Naseem Kapdi
Naseem Kapdi is a Reflective Strategy Coach specializing in supporting BIWOC and first-generation introverts as they navigate burnout, career transitions, and creative or professional realignment. As the founder of Kimiya Coaching, she helps clients slow down and create intentional space for clarity without pressure or “hustle,” centering her work on the belief that meaningful direction emerges through reflection, not constant striving. Her coaching philosophy is grounded in lived experience as a first-generation college graduate, eldest daughter, and child of immigrants, giving her a deep understanding of identity, responsibility, and ambition in environments not always designed for those journeys.
Her signature CHAI Method—Clarify, Heal, Align, Integrate—guides clients through a structured yet gentle process of self-discovery and forward movement. Through this framework, she helps individuals clarify what they truly want, heal what is holding them back, align their actions with their values, and integrate sustainable next steps that feel authentic and realistic. Rather than focusing on rapid productivity or external achievement, her approach emphasizes pause and play: intentional reflection paired with low-pressure experimentation that allows clients to rebuild self-trust and find direction at their own pace.
Alongside her coaching practice, Naseem serves as Program Operations Director for Girlz, FTW, where she helps design mentorship programs that support women in early career transitions. She has been recognized with the 2025 Community Rise & Recognize Award for her contributions to community building and empowerment. Across all her work, she remains committed to creating grounded, compassionate spaces where clients can step out of overwhelm, reconnect with themselves, and move forward with clarity, intention, and confidence in their next chapter.
• Oregon State University
Certificate, E-Learning Instructional Design and Development
• Oregon State University
Certificate, LXD: Advanced Tools and E-Learning Trends
• Coro Fellow at Coro New York Leadership Center
Immigrant Civic Leadership Program (ICLP)
• Embrace Change Coaching Certification Program
• Teachers College, Columbia University
Master's degree
• Hofstra University
Bachelor's degree, Comparative Literature and Languages
• Institute of Culinary Education
Pastry and Baking Arts
• Program Operations Director
- Girlz, FTW
• Curriculum Support and Instructional Design
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my willingness to embrace change and follow what feels aligned with who I am, even when that path has required pivots. As the daughter of immigrants, I grew up watching my father build and run his own business, which quietly planted the seed for entrepreneurship in me early on. For years, I explored different spaces—teaching English as a second language to children, working in adult education, and contributing to the nonprofit sector. Coaching has been the consistent thread through it all, even before I formally identified it as my profession.
What I’m most proud of is not the business itself, but my ability to honor transitions in my career, even the difficult ones. I went through a season of burnout that challenged me deeply, but it also pushed me to reflect, reset, and ultimately realign with my purpose. I used to believe people stayed in one career until retirement, but I’ve learned that growth often comes from movement and reinvention.
Launching my fully virtual coaching company about a year and a half ago felt less like a sudden decision and more like a homecoming. Today, I integrate my CHI method and my philosophy of play and pause into my work, which reflects who I am as a creative thinker, lifelong learner, writer, and introverted woman of color who values both community and connection.
Ultimately, I attribute my success to embracing pivots, staying open to learning, and building a career that reflects my values. When my work is truly aligned with who I am, it becomes not just a profession, but an honest reflection of my purpose.
Locations
Kimiya Coaching
Albertson, NY 11507