Every once in a while, we come across someone who perfectly fits the bill of being a leader in their domain. Cindy Monroe is one such person—an award-winning influencer and leadership mentor who has been passionately helping women create successful businesses and lives for over two decades.
As the founder and executive chairwoman of the multimillion-dollar company, Thirty-One Gifts, Cindy has inspired countless women to take charge of their own lives and dare to thrive at both work and home.
She’s a Forbes Magazine Self-Made Women to Watch, Columbus Business First 40 under 40, and one of the Most Influential Women in Direct Selling. Recently, she was inducted into the Columbus Business First Deal Makers Hall of Fame. The list of accolades for this inspirational woman are endless.
Cindy’s passion for empowering and helping women entrepreneurs goes far beyond leading Thirty-One, which she started in the basement of her Chattanooga, Tennessee home, and which grew to reach more than $800 million in sales.
Her recent best-seller, “More Than a Bag,” celebrates the first 20 years of Thirty-One Gifts and outlines 31 principles to help women in business, including finding your spark, defining your why, loving your people, and leaning into your potential.
Her podcast, Permission to Lead, educates high-achieving female entrepreneurs on effective leadership techniques and teaches them how to manage both a successful business and a family life.
Cindy’s inspiring social media content focuses on helping women reach their full potential. Her message of resilience and self-empowerment have resonated with many self-starters, inspiring them to make positive life changes. She has also been featured on numerous podcasts, motivating hyper-successful women to bypass gender biases and unlock their full potential.
As a leadership mentor, Cindy realized that one needs a combination of knowledge, strategy, and resilience to achieve business growth. She believes the key is to start with small, achievable goals and continually build on them. Here are some of her powerful tips for business growth:
Balancing instinct with data
Cindy believes in the power of instinct in business but cautions that it needs to be balanced with data-driven decisions. “I call my gut my “inner coach,” and it’s a must for a leader.” But had my company tracked more data and paid attention to changing trends earlier, we may have been able to anticipate and respond better to early indicators of sales decline,” shared Cindy.
Ask for help
Cindy stresses the importance of reaching out to your network when you feel stuck. She believes that the best way to break through self-imposed barriers is by reaching out and asking for help from other businesses and experts.
Focus on your strengths
She recommends that entrepreneurs focus their energy on the area where they are naturally talented. By honing your skills and developing them further, you can create competitive advantages for your business.
Be flexible and adaptable
In Cindy’s opinion, the best professional development comes from taking risks and making changes. She emphasizes the need to be flexible and pay attention to emerging trends while staying true to core values to succeed in today’s ever-changing business landscape.
Cindy Monroe is an inspiring leader, mentor, and influencer with a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of life. Visit her website, podcast, and Instagram account for invaluable business insights.