Today we’d like to introduce you to Neda Kellogg.
Neda, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I discovered my passion for coaching melanated girls ages 11–19 after leading my first self-discovery cohort at Monroe Middle School in Omaha, NE in 2006. Inspired by the girls’ growth that I coached, in emotional regulation and mental fitness, I launched Project DIVA International, expanding it into schools and the community. To date, my organization has impacted over 5,000 girls and is now campaigning to open a Self-Mastery Campus and roller rink.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being an entrepreneur the road is never smooth! LOL … that’s what I actually love about what I do. Raising funds is always first of mind and can be considered a bumpy road. It’s one that I am navigating with a team of amazing people. With that said, a challenge that my team and I have faced is building a network willing to share information and/or make introductions. Understanding that our ‘network is our networth’, as an organization, we are now ensuring that the girls we coach understand the importance of building networks that align with their envisioned lifestyle earlier in life.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am passionate about coaching girls as an expert with 23 years of experience. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, the Twin Cities has been my home for 19 years. As a visionary leader, I am committed to results-based accountability, ensuring that effective middle school-to-career solutions are integrated into the development of primarily melanated girls. Under my guidance, Project DIVA International (PDI) has inspired over 5,000 girls to cultivate a deeper sense of mental fitness, emotional regulation and financial intelligence over the past 18 years. I believe in the transformative power of identity formation, leadership development and business acumen, which form the cornerstone of PDI’s coaching techniques. My engagement in this work stems from my own experiences of having a mom with mental challenges. I have had to have a deep-seated belief in myself as a woman with infinite potential. I recognize the critical need for learning environments that invest in tween and teen girls, enabling them to thrive emotionally, mentally, economically and socially.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I move through life knowing that everything is a part of the journey that I am creating. I am on the planet to invest in people and spaces. I have invested in creating an honest space for girls and women to come and discuss/execute on their emotional, mental and financial happenings so that they are at peace in life. The ups and downs on my journey have been good – and sometimes bad – in both life and business. Either way, it’s all in how I respond. Which is always good!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.projectdiva.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/projectdivainternational?
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectdivamn
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/project-diva-international
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZRiX0m-2s2PYyFu1dHPZcQ
