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Shine On Success
Welcome to "Shine On Success," the podcast dedicated to exploring the journeys, challenges, and triumphs of today's entrepreneurs. Each episode from your host, Dionne Malush is crafted to inspire, educate, and empower you, whether you're just starting out or are a seasoned business owner.
Shine On Success
Rising from Adversity: How Mindset and Resilience Can Lead to a Life of Fulfillment
In this inspiring episode of "Shine On Success," host Dionne Malush sits down with DeDee Cai, a mindset coach and founder of FIT TO PROFIT, a company dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs through psychology, cognitive science, and holistic wellness. DeDee shares her personal journey from feeling lost in a cubicle to finding her true calling as a coach, helping others achieve financial freedom and inner peace. Despite facing significant challenges, including burnout and silent battles with depression, DeDee's story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and the power of mindset.
Listeners will learn how DeDee transformed her life by embracing self-development and discipline, ultimately creating a life of freedom and fulfillment. She offers practical advice on how to overcome adversity, the importance of morning routines, and the significance of aligning with one’s purpose. DeDee’s message is clear: no matter where you start, with the right mindset and perseverance, you can achieve your dreams and live a life that’s truly fit to profit.
Join Dionne and DeDee in this uplifting conversation that will leave you motivated to push through your own challenges and embrace the possibilities ahead.
Connect with DeDee here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dedee.cai
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/fittoprofitllc
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fittoprofit
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dedeecai/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE3Ui5CzopMifGijINpAQEg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dedeecai/
Connect with Dionne Malush
- Instagram: @dionnerealtyonepgh
- LinkedIN: /in/dionnemalush
- Website: www.dionnemalush.com
- Facebook: /dmalush
- LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/dionnemalush
What is one challenge you've faced in your personal or professional life, and how did overcoming it change you? The first line in Didi's online bio is do you feel like you're drowning? Welcome to another episode of Shine on Success. I'm your host, dionne Malish, and today I'm thrilled to introduce an extraordinary guest, didi Kai. Didi is the founder and a mindset coach of Fit to Profit, a company that harnesses psychology, cognitive science and holistic wellness to help entrepreneurs achieve peak performance in life and business. With over 15 years of experience in the health and wellness industry, didi is on a mission to empower women to build financial freedom from the inside out. Welcome, didi. Thank you so much for being on the show with me today. How are you?
Speaker 2:doing. Oh my goodness. Thank you so much, dionne, for having me. I am delighted to be here, I am doing well and I am so honored to have this conversation with you and just connect with you and your listeners. Thanks so much for having me. Oh, you're so welcome.
Speaker 1:So I want to get started, because you have a lot to say in a little bit of time, so let's start talking about the first thing I want to ask you is what's something interesting about yourself that most people would not know? We're going to start right off the beginning. Something interesting.
Speaker 2:Yes, oh, my goodness, I may seem like I know everything, do everything and et cetera and things like that, and until most recently, it lasts a couple of years when I actually start sharing this, this tidbit about myself. People are like no way, that is not possible, but I think it's fine and it's interesting too. It's a will be related to my story for the rest of our time together is that I don't know how to swim, and it's interesting now too that I live in Florida waters and people but the reason why people thought that I always knew how to swim because I've shared a story about me surfing and doing the things in the water, but I don't really literally know how to swim to to survive for my life. That would be an interesting fact, but that doesn't really stop me from doing certain things.
Speaker 1:So I would say I love that you still try, and you know, to be honest with you, I'm not the greatest swimmer either. Like I think if I had to I could not drown. But I ride jet skis in the water in boats and I never hardly go in the water because I just don't want to be inside the water, and I won't go in the ocean too far because I'm just frightened of all of the things that are in there. But that's cool. That's a good story to start with. So let's talk a little bit about what you do and how you help other women and tell your story about your business. I'd love to know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it has been honestly a personal journey, dion. It's interesting that, just like everyone, I was actually growing up in a system where this is what, how you do it, right Like, let's go to school, get a good job and then be it. And, interestingly, I did all of that and graduated school and got a good job and found myself sitting in a cubicle for my first job and I didn't last very long and noticed that this is not the life for me. And at the same time, around that time, my parents got separated and divorced and I have an opportunity to open a business with my mom and I jumped on it. I said, oh my gosh, this is the American dream, right, like, if we are here to have freedom to do anything, let's start a business. And we did Within five years really fast. I found that that's not the American dream. It's actually turned out to be an American nightmare.
Speaker 1:Oh my God, I totally understand where you're coming from, and I was like okay, so what am I supposed to do with my life?
Speaker 2:I'm no good for a job. Now, this business thing is not working out either, and so, for context, I actually was running salons and restaurants, which is, in the service industry, super demanding. So I got burnt out and I was forced to take a big step back to take care of my own health. Really, I was honestly looking great from the outside, happy and cheery, but I was also in the background or behind the scenes. I was actually suffering from depression and anxiety and silence. I took a big step back to take care of myself, got into health and wellness and, lord behold, before I knew it, I enrolled myself in a holistic health coaching program for me, for myself. That's how I discovered the coaching industry, and everything came full circle because when I was in school, I originally wanted to be a therapist. I really wanted to work with people, help people to just honestly be happy and find fulfillment in life. So when I discovered the coaching industry, I jumped right on it and I graduated and I started pitching my holistic health coaching programs. No one wanted to buy it.
Speaker 2:It was like okay, once again like, once again, what am I supposed to do with my life? What's interesting, though, I had clients. Although we're not interested in holistic health coaching, they wanted me to teach them how to start businesses. So this was in 2015. So I just fell into business development and coaching. So I did that for definitely a few years.
Speaker 2:Up until about three years ago, I was really asking myself if I really wanted to start a business was to serve people on a highest level, Like if I wanted to do more impact, more people. Is this the thing that I'm supposed to be doing? And coaching, yes, absolutely, but the type of coaching. I was honestly getting a little bored with it, you know, and. But on the other side, I was still in so in love with it because I was talking to my clients so much about everything else except business. We do talk strategy and tactics don't get me wrong but on the other end, we always end up talking about well, you know the strategy, you have the plan we have created together. Why are we not getting the results? Why are you not getting results? Why are you not getting taking the action that you know you're supposed to?
Speaker 2:And hence it came clear that mindset is everything. So that's how it really turned out to be, honestly, was seeing all the challenges that my clients went through, Also with me too, on a daily basis and, you know, with my business and family and all of the things. So I said you know what? And my whole life has been everything about self-development and mindset. So I've decided three years ago, was mindset was the thing that I'm going to be going after teaching people about? Was mindset was think that I'm going to be going after teaching people about, and especially women entrepreneurs. Right, Like we are in a completely new role, right With the working and being a mom and, you know, being able to do. You know older generations are not able to do. There's a lot of challenges for us as women, and so that's why, truly, my mission is to help entrepreneurs, especially women, create financial independent from the inside out, starting with growing and having and developing the right mindset.
Speaker 1:So just yesterday I posted I created a Facebook group called Mindset Millionaires and the post was Mindset is Everything. Just so you know that was yesterday's post, so I believe it. I agree. Yeah, going through everything that we go through in a lifetime if you don't have your mind right, I just don't know how you push through it. So the point of me doing this podcast is to teach people that we can have hard times, we can go through adversity, we can get defeated, but all of that is what makes us who we are today. We have to fail to succeed. It's a critical part of it. So you're sitting here telling me you failed. You got back up.
Speaker 2:You did it again. You failed, you got fed up, back up, you did it again, and we'll continue to do this, because that's what we're made of, right? Yeah, 100%.
Speaker 1:I know in the last five minutes I failed like five times, right? Yeah, I get it. I totally get it. So let's talk about that. How do you push through? So, knowing this is what you teach. How do you personally push through the adversity?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know it's so interesting. I get this question all the time and, to be honest, it's really being clear, you know, on my vision which, by the way, does not always have to be clear. It wasn't. It wasn't clear initially, as you hear my story and I'm allowing myself to evolve over time, but it's the knowing. I think it's definitely a knowing that I get asked this again the other day just on a podcast what is the thing? I? I just really, from the inside, always knew that I'm supposed to contribute, and I don't know what that means, in what way, but I'm like, supposed to give back and pay it forward somehow. I think it's that urge, that little voice that's always telling me like no, keep going, there's more for you, You're better than this, it's that and it's just, I think, clearer and clearer since I started.
Speaker 2:My business is definitely knowing your purpose. Right, and it could be sound like really cliche, but it's not, because if you know the reason why you get up every morning and it's beyond, you know bringing food to the table, taking care of your family, things like that, it has to be beyond that Then it's. Everything else is really easy. I mean, every bad day could just be the day as part of you know the process and I think it's just the knowing that we are each here for a reason and we're really here to lift each other and to make all of the mistakes and then share the mistakes so that way they don't have to fall through the challenges that we have to go through and learn the hard way. I think that's my thing, is being connected to my vision and my purpose is what keeps me going.
Speaker 1:Well, that makes a lot of sense to me. And you started your company is called fit to profit. It's a great name, because your mind needs to be fit right, your body needs to be fit, yes, and then, all of a sudden, you are profitable in many ways, more than just money.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and that's exactly. It's interesting. Fit to profit came to me when I was launching the holistic health coaching programs. Because I really do believe that, because in my experience my business didn't work out the way I wanted to, because I was not fit emotionally to run the businesses. So then I was asked to step back to take care of myself emotionally first, then physically right, then mentally and then now so more so the past five years spiritually. So for us the profit means being physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually fit to reap the results and or the successes that we deserve is we have to be fit right.
