Today we’d like to introduce you to Kafi London.
Hi Kafi, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Over recent years, my clients have called me many things, including “The Queen of Energy”, “Spark plug,” and “Firestarter.” What most people don’t know is my backstory to earning these titles…so here goes…
I was born and raised in the UK and graduated with a degree in Chemistry and Computing. My parents expected me to be an accomplished doctor, lawyer, or accountant – but to their disappointment, unfortunately, that is not how my career panned out.
After graduating, I worked as a business analyst for International Computers Ltd, a British hardware, software, and services company, but after a year or two of climbing the corporate ladder, I was summoned to have the dreaded HR conversation. “We love your work and what you do, but unfortunately, your position is being eliminated.”
Crapola! I was devastated, cried for weeks, and thought my life was over. Once I realized it was just business and not personal…I got myself together and applied to join a London-based consulting firm as a management consultant.
To my surprise, they were looking for employees to work in the US. I was young, eager, and open to possibilities, so I embraced the adventure and moved to the US for what I thought would be a year or two! It is funny how time flies, but that was back in 1992…and yes, I am still in the US all these many years later – who knew?
Once I arrived state-side, over the next twenty-seven (or so) years, I dedicated myself to the management consulting industry, climbing the corporate ladder by consulting with leading organizations like The Cola-Cola Company, Hewlettt-Packard, and Shell Chemical to develop their leaders, teams, and talent.
Unfortunately, like many leaders and executives today, work came before everything else. I worked what felt like hundreds of hours a week and eventually suffered from severe burnout, and I lost sight of what mattered most. Overwhelmed, overworked, and overweight – I became stressed and a hot mess!
Bottom line, I had lost the essence of who I was!
One of the hardest decisions in my career was in the fall of 2016 when I decided to leave my accomplished career and focus on my mental and physical well-being. Back then, I lost a lot of street cred from my team, peers, clients, and executive leadership team for leaving an accomplished career with no plan and no “next job” – but deep inside, I knew it was the right thing to do!
It took me at least a year, possibly more, to recalibrate from the inside out. There was no escaping it, I had to do the inner work to realign with my values and clarify my life’s purpose. I have discovered from my journey and decades of experience working with people that energy matters! Yes, physical energy for sure, but also the energy of our thoughts, feelings, and presence (both in work and life).
Many of us have earned the privilege to lead others (whether by position or situation) – but the energy we radiate permeates teams and communities, shapes projects, and profoundly affects clients. In this AI-driven world, where accessing information is now a commodity, I believe that it is our energy that sets us apart from others.
When you are funky – you radiate negativity, and this repels people from you.
When you are fired up – you create a ripple of positivity, and this 10Xs your impact!
One of the things I say to my clients is…
“Your Vibe speaks louder than your voice. What is your vibe saying about you?”
I believe energy and enthusiasm are critical currencies of success in today’s challenging times.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would love to say it has been a super smooth road, but that would be completely misleading. As it is true confessions time…the truth is my journey has been one heck of a bumpy ride – here are three things that have challenged and rerailed me over the last few years:
- The passing of both my parents. In 2017, I lost my mother, and then in 2021, I lost my father. No matter how strong you are, you are never prepared when a loved one passes. The grieving process is hard, deep, and damn-right painful.
And… just when you think you have worked through it, an automatic “Photo Memory” will pop up on your phone, and all the bloody emotions come flooding back.
- Deciding to go from employee to entrepreneur. It feels like I have been climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for the last few years. Whenever I think the summit is in sight – it shifts further away. So, instead of consistently focusing on the summit, I have learned to pause occasionally and look back and reflect on my journey, progress, and transformation to this point. When I do this, I realize there is so much to celebrate.
- Self-belief and self-trust are a thing! In whatever journey we are on, we often look to others to validate our thoughts or actions. This can result in following well-meaning bad advice that may derail your journey. Learn to trust yourself or at least assemble your own “Board of Advisors” to lean on based on their lived experience.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
What I have learned…
> Big Juicy Goals take longer to achieve than you think! Trust yourself and keep going!
> People buy your energy – Invest in yourself and recalibrate often.
> “It takes a village” – one of my favorite proverbs reads: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together!” However, I like to put my own spin on it and say…”Going solo is tempting and may seem like a blast, but gather a board of trusted advisors and you’ll go far and fast.”
Contact Info:
- Website: KafiLondon.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kafilondon/
Image Credits
InvestmentNews and Color Wheel Studios
