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

Kenisha , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been the “fixer”. I have always been the person that family, friends and colleagues came to for advice and direction. My entire professional career has been me streamlining processes and procedures and organizing disorder. I have always been great at identifying a problem and analyzing the best solutions for that problem. It comes naturally to me, and I realized in the last few years that this is what I have a passion for.

In the last few years, I felt the need to find and walk in my purpose. I knew that I wanted to help people but couldn’t figure out what that looked like. Then one day I had the random thought / idea of becoming a consultant and mentor. At that point it felt like it was a no brainer, and I was obsessed with my new idea / business venture. This profession literally embodied everything that came natural to me. Another passion has always been to train/mentor. I am fulfilled when I support people in personal & professional development growth and provide opportunities.

I then started to build The Klee Brand, which is a consulting and mentoring firm. I’ve been intentionally building The Klee Brand for the last couple of years. I started by attending 2-3 networking events monthly. I then became intentional with the content that I posted on social media. I also joined networking groups and committee boards with likeminded individuals.

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 Kenisha Lee and I am 33 years old. I achieved my bachelor’s degree in business from Walsh College. I am the owner of The Klee Brand, a consulting & mentoring firm: Our mission: To provide direction, clarity, and the necessary tools to execute your vision and take your career and or business to the next level! The purpose of creating this company is to do my part in helping people evolve to the next level personally and professionally.

I have also been working for the local Subway (a national QSR brand) Development office for 12 years. I am currently serving in a dual position. My primary role is the Director of Leasing and Development, managing 600+ restaurants across Michigan and Ohio. Although each role is equally important, my secondary role is Head of Human Resources for about 80 – 100 staff members.
12 years: ago, I started with a Subway franchisee / Development Agent as a Store Manager and then quickly transitioned into a district manager overseeing 9 Subway locations. I then quickly transitioned into the Development office doing HR and Development, transferring from the field to the office. Fast forwarding to 2022, I have worked or managed in every department within our company. In 2020, an opportunity to co-own a Subway restaurant arose. I am now the co-owner of the Subway located inside of the First National building, in downtown Detroit.

I grew up on the east side of Detroit in a single-family home. This is when and where I developed ambition, independence, and a strong work ethic. My mom had to provide for my sister and I by herself, which resulted in some hardships. To ease the pressure off my mom, I started working at the age of 15 at Charley’s Steakery in Macomb Mall. Fortunately, I can say that I have not had a gap in employment since the age of 15. I didn’t have the normal childhood dreams of becoming a doctor or lawyer etc. I always knew I wanted to be a Businesswoman. I always pictured myself with a suit and briefcase. It wasn’t always clear about what I would be doing or where I would be going but I was always clear on the type of person that I wanted to be. That was always my goal! I have worked very hard over the years to become just that and unexpectedly achieved many goals along the way. My journey has been full of joy, heartache, and lessons. I now take pride in supporting others on their journeys and showing others a different perspective of life in efforts to show people that everything that they want is in reach!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I have a reputation of being a very organized, structured, resilient, transformational leader who strives for excellence and empowers others to strive for excellence and to maximize their potential. I have collaborated with other leaders, teams, and business owners to identify needed change and created a vision to guide the change.

Hard work: I have built this reputation by first working hard. I feel that hard work is often underrated. I take pride in anything that I do and have worked very hard through my life. Hard work doesn’t go unnoticed, and it builds character.

Mindset Shift: I have built my reputation by changing my mindset. My favorite phrase is “Your perception creates your reality!” My life truly changed when I shifted my mindset to focus on solutions instead of problems, stop comparing myself & journey to others, focusing on the positives opposed to negatives and focusing on gratitude opposed to lack. When you change how you look at things, the things you look at change.

Investing in myself: I have built my reputation by investing in myself. I have attended several professional and personal seminars, training, and networking events. I have also read and watched several professional and personal development books and movies. I believe that knowledge is power and the more you know the more valuable you become.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

I have heard the following phrase several times but have only begun to truly understand it recently.

“You are your brand” You are a walking billboard.”

I signed my first 2 clients just by having a conversation in an informal setting basically “hanging out”. This is why it’s important to always maintain your brand standards and to be intentional on how you show up in the world.

First Client: I was having dinner and drinks with a friend, and we were discussing life, business, and future goals. I was able to sign this client based off the value I added to an informal conversation. I was literally just being myself and offering up solutions to the issues that we discussed. You never know who is watching you and paying attention to what you’re saying.

Second client: There was a similar situation for how I signed my second client. I was getting services from them as a customer, and they were venting about business operations and staffing issues. Again, this was an informal conversation in which I was able to provide solutions because I had already experienced the issues that my client was facing.

Both clients arose from me being in informal situations / environments and showing up as my authentic self because I AM MY BRAND!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: The Klee Brand
• Facebook: The Klee Brand
• Linkedin: Kenisha Lee

Image Credits
Q11 Photography Hair: Malika Goins (Beautybymalika)