Career Transformation Strategist and Coach Isimemen “Isi” Aladejobi knows a thing about helping Black women and women of color see themselves in such a way that translates to “I deserve more out of my career and out of my life.” With Nigerian roots, Isi is also a wife and mother of three, so juggling it all is one of her superpowers.
Can you tell us who is Coach Isimemen “Isi” Aladejobi outside of your bio?
Isimemen: I, Coach Isimemen, am a ball of joy and excitement. I am goofy and also profoundly strategic. I thrive in hot, tropical temperatures and would rather not see a snowflake. I always see the best in people and loves to eat flavorful, gourmet foods. I also draw strength from living in my God-given assignment to help Black women live better lives.
Can you tell us more about what is a Career Transformation Strategist and what led you to become such a strategist?
Isimemen: I’m a transformational business and career growth strategist, and I help people identify their potential and understand what’s not working in their lives or careers. I help people unlock and uncover their potential, help them get clear on their goals and what they want out of life, and then guide them through a step-by-step strategic plan to get there. My work helps people land the role of their dreams to support them in living the life of their dreams.
I am the strategist that I once needed in my professional journey. When I was going through my career journey, it took me ten years to figure out what it is I want, who I am, what my dream role is, and my dream career needs to be. I didn’t want it to take that long for anybody else. What took me ten years, I want to help women do in less than ten weeks.
Why is it important for women of color to push forward to gain the wages received by their counterparts?
Isimemen: It’s important because we have families to take care of and legacies that we need to build and secure. As a people, we are collectively behind the eight ball, so we must hone in and focus on doing the deep work to get ahead and not just catch up to our counterparts. Once we get ahead, we can get out of the game. We are, as Black women, amongst the most educated group in America. Period. Statistics and research show this. The wages we are offered and accepted should match the work we put in and the talent we bring to the workplace. We have the education, the work ethic, and the value. No one works harder than a Black woman. We deserve to get paid and compensated for who we are and the greatness we share.
Being that you have helped over 300 women to receive the salary they rightly deserve, how do you maintain a balance between this mission, family, and self-care?
Isimemen: Balance in life comes from setting standards and boundaries and clearly understanding how you desire your energy to flow. Having given over three hundred women the knowledge and training to help increase their earnings and empower them to live their dream lives, I bring my values into my work because these are foundations that drive me at home and home. I understand my values, and I act accordingly. I keep God front and center in all that I do. I focus on making sure my family is never lacking in my support and presence. I focus on my health and wellness as a wife, mother, and woman. If I say my values of “faith, family, and finances” run my life, everything I do has to reflect that order. My calendar must reflect it. My schedule and the schedules I create for my husband and children must reflect it.
This reflection looks like me waking up first thing in the morning, focusing on God, reading my Bible, and letting that anchor me. After work ends at 4:00 PM, I pick up my children from school and activities, and work doesn’t pick back up until the next day. My work is done for the day except when I have to coach in the evening. I work when it’s time to work during the day, and I go hard so that in the evenings, that time is reserved for family, food, homework, cuddling with hubby, and taking care of my new baby. Breaking things up has helped me not to blur the lines. I don’t perform brain surgery, so no one “needs” me like that when it comes to working. I don’t have to leave my family time to respond to work things. When work is done, it’s done. When it’s time for family or time to be with myself, I do not negotiate. I keep people around me who share similar values – people who care about their faith convictions and families. We do not subscribe to the notion that we must build our businesses at all costs.
What would like our viewers to gain from this interview?
Isimemen: I want those who read this interview to realize that they can have whatever life they genuinely desire if they’re willing to do these three things:
- Be honest about where they are.
- Be honest about what they truly want.
- Be willing and ready to do strategic work to get their needed help.
It often looks like working with a coach, getting a strategy, setting a game plan, and sticking to it. Many people work hard, but they’re working hard on the wrong things, or they think they’re making progress because they’re walking, but they’re walking in the wrong direction. It’s time to get a real strategy to make your dreams a reality.
How can people connect to learn more?
Isimemen: If someone is reading this and they are ready to make things happen, they can connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/isimemenaladejobi/ and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/isimemen/
Photo Credits: Isimemen “Isi” Aladejobi
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