Badass Is The New Black (Season 6) Episode #23 - From Corporate to Entrepreneur: How to Dream Big and Take Action with Megan Kuiper

mindset Jun 05, 2024

In this podcast episode, I had the pleasure of welcoming Megan Kuiper, a former Build a Blissful Business student and a client we've worked with on Done-For-You website projects. Megan's journey from the corporate world to full-time entrepreneurship is nothing short of inspiring, and I couldn't wait to dive into her story and share it with you all. With over 21 years of experience as a transformative culture consultant, Megan brings a wealth of knowledge and insight into reshaping organizational dynamics. Throughout our conversation, Megan shared invaluable insights into her transition from corporate to entrepreneurial life, highlighting the importance of belief systems, the power of dreaming, and the relationship between burnout and dreaming. Her journey is a testament to the incredible transformations that can occur when we have the courage to pursue our dreams and step into our true purpose. So join us as we unpack Megan's journey, celebrate her successes, and discover the golden nuggets of wisdom she has to offer.

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From Corporate to Entrepreneur: How to Dream Big and Take Action with Megan Kuiper

I am beyond excited to have Megan Kuiper back on the podcast. She's one of our Build a Blissful Business students. We've also done some Done-For-You website work for her and I'm just excited to have her here today, and bring her into this conversation and talk more about transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship full-time.

So without further ado, let's do a quick intro and then bring her on the podcast episode.

She is a seasoned transformative culture consultant bringing over 21 years of hands-on experience in reshaping organizational dynamics. Through her unique blend of leadership insight and high performance coaching, she will guide you on a transformative journey that goes beyond the ordinary, helping you craft a narrative of growth, resilience, and success together to elevate your organization's culture.

Okay, Megan, I'm so excited to have you back on the podcast to just show people how you are shining. I know you've got some amazing golden nuggets for everyone listening, but in case someone didn't hear you before when you were on the podcast, let's dive into just a little bit of your background and, I know we're gonna touch on kind of this idea of launching into entrepreneurship. I dunno how scary that is. Maybe some things that you struggled with in the beginning or were just fearful of and how you've overcome that and then leaving corporate because that's, that was a big thing that you just did recently. So are you ready to just dive in and unpack it?

Yes. Thank you so much for having me. I'm super pumped to be here.

Yes, amazing, incredible. You have such, such an amazing story and amazing background. So much experience in the corporate space, and now you're a full-time entrepreneur.

Yes.

Which this didn't happen overnight, right?

Right. Nothing ever does.

So unpack that journey a little bit, just kind of in the beginning when you were thinking about like, Hmm, I'm thinking like I might wanna do my own business.

Yes. Well, I believe the last time I was on this special podcast with you, I was just excited to launch my new website that you all helped me create, and it really just started to help me build my confidence around stepping into my purpose, but also serving on a bigger scale. And so when we last talked, I was still thriving in my target corporate role where I was a director that turned around cultures and stores around the Midwest. And I put out to the universe that I wanted to do this, like I said, on a bigger scale and started helping professionals in other companies and even speaking and the universe listened.

And within just weeks I started launching my new program I created to serve top level leaders. And I got my first keynote in Vegas with an amazing company. I quickly hired a speaking coach to make sure I could nail that. And I was doing that all alongside, still working in corporate, and I thought I could do both for a long time.

And then August 25th, just eight months ago, actually last summer, I woke up one day and I had a time with my coach and I just decided it was time. And so I presented it to my husband on a date night, who is the more safe one, I will say, but always supportive of course. And he said, I'm in. And we started our journey of envisioning this new life of doing what I love, having more time with my growing men, my three boys, and doing it on my own terms. And so August 25th was my last day in my corporate role, and it has been the most rich experience of my life. And I'm not talking just financially, but to really get to serve on a big scale and make an impact and help professionals feel like they can feel fulfilled and energized and present in all pillars of their life while crushing their career goals has been so cool.

And now I'm bringing it to companies. So it's just been so special to see it evolve and just see the need of energy and growth and development that is lacking in a lot of companies and that I can help integrate and teach habits and strategy that can trickle down to all levels. So I'm very proud and excited.

I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud of you. You've accomplished so much in seemingly a small amount of time. I mean, it's been over a year since you started this, but you've just accomplished so much. You're doing keynote speakings, you've got your group program, your online program that you're running again and again, and filling up all of the spots, you're signing on what, corporate clients, right to come in?

Yeah.

So I think what I love about your story and just inspiration out there for anyone who's, who has a corporate career and you're like, how could I just, how could I take what I'm doing but like do it on my own terms? And I think that was, if I remember correctly, just something that was really important to you. Like you said, you've got these growing boys, you wanted to spend more time with your family, and you kind of have all your multi-passionate, right? You had your health and wellness stuff you were doing and then this. And so what I love is that in your corporate career, this is what you were doing.

