20 Under 40: Devan Robinson

“That’s what really got me started with my business.”

Ms. Robinson knew early on that she wanted to help people, particularly women, but it took her a while--and a quarter-life crisis--to figure out exactly how to go about it.

“I went through a quarter-life crisis, as some people do, and had no idea what I wanted to be,” she said.

“My husband is military, and his career was the focus rather than mine, and when they go overseas it can be very confusing and lonely, but it was during one of those times that I figured out I was put on this planet to guide people.”

That’s when she decided to become a life coach.

“I didn’t want to be one of those Instagram life coaches, though,” she added. “I wanted to have tangible results that people can really use.”

She started Developing with Devan in 2020, and reaps real results through her individualized treatment programs.

“When I work with a client, traditionally we take a big-picture look at what’s going on in your life including your values, where you’re placing your time, your goals, priorities, and personality type,” Ms. Robinson said.

“Then as we work together over the weeks, months, or years, we break your goals down into smaller pieces that are more manageable and motivating.”

“That’s one of the things most people struggle with,” she said, “is having motivating goals.”

Some of the goals she helps set for people are abstract, such as helping them overcome their limited belief in themselves, while others are more tangible, such as helping them figure out how to organize their cabinets. These small goals, she said, are important stepping-stones to conquering bigger goals.

Through Developing with Devan, her hope is to motivate and empower women.

“My main mission is to help women gain confidence, understand their strengths, and develop a deeper sense of self-worth,” she said.

“I want to create a world filled with unapologetically successful women.”

Only two years into her business, Ms. Robinson has already helped inspire many women to be more confident and successful.

She recalled one story about a woman who attended Ms. Robinson’s women’s summits she holds each year, who previously lacked the confidence to connect with clients of her own.

“After the summit, she went out that night and had the confidence to get the phone numbers of two potential clients,” Ms. Robinson said.

“It’s situations like that, however tiny, which help people to value themselves a bit more.”

That’s the most rewarding part of her work: seeing people become better versions of themselves.

“It’s so rewarding when someone tells me they did something out of the ordinary that they otherwise wouldn’t have done because of the conversations we had,” she said.

Her advice to aspiring young leaders--who, like Ms. Robinson, want to change society for the better--would be to network.

“Get out there, talk to people, figure out what you want to change, tell people about it and do it,” she said. “That’s how I got to where I am.”

Don’t fret over perfection, either.

“Perfectionism is one of the biggest obstacles stopping us from doing what we need to,” she said.

“It’s this fear of failure or rejection that holds a lot of us back, so my advice for people who are afraid to apply for that job, or ask for that person’s number, would be to speak your goal out loud to yourself.”

“Words,” she said, “are pretty darn powerful.”

For more information about Developing with Devan, contact Ms. Robinson at devan@developingwithdevan.com.