Using her pain as fuel, Grace Graham created WorkSpa to offer holistic healthcare

For Women's History Month, MAKERS joined forces with Be Bold for Change, a nonprofit organization that inspires and activates changemakers today and tomorrow. On March 14th, in London, women from around the globe shared their stories. Several spoke about how they leveraged their talents to support women and girls in reducing the gender gap. MAKERS was privileged to hear Grace Graham's story, the CEO & Founder of WorkSpa, which provides holistic wellness solutions to employees. In her quest to provide company employees with more authentic and wholesome approaches to well-being, Grace draws on her personal experiences of adversity. The death of her father, followed by rape and the tragic murder of her boyfriend, led to a substance abuse addiction for 12 years. Finally, Grace decided at age 26 she needed to change.

The Prince's Trust, a charity founded by King Charles, brought Grace's second life to fruition. She praised her mentor, Chrish Lecher, who helped her step out of her comfort zone. "There is great empowerment in being seen past expectations. The opportunity to be seen in a greater light allows you to break down barriers and step into your true potential.

Grace's mother, Jane, an activist, and ally, also inspired her to find her true self. As a child, her mother shared stories of incredible women like Harriet Tubman, which resonated with her when thinking about her legacy. While it has been four years since Grace's mother, Jane passed away, her stories and legacy continue to sustain her. By turning her pain into passion, she created WorkSpa to offer wholesome and holistic approaches to their health. Grace established the business a few years before the pandemic and has supported more than 200 corporations across the UK, such as HSBC and Universal Music Group. Grace said having employees from diverse backgrounds was crucial to ensure every employee has someone who can understand their well-being needs. As a female CEO, Grace is also an ambassador for the Prince's Trust, and she's big on giving back, raising over 400,000 pounds ($433,385.60 US dollars) for organizations supporting young girls like her. Graham was awarded the ‘Young Ambassador of the Year award in 2018 and 2019 by the U.K youth charity The Prince’s Trust, highlighting her exceptional work and becoming a role model for others. Grace is determined to empower women, especially women of color while creating opportunities for women to hear her story and be inspired to continue pushing through no matter what life throws at them.

"My life experience has taught me a lot, and I really do believe that we have to kind of recognize and embrace our own imperfections. And in doing so, recognize and understand the imperfections in others…we do have to face our pain. We have to face our fears and insecurities. And for many of us that can be incredibly painful. But what I have learned is if you can find time for introspection, this is a key part to your healing journey. Life has taught me that nothing is for certain and change is constant. But if you are rooted in your foundation, you can never be swayed to end."- Grace Graham