Hayley was brought up in Newham in a single parent household and went to school in her East London neighbourhood, believing she would become either a lawyer or a teacher because of her love for talking to people. When a motivational speaker - soon to become her mentor - visited Hayley's school, she realised what she wanted to do: motivate young people going through similar experiences to herself. Hayley had been badly bullied at school, but chose to find a positive way out through sharing her story in speeches, blogs and videos, reassuring others on how to find inspiration, enjoy their youth, and be a success. Hayley registered her motivational speaking company Inside A Dream on her 18th birthday, as a present to herself.
After secondary school, Hayley started at the University of Sussex in 2016, but struggled with the transition to university life and an environment that lacked the ethnic diversity she was accustomed to as a Londoner. Hayley's ensuing difficulties and suicidal thoughts culminated in an attempt to end her life. Once physically recovered, Hayley decided to take time out from university to build her personal understanding, find ways to manage her depression and anxiety, and help others who might find themselves in a similar situation. Hayley decided to look into how to run mental health and personal development workshops. Using her own pain to fuel her purpose, Hayley began to research how to make people comfortable about talking about mental health, especially in the black community.
Hayley went on to write a book - The ABCs To Student Success - inspired by her own experiences in both secondary school and higher education. In it, Hayley gives tips on how to stay mentally healthy, how to enjoy being young without racing towards challenging adult situations and how to handle racism and loneliness at university, among other important topics. Hayley reached out to every university African-Caribbean Society she knew of, offering to share her experiences through keynote speeches and mental health workshops. In her first year, she managed to speak at sixteen UK universities, reaching hundreds of students with her message on the importance of maintaining mental wellbeing. Since becoming a student again herself, Hayley juggles her studies and speaking engagements whilst running Building You masterclasses which are personal development masterclasses for ethnic minority millennials. What Hayley had started as a small weekly masterclass in 2017 has now evolved into a monthly London meetup, where diverse and influential guest speakers from vloggers to entrepreneurs are invited to inspire, motivate and teach young people up-to-date, transferable life skills such as managing personal finances and personal digital branding.
Recognising that mental health remains a taboo topic in many African countries, Hayley has made significant efforts to carry her story abroad. She visited Uganda on a speaking tour of elite schools, appearing on Ugandan news and television to highlight mental health awareness and its challenges. She has also been invited to speak to inner-city youngsters in New York City, and counts J.P. Morgan and PwC among her corporate clients. Hayley has reached over 40,000 people in her speaking engagements and workshops across the world, including 15,000 people at SSE Wembley Arena for WE Day. Hayley's book saw her recognised as Best Author/Writer in the Best of Congo Awards 2018, and she is The Millenials Club's Female Entrepreneur of the Year for 2019.
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