Reviews & Testimonials
Girl crush post for Kit Hayes, who I had ever so timely reconnected with at Gina Pell and Amy Parker’s The What Alliance Retreat.
It was Nov in Palm Springs at the wonderful Two Bunch Palms hotel. I had just spoken on a panel about creativity and resilience, and the next speaker up was… Kit! I was surprised!
Kit and I had connected years ago before the pandemic as she was dreaming up a retreat called the School of Social Change, where those with lived experience across a wide range of disciplines could meet with active builders, culture makers and philanthropists. Her ideas were bold, fun and ambitious in ways that felt safe and possible.
The pandemic had hit and we lost touch a bit. I was scrambling to steady my events company from a neck breaking nosedive to a full on rocket ship pivot. Kit’s job as the head of mental health at YouTube was unimaginably demanding as well.
So, seeing her on the other side and giving a talk with citation after citation of all these incredible leadership strategies filled me with so much joy and warmth.
After the talk, I saw her on break basking in the sun on a lounge chair by a pond – wearing a black leather jacket and black sunglasses. I wish I had snapped a photo. I took the lounge chair next to her and caught up. She had found her happiness in helping executives be better leaders and left her job at Google. She was a coach now.
Ew, a coach… what? But Kit is cool. How could this be?
I stayed open.
What does coaching even mean, what does it look like?
She shared with me that her point of view was that she wanted to work with people who she could empower and not be a crutch. And her method of doing that is a personalized retreat for one person, a Time Away. We’d go deep and focus in 1-2 of the most impactful changes I could make in my leadership, followed by biweekly coaching. I loved this model and told her I’d sign up for it.
My Time Away experince was amazing, and life changing. I learned things about myself that I didn’t understand before. I developed a wide range of tools and exercises to move through behaviors that were holding me back from clarity, connection, and action. I worked on becoming less hard on myself and others, perhaps the most valuable part of it all.
My team works tightly together, happily. Truly happily. And I’m so grateful for Kit to help me through that during an extremely challenging year of fires, pivots, and perils.
Look at that smile. This was a photo I took of her on the Time Away retreat. How could you not love her?! Like I said, big girl crush. I can’t sing her praises enough. Connect, follow, hire her now if you can! She’s the best.
Sarah Shewey
CEO, Happily
Prior to meeting with Kit, I was in the midst of a full-blown life crisis. I was navigating a career transition without a clear sense of direction, trapped in long-standing patterns of people-pleasing and self-criticism. I felt deeply disconnected—from my values, from the skills I had to offer, and from any vision of where I wanted my life to go.
I chose to dive into Kit’s program wholeheartedly, beginning with her in-person retreat in Tomales, California. That experience has become one of my most cherished memories. I stayed at the AppleGarden Farm & Cottage and spent three transformative days working with Kit. Each day, we uncovered new dimensions of myself and practical tools I could carry forward. Most profoundly, she guided me toward an inner wisdom I hadn’t yet accessed and helped me reconnect with the essence of who I am—what I care about, what brings me joy, and how I can pursue those things with both strength and discernment. The impact of Kit’s work extended far beyond the retreat. Her weekly meetings provided ongoing accountability and alignment, offering motivation when I felt like I had stumbled and encouragement when I doubted myself. To this day, she continues to be a source of unwavering support. Her coaching is the perfect balance of compassion and structure. Kit doesn’t just inspire you—she equips you.
I cannot recommend Time Away highly enough to anyone feeling lost, stuck, or simply yearning for a deeper connection with themselves and their life’s direction. Investing in Kit’s coaching is one of the most meaningful decisions I’ve ever made. It wasn’t just about gaining clarity in my career or goals—it was about learning how to live with intention, confidence, and joy. Kit gave me the courage and tools to build the life I want.
Elora McCuddy
Sustainability Leader
Earlier this year, I had the absolute privilege of working with @Kit Hayes during a time of deep personal and professional transition.
It’s hard to put into words just how transformative the experience was. Kit holds a powerful mix of intuitive insight, multidisciplinary tools, and unwavering presence that helped me break through blocks I didn’t even realize were standing in my way.
With her support, I was able to access levels of alignment, confidence, and success that felt out of reach before. She helped me remember who I am — and step fully into what’s possible.
I’ll be working with her for life, and I truly can’t recommend her enough to anyone who is looking to elevate their life, step into their purpose, or move through a season of change with clarity and intention.
Kit is the real deal. 💫
Annie
Kit helped me rediscover and reconnect to my deepest passions and ambitions. She utilized a range of modalities to help me uncover and work through my blocks at a mental, emotional and spiritual level.
The balance of intensive 1:1 work coupled with time for personal reflection in a beautiful natural environment contributed to being able to do intense deep inner work with a short timeframe.
The experience helped connect me back to the core of my being that had been dormant for far too long. I recommend Kit to anyone going through a transition who has the courage to make a meaningful change in their lives.
Dan
Early 40s, Corporate Sustainability Leader
It’s no exaggeration to say that working with Kit and her Time Away programming has been profoundly life-changing. From our very first meeting through six months of sessions, she has been a steady confidant, wise teacher, and nurturing support—exceeding every expectation I had.
The practices she guided me through helped me shift from feeling stuck to moving through my days with greater self-awareness, confidence and grounding —in both my professional and personal life. Kit consistently encouraged a thoughtful balance of accountability and grace in goal-setting and personal empowerment.
Working with her has been a genuine privilege, and I’ll carry the tools she shared with me for a lifetime.
If you’re feeling stuck, craving clarity, or looking to realign with your purpose, I can’t recommend Kit highly enough. Reach out—you won’t regret it.
Private client
FABULOUS SESSION! I feel SO much lighter and at peace in my body. You helped me see and navigate a block (feeling backed into a corner with “I need to prove myself” energy) that really wanted my attention. You have a way of reflecting my blocks back to me in a very nurturing and nonjudgemental way, which really helps me meet myself and heal. I absolutely love getting to work with you. You are incredibly gifted and masterful in advanced coaching, and I am very lucky to be your client. Truly, I appreciate you so, so much.
Randi
Mid 40s, Business Owner
Getting to work with Kit 1:1 for her Coaching Intensive came at the perfect time, after spending months building towards a more aligned career, being let go, and jumping into the deep end when I wasn’t sure I was ready.
The retreat gave me the opportunity to re-align and also see how I was standing in my own way, while Kit held space for all of it. It was beautiful to notice how each day built on the last, the experience deepening throughout, both intentionally and organically.
Briana
20s, Newly Minted Independent consultant