Lady Gloria Starr is a Trusted Advisor, Influencer, Visionary, and Trailblazer.
She has an executive presence and through her excellence in leadership, focuses on diversity and inclusion.
She is also an Executive Coach, who has won the Einstein Award of Global Excellence, and is a Master NLP Practitioner Ranked in the Top 2% of International Consultants, who has trained and coached in 60+ countries and with 125+ nationalities
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
I was raised to be seen and never heard. At fifteen years of age, I was taken to a different city and started working full-time as an apprentice Floral Designer. I also worked a second job at a restaurant in the evenings to make more money to support myself. A few years later, I started a two year Photography program at the College. I went to classes full-time and I worked the night shift sorting mail at the Post Office. I was sleeping 4 hours a night! In order to survive and thrive, I rented a five bedroom house and rented out four of the bedrooms to students so I could live rent free. After College I started teaching evening classes on Floral Design to adults at the College while I was learning about Image and Etiquette. I was fascinated and learned how to dress properly, improve my grammar and business and social etiquette. I started teaching evening classes on Image and Etiquette to the adults and they requested one-on-one Coaching and that started my Coaching Business. The next level was Corporate Training to local companies. My first one day class at a Company was $5000. for a 7 hour training program. WOW….. So, I purchased a computer and a book on how to create a website and that started my Coaching business! Soon people were finding my website and booking me for Corporate Training and Coaching. I have always had a Passion for Learning and I always said YES as I knew that I could learn enough prior to the Training date.
Was there any turning point in your life that changed your journey? If so, what was it? Please tell us the backstory behind it.
I truly LOVE Learning and once I mastered something, I always needed to learn something new. While teaching evening classes to adults, I was earning a good living and soon the adults attending my classes were referring me to their Bosses to bring me into their Company.
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business /initiative? What motivated you within to say “YES, go for it!”
YES, I knew that I would always be Learning and Teaching, I was learning and receiving a wonderful paycheck. Even now after decades of Global Training and Coaching, I am still learning. My Expertise now is Executive Presence, Image Empowerment, Global Etiquette and Manners, How to Read a Person Like a Book, Face Map Reading, DiSC Profiling and I have Trained the Staff at Palaces in the Middle East.
Everyone has their own set of challenges when starting an entrepreneurial journey. Still, the most essential part for others to learn is how you deal with those. Would you like to share with us your challenges and your coping mechanisms?
I was raised to be seen and never heard. I had to find my voice and I was terrified. I needed to be in the public eye and being so shy, I started making Fascinator Hats. I always wore a Hat (even to the grocery store) and people memorized and came over to me to tell me how lovely I looked. It was like a Magnet! I now have almost 100 hats and fascinators that I created and this is still my Signature and Magnetic Appeal. I also accepted a role on a television show as the Image and Etiquette Coach. The irony is that I never had a television.
While the global pandemic of COVID-19 is associated primarily with adversities, it has also brought about a true boom in startups, with successful entrepreneurship in many countries. The pandemic has impacted all of us in one way or another. Would you like to share your experience on a personal and professional level?
The Pandemic: When Covid rampaged, I was living in the United States and working mostly in the Middle East. My clients were the Rulers of Countries, Staff Training at the Palaces and Presidents of large Companies. Covid everything shut down and there were no more Consulting requests. As a Canadian, I decided to come back to my own country during Covid as we have wonderful Health Care. I had savings and I found a lovely home to enjoy but after three years my savings had diminished and my self-esteem seemed to have disappeared. I started doing some Virtual Training and Coaching and I also started learning new stills to add to my Coaching Business. Fortunately, Covid has dwindled and I am getting some global clients again. I love Adventure and each and every contract has new challenges.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
The Highlights and Achievements of my 40 year Training and Coaching include: Coached two United States Presidents I worked with the Generals at the Pentagon I worked with several Members of the Royal Families in the Middle East I also trained the Staff at the Palaces Trained and Coached Presidents of Companies and Countries I received the Einstein Award of Excellence twice for my work I created many Programs such as: Global Executive Finishing School gloriastarr.com/programs/executive-finishing-school/ Modern Day Finishing School of Influence and Affluence gloriastarr.com/programs/modern-day-finishing-school/ Become a Gentleman of Style and Substance gloriastarr.com/gentleman/ Visibility – Credibility – Profitability Position Yourself for Greatness and Become a Highly Paid Expert gloriastarr.com/next-level Image and Etiquette Certification Training – In-person Dubai, Palm Beach, Scottsdale, Toronto gloriastarr.com/image-certification/image-etiquette-training-program/ Educational YouTube Channel: ExpertGloriaStarr 800+ videos 26.5 thousand Subscribers, 3,160,867 views Video Credentials https://youtu.be/iRwQBDX3oZ4
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
Follow your Passion and do the work that you Love. Each and every Decade means a Change. Always be Expanding your Knowledge and Experience. Constant and Never Ending Improvement is Essential. Never leave your home without looking your Best. Always be Kind and Polite.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your personal life and professional journey? What is your personal motto in life?
Personal Motto: Constant and Never Ending Improvement. Be Kind to everyone, you never know what they are going through. Animals have feelings too. Nature Heals, protects our Planet.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women’s leadership today?
We need more Women with a Voice in Leadership. We bring Logic and we have a soft touch when needed.
With your grit and determination, you are making a considerable impact, breaking through, and serving as role models for many budding entrepreneurs. What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
Never Quit. Always be Learning and Improving Yourself. Pay lovely Compliments and Encourage others to Excel.
