Today we’d like to introduce you to Monique Jackson-King.
Hi Monique, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
As early as I can remember, I knew I wanted to work in fashion and corporate retail. I vividly recall watching Who’s the Boss? and seeing myself as Angela Bower—the impeccably styled marketing executive who navigated career and family with both precision and support.
As I approached high school graduation, I shared with my parents my desire to attend the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM). They encouraged me to pursue a more traditional academic path. Raised with a strong sense of civic responsibility and awareness, I chose to study Political Science at the University of California, Riverside. While it satisfied my interest in political engagement, I remained connected to retail by working as a personal wardrobe stylist throughout my undergraduate years.
As graduation approached, I found myself at another crossroads and sought my dad’s guidance. His advice would ultimately shape the trajectory of my career in the most fulfilling ways over the past two decades. He said, “You love Nordstrom, and your friend lives in Seattle—why not apply to Nordstrom Corporate?” I did exactly that and began my career there shortly after graduation.
I started as an administrator in the flagship store and, within a short time, relocated to the Chicago area for a regional buying opportunity; a dream realized. After a few years, however, I was impacted by cost-saving restructuring tied to the economic downturn. I returned to California, started my family, and worked in education while also acquiring a contemporary women’s apparel boutique.
A few years later, my husband received orders to the United Kingdom, and we relocated overseas for a three-year assignment. That season was deeply transformative. While separated from family and long-established community, I continued my work as an academic administrator for a Texas-based virtual school.
During that time, Hurricane Harvey devastated many of our students’ communities. I led an initiative to partner with T-Mobile to provide mobile hotspots to affected families, ensuring students could remain connected to their education during an incredibly uncertain and traumatic period. In another instance, when my team was tasked with meeting an ambitious state testing participation goal, I proposed removing transportation barriers by providing rideshare options for families who otherwise could not attend.
It was in these moments that I discovered a deep passion for program development and strategic leadership. I began to envision a future where I could integrate my interests in leadership, strategy, and commerce more intentionally.
When our family relocated to Texas following my husband’s assignment, I recognized I had reached a ceiling in my role and made the decision to pursue my MBA. I earned my degree from Southern Methodist University during the pandemic and was recruited by Amazon shortly thereafter. Upon graduation, we relocated to Seattle, where I held several roles that allowed me to blend leadership, team development, strategic initiatives, and commerce in a way that felt like the fulfillment of my childhood aspirations.
In early 2024, my role was eliminated, and I became one of more than 20,000 displaced tech workers. After taking time to regroup, I made the decision to step fully into a new chapter: retail strategy consulting and public speaking.
While I never imagined I would experience layoffs in every post-baccalaureate role I’ve held, the resilience forged through each transition has become one of my greatest strengths. My identity is no longer rooted in a title, but in the character that has been refined—often through fire—by both the highs and the lows.
Today, I can say with confidence that I am just as grateful for the perceived losses, especially in recent years, as I am for the moments that once felt like the pinnacle of success.
At 40 years old, I’m just getting started.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road I’ve traveled has covered a wide range of terrain! Throughout it all, the standard I’ve both been held to—and held myself to—has been one of excellence. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to have a strong support system that ensured that even when I fell short, I did so with grace.
As a Millennial in an industry that thrives on discretionary spending, one of the greatest challenges to my career growth has been economic volatility. Shifting markets have often dictated opportunity in ways that were beyond my control. At the same time, I’ve faced a more internal challenge: the pressure to prove myself in rooms I had already earned the right to be in, yet still felt questioned within.
By nature, I’m warm and naturally bubbly. So much so that I coined the phrase, “business and bubbly do, indeed, mix,” born out of navigating less-than-ideal professional experiences. But before arriving at that conviction, I often operated from a place of overcompensation. I gave my time disproportionately—sometimes at the expense of my family and personal well-being—because I hadn’t fully anchored myself in the truth that I was, and am, qualified. Full stop.
The shift came when I re-centered myself around what truly grounds me: excellence, lifelong learning, collaboration, healthy and effective leadership, and joy. These became my anchors. And through them, I was able to reframe not only how I saw myself, but also how I carried the weight of my challenges.
We’ve been impressed with Curate Strategic Consultancy, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Curate Strategic Consultancy is a strategy-led firm focused on helping retail and e-commerce brands drive sustainable growth. We work at the intersection of product, brand positioning, and customer experience; helping companies refine their assortment, clarify their brand, and build omnichannel strategies that actually convert. My role is to diagnose where growth is being left on the table and then design end-to-end strategies that align the business from concept through execution. I love working with mid-market brands at inflection points, ready to move past plateaus, into accelerated growth.
How do you define success?
Early in my career, I defined success by my title, accolades, and lifestyle. But after walking through a few seasons that quite literally knocked the wind out of me, I came to understand just how fleeting those markers can be. Today, I define success differently.
It begins with my reputation: Am I a trusted leader? Do I create stability even when priorities shift and economies are uncertain? Do I honor my commitments? Have I held the door open for others, just as it was held open for me?
It also extends beyond my work. Am I consistently investing in myself, my family, my friends, and my community? Did I make space for Saturday morning coffee with my husband? Was I present at my daughter’s volleyball games?
I aspire to be a well-balanced woman—one who honors her faith in God and expresses love for her husband, daughter, family, and friends through how she chooses to spend her time. I work diligently to build and sustain trust with those I lead and those I have the privilege to influence.
At this stage of my life, I define success from the inside out. It starts with who I am—my character, my resilience, and my genuine desire to see others win.
That is where sustainable success begins.
Contact Info:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjacksonking
