337-SYB-Karen-Keene.mp3: this mp3 audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors.
Carol Cox:
I strongly believe that when you share your story, you not only provide a transformative experience for your audience, but also for yourself. Listen in to my conversation with Karen Keane, one of our thought leader Academy grads on this episode of The Speaking Your Brand podcast. More and more women are making an impact by starting businesses, running for office and speaking up for what matters. With my background as a political analyst, entrepreneur and speaker, I interview and coach purpose driven women to shape their brands, grow their companies and become recognized as influencers in their field. This is speaking your brand, your place to learn how to persuasively communicate your message to your audience. Hi there and welcome to the Speaking Your Brand podcast. I’m your host, Carol Cox. Today I have a very special guest with me who is going to share with us a bit about a story that happened to her about three years ago or so that completely transformed her life. And she’s at the point where she wants to share that story with more people, hear the podcast listeners, but also on bigger stages. So hopefully inspire people that they have the courage and resilience to get through anything in life, but also to create policy changes. So that’s what we’re going to talk about today is why my guest, Karen Keene, decided to step onto the stage with the courage that it takes to do that, to share her story and the transformation that she’s hoping that has not only for her audiences but also for herself. Karen, welcome to the Speaking Your Brand podcast. Thank you.
Karen Keene:
Carol. Appreciate you having me.
Carol Cox:
It is my pleasure. You just graduated from our Thought Leader Academy as of the time that we’re recording this episode. So congratulations on going through that program. It was such an honor to work with you during the time in the program and also in the virtual VIP day to create your talk from beginning to end. I know we’re going to dive into a little bit of that experience that you had working with us and what that was like. Before we do that, can you share with us what happened to you back three years ago?
Karen Keene:
Yes. Yes. So my history here in central Florida is a 40 plus year history. I’ve lived here for a very long time, went to Rollins College and have worked in the business community. Most of my experience has been working for regional and international law firms, working in business development, marketing, community relations and public policy, and worked for some really amazing corporate firms, was employed at the Dean Mead law firm for ten years. And I also have been very involved in the community as the founder of the Athena Orlando Women’s Leadership Network Group. That’s a not for profit where we really work with women business owners to help them grow their businesses through Athena Powerlink. And we also have a wonderful program that we started back in 2012 called Athena NextGen. And that program is a women’s leadership development program where women go through an eight month series and learn from other, more established women business leaders in the community about how women lead. And to date, this is our ninth year of the series. We have over 400 alumni, which is really amazing. And to just see where so many of the women have gone on to lead, not only in their businesses, but also in community organizations serving on boards, starting their own businesses. It has been really awesome. So I have been so, so very happy to be a part of the Central Florida community. What I will say is that life was very good up until March of 2020 and my reasons for having life changing events really had to do more with a tragedy that happened to me on March 8th.
Karen Keene:
And I think nothing can prepare you at all for a violent attack. But on the night of March 8th, there was a very, very loud noise outside our home. We lived in Maitland with my husband, and that evening, all of a sudden the entire front door blew in and I barely had an opportunity to get to the front of the house. When I realized that there was a gunman in our home, there were absolutely no lights on in the front of the house. I had no idea who had come into the house, but that person immediately started shooting. And I ran to first of all, I ran to my back bedroom because I remembered that my phone was on the bed in my room. I called 911 and as I was on the phone with the dispatcher, bullet holes started coming through the bedroom door and I immediately ran to the bathroom. I still had the phone. At this point, the dispatcher was talking. I had no idea what the dispatcher was saying, but I continued to yell. Address my phone number and home invasion. That was really all I remember. I did fall to the floor and then I was shot multiple times in the bathroom, left for dead. The Maitland police arrived, quite honestly, just in the nick of time because I believe that the shooter, who probably was scared that that had happened, ended up leaving the house.
Karen Keene:
And basically the first responders came in. They brought me to Orlando Health, they brought me to OrMc, which is the only level one trauma center in central Florida. I had been shot multiple times on the left side of the abdomen as well as in the right leg. And they have done numerous emergency surgeries. I can tell you that in three years I’ve had 26 surgeries at Orlando Health. Dr. Michael Cheatham, who leads the level one trauma center at OrMc, has done the majority of those surgeries and were it not for the first responders and were it not for the amazing medical team at Orlando Health, I honestly wouldn’t be here today. It has changed my entire life completely. You know, my husband died that night. He was killed instantly. And in addition to that, I lost my job. I lost my home. I spent three months in the hospital initially because when I was shot in the leg, they had put in what’s called an Im nail in my leg. And that is basically a titanium rod, which meant I couldn’t walk. And because of these just the sheer number of surgeries that I had to have and all of the trauma, I also ended up enduring severe heart issues as well. And a year after this incident happened, I actually went into cardiac arrest and the amazing team and OrMc cardiology team, they saved my life again. So what I have endured is, is nothing short of just absolutely horrific.
Karen Keene:
But I can honestly say that I had a wonderful team of doctors, nurses, therapists around me, counselors. And what I didn’t mention was when this happened on March 8th, that was just a week before the entire world shut down for Covid. So I was in a coma for ten days. Initially when I woke up, the world had shut down. Ormc was on lockdown, and my brother Christopher was the only person that was allowed to come into the hospital. So my entire lens to Covid was through him and also through the doctors and nurses that were in my room every day telling me what it was like out in the world. And that is how I experienced Covid when everyone else in the world was going through their own horrible ordeals with Covid. I will say my long road to recovery has been about courage. It has been about support and it has been about feeling a great deal of spirit. I felt that each and every day that I was there in the hospital and even after I was discharged, I had to move into a rental home with my brother Christopher because I needed nursing care for all the wounds that I had. And he was my primary caregiver for a year. So when I went through that entire recovery process, you know, I can honestly say that just dealing with the trials and tribulations every day that we had to face was a really, really difficult process to go through. And it has changed my entire perspective about life and the meaning of life and what’s important in life.
Karen Keene:
And, you know, as I said, the beginning of this interview, I had a wonderful life before this happened. But what I have decided to do, because I am here and I am in recovery, is that I am going to take the days that I have left on this planet and do something really meaningful and help others. And I am sharing my story because I believe that when we share our story, we are able to help other people. We’re able to help others who go through traumas. And I don’t believe any trauma is bigger or lesser than the other. But when we go through traumas and many of us do, we need to know that we’re not alone. Because I believe it’s when we isolate that, we actually start to have more and more problems. And it’s when we ask for help, when we create a mindset of gratitude and when we really look at what’s most important and how we can pick up the pieces and do something meaningful, that is when we are able to move forward. And so that’s why I’m here sharing my story, and that’s ultimately why I want to focus on. Issues important in our country having to do with mental illness and gun violence prevention. And in addition to that, how can I help those other patients who have gone through trauma? How can I help them pick up the pieces as well?
Carol Cox:
Well, Karen, I know you have shared your story with me several times. And I just want to say, you know, here for the on the podcast. Thank you so much for being willing to share your story. And remember, it was March of this year that I saw your LinkedIn post where you shared what had happened to you, and I had no idea. I did not know that. And so when I was instantly when I read it and then I read the link that you had posted to the article that had more details on it, I, I was instantly inspired and in awe of the courage and the resiliency that you showed getting through such a traumatic experience, a traumatic experience on every level physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, everything and that, and being willing to do that because like I really and having worked with you now in the Thought Leader Academy, I see you as such a beacon of light. And I know that no one wants to go through what you went through. And and I know that there were dark days. It was bright. But I like, I see it in you even now, while we’re recording this, like this beacon, this light coming out of you. And I’m so grateful for you being willing to share your story. And I and so you mentioned the Athena programs, and that’s how I met you. I went through Athena next in in 2016. I can’t believe it’s been seven years since I went through that.
