Meet Mike Kelley | Mindset Coach

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

Hi Mike, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I had the desire to start my own business for more than a decade. Over the years, I explored several ideas in various industries, from digital marketing to food pop-ups, but none of those ideas really felt aligned. I worked in marketing for about 13 years, but for many reasons, I found myself enjoying it less and less over time. I really enjoy the concept of food trucks and pop-ups and try to support them often, but I quickly discovered that I enjoyed eating food much more than preparing it.

I knew that I wanted to create a business that made a meaningful impact, helped others, and contributed to the greater good. After reflecting on my strengths, interests, and what was important to me, Life Coaching emerged as the perfect fit. It would allow me to work one-on-one with clients, guiding them to make really impactful changes in their lives.

Mindset Coaching, in particular, resonated with me. I had personally experienced the transformative power of shifting perspective and changing one’s mental approach to life. Knowing how these changes could enhance someone’s overall happiness and really change their life motivated me to pursue that path.

Given the limited opportunities to work for established companies as a Mindset or Life Coach, I decided to leverage my MBA and business knowledge to start my own business. After completing my first of two coaching certifications, Reworking Mindsets was born.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is Reworking Mindsets, and I offer 1-on-1 Mindset Coaching sessions for adults in the U.S., primarily via Zoom. I help my clients get out of their own head, get unstuck, and start to thrive again. My approach involves deep self-awareness, self-discovery, and perspective shifts. Through that process, I’m able to guide my clients in overcoming a lot of their self-doubt, limiting beliefs, and negative self-talk. We also set goals, create action plans, and work on building habits, discipline, and consistency.

I’m proud of my approach, which empowers clients by guiding them rather than giving advice. Although this is what true coaching is and what distinguishes a coach from a mentor, teacher, or consultant, not all coaches use that approach. With me, my clients are the experts in their own lives. I am there to help them realize what is currently going on and discover what works best for them in regards to making changes. I work based on a framework and incorporate a variety of tools and techniques, but the flow of that is extremely flexible. That allows me to cater to each client’s individual needs and comfort level. They are drawing their own conclusions, making their own decisions, and creating their own plans, just with a partner to help guide them along the way. My ultimate goal is to help people transform their mindset and their lives, and witnessing those changes is the most rewarding part of my work.

One thing that sets me apart from others is my variety in education and methodologies. My initial coaching certification was a 13 hour, 120 lecture online program. After that, I enrolled in the Jay Shetty Certification School, which was an intensive 5 month 127 hour program with coursework, coaching practice with accredited supervisor guidance, self study and reflection exercises, weekly trainings and guidance, and a comprehensive exam. In addition to that, I completed a 61 lecture Meditation Practitioner Certification last winter and have incorporated guided meditations and visualizations into my coaching sessions and workshops where appropriate.

Running your own business requires a tremendous amount of patience, trust, and discipline. Building a brand and attracting clients has been a gradual process, and it has been anything but easy. In fact, it has been one of the most challenging things I have done. This process has tested my resilience and required constant self-coaching and the use of a lot of the same techniques I work on with my clients, but for myself.

I had heard a lot of people mention the one-year mark as a sort of checkpoint to see if you endured as a business owner and also when things start to ramp up. That was very accurate for me. Right around the time I hit the one-year mark, I saw a lot of doors starting to open and more opportunities presenting themselves. I don’t think there is some magic thing that happens after one year, but it’s more related to consistency, persistence, and adaptability.

I want the world to know that their happiness and quality of life are much more within their control than most people realize. It really is as simple as shifting what you focus on and how you view the world. That all starts with self-awareness: really getting to know and understand what you need, want, and are good at, the role you play in your own life, etc. From there, it’s really easy to determine if your thoughts and actions are aligned and if you’re living intentionally or just going through the motions. It might sound complex, but with the right guidance, all of that can happen pretty quickly and even be enjoyable.

My favorite thing about what I do is seeing the change in people. There is always such a remarkable shift from the first conversation I have with clients to the final session, and that is really what it’s all about for me. Seeing someone become more confident, step out of their comfort zone, take action and stand up for themselves, and share how they are starting to enjoy even the little things in life is one of my favorite things to witness. It’s truly an honor to be part of that journey with my clients and see their lives change for the better
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If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live just outside of the Biltmore and Arcadia Lite areas, and there are so many great things just down the road from me. My first stop would have to be Tacos Veganos. I’ve been vegan for about 7 years now and not only is this spot right down the road, it’s one of my favorites and the owner is awesome! My next stop would be Papago Park. I love wandering around the area by the zoo with the water and watching a sunset at Hole in the Rock. On the way back, I’d have to stop at Undertow. The ship vibes make for a really fun atmosphere and they have really unique drinks and mocktails.

Day two would probably be a visit to downtown Phoenix. My first stop would probably be The Churchill, again for the vibes. I love the open concept where a group has options for food and drink. There is some incredible art all around it, and some of my favorite artists and vendors usually have pop-ups right out front. A lot of the crystal jewelry I wear and spiritually focused decor you might see in my videos came from vendor friends when they were just outside of the entrance. I’m a big fan of Roosevelt Row and everything they do there. From all of the bar/restaurant options to the art and events like First Friday and concerts/events at Margaret T. Hance Park, there always seems to be something fun going on down there. I really loved The Pemberton, again for the vibe and the options, and was very sad to see it close down recently.

