Unveiling My Brilliance
Reinvention has been the hallmark of my professional experience. It started after I graduated with high honors with a B.S. in Accounting & Economics, knowing that this would not be my chosen career path after a summer internship in the field left me uninspired.
In my gut, I knew I wanted to build my own business but at 22 years old I needed more experience. After completing my MBA in marketing, I entered a marketing research career that would keep me tethered for over 15 years.
I loved the research design process, as it allowed me to use my analytical and problem-solving abilities to design research projects that answered my corporate clients’ most pressing concerns. This is the same skill set I bring working with purpose-driven women now. Later, as a Vice President and team leader, I was able to finesse my marketing, leadership, and strategic skills.
But the entrepreneurial bug never left me, and to everyone’s surprise but mine, I jumped ship at the peak of my research career to build my image consulting firm, Elan Image Management. Talk about a 180-degree pivot! I went from a safe corporate career to the unpredictability and uncertainty that is the reality of every new small business.
Attending a fashion event in Washington DC
My adaptability, resourcefulness, business, and marketing savvy allowed me to reinvent and build a nationally recognized business and brand from the ground up in just a few years. My years of crafting proposals, creating reports and presentations, and working on corporate branding made me especially adept at copywriting and branding, which paid off in my website’s success to bring me clients.
It was an exciting and creative period and one that stretched the limits of what I thought I could do and the impact I could have. I facilitated workshops, led seminars, was interviewed on TV as an image expert, and was a sought-after leader in my field—all things I could never have envisioned doing before.
In 2011, I wrote and self-published an image empowerment book, “Frumpy to Fabulous: Flaunting It”, that quickly became an Amazon best-seller in its category, selling tens of thousands of copies globally. I was serving hundreds of women with my offerings and fulfilling my dream to empower women to show up in the world as the highest, finest version of themselves, by dressing with intention, with purpose. I had found my calling!
But after a personal crisis, I was forced to close my business. The transition was incredibly hard. I lost my identity because so much of it was tied up in my “Do.” I was brought low and there on my knees I was forced to wrestle with my faith and who I truly was, without a business, without a steady income, without all the shiny things, without a plan, and feeling like a failure. The imposter syndrome I had struggled with years earlier would become very loud in my mind. Would I let my “failure” define me or would I let God refine me and renew me when I had to rely on His grace and mercy? I chose the latter.
I was forced to reinvent yet again this time not by my own might but by being Holy Spirit led. I resumed writing and started an inspirational blog, freelancing as a writer, editor, and marketing communications consultant. After a few years, it finally became clear to me that I WAS called to empower women, but going forward, not as an image consultant. My new calling was much bigger than that.
I am a Brilliance Unveiler, called to help women name, claim, and aim their brilliance so they can leave a ripple-making impact in their leadership. My Why is using my brilliance to help women unveil theirs. Before, my work focused primarily on a woman’s external image. Now, my work helps women elevate their presence from the inside out. The Unveiled Way is about showcasing your brilliance in your presence without limiting beliefs getting in your way, walking out your purpose, and using your power and influence to impact companies, organizations, or communities for the greater good. It’s about your light and your vision coming to fruition, and in so doing, giving us all a glimpse of God’s unfathomable glory.
I was born and raised in Trinidad & Tobago and have called the United States my home for over 25 years. When I’m not “working,” I spend time walking in nature near water, taking photos, reading/listening to self-help books, attending live concerts, mentoring young women, and watching “rom coms.” I live in Howard County Maryland with my cat Trinity, where I receive inspiration from my energetic walks around the lakes in my neighborhood. If you see a six-foot-tall woman belting out a song with her airbuds in out on the trail, that just might be me.
You can read my professional bio here.
What Do I Bring as Your
Brilliance Unveiler?
Who I Am
I’m a woman of God who is spirit-led and faith-driven.
I’m a Black female immigrant from Trinidad & Tobago.
I’m most complimented on my passion, conviction, insight, strategic abilities, and authenticity.
I have decades of experience in my own personal growth & development which enables me to coach more deeply.
My Gallup CliftonStrengths Signature Strengths are Strategic, Maximizer, Intellection, Achiever, and Ideation. I bring curiosity, insight, depth, drive, and excellence, and the amazing ability to connect “the dots.”
My Myers-Briggs personality type is INFJ: Strong intuition, empathy, advocacy, and the foresight to see how we are all connected.
