Ripple Effect Leadership, Tampa, FL

Q. What did you want to be when you were a little kid?

A. One of my fondest memories as a kid was watching golf with my mom. We’d be watching the Masters on TV while I chipped in this little practice area I set up in the living room.

As a lefty, Phil Mickelson was my guy. He always carried a smile, gave a thumbs-up to his fans and had a bold creativity on the course that I admired.

But I idolized Tiger Woods. Like many kids my age who grew up around golf, I wanted to be like Tiger when I grew up.

I’m an introvert and was pretty shy as a kid, so the independent nature of the sport suited me. Something about the endless pursuit of excellence had me hooked. While I didn’t make it on the PGA Tour, I had a lot of fun playing Division I in college, and golf will always be an important part of my life.

Q. What does your company do?

A. As a keynote speaker and leadership coach, I have one of the coolest jobs in the world. I partner with chief diversity officers and chief human resource officers to help their organizations develop what I call “Ripple Effect Leaders” who create more inclusive, high-trust, human-centered workplaces in an increasingly polarized world. We’re creating a powerful movement that isn’t only transforming corporate cultures, but changing people’s lives.

Q. How long has your company been in business?

A. I left my corporate job at the end of 2019. While I never imagined charting my own path outside the structure of corporate life, a voice inside told me to take the leap. I’m coming up on four years, and while I’d like to say “I’ve never looked back,” I’ve had my share of moments when I wanted to quit.

I’m grateful to have a strong support system, including mentors, coaches, clients, friends and family who continue to believe in me. I couldn’t do this alone and am happy to say I’m more committed to this work and mission now than ever. The world needs it.

Q. Can you tell us about why and how you started the company?

A. After unexpectedly falling in love with a guy in my dorm in my freshman year of college, we secretly started dating. Until one day we got caught by my roommate. I wasn’t ready to come out, but it initiated the slow, painful, necessary process of self-acceptance.

Over the next 12 months, I felt more and more emotionally distant from my parents. As someone who craves intimacy and connection, I couldn’t keep hiding my truth any longer. I slowly came out to close friends. Then my two older brothers. It was clear I was loved.

But I feared how my parents would respond.

Then one night I’m having dinner with my dad after a golf tournament in Georgia. He was visiting me from New York, and I made a commitment to myself to tell him that weekend.

Just as he’s signing the dinner check ,I finally say, “Dad, I’m gay. And I’m happy. His name is Chase.”

He drops the pen he’s using to sign the check. He looks at me. And he says … “I’m so proud of you. That’s awesome.”

How my dad showed up in that moment was a key reason I was able to love myself. It was a key reason I was able to become SVP of organizational development for a $40 million company with 200 employees by the age of 30.

And that’s why today I help organizations develop leaders who create the same kind of Ripple Effects for their people. Because everybody deserves to feel safe, seen and heard. Especially during difficult conversations.

Q. What has been your biggest business challenge in the past year?

A. I realized in late 2022 the power that my personal story could have in bringing people closer together at a time when it feels like our world is being pulled apart.

This meant shifting my focus from coaching to professional speaking so that I could reach a wider audience. The problem was, I had no idea how to build a speaking business.

As I’ve done a few times along this entrepreneurial path, I decided to bet on myself.

Even though it felt risky and uncomfortable, I made significant financial investments in my own training and development. I worked with five coaches (e.g., business coach, story coach, stage coach) throughout 2023 to help me hit the ground running. To be the best, you have to work with the best. Like I said before, I couldn’t do this alone.

One of the biggest personal transformations I’ve experienced is that I’ve learned to trust myself to make these kinds of investments worth it. I’m proud of that.

Q. What is one thing that makes you and your company stand out from your competition?

A. When I first started my business, I honestly couldn’t answer this question. I was just one of tens of thousands of other coaches trying to stand out in a crowded market. I spent months and months trying to manufacture unique value propositions, define my niche and wordsmith my way to a coherent brand/message that seemed compelling.

None of that worked. It was frustrating and never felt right.

Then I connected with my story. Everything changed.

Because my work is inspired and deeply informed by my story, everything I do — from keynotes to workshops to leadership retreats — is an expression of who I am. It’s personal, it’s powerful, it’s authentic. There really is no competition. The only person ever getting in my way is me.

After I facilitated my Ripple Effect Half-Day Experience for the leadership team at a boutique consulting firm, the CEO said, “I’ve never seen someone doing work so aligned with who they are. It’s beautiful to watch.”

I’ve worked hard to get here.

Q. How has being part of the LGBTQ+ community shaped the way your life and career have developed?

A. When I was first coming to terms with being gay, I couldn’t imagine a happy life for myself. I simply couldn’t picture it. The stress I experienced because of the dissonance between how I thought my life would go and what I was coming to terms with led to me getting shingles at age 17.

Almost 18 years later, I wouldn’t want my life any other way.

I share this because it’s taught me a valuable lesson in business that Ben Hardy talks about in his work. Who we are today (as a person or business) is completely different from who we were 10 years ago. Which means that who we’ll be 10 years from now will be equally unrecognizable. Better that we imagine and play an active role in deciding who that future self will be than let the default future play out.

Q. What do you wish you had more time to do?

A. I wish I had more time to golf! Ever since my partner and I moved to Tampa from New York City two years ago, I’ve fortunately been able to play more. Every year, I also partner up with my oldest brother in the Barstool Classic, which is always a highlight for me.

One of my intentions for 2024 is to find ways to incorporate the things I love to do like golf and working out into my business. For example, inviting clients out on the golf course, bringing people to take a class at Barry’s and other fun ways to make connection and relationship-building more dynamic.

Q. What’s your favorite place in the world you’ve ever visited?

A. The first summer I was dating my now-fiancée, we planned a trip around Nova Scotia. We rented a car and drove most of the perimeter stopping at cute coastal towns along the way. My favorite spot was in a small, colorful fishing town called Chéticamp in Cape Breton. It was our first vacation together, and it was the perfect combination of adventure, excellent food and relaxation. The people were so welcoming and kind.

Q. What is one piece of business advice you would offer your LGBTQ+ peers?

A. I recently had the opportunity to bring my Ripple Effect program to a leadership retreat with 50 auto repair franchise owners and their shop managers in Florida. This was an unusual audience for me as I mostly work in the corporate arena. My program kicks off with a personal and vulnerable telling of my coming-out story, so I had some hesitations about how this might go.

To my surprise, it was one of the most engaged, open-minded groups I’d ever worked with. I walked away feeling inspired by the discussion it prompted, the questions they asked, and the acknowledgment they offered me for opening up to them.

My advice is to reserve judgment and put yourself in situations that scare you a little. That’s often where personal growth and meaningful impact intersect.

How to connect … chrisrollins.me