Today we’d like to introduce you to Katesha “KD” Reid.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Katesha. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started Urmorethan (pronounced You Are More Than) after suffering from a season of depression and darkness. A season where I had no idea who I was anymore, a season where I felt devalued as an employee, I felt bogged down my titles of wife and mother, and I felt confused. As a counselor, I didn’t know who I could turn to because the stigma I had once fought to eliminate was setting on my shoulders. After a while, I began to use some of my counseling techniques on myself, I read a lot, and I prayed even more. Once I felt pretty “okay” I began to reach out to some influential women in my life and what I found was astonishing! I was not alone. I spoke with so many women who were telling my story! So many women who were strangers to themselves outside of their labels, so many women who like me suffered from what I had begun to call professional traumatic stress disorder. I think this revelation was more impacting to me than the depression. I couldn’t believe so many women were struggling in silence, dying in silence.
Given my less than delightful experiences in the professional world, I decided to tap into the entrepreneur in me. The internal leader that others before had seen in me even before I had any desire to tap into that side. I started my company Urmorethan because all I wanted other women to know is that they were more than the labels that had them bound: internal labels, external labels, mental health labels, professional labels. ALL LABELS! Urmorethan has now grown to empowering moms of special needs children, helping female entrepreneurs develop a CEO mindset and consulting with organizations and companies to change the mindset and mental health culture of their workplace.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My first response to this question was laughter- no! This road has not been smooth. However, it has been worth it! For me the biggest struggle was my mindset, ironic since I’m a mindset coach. But going from employee to entrepreneur is not a seamless transition. From early on we are groomed to be model employees. To gain education, obtain a good job, work hard exchanging time for money, retire. That’s the flow chart. Your job description is your sole responsibility. That is vastly different from an entrepreneur. Once I began to expose myself to where I wanted to go, not just physically but mentally, then things changed for me. Exposure opens the door to your mind, and once you can see it before you see it, you’re on the right track. Actually, once my mindset began to shift and I became more in alignment with my purpose, all other challenges such as connections, finances, clarity, etc. became minute. Changing your mindset is the hardest part, but yet it is the most impactful. It was that revelation that led me to study the way mindset, perspective, mental health and healing all worked together, which is what you get when you work with me!
Please tell us about the organization.
At Urmorethan, I offer individual, group and organizational sessions where I help you to identify your goals, your barriers and the solutions. The perspective I bring is a combination of my educational background. I have a Masters Degree in Counseling, my personal experience and a gift to connect dots in a way others may not connect them. The good thing about my business model is that it can transcend presenting problems. For example, my specialization is female entrepreneurs and helping them to develop a CEO mindset (Clarity, Elevation, Execution & Organization). When working with a female entrepreneur. Generally, the most significant barriers are getting them out of their head, helping them to redefine work/life balance, and healing the past experiences that are keeping them from operating at their highest level. Now that same business model can be used when I work with an organization.
What sets me apart from others is my transparency. I believe that transparency is not showing weakness but rather showing relate-ability. Even with my education, I am most able to relate and help from a place of experience. As a company, I am most proud of our resilience. This journey isn’t comfortable, this journey is trying, this journey is cloudy, but I haven’t given up! I am most excited about what’s to come.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I don’t want to start listing people because I am bound to leave someone out, but here are the two that come to mind. My parents- even when they didn’t understand this entrepreneurial journey, they supported me. They instilled in me a strong work ethic and integrity- which are both priceless, whether you’re an entrepreneur or an employee. Dr. Tequila Hill is someone I will always give credit to. She was a supervisor and became a true friend. She saw in me things I had yet to see. Not only did she see them, but she nurtured them. She exposed me to experiences and culture I may have never experienced. She is always rooting me on and challenging me, and I am forever grateful for her!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thekdreid.com
- Phone: 256.493.1819
- Email: info@thekdreid.com
- Instagram: @iamkdreid
- Facebook: @iamkdreid
- Twitter: @iamkdreid
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