Episode 035
Kirsten Meneghello
Are you stuck in the “doer” phase of your business, unable to scale because you’re managing every detail? In this episode of Women’s Million Dollar Conversations, Alice Tang sits down with Kristen Meneghello, founder of Illumination Coaching. Kristen shares how she transitioned from a legal background to becoming a top executive coach, helping leaders harness the power of Emotional Intelligence (EQ).
Kristen reveals her most powerful tool—Curiosity—and explains how shifting from judgment to wonder can dissolve anxiety and help you navigate high-stakes leadership challenges. If you want to learn how to lead with more ease and reach that million-dollar milestone by empowering others, Kristen’s insights are a game-changer.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
-How to pivot from a technical “expert” role to a strategic “visionary” leader.
-The “Curiosity Framework”: How to reframe bias and conflict as opportunities for learning.
-Why reaching $1M requires letting go of the need to have all the answers.
-The importance of self-awareness in building a resilient, high-growth company.
"My purpose on this planet is not about the money. It's about the impact I can have in other people's lives. And the money is a by product of that."
[00:00:00] Welcome to Women’s Million Dollar Conversations with Alice Tang, where we share stories from successful business women who have saved, earn or sold over a million dollars and discuss how they build their success and insights to help you achieve your goals. Now let’s join the conversation. Alice Tang: Good morning, Kirsten Manigallo, my wonderful friend since 2004. Kirsten Meneghello: Wow, can you believe it? Almost 20 years. Alice Tang: I guess we are only 20. Kirsten Meneghello: Yeah, probably not. Alice Tang: So happy to have you as a guest for us.
[00:00:35] Alice Tang: And we are at million dollar conversations and Kirsten, would you just share who you are, what you do and how long have you been doing what you do?
Kirsten Meneghello: Sure. So my name’s Kirsten Menighello and I’m the owner and founder of Illumination Coaching, which I established in 2010. Alice Tang: So we have 13 years under your belt on helping [00:01:00] executive and companies in time to develop leadership. Kirsten Meneghello: Yes. So a little bit about illumination coaching. So I have a couple different services. Kirsten Meneghello: I’ve been in corporate leadership coaching for many years where I help leaders with communication skills, especially to navigate difficult conversations with confidence. And then in addition to that, I support. Corporate cultures by sharing everything disc tools, which helps their people leaders to get all their people on the same page in terms of understanding communication styles. Kirsten Meneghello: Again, the communication theme. And then the third area that I’ve just recently added is I’ve become certified as a professional retirement coach. And so I’m helping some of these same professionals and leaders then figure out the big life transition to retirement or what’s next for them. Alice Tang: Very good. Alice Tang: So let’s get started.
[00:02:00] Alice Tang: So I know our focus is about saving and investing. So let’s go. Okay. What’s the value of money for you?
Kirsten Meneghello: The value of money is really just the ability to have freedom and have choices. So when you have money, you can choose if you want to give it away. Kirsten Meneghello: You can choose if you want to take that vacation, purchase something it just represents choice. Alice Tang: Freedom of choice, what we heard is so that we can decide what we want to do, when we want to do, how we want to do. Yes. And for many is when to walk away from work when you want it, when it’s stressful or for no reason. Alice Tang: I just want to play. Kirsten Meneghello: Exactly. It’s different for each person. So it’s nice to have the menu of options available to you. Alice Tang: Very good.
[00:02:45] Alice Tang: In your many years of putting a saving plan, investing plan together to your first million, how long does it take for you to get there? And what are some of the bias of getting there?
