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

Keelay, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

The Keelay Carter Experience is a Community that connects women, encourages, motivates, uplifts, inspires and pushes them to Live with Their Purpose daily…. No Matter What!

What started as a podcast for moms to share their stories, and events that brought moms together to connect transformed into a purpose that I didn’t even see for myself. Realizing that motherhood is just one title and role that I’ve been blessed to be entrusted with but that God truly wants to use me in a bigger way. The fear of what that would look like was a real thing, because who am I to impact and influence women when my life was half way in shambles.

Little did I know, God was preparing me and allowing me to go through the things that I believed were shameful, traumatizing, frustrating and just overall a TEST…. He used these very things to bring me through little by little, downloading me the courage and boldness to begin to share the very storms that I was experiencing to show up as myself authentically no matter how it looked to others. He used this to place me in the connection with women around the world via social media, that I didn’t know, some I had personal relationships with, some I only knew virtually. He connected me with women who shared their testimonies, their stories, their dreams, their visions with me.

He connected me with women who would encourage me, pray for me and cover me, women who pushed me to be bold and show up daily. I didn’t know what I was doing or saying that women would begin to message me that I Inspired them, I motivated them, I encouraged them…. I didn’t know and honestly most days still don’t know BUT God! God knew and knows how it all was supposed to work out. He began to use me through the things I thought would cancel me out, the things that I thought under qualified me, the things that made me unworthy.

He continuously uses me and my journey through life to reach the women he has intended and assigned for me to connect with in some way. Coaching was never something I would’ve thought of but when it comes to purpose, that ‘s usually how it works…. it’s something that you’re passionate about, something you don’t even realize you’re doing effortlessly, something you may not see or envision for yourself but through prayer and trusting God’s plan for my life, it’s where I landed.

The Keelay Carter Life Coaching was birthed through understanding who Keelay was, eliminating the titles, the roles, the expectations of others, the opinions of others and truly believing and trusting who God has created and called me to be. Understanding and getting to know myself through the obstacles and battles of fear, self-doubt, grief, unworthiness, and people pleasing is what saved me, when it’s the very things I thought would destroy me.

When others had opinions, God had purpose and I’m beyond grateful.

I now coach women and push them into their purpose, encouraging, uplifting, hyping them, holding them accountable, speaking life into them, believing in them, teaching them to cancel out distractions, doubt, fear, and anything that would keep them from fulfilling their purpose.

AND….. I LOVE IT HERE!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Outside of Purpose-Driven, I believe God used grief to truly push me into my purpose fully. In 2021, we lost my dad and it was one of the toughest and darkest times in my life. I felt isolated, I felt depressed, I felt lost, I felt hopeless, I felt like I needed life to pause for just a moment and we all know that doesn’t happen realistically.

I was forced to live through the emotions, I was pushed into therapy, I was forced to sit with myself and truly surrender my all to God. Where I didn’t have understanding, I leaned on him. Where peace was non-existent, I leaned on him. Where joy was nowhere to be found, I had to lean on him. When others had opinions, recommendations, timelines, and an outside view of misunderstanding what I was going through, I leaned on him.

Grief became my motivation, realizing that we all have an expiration date, and none of us truly know when that date is. Understanding and realizing that we are all here for purpose and that there is only one uniquely designed “you” and you’re the only one that can live the life that you’ve been given pushed me into my purpose.

When I coach the women, I pray for and over each and every call before entering to ensure that what I am saying, how I show up, what I am pouring into them is intentional. I don’t take coaching lightly, being entrusted with the visions, the purposes, the Dreams and goals of women who are on a journey to unlocking their full potential is a huge responsibility. I acknowledge their willingness to trust me and to work with me.

Low Pressure, High Outcome Coaching is what “The Keelay Carter Experience” stands for, as women we hold so many roles and titles, we serve our family and friends like no other. Coaching shouldn’t be overwhelming, but it should be revealing and enlightening. I don’t pressure, I don’t supervise, I don’t judge, I don’t misinterpret the needs, I don’t push my own personal intentions.

