A Leader Within: Meet Keele Burgin, Founder of B Tribes and Author of Wholly Unraveled: A Memoir

By Emily Merrell

What does a religious cult, a rebellious girl and an abusive father all have in common? Keele Burgin. Keele Burgin’s life is like a thriller. While reading her book, I had to keep reminding myself that her book was non-fiction. Despite a wild childhood, Keele is one of the most incredible and inspiring humans I’ve yet to meet. She is also the founder of B Tribes, a community that inspires women. Learn more about Keele, her book and how she’s changing the world. 

SDS: Your book Wholly Unraveled: A Memoir, rocked my world! Knowing you now, I can’t imagine how you emerged such a positive human despite your upbringing. While not everyone grew up in a religious cult, everyone has their struggles. What advice do you have for people that might need to see the light at the end of their tunnel? 

KEELE BURGIN: I want people to know that there is a full and happy life to live no matter what trauma they have walked through in their life. It does not have to define them. With an honest look within to identify the shame, doubt and fear that surrounds trauma, there is a letting go that allows the places of unworthiness to get filled with an abundance of self-love, joy and a deeper connection to all humans. There is no life without suffering, it is what we do with the suffering that defines us.

I also want people to know that they are not alone. So many people don’t speak about their trauma because they believe it wasn’t ‘that bad’ or ‘others have it worse’. Find a person you trust and talk about it. Get a great therapist and start to spill your unique and amazing story. I recommend the written word: write it down so you can sort through the shame, pain and confusion. I highly recommend EMDR therapy, it is the most effective form of therapy I have ever seen. I also recommend a tremendous amount of self-care. We are so good at taking care of others that we sometimes need a reminder to give to ourselves in the same way. Go ahead and spoil yourself!

The reason I wrote Wholly Unraveled is so others would tell their stories, give a voice to the dark and by doing so, heal. If my book can help people feel safer telling their stories, especially the ones they don’t want to say out loud ─ that would make everything I went through make sense to me. 

SDS: You’ve done a lot of self work to heal from your past, but women’s circles and community seem to be a big part of it. Tell us about B Tribes and the origin of these circles? 

KB: (B) is a movement of like-minded women who want to be the heroine of their own journey. I created (B) to encourage women to embrace wherever they are on their path, without judgement. Just (B). The (B) experience employs a powerful curriculum, deep relationships amongst the small curated tribes and gentle accountability to encourage women to identify and jump into their native genius. It changes the trajectory of a woman’s life and opens them up to move along their unique path with worth, direction and knowing.

When a woman finds and uses her voice, she can change the world around her. With our tenet of every woman is a student and every woman is a teacher, we bring our wisdom to the forefront. We believe in profound transformations and we believe in doing it together.  

Our 6-month program, (B)transformed, focuses on identifying and releasing the patterns that no longer serve us so that we may stand in our power and create the life we are meant to live. Oh, and did I mention we kick off the groups with a four-day trip to a private home on the beach in Mexico where we spoil you rotten while cracking your heart open?  

Tribes are kicking off this fall and we would love to connect with you and see what wants to happen!!  

SDS: Writing your story must have been challenging – you call out a lot of people in your life. Were there things that surprised you about writing the book? 

KB: There were so many beautiful surprises along the way.  

I think the overarching theme in them is that stories unite us, they make us feel less alone and when shared, they free us from the confines of our mind. They allow us to vulnerably connect to others. Instead of people judging me for the truth of my story, they came out of the woodwork to share their own stories with me.  

The connections with my readers are sacred ground for me because just like joy can unite us, sorrow and trauma can too. The more I hear from my readers, the more fulfilled I feel.  

SDS: Before you were Keele Burgin the author, you were an entrepreneur co-founding two companies and taking your first one public. Tell us how this new identity intersects with your “old” one? 

KB: Today, I am fully me and I love me. Whew, that took a long time to say that sentence.  Earlier in my career I was pushing, doing, striving and never feeling I was enough. I was waiting to be ‘found out’ somehow. Now I ask myself the question “What wants to happen?” and I allow the magic to bubble up. I don’t push, I allow the plan to unfold as it should and I watch the miracles along the way. 

It doesn’t mean I don’t work hard. I love hard work, but the focus is how can I make a profound impact on the world. My life is full of all the things I love. My three beautiful boys, a love affair I have waited for all of my life and watching women come into their unique genius and form life-long friendships through (B)Tribes. 

SDS: I think you are one of the most empathetic humans and also one of the most modest. Knowing everything you know about your life now, what would you tell little Keele? 

KB: I would look her in the eye, preferably on the beach in front of my childhood home, and I would say to her, “You are worthy, and your voice matters in the world. You can take all of that trauma and turn it into something beautiful in the world by supporting other people. Now go claim your native genius and soar, beauty!”

SDS: Lastly, how can we learn more about the incredible offerings you’re creating and stay abreast of everything you have to offer? 

KB: Please check out (B)Tribes at keeleburgin.com. If anything I have mentioned touched your heart, please reach out to me for a connection. Truly, I would love to hear from you.