Monika started Mastermind Mentoring in 2023 after spending 23 years in the high-tech consulting world, where she focused on solving customer problems through technical innovation, growth strategy, and client relationship management. The entrepreneurial path found her when life threw her a curveball, and her position was eliminated. During that time of transition, she felt a heartfelt calling to pursue a path of service to others and became an intuitive life coach and healer. 

Now, she focuses on helping women become successful by reconnecting with their essence and inspiring greater awareness of the empowerment that comes from embodiment.

In today’s episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to transition from a corporate environment to a fulfilling life of coaching and personal growth.

Monika and I discuss:

• What led Monika to embrace change after her corporate career ended [00:02:13]
• Differences between working within large enterprises and nimble startups [00:04:08]
• How a profound health diagnosis prompted Monika’s journey toward self-discovery and healing [00:06:19]
• The impact of emotional and internal healing on personal growth [00:08:21]
• Techniques Monika used to trigger self-healing and remission [00:12:33]
• How Monika leverages community and authenticity for personal and professional development [00:18:00]
• Advice on maintaining openness and questioning everything to unlock new possibilities [00:20:26]

Learn more about Monika at:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mastermind-mentoring/

Website: https://mastermind-mentoring.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermindmentoring/

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Kellan is the ultimate alchemist for entrepreneurial growth, a bestselling author of 20 books, and the founder of "Your Ultimate Life." Kellan helps entrepreneurs move mountains, melt barriers, and mobilize superpowers to achieve their dreams.

Kellan's personal journey includes battles with depression and addiction. Now, he is committed to helping 300 million people create income and impact in the world by discovering, developing, and serving with their skills, gifts, and life experiences.

In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to integrate purpose, prosperity, and joy to live your ultimate life.

Kellan and I discuss:

• His journey from personal challenges to ultimate life success [00:58]
• The role of money in creating impact [04:49]
• Dispelling common myths about wealth [05:14]
• Harnessing personal skills, gifts, and life experiences [08:31]
• The power of consistency over content [13:01]
• Strategies for overcoming self-doubt [13:59]
• Kellan's daily proactive practices [17:35]
• How community enhances growth and success [22:43]

Learn more about Kellan at https://kellanfluckigermedia.com and https://yourultimatelife.ca.

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Dr. Corinna Freitag is an Executive Coach, Advisor, and Speaker with over 30 years of expertise in natural and human sciences, spanning university, industry, and continuing education. She coaches STEM professionals to overcome workplace challenges so that they look forward to Mondays again. 

She holds a Ph.D. in chemistry and is certified as an Executive Coach. She has lived in different countries and worked globally for over 18 years in the automotive and chemical industries, in various positions with colleagues ranging from the shop floor to Senior Vice Presidents.

In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to transition from the corporate world to a fulfilling career in coaching.

Corinna and I discuss:

• What led Corinna to become a coach [03:01]
• How Corinna integrated her scientific and human skills [04:34]
• Her experiences transitioning to self-employment [06:03]
• Challenges faced while building her own business [07:43]
• Who her ideal clients are [07:30]
• Strategies for breaking patterns that hold professionals back [08:47]
• The role of positive intelligence in coaching [09:27]
• Her personal growth and learning journey [06:53]
• Advice for others considering a career transition [13:20]

Learn more about Corinna at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcorinnafreitag/; http://www.corinnafreitag.de ; http://www.calendly.com/corinnafreitag/60min ; https://www.positiveintelligence.com/.

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Jessica Lackey is a strategy and operations advisor who blends business strategy, practical application, and a human-centric approach to create sustainable businesses. With a background in corporate leadership, McKinsey & Company consulting, and a Harvard Business degree, Jessica knows a thing or two about hustle culture and what it feels like to judge success by the bottom line at all costs.

Now, she combines her deep experience in consulting, Fortune 500 operations leadership, and coaching to help businesses grow without sacrificing the well-being of their clients, team, and community.

