Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Monaghan.
Hi Kimberly, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
When I was 14 years old I decided I wanted to be a Fashion Designer. I loved that you could put on a piece of clothing and see yourself differently, and I wanted to make clothes that helped people feel great about themselves. I went to college, studied apparel design, and did just that. I was a Fashion Designer for 13 years.
In my last role, my team was launching a new brand. As part of the project, the team got this rare opportunity to travel the country and interview women sizes 00-26 as part of a pop-up-shop experience we had created. We would ask them about their lives, the clothes they wore, and how they felt about themselves in the clothes we had made.
Every woman that I spoke to, except for one, felt that there was something wrong with her… that her butt was too big, that she needed to lose the baby weight, or that something just wasn’t right with her or her body. I would tell them that they were beautiful and perfect and that we wanted feedback on the clothes, but women couldn’t get past the idea that they were supposed to fit in the clothes, not the other way around.
I came back from that trip with an existential crisis and realized I was not doing what I was meant to do to build people’s confidence. I left design and went on a journey to find a way to spend the rest of my life supporting people in feeling confident and reaching their goals. Eventually, I became a Financial Advisor, and now I get to help people feel confident in themselves every day of my life.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No. Making big career and life changes is HARD. It forced me to dig deep and see parts of myself that made me uncomfortable. I cried a lot because suddenly I had to face a truth that I had been ignoring for a long time- that this life I had built my entire identity on was in complete opposition to who I am as a person. I had to get real with what was important to me and why to find the next step forward, and every question I answered brought up more questions.
I ended up getting a divorce and becoming a single mom through that process. I opened a small styling business because I wasn’t quite ready to let go of my years of experience and identity that I ultimately needed to be closed because it didn’t mesh with my life as a parent. I went back to design for a bit to pay the bills, which was deeply uncomfortable and unfulfilling.
I think for all of us that are raised thinking that everything in life goes in these smooth straight lines, it is easy to look at all of that and think that I was failing. But the truth is, I was evolving and iterating, and that is a messy and beautiful human process. If I hadn’t done it the way I did, there are so many experiences and people I would have missed along the way, and I wouldn’t have the career and life that I do now.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Northwestern Mutual?
I am a Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual. My vision for my business is to create space for people to feel seen and heard, and where they can release shame about money and move forward with a financial plan that feels empowering and brings them joy. I think when it comes to personal finance, there are a lot of people who do not feel welcome at the table, and it certainly doesn’t feel like a joyful or welcoming experience.
I want people to not just feel welcome, but to feel safe to share their dreams and hopes for the future, and to show up fully as themselves. If they can do that, then our team can build a plan for today, tomorrow, and all of the ups and downs in between. Also, many people in the United States are raised without any financial education at home or school, so in my meetings, I make it clear that there are no silly or dumb questions- the goal is that you leave our meetings feeling more empowered than you did when you walked in.
If you become a client, that is great, but that isn’t my mission. My mission is to create financial empowerment. I am most proud that I often hear my vision stated back to me by my clients. That tells me that they know what my team is about and that our purpose is showing up in all the work we do.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I have always considered myself a fortunate person. I am generally optimistic, I have a gut instinct that has taken me far, and I have been surrounded by people I love who believe in me. I also know that I carry privilege as a straight white woman that has made the journey easier for me than other people in ways I didn’t fully understand until I was in my 30’s.
That said, I have also lived through some awful things like many people have, but I have a unique ability to make something beautiful out of the rubble. I am very aware that I am lucky to be wired that way. It allows me to feel grateful for the journey, and to see how even the terrible things have shaped my life in the best possible way. I can choose to see the people I have lost, the business I had to close, the career and marriage I had to end, or the loved ones who have been sick along the way as bad luck, or I can choose to feel more connected to what it means to feel the full human experience and be present for it all. I choose the messy beautiful human experience every time.
Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) and its subsidiaries located in Milwaukee, WI. Kimberly H Monaghan is an Insurance Agent in NM.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.northwesternmutual.com/financial/advisor/kimberly-monaghan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071739015358
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-monaghan-7475656/
