We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kyla Duffy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kyla below.

Alright, Kyla thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard

As a career coach and resume writer, I don’t rely on LinkedIn or other lead generation avenues to attract clients. Instead, my business thrives on referrals from satisfied clients. It’s not due to a loyalty program—most clients are unaware of the $20 referral credit I offer. The real reason is my commitment to making the process seamless and consistently delivering projects well ahead of schedule.

From a transparent outline of my services, processes, and pricing to curated extras that support my clients’ success, I ensure a smooth, timely, and value-driven experience. This approach fosters trust and inspires ongoing referrals. The keys to my success in generating referrals are organization, transparency, time management, and customer focus. This may not seem like a departure from the industry standard, but you’d be surprised. Few people deliver as promptly and comprehensively as I do.

Kyla, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My family always encouraged me to pursue my dreams. They also instilled in me a commitment to education. Because of this, I achieved numerous athletic and academic goals that have afforded me a life less ordinary, including many unique opportunities to live abroad and work in diverse sectors. I possess bachelor’s (marketing & Spanish translation) and master’s degrees (organizational leadership). In addition to being trained by the largest resume-writing company in the world and continuously pursuing knowledge from career development thought leaders, I am skilled in International Coaching Federation (ICF) and National Career Development Association (NCDA) methodologies.

I’m no stranger to fear, challenge, and disillusionment, but I also have a clear view of what’s on the other side. This is a strong component of the empathy and inspiration I offer my clients. At age 34, I made a decision that changed my life completely; I left a steady job as a university instructor in Colorado to join a flying trapeze troupe in Japan. I knew this would involve endless obstacles, but the idea of success empowered me. Through perseverance, tenacity, and hard work – along with the help of some great coaches – I transcended the months of pain, suffering, and disappointment to gain respect, confidence, and a level of mastery normally reserved for people much younger and more experienced.

Not everyone wants to join a flying trapeze troupe, but many of us harbor hidden desires we’ve yet to uncover or are afraid to speak out loud, let alone pursue. What is the difference between realizing a life aligned with your values and suffering stagnation? Sometimes, it’s just a shove in the right direction. My passion is to help you develop a compass and tools to boost your confidence and allow that push to come from within. Reducing work-related stress for my clients gives my life meaning. Nothing beats experiencing an “A-ha!” moment during a coaching session or receiving an “I got the job!” email after refining someone’s resume, LinkedIn profile, and job-interviewing skills.

“Go for it!” is a family motto I carry with me daily and project to my clients. Through a collaborative approach, I have helped more than 4,000 individuals find and forge their own paths, present their best selves in person and on paper, and discover the power within them to surmount any obstacle. This has led me to recognition among Upwork’s “Top 1% of Freelancers.” I am committed to changing lives by helping people understand themselves and clearly communicate that understanding with others. I am my clients’ relentless advocate and career development expert who will jump to their assistance when they need me and stand by their side as their careers grow and shift.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When I stopped performing as a flying trapeze artist at a circus in Japan, I was a little lost. I had been “moonlighting” as a resume writer to make some extra cash, but I didn’t see that as a career. However, I continued writing resumes upon returning stateside as a stopgap until I could figure something else out.

The resume-writing company invited me to become a Quality Assurance Editor and Job Interview Coach. As I continued picking up new skills and opportunities, I realized career coaching could be a fulfilling career for me. I slowly pursued continuing education, built a website, and began generating my own clientele before cutting the cord completely with the company.

The slow rollout of my business was uncharacteristic for me, as I’m known for jumping head-first into things. I’m so glad I decided to do things differently this time, as it allowed me to prove my business concept before being out to sea without a paddle. The result has been a thriving business. I provide excellent value for my clients while enabling a flexible, productive life for myself.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had the opportunity to be one of the top snowboarders in the world back in the ’90s, but I let fear blow it for me. Instead of achieving my potential, the “voices in my head” held me back, and eventually, I fizzled out.

When I became a professional flying trapeze artist way later in life, I promised myself I would not let fear hold me back. Even though I joined the troupe when I was 34 (way late, old lady!), I worked hard to surpass all expectations. I followed a training process that built my confidence and allowed me to circumnavigate fear. The result was that I achieved athletic excellence far beyond my wildest dreams and developed a reputation as “the rock” on our team for not missing tricks.

When it came to my career coaching business, I approached it with the same “no fear” attitude. I developed a process to build the business, which gave me confidence and allowed me to proceed step by step. This has been the key takeaway from this experience: Afraid? Create a process. When you reach the end of your process, you’ll feel prepared and deserving of success!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kyladuffy.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyladuffy/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/kyladuffy

Image Credits

Cynthia Arguelles