We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Monica Parkin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Monica below.

Monica , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

About eight years ago, my life took a complete turn. After spending most of my days as a somewhat reclusive solopreneur  and stay-at-home parent, I decided to dive headfirst into a new career as a mortgage broker. It seemed like a perfect fit—I had a fantastic experience working with a mortgage broker myself, I enjoyed helping people, and solving complex financial puzzles excited me. Plus, the allure of working exclusively from home and communicating primarily through email was a major draw. Little did I know, I was in for a surprise and this was not what the job entailed at all!

Upon landing my first job as a mortgage broker, reality hit me like a ton of bricks. Marketing myself, building a client base, networking, and attending numerous events suddenly became non-negotiable aspects of my new job. The prospect of this terrified me. I vividly remember walking into my first event, only to promptly walk back out, unaware that my coworkers were just arriving in the parking lot. I did all the supposed right things—handshakes, business cards, small talk—but when I got home and looked at the handful of cards I collected, I realized something profound. I hadn’t made a genuine connection with anyone.

It became clear that the conventional approach might work for some, but I couldn’t build my business by pretending to be someone I wasn’t. This realization marked the beginning of a transformative journey. I embarked on a quest to learn how to forge authentic connections for myself. Not only was this approach remarkably successful, but I also discovered a newfound love for public speaking. No small talk required, and the ability to impact a large audience at once resonated deeply with me.

Fast forward eight years, and here I am—an author, a TEDx speaker, and a speaking coach on a mission. My goal is to empower introverts to succeed and take pride in their accomplishments by tapping into their authentic superpowers. It turns out that embracing my true self wasn’t just the key to building genuine connections but also the pathway to discovering my passion for public speaking. Life’s funny that way, isn’t it?

Monica , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I covered some of this in the previous question but here’s the rest of the scoop on how I ended up doing what I do. In my pursuit to do things differently, I sought advice from all corners. The resounding message? Just be yourself. It sounded cliché, and I wasn’t thrilled about it, but I gave it a shot. Turns out, letting my inner weirdo shine was the game-changer. Authenticity became my forte, and I started attracting clients who resonated with the real me.

As an introvert, my strength lies in deep listening, delving into intriguing topics, finding solutions and sharing them with others. The hitch? I wasn’t exactly a stellar speaker. Nervous and lacking impact, I missed out on relationship-building opportunities. So, I rolled up my sleeves, worked on my public speaking skills, and, surprise, surprise—I fell in love with it. Turns out, introverts can be amazing public speakers when they talk about what they’re passionate about.

Fast forward to now—I’m a professional speaker and speaking coach, even did a TEDx talk that hit over 90k views in four weeks. Public speaking opened doors to many opportunities, but what truly excites me is helping shy, awkward presenters transform into confident, engaging speakers. That’s the real magic, creating transformations through the power of speaking. Once you learn how to speak its learning to read, you can never unlearn it and and a skill that will serve you for the rest of your life. What I am most proud of is the opportunity to help others share their stories and create transformations through the power of words.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Here is something I had to unlearn—the fear of judgment and vulnerability. As a speaker, it’s natural to want to stick to the facts and play it safe, but here’s the thing: holding back denies your audience the chance to connect with you on a deep level. I had to flip the script and embrace vulnerability. Turns out, a killer keynote or presentation, even a social media clip, requires that emotional rollercoaster. Your audience wants to see themselves in your story, cheer for you, and that just doesn’t happen if you’re not a bit vulnerable.

It’s like a good Disney movie—emotional peaks and valleys are the secret sauce. To truly transform your audience, you’ve got to share your own struggles. I often hear students saying, “I haven’t overcome anything; I have nothing to be vulnerable about.” Not true! Whether it’s business challenges, mindset hurdles, or just navigating the craziness of life, we’ve all got something. Find what you’ve conquered, share it, and watch the audience rally behind you when you spill the beans on the solution. It’s the magic formula for a connection that goes beyond the surface.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Absolutely, hands down, being a creator has been the secret sauce for building my reputation in the market. When you’re the face behind the content, putting yourself out there day in and day out, credibility just naturally follows. The reach is massive—connecting with hundreds and thousands at a time rather than one by one.

It all kicked off with a podcast, which evolved into a book, then magazine articles, speaking engagements, and then a TEDx talk. Each creative endeavor added another layer to my credibility, elevating my reputation. The key? Authenticity. People who’ve never met you can feel like they already know you when you’re genuine, pumping out valuable content, and sharing a relatable story. It’s like creating a bridge that spans beyond physical interactions, and that, my friend, is the magic of being a creator. Also always being kind, helping others and keeping your word. If you only care about your own reputation at the expense of others, that will come back and bite you. For me a big part of growing my own reputation comes from helping others grow their. Collaboration over competition every single day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.monicaparkin.ca/
• Instagram: @monicaparkinspeaks
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monica.j.parkin
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-parkin-a591b2120
• Other: TEDX: https://youtu.be/OcjiS55oUSQ?si=vTpXW0h8zzlugOTI TIKTOK: @monicaparkinspeaks
• Book: https://a.co/d/2fIEcRG
• Podcast: https://www.jugglingwithoutballs.com

Image Credits
TEDx PIc: Demenis Photography, Denver CO Headshot in Blue Shirt: Alex Watson, Podcast cover photo by Karen McKinnon