Yes.

And now you're taking all of that knowledge, that experience, that expertise, and you are diving into other corporations and you are helping them.

Yes. It's so special. And I feel like the big shifts really happen when you have two things and the first thing is your belief system becomes so strong that you have a gift and you're leaning into it that you know you will be okay. And I think that's something I'm always working on myself and helping others is really strengthening the thoughts we tell ourselves and the stories because we can do what we are born to do on a higher scale and have success, but you have to believe, you know, have a strong belief system and have to believe in yourself that it's going to happen and really lean into those fears and things like that. So the first thing was really strengthening my belief system, but second is letting go of certainty.

I think we all like to anticipate what the outcome will be and on what timeline. And when I started to understand I'm going to let all that go and swap out appreciation for expectations and just look at the evidence that my life has had that I am not going to not work hard and be successful. And so it's been really fun making the shift and really letting go of the fear piece and again, stepping into the strong belief system and letting go of certainty.

Yes.

So those are the two things that I feel like we're missing that I had to really work on strengthening to make the big leap.

Yeah, those are, those are powerful. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead.

I was gonna say, and I, as I'm helping companies, I really left on great terms. I loved my job, but I felt like I was outgrowing it and I was becoming a little bit unaligned as I was doing these new passions that was actually lighting my fire more than the job I knew I was really good at, but just was the same job I'd always been doing type thing.

Yeah. So powerful. And those two things that you mentioned, I mean, incredibly impactful, but how does one, how did you even, you know, the belief system, is it just like, okay, every day I'm gonna write down like I can do this, or you know, what are, what's one tool if, if someone is out there and that's really what they're struggling with, like maybe they've attended one of our masterclasses, they're like, ah, I'm not ready for Build a Bliss Business yet because I'm just not sure I can do this.

Yeah.

What is one tip or tool that you can give them to help them strengthen that belief system? Because I think you're, you hit the nail on the head there with, you have to believe in yourself, like me as your coach, or Megan as your coach and or, or you know, whatever it is, you have to more than we believe, like we believe in you, like to the nth degree.

Yeah.

But it doesn't even matter how much we believe in you, you have to believe in yourself.

Yes. Okay. The tool that I love to teach and literally changed the trajectory for myself was learning how to dream.

Again. I think as we grind through life, and for me, my thirties were really about my worth being so tethered to my job and my career and climbing that, that I lost the idea of dreaming. And when we dream and get close to our goals, we start envisioning new levels of living. And so even as I think about my success at my corporate career, my last experience, I had 300 people under me. And I created a foster in my building of dreaming, and I could tell you what every single person in the building's dream was. And when we dream, we are more fulfilled. We get pulled out of bed and we actually start saying no to the things that don't support the dream.

And then guess what? You start crushing your career goals because you, the energy you're bringing to the day is like through the roof. And so getting close to your dreams and goals on the daily and connecting with them sharpens your focus to saying yes to the things that are gonna actually help you achieve that dream. And so for me, at least five days a week, I write down affirmations of what that dream is. And when I talk about dreams, I'm not talking about weight loss goals, I'm talking about dreams that you don't even know how you're gonna achieve them, but they literally make you so excited and your belly like swirled. And like right now, I get so excited talking about this because my dreams are so big.

Like I'm not sure how it's gonna happen, but I know it's going to, because in 2019, I started writing down every single day in my journal. I work for me. I didn't even know what that meant, but I, I saw this bigger plan for my future. And then each year I just started serving more people, like you said, in the health and wellness space. And I started doing more of the things that were helping me work towards that dream. And I was vibrant as ever. And so learning how to dream again and actually making sure your dreams pull you out of bed and are integrated with courage and help you swing for the fences is the kind of dream that I'm talking about.

I'm teaching this in companies and they're looking at me like, oh my gosh, this is so simple. And so I actually created a journal entry, it's a PDF that I'm giving companies right now, and I'm even making them branded for them with their company name on there. But when we allow ourselves and our teams and support them to get close to their dream every day for five minutes and share their dreams with their bosses, have some accountability partners, and actually write a few steps they're gonna work on to work towards the dream that day, it makes those dreams start happening and it improves engagement, energy, fulfillment and productivity in the workplace. So that's been a special tool I've been teaching that I have found, brought me a lot of success in my corporate role. And I just believe in it so much.

Yes. Yes. It seems like it's gonna be so, or is so powerful for these companies and everyone else. Talk to me about the relationship between burnout and dreaming.

