Stephanie Kadiri, popularly known as StephREDD is a connoisseur coach with a passion to help people live optimally. In a chat with Vanessa Obioha, the certified Life Coach and HR expert with a degree in French Language talks about how a personal loss inspired her to help people deal with loss and discover their hidden geniuses through her annual Unveil, Review, Redefine and Relaunch Conference
In January 2020, you hosted an event tagged UR3 to equip people dealing with loss and challenges. What inspired the event and did you envisage the type of year 2020 would become at that time?
I was inspired by my personal account of experiencing a loss that brought me to my knees and literally left my back on the ground. I had suffered a job loss a few years earlier and having gone through a very challenging yet intentional healing process, I felt strongly obliged to help others move swiftly past and rise high above the pits of loss, grief, emotional turmoil, despondency and depression and guide them on how to recommit intentionally to win and finish strong despite life’s adversities. I didn’t see 2020 coming but the 2020 edition of the UR3
turned out to be an anchor through which many of the participants who attended, navigated the challenging year that 2020 was.
What was your experience hosting the event virtually this year?
Honestly, it was scary at first. The thought of having it all virtual really bothered me as I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. No volunteers to help with arrangements, no video coverage, no physical hugs and capturing real-life emotions on camera during heated sessions, no paparazzi… (laughs). It was surreal to me. There were just so many questions that generated fear and deep anxiety. But as always, I like to go for the challenge whenever it presents itself and like I would usually say to others, “Why fear what you haven’t tried? The worst that will happen is that you’ll fail. When you fail, review, learn and try again.” But it’s very easy to admonish and give others a charge that doesn’t involve you. When it’s your turn, it’s a different ball game. However, as we would say in local parlance “All die, na die!” So I always say, “Choose your die!” For me, I rather die trying than cowering. And hey, it was a good first! Being majorly a self-sponsored event for now, I totally appreciated the savings on the logistics that a physical event would have required.
For this year’s edition, you teamed up with renowned speakers like Lanre Olusola, Steve Harris, Anita Okoye and more. What is the feedback you have received so far and what poignant lessons from UR3 can the society at large draw from?
The feedback has been overwhelmingly heartwarming. I have received several messages in my emails, my social media direct messages and text messages; and they have been majorly centered on having found hope to believe and live to reapply self with clarity of mind and a recommitment to purpose. The most poignant lesson would be taking charge of your mind regardless of whatever comes at it; because like Lanre Olusola said during his session, “you can’t win in your life what you haven’t first won in your mind.”
Tapping from this year’s theme ‘Blooming Regardless’, how can individuals, corporate bodies and institutions bloom amid so many uncertainties such as what we are experiencing now?
I believe one of the things that can help us as a people, corporations and institutions to bloom would be the constant reminder of our “WHY”, that is, the Big Picture. That picture sits pretty on the mountain of our desires. But between where we are now, and that mountain lies several valleys. We must continually fan aflame the fires of the Big Picture regardless of times and seasons which always come and go. We must remember that valley moments, like night and day, don’t last forever. This reminder will help us stay charged despite the times and seasons and keep us consumed, not by the momentary challenge, but by the eventual victory/glory. So, like the popular saying, we move!
As the convener of such an event, how would you recommend that people approach the year as it unfolds?
This may sound cliché but can never be overrated; be intentional! Eat right – both physical and mental food; Sleep right – don’t just lie down, rest; exercise – 30 minutes daily walk in the least is a great medicine to your mind and body. Set goals for yourself for the short, mid and long-term and evaluate yourself frequently. Get an accountability partner. Love wholly and truly. Commit daily to being and giving your best to work/business, family, relationships, health/ wellbeing and every aspect of your life. And so long as you are sure that you have given your best, it is good enough up until you know better. And in the words of Maya Angelou, “When you know better, (ensure to) do better.”
You have chosen a niche that is foundational to human happiness and wealth creation. What led you to this path?
Losing my job was the most defining life experience for me as it made me introspect and allowed me to discover how I had built my identity on everything else and from everyone else, except by my own definition of what living fulfilled really was. I believe that building an impactful and lasting legacy should spring from the truth and genuineness of one’s identity and blossom through life’s gold mine. People call it purpose, I say it is that thing that you are willing to live for in contentment, joy and peace, and if death comes in the course of it, you also will be willing to die for it. That was my reason.
You are a Certified Identity and Communication Coach, what does this mean for you and where has your impact been felt the most?
I call myself the Genius Activator because I guide people to discover, rekindle, engage and thrive with their genius for self-fulfilment and societal impact/benefit. This is where many people who encounter my services have felt the most impact.
As an accomplished HR professional and a bilingual trainer, what will you consider to be the biggest workplace challenge?
It would be a lack of congruence between personal values and organisational values, which eventually leads to a conflict of interest. I will also relate it to a lack of career clarity and vision before engagement caused by the alarming rate of unemployment in the society which compels jobseekers to commit without a clear career strategy. Even more, is the aspect of organisations not fully stepping into the third level of parenting, to nurture for societal impact.
Do you think companies and government institutions are investing enough in improving their human resources, especially in the pandemic?
I wish I could say a definite yes, but no.
What is your wish for Nigerian women?
Dear woman, remember that you are strong, you are able, you are enough and you can! do not consider the raging winds, nor pay any mind to the thunderous rains, but learn to dance through, despite the storm. Do not seek to prove, just be! Dare to challenge yourself, first! Step up with faith in you. Step out with faith to do. Step out with belief to become. Step out with the intention to win. Because you can, you must and you will.
