Monique R. Shields: From Corporate to CEO Coach, Empowering Women of Color

Journey from Corporate to Coaching

• 🎓 Monique R. Shields reflects on her transformative 20-year journey since attending Spellman College, highlighting how the diverse environment shaped her focus on empowering women of color.
• 💼 Her early career began in English literature, leading to roles in publishing at Simon & Schuster and later in finance/investment banking, where she learned the critical value of relationships and operational skills.
• 🚀 A pivotal moment was transitioning into executive coaching, influenced by her experience at a mental health tech startup, where she became Director of Coaching and later Director of Partnerships, subsidizing her certification.

The Essence of Executive Coaching

• 💡 Monique defines executive coaching as creating space for humanity and full expression, helping high-achieving individuals unblock their potential and reconnect with their authentic selves.
• 🗣️ She emphasizes that corporate environments often require contorting oneself and maintaining a posture of being 'on', highlighting the need for spaces where individuals can truly hear themselves and reassess.
• 🎮 Navigating corporate spaces is likened to a game of survival, where understanding the rules and deciding what aspects of oneself are safe to share is crucial.

Embracing Entrepreneurship and Financial Growth

• 🔑 Monique's transition to entrepreneurship was driven by a desire for ownership of her time, particularly after becoming a mother, leveraging her supportive spouse and network.
• 💰 She advocates for investing ahead in oneself, even utilizing credit smartly, believing that such investments always yield significant returns and activate urgency and commitment.
• 📈 The concept of "possibility models" is key, involving proximity to individuals doing similar work at a desired level, pushing perceived boundaries, and learning from their strategies, especially regarding pricing and opportunity.

Navigating Business Evolution and Offerings

• 🔄 Entrepreneurship involves continuous adaptation, as seen when Monique pivoted to an online model during 2020 after initially relying on in-person events.
• ⚖️ She balances B2B and B2C offerings, preferring an 80/20 split favoring B2C due to energy considerations and a desire for greater freedom.
• 🎯 Monique's program, "Claimed," is designed for highly accomplished Black mothers ready to embrace their next chapter without compromise, focusing on releasing past identities and beliefs.

Mindset Shifts and Self-Resourcing

• 🧠 A core message is the need to dismantle unknowingly adopted identities and limiting beliefs, moving beyond survival mode to thriving.
• 🚀 The concept of "10x is easier than 2x" suggests that fundamental shifts in business identity and self-concept are more impactful than simply doubling effort.
• 🤝 Releasing and seeking help are crucial for overcoming burnout, emphasizing that true transformation often comes from letting go rather than acquiring more knowledge or resources.

Lightning Round Insights

• 🧑‍💼 Monique's current essential resource is her assistant, found through her husband's network.
• 🎤 She admires the Editor-in-Chief of Essence for her bold, unapologetic presence and skillful use of language.
• 🌅 A non-negotiable daily practice is her early morning quiet time (5 AM), followed by an early bedtime.
• ❤️ Her success is attributed to a personal trait of "wooing" people, romanticizing interactions to build strong relationships.
• 🌟 For aspiring entrepreneurs worried about losing a steady paycheck, she advises to insist on steadiness, stability, and high standards, trusting that the universe will respond by repelling what's not needed and attracting what is.