At age 23, Kelly Lovell from Kitchener, Ontario, has already had the career of someone in the workplace for at least 25 years. She is a 5-time award-winning thought leader, 3-time TEDx speaker, and CEO of Lovell Corporation and My Effect Inc. Her company Lovell Corporation is one of Canada’s top youth consultancy firms with focuses on digital media, research, development, marketing and consulting.
Very wise in her years, Kelly has proven that she gets what it takes to be a leader and to grow a healthy and profitable business. Many leaders who are seasoned professionals in their industries and who are stuck in their ways, could learn a thing or two from her positive outlook to her innovative way of thinking. Kelly’s mission is to make it easier for youth entering the workplace to feel like they can have a mentor and someone to look up to in their careers, as well they want to be seen as an equal in the workplace, and have their ideas heard and their work validated.
She discovered at a young age that she had the knack for business and the drive of an entrepreneur. She realized that she had passion for being creative and finding innovative ways of providing a solution for problems she came across.
Kelly did not set out to become an entrepreneur, but found that in time her path lead her towards creating a life that she not only believed in but helped her achieve her goals and aspirations of running her own business and changing the way in which youth are seen and treated in the workplace.
She has a passion for creating opportunities for youth-led innovation and empowering her peers to reach their full potential. She sees that there is a gap in the workforce between businesses and youth and her mission and purpose is to “bridge” this gap between companies and brands, and students and young professionals.
Since the inception of her company in 2013 she has been a sought after speaker who represents the voice of not only Canadian youth, but youth across the 59 countries that she has presence in.
With the recent launch of her book “The Power of YOUth”. Kelly has given a voice to 200 young entrepreneurs from around the world who share their stories about their goals and plans to solve social challenges.
Three lessons from Kelly to help overcome some of the challenges you face as an entrepreneur:
1.) The first lesson was to never let her age define her potential. At age 12, Kelly asked her father to teach her how to play poker, as she had an avid interest in learning more about games with strategy. Later that summer, her skills were put to the test when she attended a family BBQ, and was allowed to sit and play at the table as family members thought it was a cute way to include her, and assumed she would be out in a few rounds. Little did they know, she knew the game, and ended up winning the entire tournament. “Rather than be intimidated by the challenge, I was motivated to have the opportunity to grow my experience, and I found the doubt of others added extra fuel to my fire.”
2.) The second lesson was to never let others take advantage of her. When she was 18 years old, she held her first independent fundraising campaign event after a Canada wide campaign that was set to be launched at a local mall. The day before the event, the mall manager called Kelly to say that the event was cancelled. The lady has assumed that Kelly was older as she portrayed herself as a professional adult, in which she was shocked she was only a youth when they met. Kelly tried numerous times to try and rectify the situation, but was left with a continuous stream of unanswered voicemails. Kelly did not take this sitting down. She took it upon herself to go above the mall manager, call another person in a greater position, explain her platform and her disappoint to the cancellation because of her age. To her surprise, within 30 minutes of the phone call, she received an e-mail stating that the fundraiser event was back on. “This experience taught me a crucial lesson on the necessity for a leader, at any age, to know their worth, speak up and overcome adversity.”
3.) The third lesson was to always remain her authentic self. People in many industries fear the need to conform in their workplace in order to fit in and be accepted by their peers. The people who stand out are often criticized or not taken seriously, especially if you are young. Although many think that being different is a weakness, Kelly learned that her style, personality and quirkiness were what made her more memorable and stand out in ways that actually benefited her. She dealt with her fair share of eye-rolls and smirks as she is young and has a very unique personality and look, but eventually were the things that made her leadership more credible. “While it may be easy to conform, it is just as easy to lose yourself and your uniqueness in the process. In my experience, being authentic to who you are is an important step to building credibility and respect as a leader.”
Kelly’s advice for entrepreneurs is to find your purpose.
“This purpose is at the heart of becoming a successful entrepreneur. There will be challenges, but if you are passionate enough about the problem you want to solve, you will find a way to succeed.” Once you have found your purpose, remember the lessons that Kelly has shared with us, age is nothing but a number, go out and prove that you are capable of taking on a challenge and accomplishing the job that is set out for you. Never let someone take advantage of you. Speak up when you are mistreated, and never back down until you are shown the respect you deserve. Always be yourself. Why not be different, and stand out. You never know what amazing opportunities are waiting for you, until you follow your own path and be true to your authentic self.
Sources:
- http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/kelly-lovell/signs-that-i-was-meant-to-be-an-entrepreneur_a_23235703/
- http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/kelly-lovell/investing-in-youth-the-future-of-innovation-and-economic-growth_a_23016063/
- https://www.lovellcorporation.com
- https://changegen.com/book/
Author Bio: Lindsay Mitchell
Lindsay Mitchell lives in Vancouver and grew up in Brampton, Ontario. She is a freelance creative marketer, storyteller, and influencer. She is an extreme film buff, HUGE Toronto sports fan, foodie who enjoys to try new restaurants & cuisines, as well a seasoned Travel Bug who enjoys hiking & exploring new cities and countries. She can be found on Instagram @lindsay1621 or at www.pinkcrowncreative.com
