We had the good fortune of connecting with Gladys Agwai and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gladys, what’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?
When someone gets dumped or rejected, whether from a job, school, financial loan, client, spouse, partner breakups, etc., it doesn’t mean they have to get dumped on. People can’t control getting dumped. But they can control NOT getting dumped on!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Ignite Within was birthed six years ago after I was fired from corporate. Yes, corporate dumped me! I had to ask and answer, How the HELL did I get here? What do I do now? What the HELL do I do next? I had to go sit with myself and figure me out to understand what I really wanted. Before I got dumped, I was not happy in my job or working within corporate. Yet fear kept me tolerating and accepting what I knew was not my direction. I ignored signals that change was inevitable.  Change is constant!  I ignored my internal signals of frustration, sadness, and anger. I pushed it down and kept running 200 miles per hour with fleeting thoughts about one day leaving and starting my own business. I ignored the external signals of the direction of leadership and the firings and layoffs of employees. I ignored the signals of what was being asked of me and other leaders within the company that went against my values. I ignored that saying no to what was requested would lead to my departure. With all these signals and knowing that change is constant, I still was shocked and in denial that I was fired. However, I determined that just because I was dumped, did not mean that I had to get dumped on. I was in control of how I received what was done that was out of my control. I could control me and my behavior and response. I named my company Ignite Within because it is the only way to make a life changing transition in one’s life, business, or career. It has worked for me and my clients. Choosing to not allow myself to get dumped on even after being dumped, brought me into my life’s dream to own my own business. Ignite Within helps professionals who hate what they do, disengaged with what they are doing, or work too much. I help them get the clarity needed to 1) set objectives that matter to their overall lives, 2) accelerate and sustain their personal and professional growth to proactively operate in a constant and complex changing environment. The services I provide to help them is through global speaking, coaching, and training. I am excited about being an international author, IMPOSTER: 5 Strategies to Become Your Authentic Self and co-author of Life Boosts: Strategies, tactics, and ideas to boost your wealth, your health, and more. I am super excited about my upcoming book due out in the fall called Dumped! NOT Dumped On: How to stop reliving the negative impact of rejection in one’s life, business, and career. I speak in that book from personal experiences as well as the many people I have touched throughout my corporate and business experiences. My transformation is the outcome I want for others that even when dumped, one can leverage the negative experience to have an experience of even greater opportunity and growth. If I had allowed myself to get dumped on, I would not have been able to help the many clients internationally in the US, Europe, Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya and volunteer my time to mentor and coach girls from high school to college. It was not easy. But life is not easy. Challenges are overcome by:
1) Knowing what you want and why
2) Understanding the challenges
3) Understanding how the challenge and fears keep you from the outcome
4) Identifying the strategies and tactics needed to achieve it
5)Take action.

The action can be a small action even the size of a mustard seed which is the smallest of seeds that grows into one of the largest trees when nurtured. If you continually nurture the action/seed and practice by taking action/steps, it takes you further away from the negative experience. T. D. Jakes talks about the view a giraffe has versus a turtle.  You must have the view and perspective of the giraffe looking above the trees to see the direction forward while still seeing what is immediately around your feet. The turtle only sees from its perspective and view. Too often when dumped or rejected, our head stays down in the negative experience. We must lift our heads up to see the opportunity and possibilities like the giraffe. We also need to ensure we are connecting with those who also have a view or perspective of a giraffe and not only one of turtles. Too much time is spent working to convince someone with the view of a turtle our direction which is the view of the giraffe. The turtle cannot see it. It is impossible. This again keeps us stuck, scared, broke, and broken.

I want people to know the importance of getting to know, be and love who they are and be unapologetic about it. I want people to leave their comfort and fear zones and move into their learning and growth zones to achieve what they quietly say they want for their lives, businesses, and careers. I want people to STOP ignoring the internal and external signals and deal with them. I want people to have more money, freedom, and fun with less stress. I want people to know it is possible to do alone but more probable when engaging with someone who can give a unique and growth perspective of guidance and direction like a coach. My brand is a global and welcoming brand to help people to help themselves to then go and help other people. Integrity and excellence are embedded within my brand. My focus is to bring value to others and to be valued for living my purpose to bring out the potential in others.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The metro Atlanta area is very diverse offering experiences that will fit any entertainment palette. I love the water and would have to make it to the beach – St. Simon’s is my favorite. I love the quaintness of the town. I also love Lake Lanier. Renting a boat and navigating the lake is a must. Because of what is happening in the world of civil rights and Atlanta’s historical perspective, taking the tours of MLK and the civil rights museums is a must. We would check out any concerts in town. I am a lover of all types of music. I love to eat and shop. Atlanta Station we can do both along with the Lenox Mall area.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to shout out to my business coaches Suzanne Evans, Founder of Driven Inc and Larry Winget, Best Selling Author and International Speaker. They were instrumental in helping me to find my authentic voice, point of view, and how to leverage it to make money and bring value.

Website: ignitewithin.org
Instagram: @ignitewithinu
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/gladysagwai
Twitter: @ignitewithinu
Facebook: facebook.com/gladys.agwai
Youtube: Ignite Within