Meet Diseree “Dez” Clay | Transformational Coach, Speaker, & Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Diseree “Dez” Clay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Diseree “Dez”, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am a girl from the South Side of Chicago, IL.- Englewood to be exact. I grew up with my three older siblings, my grandmother and biological mom. The community in which I was raised was filled with hard-working individuals. Most of my peers were in single-mother homes or being raised by their grandmother. However, with a closer look, you couldn’t help but to see drug dealers on the corners and the addicted consumers not too far away. You saw teens with babies and people who had lost sight of their hopes and dreams. You saw people who thought that what was in front of them was the best that could be experienced in life. However, for me the less than best environment proved to be the darkness that I needed to grow as a seed. It proved to be the breeding ground for my success today. Who I am today, I’ve always been. I was and am a hard-working, persistent, survivor who transformed my life to thriving. What I learned on the South Side of Chicago as a little girl with braids in my hair was there was always a way to get what you needed and what you wanted, but you had to be willing to sacrifice something. You had to also be willing to push past your quit. Today, I am a Christian, wife, mom and coach!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’m the “Dez” of Dez Three Sixty which is a multimedia brand that includes books, apparel, podcast, blogs and more! I’m a Master Certified Transformational Coach, Author, Speaker and Certified John Maxwell Team member focusing on helping women transform into their 2.0 self.

Specifically, I help overwhelmed burnt out wives find harmony between career and family so they can feel more at ease and thrive in their everyday life.

This is done through transformational group coaching, one-on-one coaching, workbooks and courses. My products and services help women gain self-awareness so that we can then align where they are with where they’d like to be. All too often we want what we see for our future, but we haven’t taken into account where we are and the process that’s necessary to get from here to there. I’m most excited about my signature program “Think Big, Start Small: How to Thrive in Life, Love and Career®” In this course, women will learn to: * Identify what you REALLY want and stop limiting your dreams * Find a big enough reason for committing to your goals * Create a compelling vision of your life * Embrace change and release resistance * Obliterate all doubt and believe you CAN DO IT * Create a concrete long term plans and use weekly tools to stay on track * Stay motivated and inspired along your journey to success * Release limiting beliefs and replace them with empowering ones * Stop procrastinating and take massive action.

I am proud that I have developed such a robust program in such a short period of time. It took a lot of work and sacrifice, but I think it is necessary because I believe that there are too many broken girls inside the bodies of women and we keep perpetuating brokenness. It has not been an easy road to transform my life and help other women do the same in their own lives, but it is worth it. It is worth seeing other women reach self-actualization and break unproductive cycles in their lives. I truly want women to move beyond surviving- to thriving.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting, we’d definitely have to check out some of the amazing food trucks roving throughout the city. We’d also have to go to the Breakfast Klub and Turkey Leg Hut. We’d hangout at Discovery Green for a while then make our way to nearby Galveston for some fun and more eateries! For a little bit of cultural exposure, we could spend the day in the Museum District. Finally, if she’s any friend of mine we’ll have to schedule a photoshoot in Houston street art area. Lots of eating and site sightseeing is what would be on the itinerary.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people that I can name here. I am not where I am today because of my desires alone. I could literally write a book about those who impacted my life in various stages. So, I’ll just begin. The teachers that drove to my school from different areas in the city, as challenging and hostile environment it was, they showed up. Everyday they showed up. They also saw in me at a very young age what I couldn’t see in myself. They ignited fires in me that would have never been a flame if it were not for them. Some of them include: Ms. Miles (may she Rest In Peace), Mrs. Henderson (may she Rest In Peace), Ms. Yisreal, Mr. Houston, Ms. Jackson, Mrs. Williams- Ford, Mr. Richardson (former principal) Mrs. Nichols- Sweat and Ms. Nichols (more about her to come), and Ms. Reaves (Dunbar HS Chicago) to name a few. Ms. Nichols became my adopted mother. Though I was never legally adopted, she invested so much in me in time, love, money and prayer. She is who I refer to as mom in present day. I like to say that she polished me and fine-tuned the areas that otherwise would have perhaps gone untapped. The education department at Grambling State University, your concern and support never went unnoticed. There were times I had to take my baby to many of your classes just so I could continue my matriculation. My college cheer coach, Terry Lilly, who showed up for me when I was in a low place. My sister friends who supported me and still do through all of my rollercoaster moments in my life. My biological mother, who did the best she could do within her capacity for me. My sister, Lakesha, who has been with me since the beginning of me. She supports me in anyway that she cans and she has always been this way. My daughter Cee keeps the fire under me and won’t let me quit, even when I want to! She has been a driving force for me since before she was born 16 years ago. I would of course like to shoutout my loving, supportive, and amazing husband. This man is my personal cheerleader and my number one fan. I can’t thank him enough for his unwavering support. Last, but certainly not least, God, my Creator. He’s given me a heavy mantle to carry and I’m grateful that He entrusted me to carry the charge. I absolutely hate to name people because it always seems like I forget someone. So to anyone that I may have missed, you know my heart. Therefore, charge it to my head.

Website: www.disereeclay.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dezthreesixty

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezthreesixty

Twitter: www.twitter.com/dezthreesixty

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dezthreesixty

Youtube: www.youtube.com/dezthreesixty

Other: PPYQ- Push Past Your Quit Merchandise and Apparel Line www.pushpastyourquit.com

Image Credits
One For All Photography