What does it take to reinvent your career? Courage.

May 4

Join us at La Jolie MLN boutique, Elmhurst, IL
Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 3:00-4:30pm
Presenters: Gayle Keller and Daisy Malek-Shadid on
Finding your Personal Brand: It’s all about the 4Ps

Event Details

Gayle’s Story.

One thing I learned pretty early…

*Gayle Keller -* professional speaker, advisor, coach, author

Most recently, I worked at Microsoft for six years, and my encounter with the corporate ladder over the years led to jobs in marketing, sales and managing large corporate events. One thing I learned pretty early—the corporate ladder is designed for men.

Technology falls under two categories: STEM and STEAM. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. STEAM represents STEM plus the arts; fields of study that include humanities, language arts, drama, music, visual arts, design and media. My resume falls into the STEAM category.

In the tech world, similar to the other industries mentioned, there’s a perception that you need to be an IT person to qualify for a job. I was an arts major who went into tech. There is a paucity of women unless you go into marketing or sales. It’s not the fault of men; it’s just something women need to be prepared for while tapping into their courage and confidence on our path to parity.

I recently read an interesting LinkedIn post on just that subject. Women tend to look at a job opening and say, ‘I have only 60% of the skill set they’re looking for.’ Men will look at the same job and say, ‘I have 60-70% of those skills, but I’m going to apply and I’ll learn the things I need to along the way.’

Know your strengths.

I love technology. I can’t fix a broken computer, but I can help sell a product in the marketplace. I can speak persuasively about how that product can drive business outcomes and meet business goals. Among the skills I was able to build at Microsoft was the ability to bring like-minded people together and teach the art of communication and networking.

I had my first “Ah Ha” moment while working in sales at Microsoft. I had a big loss—a contract that didn’t come through. A female senior executive asked me if I would tell the story of what happened on her podcast, to 7,000-employees! Gulp. Of course I did it; basically recounted what happened, what I learned and what I’d do differently next time. She graciously thanked me for sharing my vulnerability, and invited me to come back when I had a win. I did. And that same executive asked me to be part of her keynote address in front of 10,000 people in Las Vegas. The moment was an incredible high; I realized “This is something I can do – share my story with others.”

Kids will do that

My second “Ah Ha” moment came after having my two daughters. I was still working at my job but finding myself not truly present for my girls. By then, they were 1 and 3 and I thought, “something has to change.”

So, I pressed pause on my corporate world and started my own business, an advisory firm with the mission to empower and coach professional women who, like me, majored in STEAM. My target was women in their 30’s and 40’s who needed to learn an essential talent—how to fail forward. That’s the gift I got from the female executive at Microsoft who challenged me to find the courage to talk about a fail, and then invited me to share my success.

I started Gayle Keller LLC and my podcast series, Theodora Speaks, during the COVID pandemic. Everybody was working remotely, so the expectation for me to be in person was not an imperative. The only drawback at first was fear. I not only left a corporate job, but a lucrative salary and benefits. So I decided to tap into my courage and take a risk. I didn’t want to wake up one day and think, “what if.”

My network proved to be a true asset, and I was invited to speak at select businesses, conferences, and universities.

Today, I offer online courses and a podcast based on 5 core pillars:

Decisiveness
Courage
Clarity
Confidence
Balance

The training and podcast are called “Theodora Speaks.” The inspiration came from my grandfather, Theodore. He came to the U.S. from Poland as a child and had 9 siblings who all immigrated at different times. As an example of work ethic, he was my North Star. He was a tool and dye maker by trade, and also owned hardware stores and restaurants and enjoyed great success.

I always told myself I would honor Grandpa Theodore one day. So, as I grew my business, I created a persona for empowering women and setting an example for my own daughters. The Theodoras are women who want to take risks, climb the corporate ladder on their own terms, and create a work-life balance so essential to raising the next generation. In addition to group and one-on-one training, I counsel my clients on the power of defining your own brand—from the way you handle conflict to the way you dress. Women share their stories and reach for a vital goal, “If we see it, we can become it.” My job is to serve as their 3-legged stool which includes: mentoring, sponsoring and business coaching.

Passing it on.

I’ve been working on a book set for publication this summer. Here is a synopsis:

The book follows 5 professional women, recognized as “Theoradoras,” each from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities and who are intelligent, strong and successful in their own right in the male-dominated STEAM career industry. Each woman faces her own workplace challenge by learning on their support system, looking within and developing a plan to overcome professional hurdles that could otherwise have a devastating impact on their careers and lives.

Keller portrays real-world studies, examples and actions that readers can immediately apply to their own circumstances. Join the Journey of the Theodoras and be inspired by each woman as she examines her own beliefs, actions, weaknesses and strengths and determines the greatest journey to success is to empower herself.

Learn more about Gayle Keller at https://gaylekeller.org/

La Jolie MLN: ”It’s our mission to give young ladies the lessons all of you can share with us. So, let’s share our experiences, strength and stories.

I cordially invite you to join a cohort of empowered women. Please send your stories to Blog@lajolie-mln.com