2. What Does The Heather Monahan Brand Represent?

The Heather Monahan brand represents being unique by being you. It represents coming from nothing and overcoming hurdles and falling down and struggling and still moving forward. It represents the woman who has struggled and who has wanted to overcome those struggles by putting a voice and a plan and network to her strife’s. It is representative of any woman being whatever it is she wants to be because she can. By finding your own unique superpower that resides within you, you can make the world a better place. This is a brand built by women – for women.

3. What’s The Most Important Advice You Can Give To Women Starting Out In Their Career?

There are so many things that I would like to speak to, but to give only one piece of advice, I would have to think back to when I was starting out… I let making money be my sole goal. I did so because I didn’t have any and I knew I wanted some. In that ambition, I lost sight of the things that I liked to do. I didn’t understand back then that you should find out what your passions and loves are first and then pursue those, because if you do that you will find success. Instead I set out to find what would make me money quickly and that does not have a happy ending. I spent years trying to redirect myself to find my passion and true purpose for my self and my career. So, my advice is start off in the right direction with your passions in mind, and you will create a more seamless, peaceful path in life. Don’t fight them or your talents, or you won’t have a happy ending either.

4. Can You Name A Person Who Has Had A Tremendous Impact On You As A Leader?

I cannot name one person, as there has been a plethora of amazing people that have impacted my life. Admittedly, however, I used to get caught up with i.e. I can’t learn from my mom because she never made any real money, or I cant learn from my first boss because he was a slave driver and treated people poorly. What I finally learned is that you can take something from everyone. From my mom, I can now see that she was so desperate to provide for 4 children on her own that she worked 3 jobs and sacrificed her 30s and 40s to give to us. That is pretty amazing. My first boss taught me passion for work and never ending commitment to succeed, while simultaneously teaching me that people leave people that do not treat them well. No matter how smart, passionate and talented he was, people would always leave him. As I grew older, I found my self elevating my standards and working with people that treated me better and looked to help and advise me on my path to success. There have been too many to detail here, but I can promise you that without these amazing, supportive people, I would not be where I am today. Bottom line is – you can – and should learn something from everyone.   Look inside you to see how people affect you and why. Learn who you want to be by watching others.

5. What’s Your One Favorite Motivational Quote And Why?

Fear is a Liar. Whenever I’ve stopped myself from doing something in my life it has been because I have been afraid. What I continue to learn in life is that fear is a liar. It is not real. It is something that you or I have created in our heads in our own little world. It doesn’t exist. When you instead use that fear to fuel you forward, anything can happen. Now when I feel fear, I say to myself, it is time to go faster. It’s working.

6. How Would You Describe Yourself In One Word?

Special, but then again everyone is 😃

7. How Would You Describe The Essence Of Your Brand In 3 Words?

Powerful, transparent, supportive

8. Name 3 Words That Have Helped You Get To Where You Are Today?

Connection, support, self-awareness

9. What Are The Most Important Decisions That You Make As A Leader?

The people I choose and hire to be on my team

10. What Are The 3 Things That You Need To Do Before Getting Into The Office?

Kiss my son and wish him a great day, work out, and have a daily plan

11. Name A Time You Almost Gave Up – What Did You Do Instead Of Giving Up?

I almost gave up 100 times before launching this brand because of my fear of failure and countless other excuses to protect myself from haters. But, instead of giving up, I am going faster.

12. Have You Had Any Struggles In Reaching Gender Equality?

Are you kidding me? Of course I have. And, this inequality includes being sexually harassed at work, having others chalk up my success to the way I look, and also includes a vast pay difference between my male counterparts and me.

13. What Do You Think Is The Most Significant Barrier To Female Leadership?

Women not having the confidence to move thru their fear and go for it. Feeling to responsible and concerned with everyone else.

14. What Will Be The Biggest Challenge For The Generation Behind You?

That is unknown right now, but I am hopeful that there will be less of a challenge for the women of tomorrow with the groundwork that the women of today have laid for them.

15. What Do You Think Of Social Media? Best And Worst Parts Of It?

I think social media is amazing for the amount of reach it allows for. It has created a platform for people to share positive messages and personal stories of inspiration, as well as it has created the opportunity for a feeling of community at a much larger scale. The down side to this is that it has also created a larger reach for bullying, negativity and haters, which is never good. The importance is staying focused on the positive, surrounding yourself with good people and realizing that the haters hating is about them and not you. If you can do that, there isn’t a downside.

16. Do You Follow Any Popular Social Media Accounts And Why?

Of Course! I adore fashion and pop culture. So, I follow E! News and I even follow the Kardashians. I love to see what is happening and trending in the media and see that no matter who someone is, there are good days and bad, supporters and haters – and it puts us all on a level playing field.

