Kim Meninger Is Making It Easier to Be Human at Work

Kim Meninger walked into the high-tech industry with a psychology degree and no technical background. Impostor syndrome came with her. As she learned to manage it, she started noticing how many capable colleagues were carrying the same weight. That observation became a business she has now run for 15 years.

Kim Meninger is a leadership coach, consultant, and keynote speaker and the founder of Executive Career Success, which does business as Kim Meninger. A member of the Entreprenista League, she offers one-on-one coaching, group leadership development, workshops, and keynotes for corporations, founders, academic institutions, and nonprofits. Her mission is to make it easier to be human at work.

“What makes work hard is rarely the work itself. It’s the fears, self-doubt, and insecurities we bring to our interactions with each other,” Kim says.

From psychology student to high-tech leader

Kim studied psychology and dreamed of becoming a therapist. When a PhD in clinical psychology was out of financial reach, she pivoted to high tech, managing relationships with resellers and professional services providers. Along the way she earned an MBA with a concentration in organizational leadership.

“I’ve always been fascinated by human behavior and what motivates us to behave the way we do,” she says. That curiosity shaped how she led a team of young professionals and how she built trust and influence without formal authority.

The turning point came after her older son was born. Kim went on maternity leave expecting to return and realized her work lacked meaning and purpose. She used the time to reflect on her strengths and proudest moments, then started her coaching business to become the resource she wished she had during her own corporate career.

Microenterprise of the Year

In 2024, the U.S. Small Business Administration named Kim’s firm the Massachusetts Microenterprise of the Year.

“My business is about so much more than building financial security for my family,” she says. “Winning that award reinforced for me the value of what I do every day. I want to be known as someone who inspired and empowered countless professionals to build their confidence, take risks, and maximize their impact.”

When the work changed overnight

For years, much of Kim’s work focused on helping women and members of historically marginalized groups become more confident, visible, and influential leaders. She spoke regularly to corporate women’s employee resource groups and partnered with the U.S. Energy Association on a U.S. State Department-funded leadership program for women in energy in Southeast Asia.

Then came what she describes as the current administration’s backlash against DEI initiatives. “In 2025, major pillars of my business collapsed virtually overnight,” she says.

Kim rethought how to pursue her mission without compromising her values. She focused on what stress does to relationships, how people under pressure turn defensive and self-protective. The result is Master the Moment, a program that teaches leaders to recognize and manage their triggers so they can show up more confidently and steadily under pressure.

“My belief is that if leaders learn to manage themselves, inclusion and belonging will naturally follow,” she says.

One client’s path back from burnout

Kim blends psychology, neuroscience, and real-world corporate leadership with an ability to connect openly with people. “People feel safe with me,” she says.

One client arrived wrestling with impostor syndrome, perfectionism, and intense pressure to prove herself. She read every piece of constructive feedback as evidence of a deficiency, overworked, and came close to burning out. Together they explored the fears and early rules that had shaped her beliefs.

As she began sharing her perspective with stakeholders, her leadership team pulled her into more strategic discussions. Today she sets clear boundaries and chooses carefully where to invest her talents. In Kim’s words, “She understands that being busy and impactful are not the same thing.”

Do one thing every day that scares you

Kim lives by Eleanor Roosevelt’s line, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” She describes herself as a highly anxious person, and the motto keeps her out of her comfort zone.

“I believe that the greatest antidote to anxiety is action,” she says. “We will never feel ready to do things that scare us. It’s by doing the scary thing that we realize how capable we are.”

She wishes she had learned sooner that no one has a secret manual. “I realized there is no playbook. And that’s what makes it so exciting,” she says. Her advice to aspiring Entreprenistas follows from there: Focus on being of service. “When we feel like we’re helping others, we naturally feel more confident.”

Keeping work human as AI arrives

Kim plans to keep evolving her business with the needs of the people she serves. As AI becomes a bigger part of daily work, she wants to focus on making sure people keep their humanity in the process. She also wants to be known for finding the humor in everything, even in dark times.

You can find Kim’s coaching, keynotes, and programs at kimmeninger.com and connect with her on LinkedIn.

If Kim’s approach to making work more human resonates, the Entreprenista League is a community of women founders who value connection, shared experience, and practical business insight as they grow. Learn more about the Entreprenista League right here.