TC: Please tell us a little about yourself, specifically your background, education, and work experience.

Divya LV Jegasundaram: First of all thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me, TamilCulture.

Let's start from the beginning.  I was born and brought up in Oxford, England where I grew up in a traditional South-Asian Tamil family, with my parents and two siblings.  There was a Hindu Temple in our back garden and as a result of the temple, my family and I were lucky enough to inherit many other loving, Uncles, Aunts, guides and people who would help to influence and shape us.

As far as education goes, like with most Tamil families, the expectation was to go to University, get a degree and then a good job. So here is where the first set of norms or expectations gets broken. I went down a non-traditional path whereby I finished high school, applied to Law School, got the grades and placement, but decided to go into Banking instead.  At 16, thanks to my mum, I got a job as a Saturday teller for one of the World's best banks.  This Saturday job became a summer job.  Then at 18, it became a full-time job where I had planned to join the Banks MTP (Management Trainee Program) and study along the way.

This changed slightly as the MTP became something only available to graduates.  As you can imagine, this threw a bit of a curve ball into my 'life plan.' Long story short, I stuck to my choice of Banking.  With a great deal of dedication, staying true to my goals and overcoming the challenges that stood in my way, I became the youngest Bank Manager with my own branch at 21 years old.

In 2007, the Bank transferred me here to Toronto, which coincided with me getting married in 2008. Within a few years of being here, I was a wife, a mother of 2 and again hit my goal of managing my own Branch at 25.

In 2013, I made a major life decision to change my career from what had been a very successful 13 years in the Banking Industry, to something that many people would probably misunderstand, let alone take the time to understand; a career as a Life Coach.

TC: What inspired your career change to a Life Coach after 13 successful years in banking?  

DJ: To be quite frank there were a few reasons.  Firstly, I really disliked the banking industry here in  Canada.  Coming here to Toronto there were many factors that were against me, such as being in a managerial role, with a visa and relocation paid for, a great salary and position, but being brown, female and young.

Secondly, over time I felt that I had outgrown Banking.  My career was causing me to feel unfulfilled with the direction of where my life was heading and how I was living it.

Thirdly, I knew that for me, in my life, and with my upbringing, there had to be more for me. There had to be more of a purpose for me in this life.  A way that I could somehow help to inspire others, create an impact, motivate people to become the very best versions of themselves through visualization, believing, dedication and hard work.

In a nutshell, I felt that if I could find a way to help others with their life, whether through their own actions, or a shift in their emotions, perspectives, and beliefs then I would be living my purpose.  I wanted others to be able to achieve their goals and dreams, in the same way I was able to and feel fulfilled along the way.

TC: Can you describe the work you do as a Life Coach? 

DJ: I should start by saying that Coaching is a pretty new profession and still remains pretty misunderstood by the masses.  Often confused with therapy, consulting training or mentoring, Coaching is an incredibly special journey whereby the client and coach work co-creatively to collaborate ideas, identify current dreams or goals of the client, work through the barriers, challenges or obstacles. Most importantly, a Life coach gets the client to a point of gradually executing every step with ease resulting in obtaining their goal, whilst feeling fulfilled and positive along the way.

As a coach, I take pride in being that chosen person to be on this journey with my clients.  I enjoy helping them achieve their goals both personally or professionally. I spend time helping my clients to look deeper for answers that they had not thought possible.  Instead of providing answers, I provide a support system for my clients that include accountability, open and honest insights and opportunities to explore new perspectives on their goals, challenges or whatever it is I have been hired for.

One of the great things about my profession is that I am given the opportunity to work with people from different ages, cultures, countries, professions and most importantly different goals, dreams and desires.

TC: Can you please elaborate on being a Published Best-Selling Author of "20 Beautiful Women: Volume 2". Where can we purchase or access this book? 

DJ: As I said earlier, whether it was not going to university or switching out from what would be seen as a very good, stable and understood career, I chose to create a path of not following the norm.  Soon after becoming a Certified Coach, I also started working for an Internationally renowned coaching school, teaching others professionals to also become certified Coaches.  Somewhere along the line, as I immersed myself more and more into personal development, I started sharing my views and thoughts on social media.  One day, I was contacted by a very successful publisher in the States who had said she was working on a book called 20 Beautiful Women.  Volume 1 was already out and had hit bestseller status, and so she gave me the opportunity to write a chapter for volume 2.

The book is a collection of 20 stories, each from a different authors.  It was compiled to heal your soul, ignite your passion and inspire your divine purpose.  My chapter talks mainly about my career success, overcoming challenges and also being an eastern girl, in a western world trying to find the right balance.

A copy of the book is available directly from my website www.coachlifeplaylife.com or Amazon.

TC: What are some accomplishments that you are proud of? 

DJ: Often people laugh when I answer this question, as I don't seem to hesitate when talking about my accomplishments.  This is often perceived as not being humble or modest.  However, I believe that if you can't talk about your own success, achievements, or what you feel proud about, then how or why do you expect others to?

So, in no particular order:

• I am proud of my accomplishments as a Banker and becoming the youngest Branch Manager in 2 countries.
• Taking a huge leap of faith in leaving my Banking Career and becoming an Entrepreneur in an industry that people know very little of.
• Becoming a writer, for 20 Beautiful Women and now other forums, such as the Huffington Post.
• Being an Internationally Certified and recognized Coach
• Being nominated for the Woman On Fire - Businesswoman of the Year 2018 award

And last but by no means least, being a mother, best friend, role model and hopefully, a good example to my 2 daughters.

TC: Is there anything exciting coming up for you in the future that you’d like to share with us? 

DJ: A couple of exciting things are being worked on.  The most recent one is the Woman On Fire Award, whereby I found out that I am the first Tamil to ever be nominated, so that was pretty exciting for me to know.  It does require votes, so we will see how it all pans out, but the nomination was the start!

Other than this, all I can is say is watch this space!

Thank you Divya for taking the time to sit down and chat. We wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors!