Stephanie “StephREDD” Kadiri is a connoisseur Self-ReEngineering, Business, and Communication Coach who helps individuals and teams to optimise their personal and collective genius for self and social impact. She is a trained Linguist, a certified Life Coach, and a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy practitioner with two decades of bilingual working experience spanning across anglophone and francophone Africa.
Fondly called “The Genius-Activator”, StephREDD is a seasoned instructor and transformational speaker. She has trained and coached several individuals and teams to help them optimise their performance and productivity through life.
Each January, StephREDD convenes the annual resilience summit tagged Unveil, Review, Redefine, Relaunch (UR³) that provides bulletproof resilience strategies and psychosocial support to enable people to effectively and successfully navigate today’s constantly disruptive environment.
She is a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the Life Coaches Association of Nigeria (LCAN), and the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).
When she is not wearing any of her numerous professional hats, StephREDD loves to sing, dance, and leave a happy cheer with others. She is married with two sons.
Can you share a bit about your journey and background with us?
I’m from Ughelli local government in Delta state and the youngest of five children, raised by an incredibly resilient mother who was widowed at 38. I’m a trained Linguist, proficiently bilingual, with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in French. I’m also a certified Life Coach and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy practitioner with expertise in personal development, communication, and resilience advocacy. Over the years, I’ve worked with thousands of individuals and teams to optimise their personal and collective performance.
I started my career in consulting and swiftly pivoted to Human Resources, where I spent the longest period in paid employment and acquired both local and international certifications. My career path was disrupted in January 2017, leaving me at “Ground Zero.” This disruption became the catalyst for my profound rediscovery of purpose and transformation.
Losing my job stripped me of my sense of meaning and what I had thought defined my identity. In that moment of hopelessness, I faced overwhelming feelings of rejection, shame, anxiety, and fear. At one point, I even considered taking my own life. However, after deep introspection, I found more compelling reasons to live and committed to reengineering my mindset and embracing an authentic genius state – one that isn’t defined by titles, positions, wealth, or influence, but by the inherent genius within me. This mindset shift made me bounce back stronger and more determined to thrive. It also ignited my passion to help others recognise and harness their unique genius for personal and social transformation.
This led to developing my Self-Reengineering framework, which includes the SPOT-Me tools, and the annual UR³ Resilience Summit – an initiative focused on building and reinforcing emotional and mental resilience to transform and thrive through life’s challenges.
You’re known as “The Genius-Activator.” What does that title mean to you, and how do you help individuals and teams unlock their full potential?
Being “The Genius-Activator” is both a privilege and a responsibility. My mission is to guide individuals and teams in recognising, embracing, and unleashing their unique genius so they can achieve remarkable personal and collective outcomes. It’s about unlocking the potential to thrive, lead, and leave a lasting impact.
My journey began in the early hours of a June day in 2020 when, while studying human identities, I came across Albert Einstein’s quote for the first time: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” That moment was my eureka. I realised that genius isn’t solely defined by extraordinary intelligence; rather, it’s the combination of innate strengths, talents, and perspectives that make each person unique. That “uniqueness” is your “difference”; and in that difference lies your IDENTITY.
Unfortunately, many people either overlook their genius or fail to harness it fully. As a Genius Activator, it is my responsibility to change that by empowering individuals to recognise the greatness within them and leverage it for personal, team, organisational, and social transformation.
I do this through my Self-Reengineering coaching framework, offering practical strategies that equip individuals and teams with the tools to align their genius with their goals, foster collaboration and innovation, and encourage a mindset shift. As a result, they achieve personal success and contribute meaningfully to their communities and organisations.
Tell us more about your annual Unveil, Review, Redefine, Relaunch (UR³) resilience summit. What inspired you to create it, and what are its key objectives?
The Unveil, Review, Redefine, Relaunch (UR³) Resilience Summit is an annual gathering inspired by my journey of overcoming rejection, shame, fear, and uncertainty. It helps participants unveil their potential, review their current state, redefine their paths, and relaunch stronger with purpose.
