#BEYOUROWN MEETS MIRIAM MEIMA

2M Leaders co-founder Miriam Meima has been a coach & facilitator for over twenty years. She has closely studied the overlap between business and psychology in an effort to learn how to support her clients in finding simple ways to be happy and successful simultaneously. She is well known for her success with cultural change and often speaks on the topic of “How to Preserve your Culture While You Scale”.

Miriam has supported leadership and culture development at JetBlue, Clorox, Nintendo of America, government agencies and dozens of start-ups in the tech space, to name a few. She has worked closely with the thought leaders of Organisational Culture and leads researchers studying the link between culture and bottom-line success. Miriam has a unique ability to understand an entire system and how to most effectively influence change, taking into consideration the infinite complexity of any individual or company.

Miriam’s credentials include an MA in Organisational & Management Development, a BA in Business & Psychology, multiple certifications as a Leadership & Transformation Coach as well as certifications as a Leadership Development and Organisational Culture consultant. Miriam loves her work and greets each new day with a sense of optimism.

Hey Miriam, can you introduce yourself to us?

I have always loved learning about the inner workings of both business and people, combining both brings me great joy. I’m an Executive Coach, an Author, an adoring wife, and an adventurer.

Now, based in New York City via Maui, Hawaii, USA, can you take us through your journey as to how you arrived at where you are now?

In 2007 my fiancé broke off our engagement and my Mom passed away, within weeks of each other. It was a wake-up call. Since 2008 I’ve been allowing my intuition to guide my decisions more and more. My husband (who I met in 2011 when living in Colorado) and I believe in loving a continuous unfolding of our dreams. This took us to Hawaii, where we ran our business from Maui for 2 years before moving to New York City. Life is an adventure and I am grateful for each leg of the journey!

What are a typical 24 hours like for you?

Ideally, I have 3 hours in the morning to meditate, write and prepare for an amazing day. Then I work out before having a series of sessions with my clients (co-founders, CEOs, management teams, emerging leaders). Between sessions, I am eating delicious food and catching up on email. In the evening I’ll work for a couple hours on a passion project de jour before turning to a book and/or be watching a movie with my husband.

You are the co-founder of 2M with Frankie, who is also your husband. What quality key factors do you think couples should possess when building a company together in order for it to be successful?

Frankie and I share similar passions. We enjoy diving into new productivity hacks, learning about finances, talking about business operations and seeing people own their brilliance. Early in our relationship, we defined our shared purpose, vision, mission, and values. This has helped shape everything we’ve created together. Having an external reference like this, clear (and separate) roles, knowing ourselves and each other has all added up to a successful partnership in business and in life.

2M is built on the skills and systems you have been practicing for years, can you talk to us how these have helped shape the brand DNA behind 2M?

Yes! I lovetools and systems. So does Frankie. We have created scalability, efficiency, and effectiveness from the beginning. If something falls through the cracks only once I say “Either I failed the system or the system failed me." What I mean by this is that either I needed to stick to the outlined process or there wasn’t one in place that worked. We truly practice what we preach when it comes to managing our lives and our business.

Did you train or take any courses? If so what, and where did you study?

I have studied most everything that lives at the cross-section of people and business. I completed a masters program in Organisational & Management Development and a 2-year coaching program specifically for Leadership Coaching. I have completed many other certificate programs. I see myself as a life-long learner and believe there is no end to what I can better understand.

Where can you see your self within the next 3-5 years?

Happy, healthy, writing, working with world leaders doing what I love.

Have you ever had a mentor or coach? If so how has this benefitted you to grow?

I have a large collection of coaches I work with for different purposes. I’ve worked with everything from writing coach, a presentation coach, business consultants to a nutrition coach, spiritual advisor, therapist, you name it. I am a firm believer in investing in myself and rounding out my capacity to be effective by learning from the best. If I am going to ask my clients to do this, I want to know in my bones that I am doing it too.

Which methods are you using to build your own network?

I am a believer in cultivating deep relationships with people I respect. As they get to know me and my work, collaboration and referrals are natural.

What do you believe are the common misconceptions about coaching?

I believe many people think coaching is more 'woo-woo' than it is. It can be incredibly practical, tactical and often focuses on the root cause of challenges or unhelpful patterns in a way that creates swift, lasting, powerful change.

What would you like to see changed for millennials in business?

I would like to see large corporations retain millennials through intentional feedback and development, leveraging a fresh sense of creativity that comes with what we consider to be the Millennial Mindset.

What is the best piece of advice you have received to date?

Life is great when you meditate. Also that anythingis possible when you pause, breathe and smile.

What is the number 1 critical lesson you have learned in your career so far?

It is not my job to “fix” anyone or anything. Instead, it is my job to create the conditions in which it is easy to change if someone wants to.

How do you create an evenly balanced work and personal life?

I do. And it’s a practice (meaning it’s not about perfection, it’s about finding balance in each moment, learning from trial and error). I invest time and energy in designing each day and week based on what I know about myself. I also rate each category of my life on a regular basis to track what may need my attention next.

The highlight of your career so far?

There are many celebrations when I was able to work with people I highly respected and I believe the best is yet to come. One highlight was when my mentor asked me to coach her and got a lot out of our work together.

What gives you ultimate career satisfaction?

I love seeing a “light bulb moment” when a client recognizes something that surprises them and changes them. Often they are seeing that was in front of them and slightly out of reach and out of sight until we started working together.

Which other leading entrepreneurs and pioneering game changers do you also admire and why?

I admire how Jessica Alba leveraged her career in film to support the success of a much-needed and well-respected brand: The Honest Company.

How would you say you are intending to use your voice to educate others in the executive coaching world?

Always. I work with many coaches closely, we inspire one another by sharing what we are doing with our clients that translates into powerful success (however the clients define this).

What is a good article or book you have read recently?

'Big Magic' by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Top 3 Podcast channels?

1.'Gimlet Media'

2.'Masters of Scale'

3.'The Adult Chair'

How do you measure your success?

I ask if I am I fully expressed and if I am expanding. Also if I am feeling loved and both lovable and loving. Then I question ifI have evidence that I am making a positive impact that is in alignment with my values.

What does #BEYOUROWN mean to you?

Every person on the planet has a unique brilliance (what I call genius) - a combination of passions, interest, strengths, experiences and more. #BEYOUROWN is about knowing who you are, accepting and loving yourself and allowing natural confidence to shine through.

Lastly, what is next for you and 2M?

Stay tuned. We have an inspiring vision to see 2 million leaders around the globe operating with a stronger sense of self and making more conscious decisions. The vision is always taking us to a new part of the world to do something we couldn’t have designed ourselves.

www.beyourown.org