We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mimi Rosado a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mimi, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

As I walk through this life, I want to leave people, organizations, and communities better than I found them. I truly believe that we each have an opportunity and responsibility to add to each others’ success, one interaction at a time. I grew up in a tough situation, but my mom and other mentors in my life left a positive imprint on me that I carry with me and I hope that I’m able to do the same for others.

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

I grew up in the ghettos of Los Angeles, CA to a single mom who worked three jobs to care for me and my two sisters, while going to nursing school. In our home, we had many practices that gave us the foundation for what I consider my mission today through my two businesses. In 2018, I was recovering from two years of depression after my husband passed away and my health was deteriorating. On a trip to Sedona with my mom that year, she wisely encouraged me to find ways to increase my impact for others. At that point, I had mentored many young adults in their careers and had volunteered as a court advocate for foster youth, but I wanted to do more. So I went back to school for a year and obtained a certification in integrative health coaching in 2019.

Kawal Wellness was born in 2019. I began coaching individuals in holistically caring for themselves and this grew to holding self-care and empowerment workshops in my home, and eventually holding workshops for non-profit organizations. I knew I was living my mission when I was honored in holding empowerment workshops for Camp Brave Trails, an LGBTQ+ teen camp during the Summer of 2022 and Independent Life Skills classes for San Diego County Youth Programs.
As I continued to hold sessions for individuals, I began to notice that they were leaving the workshops recommitted to themselves and returning to work or school only to be faced with systems, processes, and environments that did not support their new frame of mind. So I decided to do something about it … I launched Bears & Butterflies Consulting in January 2023.

With twenty years of strategic, project management, human resources, and DEI experience, my next adventure with Bears & Butterflies is to help organizations build systems and environments that support their employees and clients in their path to health and vitality.

With Kawal Wellness and Bears & Butterflies, my hope is that we can individually and collectively improve our selves, schools, businesses, and communities. Because when one succeeds, we all rise.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Honestly, my entire life has been one convoluted pivot. I’ve had eleven separate careers in my adult life, from the most technical jobs in information assurance to more heart-work like Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEI&B) executive. I moved to San Diego with no job and no place to live (with a 3-yr-old in tow), moved employers countless times, obtained my MBA when my kids were six and two, and began my two businesses at ages 46 and 50. I am convinced that if someone is open to opportunities and live two steps beyond the fear, they become more comfortable with the pivots. I work with young adults and one of the things I always share with them is that we need to give ourselves permission to change our minds. I do believe we need to see our commitments through, but continuing to hold onto something out of fear of change can stifle our growth.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I believe in doing business with an open hand. What I mean by this is that we, as business owners, need to create space for our clients to contribute to the solution. I partner with my clients and although I bring specialized thinking and skills, I understand and respect that they know themselves and their business. I invite them into the solution. I meet my clients where they are and I believe that this creates a trust relationship much quicker and has helped me build a positive reputation.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kawalwellness.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kawal_life/
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/mimi-rosado-580517a
• Other: mimi@bearsbutterflies.com

Image Credits
N/A personal photos