Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy English.
Hi Wendy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised in a small town in Oklahoma. My upbringing wasn’t particularly glamorous, and while small-town life shaped me in many positive ways, it never truly fit who I was becoming. After community college and Oklahoma State University, I moved to Tulsa and spent several years working in consumer credit. I was successful, but the work felt grueling and lacked the deeper impact I longed to make. Still, the relationships I formed during that season were invaluable—many of those friends have become family.
During that time, I also developed a strong interest in humanitarian and missions work, which eventually led me to Bible school and then to Kansas City to partner with a global ministry for additional training and equipping. Once I arrived in KC, however, my professional life began to stall. I realized that full-time missions wasn’t my long-term vocational path, and I eventually transitioned back into the world of recruiting.
From 2020 through early 2025, I worked in HR and recruiting roles, where I witnessed firsthand the effects of micromanagement, poor leadership, lack of communication, and environments that drained rather than empowered people. My final corporate role was with a small HR consulting company, where I was abruptly fired after only 30 days—without discussion or dignity—because a friend briefly walked into the room during a Zoom call. That moment was a turning point. After years of trying to earn a seat at someone else’s table, I knew it was time to stop building other people’s dreams and begin investing in my own.
I had been coaching friends informally for years, and with the support and investment of a dear friend who believed in me, I launched The Growth Coach of Kansas City South in April 2025. The journey has come with its share of highs and lows, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Entrepreneurship has offered me more purpose, freedom, and fulfillment than corporate ever could.
Most importantly, I exist to help other women of color recognize their potential, build confidence in their abilities, and transform their skills into marketable, successful businesses. My story is still being written, but today I am exactly where I’m meant to be.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely—there have definitely been challenges. I’m doing something I’ve never done before, and as a solopreneur, some tasks take me much longer simply because I’m learning everything firsthand. But that’s part of the journey. I’m not afraid of the hard moments; I know I’ll figure things out as I go, and every challenge just makes me stronger and more capable.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Growth Coach of Kansas City South exists because I believe leaders deserve support, teams deserve clarity, and women of color deserve to see themselves as powerful, capable, and fully equipped to succeed. I specialize in executive coaching, leadership development, team workshops, and mindset work that helps individuals and organizations shift from overwhelmed and reactive to confident, intentional, and high-performing.
What I’m known for is my ability to connect quickly, listen deeply, and help people see the possibilities they’ve been overlooking. I bring both structure and heart into the work—strategy paired with empathy, accountability paired with genuine encouragement. My clients often tell me they feel seen, heard, and strengthened in ways they haven’t experienced in corporate settings.
What sets me apart is that my coaching isn’t transactional; it’s transformational. I’m not here to check a box or drop in for a one-off training. I’m committed to walking alongside leaders as they grow, evolve, and step into their potential. I bring years of real-world HR and recruiting experience, ministry and service background, and my own lived experience as a woman of color who had to fight for her seat at the table. That allows me to coach through a lens of compassion, resilience, and authenticity.
My brand stands on empowerment, clarity, and transformation. I want readers to know that my services aren’t just programs—they’re pathways to becoming the leader, business owner, or team member they were meant to be.
Whether it’s one-on-one executive coaching, team-building workshops, assessments, or leadership development sessions, everything I offer is designed to help people grow into the best version of themselves—professionally and personally.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was the kid who loved making people laugh—I was even voted my senior class clown (no judgment, please!). Even then, I wanted to be taken seriously, but I’ve learned that laughter is often the doorway to trust and connection. So in the end, I wouldn’t trade that part of my personality for anything.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thegrowthcoach.com/kansas-city-south/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/from_corp_to_ceo/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-english/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@fromcorporatetoceo?lang=en