Carol Cox:
And that’s how we got to know each other in the Orlando community. And you do such incredible work for women and for emerging women leaders and for current women leaders. So I just want to also thank you for that. Let’s talk a little bit more about this idea of sharing your story as a catalyst for transformation. And I know, as you mentioned, there’s you believe and I believe the same thing there is no trauma that is easier or harder or more challenging or everyone goes through things and and deals with it the best way that they can. And oftentimes I’ll hear from clients or podcast listeners that they don’t feel like they have a traumatic story to share, almost like they feel like they need one in order to take the stage and said, No, no, no, we would not wish a traumatic experience on anyone. Everyone has a story to share that’s going to impact their their audience. And and sometimes they they are kind of more traumatic than others. And so, Karen, when we think about this idea of catalyst for transformation, let’s start with your audiences. So you have you know, I know you have some speaking engagements coming up this fall. Some of them are for women. So women leaders, women entrepreneurs, women professionals, not necessarily trauma survivors. There could be some in the audience, but that’s not the designated group. So you have some speaking engagements coming up. What are you hoping that they get out of hearing you?
Karen Keene:
So I am really hoping that they understand that all of us will go through difficult times. And, you know, as you said, there is no one trauma that’s easier or more harder than the other. What I hope they get from this, though, is that I really want them to know that if you just simply pick up the pieces and move forward, you will be okay. I remember about six months after this happened, I was at OrMc for some blood work, just the entire gravity of everything, the grief and all the financial hardships that we were experiencing at the time. It really hit me that day and I was in the hospital getting ready for the blood work to be done, and a nurse that I had never met walked in and I was crying uncontrollably. It was that kind of sobbing that, you know, you just feel it from the depths of your soul. And I could not stop sobbing and and she was clearly ready to go ahead and start doing the blood work. But what she did was she so compassionately put everything down on the table and she came over and she sat down next to me and she held me in her arms and she let me cry into her entire chest where her shirt was just soaked with my tears. And I had never met this woman before, but I felt like I had known her my entire life. And I remember feeling that day like I was never going to get past the level of despair, grief, depression, all of the things.
Karen Keene:
Right. And here I am three, three years later, and I am here and I am here to be of help and service to others. And has it been hard? Hell yes, it’s been hard. But I know that it is because of all the people that God put in my life. It is because of the fact that I have faith and I have held on to that faith. And I also know it is because I have just simply said to myself, Just put one foot in front of the other. Yes, it’s going to be tough. And I’ve had plenty of those days where I have not wanted to get out of bed. But if I have just continued to have the mindset of moving forward, then you ultimately will move into days that are less darker and you’ll find more light and you’ll find more light and you’ll find more light. And as you continue to do that and you create an environment of gratitude and doing work that is meaningful, that gives you a sense of purpose. And it took me 53 years to learn that. But I finally really know what my purpose is. It’s terrible that this is the way in which I had to find that out. But I also feel like if I can be a source of inspiration and encouragement to the people that I am hopefully going to interact with in the audiences and organizations that I work with, then I will have made an impact and I will have made a difference, and that is what I want to do.
Carol Cox:
Well, Karen, so you mentioned a little bit about feeling like you’re finding your purpose, finding your calling now and then. I know that when we worked on your talk that this is the kind of the thread that we pulled on for it in, you know, and helping your audiences think about for themselves, even if they haven’t had a traumatic experience, especially a traumatic experience like yours, they still may be in a place in their life where they’re wondering, Am I living my purpose? Is there a second act? Is there a something else that I should be doing? And I know and I have your your board here, your signature talk canvas. For those of you who want to check out the video, go to the show notes page. You can see it there. The link is in the episode. And so when we worked on your talk, we really wanted to make sure that the audience walked away with something that they could relate to that that and so this idea of what is their second, second act, what did that look like? And then we came up with a framework, an acronym for that. So you want to tell us a little bit about the map, the map that you’re going to help your audience with?
