We were lucky to catch up with JESSICA VILLEGAS recently and have shared our conversation below.

JESSICA, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Life involves taking risks. Some are big and bold; others may be small and cumulative leading to large scale impact. I’ve never been a big, bold risk taker, but my last risk holds a different story. In January of 2022 I walked away from my career in Supply Chain to pursue a dream I’d had for many years of helping others. I have always known I would do something to help others in big ways, but never knew what until recently. When the pandemic led to job-loss in 2020 I spent several months soul searching before securing a new position in sales. During this time, I analyzed what I was good at and truly enjoyed about my then, 19 years in the corporate world. I knew I loved leading and helping young people develop, find their dream roles or careers and empowering them to show up as their best selves at work. I encouraged them to be bold and leave nothing on the table. To ask for things that they thought were “too much”. The guidance, coaching and mentorship I shared was very impactful for those I had the privilege to help. I then connected this passion with the struggles I experienced as a young adult and realized that many of the young adults I was helping were also struggling in many of the same ways that I did. As I continued making the connections between what I needed as a young adult and the needs of those I had experience in leading, I developed a “Life Skills” program concept. This concept was an educational program that prepares teens to take responsibility for their own lives after high school in ways beyond household chores and domestic tasks. I then came up with a business name and obtained my LLC. I realized I needed to add an element to the program and obtain a more focused education around the population I wanted to work with which was teens and young adults. That’s when I found Academic Life Coaching through an International Coaching Federation accredited institution, Coach Training EDU. After 6 months I became an credentialed Academic Life Coach and slowly began building my business. It was 16 months from the development of the business concept to the day I resigned from my full-time job. It was incredibly scary to leave the comforts of all that my corporate role brought to me from benefits and salary to expertise in the field and job security, but to-date it’s been one of the top 5 best decisions I’ve ever made in my life!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve always enjoyed empowering others to be better versions of themselves. I’ve been building and improving processes and procedures, facilitating training and teaching new skills to others for the better part of 22 years. Currently, as Founder + Success Coach for Hi-Lite Coaching + Consulting my team and I provide private coaching, group coaching and workshops for teens and young adults ages 12-35. We work in-person and virtually. Additionally, we provide services to businesses and schools that serve and support these age populations. We empower young people through our ETA (empower, transform, achieve) programs to develop direction and a sense of purpose for their lives by building skills that are scalable and applicable to all areas of life. To date, we have impacted the lives of over 120 local youth. On average our clients see a 30-40% improvement to their self-reported perception of confidence, sense of direction and control over their future. In short, we help reduce the stress, overwhelm and anxiety young people experience due to societal, peer and self-imposed pressure and help them to replace it with a sense of empowerment, confidence and control.

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

I’ve had to unlearn that women can not only contribute to society, but that we can also add value through risk-taking and leadership in ways that are unconventional and unexpected. I was raised in a traditional small town in South Carolina. Growing up I heard things like “children should be seen and not heard” and “women belong at home, barefoot and in the kitchen”. For many years into early adulthood, I believed that I could never contribute to my household in the way a man could so I should find a man who could provide for me and my future family. It wasn’t until I went through the hardship of being a divorced, single mother that I had no other choice than to learn how to provide for my children without the help of a male counterpart., I learned that I too could provide for my household at levels a man could and I could be a powerful and influential leader. It was after realizing this and doing it for several organizations that I developed the courage to become an entrepreneur and do it for my community, my family and myself.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

I absolutely would choose this same profession. Where I am now feels like and intentional collection of the things I have experienced through educational pursuits and personal and professional experience. It’s almost as if all I have been working toward has led me here. Never have I felt more fulfilled, meaningful and successful as I do now through Hi-Lite.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hilitecoaching.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hilitecoaching/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicalvillegas/
• Other: https://hilitecoaching.campsite.bio/

Image Credits
Michael Tyler Ham Em Agency