We recently connected with Dr. KayLa N. Allen and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. KayLa N., thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
The biggest risk I have ever taken was believing in myself. You see, while I have always known of my purpose and passion in helping others, I didn’t have an example or a place to turn to for all the perfect answers to make things come to life. I wanted to do something that made me truly happy while sharing my experiences to help others. Everything that I have now started with doing something I love – writing. I had to keep taking a chance on myself and take a risk in doing what was once only a dream, over and over again. I had to find a way to empower, encourage, and push myself through countless growth seasons to become Dr. KayLa, create my business under my name and manifest Dear Mixed Girl.
I wanted to do something meaningful, but I knew that meant I had to also do the work on myself. Sometimes, taking this “risk” or “leap of faith” can be so difficult. Through meaningful support and sometimes through others’ negativity, I found my voice. This one small thing, my voice, filled me with hope and determination.
One day in 2017, things started to click, and Dear Mixed Girl coaching services, letters, girl’s and women’s empowerment, and my coaching and leadership development practice “Dr. KayLa N. Allen” came to life piece by piece.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
While education is great and going to an excellent school can lead to many other positive outcomes, these things are not the be-all and/or end-all in business or life. I crafted my niche by continuing to focus on what I wanted, the life I dreamed of, and my purpose. At the end of the day, I kept learning that it is not about what school you go to or how many degrees you have; it’s about what you choose to do for others with what you learn along the way.
My business under my full name Dr. KayLa N. Allen and the very important branch of “Dear Mixed Girl” caters to girls and women of diverse backgrounds and to individuals in leadership positions who aim to continue evolving their approaches and mindsets. This space I have so carefully crafted is centered on the power of transformation. When we can understand who we are at the core, we can create waves of change in everything we do. We all go through challenges, and I wanted to ensure that anyone I serve is someone who is walking in the shoes I formerly went through.
Dear Mixed Girl is a coaching program first and foremost, but I bring to light “our” experiences, how we can face the world at every age, what it means to embrace “our” identities, and what it means to walk powerfully in all that we are. While there is no rule book to tackling life and every type of relationship, there are things that can be done to transform the world around us while we grow and mature. Dear Mixed Girl is where girls and women can be free to be who they are without judgment and love the lives they lead.
Clients that I work with in healthcare leadership spaces work with me in order to create wanted outcomes, shift communication practices, identify necessary areas of change, re-structure or build effective and consistent DEI efforts, and empower “the individual” to see themselves while sustainably transforming their lives and work efforts. Like the phrase says, “There is no I in team, but there is a “me””, a leader cannot be a part of a team, let alone lead them if they are not mindful, aware, culturally competent, and engaging in lifelong learning. My practice helps to equip and co-create transformation in professional and personal areas for women of multicultural, mixed, or biracial background, as these spaces in life work hand in hand.
What makes my business different is the identity and diversity aspect in combination with my lived experiences and education. Anyone who is looking for someone who understands their diversity walk, identity challenges, or aims to continue showing up as the best version of themselves can and should see that in their coach; they will always find that in my services.
I embrace meaningful opportunities to speak on the topics of diversity, identity, and effective leadership internationally. Working with mentees from various organizations as they navigate through college endeavors and find ways to balance out their new lives, is something that makes my heart happy to do regularly. I am proud of the ways in which I give back and how I continue to evolve in my life’s walk.
I don’t aim to be perfect, but I do aim to show up better than yesterday, every day. If you are looking for a coach who understands your experiences, does the work to evolve herself, and will connect compassion, empathy, knowledge, research, and wisdom to best support you as you work to reach your goals, please connect with me via any of my social media pages @drkaylanallen or via my websites drkaylanallen.com or dearmixedgirl.com. If you can ask yourself “Are you ready to level up?” and the answer is yes, it is time to do the work to make that happen – let’s get started.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I have many! However, one that sticks out more than others is overcoming brokenness. I went through a series of hard times, self-doubt, many depression seasons, and thoughts about how I did not know how to make a dream come true. I can tell you this: I was boggled down by what I thought I could not do and did not know how to do in several spaces. One thing that always kept me going was giving myself a moment to just “feel” my experiences and feelings and allow it only to be a “moment.”
While I could easily say I just started motivating myself and everything magically fell together, this would be a far-fetched reality (and simply not valid). The truth is I had to learn and re-learn what I needed to nourish my soul and support myself through tough times, as this is the starting point for making goals possible. I don’t pretend to be perfect now or ever, but I do try hard to break barriers that come before me, and I work to build the future I want the most.
Nowaday, I step into new spaces with my anxiety in my back pocket (out of sight and out of mind for me in this case), keep trying to grow, and always promise myself that I will be one of the few who thrive in their lived-out dreams. My reality is always there as is my ambition – fighting through it all and embracing the greatness before me is how I make my dreams a reality.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Learning tools are some of the most powerful things you can do for yourself or give yourself as a business owner and individual.
One of the first books that challenged my perceptions of business was “The 4-Hour Work Week” by Tim Ferriss; this book pushed me to understand my reality, how I was working, and potential possibilities in how I was leading my life. Another book that has shifted my life recently is entitled “Do It: The Life-Changing Power of Taking Action” by David Nurse; it has allowed me to look deeper into my real reflection (which I call mirror work) and understand that ALL things are possible if I am willing to do the work.
Take the time to understand this very simple fact, the person who can lead, shift gears, and empower other people is whole within themselves and constantly finding new ways to approach age-old things. There is no ideal way of learning a particular thing you need to study or put into your learning toolbox. Rather, you need to work on yourself and your practices through methods that work for you. No person learns, receives information, or proceeds toward new access points in opportunities in the same manner. We all require different tools, sources of knowledge, and spaces of empowerment to get where we are trying to go.
I seek out books, motivational videos, bible teachings and time with God, moments with myself in stillness and quiet, and do things to empower others through my journey. These things combined with support structures and environments and my daily work practices pivot me from lows to highs on a regular basis. Choose wisely the things you allow to enter your mind and the people you embrace into your circle. All things come together and create an impact, and you want to be sure the impact is best for your life and business.
Contact Info:
- Website: drkaylanallen.com | dearmixedgirl.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkaylanallen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drkaylanallen
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkaylanallen/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/drkaylanallen
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/drkaylanallen
- Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drkaylanallen
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drkaylanallen/