In this episode of Gateway to Growth, host Jamal Cornelious sits down with Keisha Mabry — educator, workforce development leader, and certified AI educator — to talk about building a portfolio career rooted in curiosity, obedience to vision, and a refusal to be boxed into one lane.

From an 8th grade science classroom to leading tech workforce development in the AI era, Keisha's path is proof that a career doesn't have to be linear to be intentional. This conversation is packed with practical frameworks for anyone rethinking their next move, wrestling with whether to adopt AI, or trying to figure out how to tell their own "nonlinear" story with confidence.

Among the biggest themes covered: how to build and narrate a portfolio career using tools like the "three-word bio," the Jobs to Be Done framework, and the Business Model Canvas; how to adopt AI without losing your own judgment, empathy, or critical thinking; and how reframing fear as curiosity can change the way women (and everyone else) approach risk in their careers.


This episode's highlights include:

• Keisha's "three-word bio" framework: educator, builder, connector.

• Why she calls her nonlinear path a "portfolio career" — and why more people will follow it.

• Using "Jobs to Be Done" and the Business Model Canvas to pitch your transferable skills.

• A lesson from training 20,000 founders: build a "pain pill," not a "vitamin."

• Her rule for adopting AI: start with your workflow, not the tools.

• Why she closed her event space, Heydays, with no backup plan — and trusted obedience over fear.

• Inside Per Scholas: no-cost, 15-week tech training that's placed hundreds in St. Louis.

• A first look at her AI Summit at Cortex on October 17th.

From the classroom to the boardroom to the tech bootcamp, Keisha's throughline is simple: stay curious, be obedient to the vision, and don't build alone.

If you're curious about a career in tech, Per Scholas St. Louis offers no-cost, 15-week training with job placement support for anyone 18+ with a GED or equivalent — and Keisha's AI Summit at Cortex is coming up on October 17th, with more details to be announced soon.

Connect with Keisha Mabry
Instagram ▶ @keishamabry
LinkedIn ▶ linkedin.com/in/keishamabry
Website ▶ https://keishamabry.com/



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