Frida Mucheke loves documenting memories. This is the first notable thing once you are ushered into her living room in Nairobi’s Karen area.
The walls are littered with beautiful frozen moments of her family in the form of pictures. She is also a warm person to engage with as she keenly listens and thinks through before speaking her mind.
Fridah’s life story is one of resilience, reinvention, and purpose. It’s not just about changing careers—it’s about discovering who you are, often later than expected. Born in a small village in Meru over 50 years ago, she describes herself as “a mother, a wife, an entrepreneur, and now, a counselling psychologist and trainer.”
She is also the founder, Calmmind Solutions and has finalised writing a book on understanding adolescents which is ready for publishing.
Yet, this journey wasn’t linear. “If you told me 20 years ago that I’d end up in psychology, I would have laughed,” she says. “I thought my life was in banking and business.”
Her life has been full of twists and turns, moments of doubt, and realisations that reshaped her identity.
From navigating the rigid expectations of the banking sector to running a bridal business and finally finding her calling in counselling psychology, Frida’s journey is a testament to courage and self-discovery.
Her early life was shaped by the values of hard work and discipline instilled by her parents, both professionals working in Nairobi. However, her path wasn’t without its hiccups. After narrowly missing university admission by a single point in her A levels she faced a tough choice: pursue a teaching diploma or a business administration diploma at Kenya Polytechnic.
“I liked teaching,” she admits, “but they required us to wear uniforms. Can you imagine? I couldn’t do it.” She chuckles, adding, “It’s funny now, but at the time, it was a serious deal-breaker.”
Her choice to study business administration marked the beginning of her professional journey. “At Kenya Polytechnic, I learned the basics of work and responsibility.
My internship with a Family planning private sector NGO had me travelling all over Western Kenya. I felt young, free, and ready to take on the world,” she notes nostalgically.
In 1994, she got an offer letter to join the Housing Finance Group which she did in 1995. This is how her career in banking began and even as she celebrated landing the role, her excitement was clouded by an unsettling comment from her HR Director.
“He told me, ‘You came in as a Mrs yet in the offer letter you were a Miss.. Now the next time you’ll be asking for maternity leave!’ I was shocked. I didn’t know if he was joking, but it stayed with me,” she recalls.
She laughs now at how seriously she took the comment, but at the time, it felt like immense pressure. “It’s sad, but this is a reality for many women in the workplace.”
Fridah’s role at the bank grew steadily. She rose to the recoveries department, a position she describes as both rewarding and heartbreaking. “On one hand, I earned good commissions, but on the other, I had to recommend auctioning people’s homes in cases that had exhausted any other viable solutions due to huge debts. Some of their stories were so painful. It never sat well with me.”
In 2002, Frida took a leap of faith and took an early retirement package.
“I thought, this is my chance to be my own boss. I had always been entrepreneurial—selling items after high school, running small businesses—so I thought I’d flourish.”
Together with her husband, Frida ran a mini supermarket in Eastlands. After the early retirement, she took the reigns at the mini-supermarket, but soon enough, she discovered this was not what she wanted. “I was restless. I told my husband, ‘This isn’t me. I need to go back to school.’”
By 2003, Frida was enrolled at the University of Nairobi, pursuing a degree in Sociology and Communication. “I didn’t care what degree it was.
I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. Missing campus by one point had left a void, and I needed to fill it.”
She graduated in 2005 with honours and promptly returned to business, this time opening True Creations, a bridal and tailoring business.
“I wanted to build a brand, not just a business. I sourced my gowns from China, and dressed many brides – it was my pride and joy but it wasn’t easy.”
The bridal business brought her face-to-face with human vulnerability. “One day, a bride came back to my shop after her wedding failed. Another time, a groom came in with two different women in a month. I couldn’t understand what was happening.”
She laughs at the memory but admits it triggered something deeper. “I realised I didn’t just want to sell dresses; I wanted to understand people. Why do we act the way we do? Why do some people leave their partners at the altar? I needed answers.”
In 2017 in her late 40s, Frida enrolled in a basic counselling course. “I started with a free class just to understand the human mind. But once I was in, I couldn’t stop. It was like a bug had bitten me. I felt that this was my calling”
COVID-19 provided the push she needed. With her business struggling like many others, she focused on her studies, earning a diploma in counselling psychology.
“I wanted to understand adolescents, marriages, everything. It wasn’t just for others—it was for me,” she intimates.
Her efforts paid off. She now holds both internal and government certifications, she is registered with the counselors and psychologist board of Kenya and is finalising her master’s degree in counselling at KCA University.
She has since founded Calmmind Solutions, a counselling and consulting firm. She works with individuals, groups, and institutions, helping them navigate life’s challenges. “I talk about self-awareness because that’s where everything starts. If you know who you are, life changes.”
On the lessons she has picked, she says that investing in social capital tops the list. “People out there have created amazing opportunities for me and I am forever grateful. Relationships are as valuable as money, show up for people,” she offers.
She also says having a teachable spirit has seen her excel in her field because she is not ashamed of admitting that she does not know everything.
Her advice? “Never be afraid of doing or starting something no matter the age. Your age, your circumstances—they don’t matter. Look at Colonel Sanders—he started KFC at 65!” she fiercely notes. She adds, “I’m a late bloomer, and I have no apologies.
Some people get PhDs at 30, and that’s fine. But if I get mine at 67, that’s also okay. Life isn’t about timelines; it’s about purpose. Everyone needs to realise that your fear is your greatest limitation. Focus on you, not others and that’s the same advice I live by.”
Frida’s calm demeanour and passion for her work reflect her belief that “everything is in the mind.” Whether she’s counselling clients, mentoring young women, or planning workshops on marriage, her goal remains the same: to inspire others to discover their potential.
