Meet Dezirae Mitchell-Garcia | Human Capital Practitioner & Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dezirae Mitchell-Garcia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dezirae, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am from Grand Rapids Michigan, born and raised. Never in a million years did I think I would be traveling outside of the city, let alone around the world! Growing up, I had zero exposure to economic opportunity. No one in my family on either side has earned a degree, and no one owns any businesses or homes. Most of my life involved witnessing hardship, but it was my threshold for “normal”. As a kid, I really had no other perspective of what life could be. After having a daughter of my own at age 16, everything changed. It was at that point I realized I wanted a different life for myself. I had another person to think about and make decisions for. Something clicked and I wanted my child and future children to have the opposite experience I had.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My career is focused on navigating businesses through change management from an equitable and inclusive lens. I am a person that values metrics. Organizational development does not have a one size fits all strategy. Employee Empathy Management is unique because we focus on matching the appropriate methodology to the desired measurable outcomes of a business. Often, organizations have a hard time connecting actionable items to data analysis. Additionally, next year we will be offering digital services to meet the evolving needs of businesses. We also offer career coaching and mentorship services.

I am passionate about workforce development. I went into this industry because it can be challenging to find the best career opportunity on your own. Many people underestimate the transferability or their skills and many organizations are underutilizing succession and retention planning. I think everyone deserves to have a job where they feel valued, and where they feel like they can be good at the work they do.

Becoming an entrepreneur was not an easy decision. I had my business idea for almost four years before I filed for my LLC. Even when I officially registered by business, I still had no idea how to even begin. What should my logo be? Is it good enough? How do I get a website? Who can I ask for advice? Is this something I can actually be good at? These are all questions I had to address.

The advice I would give related to overcoming challenges would be to find people who support you and lean into them; stay focused; and expose yourself to as many new opportunities as possible. It can be so easy to compare yourself to others, and to be discouraged but keep going! I would also recommend reading as many personal development books as you can, and having credentials in the field you’re pursing. Credentials build trust and credibility when you’re starting out.

Employee Empathy Management is dedicated to helping people in the community get good jobs, and helping organizations manage areas of people operations effectively and confidently.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My idea of the best time in Grand Rapids consists of coffee, dancing, karaoke, brunch, dinner, drinks and community events.

The Last Mile Cafe is somewhere I would tell anyone to go for local coffee or The Bitter End Cafe. I love supporting small businesses.

For dancing I would recommend The Pyramid Scheme if they have an event, Billys or Flannagans. For a more chill vibe, AC Hotels has live music until midnight on the weekends.

Karaoke with Sunny is the third Friday of every month at the Ambrosia Theater. She is a great host, there’s tacos for sale and a 50/50 raffle!

For brunch, Bobcat Bonnies is great! They have build your own bloody Mary’s and mimosas and they also have very creative mocktails!

If you’re looking for craft cocktails Buffalo Traders, Bonefish Grill and Noco Provisions are some of my top picks.

Finally, if you’re looking for events with food, live entertainment and activities, there is almost always something going on downtown at least monthly.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would not be anywhere in life without my children, my partners, my several mentors throughout the years, and my squad. Without the encouragement and opportunity of my mentors, I wouldn’t be anywhere near the level of achievement I am today. So many people have put their trust in my ability to innovate, to coach, and to deliver. Without these opportunities, I wouldn’t have grown in my personal or professional endeavors. Last but not least, my kids, my partners, and my closest friends ( no matter how far we are distance wise) have always believed in me. Even if my ideas were crazy, even if I didn’t know how I was going to execute certain goals, they still stood behind my dreams and ambitions every step of the way. From cooking me meals, to sending me reels/memes, to giving the best hugs, to listening to my eight minute long audio messages, I have not forgotten a single act of support. I am forever grateful to every single person who has played a part in my journey up to this point.

Website: https://www.employeeempathymanagement.com/

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