Hello, my name is Riley and I'm a social entrepreneur who has a background working as an AP Psychology teacher, social psychology researcher, corporate trainer, and yes, a scuba diving instructor.
I have always been passionate about finding new and innovative ways to solve problems that can improve people's lives and train them for successful futures. You could say it is in my DNA, my father Dr. Dennis O'Grady, is an experienced psychotherapist, business owner, author, and communication and leadership corporate trainer. Even at a young age, I had an entrepreneurial spirit, an unusually high (some might say freakish) level of creativity, and a drive to, "Be the change I wish to see in the world" -Gandhi.
In 2017, I started a non-profit called iLEAD Training after completing a business accelerator in Covington, KY called Aviatra. During this time I also launch a part-time scuba diving business I playfully named The Scuba Squad. My scuba business allows me to enjoy teaching one of my long standing hobbies about once a month. iLEAD Training on the other hand, is focused on my mission (cough cough obsession) in training people for success in life. iLEAD Training recently completed a Beta Test from March to June 2018 at two different schools: Butler Technology and Simon Kenton High School. The sixteen week training was focused training teens in important life readiness skills. Feedback was great, 92.5% of students reported on an anonymous survey that the training taught them skills they can apply in their lives. Some even went as far to leave their personal comments such as, "This training could change a lot of people's live just like it changed mine."
Last Day of the Beta Test from Butler Technology
In early summer of 2018, I began developing an e-learning course with Articulate so the high school students I worked with could have an innovative tool that would effectively help them establish a direction without me doing any in-person training. Out of curiosity, I had several college students try out the beta version of the course and did some market research. I quickly learned that Valiant could help more than just teens. It was a viable and innovative solution for anyone looking to find a more purposeful direction in life.
Over the last three months iLEAD has been working with our highly skilled board consisting of those from the fields of psychology, corporate training, education, coaching, and business to develop Valiant. iLEAD also drew upon the experience of career counselors and mental health counselors who focus on helping people establish direction in life. At the end of this research, course develop, and investigative process it was clear that Valiant could be the new and innovative tool people of different ages would turn to when changing directions in life, looking to establish themselves, or just overall trying to find their fit in life.
What makes Valiant unique from all other career assessments and tools?
- Valiant is made for the 21st Century workforce. Did you know that almost all career assessments were created before the 21st Century? Why do we keep using 20th Century tools to solve 21st Century problems? No wonder people keep spinning their wheels and never feel like they can find a purposeful path.
- We kept the good stuff and ditched the rest. iLEAD Training and our advisors made a list of all the great things that are already out there and kept them. For example, we kept the importance of assessing personality, skills, and values. We ditched the worn out belief systems, anything shallow or limiting, and overall anything that did not fit the workforce of today.
- We gave our e-learning course a heart and a lot of depth. Have you ever taken a career assessment or tool and felt it was cold and calculated? Were you ever left feeling disappointed and like it wasn't getting to the bottom of the problem? To give you a metaphor, the current assessments and tools get you a spot at the beach or maybe a surface swim out in the swim area. You can't figure out what you want to do in life by looking at it from the wrong vantage point. People need to put on their scuba tanks and dive in to explore the depths of themselves, what they want in life, and what their purpose is. Valiant, flips the career process on it's head, helps people ask better questions, looks at the deeper impact of purpose, beliefs, and mindset on success, and ultimately gives them tools to find and secure there new found life direction.
- It's fun to use and engaging. Valiant was created with Articulate which is also trusted by 78,000+ businesses, 19 out of 20 top universities, and is a well trust and robust e-learning software. You can think of Valiant like an interactive ebook. It has videos, timelines, interactive activities, downloadable handouts, and more!
- We are teaching people how to fish. Valiant can be used in combination with career counseling but it can also be used without it. The easy to follow step-by-step process will help you learn how to properly go through the exploration process alone, with the help of friends/family, or with the help of professionals.
- This is not only a quick fix, it's a life fix. One of the first things a career counselor from the university I graduated from asked me was if this was a quick fix and that students want a quick fix. At the time I was a bit taken back and said it was a process not something that is quick. After reflecting, the truth is that it is a quick fix because it really doesn't take long to complete and what actually makes it 'quick' is that it gets to the bottom of things. People aren't wasting their time and get the answers they need. It's also a life fix because it's aimed at helping people live out the greatest and highest expression of themselves.
- Want to learn more about what Valiant has to offer? Check out more about Valiant on our website (www.livingvaliantly.com).
I believe in this work with all my heart and truly hope you are able to help Valiant launch so we can help people live more purpose filled and successful lives.