Speaker 1:I love that and I'm glad that we're having this conversation, because I think many people are fit in one area right, and I can even look at my own self and think, okay, there's one area that I'm missing here, because I think I have three of the four, but the fourth one is something I need to work on. Does it mean I can't do it? No, I just haven't focused on it. So I know that you love self development, like I do. I can just tell and I wonder about role models or mentors that have influenced your approach. Do you have one Like what did you tell me about that? Because I think that's important for audience to know that we do the work every day.
Speaker 2:Yes, absolutely, and I love this question so much. And, interestingly, my role model up until this point has always been my grandfather, who has passed away already about 13 years ago. But I was raised in the extended family households and he was like the other father figure. He's my true idol. I wouldn't say he's my mentor. He was like the other father figure. He's my true idol. I wouldn't say he's my mentor because he's no longer alive, but a lot of his teachings are still evolving through me and truly just being. You know the example that you truly want to see in the world. There's no religion except the religion of humankind-ness. Humankind really means humankind-ness and truly everything I do, even to this past couple of years. Writing my first book was his dream to write a book.
Speaker 2:That's really cool, so you did it. Yeah, my idol has to be my grandfather. It's truly not like anyone like that you could ever imagine, but it's my own grandfather and he, until the day he passed at 99, was taking care of himself, was living by on his own, was completely coherent. I mean that man, if anything, I'm striving to at least 99, just like my mom, but being completely clear and coherent, just like like how he was.
Speaker 1:There's so many diseases that you get and as you age. I mean it's so important to keep your mind strong. And I think you know when you learn about people, when they work a job and they retire, and then the next thing you know their mind is giving out, their body's giving out, their life is giving out. They're just not happy, you know. And yeah, I think you just have to keep doing something every day, like even as you age.
Speaker 1:You know, I'm 50, I just turned 56 and I've been getting up every day and doing it's called self-discipline camp every morning at 5.30 to 6.30 in the morning. So I wake up now doing that and I honestly yesterday I thought, oh, I'm so tired, I just I want to stay in bed, but I didn't. I pushed myself and got up anyways, because that's what makes the difference between those of us that are entrepreneur. We have to get up and keep going. We don't have a choice. We can't stay in it all day.
Speaker 1:I've been depressed, anxiety. I've been through it all too, but there's so much in this life that you don't get to enjoy when you're in that space. So someone like dd can help everyone, because you're doing both sides of it right. You're doing the mind. You're doing this. Well, actually four sides, you're doing four sides. It's so incredible. I love that you've added in fitness to this and you know, I look at that and I think you have to have some daily routines. Then, right, you have to get up in the morning and have either a morning routine or a night routine, or both. Can you talk to us a little?
Speaker 2:bit about that. Oh my goodness, this is like the core foundation of every single one of my programs is making sure that you have a routine and, yes, that is combined the morning routine and the evening routine, just like you. Yes, I get up between four, 30 and five every morning. I have my four non negotiables, like my four priorities. That never fails to happen is my four F's. First is faith, so my devotional that happens in the morning. Secondly is fitness, so I move my body, like, even if it's literally moving my body, doing Tai Chi in my office for 20 minutes, like, be it right. And then it's family. I usually then will spend time with the kids getting ready for school etc and things like that. Lastly is fulfillment. Then it becomes my work, that anything that has to do with what can I do in my business or even my day. So I am in contribution and I am.
Speaker 2:I was never disciplined because I was only child. I did whatever I wanted to do, things like that. So that's my bad context for context, but until I incorporated being disciplined in my life, when things ever change for me. So discipline, having a routine, is so crucial in the fit to profit formula Like you have to like. It's a non negotiable, I mean, as you know to. The first thing when you go to the doctor's office is are you exercising right? Because you need to feel your body with food, yes, but you need to move it so that way everything is balanced, because we're like really all chemicals like in here, so we have to balance our hormones so we're happy and motivated and positive. Yes, indeed, I do have.
Speaker 1:I've been fighting this for a long time, getting up early, and we've been doing this self-discipline camp in our napole Institute, when I'm actually working to become a coach there, and we've been doing it but I wouldn't do it. I kept fighting it because I'm like I stay up late every night and I do. But you know what? I feel so much better in the last few weeks, like my energy is better, my mindset's better, I'm clearer, I feel happier, like I. It's really amazing. And I read that book 5am club about a year and a half ago. The 5am club and Robert Sherma. Did you ever read that?
Speaker 2:No, I don't definitely have heard about him.
Speaker 1:It's a great idea. It's your same idea. You know there's 60 minutes. When you wake up, you read, you do yoga or you move your body, and then you do your affirmations. I mean, it's just the same thing Morning routine, night routine. Morning routine, night routine. I appreciate it. I just knew, and that's why I asked you this question. I knew this would be part of your life and it's obviously working. So let's talk about success for yourself. How do you define success for you?
Speaker 2:I love the question. Success for me equals freedom and that's why I'm such a self-development junkie. In that way, it's like I always constantly like on a weekly basis, when I do planning monthly, quarterly, yearly, biannually, you name it by asking myself like do I feel successful? Am I going after what success is for me? And it's truly freedom, meaning like freedom of expression. That's why I didn't last in a job very well, because I was being told what to do. Not to say that anyone is in a position is a bad place to be. It just wasn't a place for me. And freedom of location I can work like this anywhere and from anywhere I love working.
Speaker 1:I sit in my Zoom space all day long because it's so much easier. You can do anything from Zoom, Like I love it.
Speaker 2:Yes, and it's truly. You know, having success means having freedom to do whatever. It is that, like, I choose to choose to do. And I heard you say you have kids too, right? Yes, I do. I have a seven-year-old and a four-year-old.
Speaker 1:Yes, so, um, being a mom is a new thing for me too, so and you're obviously, you know, handling it along with everything else that you're doing so, and you still get up early, even though the kids probably don't get up with you right, I get up early with that intention, so that I have time for my morning without any interruption and chaos. So let's talk about this. What advice would you give to someone who's currently facing a significant challenge or setback.
Speaker 2:I can tell you right now it's temporary. Oh, that's good, simple yes. Yes, if you, if you really think about it right, like you, have gotten here this far. If you have to look back, was there another challenge that you thought that you would never go into overcome? Yes, but you did. So whatever you're going through right now is temporary. It may seem like it's a really long time, but rather than thinking about the problem that you are in, what about the possibility of you getting out sooner? And what do you need to do? Who do you need to be, so that way this temporary stage and situation can be shorter than it needs to be?
Speaker 1:Makes sense. It is a roller coaster ride, right? You know you get down. You know you get down and get up, and you just got to keep getting up. The last time you still got to keep getting up, and that's you know. That's what you're saying.
Speaker 2:You're resilient, right, you just keep pushing through 100 and what's really the good news is, guys, you get better at it. You get up faster and faster, right, like, just you know, like the first time you might be at shock and you're like lying there for longer than you need. Definitely you realize, okay, okay, I just okay, let up again, like, and you just keep doing it and you just keep falling forward faster and better and you get up quicker every time. That's based on my personal experience.
Speaker 1:And I'm right there with you because I feel the same way and one of my mentors here in Pittsburgh. He used to say you can't have a bad day anymore. You can have a bad moment, a bad hour, but that's about it. Maybe two, but gets yourself out. What's a big takeaway that you would like our listeners to learn from you?
Speaker 2:For a girl like me, right, growing up in a third world country we did not have a toilet, we had to use the outhouse for context right. And to be where I am today, like living on my dream spot in Sarasota, florida Dream come true. Coming from divorced parents, I always thought that I never wanted to get married. I never wanted to have kids because I couldn't afford ever imagine raising my kids. But it's all happening. The dreams is here. I'm living my dream and my dream location. I'm happily married for 17 years. I have two kids who are in private school. We go on vacation at least three times a year. I'm sharing all that just to let you know that anything that you wanted to make happen in life, it's possible. It's possible for you and you can have it all and you get to define your own success and you get to define what all means for you. But truly, as long as you're willing to work on yourself, trust me, work on yourself and everything will unfold. For you.
Speaker 1:It's perfect advice for today. So where can they find you? If our listeners want to reach out to you, where can they find you?
Speaker 2:Yes, of course our website fit to profitcom. If listeners want to reach out to you, where can they find you? Yes, of course our website fit2profitcom. So it's completely spelled out F-I-T-T-O-P-R-O-F-I-Tcom. Didi Kai here, d-e-d-e-e-c-a-i. You can find me on Facebook, instagram, youtube, I mean LinkedIn, everywhere. Yeah, websites for sure, but you know, reach out if you ever have any questions about I'm stuck here. I don't, I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm here for a conversation. Trust me, someone did that for me when I needed that, so, honestly. That's why going on podcast interviews and things like that is definitely our focus, for that reason is that I just needed one person to hear what we have to share, dionne, to take action, because we all have the responsibility to pay it forward and to be in contribution. So find me. I'm happy to have a conversation with you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely find her and also like, subscribe and share this episode with Sean on success with anyone you know that may be going through adversity, because, as we say every time, if we just help one person, this podcast is a success. And, being that my nickname is Didi too, didi and I had such a great conversation and hopefully we'll have her back again soon, so thank you, didi.
Speaker 2:Thank you, Dionne Didi, for having me. It's been a pleasure, and thank you so much for all that you do. We're all in this together.
