Today we’d like to introduce you to Shayla King.
Hi Shayla, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I didn’t start in a boardroom. I started as an IHOP waitress.
In my late 20’s on paper, I had the American Dream. Title. Money. Married. 2 kids. 2 dogs. But behind the scenes, I was exhausted, sick, and disconnected from my life. I was doing everything I thought I was supposed to do and paying for it with my health and happiness.
That breaking point forced me to get honest. I realized there was no point in having a great career if I didn’t love my whole life. I began studying mindset, performance, leadership, and happiness and started redesigning how I worked and how I lived. As I changed my thinking and my habits, everything shifted. I worked less, made more, lost over 30 pounds, got my autoimmune diseases under control, and rebuilt my health. I worked my way up the corporate ladder, eventually leading global M&A deals and serving as a Chief People Officer. I also found love again, remarried, and created a life that felt full instead of frantic.
After reaching the C-suite and leading billion-dollar transactions, I stepped away from corporate to build the coaching practice I wish I’d had when I was climbing. Today, I coach senior leaders how to increase both performance and happiness. My work helps people stop proving, start leading with confidence, and design lives they’re genuinely excited to wake up to. My clients increase their pay, get promoted, and are happier in their work and home life.
What makes my work different is that I’ve lived both sides. I know the pressure of executive leadership and the cost of getting it wrong. My mission now is simple: help leaders build extraordinary careers while loving their whole damn life.
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?
I built my career by working hard, saying yes, and pushing through. Like a lot of ambitious women, I believed success required sacrifice. That mindset led to burnout, chronic stress, and serious health issues, including multiple autoimmune diseases. I was successful on paper but miserable in my body and my life.
Professionally, the climb came with constant pressure, office politics, and the unspoken expectation to prove myself over and over again. Personally, I went through a divorce, became a single mom, and had to rebuild my life while still performing at a high level. There were moments where it felt like everything was heavy at the same time.
The biggest struggle was realizing that working harder wasn’t the answer. I had to unlearn patterns around overachieving, people-pleasing, and tying my worth to my output. Learning to slow down, manage my mindset, and lead myself differently was uncomfortable, but it’s what ultimately changed everything.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My business is built for high-performing leaders, especially working moms, who want both career success and a life they genuinely love. My clients are driven, capable, and ambitious, but they also want time and energy for their families, their personal dreams, and the parts of life that matter outside of work.
I specialize in helping leaders increase performance and happiness at the same time. My work focuses on what actually moves the needle in executive careers: mindset, executive presence, decision-making, boundaries, relationships, and energy. The goal is not just promotions and compensation growth, but creating a life that feels calm, confident, and fulfilling at work and at home.
What sets me apart is that I’ve lived it. I spent years in the C-suite while raising kids and managing the realities of motherhood and leadership simultaneously. I’m not teaching theory. I’m teaching what works in real corporate environments, with real bosses, real pressure, and real expectations. Working moms in particular trust me because I understand the invisible mental load, guilt, and tradeoffs they’re navigating every day.
I’m most proud of the results my clients get. They work less, make more, get promoted faster, improve their health, and create space for their families and personal goals without sacrificing ambition. Brand-wise, I’ve intentionally built a space that values success and joy equally. I want readers to know it’s possible to build an incredible career and love your entire life at the same time.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I offer 1:1 and group coaching for individual leaders and corporations focused on career growth, executive performance, and building a life you actually enjoy. I also share insights and practical tools through The 5% Club Podcast, my weekly newsletter, and on LinkedIn.
The best place to start is by booking a consult so we can talk through your goals and decide together what support is the right fit.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ShaylaKing.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayla_king_executive_coach/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shayla.m.king
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaylamking/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ShaylaMKing
- Consult: https://calendly.com/shaylamking11/consult
- Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-5-club-for-leaders/id1792659587
