We were lucky to catch up with Michelle King recently and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with education – we’d love to hear your thoughts about how we can better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career

If I could change one thing about the education system, it would be to prioritize emotional intelligence and personal development with the same urgency as academic performance. Our schools are brilliant at teaching students how to memorize facts and take tests—but they rarely teach who they are, why they matter, or how to navigate the very real emotional terrain of life.

At Positive Presence Global, we’ve worked with thousands of teens and young adults, and I’ve seen firsthand that students don’t just need more information—they need mentorship, purpose, self-awareness, and resilience. Those are the skills that prepare them for a fulfilling life and meaningful career.

One story that always stays with me is about a young man I coached who was academically gifted but emotionally overwhelmed. On paper, he was excelling—straight A’s, leadership roles, college-bound. But internally, he was crumbling under the pressure of perfectionism and expectations. No class had ever taught him how to cope with anxiety, manage his inner critic, or define success on his own terms. It wasn’t until we created a safe space for him to explore who he was beyond his grades that he started to build the confidence to pursue a life that felt aligned—not just impressive.

This is what’s missing in schools: safe spaces for students to grow emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. If we could embed mentorship programs, emotional wellness curriculum, and self-discovery work into the core of education—not just as an afterthought—we’d graduate students who know how to build healthy relationships, take ownership of their future, and thrive in uncertainty.

A fulfilling life and career doesn’t come from simply knowing all the answers. It comes from knowing yourself.

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?

I’m Michelle Marie King, the founder and CEO of Positive Presence Global, the largest life-coaching company for teens and young adults in the country. I started this work out of a deeply personal calling—to be the person I needed when I was younger. I believe mentorship can save lives, and our collective vision as a company is to eradicate teen suicide globally by 2035 through intentional, heart-led, and holistic mentor-coaching.

Positive Presence began with a simple but powerful idea: what if every young person had someone in their corner, not to lecture them or “fix” them, but to truly see them, support them, and believe in their potential—unconditionally? That idea grew into a nationwide movement.

Today, we offer both virtual and in-person life coaching through our certified Mentor-Coach™ model, specializing in emotional intelligence, executive functioning, self-discovery, confidence-building, and personal development. Our services span private 1:1 coaching, parent and family coaching, group programs, corporate partnerships, school contracts, and national retreats. We’ve trained and certified over 100 coaches across the country who now deliver our proprietary coaching framework, which includes the S.E.L.F. Philosophy™, the P.I.L.L.A.R.S. Coaching Model™, and the Perspective Coaching Process™—all foundational methodologies built in collaboration with our leadership team and refined through years of hands-on experience.

The problems we solve are deeply human. We support students and families through anxiety, lack of direction, identity struggles, confidence issues, trauma, transitions, and so much more. What sets us apart is our deeply personal and intuitive approach—every coaching relationship is customized and rooted in unconditional positive regard. We don’t see clients as projects to fix; we see them as people to empower.

What I’m most proud of is the real, lasting impact we’ve made. From clients who’ve overcome suicidal ideation to pursue their dreams, to families who’ve healed strained relationships, to parents who tell us, “you gave me my child back”—this work is more than a business. It’s a movement.

Beyond Positive Presence, I’m also building my personal brand around transformational leadership, emotional resilience, and the healing power of self-awareness. Through speaking engagements, retreats, certification programs, and one-on-one work, I help people tap into the fullest expression of who they are—whether they’re teens, parents, leaders, or changemakers.

If there’s one thing I want potential clients and collaborators to know, it’s this: your story isn’t over. Whatever chapter you’re in, you deserve support, belief, and a safe space to grow. That’s what we offer at Positive Presence—and what we’re so honored to champion.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Managing a team isn’t just about delegation—it’s about devotion. Devotion to the people you lead, their personal growth, their emotional well-being, and their shared belief in the bigger picture. At Positive Presence Global, we’ve built a culture where people feel seen, heard, and valued—and I believe that’s the cornerstone of high morale.

My first piece of advice: lead with humanity. Your team is made up of real people with real lives. Celebrate their wins—both personal and professional. Check in when they’re quiet. Give grace when they need it. And make it safe to speak up, fail, and try again.

Second, be clear on the mission and flexible with the method. People thrive when they understand why their work matters and feel trusted to bring their own gifts to the table. When you empower your team to take ownership, they don’t just show up—they rise up.

Third, don’t just manage performance—mentor people. Growth doesn’t happen through pressure alone. It happens through presence. I try to mentor my team the way we mentor our students: with compassion, accountability, and belief in their highest potential.

Lastly, I’ve found that morale isn’t something you give—it’s something you build together. Invite your team into vision-building. Ask for their ideas. Celebrate their creativity. The more people feel like co-authors of the story, the more invested they become in writing the next chapter.

Leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room—it’s about being the most grounded, intentional, and open-hearted. That’s where morale lives. And that’s how culture becomes legacy.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Years ago, before Positive Presence Global became what it is today, I had a moment where I almost walked away from it all. I had poured everything—my time, my heart, my savings—into building this company, and I hit a breaking point where the weight of growth, expectations, and emotional exhaustion nearly shut me down. I was mentoring others through their darkness while silently navigating my own.

But I remember sitting with one of my first students—someone who had struggled with severe depression and suicidal thoughts—and hearing her say, “You’re the reason I’m still here.” That moment changed me. It reminded me that this work is not about perfection—it’s about presence. It’s about showing up, even when you’re not sure how. Especially when you’re not sure how.

Resilience, to me, has never meant being fearless. It means being afraid and still choosing to move forward. It means believing in your mission when no one else can see it yet. It means crying in the car between calls and then standing in your purpose anyway. I’ve done that more times than I can count.

That season of my life shaped the way I lead, coach, and build. It taught me that resilience is a practice—not a personality trait—and that the strongest leaders are often the ones who’ve had to rebuild themselves, piece by piece, in private.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: You can be both in the fire and the light for someone else. That’s where real impact—and real resilience—lives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.positivepresenceglobal.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/positivepresenceglobal/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/positivepresenceglobal/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellemking/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@positivepresenceglobal5795
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/positive-presence-global-chanhassen?osq=Positive+Presence+Global