Karen Keene:
Well, I absolutely love this process, and I loved working with Carol. I actually admitted to her when we were finished that day after my VIP day that I was nervous going into our VIP day. And I found it to be such an amazing process. And we worked together for about three hours and I was able to share with her so many of the messaging points that I wanted to get across. And we did. We came up with this acronym called Map, and it really stands for Mindset. The M and Map stands for Asking for Help, which is the A and then finally permission, which is the P mindset is really a lot about what we’ve been talking about here today. And it has a lot to do with being able to feel gratitude, being able to journal. That was probably one of the things that helped me the most and is now the catalyst for the book that I’m writing. So I think journaling is a big part of that mindset and, you know, knowing that it’s okay to not be okay, that’s part of the mindset too, and that we don’t have to put on this persona. We can actually not be okay and know that we will get to the next day. So that’s part of the mindset. The next one, A asking for help. Boy, that is a tough one. It has been a tough one for me my whole life. It still is, but I think that’s partially because of the way I was raised.
Karen Keene:
You know, my mother raised me to be a very independent woman. She was a single mother, very young, and she was a school teacher. And she was a tremendous role model to me. But, you know, she always taught me that you need to be able to be independent and take care of yourself and taught me some great ideals. But what that ultimately did also in the reverse is it caused me to not really have, let’s say, the tools to ask for the help. And going through a tragedy such as this, I really had to learn how to do that. And, you know, they say it takes a village. I built a city. You know, I did. And. I did that one day at a time. You know, I did that with the help of my brother Christopher. I did that with the help of family and friends and certainly the amazing therapists and counselors and PTSD counselors that I worked with. They gave me so much inspiration. In fact, one of the groups that my therapist connected me to is an organization called Everytown Survivors Network. I had never heard of this organization. They’re a national group. They actually work to help those people who are either gunshot survivors or those who’ve had a family member who’s been a gunshot survivor or even those who’ve been a part of a mass shooting or witnessed a mass shooting.
Karen Keene:
It is a phenomenal organization. And they offer grief groups, which I’ve already been through, and they offer a great program called Demand a Seat. And I actually went through that cohort this past spring and it’s really to help work with people across the country who are perhaps considering running for public office or supporting those who are going to run for public office with a gun sense approach. So I’ve been able to really connect with this organization in ways I could have never imagined. And they too, have been a great source of help. So I think asking for help is really important and we just have to practice it. It’s kind of like a muscle, right? We have to we have to continue to build that muscle. And then finally, the in map is permission, and that’s giving ourselves permission for a whole host of things, giving ourselves permission to ask for help, giving ourselves permission to have grace on the days when we really don’t want to get out of bed, giving ourselves permission to know that we are going to be okay and we are going to move forward, but that we are going to have some barriers and obstacles. And so I really think those three pillars in the Map acronym are really going to be very helpful on a wide variety of issues because they really do touch on those of us who are going through challenging time.
Carol Cox:
Karen, thank you for sharing that. And I want to point out for those of you listening as you think about working on your own talk, so for Karen, her talk is a keynote. That’s what she’s been asked to deliver. That is very much story driven. It’s based on her story, her experience. But as we know, getting up and delivering a talk that’s just a story is going to leave the audience wanting more because they want to know, well, then how can I take what you speaker, what you have learned, the lessons you’ve learned, and how can I think about it for myself? And this is where I feel like having some type of framework could be an acronym like Karen’s map, where you’re you’re helping the audience think about this for themselves. It could be lessons or stages that people go through. So think about some type of framework for the, you know, the middle part of your content that you’re leaving your audience with. And this also assures, I know so many event organizers say two speakers. Great. You know, we want you to share your story, but we really want takeaways, like we want very actionable takeaways for the audience. We hear that all the time. And by having a framework or a structure like that, it kind of it satisfies that need that they have. But it’s still very much a story driven talk of story driven keynote that Karen is sharing. But it’s but it’s wrapped around with these kind of very tangible takeaways for the audience. So, Karen, thinking about your experience in the Thought Leader Academy with the group the weekly group calls plus the VIP day that we did together one on one, I guess. Why did you decide to join in the first place and what did you have any idea what to expect when you started?
