Kisha Woods in a dark purple floral dress, leaning on a brick and stone ledge, with a river and bridge visible in the background during sunset.

Kisha Woods,

Founder & CEO

Transforming Mindsets. Elevating Leaders. Empowering Purpose‑Driven Growth.

Kisha Woods is an award‑winning Certified Life & Business Coach, author, speaker, and podcast host. As the Founder and CEO of Upgraded MindsetZ, she is dedicated to helping people break old patterns, speak up for themselves, and step into their purpose with confidence.

A woman with short hair and hoop earrings, wearing a pink shirt, holding a microphone, and looking to her right.

Kisha works with those facing major life or leadership shifts, guiding them toward clarity, self‑trust, and intentional action. Her approach blends mindset growth, self‑discovery, leadership development, and overall well‑being, empowering people to thrive in every part of their lives.

In March 2020, everything Kisha had been carrying for years, trauma, suppressed emotions, people‑pleasing, putting herself last, depression, and more, finally became too heavy to ignore. She hit a breaking point that made her stop pretending she was okay. In that moment, she did something hard but honest: she admitted she needed help, and she realized the way she had been living was no longer working.

She stepped back from everything. She deleted every social media app and gave herself 30 days to breathe, think, and finally face what she had been avoiding.

Those 30 days changed her life.

She picked up a journal and started writing. Those honest pages eventually became her Amazon best‑selling book, From Havoc to Healing: 30 Days of Reconditioning, a reminder she now shares with others that healing begins with telling ourselves the truth.

She picked up a journal and started writing.

Those honest entries eventually turned into her Amazon best‑selling book, From Havoc to Healing: 30 Days of Reconditioning, a reminder that she now wants the world to know that healing begins with telling ourselves the truth.

In June 2020, Kisha created Upgraded MindsetZ, which has grown into a supportive space for women, families, and communities to break cycles, reclaim their voice, and rebuild their lives with clarity and confidence. Today, she uses her lived experience and mindset‑anchored guidance to help others choose themselves the way she finally chose herself.

Kisha Woods with braided hair styled in a top bun, wearing a purple jacket and hoop earrings, looking at her Amazon Best Seller Book titled 'From Havoc Healing' against a brick wall background.
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Bring Kisha’s dynamic presence and transformative insight to your next stage or platform

Keynotes • Workshops & Trainings • Podcasts & Media Interviews • Panels & Moderation • Virtual Summits & Conferences • Community Conversations

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Kisha Delivers:

  • High‑energy, relatable, and transparent delivery

  • Actionable strategies audiences can apply immediately

  • A supportive, empowering space for real and meaningful conversations

  • A powerful blend of mindset, strategy, and lived experience

  • Customizable sessions for keynotes, panels, workshops, coaching, and podcasts

Image of Kisha Woods speaker from the Pathways to Success conference in September 2025

Topics That Transform

  • Through powerful speaking, engaging education, and transformative group experiences, Kisha delivers bold, authentic, and practical strategies that empower women to align with their purpose, activate their inner strength, and elevate their confidence in every area of life and work.

  • Kisha creates engaging, transformative learning experiences that help audiences break limiting patterns, reshape internal narratives, and build intentional habits that support long‑term personal and professional success.

  • Kisha teaches leaders how to make aligned, confident decisions that support their long‑term professional goals by delivering clear, practical guidance that strengthens self‑awareness, sharpens decision‑making, and helps them lead with purpose and integrity.

  • Kisha helps individuals prioritize their mental and emotional well‑being in a world filled with constant demands, uncertainty, and overwhelm by offering grounded, practical guidance that supports balance, resilience, and inner stability.

  • Kisha empowers individuals to lead with their true strengths, voice, and lived experiences, rooted in authenticity rather than societal expectations, by creating supportive, transformative learning spaces that build genuine confidence from within.

  • Kisha helps entrepreneurs align their business systems and strategies to create clarity and sustainable growth, rather than chaos, by teaching them to build businesses that support their lives rather than run them.

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Certifications

  • Life/Business Coach

  • Cognitive Behavior Therapy

  • NLP

  • Mental Health Awareness

  • Mindfulness

  • Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid

  • NAMI Trained Facilitator

Community Outreach

  • President - NAMI Tri-County Illinois

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central IL

  • Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)

  • 2024 Peoria Civic Leadership Academy Graduate

  • Job Partnerships Peoria: Fresh Start Workshop Facilitator

Awards

  • 180Lyfe Entrepreneur of the Year - 2024

  • Peoria Community Votes Platinum Winner - 2024 and 2025

  • Best Mindset Coach: West Peoria Awards 2023 and 2024

  • Community Service Award: Juneteenth 2025 Fest

  • Linda Dziubala “Above and Beyond” Award Recipient 2024- NAMI Illinois

Professional Affiliations

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Kisha is a powerful presenter! You won’t want to miss any of her events!

Kellie - Conference Attendee

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The Operation Ambition Masterclass was just what I needed, so glad I took the leap and invested in myself to gain more clarity on my next moves. This time around, I will be more intentional.

Shawny - Workshop Participant

A woman is wearing a conference badge that reads 'KISHA Woods, Women, Wealth, and Wellness' attached to a black lanyard.

Kisha, your speech at the WTVP Studios really resonated with me, and I left with so many golden nuggets from your talk!”

Kaitlyn

Inquiries

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Kisha Woods speaking and holding a flyer at the Empower and Excel workshop she hosted in Peoria, IL
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Three women smiling for a selfie in an indoor setting.
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media

The Empowering Real Talk Podcast

The Woman’s Hustle: Thrills and Spills of Entrepreneurship

UPM Business Suites - west Peoria, Illinois

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Kisha is also the owner of UPM Business Suites in West Peoria, Illinois, which is home to a collaborative hub of women business owners designed to support and elevate the community in both life and business. The space reflects her commitment to empowerment and creating environments where individuals can grow personally and professionally.