The key objectives of the UR³ Resilience Summit are:
- Provide actionable strategies and tools for building mental and emotional resilience.
- Inspire participants to turn challenges into opportunities for growth.
- Foster a community dedicated to personal and collective transformation.
What sets the UR³ Summit apart from other leadership and personal development programs?
The UR³ Summit uniquely blends resilience, personal transformation, and actionable strategies in a deeply personal yet universally impactful way, making it a catalyst for meaningful transformation and long-term success.
What sets it apart:
- A Resilience and Renewal-Focus: While many programs emphasise leadership or personal development, UR³ is built on a foundation of resilience and equips participants to embrace challenges, recover from setbacks, and emerge stronger, crucial skills in today’s unpredictable world.
- A Practical Framework: The Unveil, Review, Redefine, Relaunch (UR3) process offers an immediate framework that participants can apply to their personal and professional lives to make transformation tangible and sustainable.
- Dynamic Themes: Each year, we introduce a fresh, relevant theme (this year’s being M.O.V.E – Maintain Optimism, Visualise, Engage) that reflects current challenges and opportunities.
- A Blend of Inspiration and Strategy: Combining powerful stories from speakers with actionable strategies, participants leave both inspired and equipped to make impactful changes.
- Holistic Experience – The UR³ Summit isn’t just an event – it’s a launchpad for impactful transformation.
How do you define resilience, and why is it crucial for women navigating today’s rapidly changing world?
For me, Resilience is the ability to bounce back quickly and intentionally, grow stronger, and advance with purpose – despite challenges, disruptions, and uncertainties. It is a transformative force that enables women to lead, innovate, and thrive in an ever-changing world.
Resilience is an essential skill that women must embrace to help them maintain balance, set boundaries, and successfully navigate complex roles as caregivers, professionals, spouses, leaders, and more without losing themselves in the process. To challenge barriers of systemic biases, inequality, and stereotypes, advocate for themselves, and create new growth opportunities.
What advice would you give to women aspiring to become coaches or seeking to enhance their personal and professional growth?
- Start with Self-Awareness – recognising and understanding your strengths, weaknesses, values, and passions. Knowing yourself with clarity is the foundation for guiding others authentically.
- Commit to Lifelong Learning and continuous growth to stay relevant and effective in a constantly evolving coaching field.
- Seek Mentorship from experienced coaches who can provide insights, guidance, and help you navigate the industry’s nuances.
- Build Resilience. Challenges are inevitable, especially when starting. Cultivate resilience to navigate setbacks and remain focused on your purpose.
- Master Communication, as successful coaching, relies on active listening, understanding, and building trust with your clients.
- Engage in Intentional Networking to connect with like-minded professionals, join coaching associations, share ideas, increase visibility, and expand your impact.
- Show Up Courageously – take bold steps, embrace opportunities, and confidently grow your influence.
As I often say, coaching is not just a career – it’s a lifestyle of empowering others while continuously evolving yourself.
In the context of technological advancements and global challenges, how do you see the future of coaching and personal development evolving?
The rapid pace of technological advancements that we are already experiencing and the increasing complexity of global challenges will significantly shape the future of coaching and personal development.
Some inevitable projections are:
- Increased Accessibility through Technology: Digital platforms, AI, and virtual reality will make coaching more accessible. Tools like coaching apps and AI-driven assessments will allow personalised and scalable coaching experiences.
- Data-Driven Insights: Coaches will increasingly rely on data analytics and behavioural insights to tailor their approaches and track measurable outcomes for clients.
- Niche Specialisations: To address emerging needs in personal and organisational development, new coaching niches in areas like diversity, inclusion, sustainability, and technology will emerge.
- Lifelong Intervention: Coaching will be central in helping individuals and organisations navigate continuous learning and reinvention in a fast-changing world.
