How Kristie Clayton Built HERverse to Give the Women Running Businesses the Recognition They Deserve

Meet Kristie Clayton, founder and CEO of HERverse, a collective designed to help women leaders rise together. With nearly 20 years of experience as a COO and Integrator, Kristie built her career as a right-hand leader: the woman behind the scenes partnering with visionaries, leading operations, and making sure execution actually happened. She was incredibly good at it. She also recognized that women in these roles had almost no dedicated space for community, support, or peer connection. So she built one.

HERverse exists to support the women who support everyone else, from COOs and Integrators to Chiefs of Staff and Presidents, giving them the tools, network, and recognition they need to lead with confidence and impact. From intimate MastHERmind groups to the FEMMY Awards, a platform that intentionally celebrates right-hand leaders who have historically gone unseen, Kristie is making sure the women driving businesses forward are finally seen for it.

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Please share a brief introduction and your business:

I am Kristie Clayton, Founder and CEO of HERverse, a collective designed to help women leaders rise together. With nearly 20 years of experience as a COO/Integrator, I now support these right-hand leaders through community, coaching, and leadership development.

HERverse supports the women who support you, the Founder/Owner or Visionary leader. Our mission is to ensure that the women behind the scenes of business have the support, tools, and network they need to lead with confidence, clarity, and impact because every place decisions are being made deserves a woman at the table.

Take us back to when you launched? What was your marketing strategy?

My plan was to network with the EOS Implementer community and share the framework of what we had built, encourage them to speak and share their expertise and invite their Integrators to the community.

It worked very well! The strategy of one to many was a great success.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

No, I never realized this would be the path that was my destiny. I am so glad I discovered it as it has been life changing to know my purpose in this world.

What accomplishments are you the most proud of to date in your business?

I am most proud of the FEMMY Awards, where we intentionally recognize women Right-Hand Leaders who have historically gone unseen. These women are not just supporting businesses, they are driving them. Creating a platform that elevates their impact and gives them the recognition they deserve is one of the most important things we do at HERverse.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

One thing I wish I had realized is how powerful it is to truly lean into the community. It can feel easy to observe at first, yet the real value comes from engaging, asking questions, and building relationships. The more you show up as yourself, the more you will gain from the experience.

When hiring, what is your go-to interview question?

I often ask: “What type of work makes you wake up excited to do your job, and what type of work do you have to push through?”

I also incorporate tools like Kolbe and Working Genius into our hiring process to better understand how someone is naturally wired to take action and where they get their energy. This allows us to place people in roles where they can thrive, not just perform, and ensures strong alignment between the person, the role, and the team.

What did you do before starting your own business?

My background is rooted in nearly 20 years as a Right-Hand Leader. I was the President of a wealth management firm and the Practice Manager for a medical clinic. I led operations, built leadership teams, and partnered with Visionaries to scale businesses.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

Founders, Owners and CEOs have a plethora of opportunities to connect with their peers, and more and more opportunities are available for executive leaders.

I recognized a significant gap in support and community for women in the COO/Integrator role, which became the foundation for HERverse.

Do you have any recent wins?

A recent win I am especially excited about is the launch of multiple MastHERminds (intimate groups of 6-8 who meet monthly).

We saw a need for deeper, more intimate connection beyond larger group settings. These peer groups have created a space where women can truly open up, solve real challenges, and support one another at a different level. Watching these relationships form has been so meaningful!

What's one app on your phone that you cannot live without?

It might be easy to think about an organization app, a calendar, or even the HERverse app, yet the one that is coming to mind is Timehop. It brings back memories from different seasons of life and reminds me how much can change, grow, and evolve over time. I love being reminded of family, events and the team over the years.

As someone who is often focused on what’s next, it gives me a moment to pause, reflect, and appreciate the journey along the way.

Who are your customers?

Our customers are women Right-Hand Leaders (COOs, Integrators, Presidents, Chiefs of Staff, etc) who are the driving force behind running businesses. They partner closely with Visionary founders, lead teams, manage day to day operations, and ensure execution happens at a high level.

Many of these women are incredibly capable and successful, yet they often feel isolated in their role and lack a peer group that truly understands their unique challenges. HERverse was created to give them a space where they can be supported, connected, and developed alongside other women who are navigating the same level of leadership and responsibility. 

What's your top productivity tip?

My top productivity tip is to get clear on your priorities and align your time to what matters most. I use a combination of vision, quarterly Rocks, and daily focus to ensure I am working on the right things, not just staying busy. Productivity is not about doing more, it is about doing what matters most with intention.

I also think about my energy in three ways—working on the business, in the business, and being fully off to rest and recharge. When I focus in 24-hour increments and intentionally allocate my energy across those three areas, it becomes a game changer for both focus and effectiveness.

What's your favorite business tool?

Hands down, EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System). It provides a simple, practical framework for running a business with clarity, accountability, and alignment. From vision to execution, it gives leaders the tools to get everyone on the same page, solve issues effectively, and move the business forward with intention.

What's your approach to work-life balance?

I do not believe in work-life balance. We have one life, and work is a meaningful part of it. Instead of trying to separate the two, I focus on integration and being intentional about how I show up in both.

There are natural ebbs and flows, and instead of striving for perfect balance, I focus on being present and intentional in each moment. That shift has been far more sustainable and fulfilling.

How do you avoid burn-out?

I avoid burnout by giving myself permission to step away. It is easy to stay in go-mode, especially when you care deeply about your work and your team, yet I have learned that constantly pushing leads to diminishing returns. Creating intentional time to rest and recharge allows me to come back more focused, energized, and effective. In addition, I am modeling the behavior I am expecting of my team.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

Trust yourself and start before you feel ready. So many women wait until everything feels perfect, yet growth happens in the process. Surround yourself with a community that challenges you, supports you, and reminds you of who you are when you forget. You do not have to do this alone!

Stay committed to your vision, do the hard things, and give yourself permission to learn as you go. You are more capable than you think!

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Kristie's work is a powerful reminder that the most important communities are often the ones built for the people who have spent years building everything else. We are so proud to have her in the Entreprenista community and cannot wait to see HERverse continue to grow.

Want to connect with founders like Kristie? Visit Entreprenista League to explore our community and discover more stories of women building businesses that truly matter.