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

Debbie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you as a business owner?

At a previous corporate job, when I was leading a big initiative as a leader in Learning and Development, I participated in a call with field directors, as the deliverables being created for the business were going to be delivered in the field to the businesses impacted by this new and improved process. In the call, I was asked to produce a second deliverable for the franchisees, which I said we could do, but needed to delay the deliverable date by a couple of weeks so that all of the bugs could be ironed out with legal and delivered with the initial deliverable first.

After the call, I was asked by the leading Senior Director of the initiative to apologize for saying “no” to them about delivering the second deliverable at the same time as the initial one. I told her I would not apologize for doing my job. I was protecting my team, the field teams, and I was allowing legal to have the time they needed to answer all of the questions that needed to be answered for the first deliverable, so that we could leverage those learnings for the second deliverable.

All that said, I thought I could lose my job because I said “no” to apologizing for saying yes, and a couple of weeks later, to the second deliverable. I knew I was doing what was best for all involved and still delivering what was requested for both audiences. Because I was concerned, I ended up informing the Executive overseeing the initiative that I would not apologize for doing my job and recommending staggered deliverables.

I almost had a breakdown because of this project. I had a team member, who was a people pleaser, and the director leading the initiative, who was trying to climb the corporate ladder at any cost. Thankfully, my boss at the time, who’s a very smart woman, had enough sense to tell me to take some time off, so I did. I went and visited a friend out of town for a long weekend. We had some laughs, and I had some time being in a different environment with beautiful trees and a lot of deer, which allowed me to think.

From this experience, I realized that I had to be my own boss. I had to be me! I literally would sing it to myself in my corporate cube. “I’ve gotta be me, I’ve gotta be me, what else can I be, I’ve gotta be me!” by Sammy Davis Jr. I knew I needed to go out on my own and do what I do best!

So now, I own my own business, I am a founder and strategic partner with 39 years of experience in Leadership Development and Learning & Organizational Effectiveness, who has developed leaders in Global Fortune 500, midsize, and small companies. I partner with organizations and individuals to elevate leaders and teams by leveraging their strengths or “gifts” and increasing their effectiveness to exceed their goals.

Debbie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

So I started writing a book after I left my last paying job, which was at a non-profit. The working book title is “Raised By The Queen of the Glass Half Full and Other Royal Subjects” by Debbie Kuby. By the way, the Queen of Glass Half Full was my mom. The other royal subjects were the rest of the tribe: my family, extended family, and friends who raised me.

Then, I decided to blog TO a book, which was recommended by a coach I hired, Sue, to help me create my website: https://www.queenofglasshalffull.com. Then I started blogging about topics that I had outlined in my drafted book and added even more topics, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. All of which were lessons learned from my parents, extended family, family friends, and myself as I tried new experiences and traveled around the world on adventures.

After that, I finished the coach training I started before my last job at the non-profit. I also completed my coaching certification to earn my Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) credential, followed by my International Coaching Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential. I was well on my way to starting my own coaching business, equipped with the necessary coaching skills and credentials.

I was also doing more writing, which included poetry, which led to song lyrics, and more blogs. I actually wrote a song during COVID that was produced by my friend, Chris, and my nephew, Ty, wrote the piano accompaniment. It’s called “Hugs and Hope”, and it’s in one of my blogs entitled, Songwriting: Creativity That Feeds Your Soul, which is linked to SoundCloud.

Then, I decided to learn the process to create and share my own TEDx talk, which is entitled, No Regrets! I’ve been vetting it and adding stories with more lessons learned. I’m quite the storyteller! I have a lot of material from my life and professional experiences.

All of this led up to who I am now, which is an entrepreneur, a founder and strategic partner, an executive and leadership coach, a writer, and a storyteller/speaker. I support organizational needs, coach, write, and do speaking engagements. I love the flexibility and the variety, and most of all, I am my own boss, and I’m happy!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

This is a great story that many women, especially single women, need to hear!

First of all, I come from a long line of very strong-willed women: my mom, my grandmas, and my great-grandmas on both sides of the family. My Grandma Carlson started her first beauty salon with a friend/business partner, after borrowing $50 from her local butcher. Her husband was not happy that she did that, but he was a barber, and he was drinking away his life with buddies, so kudos to her for doing what she needed to do! I actually worked at her second beauty salon when I was in grade school and high school, answering the phone, taking appointments, balancing her books, taking out rollers, sweeping the floor, washing towels, and shampooing hair.

All of my life, I wanted to be an entrepreneur, either as a contract instructional designer, a professional speaker, a coach, or an author. I actually went to culinary school while working in a high-profile corporate leadership role, so add to the list being a chef with my own restaurant. I’ve had a lot of dreams! And I was the only one preventing me from making this happen!

What held me back was my own ceiling, my own limiting beliefs. I thought I couldn’t be an entrepreneur without having a husband who could provide me with health insurance and a steady paycheck as I got my new business off the ground. Silly me!

At 54 years of age, I finally said, “Enough is enough,” and I quit my last job. I had paid off the mortgage on my condo way before this time. I had paid cash for a new car during my last corporate role, which is a whole other story. I had saved enough money to support myself, so I finally took the leap! The name of my business is Queen of Glass Half Full, which came from my drafted book title.

It hasn’t been easy getting my business off the ground. I have not been making the salary I was pulling in my previous jobs, both corporate and non-profit. I learned what I needed to live off of, and I have supported myself while I have learned and acquired the skills needed to be able to have a successful business.

I’m not where I want to be yet in many ways, but I am well on my way! And when I do, I want to continue to pay it forward. Currently, I am doing pro bono development coaching for underprivileged, young adults ages 18-24 with All Stars Project, Inc. I started this in November 2023 while I was completing my coaching certification with CTI. My friend, Rose, gave me the contact.

So far I have coached six young adults with All Stars Project Inc. It is the most rewarding work I have ever done! They are motivated, smart individuals who just take it all in like sponges. They are the best coaching candidates! Recently, one of them asked me if I could be her coach for life. Best day ever!

I became a coach because I feel coaching is THE BEST WAY to learn, especially if you’re motivated, smart, and have an open mind. I can say this with confidence as I have 39 years of experience leading teams that created and implemented Leadership Development and Learning & Organizational Development, and I have my M.Ed. in Adult Corporate Instructional Management from Loyola University Chicago. I know what I speak of.

I have leveraged coaches throughout my life to: get in shape, be healthier, write and create my blog/website, fall in love again, coach others, be a professional speaker, and build a successful business working with organizations, partnering with executives to support their needs with viable solutions that will elevate their leaders and teams by leveraging their “gifts” and increasing their effectiveness to exceed their goals.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

I would say that after working for Fortune 500 companies for 20 years, leading numerous initiatives, projects, and teams, both internal and external, you have to BE there for your team. BE a servant leader!

You have to say, “We need a staggered set of deliverables to prevent duplication of effort and burnout”. You need to be humble and vulnerable, sharing stories of risks you took and how you succeeded or failed, and what you learned. You need to be encouraging and supportive of their dreams. Yes, their dreams! They aren’t just working hard for the paycheck and to be employee of the month.

Your team needs to know you have their backs. You need to tell them to “go home and rest” and “take care of yourself so that you can be there for your family and yourself”. You need to fight for their raises, promotions, bonuses, and invest in them and their next learning opportunity.

You need to be real and honest, which means creating an environment that includes vulnerability, humor, laughing, crying, hugging, making mistakes, and celebrating the little and big things!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.queenofglasshalffull.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/queenofglasshalffull
• Facebook: facebook.com/dkuby
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/debbiekuby