This conversation with impact entrepreneur Kristen Closson really landed. Not because of scale or outcomes, but because of how everything was done. And just who she is.

Kristen is proof that you can be hugely successful in business without being ruthless. There is a quiet confidence in how she operates. Very genuine. Very grounded. A Midwestern energy that immediately puts you at ease. As we say in England – an absolute delight.

What stood out most was her care for people. From setting up in India through persistence and trial and error, to choosing to start with contractors before scaling teams, everything was done with intention. She built trust first and growth followed.

Customer obsession was the real secret sauce. They listened. They showed up. They got on video calls with clients. People felt seen. That connection became the engine that drove growth.

Recruitment was another powerful lesson. Good people know good people. Reputation mattered. Word of mouth became the talent strategy. When you treat people well, they bring others who do the same.

What I also loved was how honest Kristen was about the guilt that came with selling. The feeling of letting people down. The fog of the messy middle. That emotional complexity is rarely talked about and yet so many founders experience it on the other side of the deal.

What helped her move through it was purpose. Building again. This time with even more clarity. Combining meaning with experience. Creating businesses that solve real problems close to home, including her work in autism services, while continuing to grow with intention.

I loved her framing of herself now as a steward of wealth. Not chasing more. Not proving anything. But thinking carefully about impact, responsibility, and contribution.

This episode is a reminder that impact and ambition are not opposites. You can scale with purpose. You can build with care. And you can still create extraordinary outcomes. That is what an impact entrepreneur really looks like.

What a delight of a human.

Impact Entrepreneur: Episode Highlights

• Scaling global healthcare teams through trust and intention
• Customer obsession as the real engine of growth
• The guilt and emotional fog on the other side of selling
• From operator to steward of wealth — building with purpose as an impact entrepreneur

Listen to the full episode: The Impact Entrepreneur: Scaling With Purpose on NexChapter.