We were lucky to catch up with Becky Mollenkamp recently and have shared our conversation below.

Becky, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, one thing many business owners consider is donating a percentage of sales or profits to an organization or cause. We’d love to hear your thoughts and the story behind how and why you chose the cause or organization you donate to.

As a white person with immense unearned privilege, I think it’s important for me to redistribute wealth so I give 10% of my profits to human rights organizations that align with my values. I seek out organizations that are seeking to help underserved communities and that have a reputation for being good stewards of their donations. This varies from year to year, but so far this year I’ve given to The National Network of Abortion Funds, Transgender Law Center, Equal Justice Initiative, and Action Against Hunger.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

After two decades in journalism, as an editor at a national magazine and later as a freelance writer, I decided to become a life coach in 2017. Since then, I’ve helped hundreds of women and men navigate pivotal moments in their personal and professional lives. Most of my work is delivered through one-on-one coaching calls with individual clients. I’m particularly focused on helping women founders make the mental shifts needed to step into the CEO role (rather than thinking of themselves as small business owners). I also have an online shop with a variety of resources to help individuals act as their own coaches on such issues as Imposter Syndrome, time management, or setting and enforcing boundaries. What’s most important to me, and remains consistent across all of my services and products, is that I deliver my work through an inclusive feminist lens. That means I don’t participate in “hustle culture” and will never blame or shame people as a motivational tool.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Like so many professional women, there’s a critical voice in my head that tells me I’m not as qualified or special as others in my field, that I’ll never measure up, and that everyone is going to realize that I’m a fraud. And like other women, I was told this was a mindset problem, or a limiting belief, called “Imposter Syndrome.” I believed that for a long time, and blamed myself for not being able to fix it.

After years of studying the works of many feminist thought leaders, I’ve finally unlearned that unhelpful story. I began to understand that I don’t suffer from a syndrome and that there’s nothing at all wrong with me. It’s normal to have doubts about your abilities and to worry about how others will perceive you. Unfortunately, societal conditioning has created a confidence gap that has men inflate their skills and women undervalue theirs.

Once I really understood that “Imposter Syndrome” wasn’t my fault, but was the result of lifelong conditioning, I was able to stop beating myself up. Releasing the blame and shame helped me tend to myself more compassionately when I had doubts, and lovingly take actions despite them.

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

I have many folks in my audience who have been there for years and who will buy anything I sell because they completely trust me. That sort of loyalty doesn’t appear overnight. It takes time to build, and I did that by being honest and vulnerable from the start. My life is an open book, and that is incredibly helpful in attracting right-fit clients and repelling people who are the wrong fit. I share all of my mistakes, the many pitfalls I’ve had to overcome, and the life lessons I’m learning in real time. That has helped me build a reputation as someone who keeps it real, and I’m so proud of that. Unfortunately, many coaches act as if they have everything figured out and I think that does a real disservice. People don’t want to work with or learn from someone who is perfect; they want to have a relationship with someone who “gets” them because they’ve been there.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://beckymollenkamp.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckymollenkamp/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckymollenkamp/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/beckymollenkamp
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BeckyMollenkamp/