By Michael Beas – Atlas Elite Publishers
Set out on a literary journey through this special discussion with the talented writer Monique de Maio. Go into the fascinating world of Monique’s literary creations in this interview piece, examining the subtleties of her storytelling, the sources of inspiration that feed her creativity, and the important topics that give her writing depth and resonance.
In the world of writing, Monique de Maio is regarded as a great figure because she crafts stories that are thought-provoking, soul-stirring, and entertaining. Her distinct style and storytelling skills have won her praise and left a lasting impression on readers.
What inspired you to enter the field of marketing, and how has your journey unfolded since then?
Monique de Maio: I didn’t pick Marketing & Communications, it picked me. I started telling stories and communicating with those who could not at the age of five when I came to the United States from France with my family. None of us spoke English, but I learned it within a few months and immediately turned into the family translator and advocate. And I have been doing it for others, people and companies, since then.
To give you a sense of my WHY and what motivates me personally, this is my WHY.OS profile:
WHY: I believe that success happens when I contribute to a greater cause.
HOW: HOW I do that is by making things simple and easier to implement.
WHAT: Ultimately, WHAT I bring and what you can count on me for are solutions that make sense in order to move forward more quickly and successfully.
I have spent over 35 years helping companies of all sizes translate their unique stories to their customers through marketing strategy, positioning, messaging, content marketing, channel marketing, lead generation, and sales enablement, and using the above as my “superpowers.”
For the last few years, I have focused my energies on helping women who want to have exceptional lives build the tools they need to accomplish their goals, just like I helped those organizations throughout my career.
Can you provide an overview of the seven secrets outlined in your book “The 7 Secrets to Creating a Life You Love” and their significance in empowering women leaders?
Monique de Maio: The 7 secrets/areas of life I talk about are your:
voice …being your authentic self right now
time…spending it intentionally
choice …making each one, one at a time
job…not letting it take over your life
internal narratives…talk to yourself like a BFF
external narratives…creating the story you tell others
environment …using intention to set yourself up for success
and then the implementation of these secrets.
The book emphasizes the journey towards confidence and fulfillment. Can you share a specific insight or secret from the book that you think will resonate most with readers?
Monique de Maio: I think the secrets about choice and internal narratives will resonate with readers as these are typical stumbling blocks for many women. The idea that we have choice or agency in and with everything we do and don’t do can be a liberating and empowering experience for people.
In the book, I break down all the implications of choice – from what we say yes to, to the people we choose to spend time with, to the career decisions we make, and so much more. It helps make the reader aware of just how many small choices they can make that have an impact – positive and negative.
From an internal narrative perspective, our self-limiting beliefs and the ‘little voice inside our head’ can wreak havoc on the joy and satisfaction we derive from our lives. If we adopt some of the tools I describe in the book, such as speaking to ourselves like a best friend and/or in the third person as personified by Lebron James, we can create a significant positive impact on how we show up and how happy we feel about our lives.
How did your personal experiences or challenges influence the insights and advice shared in the book?
Monique de Maio: As a child, I had firsthand experience with bullying and discrimination. As an ambitious young woman building my career in the ’80s and ’90s, I faced blatant misogyny, sexism, and discrimination. Because I am a female leader, there are aspects of my life and career that men just cannot understand because they have simply never had to deal with the same issues. I started my career at IBM, worked on Wall Street, helped turn around a nonprofit, and ran a trade magazine—all before starting the business I have today. And unlike those experiences, my business of today serves my life; my life doesn’t serve my
business. That is by design. I share all of these insights and advice from the lens of my experiences, mistakes, and successes.
What role does mentorship play in your professional development, and do you have any mentors who influenced you significantly?
Monique de Maio: Mentorship, or lack thereof, is a critical reason behind why I wrote this book. I remember looking for answers, guidance, mentorship, and support and finding that all the books and articles I could find were written by men. In those days, it was also very uncommon to find women willing to mentor other women as we were coming up through the ranks. It was an environment of alpha men and alpha women. It was survival of the fittest for these women, and they did not have the time or inclination to worry about the entry-level women.
I decided a few years ago that I had to help change that for other women. You may also be a high-powered woman leader people go to for answers, guidance, mentorship, support, etc. The question is, who do you go to? I am hopeful that this book is the place for you. I packed my lifetime of intellectual curiosity, learning, tips, tricks, and hacks into how I have been able to lead a life of intention and happiness—designed by implementing a few small things in seven key areas. I have blended my own professional and personal takeaways and compiled them all for you, so you don’t have to!
Click here to purchase Monique’s The 7 Secrets to Creating a Life You Love: A Practical Guide for Women in Leadership
Published By: Aize Perez
