We recently connected with Monika Gerscht and have shared our conversation below.

Monika, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I’ve always turned to art as a way to cope when life felt overwhelming. It was my safe space, a way to process things that didn’t always have words. But the real shift happened when I started pairing my creative practice with intentional reflection. That’s when things really began to change for me. I wasn’t just expressing emotions, I was understanding them. I started creating a life that felt joyful, grounded, and true to who I am.

That’s what inspired my Art Life Coaching practice. I realized I wasn’t the only one who needed this kind of space. There are so many people who feel stuck, disconnected from their joy, or unsure of what they really want. And while I’m not an art therapist and I don’t help people work through deep psychological trauma, I can help guide them to reconnect with themselves.

By combining creativity with mindset work and intentional prompts, people start using both sides of their brain, creative intuition and logic, emotion and clarity. That’s when the breakthroughs happen. You start to hear yourself more clearly. You find those “aha” moments that don’t come from thinking alone. It’s playful, powerful, and deeply personal work—and I feel so honored to walk people through it.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Monika Gerscht, and I’m the founder of Ignite and Inspire Designs Corp, the home of Inspired and Intentional, a creative coaching brand rooted in the belief that life is meant to be lived in full color.

I’m an artist and certified art life coach based in Alberta, Canada, with a background in positive psychology and emotional healing. I live with two rods and 36 screws in my spine due to scoliosis, and I’m also navigating an ongoing diagnostic journey for joint and digestive issues. Those lived experiences have deeply shaped how I see the world, with fierce softness, empathy, and a commitment to finding beauty in the everyday.

I started this work because I know what it feels like to be in survival mode. Disconnected, flat, going through the motions even when everything looked fine on the outside. Art was always my outlet, but when I began pairing creative expression with intentional reflection and mindset work, things shifted. I started healing. I started feeling again. I started building an inspired and intentional life. And I realized I could help others do the same.

My business has two main branches:
First, I’m developing a course for people already on a healing or self-development journey, but who are ready to reconnect with joy, clarity, and a vibrant sense of self. It blends creativity, reflection, and practical tools for intentional living.

Second, I create fine art, mostly mixed media, combining wood-burning, acrylic, and iridescent finishes. My art is centered around emotional moments, transformation, and the glimmers in everyday life. My art practice is focused on growing with integrity through gallery placements and meaningful collector engagement.

What sets me apart is that none of this is surface-level. I’m not offering quick fixes. My clients are emotionally intelligent and self-aware. They’re looking to go deeper. Whether it’s through my coaching or my art, my work lives at the intersection of healing and self-expression, vulnerability and strength, whimsy and wisdom.

This is all rooted in lived experience, not just theory. And I’m proud of that. My goal, in everything I do, is to help people bring color back into their lives.

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

I’ve known since childhood that spine surgery might be in my future, and to be honest, it terrified me. By the time I was 18, I could barely get through a part-time shift without needing prescription pain medication. I knew I had so much life ahead of me, and I didn’t want to live it numbed out or dependent on anything. I didn’t want to give up on myself.

At 20, I had a spinal fusion from T2 to L4, which is most of my spine. The surgery inserted rods and screws to hold me straight, and for a long time, it felt like my body was on fire. Everything felt wrong. But I powered through.

Within a few months, I worked myself off the medications. And within two years, I was powerlifting every day. Rebuilding strength, reclaiming my body, and proving to myself what I was capable of. Eventually, I had to stop lifting due to other joint conditions, but that pivot led me somewhere even deeper.

Losing that physical outlet called me back to my art. And it was through that reconnection, to creativity, to reflection, to what lit me up, that I decided to become an entrepreneur. I went out and got the education I needed. I built a business.

And through it all, I’ve held to this truth: no matter what life throws at me, I will always choose growth. I will always choose health. And I will always keep learning. That’s resilience to me, not pushing through pain blindly, but finding new ways to rise when the old paths close.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I’ll be honest, I’m still learning and evolving in this area. But what’s been working well so far is staying connected through social media and my blog. I use those platforms not just to promote, but to share real reflections, creative prompts, and behind-the-scenes moments that help people feel seen and supported.

My approach is rooted in honesty and accessibility. I want to meet people where they are, and I want them to see that even as a coach, I’m still growing too. I think there’s something really powerful about showing up with humility and truth.

Over time, that builds trust. And from trust comes loyalty, not because I’m perfect, but because I’m human and I’m walking the path right alongside them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://igniteandinspires.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspired.and.intentional/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@inspired.and.intentional