Karen Keene:
You know, I in my career did a lot of public speaking. I worked with attorneys, and one of my roles was really to help coach them to be subject matter experts. So I would often ask them to do the things that I felt were important to lead by example. So I did a lot of public speaking and I did it for businesses. I did it for legal associations, and I also did it with regard to Athena and the women’s organizations that I’ve been affiliated with. What I had never done is I had never talked about a story that was so personal, devastating and life changing. And when I was asked to put together the keynote, Carol was the first person I thought of. If she mentioned she and I met back in 2016. But I have always closely watched on LinkedIn and certainly through her podcast, just the phenomenal reputation that she and Diane Diaz have as two women leaders in our community who really do want to help women reach the stages and reach the audiences. To share their voice, to share their stories. And I knew when I was asked to do this keynote and also to share my story with a thousand plus leaders at Orlando Health, which was a little intimidating. I have to I have to mention I really wanted to turn to these dynamic experts to help me do that.
Karen Keene:
I didn’t know what to expect coming into the program. I will be honest, but I am over the moon. What a great program this this has been. It has been outstanding. It far exceeded my expectations. And what I have really found is that we have learned so many great tools. One of the unique sessions that really piqued my interest was a session that we talked about Chat, GPT and all the great things that the AI world is doing. And I know that Carol and Diane have done a lot in this area. And in addition to that, you know, just being able to create a framework and to be able to utilize so many of the skills that we learn through the ideal story ingredients. And ideal, by the way, covers imagery, dialogue, emotion, action and lessons. So really helping to give life to this story in a way that it is meaningful and it is impactful, but at the same time leaves the audience with a call to action that is so important and that I simply could not have come to this point if it wasn’t for your support and for your guidance and for your, you know, great facilitation. So thank you. I do appreciate that.
Carol Cox:
Oh, well, thank you, Karen. Yes, the ideal story ingredients. I do have a podcast episode about that. For those of you listening, I’ll drop a link to that here in the show notes so you can go listen to that. And also, Karen mentioned these different elements of the framework that we teach. Of course, like having an alliteration or your own framework, having a call to action at the end, right, Starting with that compelling opening. So these are the things that you all learn as you go through the Thought Leader Academy. So I’m so excited that you’re using what you’ve learned, Karen, for other presentations as well. So besides the speaking engagements that you have coming up, what else is next for you?
Karen Keene:
You know, I want to also say when I came into this program, I had, I guess, somewhat of a self-limiting belief that my story would only be really of interest to organizations and the local community, which is wonderful. And I want to continue to support those organizations and to share with the audiences here locally. But what your group, your team did was you opened my eyes up to all the other possibilities. And there are so many. I mean, from national conferences to podcasts to even perhaps doing testimony in front of Congress, which I am seriously considering when it comes to gun violence prevention. So I really had not thought about all those opportunities. And if the opportunity comes along and I’m able to also talk with other podcast hosts who are really helping work with the mental health arena, who are helping in the health care space, and also those who are working with trauma patients and helping trauma patients, then I want to be able to do that as well. So something to think about for the.
Carol Cox:
Future for sure. Karen, thank you so much for coming through the Thought Leader Academy, for being a valued member of our community and I will make sure to put a link to Karen’s LinkedIn profile in the show notes. So please connect with her there. Let her know that you heard her here on the podcast. Karen, thank you so much for coming on.
Karen Keene:
Thank you, Carol. It’s been a pleasure.
Carol Cox:
And for those of you listening, if you would like to join us in our Thought Leader Academy, you can get all the details at speaking your.com/academy. Again, that’s speaking your brand.com/academy. And until next time thanks for listening.
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