We were lucky to catch up with Meredyth Ring recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Meredyth, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
The inspiration for my business was largely shaped by my experience working in Corporate America. I found it to be so ironic that while I worked diligently to effect positive change for employees, I wasn’t reaping any of the benefits myself. It felt like I was always swimming upstream, which was utterly exhausting. Outside of work, I did everything in my power to prioritize my well-being: exercising, practicing mindfulness, spending time with friends, etc. but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference. I took every opportunity to rest & recharge, to no avail. After months of feeling this way, I had an epiphany: you can’t self-care your way out of a toxic work environment.
Throughout our lifetime, we’ll spend approximately one third of our waking hours at work. I experienced firsthand the profound impact of work on my quality of life, and knew it had to be affecting others similarly. So I set out change the way organizations approach employee & organizational well-being.
My approach places a significant emphasis on leadership development. Leaders are at the heart of every organization, and are therefore vital to shaping the work environment. An investment in leaders has a cascading impact & is truly an investment in the entire organization.
I pride myself in bringing greater rigor to the field of leadership development through the implementation of evidence-based practices. I stay up to date with the latest workplace & leadership trends and break the research down into actionable steps. Ultimately, I am able to help organizations become more effective & resilient by empowering leaders to cultivate a work environment where everyone’s light can shine!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My story is a little unconventional. I went to college with every intention of pursuing a career in dentistry. I struggled through my Biology & Chemistry courses, but found fulfillment in my involvement on campus as an Orientation Leader. Through this experience, one of my mentors introduced me to the field of Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology. If you’re not familiar with I-O Psychology, it’s all about using science to improve the human experience at work. This connected with me on a deep level, prompting me to change course & explore this career path.
Moving to Chattanooga to pursue my Master’s in I-O Psychology was easily the best decision I’ve ever made. I had finally found something I was naturally good at, and things started to fall into place. I got an internship while in the program, that led to a full-time job upon graduation. Over the next several years, I gained experience in various functional areas within HR as an internal consultant. I was able to make an impact on each organization through the successful design & implementation of strategic organizational development initiatives, which resulted in measurable increases in engagement, retention, & productivity.
After working for some of the largest employers in the community, I noticed a common theme: organizations were failing to consistently invest in their leaders & were vastly underestimating the impact this had on their culture & the work environment. Wanting to make a greater impact on quality of life in Chattanooga, I chose to take a leap of faith to launch my independent consulting business, Guiding Light Leadership.
Through my business, I provide solutions that guide, support, and sustain leaders at every stage along their journey. I offer custom leadership development programs, individualized leadership coaching, and organizational culture interventions. These programs are filled with opportunities for leaders to reflect, explore, and engage in hands-on practice to boost their competence and confidence.
I utilize a unique and holistic approach, examining all aspects of an organization’s processes, people, and strategies to identify areas of opportunity & strengths to build upon. I believe that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach & partner with my clients to design custom interventions based on their needs. I empower them to take ownership of their solutions, serving as a guide throughout the process to ensure successful execution & providing them with tools to succeed long beyond the scope of the partnership. All of these actions enable me to help organizations create positive & sustained cultural change so that employees feel valued, respected, and are excited to come to work!
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
A few years ago I came across a post on LinkedIn, introducing a book published through The Center for Creative Leadership called “Resilience That Works: Eight Practices for Leadership & Life”. The evidence-based framework presented largely influenced my philosophy & ignited a spark that inspired me to embed these practices into my work. Seeing the massive impact on both the culture & bottom-line prompted me to consider expanding my reach.
Becoming an independent consultant had always been one of my dreams, though I expected it to manifest much later in my career. When I realized it was imminent, I knew I needed to mentally prepare myself for the shift. I prioritized building my confidence by reading books & listening to podcasts of entrepreneurs I admire. I also surrounded myself with encouragement & even made a few playlists to keep myself motivated. Lastly, I made a conscious decision to push myself out of my comfort zone by trying one new thing a week. I really do think these actions helped boost my resilience as I faced the challenges of entrepreneurship!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My first year as an entrepreneur was filled with challenges that I couldn’t have anticipated. Shortly after taking the leap of faith & leaving my corporate job, I noticed a leak in my kitchen that had damaged my hardwood floors beyond repair. Thankfully it was covered by insurance, but the re-flooring process was extremely disruptive & lasted over 3 months. Shortly thereafter, my grandmother passed away & the day I was about to head out of town for the funeral, my dog got extremely sick and had to be taken to the emergency vet. It took such an emotional toll on me & made me feel like I couldn’t catch a break. My dog recovered & I gave myself grace while I continued to work to get my business off the ground. Throughout the rest of the year, life continued to throw a few curveballs, but I felt confident in my ability to handle anything that came my way.
I practice what I preach & feel strongly that incorporating resilience practices into my day-to-day life helped me get through these difficult times. That being said, I have also been so fortunate to be surrounded by an extremely supportive community that continues to show up for me time and time again. While it’s not easy being a solo entrepreneur, I’m grateful everyday for the opportunity to pursue my dream.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.guidinglightleadership.com/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredythring/
- Other: https://linkedin.com/company/guiding-light-leadership-llc