An introvert who sometimes presents as an extrovert.
A lover of the ocean and being near the beach, even though I don’t swim :-)
A music lover who sees it as my second language. Give me smooth jazz all day!
As a former image consultant, I love scoring amazing deals, especially when thrift shopping (cause I know the good stuff!)
I’m a natural leader, outlier, high-achiever, and (more often, lately) a quiet disrupter.
My Accomplishments
Three business degrees including an MBA.
My Coaching Certifications: ICF Certified coach at the ACC level. Certified Professional Life Coach (CPLC) from PCCI, Dare to Lead trained (Brene Brown), & Strengths Champion Coach from Brent O’Bannon (Gallup CliftonStrengths).
17 years as a market researcher working for corporate clients and leading a diverse team in financial services as a Vice President of research.
My experience as an entrepreneur and leader building a brand and business, Elan Image Management, which impacted women globally.
My skills and expertise as a certified Image Consultant and experience in Personal Branding and Professional Presence, working with hundreds of women individually and in groups.
My work as a coach, mentor, and champion empowering women to show up fully and powerfully as their best selves.
Best-selling Author of Frumpy to Fabulous: Flaunting It, Author of It’s Your Time to Shine Girl and Creator of She Shines Affirmation Card deck.
The Limitless Leader Summit host and Creator—a virtual summit featuring 20 trailblazing women, leaders, and visionaries speaking on breaking through perceived limits and ceilings.
Sought after Speaker, Workshop Facilitator, and Presenter in leadership development, personal growth, and women empowerment.
My Secret Sauces
My secret sauce of coaching, exhortation, intuiting, championing, and challenge facilitates your unveiling.
An authentic, safe space where you can be vulnerable, vocal, and visible.
My “Unveil Your Brilliance” framework to help you unlock the power in your purpose so you can fully claim the trailblazing path that is yours to curate.
Tactics, tips, and tools to help you remove the obstacles that have held you hostage and have prevented you from owning your brilliance.
I create a dynamic and innovative space in our container, so your vision and purpose are ignited and magnified.
I bring momentum to get you unstuck and challenge to propel you forward faster.
I open up a “possibility perspective” and genuine excitement about your vision coming to fruition.
Support and accountability to help you stand confidently in your brilliance, so you no longer second guess yourself or your abilities.
My brainstorming and strategic abilities help you problem-solve or ideate.
My strong intuitive promptings allow us to go deeper faster and get to the root issues that may be sabotaging you.
I often am a “bridge” to help you access deeper healing from the shackles of guilt, shame, or self-doubt.
My creative brand strategies allow you to cull out your unique value proposition so your distinctiveness, talents, and “secret sauce” can be harnessed for a ripple-making impact in your leadership.
“Before I started with Natalie, I didn't know what was in store for my life. I had done branding work but it always felt external. What I've experienced with Natalie is something very different. The work we've done is developing a brand based on the person I am uniquely created to be. This has taken me to depths I never dreamed of going. Natalie challenges me more than any other coach, mentor, or advisor. I trust her explicitly and I know what is being created will last a lifetime. This is one of the best investments I've ever made.”
—Johanna Stamps, Life Coach
Natalie “unveils your brilliance”. Now what does that mean? She removes the blinders from you and makes you step back and examine who you are and what you bring to the table. You might feel like you absolutely bring nothing to the table (like me), but she works with you to show how there is so much there, and in doing so, that purpose, that path, that course of action is clarified – that unveiling of who you are and guidance with what you can be doing is what she does and gives you clarity on it – to help you move forward.
At first, Natalie’s excitement during the process might be unexpected. But know this, that excitement is for you and is part of her process.
She has helped unstick me, walking me through an intuitive process, where everything reveals itself as you do the work. The most exciting part I would have to say then is the ongoing “unveiling”.
- Perryne Lokhandwala, Visionary Creator of Everyday Life Labs
My Academic Credentials
I am an International Coaching Federation (ICF) certified coach at the ACC level, a Certified Professional Life Coach (CPLC) by the esteemed Professional Christian Coaching Institute, a certified Strengths Champion Coach and Dare to Lead Certified by Brene Brown’s leadership program.
My formal education includes an MBA in Marketing from Baruch College, CUNY; a Masters in Finance from Cambridge University; and a magna cum laude B.S. in Accounting & Economics from Rutgers University.
