power of philanthropy. That phrase captures exactly who we are: we exist to help revolutionize communities and drive real change by uplifting community-based organizations through the power of philanthropy.
At RevComm Consulting, we offer a full-suite of nonprofit consulting services, including grant writing, web development, program evaluation/design, marketing, graphic design, tech support, service trainings/facilitation, and 501c3 start-up. What makes RevComm Consulting unique and special is that I built a business that grew from my commitment to the community and passion for nonprofit work, not that I came from for-profit and decided to build a business catering to nonprofits. Over the years, I’ve met many incredible nonprofit consultants, and something I’ve noticed is that a lot of them entered the field from other industries such as web design or marketing, and then tailored their skills to help nonprofits. That’s great! But what makes RevComm Consulting special is that we came from the nonprofit world first and built a business second. Even eight years later, the clients and communities served by our partner agencies remain at the heart of everything we do.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
THE HUSTLE! I’m proud to say that I am a completely different entrepreneur today than I was when I first launched RevComm Consulting. During the early years, I was deep in hustle mode – running from event to event, attending every community forum, networking breakfast, and Chamber mixer I could fit into my schedule. If I wasn’t hustling, I was anxious about “wasting time.”
That first year was pure grind mode. I was still working my 9 to 5 to pay the bills while building the business from 5 to 9, and if you’ve been there, you know that life. During the pandemic, I finally had a moment of clarity. I realized I’d been holding my breath, waiting for the ball to drop, for my business to fail, or for me to have to go back to a steady paycheck. But one day, I looked at my client roster, took a deep breath, and thought, “We did it.”
From that moment, everything shifted. I slowed down. I reconnected with my “why”, which was to have more time for my family and not miss the little and big milestones with my kiddo. I stopped feeling pressure to show up everywhere. I scaled back outreach and focused on growing the business more organically.
Over the past year, I’ve fully embraced the anti-hustle mindset. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to grow and scale in a way that feels natural and aligned, not forced. These days, my work phone goes on DND in the evenings, and I only check emails twice on weekends. I even take vacations without opening my laptop (okay, I still pack it just in case, but I no longer feel the need to use it unless a time-sensitive emergency comes up).
The hustle served its purpose: it helped me build the foundation and get through those early years. But now? I’m releasing the hustle, reclaiming my time, staying rooted in my “why,” and continuing to grow this business in a way that feels organic and intentional.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
You’re beautiful. You’re strong.
Little Crystal had her battles. I turned to food very early on to fill any void or even excitement in my life. Sad? Food. Happy? Food. Bored? Food. By second grade, I was clearly gaining weight, and by third grade, I knew it had become something I struggled with. I got teased here and there, but I also had a lot of friends, so it didn’t define me. Looking back, I’d probably call myself the “funny fat kid” and I mean that lovingly. I had a big personality and a good heart. Thankfully, I grew up in a time before social media, when kids could just be themselves. But even with all the laughter, I was hurting inside – a lot.
I spent many years crying about my weight, trying to eat better, trying to figure it out. But as a latchkey kid in the ‘90s, I mostly just ate what was around after school.
Fast forward to my freshman year of high school. I wore this puffy white bomber jacket almost every day – yes, in the Inland Empire – to hide my body. Eventually, I reached a point where I was ready to make a change for me. Between the end of freshman year and the start of sophomore year, I lost 60 pounds through Weight Watchers. I stayed active, ate better, and did it the right way.
Now, 21 years later, I still have my ups and downs with weight. I’ve carried a whole human, my body has changed, and that’s okay. The difference is, I’m empowered now. I found powerlifting five years ago and have never looked back. I know that 35 year old Crystal would be little Crystal’s SHE-RO. I’ve fully embraced that I’ll never be “skinny” and that’s not the goal anymore. These days, I’ll sometimes walk into a room, look around, and think, “I’m probably the strongest one here,” with a little smirk. Not to brag, but because I carry that pride. Because after everything, we made it. We’re healthy. We’re happy. We’re confident.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
100%!!! My answer to this question would have been much different eight years ago, but today I can confidently say that YES, the public version of me is the real me.
When I first launched my business, I was coming out of a really toxic work environment. The nonprofit I worked for had a “good ol’ boys” board. Even though I was second in leadership, my ideas were often taken and presented without credit, and I was rarely invited to lead at the table. My boss at the time was an incredible mentor and advocate, but when she left and recommended me to take her place, I was told by the board that I “wasn’t ready” and then was tasked with recruiting, hiring, and training the “right” person for the role. What a slap in the face that was.
With the support of my husband, I walked away shortly after that, but I carried those wounds with me. It took years to rebuild my confidence and sense of worth. In the early days of RevComm Consulting, I hid a lot of who I was. I always showed up professionally, but it was almost performative – the heels, the blazer, the polished look. I didn’t talk about my family, and if my little one was sick and I had to cancel a meeting, I’d say I was the one not feeling well. I made sure my tattoos never showed. I kept my personal life off-limits and my fun personality under wraps.
But today? You get the real me. I still show up professional, but now it’s authentically me. I dress more comfortably, I connect with my clients as both changemakers and humans, and I let people see the full picture. My tattoos are part of my story, and now a days I’m not afraid to let them show. If my little one is home sick, I’m honest about it and that’s okay. It took time, but learning to show up as my authentic self has completely transformed my work and my relationships. My clients connect more deeply, conversations are more real, and collaboration feels natural.
So yes, the public version of me is the real me. And honestly, it feels really good to say that.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
When I’m gone, I hope people remember how deeply I cared about others. How empathetic, supportive, and genuine I was in everything I did. I’ve built both a business and a life around giving back, around helping nonprofits that are truly changing and saving lives. The work isn’t easy – it’s heavy, emotional, and often exhausting – but that’s what makes it meaningful. That’s what makes it necessary.
Now more than ever, people are hurting. Entire communities are struggling. And even the organizations that exist to help them by providing food, shelter, safety, and hope, are being targeted or under-resourced. This past year especially has been a time of reckoning and realization: seeing people’s true colors, recognizing where values really stand, and confronting hard truths about the world and even about the companies and systems we once trusted.
Through it all, I want my story to be one of compassion. I hope people say that I never stopped fighting for equity, for kindness, for the dignity of others. That I used my voice and my work to uplift those who needed it most. More than anything, I want to be remembered as someone who led with heart. Someone who built community, not for recognition, but because I believed that everyone deserves to be seen, accepted, and given the opportunity to thrive.
If that’s the story people tell when I’m gone, then I’ll know I did something right.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.revcommconsulting.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/revcomm.consulting/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalmgonzalez/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RevCommConsulting/
Image Credits
Branding Photographer: Kita Zuleta
