We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Yashmine Cooper a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Yashmine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
I remember praying, “God, there has to be more than this.” The weight I was carrying as a leader was too heavy, and it was crushing me. Yet, in the midst of my breaking, God showed me a new way — a path of love, restoration, and purpose. Leading with Love Consulting was born not just from experience, but from divine assignment to help women leaders heal, lead well, and live whole.
I’ve been an educator for 19 years. For 12 of those years, I was an elementary teacher. In 2017, I stepped into a leadership role as an assistant principal. I was excited but unprepared for what was ahead. I quickly fell into a cycle that many leaders know too well, working seven days a week, always on call, feeling responsible for everyone: students, staff, and families. Somewhere along the way, I forgot about myself.
By 2019, I was quietly searching for ways to step away from the profession altogether, even hoping my doctor would put me on leave. My personal and professional life were colliding, and my mental health was crumbling. What made it worse? There was no guide, no mentor, no professional development focused on the wellness of leaders, only training on how to better serve students. But I knew deep down: if we don’t feed the leader, we starve the students.
The problem wasn’t just the workload; it was the mindset. I realized I couldn’t outrun this by changing districts or positions. I would take myself, and my unhealthy patterns, wherever I went. I knew I had to get to the root. So, I began doing the hard inner work. I started therapy, got into community, and took intentional steps to put myself first — not out of selfishness, but out of survival.
Then came the pandemic, and with it, clarity. God laid it on my heart that I couldn’t go back to “business as usual.” In 2021, I resigned from my district, moved to a new one, and, for the first time, created hard boundaries. These weren’t just for me, I modeled them for my staff. I taught them how to make wellness non-negotiable, how to lead with balance, and how to preserve their joy.
In 2023, God placed a bigger assignment on my heart — Leading with Love Consulting. A space where I help women leaders who are overwhelmed, exhausted, and silently suffering under the weight of trying to be everything for everyone. Many of them, like me, love what they do but battle guilt, burnout, and the constant pressure to wear the “Superwoman” cape.
I now help these women set boundaries, reclaim their energy, and lead from their Zone of Genius — not just for the sake of their roles but for the sake of their well-being. Yes, I was scared. I battled imposter syndrome. I had no business background. But what I did have was lived experience and proof that healing was possible. I knew I had been giving this help freely to friends, family, and colleagues and they were transforming, just like I had.
I also realized it wasn’t just “my” problem. Leaders everywhere were facing the same pain points: chronic overwork, exhaustion, perfectionism, the emotional burden of leadership, the fear of letting others down, and the pressure to constantly perform. It didn’t matter what district you were in — this was universal.
Leading with Love is about transforming the heart of leadership. Because when leaders heal, schools heal. And when schools heal, students thrive. Yes, the work is hard. But as I always say — hard work is heart work. And that’s the foundation of my business.
Yashmine , 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?
“When women lead with love, they don’t just change their schools — they save themselves, their families, and their joy.”
At the heart of it, I’m just a woman who knows what it feels like to be overwhelmed, burnt out, and still show up every day like everything’s fine. I’ve spent 19 years in education, first as an elementary teacher and later as an assistant principal. Like so many women leaders, I thought the only way to lead was to give it all, even when I had nothing left for myself.
That’s where Leading with Love Consulting came from, not out of a business plan, but out of lived experience. I hit a point where I knew I couldn’t keep doing leadership the way I had been. It was costing me too much, my peace, my health, and my joy. What changed everything for me was realizing that leading with love had to start with how I loved and cared for myself. Once I made that shift, it transformed not just my leadership but my life.
Leading with Love Consulting offers coaching, professional development, and leadership support tailored specifically to women in educational leadership who are overwhelmed, exhausted, and on the edge of burnout. I specialize in helping them reclaim their time, set healthy boundaries, lead from their Zone of Genius, and reconnect with their passion for why they started this work in the first place and even begin looking toward stepping into their greater purpose.
What makes my approach different is that I don’t just focus on leadership strategies, I focus on the heart. Leadership is not just about what you do, it’s about who you are while you do it. I bring together practical tools, mindset shifts, and guidance to help women leaders show up whole for themselves, their teams, their students, and their families.
That last part is deeply personal for me. I’ve had women tell me their families were saved because they finally said yes to setting boundaries. They stopped bringing the burnout home. They became more present, more patient, and more peaceful. Their marriages got stronger. Their relationships with their children deepened. That’s what this work is really about helping women lead without losing the parts of themselves that matter most.
