Kiechelle Degale is a London, England-based entrepreneur who specializes in helping people get back to work. Her company KiE Leadership Training and Development runs workshops and programs aids individuals who have been out of work get back to work by helping them to transform their skill sets and their mindset. Degale sees first hand how building confidence and helping her clients to shift their perspective results in new employment or career progress. And today she can count hundreds of happy clients as proof.
Degale’s story, as told to The Story Exchange 1,000+ Stories Project:
The reason I started this business was to help people get back into work. I meet so many people in crisis due to loss of work, which can negatively impact people’s mental health and harm their future chances to thrive. What they need are some new skills, to re-invent or transform their existing skill set, to rebuild their self-confidence and self-esteem. I have been working in this field for over twenty years and I am also a mental health first aid instructor, so wellbeing and self-care play a major role in what I do. I work with individuals and groups to transform skill sets and minds to give them a platform to leap from. I am truly passionate about my work and look forward to everyday!
Success for me means creating the life I want by doing what sets my soul on fire! To be able to wake up each day with purpose, to feel and know that what I’m doing is helping to make another human’s life better, is what feeds me. Success for me is also measured by how much I can move others forward on their journey. I believe that if you give willingly, become an expert in your field and bring value to others, the financial side will take care of itself.
[Related: The Femtech Market Is Booming. Here Are Some of the Risks and Rewards]
My success is the feedback I get from clients. I have over 100 reviews and comments from individuals who tell me how much I have positively impacted their lives, transformed their thinking and self-confidence and the difference I have made for them. My success is measured by my ability to connect and transform.
My success is also my reputation, my positive and enthusiastic attitude, the way I am perceived, and the way I am fast becoming a ‘go to’ in my industry. My biggest success has truly been my ability to transform my own life from a broken little girl growing up in a small village in Trinidad to living in London and making a positive impact to hundreds, possibly thousands of people!
[Related: Finally, a Black Woman Will Lead a Fortune 500 Company]
My top challenge would be developing the ability to deal with challenging behaviors from clients and handling every type of mindset and attitude that I am presented with. To handle this effectively I needed to put my own teaching into practice. I have come to realize that ‘people are not their behavior’ in fact, they are far more than any negative behavior they may display. Behaviors can also be displayed to mask other underlying emotions. My attitude is I am open and welcome to all. I have learnt that whatever the challenge is if it is approached with genuine love and compassion for others it can go a very long way indeed.
Share your story!
Check out our Advice + Tips for entrepreneurs starting-up
Watch our latest videos
Subscribe to our podcast