Yeah, so, you know, burnout, I was just reading an article from last year that said 62% of employees reported burnout in some fashion. And you know, I feel like it shows up in different ways.

For me, it showed up in, you know, it, it impacted my mental health. I felt like worried and having that anxiety all the time. And that was actually my breaking point. But when you are having burnout, you are stuck. You are stuck in that feeling of, you know, there's more for you, but you don't know how to get out.

So the last thing that is in the top of your mind is dreaming. And so I really think number one is becoming self-aware. And number two is taking my Time to Shine course, because I help untangle the burnout. I help you get clear on the pillars of life that need you most, that are struggling, your relationships, your family life, your health, all those things. And when we get dialed in and self-aware of where we're, where the gaps are the most, we can start untangling, you know, being tethered to our career and start leaning into like being our best truest self again. And so that is, you know, my, the course I created is a six part course that really helps you bring meaning back in your days and start being like, okay, I can not have blurry lines and actually have an end time to my workday. And create boundaries and have the courage to do so. And then when you start doing that, you start opening up the pathway to start dreaming and be like, okay, I've conquered this and now what's next? And then I love teaching this idea of like skill stacking our dreams.

And once we, you know, maybe the initial dream is to have family dinner five nights a week, and that's pulling you out of bed because that's gonna make you get to work, get your stuff done so you can get home in time to cook the dinner with your fam.

I love that example because it's not, you know, again, like someone who might be new to dreaming, they're like, I don't even know how to dream. Like what's that one small thing that you wish that you could do? Like, I wish I could cook a home cooked meal for my family, you know, every night. Like, what's that one small thing? Like that's the start of a dream.

Yes. Right. And I talked about dreams being loaded with courage.

And in that example, it takes courage to tell your team, I'm leaving by five and please don't text me. Like that takes courage. But then when we as the leader create that kind of boundary, you're giving permission to everyone else below you to do the same. And who doesn't wanna work in that environment?

Mm. Yeah.

So, you know, I talk about dreams like shooting for the fences or you know, swinging for the fences, but it means something different for everyone.

Yeah. I love all of that. I love all of that. Oh my gosh, so much goodness here. So much. Thank you. And I can just see like you radiating, like when you talk about this, like you just light up inside and like you said, you know, in your career you're just feeling like, you know, like you were kind of there, like that's it. Right? And I can just tell like, moving into this passion, working for me, like I will work for me has just given you this light and even more energy. Like you had energy when I would watch you on social media with all of your little, your corporate videos that you would do with your team, which is so fun. But I can just tell that you have this, this spark, this light, this energy, this radiating, I don't even know the words for it, but I can just, I can feel it from you. So if you're watching on YouTube, maybe you can see it as well, maybe you can hear it in Megan's voice if you're listening to the podcast. But it's really, really powerful.

Let's talk a little bit about kind of again, like this beginning journey. So like you came in to Build a Blissful Business and you were like, I want more time. Right? So, I don't know if you remember like, what was that little dream that kind of sparked in you to say like, okay, I'm jumping into Build a Blissful Business 'cause I wanna automate more. I want a professional website. Do you even remember what that dream was?

Oh yes.

Okay. So it, it takes me back to the time of writing down my, my work for me and just one piece of I feel like getting closer to your dreams is who we hang around. And so I started leaning into mentors and coaches and people I looked up to that actually had what I wanted. And I'm not talking about a house or a car,

I'm talking about they were living a lifestyle, maybe working for themself. And I wanted to know how they did that and learn from them. So I started working with Brad Bizjack. So he was my first mindset coach experience and changed the game for me. And he introduced me to you and I joined your webinar and I was starting to have this fire in my belly, like, I wanna do what Brad does. And then I jumped on the webinar with you, which was probably almost two years ago. And I loved your energy and your clarity around what you offered. And I was like, I want a website. I need to do these things. And I was one of those students that were, you know, took the special offer and earned my free coaching sessions with your team and all that.

Yes.

And it was like another step forward of like, I'm gonna do this. And so I remember that I, I ended up working with you guys longer than I thought because I did the option of doing it myself first, which I realized quickly that this is not my wheelhouse. And I was so grateful that you all had opportunities to do it for me or finish it off.

And just that journey really signified to me taking the leap, the next leap I needed to work on my dream and to work with people that had what I was looking for because yes, you all helped create my website, but the calls with you all, I was inspired with the different people on the calls, including your team and the other students.

You know, I remember having the call with, is it, was it Sherry? Sherry?

Yeah. Yeah.