17. What Advice Can You Give Young Girls Getting Into Business?

When your gut tells you to speak up, when you have an idea and you are afraid it may not resonate with others – SPEAK UP at all costs. Scare yourself daily with putting yourself out there – this is how you will grow, advance, bring attention and build confidence. Do not let others disrespect you. Build boundaries with negative people and do all you can to work and surround yourself with good people when you have a choice in the matter.

18. What Do You Do On Your Own Down Time To Help Balance Your Career?

Working out for me is cathartic and I cannot get through a week without it playing a primary role in my routine or I could lose my sanity. Meditation is something I have been trying to incorporate as well to help me stay calm and focused. Spending time with my son and my friends brings me so much joy. Getting to go to the beach and be outside with people I love makes my life amazing.

19. On A More Serious Note, What’s Your Superpower Or Spirit Animal?

I love this question! I recently gave a talk about finding your superpower. I am so lucky that I have a few! I have found that my superpower is my ability to connect with others quickly, elevate those around me and push through obstacles no matter how large. That’s my short answer and I’m sticking to it!

The post What Inspired You To Take This New Journey To Create Your Personal Brand? appeared first on Heather Monahan.

There is no magic advice that will help you feel perfectly balanced all the time. I do have some tips, though, to help you assess and improve your situation overall—so you can feel more in charge of your time, your priorities and your life.

Tip 10: Take Vacations.

I used to think that people were slackers who took vacation. Wow, was I wrong.  What I have learned is that the people that are out vacationing and detaching from work are the smart ones; they come back ready to engage, feeling invigorated and creative. Those that do not vacation too often feel burnt out and resentful. 

Make time to be with your loved ones away from work. Completely detach. Make memories you will never forget. Vacation also helps your state of mind by giving you and your family something to look forward to! It doesn’t have to be an elaborate trip, it just has to be time with the people that mean the most to you.

Take time to vacation and explore all that the world has to offer.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

The post Hit the Road appeared first on Heather Monahan.

There is no magic advice that will help you feel perfectly balanced all the time. I do have some tips, though, to help you assess and improve your situation overall—so you can feel more in charge of your time, your priorities and your life.

Tip 9: Make Yourself a Priority. Period.

Do not put yourself last. This will absolutely create failure. So many women do this to themselves, but the better care you give to yourself, the better care you can give to your family and your work.  Do not make excuses; stand strong in this truth and don’t mince words about it. 

If you are traveling and working out is important to you, let your boss know that having the time to do so will set your mind for your day and prove to be a more successful trip for you and the company. If you need to get your hair colored, make an appointment and don’t feel bad about it.  The bottom line is, if you are not the best you, then you are not going to be able to take everything on. 

Balance is bullshit, but making yourself a priority cannot be. Take the necessary steps to care for yourself today—and everyday—and watch the positive impact it has on those that surround you.  When you feel better about you, you perform better at work and have more energy and vibrance to give to your loved ones.

Make appointments, not excuses, when it comes to giving yourself exactly what you need.

The post Ladies First appeared first on Heather Monahan.

There is no magic advice that will help you feel perfectly balanced all the time. I do have some tips, though, to help you assess and improve your situation overall—so you can feel more in charge of your time, your priorities and your life.

Tip 8: Get Clear on Your Passion. Then Pursue It.

Figure out your passion, and chase it. If you incorporate what is important to you in your life, it will make your challenges more palatable. I have heard from women that they don’t know what their passion is, but they are sure that they are not following it.  Take the time to discover what it is you are passionate about.  Spend time thinking about what you love to do if money wasn’t an issue. 

For me, my passion is helping others who are struggling because it reminds me of who I am and where I have been, and it helps to make me more confident and proud of where I am today. Passions are different for everyone! Yours could be writing, painting or spending time with children. 

The first step is to identify it and then find a way to weave it into your life.  It can be a hobby or a charity that you work with on the weekends—it doesn’t have to be what you do full time. Find your passion and make it a part of your life. You’ll feel more fulfilled and whole as a person, and this will make everything else in your life better.

The post Pursue Your Passion appeared first on Heather Monahan.

There is no one thing that will help you feel perfectly balanced. But, I do have some tips to help you assess and improve your situation overall, so you can feel more in charge of your time, your priorities and your life.

Tip 7: Commit to the Task at Hand.

Make the most of where you are today.  If you happen to be on a work trip, then kill it. Be the best version of you—wherever you are. You can’t do that if you are terrorizing yourself about being a bad mom or wife while you are at work. Then you end up distracted, and you fall down the self-loathing rabbit hole. Instead, make the most of where you are right now and don’t make excuses. Once you commit to be your best self in this moment, you’ll feel more in control and more confident.

The post Be Your Best You appeared first on Heather Monahan.

There is no one thing that will help you feel perfectly balanced. But, I do have some tips to help you assess and improve your situation overall, so you can feel more in charge of your time, your priorities and your life.

Tip 6: Get Present, Now.

Be present in this moment. Do not leap ahead two years when you find yourself having a tough day.  The time to look and plan for your future is the time you are calm and together and not when you’re feeling unbalanced and inadequate.  Everyone sees himself/herself this way at some point;  these are the times to do the things that make you feel good – spend time with your loved ones, meditate, workout, whatever it takes. 

By being present in every moment, you will put more into that task and deliver a better result.  If you have to be at work, be the best at work that you can be. If you find yourself taking a day off to go on a field trip for your child, be there and focus on the day trip not on what you are missing at work. Being present will help instill a feeling of being more in control of your time and your priorities!

The post Be Present, Beginning Immediately appeared first on Heather Monahan.

There is no magic trick that will help you feel perfectly balanced. But, I do have some tips to help you assess and improve your situation overall, so you can feel more in charge of your time, your priorities and your life.

Tip 5: Define Success. Then Prioritize It.

What does success look like to you?

Determining this is going to help you make better decisions for your day-to-day. For some, success means the biggest job and largest bank account possible and for that person, work will always be the priority. For others, having a happy family life is second to none. For that person, it is easy to make decisions and default to your loved ones whenever they need you.

The more challenging decisions seem to lie with those of us who want to excel at work and have a full family life. I try to make sure that I am spending time and putting effort to both and prioritize as needed. It is important to know what success looks like to you, so you can prioritize your life accordingly.

The post Define & Decide appeared first on Heather Monahan.

There is no silver bullet that will help you feel perfectly balanced. But, I do have some tips to help you assess and improve your situation overall, so you can feel more in charge of your time, your priorities and your life.

Tip 4: Get a Fresh Perspective.

There are days that I feel like I am killing it at work and I feel so proud. On those same days, I realize that I’m in another state and haven’t seen my son in a few days. That hurts.

But I have certain friends that I rely on to call in those moments and they help me to see that I am setting an example for my son as a leader and business per-son. Though I don’t see that perspective when I am away from him, talking to them helps me to think about things differently. Conversely, when I am with my son and having a great day and I realize I am missing work, I can feel equally as bad about that. Reaching out to my team via email or social media helps me to stay connected.

Everyone struggles with how to achieve work/life balance. You aren’t alone! Sometimes all you need is to see a different perspective to help you through the tough days.

The post Take a Look Through a Different Lens appeared first on Heather Monahan.

There is no silver bullet that will help you find the ideal formula so you will al-ways feel perfectly balanced. But, I do have some tips to help you assess and improve your situation overall, so you can feel more in charge of your time, your priorities and your life.

Tip 3: Ask For Help. Then Accept It.

No one can do this alone. If you are trying to take everything on alone, you are setting yourself up for disaster. You need to ask for help. You can ask your family for help, your friends, co-workers, boss, spouse or others. It may sur-prise you how many people will rise up when you call! You don’t know if you don’t ask, and suffering alone is far worse than suffering with those that care about you.

I have a fantastic nanny and support system of friends that I could not live without. Find your team, and tap them often for help. You will be surprised at how readily people will come to your aid. Ask! You have nothing to lose. Balance is bullshit, but receiving help from your trusted circle will help you juggle your priorities and lead you toward success.

The post Get By With a Little Help appeared first on Heather Monahan.

There is no silver bullet that will help you find the perfect formula that you will always feel good about. But, I do have some tips that I think will help you to as-sess and improve your situation overall, so you can feel more in charge of your time, your priorities and your life.

Tip 2: Assess and Amend

What is important to you? Your priorities will change and remain fluid through-out life, but it is important to check in with yourself from time to time. For ex-ample, if your child/children are doing well and thriving and you need to work a little extra, your life can afford you that choice in that moment. Conversely, if your child is having nightmares, not sleeping and struggling at school, your sense to be available to him/her is correct.

Assess your current situation and amend your choices where you can. If you have been single for years because you haven’t had time to date, it is time to make that a priority. Constantly assessing where you are and where you want to go is an important part of life and business. Create goals, make them specific and constantly re-evaluate them. Life is a moving target and so are you. Balance is bullshit, but you can take control of your life when you prioritize what mat-ters most to you at any given point in time.

The post Prioritize & Pivot as Necessary appeared first on Heather Monahan.