Striving to Manage It All? Cindy Monroe’s Advice for Flourishing at Work and Home

Are you a visionary woman with an extraordinary business idea but hesitant to dive in? Do fears of juggling business and family responsibilities hold you back? If so, you’re not alone. Many women share these concerns.

The truth is, balancing responsibilities at work and home can be challenging and require careful planning and effort. But it’s possible. 

Cindy Monroe, entrepreneur, mentor, and CEO of Thirty-One Gifts, is an outstanding female leader who has developed a system for succeeding in both your personal and professional life–and she’s dedicated to sharing these strategies with other women in business.

As Cindy shares, “I’m here to help you give yourself permission: Permission to achieve even more, to flourish in business and family—all while finding strategies that work for you. You CAN have a thriving business and marriage—but it takes work, sacrifice, and asking for help.”

Cindy goes on to encourage you to give yourself permission to fail, find solutions and ask for advice.

Like any other female startup founder, Cindy struggled with the idea of developing a business while maintaining her role as a dedicated wife and mother. She took a leap of faith, however, and started Thirty-One Gifts in the basement of her home, naming it after an exemplary woman of faith mentioned in Proverbs 31: “She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night….She is clothed with strength and dignity.”

In her work as CEO, Cindy led the company to nearly $800 million in sales in the first 10 years, and as Thirty-One celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, she is thrilled to continue empowering thousands of women to build businesses across the U.S. and Canada. Among her achievements, she has been named to Columbus Business First’s 40 under 40 and Fast 50 lists, as well as the Columbus Business First’s Deal Makers Hall of Fame list. 

What’s more, she accomplished all this and more without compromising on the family front.

Understanding the struggles of simultaneously being a CEO and mom together, Cindy cites having an understanding and supportive partner who will help you get closer to achieving your goals as essential. She feels lucky to have a husband like Scott, who has played a significant role in her success.

In a podcast with her husband, she opens up, providing insight on how you can focus on success at work and home. She recognizes that it is a difficult task, but with commitment and setting intentions for your relationships and professional goals, you can achieve it all.

Cindy recalls when she and her husband Scott went to West Palm Beach in Florida. While sitting in beach chairs, they looked around and began to lay out their dreams for an even bigger, brighter future for their family.

Long story short, they both worked to make their ideal version of life possible.

But they admit, there will be days when you and your husband will find it hard to play the ideal partner. That is why she cites “setting boundaries, communication, respectfulness, and forgiveness” as the pillars that keep a family and business thriving.

Through her podcast and her work with Thirty-One, Cindy focuses on inspiring and supporting other women entrepreneurs. She wants you to know that your dreams and aspirations can become reality, despite the many responsibilities and roles you have to tackle.

You can catch up with more of Cindy’s journey by following her on Instagram. You can also find practical tips for your developing business by listening to her podcast Permission to Lead with Cindy Monroe.