I played baseball most of my life, so my next stop would be a Dbacks game. Having an enclosed, air conditioned field is so nice during the summer months here. If there wasn’t a concert going on somewhere else downtown, I would then head over to Copper Blues. They always have live music and some of my local favorites even play there here and there. The mix of sports fans, visitors, and people coming from Stand Up Live make it a really fun place to end the night.

A daytrip to Sedona is always a must! Tlaquepaque Village is an absolutely beautiful place and can be super relaxing if you go when it’s not super busy. There are so many great hikes and views all around the Sedona area too. I stumbled upon a great spot a couple of years ago just north of Sedona where it’s a short hike down and a nice relaxing place to dip in Oak Creek and connect with nature without any other people around. It’s one of those places that I don’t think has an actual name and I couldn’t really tell you how to get there, but when I’m close, I remember the turn and I would have to show you. I know it’s just a little south of Manzanita Campground though. You really can’t go wrong with any stop on that Oak Creek Canyon drive though. There’s also a cool little market around there where you can get fresh water from Harding Spring and relax at a little picnic/fire pit area in the back. Before leaving Sedona, I make sure to always stop at Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park. It’s a beautiful area to meditate, take in nature, and just slow down for a bit. Since it’s an area for meditation and prayer, it’s usually really quiet even if there are several people around, and it’s a great spot to disconnect with technology and daily life and reconnect with the Earth. On the road back out of town I usually stop at ChocolaTree for some desserts and Tamaliza for a meal with a great view. The Sedona airport is just down the street from those places and has an amazing scenic lookout with a beautiful sunset. There is also a vortex there, but make sure you plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time if you’re wanting to take on that adventure.

I consider myself to be somewhat of a vegan foodie and I try to support local businesses as much as possible, so once we’re back in the valley, my next suggestion would be trying different food. Whether it’s pop-ups like Hot Sauce & Pepper or Munchies, or brick and mortar locations like Earth, Goji Berry, Pizza Heaven Bistro, or Loving Hut, there are so many great options all over the Phoenix area.

I’m a huge music fan, and I would try to find a show of interest at my go to, Last Exit Live, other venues like The Rebel Lounge, Rockbar, The Van Buren, Crescent Ballroom, the recently opened Pour Decisions, or my new favorite, Walter Studios. I don’t drink that much, so I love that Walter Studios offers a whole variety of non-alcoholic drinks that I haven’t really seen anywhere else. There are a lot of other venues in the area, but these are my favorites. I recently teamed up with my friend and fellow entrepreneur for our Mindset Through the Music: The Impact of Lyrics workshop, and we hope to bring that experience to one of those venues before the end of 2024.

I’ve really enjoyed the non-tubing area of Salt River for a few years now, and it’s always fun to see the wild horses roaming while spending some time in the river. Desert Belle Cruises at Saguaro Lake are always worth the trip too. I’ve really been missing out on Lake Pleasant, but over the past year or so I’ve been out there several times, and it’s now one of my favorite spots to roam around and spend a day. I love that they are bringing music out there a few times a year, and I recently saw an acoustic set with some local favorites at Scorpion Bay Grill and highly recommend that to anyone who loves music and water.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My friends have been really instrumental in my journey of becoming a Mindset Coach and starting my own business, and they deserve a ton of credit. Conversations with a handful of them helped me realize that I had something truly valuable to offer people, something that could make a significant impact on their lives. What started out as casual conversations about some mindset shifts evolved into me being a trusted resource when they needed guidance. Their interest and trust in me really helped me see my potential as a Mindset Coach. Without that, I may not have recognized my ability to help people with their thoughts and mindset, much less discovered how much I enjoy it.

When I announced my career change, the outpouring of support on social media, through texts, and in person was overwhelming in the best way. Many of those people continue to support my business regularly in a variety of ways. I also had a handful of close friends from my marketing days who have helped with pictures and headshots, offered another set of eyes for me, checked in, and even become my clients.

I’m also a huge fan of reggae music, and Phoenix has a really vibrant reggae scene full of incredible people. My Iriezona family has been tremendously supportive as well. They attend my events, constantly ask about my business, and show up in various ways. Dozens of them even attended a workshop I conducted with another entrepreneur and friend at a music festival on the New Mexico / Colorado border a few weeks ago. Their ongoing support has been invaluable, and I’m incredibly grateful.

Website: https://reworkingmindsets.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reworkingmindsets

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reworkingmindsets

Twitter: https://x.com/ReworkMindsets

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reworkingmindsets

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/reworking-mindsets-phoenix

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@reworkingmindsets

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@reworkingmindsets, https://open.spotify.com/user/3172g2uvctd75qphac3hfpxqyt4a?si=1a159832e8a947f1

Image Credits
Nick Loposky / Loposky Media