Kirsten Meneghello: So The first million probably took about 15 years, [00:03:00] actually. It’s not like it just happens overnight my husband and I started out with a lot of debt from graduate school. And so we were at a negative, net worth and had to be really diligent about saving, budgeting, and taking all of our discretionary extra income and pouring it towards. Kirsten Meneghello: paying off the student loans and maximizing our company retirement plans. So the more that you can, maximize that tax deferred savings and start investing in the stock market is a tremendous value. And then once you get to the 1 million, it’s easier to get to the second and third and things like that too, because you’ve got, the compounding effect that helps as well. Alice Tang: Very good answer. Actually, I am an advocate for people who try their very best within the number of years. In your situation, you mentioned it’s 15. Some people take 30. Some people take 18. Some people take 14 and a half. How about that? But the [00:04:00] most important thing is to get to the one because once you get to the one, getting from one to two is not as Alice Tang: difficult. Kirsten Meneghello: That’s very true. Alice Tang: And if we use a simple math, let’s say the average investment that you’re investing is doing 8 percent at 1 million, that add another 80, 000, it’s 108, plus you’re going to save another 30, 000 that year. Now you’re at 1, 000, 011. And think about the next year and think about the next year. Alice Tang: So thank you for sharing that concept again with our audience.
[00:04:50] Alice Tang: What is some of the bias that you’re running against when you’re saving in your first 15 years?
Kirsten Meneghello: don’t know if it’s a bias in savings, it’s more bias in career.
[00:05:00] Kirsten Meneghello: So I’m not sure if you want me to explore that a little bit, if that feels like it’s related?
Alice Tang: whatever comes to your heart now. Kirsten Meneghello: . So my background is in law. So I’m an attorney by training. And one of my earlier jobs was in charitable state [00:05:00] planning. And I think being a young female attorney, I was often not taken seriously by older male. attorneys and financial advisors. There was just a skepticism does she know what she’s talking about? Kirsten Meneghello: It was harder to gain that credibility due to my age and being a woman in a field that was largely dominated by men, which you can relate to Alice, right? Alice Tang: That’s true, because for many years, because of my height, everybody knows that I’m five, but actually I’m a little shorter than that. And I have black hair and Asian Alice Tang: so a lot of time when I go to conference until they look at my badge, they thought I’m an assistant. Kirsten Meneghello: Oh my goodness. . And you can’t tell height on the zoom, right? So they don’t know how tall you are, how tall I am. Alice Tang: I’m leaning forward to make sure I’m six feet. Absolutely not being , taken seriously in The other sex dominated industry is one huge bias, and I’m sure that you and [00:06:00] I are trying to help ourselves as we advocate ourselves and help other peoples that we’re helping to break through the glass ceiling.
[00:06:30] Alice Tang: So while we’re talking about that. How about if we go to the next wonderful question, I’m sure there are times that you’re contemplating. Gosh, it is so hard to get to that million. Should we quit just take the money and go to Las Vegas or go to a place where we enjoy less than 50, 000?
Kirsten Meneghello: Yeah. No, that’s true. Kirsten Meneghello: I don’t think about it necessarily that way because for me it’s two things. One is it’s not about the money, like the dollar amount, but what it represents. So again, those ultimate goals of having those options and those choices, , that freedom. But also something that I have tricked my brain into along the way is , some people they get a dopamine hit, when they go to the mall and buy a fancy handbag or something.[00:07:00] Kirsten Meneghello: I get a dopamine hit when I put money. So for me, I get excited when I am able to, pay down those student loan debt, but now it’s, adding to the retirement savings, adding to a brokerage account. where I can see that grow. So that’s one thing I’ve guess I’ve rewired my brain to reward the savings instead of the spending. Kirsten Meneghello: But then the other thing is just tying to my larger purpose and why I’m here. And that my purpose on this planet is not about the money. It’s about the impact I can have in other people’s lives. And the money is a by product of that. So the purpose is what keeps me going. Alice Tang: oh My goodness.
[00:07:50] Alice Tang: When you make big decision, do you just go with your gut or do you just do a bunch of worksheets, right? Calculate the pros and cons and how do you make a big decision when the stakes are very high?
