We were lucky to catch up with Madeline Schmidt recently and have shared our conversation below.

Madeline, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started sooner or later?

If you had asked me years ago if I ever thought about starting my own business, the answer would have been a big, confident no. At the time, I was fully invested in my career, leading talent and leadership development functions across different industries and often building them from the ground up. I gave 150% to my work, and on top of that, I had two small kids at home. The idea of starting a business on the side, like so many people advise, felt impossible. Who has time for that? And honestly, the thought of leaving a steady paycheck was just plain scary.

But then things started to shift. I took a role at a smaller company, and while I loved what I was doing, I realized I had so much more to give. It wasn’t that my skills weren’t valued, but a small company simply didn’t need the full extent of what I could offer. At the same time, I started noticing how many small and mid-sized companies needed someone like me, just not as a full-time employee. The idea of working with multiple companies, tackling new challenges, and building something of my own started to feel more exciting than scary.

There was also a personal shift happening. My daughter had taken up Irish dance at age eight, and as her passion for it grew, so did the demands on my time. I needed more autonomy, both for my family and for the kind of work I wanted to do. (Spoiler alert: She went on to compete at the world level!) Suddenly, working for myself wasn’t just a possibility, it was the right next step.

Looking back, I’m so glad I didn’t start sooner. I wasn’t ready, and more importantly, I wouldn’t be the consultant I am today without those 18 years of experience leading these functions from the inside. When companies hire a consultant, they want someone with deep expertise, and that takes time to build. But I’m also glad I didn’t wait too long. I took the leap when the timing felt right, and I haven’t looked back since.

Would starting earlier have been possible? Technically, sure. But it wouldn’t have been the right move for me. And waiting longer? I think I would have regretted not trusting myself sooner. In the end, I jumped at the exact right time for my career, for my family, and for me.

Madeline, 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?

At the heart of what I do is a deep passion for helping individuals and organizations unlock their full potential. My work spans a wide range of areas, including leadership development, talent development, organizational culture, executive coaching, 360 feedback, and more. Whether it’s designing a leadership program, building an entire Learning & Development function from the ground up, or creating strategies to align talent with business goals, I thrive on finding solutions that drive real, lasting impact.

What sets my work apart is the truly customized approach I bring to every client. Many consulting companies offer programs they’ve designed to scale, with minor tweaks to fit your needs. While these programs can be great, they often feel like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. My philosophy is different. I take the time to deeply understand your organization, your culture, your goals, and your unique challenges and build solutions specifically for you.

That might mean creating a fully bespoke leadership program, helping define and embed core values into your organization, or designing a strategy to elevate your talent development function. Of course, I also offer ready-to-go programs that can be tailored to suit your needs. But at the end of the day, I see myself as an extension of your team and someone who’s just as invested in your success as you are.

I’m known for my ability to connect with hearts and minds in a way that inspires real change. My programs and strategies are practical, in-depth, and free of fluff, and my facilitation style is engaging, energetic, authentic, and even humorous. Applying my expertise in psychology, I focus on reframing mindsets, creating those “aha” moments that lead to long-lasting growth for individuals and organizations alike.

I’m proud of the lasting partnerships I’ve built with clients over the years. Helping organizations move faster and achieve their goals isn’t just about delivering a program. It’s about becoming a trusted partner who understands the bigger picture and can adapt as their needs evolve. It’s this personalized, curated approach that I believe sets me apart.

What I’m most proud of is the impact I’ve had on people. Coaching leaders to uncover strengths they didn’t know they had, helping teams work better together, and seeing organizations transform as their people grow. Every project is an opportunity to make a difference, and I feel incredibly fortunate to do work that I love and that makes a meaningful impact.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Almost all of my clients have come through referrals, probably about 99.9% (totally made-up stat, but pretty accurate!). Since starting my business in 2017, I can count on one hand the number of clients who found me through an online search.

When I first went out on my own, I thought I needed a big marketing strategy to attract clients. I assumed I would have to master all the ins and outs of marketing to make my business work. Over time, I realized that is just not how it works for me. My clients either know me from somewhere in my career, were referred by an existing client, or were participants in a program I delivered and later reached out when they moved to a new company. It has all been word of mouth.

That is something I am incredibly proud of. When a company hires me, it is because they have worked with me before, experienced my approach firsthand, or trust someone who has. To me, that is the highest compliment I could receive. It means the work I do makes an impact, and that kind of trust and credibility is something you cannot manufacture through traditional marketing.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In March 2020, I was feeling great. I had a packed calendar for April and May, filled with leadership development programs and client sessions. I remember even saying to my husband how exciting and busy those months would be. But then, on March 13, everything changed. The world shut down, and like so many, we naively thought it would only be a couple of weeks.

At first, it wasn’t too alarming. I had several in-person events booked, so I simply rescheduled them for later in the year, assuming things would return to normal. But as time passed, it became clear that in-person events weren’t going to happen for a while, maybe not for the rest of the year. My entire business, which had been centered on live, large-scale events, was suddenly at risk. It was terrifying.

Fortunately, I had amazing clients who weren’t willing to give up on learning and development. In fact, they recognized that their teams needed it now more than ever. Sales teams suddenly had to figure out how to sell remotely, leaders needed to adapt to managing remotely, and employees were juggling so much personal trauma and uncertainty while trying to stay productive.

As soon as I realized my clients still wanted to continue their programs, I knew I had to adapt quickly. I partnered with them to create remote learning strategies. I upskilled myself on Zoom, something I had dabbled with but never fully embraced, determined to make the virtual training experience just as engaging and impactful as an in-person session. It wasn’t easy. There was this widespread belief that leadership development couldn’t be done virtually; it had to be in person. But I was committed to proving that it could work, and that virtual learning could even offer unique benefits that in-person sessions couldn’t.

I revamped my offerings, creating new virtual-friendly leadership content around topics like leading remotely, fostering connections, managing stress, and resilience. I adapted deep-dive programs like SLII into virtual experiences. It wasn’t just about surviving the transition; it was about making the most of it.

Looking back, while I’d never wish COVID on the world again, that year was transformative for me. It was incredibly scary to wonder if my business was going to survive, but the quick pivot I made, and the way I helped my clients navigate through it, paid off in ways I didn’t expect. Five years later, I still do a tremendous amount of Zoom-based training. It has expanded my reach beyond San Diego, allowing me to work with clients across the country and even internationally. Ironically, the pandemic actually transformed my business. While in-person sessions are back in many cases, my expertise in virtual leadership development programs has been a game changer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.monarch-consulting.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinejschmidt/