Crystal Andrus is an internationally recognized motivational speaker, author, and women’s empowerment expert whose work continues to influence leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers worldwide. As the founder of the S.W.A.T. Institute, one of the leading online schools for women’s empowerment coaching, she has built a global ecosystem designed to elevate women’s confidence, communication, and leadership potential.
Her journey from adversity to empowerment fuels her mission: teaching women how to reclaim their identity, amplify their voices, and lead with clarity and strength. Today, her programs, books, and mentorship platforms reach audiences across more than 45 countries, solidifying her as a transformative force in women’s leadership, personal development, and emotional mastery. Crystal’s work continues to reshape how women rise, lead, and support one another in business and in life.
Crystal Andrus is a celebrated motivational speaker, author, and life coach whose transformative work has empowered countless women, including high-profile celebrities. As the founder of the S.W.A.T. Institute, she has built a global platform dedicated to helping women reclaim their identities, voices, and confidence. This month, we spotlight her story and explore the impact of the S.W.A.T. Institute.
You’ve spoken at length about the challenges of your adolescence and how those experiences shaped who you are today. What are some of the most important lessons you learned during that period?
I learned that no one was coming to save me. That realization was both devastating and liberating. The gift was understanding that I could save myself—and that we all can. I also learned the power of anger and how, when channelled properly, it becomes ‘jet fuel’ for success. The beautiful part is that once I became successful, the anger burned away, leaving compassion, understanding, and forgiveness in its place.
What was your career like before becoming a motivational speaker? What inspired you to make the transition?
I started in the health club industry and opened my own club at 22. From there, my work expanded to teaching group fitness and leading a personal-training team. After having children, my priorities shifted drastically. I ended my first marriage and wanted to be home with my daughters. That transition led me to find a way to merge purpose with flexible teaching, writing books, building an online coaching school, and speaking to audiences of 5,000 to 6,000 people. It became the most innovative and most fulfilling use of my time and talents.
Who were some key individuals who helped you establish yourself as a life coach?
Kate Beckinsale was my first major client. Her belief in me boosted my confidence enormously. Louise Hay and Debbie Ford were also pivotal mentors, and Colette Baron-Reid, a longtime friend, constantly reminded me that I must help heal the world. Once I believed that for myself, I became unstoppable.
You’ve often spoken about helping others discover “who they are.” Why do you think so many people struggle with a distorted sense of identity?
Our brains are wired for survival, not accuracy. Cognitive neuroscientist Michael Gazzaniga explains that the left brain serves as an “interpreter,” constantly constructing stories about what something means. Psychologist Michael Shermer calls the brain a “belief engine,” finding patterns and infusing them with meaning. If you grow up learning that safety comes from being dependable, accommodating, or “a good little girl or boy,” self-neglect becomes your form of protection. Conversely, if your environment taught you that survival depends on pleasing, charming, or submitting to others, you internalize that strategy as identity. These subconscious scripts—written early and rarely questioned—may help us survive, but they often hold us back from becoming who we truly are.
A few years ago, you launched your online publication, Simply Woman. Why enter the magazine space, and how did you choose which voices to feature?
Simply Woman began as a dream—a global coalition for women. It was also the title of my first book, and later the foundation for the Simply Woman Accredited Trainer (S.W.A.T.) Institute. The magazine grew naturally from that vision. We feature any woman whose writing empowers, educates, or enlightens. That is—and always will be—our mission.
Tell us about the key staff you rely on and why they’re essential to your work.
It took years to find and cultivate the right team. We are only as strong as the people around us. Jim Collins’ book Good to Great profoundly influenced me—especially his belief that success comes from getting the right people on the bus before deciding where the bus is going. I embraced that philosophy fully. With the right people in the right seats, everything becomes possible.
Why did you establish the S.W.A.T. Institute, and what are its core goals?
I envisioned the S.W.A.T. Institute a decade before I built it. I’ve always been a strategist who sees the big picture and understands how to build in stages. Our goal is to empower, educate, and enlighten women globally. Women have been systemically groomed for disempowerment for centuries. Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers couldn’t vote, own property, or speak publicly. Women were not even legally considered “persons” until the early 20th century. That generational conditioning still affects how women communicate and advocate for themselves today. The Institute exists to change that narrative.
How many students or graduates do you currently have and what has growth been like for new S.W.A.T. students?
Growth has been steady and strong. We currently have close to 600 Master Empowerment Coaches in training. Our new Personal Empowerment Coach Certification is especially promising—we’ve just partnered with a major health club chain and anticipate tremendous expansion.
Does the Institute refer clients to graduates, or are students responsible for developing their own client base?
We offer a unique Mentorship Coaching Program that allows any woman, anywhere in the world, to receive free coaching. Many of these mentorship relationships evolve into long-term paid coaching after graduation. Additionally, the third module of our Master Empowerment Coach Certification is a complete business curriculum—everything from marketing and messaging to niche development. Students must complete a business plan to graduate. We continue supporting graduates through the Simply Woman magazine and my social platforms, which collectively reach millions of people daily.
Once the graduates establish their own practices, do you maintain close ties with them?
Absolutely. Our S.W.A.T. “siSTARhood” is lifelong. Our private Facebook group is a powerful hub of connection and support, both personally and professionally. Coaches also receive free lifetime mentorship coaching.
What has the response been to your Mentorship Coaching Program? Can you recall any particularly memorable interactions?
I adore the Mentorship Coaching Program. It’s a profound win-win. Coaches sharpen their skills while women worldwide receive support they might not otherwise afford. The messages we receive are extraordinary—full of gratitude, transformation, and healing.
You often discuss helping women identify their “emotional age.” Can you explain what that means?
Biological Age tells us how our bodies function compared to our chronological age. Emotional age works the same way—but instead of measuring physical vitality, it reveals how empowered or disempowered we are emotionally. Some adults react to stress like teenagers—shouting, slamming doors, withdrawing. Meanwhile, some young adults carry themselves like much older individuals, taking on emotional burdens beyond their years. Emotional age has nothing to do with intelligence or status; it’s reflected in how we communicate, compromise, and connect.
My book The Emotional Edge (Random House, 2015) offers a practical system, the Empowerment Spectrum, to help people identify where they are and how to strengthen their emotional foundation.
The collaboration with Xooma reflects a strong alignment of values. Please discuss the origins of this partnership and any plans for expanding the product range.
Xooma approached me. I used their products for a year before promoting them because I needed to be certain they could genuinely help people. I would never endorse anything I didn’t trust wholeheartedly.
Who inspires you? Is there anyone you still look to for guidance?
Oprah Winfrey is my ultimate mentor. I’ve watched her since I was 16, sitting alone with my black-and-white TV. Her wisdom, strength, and ability to lead with Women’s Energy still inspire me. She continues to guide how I show up in the world.
Jennifer M. Williams | Editor-In-Chief