And literally she, I just told my story and she was like, you need to be a speaker, you need to have some kind of group coaching offering. She was like, let's go. And I remember running in the kitchen and jumping up and down with my husband, like, I have clarity around what I'm gonna do. And so it's so neat that working with you all helped me obviously create a beautiful website, but it also just cut so much clarity and encouragement by being around uplevel leaders and entrepreneurs that were doing what I wanted to do. And so it was a big step in my journey, honestly, to taking the leap and, you know, I think it was still like over a year later that I made the big, big leap, but I just am forever grateful and I, you know, I've already, I keep evolving my, my tools and my website, but it was so awesome to have your support and honest opinion and encouragement as I took on this, you know, lifestyle and opportunity.

I mean, I will say that you are a superstar student, right? Like, you're like, I have these dreams, this is what I'm gonna do. And you've figured out how to keep moving forward. And I think you shared that in the beginning of this episode in terms of, you know, you don't have to know how you're gonna get there, just start moving forward. And that's something I've always lived by and talked about. And so I do think that there's a lot of value in that, and it can really help you get where you're going, you know?

But I want people like you to come in and I wanna work with people like you because I don't want to forever be, I mean, of course I wanna work with you always, right? You know, but I love that you also have other leaders that you follow and I wanna bring you alongside me. Like, I don't wanna forever be like, I don't wanna be on a pedestal for our students where it's like she's the leader in all of this. Like, I wanna bring you alongside. I invited you into the mixermind 'cause I just, I saw so much in you and just, you know, and like we're in that community together now, we're networking with the same people and it's just incredible. And you just, you know, came on before we hit record and you're like, I just signed three new corporate clients, like, I'm doing the thing, so I just wanna celebrate you and just, I'm just so excited for you and the success that you've had. And I know like we played a small piece, you know, just in supporting you in this journey, but to really just give kudos back to you, like you are the one that's making it happen. And that's really incredible to see.

Thank you.

Kudos, kudos to you.

Well, I mean, this has just been incredible. I think you've given some really golden nuggets that people can kind of take back and think like, am I dreaming? How do I wanna dream? And kind of get started on that. Share with us, you've got a free gift for everyone listening, so go ahead and share that, how they can get their hands on that.

Of course, if you're watching on YouTube, it'll, the link will be below and then in the show notes as well. But share with us a little bit more about this Five Days to Shine and then let us know how we can connect with you further.

Awesome. Well like Krissy said, I have a gift for you called My Five Days to Shine, and it's a five day video sequence to really get a feel for the energy that I can bring to you to help you feel like you have the energy to make it through the day. I feel like energy is the root of most of our success. And so each day you'll have a minute or less video of a strategy or habit that you can take on to really start getting clear on where you're at and where you wanna go.

And like I said, I will share some great tools each day to help you feel more appreciative of your days of yourself and start feeling like you can crush your goals at home and in the workplace too. So it'd be so much fun for you to jump in and connect with me on my website.

I love everything about that. And before we go, do you have any tip, any other last minute thoughts or things that you wanna share with someone who is working in their day job, their exploring their business and this, their entrepreneurial journey and kind of like, ooh, when do I, when do I, you know, decide that I'm done with my corporate and I need to go all in on my entrepreneurial journey?

Can you share just a little insight? I know you shared a little bit before on, for you it was just sort of like a knowing, it sort of seemed like you just woke up one morning and you were like, this is it. But are there any other words of wisdom that you have for the, for the transition of doing that, I guess I should say?

Yeah, I think a couple things. Number one is just really being honest with yourself and are you stepping into your tools and the gifts that you were born with? And I think taking time to reflect, because I think we often know what those things are, but we smush 'em down. So when is it gonna be like, when are you gonna have your demarcation line that you say, okay, I'm actually meant for more and I'm gonna step into that. And maybe that's also upleveling your role at your current job. It doesn't have to be your road to entrepreneurship like it was for me. But number one is getting really close to your strengths and making sure you're leveraging those on the daily.

And number two is what are your passions? What do you do? And what have you done in your whole life that literally lights you up and really taking a moment of clarity and reflecting on a time of your life that you were your best self. You remember what you were wearing, what you were smelling, what city you were in, and you were stepping into who you were made to be.

So really getting clear on your strengths and your passions and spend time on those things. And what can you do to make a shift in your life to live more boldly, to be that person on the regular?

Mm. Oh, okay. Amazing. Mic drop for the end. I love it. Y'all use the links below and in the show notes to connect with Megan to grab her free gift Five Days to Shine. And Megan, thank you so much for coming on, for sharing your light with us and just everything that you're doing. And y'all, if, if Megan just hit a nerve with you, go follow her, go connect with her, and maybe she'll be the next person to come inspire your life.

Yes, thank you so much for having me.

Yay. All right, see everyone later. Bye.