Kirsten Meneghello: Yes. Kirsten Meneghello: . So I think decisions as a whole, just [00:08:00] general decisions, how about that are guided by my core values. Kirsten Meneghello: And I often work with clients that identify what their core life values are, and they change over time, But when we’re grounded in what our values are, we make better decisions because they’re in alignment with our kind of core being. And so I have mine listed on my whiteboard here. I’m looking at them right now. Kirsten Meneghello: And my top ones are respect, integrity, authenticity. I’ve got a few more there, so when I think about a decision, I go back to , that place. How is that showing respect for myself and others? Is that being an integrity? Am I being authentic? And so I ask myself those questions and the financial side, certainly those things come into play, and I trust my financial advisor. Kirsten Meneghello: So I don’t have to figure out it alone, and that’s why your role is so valuable, because you’re a partner for your clients in their world to help them make these big decisions too. So you don’t have to go it alone. Alice Tang: Very good. There is an [00:09:00] African quote that I learned when I’m here, Alice Tang: It says if you want to run fast, run alone. If you want to run far, you run together with people who are like minded, who is going to pick you up and support you even when you truly cannot trust yourself at the time. Thank you for saying that. It reminded me of that quote.
[00:09:40] Alice Tang: Many of the audience would like to know if I really want to be a Kirsten Manigault. I want to be like her. I want to be as good having the values to guide a decision. But what is one piece of advice you want to tell them, leave them?
Kirsten Meneghello: I’m not sure that it’s advice exactly, but I will share what has been powerful to me in my life is I have role models that I look toward for. Inspiration and I often think, if I’m in a tough situation, what would these people do? So I want to share [00:10:00] their three men and three women. Kirsten Meneghello: The three men are Dr. Martin Luther King, Gandhi, and Jesus. And what they have in common, what they embodied to me is these wise spiritual leaders. They’re servant leaders that led with love and peace. And especially in the leadership work that I do, I’m not saying I’ve , reached that enlightened state but the core of how I want to lead others, very inspirational to me. Kirsten Meneghello: And then I have a group of three women that also inspire me. And those are the artist Georgia O’Keeffe,, the singer songwriter, Stevie Nicks. and also St. Joan of Arc, of course. And these women have totally different character. They’re independent, courageous, Strong women who have just blazed their own trail. Kirsten Meneghello: They don’t ask, look for permission from anyone. They just go and do, and so those folks also inspire me. So between the two, those are like [00:11:00] my role models, my advisors in my head that I turn to a lot to keep me going. Alice Tang: I love you have six people at your advisory board. What would they do Alice Tang: today? We have talked about how you get a of rewarding yourself. Not necessarily a. Expensive handbag or a pair of shoes. I know women’s is all about, including me. I love purses and shoes, but , usually I’m good. Not buying because my size is too small. Alice Tang: But I’m getting a dopamine. I want to reiterate of rewarding yourself by. Investing in your future so that you have that freedom of choices is very important to today’s guest Kirsten, and I hope it’s important to you because if it’s not important, then of course there’s many reasons why you shouldn’t be doing it, right? Alice Tang: Why you haven’t done it. Yes.
[00:12:00] Alice Tang: The last question I have for our wonderful guest, Kristen, is what are you grateful for?
Kirsten Meneghello: What am I grateful for? I’m grateful for my network of wonderful women leaders and business owners like yourself, there’s just a lot of support out there for each other to share ideas, to share resources, to say, Hey, can you give me your feedback on this? And so I’m most grateful for my network, which includes you. Alice Tang: Oh, wonderful. Thank you so much for this wonderful conversation Kirsten Meneghello: okay. Bye.
Kirsten Meneghello is a seasoned executive coach and certified transition specialist dedicated to helping professionals harness the power of communication to elevate their leadership and confidently navigate major life changes.
With 15 years of corporate coaching experience, Kirsten’s primary mission is to empower leaders to articulate their vision effectively and handle complex interactions with assurance. Her expertise is built upon a diverse professional background, including experience in law, financial services, charitable estate planning, broadcast news, and leadership skills training. The consistent theme throughout her career has been the commitment to developing people.
In addition to her work in leadership development, Kirsten specializes in supporting professionals transitioning out of full-time careers and into retirement or their next phase of life. Recognizing that many professionals have a deep part of their identity tied to their work, she guides them in defining who they are outside of their professional role and charting their next course.
Kirsten holds significant credentials, including being a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation and a Certified Professional Retirement Coach and member of the Retirement Coaches’ Association.
A lifelong learner passionate about growth and connection, Kirsten maintains balance through hobbies such as travel, dancing, meditation, attending indie rock concerts, wine tasting, and studying Shotokan karate, where she holds a first-degree black belt.