Coaching with my clients, I allow a safe space for the necessary conversations to unfold. I allow the client to lead the conversation, I allow my clients to be transparent and vulnerable to assess where we are starting and where we are looking to see results. I lead with excitement, I lead with faith, I lead with integrity, I lead with realistic but BIG FAITH moves that reveals to the clients what they already possess inside of them. Eliminating the factor of doubt, fear, and unworthiness. Negative self-talk is not allowed, we position ourselves in a positive vibes only zone and truly dive into the purpose calling.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A lesson I had to unlearn was “You have to have it all together before you start”

A lot of times I canceled myself out before anyone else even had the opportunity to tell me no because I believed I wasn’t qualified because I didn’t have it all together, I didn’t have everything I needed in place. I believe there were other people out there who were more worthy and more qualified than I was.

I procrastinated on ideas, dreams, goals, visions because I was waiting for the right moment. I missed out on opportunities because I was worried about not having what was needed, when everything I needed was already within me. I allowed the comparison and the highlight reels of what others were doing to deter me from even trying because I was convinced it was worthless.

Listening to the negative talk of others, Listening to the unbelief mentality of others who don’t understand what Faith and Purpose looks like when you’re called to do something. Listening to the background noise of distractions, the naysayers, the “gurus” that state you have to have to have it all together to be considered valuable.

Learning the lesson of “Get started where you are and build on that” was the game changer for me. Getting started is the most difficult part of the journey but it’s also the “keep going” aspect that many struggle with. The journey won’t always be easy, it won’t always make sense, you’ll have questionable moments but when you remember your “why” you’ll get to the how, when, what, and who part of your journey.

Keep Going… No Matter What!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivoting, a fearful yet powerful word and journey.

When I first started, I started with a podcast about motherhood, the good, the bad, the relatable, the struggles #Momish as an outlet to vent to other women who understood the season of life I was in, transitioning from a mother of one to two and being completely unprepared mentally and physically. What I thought was just a fun hobby and podcast and started it randomly most would say, as the idea popped into my head while having a midday lunch with my husband. I went on Facebook live that day and announced I was doing this thing with no preparation or knowledge of what I was doing. I had never done a podcast, had no clue on how to edit, how to market, how to manage it…. I got started in the kitchen of my mom’s home and I went live every Sunday.

I gathered other moms around a table that was meant for family dining. Eventually the team came along, which was a family friend who was looking to help out creatively. We became one of the top streaming podcasts, because it was purpose driven, it was intentional, it was bigger than I. From the podcast, came the demand for apparel, curated events came shortly after and every piece of this journey brought me unspeakable joy.

Covid-19 hit and events were canceled, I was no longer able to gather with other moms in person, I was unable to truly ship the apparel timely. It all was a flash in front of my eyes and something I wasn’t prepared for, it was something that was devastating because “it’s purpose” but God had bigger.

I began my social media journey of sharing my family, sharing my life stories that I had never really shared with anyone, I gathered the boldness to show up as myself every part of me, the goofy, the inspiring, the woman of faith, the bad dancer, the karaoke queen, the lover of target, the mother, the wife, the aspiring dreamer, the 9-5’er…. I showed it all. I shared what I was led to share and it became the new vision for my life.

I connected with women in a different light and a new level in a new season. Being still during quarantine forced me to truly be intentional with who I was called to be, who I was called to serve. Little did I know I was gearing up for the most devastating and testing season of my life through quarantine and then followed by losing a parent. Another pivot was on the way.

I was now called to show up boldly in another space I was uncomfortable with sharing but was necessary and impactful to my purpose. I now coach women and moms of all different backgrounds personally, spiritually, and professionally to do what they are called to do….

How did I get here??? I don’t know but I love it here and there’s only more growth and more elevation on the way. I’m excited for it all!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.KeelayCarter.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/Keelay_Carter/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/K.Carter2/

Image Credits
Image Credits: Elena Felton (Belleimageryportraits)