Great businesses don’t just run on ideas, they run on the people who turn those ideas into something real, structured, and sustainable. At Sycamore, our OBMs sit right in that space, and today we’re introducing you to Crystal Barron.

Crystal brings a strong background in administration and international Operations and Project Management within the Language Education sector. After taking time out for maternity leave, she knew she didn’t want to return to a traditional corporate path. Instead, she set out to build a freelance career that aligned with her values, which is what led her to Sycamore.

She loves the variety her role brings, from day-to-day operations and admin through to launching new products and reshaping business strategy. What she really enjoys is being the “how” person, taking a vision and turning it into something structured, practical, and achievable.

In this Meet the OBM Q&A, Crystal shares what she loves most about her work, her favourite systems and strategy tools, and why flexible, adaptive thinking makes such a difference when supporting business owners, especially those working in neurodivergent-friendly ways.

Tell us a bit about your work history and how you came to be an OBM at Sycamore

I have spent part of my career in various administrative roles. Most recently, I worked internationally in Operations & Project Management for the Language Education sector. After taking some time off for my maternity leave, I knew I didn’t want to return to a corporate setting. I wanted to freelance in a way that aligned with my values and found Sycamore. It felt serendipitous.

What do you love most about your role at Sycamore OBM?

I love the evolving nature of the work I do with my Sycamore clients. My work regularly includes everything under the sun from day-to-day admin and operations, to launching new products or even completely reinterpreting a business strategy.

I have been fortunate to work alongside and in partnership with brilliant people who are all about finding creative solutions to help a vision come together. I’m also so grateful for my Sycamore colleagues who are so supportive of one another and so eager to share tips, tech and strategies for each other’s work.

What are your favourite types of tasks or projects to get stuck into?

Generally speaking, I love being the “how” person on a project or task. I really enjoy the vision-mapping and brainstorming process that comes together to help an idea grow into an outcome. I enjoy logistics and working out milestones and helping plan stages.

More specifically, I love creating “passive income” strategies for business owners- courses and workshops in particular!

How has your understanding of neurodivergence shaped how you work?

My work means being flexible, creative, and adaptive, whether that’s with neurodivergent or neurotypical clients. I truly believe that my clients are the experts on themselves and there is not a one-solution-fits-all approach that will work for everyone. I will say it is an incredible experience to work with people who are attuned to and authentic about their needs and who show up and say “That doesn’t work for me.”

What’s one thing you wish more people understood about working with neurodivergent business owners?

Working with neurodivergent business owners inherently makes your work better. The neurodivergent experience is completely different for everyone and can change over time. Learning how to achieve an outcome from a variety of approaches or methods makes the quality of what you achieve together better.

Do you have a favourite tool, app or system for getting stuff done?

I enjoy Notion’s range of abilities for planning projects, posting and holding documents, and setting timelines. I also really like Miro for mapping and planning- it’s essentially a digital whiteboard and Post-Its, which really appeals to my analogue style.

When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing to relax or recharge?

I really enjoy slow walks in the woods with my family and a coffee. I can also be found with a few different crafty projects on the go in various stages of completion (or not).

What’s your current hyperfocus, obsession or interest outside of work?

Currently, it’s all things DIY and redecorating.

What’s your best tip for someone trying to build a business that works with their brain, not against it?

Experimentation is part of the process- embrace the things that work for you and leave behind, or delegate what doesn’t.

What’s one word you’d use to describe working at Sycamore?

Refreshing!

Want to get to know more of the wonderful humans behind the work?

You can meet the full team here, and we’ll be back next month with another OBM Q&A.