Today we’d like to introduce you to Kwan Segal
Hi Kwan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am the founder of ICAway, a career coaching organization dedicated to supporting international students. We also extend our expertise to international educators and higher education professionals, providing comprehensive training to enhance their ability to support international students within their institutions.
My journey to this career follows the happenstance theory, filled with pivotal moments. Born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, by a single mother, I initially had no clear career path but knew I wanted professional success. I began my career as a personal assistant at BMW Group Financial Services and later pivoted to a management consultant role at Accenture after earning my MBA. A significant turning point occurred when Accenture sent me to Chicago for consultant training, where I met my significant other. Two years later, I moved to the USA to start anew.
As a foreign-born professional in the USA, I faced challenges in building my network and personal brand due to cultural and language barriers. With persistence and perseverance, I landed my first job at a prestigious consulting firm in Chicago. Many international student friends sought my advice to achieve similar success, leading me to volunteer as their coach. This led to collaborations with university career services and the gradual formation of a community of international students.
In 2017, I founded ICAway. Now entering our eighth year, I am grateful for the support of mentors, friends, advisory board members, university partners, collaborators, students, and our alumni network. The journey has not been easy, and we continue to face challenges due to the uncertain political climate and rapidly evolving job market. However, we remain committed to being the most trusted career coach for international students and a reliable advisor for international educators. We are proud of our mission and the impact we have at ICAway.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
ICAway was founded in 2017 during a time when the political climate was not favorable to international education, international students, or immigrants. Despite these challenges, we have consistently led advocacy efforts for our students, helping them build skills to become their own advocates. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, the job market froze, and many students required additional support, both mentally and strategically, to pivot their job search strategies.
Our commitment, dedication, and experience in human capital enabled us to thrive despite these challenges. During the pandemic, when job openings were at their lowest, our students achieved over a 95% success rate in securing employment or job interviews within three weeks of completing the program. Many alumni also reported receiving promotions within a year due to their enhanced advocacy and networking skills.
We are immensely proud of our work and our students’ achievements.
We’ve been impressed with ICAway (pronounced as /i-see-a-way/), but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At ICAway (pronounced as /i-see-a-way/), we are a holistic educational career and personal development consulting company that specializes in empowering international students to overcome job search challenges. Through expert guidance in networking, career branding, and self-advocacy, we equip international students with the tools to confidently navigate their career paths and emerge as victorious contenders in their chosen fields.
Additionally, we extend our reach to international educators and higher education professionals, offering them comprehensive training to enhance their understanding and competencies in supporting international students within their institutions. With a holistic approach, we aim to foster success, bridging the gap between aspiring students and educators to create a more interconnected and supportive global academic community.
Our unique program methodology encompasses the following key components:
• Career Clarity for Visa Sponsorship
• Self-Advocacy and Career Branding
• Cross-Cultural Networking
• Winning Attitude
We offer the following programs to our university partners:
Programs for students
• Coaching As A Service (CaaS) – The ICAway Talent Platform (On-Demand Content and Group Coaching)
• Speaking engagement: webinar, onsite workshop, and panel discussion
• Free resources: podcast, webinars, online courses, and a WhatsApp group for Q&A
Programs for advisors
• The Cross-Cultural Advisor Academy (iCEP) – On-Demand learning and a community designed to equip college and university advisors with the tools to effectively support international students in overcoming cross-cultural barriers and the fear of rejection in networking scenarios.
Proven Performance:
We’ve coached over 200 students enrolled in our ICAway talent platform, helping them secure job offers from renowned companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Wintrust, Goldman Sachs, PwC, Deloitte, Unilever, Nestle Purina, Linde, and more. These students have pursued careers in a wide range of fields, including data analysis, business analysis, product management, auditing, financial analysis, consulting, credit risk analysis, digital marketing, sales operations, instructional design, UX research, engineering, R&D, and other specialized areas.
• Our student body is diverse, representing students from over 100 universities and 25 countries in 5 continents.
• International student demographics: Approximately 80% graduate students and 20% undergraduates.
• Approximately 30% of our students are in non-STEM fields, and 70% are in STEM fields. Students in both fields attain remarkable career outcomes through our program.
• We have achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 86/100, indicating our high customer satisfaction and ranking us among the top performers in our industry.
• The average end-of-module score for our students is an outstanding 4.5 out of 5.0.
• Following the completion of our 7 core online modules on the ICAway Talent Platform, a significant 93.8% of our students reported feeling well-prepared for their career search.
• Notably, 95.3% of ICAway students received interviews or job offers within 3 weeks after completing the program.
• We have received all five-star reviews on Google and Facebook from real users of the ICAway Talent Platform, further validating the quality of our services.
Over 50 University Career Services and International Student Offices in 12 states across the USA have shared our career resources with their students. We’ve delivered over 200 presentations hosted by prestigious US institutions.
What makes you happy?
What makes me happy? Wow, that’s such a great reflective question. If you had asked me this years ago, I would have said a successful career and seeing my students succeed. And don’t get me wrong—those things still bring me joy. However, this year I’ve discovered the power of mindfulness. Regardless of the situation, whether it’s a hot summer or a cold winter, as long as I practice mindfulness, I can find happiness and a sense of freedom.
Mindfulness is what I prioritize in life and in my coaching. During our group calls with students, we practice deep breathing exercises to help them overcome anxiety and self-doubt. We also organized yoga sessions by the lake in Chicago, led by one of our alumna who is a yoga practitioner. You can watch a reel of our session here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9fyoGByNgP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
I feel blessed when I practice mindfulness and when I see my community living their lives with mindfulness. This shared practice not only enhances our well-being but also strengthens our connection and resilience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.icaway.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icawaycoaching/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/icaway
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@icaway/featured
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kwansegal
