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Inspiring Change in England- Q&A with Hayley Mulenda of Inside a Dream

Hayley Mulenda and Medvis Jackson
Mar 28, 2016
4 min read

Recently, we go a chance to catch up with Hayley Mulenda, a rising and motivational voice in the United Kingdom, whose motivational speaking company, Inside a Dream, works to energize and empower youth to be their best selves and to chase their dreams.

An 18 year old and University of Sussex student, Hayley has already received a number of awards, including:

- the Positive4Youth Inspire Award

- BE (Black Enterprise) Mogul - Most Influential

- Most Inspirational Black Entrepreneur in Britain for Under 21 (Supported By Natwest, 10 Downing Street and Mayor of London)

Hayley was kind enough to give us some insights into her entry into motivational speaking, her plans for Inside a Dream, and how the black youth in England she's worked with view entrepreneurship.

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What is a Inside A Dream program like?

From feedback I have received from previous clients they've told me the experience is priceless and worth it! You can't get what we have to offer anywhere else and it's a programme which will leave you inspired, motivated and empowered to drive your life to greatness.

Does my program consist of one day seminars?

It all depends on what I am booked in for, sometimes I am booked for one hour sessions, two hour sessions, a whole day or even a 6 week course!

It all depends on what suits the customer, some people get motivated after 10 minutes, some people get motivated after a month..It's a working process and I love helping people reach their full potential.

Hayley Mulenda has been recognized by various organizations and publications for her work

What made me passionate about inspiring youth in England?

I have always had a passion to uplift and motivate others. I gain happiness from making someone else happy - it's honestly a priceless feeling, being able to inspire and motivate young people in the UK.

My aim is to take every single young person up to the top with me. They deserve to live their life to the full and they deserve to know they're amazing and that amazing things can happen to them too!

How did Inside A Dream Start?

Inside A Dream started by just a simple question my form tutor asked me two years ago: "what do you want to be Hayle ?" And right there on the spot something told me to say "own a motivational speaking company."

My teacher replied and said "well you're in luck because we have a motivational speaker in today."

Action Jackson came in that day, he's a well known motivational speaker across the UK and he asked everyone what they wanted to be, I replied back saying motivational speaker and he was just so shocked, shocked to know there was a young person who wanted to do something he was currently doing.

Motivational speaking is a niche market in the UK, so I understand why he was shocked, he then offered to mentor me (he is still my mentor until this day) and help me develop myself as a speaker - I started a motivational blog called Inside A Dream (the name just came and the concept followed) and that's where my journey began.

I started getting more views on my blog and I realized I don't want to be a blogger, I want people to actually hear what I am saying rather than read it, so I released a video of me talking about how much I love doing motivational speaking and that's exactly what I did.. that's where it started.

Long term ambitions for Inside A Dream?

My long term ambitions for Inside A Dream is to branch out of the UK and to go global. I have to lead by example, I have to show people that dreams can come true and my dream is to go on tour around the world motivating and inspiring young people to greatness.

I know I can do it - I have to do it. I want to motivate as many young people as I can.

Who are some of your key partners?

So, I am sponsored by Vivid Drinks, they are definitely a key partner as their motto is to think vivid, I want to motivate all young people to think vivid and realize they're amazing.

Another key partner is Fix Up Seminars, they're another motivational speaking company that I initially started with. It is Action Jackson's company. This company has changed my life. I don't even want to call it a company, they're family. Fix Up Seminars is family and they'll always be with me wherever I go.

Alim Ignites is also another key partner, Alim Kamara who is the founder of Alim Ignites and also a speaker with Fix Up is actually the motivational speaker who inspired me to go for my dream in the first place. I wouldn't even like to call them key partners, I will call them gems, important gems in my life and important gems in my journey.

From Inside A Dream Website: A group of students after a session with Hayley Mulenda

How important is technology and entrepreneurship to your programming? Do you notice more London blacks (including poor and marginalized youth of various skin colors and ethnicities) wanting to "do their own thing" in terms of starting a business or creating something cool and innovative?

Technology is very important- especially because I rely on Social Media and my Website as a platform to spread my message to different types of people.... to communicate with people who I would hardly have access to physically.

I would say more black youths are getting into the student entreprenuerial spirit...A lot of black youths do want to start businesses but if you don't have the right people pushing you in the right direction, you can loose out. I want to be the right person to push the black youth in the right direction.

Favorite App

One Note (keeps all my notes together)

On a business or social/political note, what is the question or idea that fascinates you and takes up a lot of your mindspace?

"Why it is that some young people are pushing for greatness and some young people are 'careless?"- That question weighs on my mind a lot.