Certified in Real Life: Kenya Stanell on Owning Your Story, Not Just Your Credentials

Sis, your lived experience already qualified you. You just need to start acting like it.

One thing about high-achieving women—we’re real good at collecting letters.
MD. RN. MBA. CPT. PMP.
We chase certifications like they’re security blankets, convincing ourselves that maybe this one will finally make us feel legit.

But what if you’re already qualified?

This week on The Docs Get Money Podcast, I had an incredible conversation with Kenya Stanell—nurse, executive leader, certified coach, and walking evidence that you don’t need more paper to prove your power. You just need to trust your story.

Kenya shared how she went from working in accounting to becoming a nurse, then moving into executive leadership, and finally, launching her own coaching business. But this episode isn’t just about career moves—it’s about identity. About what happens when you realize you’ve been hiding behind your titles and playing small, even with the résumé to back it all up.

Why We Keep Looking for External Validation

Kenya talked about something that hit real close to home—how women of color in medicine and leadership are often conditioned to prove themselves twice as hard. So we collect the credentials. We take the courses. We think that if we get just one more degree, we’ll finally feel ready.

But all it really does is delay the real work: the inner work.

Because no certification can give you permission to be powerful. That has to come from you.

What You Know Is Enough (And So Are You)

Kenya didn’t start her coaching journey with all the answers. She didn’t wait until she had the “perfect” business plan or the fanciest credentials. What she did have was lived experience—and a passion for helping other women get free.

And let me tell you: that’s more valuable than any textbook.

She built her business around community, wellness, and authenticity. She took what she knew from life, work, and leadership—and turned it into a service that’s changing lives. Because when you stop hiding behind what you’ve done and start standing in who you are, that’s when the magic happens.

The Real Credential Is Your Story

Listen—degrees are great. Training is important. But don’t let that be the reason you stall.

You already have what it takes to create impact and income.
You’ve already lived through the hard stuff.
You’ve already built something from nothing before.

So if you’re sitting there wondering whether you’re “qualified” to pivot into coaching, consulting, or entrepreneurship—this episode is your reminder. Your story is your superpower. And you’re certified in real life.

🎧 Ready to Step Into What You Already Know?

Tune into this episode to hear Kenya’s full story—from identity shifts and perfectionism to community, coaching, and claiming your voice.

Because the truth is: the life, business, and legacy you want?
It’s not on the other side of another certification.
It’s already in you.

🎧 Listen to Certified in Real Life: Kenya Stanell on Owning Your Story, Not Just Your Credentials