Jihada Garrett leads women to the most authentic version of themselves through her business and life coaching. She started her coaching business when she looked at her life and realized she was not walking on her true path.
“A lot of times, I feel like we’ve done all the right things, but then it’s like you’re sitting on the sidelines watching your life happen, but you’re not feeling anything, and I think that’s tragic,” Garrett said.
She said she excelled at everything she did and, on paper, had a great life. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Howard University. Before starting her business, she worked in the corporate business world for numerous companies, including the Department of Defense, The Mind Trust and Archdiocese of Chicago to name a few.
Life tested her values when she found out she would be having a child one month into a new role. This made her ask herself if she wanted to continue doing work that was not meaningful to her while having less time to be with her family.
“That was the push that was kind of like, you’re going to have to take a leap of faith and go into the direction of your purpose and your calling.”
From there, she started creating what would become Hello Me!, a company dedicated to “bringing clarity to your greatest attributes and desires, building confidence to break free of the expectations of others, and creating a life and lifestyle that you truly love and can live on your own terms.”
Garrett’s clients come to her for executive and leadership coaching through referrals from their employers. Her clients usually come focused on their careers, but Garrett takes a blended approach to life and business coaching to help the people she works with.
“I have to tell you, the woman has brought me to tears in the most beautiful ways. A lot of epiphanies and breakthroughs, and I just think she is a lightworker through and through. She has a God-given gift, and I’m just happy to be on the receiving end of that.” said Kelly Wines, one of Garrett’s clients.
Garrett’s undergraduate degree in psychology gave her an understanding of human behavior, which she said enhances her ability to do this work. Her personal life experiences and coaching certifications also helped her create her curriculum.
“I think what affects you personally will impact you professionally, so I really create a space where they are able to bring forward whatever it is that they need to bring forth … if you want to focus on your career, absolutely, but it will probably require we look at your way of being,” Garrett said.
Now, after years of offering one-on-one coaching, Garrett has launched a new group coaching class, The Collective. While her one-on-one coaching and group coaching both aim to guide women toward the path of a happy and successful life, The Collective provides a space for like-minded women to support each other.
“They want more out of life and not like, ‘Oh, my life is terrible.’ They have great lives, but even still, there’s something that’s missing, so this space really gives them the opportunity to be honest with themselves and honest with other people about what they are feeling without any judgment; without any expectations for how they should show up and what they should want,” Garrett said.
Wines started working with Garrett through her company, which provides support to strengthen her as a leader. At first, the coaching felt more like an assignment than helpful, but she quickly started to trust Garrett and her vision.
“After we met her demeanor, her expertise and breadth of knowledge were just something impressive. I was affected in ways that I never thought I would have been by something like this.”
Garrett helped Wines by questioning many of her beliefs and allowing her to change from a limited to abundant mindset. While working with her, Wines felt like she was with someone who truly saw her and listened not to reply but to understand.
Even after their one-on-one coaching ended, Garrett kept in contact with Wines to check up on her at least once a month. Those checkups drove Wines to formally join Garrett’s group coaching, which has been another opportunity for her to continue to grow and gain the tools necessary to be who she wants.
“She’s just so wonderful, so empowering, especially to women, and as a woman, you don’t always get that a lot. Her success is our success; if she’s doing this type of work, we’re all better for it.”
Garrett said the business and life coaching industry has grown “tremendously” and will continue to grow as people start to prioritize their mental health more.
To connect With Garrett, visit her website, jihadagarrett.com, or follow her LinkedIn @Jihada Garrett.
This minority business highlight was composed by Garrett Simms at the Indianapolis Recorder, who can be reached at [317-762-7847] or via email at garretts@indyrecorder.com. If you would like your business highlighted in the Indianapolis Minority Business Magazine, click here
