Creating Confidence with Heather Monahan
On this episode of Women in Power, Heather Monahan tells us what it really means to be a Boss in Heels! She is a sales and marketing expert, women empowerment advocate, author and CEO of her own company, Boss in Heels; there isn’t anything Heather can’t do. So before we dive in, you may look at Heather and think pretty princess, but her story is nothing like a fairytale. There were many chapters that weren’t so nice, along with full blown villains.
This is HER story…
When Heather entered the Gala Winery and began her career in corporate America, it was a cookie cutter, male dominated business. There was a bunch of them. White men, navy blue suits, you had to look a certain way, dress a certain way and when I was coming up, I thought – I can do that job but in a heels and a skirt, says Heather.And she sure did. Along the way Heather even faced harassment. Early on, I did have guys making passes, bullying me, and no one really respected me or what I brought to the table. But like any boss babe would, she shut that down. I developed a reputation of being really tough at work. I don’t think people wanted to come anywhere near me for fear of what might occur.
Now this is one part that caught my attention, I talk about Women in Power because it’s important for women to be a team. Be a REAL team – but that’s not always the case, especially not for Heather. The irony of the whole thing, it was a woman that ended up really being the arch nemesis; the evil villain of my career. Why? Why do we as women to this to other women? According to Heather, it’s a lack of confidence and security. We are worried that another woman will steal our shine. Ladies, there’s enough shine to go around. Focus on you, stay in your lane – trust me, there’s enough room at the top.
In Heather’s book, Confidence Creator, she really breaks down how she became the woman she is today. She battled the facade. You know, pretending to be something you’re not. Preaching confidence when deep down inside, you’re not really that confident. She even battled the unsolicited advice from people (you guys know how I feel about that!..ugh) when she began her own brand through social media. I would have people offering up their self-limiting beliefs. They would tell me, don’t do it, take it down, you don’t want to lose your paycheck.Although she was fired from her corporate career because she wouldn’t shut down her personal brand, she ultimately won because she stayed true to her vision. That’s when she became a real Woman in Power.
The morale of Heather’s story: Getting rid of the negative people in your life is so important for growth. This is something I truly believe and is easy to do. Once you find your purpose, and add that to everything else that needs to be done, these people will just fall off.
Now, the road to the top wasn’t easy for Heather, but that didn’t stop her, it fueled her. She put on her heels and fought for her seat. Let’s be honest, getting to the top is good, but getting to the top in style, that’s something women do, very well. Remember, there’s a superhero in you, you just have to find her.
Build an Empire,