An Interview With Brooke Bohinc
Yevedzo Chitiga, the Founder of Yevedzo Coaching and Consulting, is passionate about empowering women to lead with confidence and impact.
Intentional choices and a commitment to authenticity are the backbone of Yevedzo’s journey into entrepreneurship. Her transition from a successful legal career to coaching and speaking was sparked by the desire to more freely use her own voice. Similarly, using her full first name, which means “lovely to behold,” as part of her company shows both an acceptance and celebration of her personal identity. These decisions are ultimately what allowed her to discover and live out her true purpose and passion. Today, Yevedzo harnesses the learning lessons of her past to inspire others with her ability to dream, empower, and lead with empathy.
We asked Yevedzo about her career background, the leadership skills she’s most proud of having honed, and the advice she would give someone starting out on the journey she’s on.
Tell us about your career background. How has it led you to where you are today?
I’m a seasoned attorney with over a decade of experience counseling clients primarily in the financial services industry and most recently in the financial technology space. I’ve worked in large international law firms and also served as in-house counsel. Prior to law school, I was an internal auditor for an international financial services firm. I’ve worked in both the United States and the United Kingdom. My entire professional career has been developed in industries and professions that require active listening, thoughtful questioning, careful analysis, sound judgment, and strategic thinking. I’ve also navigated very traditional environments as a Black woman, and more recently as a working mother. This has required an extra level of thoughtfulness, intention, and a heightened awareness of unspoken rules. Every experience I’ve had, whether positive or negative, has shaped how I approach my business as a coach and speaker. My experiences, expertise, and education have shaped me into the coach and speaker I am today.
I want to empower my clients to unleash their potential and move confidently in the direction of their dreams. The biggest reward is helping others reach a new level of enlightenment about themselves and their abilities.
Tell us the story behind your company. When and why was it started?
First, my company’s name “Yevedzo Coaching and Consulting” is a powerful declaration that I am enough just as I am. I was intentional about using my full first name for my company. Specifically, I opted against using my nickname, “Yeve,” which I had chosen heading into law school so people wouldn’t have a hard time pronouncing my full name. Instead, I opted for the full richness of my name, which means “lovely to behold.” Second, I started this company because I knew I could no longer contain my voice and needed a vehicle through which to use it. Third, the blend of my personality and life purpose means I thrive when developing authentic connections, dreaming big, speaking life into people and situations, empowering others to feel seen and heard, and leading with empathy. I do all of these things best through coaching and speaking to people.
What, in the earlier parts of your career, best prepared you for this particular role?
I’ve always had audacious goals and big dreams. At 16, I was one of the youngest students in my college freshman class. By the time I was 24, I had lived on three continents and worked on two different continents for some of the largest global companies. But, for a while, I was stuck in a cycle of overachieving and not feeling meaningfully fulfilled. I would always come back to the “why” of my life. Thankfully, through intense introspection, countless setbacks, prayer, and working with professional coaches, I finally started to understand the patterns and themes in my life. As a young girl, I was an epic storyteller and entertainer. As a former internal auditor and now attorney, I’ve spent my entire career serving as a trusted counselor to decision-makers and key executives. Furthermore, as a young, Black woman and U.S. immigrant, I understand deeply what it means to face and overcome adversity. I now realize that my childhood interests, life experiences, and my training ground in corporate America were the roadmap to my purpose.
What is the most rewarding part about your current role?
Whether I’m speaking or coaching, I love to see people experience “light bulb” moments: that moment when something clicks for them and they unlock a new level of understanding or awareness. It’s the best feeling. Ultimately, I want to empower my clients or audience to unleash their potential and move confidently in the direction of their dreams. The biggest reward of coaching and speaking to audiences is helping someone reach a new level of enlightenment about themselves and their abilities.
Looking back, is there anything that you would change or do differently within your career journey?
I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Everything I have experienced in my life has led me to where I am today. That said, if I could go back in time and change something, I would. I would go back to younger me and shower her with grace and encouragement as she was experiencing really difficult times. There were numerous times when I felt like I was disappointing myself and my friends. Specifically, when I didn’t achieve something or something did not turn out the way I had planned or hoped. Thankfully, I now have the benefit of hindsight and being a mom to a young daughter. I would have been kinder to myself in those moments and remind myself of how much I have overcome despite the odds.
What leadership skills are you most proud of having honed?
I’m thankful my life and work experiences have shaped the leader I am. I’m particularly proud of my problem-solving capabilities and emotional intelligence. As a problem solver, I’m able to analyze and brainstorm strategic solutions. I’ve honed this skill over decades, starting from when I was younger navigating boarding school to becoming a professional in both the legal and financial services industries. Finally, being an emotionally intelligent leader allows me to operate with confidence, self-acceptance, and a keen understanding of what is being unsaid. Both skills have allowed me to flourish as an attorney and now as a coach.
What’s something you do outside of work that makes you a better leader?
Undeniably, spending time with my daughter makes me a better leader and human. I learn something about myself and feel lighter every time I’m with her. She’s now five, and being her mom stretches me in ways I didn’t know I needed. She’s a smart, empathetic, inquisitive, and funny kid who challenges me to be present, dream, and approach life with curiosity. In leadership, as in parenting, I believe transformational connection happens when you practice empathy and see someone for who they truly are.
What advice would you give someone starting out on the journey you’re on?
My journey is non-traditional and non-linear because I’m a multi-passionate creative person. Not everyone understands my passions and talents. I’m a seasoned attorney, published children’s book author, coach, and speaker. And I’m just getting started. My advice is for you to take up space and use your voice because the world needs what you have. And, if, like me, you’ve found yourself doubting your dreams and questioning yourself, then I want to ask you this: what if everything you dreamed of worked out beyond your wildest dreams?
