Meet Lola Ajayi

We were lucky to catch up with Lola Ajayi recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lola, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I definitely get my work ethic from my parents. My parents were both born in Nigeria and immigrated to the united states in the late 70s, early 80s. As with other immigrants, they had to work a lot harder as they didn’t have access or even have the knowledge about certain things ad they were not born and raised in the united states. My father had multiple advanced degrees and so did my mother, but they always worked multiple jobs to be able to provide for myself and my brother. They worked nights and weekends and that instilled in me that I needed to work hard for the things I want. I had my first job at 15 and have been working ever since. I have established myself as a high earning government employee as well as establishing my life coaching business so that I can live the life i desire for myself and my family

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I do a lot! Besides raising my two girls, I am a regulatory affairs scientist during the day. Helping the Army developing drugs against Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Threats. I love this job because I get to help people who put their life on the line for this country. When I am not doing that, I am helping women find their purpose through life coaching. I am a certified life coach and help women of color with their executive functioning skills. So many minority woman have been undiagnosed and misdiagnosed with ADHD, which impacts their executive function. I help these women with time management, establishing goals and how to focus on those, emotional control and regulation, and prioritization just to name of few. once these woman are able to really excel in these areas, the sky’s the limit when it comes to their professional career or personal life. My company is called BaraLaj Coaching and incorporates my Nigerian roots as well as my family. Bara is strength in Yoruba, my parents native language and the LAJ is the first initials for myself and my two girls; the people who strengthen me the most and i hope to pass along this strength to my clients. I have coaching packages listed on my website at www.baralajcoaching.com and I am always excited to connect with new women.

In both of my careers/ Jobs, I am making a difference in peoples lives and that is what gives me happiness, joy, and purpose. Knowing that I am helping someone make a positive impact in their life. I am truly blessed and happy with what I do

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1) Education- This doesn’t necessarily you have to go to college, but educate yourself on what it is you think you want to do and be the best in your field.

2) Networking – Meet people, be respectful, courteous, and compassionate. I know it is cliche but its not about who you know, but its about who knows you. the power of referrals and partnerships and connections will elevate you in whatever you want to do exponentially

3) Boundaries- Maintain your boundaries. People will try to get more than what you have to offer or even try to devalue you. Know your worth and establish healthy boundaries

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

Realizing that hard work is important but rest is equally as important. It is ok to ask people for help and give yourself grace if you can’t get it all done. Healthy boundaries are ok and everything that is meant for you, will work out for you. Continue to be a good person and do good to others and it will come back to you. as someone who is a recovering people pleaser and fiercely independent, these things have helped me have a more balanced and happy life.

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