What I’m most proud of is walking alongside women as they rediscover their joy, not just in their careers, but in their lives. I want people to know that leadership doesn’t have to cost you your peace. You don’t have to wear the Superwoman cape to make an impact. You can lead well, love deeply, and live fully without losing yourself or the people you love along the way.
At the end of the day, Leading with Love isn’t just about leadership, it’s about wholeness. It’s about helping women remember who they are outside of the title, the to-do lists, and the pressure to hold it all together. My mission is to guide women in education back to themselves to a place where they can lead with clarity, live with intention, and love without losing who they are. Because healed leaders create healthy schools, thriving families, and lives they don’t need to escape from.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
As I began my entrepreneurial journey, one of the most influential figures for me was Rachel Rodgers, founder of Hello Seven. Her book, We Should All Be Millionaires, shifted my mindset completely. Before reading it, I wasn’t sure if entrepreneurship, let alone the idea of becoming a millionaire was possible for me. That book gave me permission to dream bigger and believe that I could build a business that makes a real impact.
Shortly after, I joined Rachel’s community to surround myself with like-minded people. I knew that if I wanted to be a successful entrepreneur, I needed to put myself in the room with those who were doing it. In that space, I learned the fundamentals of mindset, money, and business management lessons I carry with me every day.
Another book that deeply impacted me was Six Figure Side Hustle by Rachel Rodgers. This was the spark I needed to seriously consider launching my business while still serving as an administrator. I already had the skills, why not use them to serve women in my community who were experiencing the same challenges I had faced?
The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks also became a cornerstone for me. It helped me identify my limiting beliefs and guided me toward operating fully in my Zone of Genius. It was eye-opening to realize how much I was holding myself back and how much more was possible if I leaned into my true potential.
Another powerful resource was Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. Her work on vulnerability, values-based leadership, braving trust, and resilience gave me a deeper understanding of the human side of leadership, which I apply both in my business and my work with clients. It helped me connect the dots between healthy leadership and healthy relationships — both personally and professionally.
Currently, I am reading $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi, which is helping me challenge the belief that selling is “too salesy.” It’s shifting my perspective to focus on the value I bring, not just the price. I know the offer I have for women in educational leadership is needed and transformational. I want women to feel permission to rediscover their purpose, reclaim their joy, and lead without losing themselves and these resources have helped me shape a business that supports that mission.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy I’ve found for growing my clientele is simple but powerful — building my email list. Many new entrepreneurs think it’s all about having a fancy website or constantly posting on social media. While those things can be helpful, they are not the first priority, especially when you’re just starting out.
I always recommend starting with your existing network. Yes, even the contacts already in your phone. Once you’ve identified your ideal client and gotten clear on your offer, the next step is to announce to your community that you’re open for business. Let them know what you’re offering, how you help, and don’t be afraid to directly ask them to work with you or to share your information with someone who needs it.
From there, you can begin growing your email list intentionally. One of the best ways to do this is by creating a lead magnet, something irresistible that speaks directly to the needs of your ideal client. The purpose of the lead magnet is to provide value upfront while inviting people to exchange their email for it. Getting someone’s email address is like striking gold because now you have permission to build a relationship.
Email allows you to nurture your audience consistently. This is where people get to know you, trust you, and understand the heart behind your brand. I always tell clients nurture isn’t just about sending information, it’s about sharing stories, insights, and letting people feel connected to you before they ever make a purchase.
Social media still plays a role, but you don’t have to be everywhere. Find the platform where your people are. For me, that’s LinkedIn and Facebook, especially educational communities where I know women leaders gather. Consistency is key, showing up regularly helps people see who you are and what you stand for.
Community has also been a big part of my growth. The people you surround yourself with will become advocates, sharing your content, referring others to you, and speaking to your credibility. Don’t underestimate the power of authentic connections.
One of the biggest wins I’ve had was hosting a webinar that led directly into my workshop. In just one week, I collected 65 email addresses. 65 new people who were interested in my work and who I could now nurture and serve. That experience showed me the power of combining community, intentional strategy, and heart.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/yashmine.cooper
- Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/yashmine-cooper-bbab18175
- Other: Email address: [email protected]
Image Credits
Images credit – Mind of Divine Photography by Shallah Dozier
website info.: www.mindofdivinephotography.com