Heather Monahan, Author, Speaker, Board Member and Podcast Host, Boss In Heels LLC
Heather Monahan is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, Faculty at Harvard teaching Professional Sales, Sales Leadership and has most recently been appointed to the Board of Directors of Healthlynked Corp. Having successfully climbed the corporate ladder for nearly 20 years, Heather Monahan is one of the few women to break the glass ceiling and claim her spot in the C-suite. As a Chief Revenue Officer in Media, Heather Monahan is a Glass Ceiling Award winner, named one of the Most Influential Women in Radio in 2017 and Thrive Global named her a Limit Breaking Female Founder in 2018.
Heather's book Confidence Creator shot to #1 on Amazon's Business Biographies, and Business Motivation lists the first week it debuted on Amazon. Heather's show, Creating Confidence, debuted on the Top 200 shows on the Apple podcast. Her guests include Sara Blakely, Gary Vaynerchuck, Ryan Serhant, Kaitlyn Bristowe, among many other noteworthy celebrities and entrepreneurs.
Heather was named one of the Top 40 Female Keynote Speakers for 2020 by Real Leaders. Her TEDx talk was promoted to TED and translated into six languages. Harper Collins Leadership is publishing her new book Overcome Your Villains in November 2021. Heather's has been featured in USA Today, CNN, Forbes, Fast Company, Gary V's Audio Experience and The Steve Harvey Show. Heather and her son Dylan reside in Miami.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
Linkedin because it is where business gets done.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
I am currently about to launch my new book Overcome Your Villains with Harper Collins Leadership this November!
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
I love that my career not only generates income for me, but it allows me to do purpose-driven work and help other people.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Sometimes you don't get what you want because you are meant for something much bigger.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
I am incredibly driven. Growing up poor instilled a drive in me, which I don't see in many people. My motto is to always go bigger, and sharing that with the world holds me accountable to deliver.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
I am most proud of my son. Kids have had such a hard time with the pandemic, but the blessing has been spending every single day with such an amazing person. I am also proud that when I was fired a few years ago, I didn't look at it as a shameful moment. Instead, I embraced it and put it to work for me. I used getting fired as a differentiator in a cluttered marketplace.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
Always, in person! The pandemic was incredibly difficult for speakers like myself that thrive off of being live on stage. While virtual was able to offer a solution, I missed in-person events and meetings so much.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
Tenacity, resilience, creativity and communication have helped me achieve so much in life.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
I wish I had known to always listen to the one voice that counts, and that is my own voice.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
I admire John Westman, a professor at Harvard I have had the honour of working with over the past year. Not only does he lead with kindness, but he challenges the way things have been done to ensure we do more good in the world and include more diversity. He is a beacon of light in my world.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
Charity work has been a huge part of my life since I entered the workforce. I am also incredibly passionate about working out and taking time to vacation in beautiful places with friends and family.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you been managing it?
The pandemic has had a negative impact on me for sure! As a single parent with a son in virtual school for a year in a two-bedroom condo, things were not easy. My speaking business disappeared overnight, and I had to reinvent myself as a virtual speaker and a consultant.
The silver lining I never expected was signing with Harper Collins Leadership, joining faculty at Harvard teaching Professional Selling and Sales Leadership and being added as a Board Member at Healthlynked. You can find good in any situation if you really look for it.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
I have so many mentors, and I have mentored hundreds of people. Mentorship is very important to me and is one of the reasons why I write my books and create my podcast each week, so I can reach more people.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
You will be met with rejection and obstacles. The key is to focus on your goal and let nothing stop you from achieving it. So many people will tell you your dreams are impossible, and you need to remember that successful people don't know the how but they trust themselves to figure it out along the way. You will figure it out. Just keep going.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Far too often, people listen to those in their inner circle, and they take on their self-limiting beliefs. It is critical to never take direction from someone who hasn't been where you are going.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
Fear is a green light that means go and go faster!
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
Gary V and his team are nailing it! Not only do they constantly create viral content, but they are also ahead of the conversation and so forward-looking while most brands are just duplicating what others are doing.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
I define success as having your health, loved ones, passions and the freedom to do what you want to do. I have learned that the only person that was ever really holding me back was myself. So often, we are telling ourselves a story that isn't true. I used to tell myself that I had golden handcuffs, and I couldn't leave my job even though they didn't treat me well.
Now I realize I was just afraid to make the leap into the unknown. Make the leap. Bet on yourself. Surround yourself with people who support you and cheer you on to take risks and grow. And always Fire Your Villains!