ABOUT ME - HOW I BECAME CEO:
Born May 8th 1981 in Portland, Maine to Jeffrey and Linda. My parents continue to be my biggest supporters and my two favorite people to visit as much as I can. Growing up, mom was a school lunch-lady so all the kids knew and loved her. Both her and my father taught me service and sacrifice as a language-of-love, my father having worked out-of-state for the better part of my childhood to support the family.
Lived in Maine for 18 years. Graduated Cape Elizabeth high school in 1999, following in the footsteps of my over-achieving sister, Michelle. Cape Elizabeth has a reputation for being a wealthy, snobby part of Maine. However, to my mother, sister, and me it was a privilege to live so close to the ocean… and a privilege to receive one of the best public school educations that taxes could buy. Thanks, pop.
Attended Boston College from 1999-2003. Oddly enough BC was last on my college-list, but I pulled-the-trigger because my father convinced me that being part of the honors program would give me a serious advantage in the real world. It was during these four years that I started to question the conditioning I had received regarding God, alcohol, relationships, and how-to-be-a-success in the world. College, for me, was a time for more questions than answers.
Received the John B Atkinson Award for academic excellence. I got this award because I had the highest GPA in one of my majors (Operations and Technology Management), so I guess this makes me a valedictorian of sorts. They gave me a BC clock, which broke soon after I took it out-of-the-box and whose congratulatory brass-plate came unstuck within three months. I got it for free so I suppose you get what you pay for (the same clock costs $150 at the BC bookstore). Regardless, I kept that clock on the corner of my office desk for six years to honor my parent’s $100,000 sacrifice.
Sold CUTCO cutlery from 2000-2009. This is where my professional life starts to get interesting. In the year 2000, I was presented with my first opportunity-based income model… it was as if I was remembering a part of myself from a past life. Selling CUTCO taught me more about Mike Monroe and about life, people, and business than the honors program of Boston College did (to be fair to BC, I did sell CUTCO five years longer). Much of what I learned and executed in these nine years is the basis for my coaching/consultation programs. Likewise, without CUTCO, I never would have had the opportunity to become a professional speaker. My wish is that ALL aspiring young entrepreneurs can be blessed with such a wonderful supplemental education as I was. Go sell knives for a while, it will do you good.
Consulting, Speaking, and Internet Marketing. To whom much is given, much is expected. My current projects allow me to contribute to others in a very-worthwhile way while maintaining my primary goal of time-flexibility. But more importantly than anything, I am in a space that allows me to further-my-education and meet incredibly interesting and talented people. You know who you are.
It's been a fun ride so far.
-Mike-