Today we’d like to introduce you to Monique Gosling.
Hi Monique, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am an educator of 10+ years and a small business owner of 5+ years. I specialize in Reading, Writing, English as a Second Language, and Curriculum & Instruction.
To tell you the truth, I never thought I would be an educator. I went to school with the idea of being a Nurse Practitioner with a specialization in Pediatrics. Somehow one trip overseas changed my life and career path. I had an opportunity to travel to South Korea to teach English as a Second Language. I spent a year in Seoul and traveled around the country and other parts of Asia. My experience living and teaching over there made me more aware of my true purpose on earth and how I can be used to serve others. I left feeling excited about the path I was going to take.
I then pursued my MA (Masters of Arts) in teaching from Belmont University in 2011. I landed my first position as an ESL (English as a Second Language) Coordinator for an amazing school in Nashville. After working there for some years, I felt the time had come for me to transition into something else. I then later got my M.Ed in Curriculum & Instruction with a focus in Educational Policy from Concordia University in 2014. And in that same year, I moved to Dallas, Texas, it was here that I decided to start a small business by providing support to parents by guiding them and their children along the learning journey. I continue to serve in the public schools, however, assisting families in the learning so they can better support their child, seeing students have those aah moments and educators being empowered to better serve their students by makes me feel that I’m doing the right thing and it is always worth whatever the challenges that come my way.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not always been a smooth journey. I have faced challenges because of the ever-changing nature of education and staying up to date with the current trends to serve my students, parents, and community. As a business owner, I had to learn to find my niche and grow confidently in it. As an educator, you want to solve all education problems; however, that is impossible. I decided to serve families, but how could I do that effectively. I had to learn my families’ needs, what they needed, and what they wanted from me. That can be hard because you have to cater to each family’s individual needs. After all, a one-size-fits-all solution doesn’t truly work for all. I have almost seven years in business, and I am still learning how to be an effective business owner and stand out among the rest.
Some of the other challenges I faced were:
1. Having the continued desire to serve in education because, honestly, this field is complex and can be stressful at times.
2. Coming up with the means to start my business and to keep funding it.
3. Balancing being a wife, mom, career woman, and small business owner.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My business focuses on building bridges between families, schools, communities through Advocacy, Collaboration, and Team Building. I call it Let’s A.C.T.
I focus on assisting families with understanding how to help their child in the learning process, how to connect effectively with teachers and school. Without the support of families in the learning, it is a challenge to see our scholars achieve their highest potential.
I offer the following services:
Coach parents through the process of optimizing their student’s educational success while providing adequate resources for them to use.
Assist educators and administrators with team building and forming strong positive relationships with families and communities.
Offer tools and resources to empower students through the learning.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I also like to consider myself as a facilitator, coach, and mentor versus a consultant. I am genuinely about relationship building with all my clients.
I take on about 5-7 clients for the school year because I like to truly focus on those clients and give them the ultimate learning experience. Everything is customized to fit the needs of the clients. I try to avoid one-size-fits-all because each client has different needs, and they need to feel that their needs are specific and not something general.
Many small businesses like to take on many clients but cannot provide quality feedback, assessment, or results for those clients. My thing is to focus on quality versus quantity.
I enjoy traveling, journaling, decorating, shopping, and spending time with my husband, and full of energy, my three-year-old daughter. I am a down-to-earth person and enjoy meeting people and learning from others. I am also grateful for the sisterhood of women that are always there for me (Chaya, Jenice, and Kemi) and my family, who continue to encourage and support me in all that I do. God is the center of everything that I do.
I am a Mid-West girl born and raised. Chicago will always be home for me. I have currently been living in the DFW area for seven years as of August 2021.
Contact Info:
- Email: empowering@moniquegosling.com
- Website: www.moniquegosling.com
Image Credits
Yizong Xie
Guillaume
