A former stay-at-home mom turned coach, Randi Crawford helps women and their daughters build confidence, purpose and independence.
Randi had poured herself into parenting. Like many mothers, she assumed she would take a short break from work when her children were young, then return to her career after a year or two.
Instead, 10 years flew by. Her children became teenagers and started driving themselves to activities. Her role in their lives shifted from daily nurturer to occasional advisor.
“I started to realize I had so much more to offer, and I didn’t want to spend my days going out to lunch or taking walks with friends,” Randi said. “I wanted to work again so I could contribute.”
Yet, reentering the workforce after a decade away was daunting. Her resume was dated and her confidence had faded. Although she had once co-founded a public healthcare company for women in menopause, the idea of jumping back into the business world felt overwhelming.
So she did something that might sound trivial, but turned out to be transformational.
“I went to my favorite store, Anthropologie, and asked for a job,” she said. “I had no experience in retail and had been wearing workout clothes for 10 years. But, my husband said, ‘If you don’t like it, you can quit.’ So I gave it a try.”
She was quickly promoted to stylist, not because of her knowledge of fashion or retail systems, but because of how she treated people. Her joy, energy and empathy came alive in the fitting room, where she helped women feel beautiful and seen.
“I was terrible behind the register, but amazing with people,” she said. “We would laugh, tell stories and have a great time. That’s when I realized that helping women feel good about themselves was something I deeply loved.”
Stepping into purpose
That year at Anthropologie turned out to be a springboard. Randi remembered how much she loved encouraging others, especially women navigating transitions.
She earned her certification through Jay Shetty’s coaching school and hung out her shingle, expecting to serve women like herself who were mothers looking for more meaning in their lives after their kids left home.
Instead, something unexpected happened.
“I started getting calls from moms asking me to coach their daughters,” she said. “At first I was surprised, but I realized I understood these girls, too, because, as a mom, I know their world.”
What she saw troubled her. These were bright, ambitious young women. Many were in high school or college. But, they were emotionally drained, anxious and unsure of themselves. Most of their struggles could be traced back to one root cause – a lack of confidence.
“They had no idea how to problem-solve,” Randi said. “They had spent their lives being managed and protected by parents who wanted to help, but who unknowingly created dependence.”
Social media added another layer of pressure. From the outside, many of these girls looked happy and successful. On the inside, they were unraveling.
“They’re being raised by influencers,” Randi said. “And, they are being judged by how many likes they get on a post. Their anxiety is through the roof.”
The courage to tell the truth
Randi approaches coaching with a no-nonsense style. She is direct, but compassionate, honest but hopeful. She listens closely and challenges assumptions.
“My clients know I’m going to tell it like it is,” she said. “If they want change, they have to take action. That means doing something uncomfortable.”
When working with teens and college-age women, she focuses on building competence. Confidence, she says, doesn’t come from compliments. Rather, it comes from doing hard things and succeeding.
“You try something, and you get a small win,” she said. “Then you try another and that’s how confidence grows.”
Randi also coaches the parents of the young women she works with. Many are highly involved, well-meaning moms who want the best for their daughters. But, their desire to help often gets in the way.
“They keep fixing everything,” Randi said. “But, kids need to figure things out for themselves. We are robbing them of the opportunity to build resilience.”
When she posted a video online encouraging a mother not to drive two hours to pick up her daughter who had no hot water in her dorm, the internet exploded.
“People came at me like I was the worst person on the planet,” Randi said. “But, I stand by it. Kids need to solve problems. That’s the only way they grow.”
A coach for women, too
Randi still works with young women, but she also coaches midlife adults who are navigating the very transition she once faced. Many are stuck and feel invisible. They are uncertain about their value.
“I tell them to stop asking what everyone else will think,” she said. “Just start doing something you enjoy and see where it leads.”
That’s how she discovered her own next chapter. Retail was never the end goal. It was just a beginning and a place to rediscover her energy, experiment with possibility and wake up excited again.
“Movement is power,” she said. “You’re not going to figure it all out by typing on your computer. You have to take action.”
She encourages clients to notice what gives them energy and what drains it. A draining situation is a signal in the same way a different task brings joy.
“If you jump out of bed to do it, pay attention,” Randi said. “That’s a clue.”
Her own energy source these days is pickleball. She plays often and has built new friendships on the court. Randi is also writing a book titled, “The Pickleball Parenting Playbook,” which uses lessons from the sport to guide parents through the teen years.
“It’s the perfect metaphor,” she said. “In pickleball, you have to step back, stay out of the kitchen, and let the ball bounce. It’s just like parenting.”
Preparing for the next season
Randi also encourages people to prepare for the empty nest long before it arrives. The time to rediscover purpose is not after the kids are gone. It is during the final years they are still home.
“Start exploring what lights you up while they’re still in high school,” she said. “Otherwise, when the house is quiet, it can feel like falling off a cliff.”
She experienced that silence herself when her son moved to New York. After years of hosting sleepovers and managing activities, the sudden absence was deafening.
“It gets really quiet,” she said. “If you haven’t built something that brings you joy, that quiet can be hard.”
Randi’s advises anyone over 50 wondering what to do next to forget what others might think and take a small step. Try something that seems fun and ask yourself what’s the worst that could happen?
“You might get the job and hate it. Or you might get fired. So what?” she said. “Try something else. You have nothing to lose.”
More than anything, Randi wants people to know the story isn’t over just because one chapter has ended.
“This isn’t the end,” she said. “It’s a brand-new beginning.”
For more information
People can connect with Randi on these platforms:
- Website = www.randicrawfordcoaching.com
- Instagram = www.instagram.com/randicrawfordcoaching
- LinkedIn = www.linkedin.com/in/randi-crawford-34a4204a
- TikTok = www.tiktok.com/@randicrawfordcoaching
