I’ve been going through the process of getting Dare to Lead trained by the fabulous Aiko Bethea and I’m learning SO much good stuff about Brene Brown’s work in this space.

This past week we talked about the importance of values, a topic that I write about in the first chapter of my book because it’s SO important in holding ourselves accountable and more.

I already know my top value is authenticity, but it was amazing to hear how other women defined what this value meant to them. My authenticity shows up in my "take no prisoners" direct communication when I am convicted about something. It shows up in the way I’ve shared various stories about my life in my book, on podcasts, and in real life.

But I realized there are aspects of my life I’m pretty private about and my growth edge with authenticity is to be more open about those when appropriate and in the right context. To lean into that muscle today, here are a few things you may not know about me...maybe:

I was born and raised in Trinidad & Tobago and came to the US to get my undergraduate degree never thinking I’d end up living here ever.
The story of how I ended up becoming a United States resident and citizen is because I got married to my college sweetheart. But alas, we separated and eventually got divorced, and I moved from New Jersey to New York (a city I never liked) while I was completing my MBA degree (talk about a whiplash!)
The best year of my life was when I spent a year at Cambridge University pursuing an MPhil degree in Finance. I met awesome people from all over the world, lived in a dorm room with a picture window looking out at the River Cam (idyllic!), fell in love (sheepish smile), and went backpacking across Europe with my best friend at the time Tammy. The best memories ever!

Sadly, just a year later, my father died unexpectedly, and that triggered a period of grief that changed the course of my life. Anxiety and depression reared their heads for years.
My first year working as a market researcher in New York was around the time I was getting divorced and my anxiety was at an all-time high which made my imposter syndrome skyrocket. Every week I kept thinking I’d get fired because of poor performance. Seriously. After I made it through to my annual review, I was stunned at the great feedback I got. STUNNED!
That first job underpaid me big time (so badly I won’t say the number) as a qualified woman with three degrees. But as a Black woman and an immigrant, it should not have surprised me. I tried to advocate for a $10K sign-in bonus but I only got $1K. And I took the job because I needed it.
Ten years later, my salary was where it needed to be due to a series of events that I did not control but was evidence that God had bigger plans for me all along that He orchestrated.
After fifteen years of working as a market researcher primarily in the financial services sector, I decided to jump ship (talk about a leveling up in my confidence!) and become a full-time entrepreneur with my image consulting business, Elan Image Management. I left while I was a Vice President making six figures and having just received a big fat year-end bonus.

There is WAY more I can share, but I’ll end here for now. Because it transitions nicely into what I want to communicate with you today, to get you thinking of where you truly want to be.

What gave me the cajónes to leave a six-figure salary and embark on a business that was intangible where I’d have to build it from scratch?

The answer is simple even though my decision seemed crazy to almost everyone at the time. Impact and Fulfillment.

You see, even though I was great at my job, I knew it was not my purpose. For years I’d been trying to find that right gig that would light up my heart. When I found image consulting, my inner fire was ignited. This was it!

With my passion for impact, I would do whatever it took to bring the vision of where I feel called into being. And at that time it was that work to empower women to express themselves confidently on the outside so they felt and looked amazing.

So I left the comfort, security, steady pay, and familiarity of my career to leap into the unknown where I had no road map, guide, or certainty. But I had an inner fire, passion, faith, and belief that I had what it took to make it happen.

I’d spent years working on myself after my Dad's death through therapy, devouring books on personal development, and trying different self-care practices including affirmations and journaling. My self-belief and confidence were in an entirely different place from when I started my professional journey. If I’d known about life or career coaching back then, I’d have done that too.

I say all this to speak to my passion for my work now as The Brilliance Unveiler. With my company The Unveiled Way, my mission is to unveil the brilliance within heart-centered visionary women, empowering them to make their divinely designed impact in their leadership arena with confidence and authenticity.

Now, you may be wondering how I do that. I'm glad you asked!

First, I've worked with hundreds of women over the past fifteen years as a consultant, coach, and mentor so I have a deep understanding of how we thrive and the blocks that may be in our way of thriving.

Second, I have unique gifts and strengths that allow me to create and hold the space for women to unveil their brilliance and start valuing and mobilizing it in service of their purpose.

I'm an intuitive who is also gifted with foresight, exhortation, and spotting potential. I can pull together threads in a woman's story and personality to unveil her brilliance. I see it and I also see the "veils" that may be dimming her light.

Third, I am a CliftonStrengths aficionado, and examining a woman’s top talent themes helps me to see their brilliance more powerfully and clearly.

Fourth, I have a few frameworks I've created that allow me to meet a woman where she's at on her journey and help her forge the path to step into her divinely designed purpose unapologetically so that her brilliance is undeniable!

As a former image consultant, I helped women look fabulous on the outside, so they shined brightly. My work as the Brilliance Unveiler is to give you a makeover on the inside so that when you shine brightly, it's less about the clothing you wear and more about the magnificent being that you are on the inside!

Sure the outer visuals are still important, but they only truly matter when your inner light is free to radiate brightly outside.

Because your leadership in your arena needs the best of YOU that you can bring to the table.

Part of what I do well with my clients is helping them see the thought patterns that have trapped them so they can break free and shine!

I create the space for you to be as big and bright as you want to be.

Don’t you long for that?

My book It’s Your Time to Shine Girl, my new She Shines Affirmation Card Deck, my workshops and in-person events like the Women’s Catalyst Circle, and my one-on-one coaching with clients, are all part of how I fulfill this call on my life to empower and elevate women so they can show up in a leadership posture aligned with their brilliance.

Don’t you want to continue to soar into this first part of 2024 in your new head and heart space? Wouldn’t you like to be in a supportive safe space that allows you to shift, grow, and evolve into the phenomenal WOMAN you were always meant to be?

If you’re thinking YES, take a tiny first step and schedule time to chat with me. A low-hanging fruit action step that can take you to new uncharted territories that will expand the possibilities available to you.

To your unveiling!

Natalie
The Brilliance Unveiler

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A Few Things About Me

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