Written in partnership with Dylan Rodgers
The best way a successful business woman can give back to society is by helping others to go after their dreams as well. Few people can identify opportunities for struggling entrepreneurs as fervently as those who’ve faced the grind themselves. Cindy Monroe, successful entrepreneur, author, podcast host, and leadership mentor, has done just that, and made it her mission to help women to overcome challenges and accomplish incredible goals.
Cindy understands what it’s like to start small but think big. She began her company from nothing in the basement of her hand-built home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 2003. With faith, she drove forward, navigating the business world’s unending challenges. Because of the relentless pursuit of her vision, she excelled in her role as founder, CEO, and now executive chairwoman of Thirty-One Gifts.
In Cindy’s podcast, “Permission To Lead,” she teaches high-achieving female leaders and entrepreneurs how to level up their business practices. She invites the world’s most ambitious female CEOs to talk about their strategies, tactics, and business philosophies, enabling guests and subscribers to identify and implement the changes that allow them to thrive and break through glass ceilings. Cindy’s value-packed podcasts inspire her audience to expand their visions and grow beyond limitations.
Recently, she debuted her book, “More than a Bag: Celebrating the First 20 Years of the Thirty-One Story.” In it, Cindy reflects on the most challenging aspects of her entrepreneurial journey. Readers learn firsthand how to scale their companies by identifying and overcoming many of the stumbling blocks found in the business world.
Not only is Cindy a successful businesswoman, she’s also a devoted wife and mother. She believes women need to see more representation of female founders running a business while having a marriage and a family.
Her encouragement to women is clear—you shouldn’t have to choose between career and family; you should be able to flourish in both. On her podcast, Cindy shares her Flourish Model, a system for thriving at work and home. In Phase One, for example, she helps female leaders get clarity around their intentions, an often-missed step that Cindy teaches is an absolute prerequisite for achieving goals.
She also gets real with her listeners. She opens up about her own journey and invites her guests to do the same, acknowledging: There will be challenges. There will be sacrifices. You will make mistakes. But there will also be incredible breakthroughs, lessons learned, and the opportunity to thrive and help others do the same.
To learn more about how you can give yourself permission to succeed, follow Cindy on Instagram.
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