In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to build a sustainable business without sacrificing wellbeing.

Jessica and I discuss:

• Jessica's journey from corporate to entrepreneurship [02:07]
• The concept of enterprise thinking [02:58]
• Jessica's career transition to life coaching [06:05]
• The role of relationships in business success [10:32]
• Challenges in the first and second years of a new business [19:40]
• The power of community connections [22:23]

Learn more about Jessica at:

Website: https://www.jessicalackey.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicalackey_consulting/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-lackey/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jslackey

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Diana has spent the last 20 years in SaaS. She has expertise in sales, customer success, Six Sigma, and service delivery. She is currently the Senior Director of Transformation at Kantata. As a leader, Diana is passionate about leveraging emotional intelligence in the workplace to drive meaningful outcomes, and she speaks and coaches on this topic.

In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to navigate career changes by harnessing emotional intelligence and mindset shifts.

Diana and I discuss:

• The challenge of balancing passions and professional commitments [02:31]
• Strategies for overcoming the fear of pausing a project [04:00]
• How a mindset shift can create new opportunities [06:42]
• Tools and frameworks that aid in decision-making [07:14]
• The impact of reduced casual conversations in a remote work environment [10:29]
• How personal values align with professional roles [13:00]
• Diana’s thoughts on future career paths and passions [16:09]

Learn more about Diana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianaacuna/.

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Deb Coviello is an accomplished author, podcast host, and leadership expert in quality and operational excellence, known as the CEO Whisperer. Deb uses her 30 years of experience to help CEOs and C-suite leaders of tomorrow find peace of mind by providing solutions to their technical business issues and elevating their teams. Her book, "The CEO's Compass," is a go-to guide for navigating challenges and achieving lasting success.

In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to transition from corporate work to entrepreneurship and the importance of community in navigating business challenges.

Deb and I discuss:

• Her entrepreneurial journey and starting Illumination Partners [02:22]
• Building a personal brand and the need for sales and marketing skills [04:00]
• How to determine when to stay the course or pivot [06:12]
• The role of self-reflection and daily routines in success [08:21]
• Expanding into a media company and creating content [11:00]
• Targeting C-Suite leaders in her business strategy [14:25]

Learn more about Deb at https://dropinceo.com.

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Bou is a leadership consultant who helps his clients discover how to bring out the best in themselves and others. He designs and delivers customized leadership development workshops for executive teams around the globe. Bou also has a thriving executive and life coaching practice. Together with his wife, Riva Greenberg, he supports people living with diabetes. He resides in Brooklyn, NY.

In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn about navigating solo entrepreneurship in a turbulent environment using practical, data-driven strategies.

Bou and I discuss:

• The importance of building on personal experience and podcast insights [00:00:00]
• Challenges faced by solo entrepreneurs after corporate careers [00:00:47]
• Overview of the SMASH system [00:03:40]
• The five elements of the SMASH framework [00:04:17]
• The role of thinking partners and community collaboration [00:07:08]
• Common challenges like marketing and staying relevant [00:10:45]
• How our book addresses entrepreneurial challenges [00:13:31]

Learn more about Boudewijn at https://www.spimanagement.com/.

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Bou is a leadership consultant who helps his clients discover how to bring out the best in themselves and others. He designs and delivers customized leadership development workshops for executive teams around the globe. Bou also has a thriving executive and life coaching practice. Along with his wife, Riva Greenberg, he supports people living with diabetes. He resides in Brooklyn, NY.

In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to successfully manage the emotional and psychological challenges of entrepreneurship after a corporate career.

Bou and I discuss:

• The importance of self-care for effective leadership [00:00]
• Bao’s transition from quality management to leadership coaching [03:02]
• How the pandemic reshaped Bao’s coaching practices [04:00]
• Navigating changes and embracing emergence in business [08:13]
• Strategies for responding to unforeseen challenges [09:48]
• The role of AI and tech evolution in the modern job market [12:05]
• Key components of the upcoming book on transitioning to solo ventures [17:55]
• Importance of managing energy and time effectively [20:19]

Learn more about Boudewijn at https://www.spimanagement.com.

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Join us now to get exclusive access to tailored strategy tips from our podcast experts—your path to success is just a click away.

Shahrina Ankhi-Krol, Esq. is a distinguished attorney and the founder of Ankhi-Krol Law. Founded in 2012, Ankhi-Krol Law has become a leading legal service provider that caters exclusively to the needs of startups, small businesses, and entrepreneurs all over the country. The firm's areas of practice are Business, Contract, Trademark, and Copyright Laws.

Shahrina has presented legal topics at countless business conferences, expositions, educational institutions, and on Law and Crime. She has also appeared on CNN, FOX, NBC, and CBS. She is a nine-time Rising Star Super Lawyer, a recognition given to no more than 2.5% of attorneys in each state, each year.

In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, Shahrina Anki Krol shares her valuable insights on the common legal challenges faced by new business owners. We delve into the importance of creating formal business entities, the crucial role of well-drafted contracts, and the significance of networking for business growth. Shahrina also discusses the impact of artificial intelligence in the legal field.

Shahrina and I discuss:

• What it means to be a corporate refugee [02:23]
• Shahrina's journey from working at law firms to starting her own practice [03:23]
• The importance of creating a formal business entity [08:26]
• How to choose a memorable and trademarkable business name [12:04]
• Crafting effective contracts to protect your business [13:27]
• Methods to resolve disputes amicably [16:00]
• Utilizing artificial intelligence in legal strategies [18:33]
• Tapping into community to foster business success [20:53]

Learn more about Shahrina at instagram.com/ankhikrollaw, facebook.com/ankhikrollaw, http://twitter.com/ankhikrollaw.

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Gloriana Teh is the founder and owner of Claritas Consulting & Coaching. She equips leaders and organizations so their people and projects can thrive. Claritas Consulting & Coaching provides strategy and talent management consulting services to organizations, along with leadership and career coaching services.

Prior to consulting, Gloriana was responsible for process development and optimization for a large specialty chemicals company. She pivoted from process development to people development after over 20 years of corporate experience.

In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to develop essential soft skills for leadership and team success.

Gloriana and I discuss:

• What prompted Gloriana to transition from engineering to consulting [00:02:27]
• The role of soft skills in technical teams [04:31:8]
• Defining and understanding soft skills [00:05:11]
• The importance of human interaction for team collaboration [00:05:44]
• Initial consulting experiences and challenges [00:05:55]
• Designing and implementing a data visualization tool [00:07:17]
• Why digital transformation projects often fail [00:07:42]
• Applying core concepts across different disciplines [00:09:09]
• The impact of feedback and quick success on her consulting journey [00:09:39]
• Connecting personal strengths to business development [00:10:18]
• Identifying the ideal client and solving their problems [00:11:35]
• Upcoming opportunities and projects [00:12:17]
• The significance of emotional intelligence in leadership [00:13:00]
• Advice for transitioning from corporate to solo entrepreneurship [00:16:03]
• The importance of networking and community support [00:18:13]

Learn more about Gloriana at https://claritas.harrisonassessments.com/.

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Join now to get exclusive, concise strategy tips from our podcast experts – your success journey starts with one click!

Steven Lewis is a copywriter who draws on decades of experience in journalism and marketing to position experts as the obvious choice for their ideal clients.

In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to effectively communicate your expertise and position yourself for success as a corporate refugee.

Steven and I discuss:

• Steven's journey from law to copywriting [01:45]
• The mistakes businesses make in positioning [06:27]
• The importance of understanding your target market [10:00]
• What people actually value in a service provider [14:32]
• How understanding your value can affect pricing [18:51]
• The role of community in personal and professional growth [24:11]

Learn more about Steven at https://taleist.agency/guides/the-landing-page-checklist/

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