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

Alisha, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?

One thing I would change about the education system is incorporating stronger personal development programs into the curriculum. While academic skills are essential, students often leave school without the foundational life skills necessary to navigate challenges, build resilience, and create fulfilling careers and lives. Personal development should not be an afterthought—it should be a core part of education, starting at an early age.

I believe that teaching self-awareness, goal setting, emotional intelligence, and adaptability would better equip students for success, regardless of their chosen profession. But beyond that, students also need to learn how to prioritize who they are as people, develop healthy communication skills, and cultivate meaningful relationships. Without these skills, many young adults struggle with confidence, decision-making, and building strong personal and professional connections.

I know this firsthand. When I was younger, I did well in school academically, but I lacked self-awareness and the personal development skills needed to truly thrive. Because of this, I carried certain struggles into adulthood that affected who I was in all areas of my life—professionally, personally, and emotionally. I didn’t fully understand how to communicate my needs effectively, build and maintain healthy relationships, or show up as my best self. It wasn’t until I made a conscious effort to invest in my own growth that I began to overcome these challenges.

This realization inspired me to become a coach and mentor, helping others build the mindset and tools they need to succeed. Imagine if students were taught these skills in school—how to manage stress, set meaningful goals, communicate effectively, and nurture relationships that support their growth. We would see more young people stepping into the world feeling prepared, empowered, and ready to create fulfilling lives and careers..

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 am the founder of Living Fulfilled Coaching & Consulting, a company dedicated to helping individuals and organizations harness personal development as a tool for transformation. My journey into this industry was born out of my own need to invest deeply in my growth. While I had the drive and ambition to succeed, I realized that without self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and resilience, I wasn’t fully equipped to navigate life’s challenges effectively. Recognizing how much personal development changed my own trajectory, I became passionate about helping others do the same.

I pursued formal training in coaching, earning my ICF coaching certification from Montgomery College in Maryland in the spring of 2022. This education allowed me to expand my business and serve a broader audience, from individuals seeking personal growth to organizations investing in their teams. My work has since taken me into various spaces, including youth mentorship, workforce development, student parent advocacy, and corporate training, where I help people unlock their full potential.

What I Do & Who I Help

At Living Fulfilled Coaching & Consulting, I provide services designed to empower individuals and teams with the mindset, skills, and confidence to lead fulfilling lives and careers. My offerings include:
• One-on-One Coaching: Helping individuals gain clarity, set meaningful goals, and develop strategies to overcome personal and professional challenges.
• Workshops & Training: Providing personal development and self-leadership training to businesses, schools, and organizations looking to enhance the confidence, productivity, and well-being of their teams.
• Keynote & Motivational Speaking: Delivering powerful talks on personal growth, resilience, and success, inspiring audiences to take action and become the best versions of themselves.
• Mentorship & Advocacy: Supporting youth, student parents, and workforce development students by equipping them with the tools to thrive in both education and life.

The Problems I Solve

Many people and organizations struggle with personal and professional growth due to a lack of self-awareness, confidence, and foundational life skills. My work helps address these gaps by teaching individuals:
• How to build self-confidence and resilience
• The importance of personal leadership and accountability
• Effective communication and relationship-building skills
• Strategies for overcoming self-doubt and fear
• How to set and achieve meaningful goals

For businesses and organizations, my coaching and training programs help teams improve collaboration, leadership skills, and overall workplace culture, leading to greater success and fulfillment.

What Sets Me Apart

What makes Living Fulfilled Coaching & Consulting unique is the deeply personal approach I take to coaching and development. My work isn’t just about strategies and techniques—it’s about helping people shift their mindsets and step into their full potential. Having personally experienced the challenges of navigating life without these foundational skills, I bring both expertise and empathy to my work. I also combine coaching, mentorship, and advocacy, allowing me to serve a diverse range of individuals and organizations in a meaningful way.

What I’m Most Proud Of

One of my proudest moments was presenting as a panelist at the National Council for Workforce Education Conference, where I shared my experiences and advocated for policies that support adult learners. Additionally, my advocacy work with the National Skills Coalition gave me the opportunity to visit Capitol Hill and push for workforce policies that directly impact students and professionals seeking upward mobility.

Beyond these milestones, I’m most proud of the personal transformations I witness in my clients—seeing someone grow in confidence, achieve their goals, or break through barriers is the greatest reward.

What I Want You to Know

Living Fulfilled Coaching & Consulting exists to help people create lives filled with confidence, purpose, and success. Whether you’re an individual looking to grow or an organization investing in personal development for your team, I am here to equip you with the tools and mindset to thrive.

If you’re ready to take your personal or professional growth to the next level, let’s connect.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been continuously investing in my own personal development. Business, at its core, is about relationships, and the more I grow, the better I am at building genuine connections with the people I serve.

By prioritizing my own growth—whether through coaching, education, or self-reflection—I’ve been able to show up more confident, knowledgeable, and intentional in my work. This not only strengthens my ability to guide and support clients effectively but also creates a level of trust and authenticity that naturally attracts the right people to my business.

When people see that I practice what I teach, that I’m constantly evolving and doing the work myself, it resonates. It allows me to serve my clients at the highest capacity, meeting them where they are and helping them achieve meaningful transformation. At the end of the day, investing in myself is the best way to ensure I’m always bringing the best version of myself to my clients—and that’s what keeps my business growing.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was believing that hard work alone guarantees success. Growing up, I was taught that if you work hard enough, opportunities will naturally come. While hard work is important, I had to learn that strategy, mindset, and relationships matter just as much—if not more.

When I first started my business as a solopreneur, I tried to do everything on my own. It was hard to ask for help, delegate tasks, or call on others for support. I thought that if I just worked harder, I could figure it all out. But I quickly realized that success isn’t meant to be a solo journey—community is everything. I learned how important it is to have a team, mentors, and a strong support system. Even if I wasn’t in a place to hire a full staff, simply having people to learn from, lean on, and gain perspective from made all the difference.

Once I unlearned the idea that I had to do it all myself, I started approaching life and business differently. I became more intentional about building relationships, seeking guidance, and surrounding myself with people who could help me grow. That shift changed everything—it allowed me to serve at a higher level, attract the right opportunities, and build a business that feels fulfilling instead of just demanding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.Livingfulfilledcoaching.com
• Instagram: Www..Instagram.com
• Facebook: https://Www.Facebook.com/AlishaSmall84
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/alisha-small84

Image Credits

@ Noel C Hall