Meet Melissa Bauknight | Feminine Leadership & Business Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Bauknight and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, what’s the most important thing you’ve done for your children?
The other day I heard my 5-year-old son helping his best friend when he was afraid. He said, “put your hand on your heart and tell yourself that you believe in yourself. Say I believe in myself and I can do this”. Two days later he said to me, “mom, it’s ok to face your fears and show yourself that you are brave.”

These two heart-melting moments tie into the most important thing I have done as a parent. I have taught Jack and demonstrated through the way I live the importance of trusting yourself and being brave. He understands that the way in which we speak to ourselves matters a lot and that our words and our thoughts define our reality.

I didn’t learn these simple principles until I was in my early 30s and my hope is that by teaching him early, he continues to grow as an aware, confident, and intentional young man!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Five years ago, when I became a mom, my world as I knew it got utterly rocked. Overnight, I went from being an independent woman with a successful career to having a codependent human who desired to be attached to my body at all times. This shift in life created a shift in priorities, and it felt like I could no longer wait around to step into my higher calling.

I had been involved in personal growth work for several years before my son was born, so I had already been on a self-exploration journey. This started with a personal growth conference in 2015 which opened up a box inside of me that I would never close. I became fascinated by the human experience, how we assign meaning to everything, that we get to choose our thoughts, and that we have the power to design any life we want by rewiring our nervous systems.

I did an audit of my whole life and identified the areas that weren’t aligned with my highest self – my career being was something I needed to shift. What had become clear is that I am here to liberate myself so that I can liberate other women. I felt my calling to step into my purpose growing louder and louder by the day.

However, my fears about what could happen if I chose to take a leap were internally holding me hostage. My corporate job was stable and I was performing consistently in the top 1-10% of my peers. I had flexibility and freedom….and yet something was still missing. I knew I was meant for more, and I would never be fulfilled unless I answered that call.

The bridge between my corporate career and the coaching business I have today was a mission-driven direct sales company. It began as a side passion project 7 years ago, and once I realized there was an incredible opportunity to grow it on the side while working full time AND it could be the access to my new life vision being actualized, I went all in.

I hired my first coach when my son was 18 months old to help build my belief that I could leave my corporate career and take the leap into more meaningful work. Together we created a strategy to help me reach the top tier of the company, and overcome my fears. The result…I exited my corporate sales career with excitement and confidence eight months later.

I was free to pursue my dreams of being a purpose-driven leader and coach!

It’s been 3 years since I made that courageous move and now I get to guide women to make bold moves in their lives and go for their big soul-aligned impact-based dreams. I ignite heart-led female leaders to embody their purpose and bravely design their businesses and lives on THEIR terms. One of the ways in which I help women bring their dream business to life is through my signature program called The Bridge Mastermind.

Inside of The Bridge, we provide science-backed micro-shifts with intuitive healing so you can bridge the gap between ‘life on autopilot’ to ‘life in fulfillment!’

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I (not so secretly) LOVE showing people around Colorado when they come to visit. Being a tour guide is a favorite past-time of mine! I live in the foothills in Golden so my favorite places usually involve nature, the mountains, and finding a beautiful body of water.

I’d suggest staying at the Eddy Hotel and Taproom right at the edge of Golden along Clear Creek. They have an incredible patio, delicious food, Sunday morning yoga, and access to my favorite bike path. Rent an eBike from https://adventurewestco.com/ and take the bike trail from the hotel west through the canyon and past the Gateway Trailhead. This is one of the most stunning paths and it’s right out your front door!

Return your eBike and grab a tube from Adventure West and spend the warm afternoon tubing down Clear Creek. You can spend hours doing loops right in town and having the time of your life! Then wind down at Golden Mill food hall https://www.thegoldenmill.com/. You must try their sushi and sit on the rooftop deck with views of North and South Table Mountain.

The next day, I’d suggest breakfast at my favorite coffee shop Windy Saddle and a hike up North Table Mountain. You can end your hike right at New Terrian Brewery and hopefully catch some live outdoor music.

Any trip to Colorado wouldn’t be complete without a concert at Red Rocks. In fact, you can spend the entire day there hiking the Trading Post Trail, having dinner at the classic Morrison Inn, strolling the main street in Morrison, tailgating in the parking lot of Red Rocks, and then having the most magical evening under the stars catching a concert.

If you have an extra day or two, I would suggest renting a car and heading west on I70. You can stop in Frisco about an hour out of town for breakfast at Butterhorn Bakery and Cafe. Then take a SUP out on Lake Dillon right from the marina. Continue on west 30 minutes to Vail for a gondola ride to the top for a thrilling ride (or 10) on the Alpine Coaster. I’d recommend staying the night at the Sonnenalp Hotel (where my husband and I got married) and grabbing dinner at either The Bully Ranch or Mountain Standard. Make sure you save time for a hike up Booth Falls or a mountain bike ride in Eagle!!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We do not do life or business alone so I am honored to shout out to some people in my life who have helped me be who I am today. I want to start with my husband, John. John has been my biggest cheerleader as I have pursued my dreams with The Ripple Connection and inspires me every day with his pursuit of his own. My son Jack is the best human I have ever known. He teaches me to be kind, to lead with love, to stay present in the moment, and to love completely unleashed. Being his mom has been the greatest gift in my life.

I have a group of women in my life that I refer to as my soul squad. They each teach me to live and love harder and to create an abundance of everything – I’d love to mention a few here: Christina Miglino https://12circlesof12.com/, Victoria Bradbury, Amy Yamada https://amyyamada.com/, Cailin McDuff https://www.cailinmcduff.com/, Kayla Barnhardt http://www.smallfoxmedia.com/about, Jessica Rose https://www.bydesignwithjess.com/, and my entire team at Catalyst Brand Strategy https://catalystbrandstrategy.com/.

Website: www.therippleconnection.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therippleconnection/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-bauknight-trc/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/therippleconnection

Image Credits
Jordan Quinn