Overcoming Challenges With La'Quita Monley

Brought to you by Salim Omar and the Straight Talk About Small Business Success podcast. He interviews special guest La’Quita Monley.

Who is La'Quita Monley?

La'Quita Monley is a successful real estate investor, business coach, mentor, and international speaker who empowers entrepreneurs, leaders, and change agents to maximize their potential and achieve lasting success. Wearing many hats, La'Quita is also a devoted wife and mother of five who continues to make time for her passions and purpose.

Monley's passion lies in helping people become the best version of themselves. Through her work as a business coach and mentor, she helps individuals achieve their goals and reach their full potential. Her expertise and experience have led her to travel internationally, sharing her knowledge with others in Kenya, United Kingdom, Germany, and back to the United States.

As a forward thinker, Monley continues to be a role model for individuals who want to make a difference in their lives and in the lives of others. She has demonstrated that it is possible to balance family life and a successful career while continuing to inspire and empower others. Monley's journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and hard work. She is a true inspiration to many who want to achieve their dreams and make an impact in the world.

Backstory - How Monley Made Her Mark

La'Quita Monley has a remarkable story of overcoming obstacles and achieving success. She was born and raised in a small town in Mississippi called McComb, where she met her husband and high school sweetheart. They had a child as teenagers. 

"This was during the 1990s, when teenage pregnancies and fatherlessness were on the rise, along with the war on drugs and gang violence, " says Monley. Despite this challenging situation, they got married and were determined to make the best of their lives.

Her experiences have shaped and molded her into the person she is today. She has faced both challenges and victories, and these have helped her to become successful in her roles as a speaker, coach, and trainer. She is a certified John Maxwell team member, which has further helped her to hone her skills and expertise in these areas.

Despite her success, Monley remains grounded and grateful for her journey. She believes that her past experiences have been instrumental in her current success, and she continues to be a forward thinker who empowers others. 

Monley can be reached through Google, her website, LinkedIn and on most popular social media networks.

Monley's Challenges in Business

"My first real estate deal failed miserably," says Monley. Left homeless with her husband, they had to learn how to manage money—and fast. She saw an infomercial by Carlton Sheets called 'No Money Down', which led them to buy the program. However, they did not understand how marketing worked.



"When we called to buy the program, it was a lot more than we expected. We bought what we could and started to study the material," says Monley.

She was left with one assignment- to purchase their first home and turn it into an investment property. Unfortunately, she did not have the full program, and some key steps were missing in the way she purchased the property. 

Within two weeks of her husband returning from being deployed to Iraq, they were homeless again  because the owner of the property had also returned and wanted their property back. Monley learned several lessons from this experience, including-

• Due diligence
• Evaluating the situation
• Looking at the reserves before making any decisions.
• Growth Mindset

Monley realized that her mindset was important and having a growth mindset helped her focus on the opportunity in the midst of the adverse situation.

Opportunity and Growth Mindset for Overcoming Challenges

"Our brain is an amazing muscle that can be trained and retrained to develop new habits and ways of thinking," says Monley. Similar to physical fitness, it takes consistent effort and practice to strengthen our mindset and create new patterns of behavior. "It's true that some people may have a natural inclination towards a certace and training, but with mindset, everyone has the potential to develop and improve their mindset through intentional practice," says Monley.

Monley's Advice For A Business Owner Who Has Lost Their Spark

Monley discusses what business owners can do when they feel like they've lost their passion for their work. Her advice is to first assess their "why" or purpose for being in business. Is their original purpose still valid, or has it changed over time as they've grown and evolved? "If the purpose has changed, then it's time to reassess and update it to match their current values and goals," says Monley. 

If the purpose is still valid but the business owner is feeling unfulfilled, Monley suggests taking a self-discovery journey to determine what's next in their life. They can step away from the business temporarily to focus on discovering their new passion and purpose. Alternatively, if the business owner doesn't want to sell their business, they can implement a succession plan or shift their role to a non-operating owner, while still receiving revenue from the business.



Monley emphasizes the importance of aligning core values with business goals to find fulfillment in work. By reassessing one's 'why' and updating it to match their current values, a business owner can find renewed passion for their work and experience a greater sense of fulfillment.

The Importance of Having a Clear Purpose and Strategy for Your Business.

Omar emphasizes the value of writing down questions and answering them on paper to help entrepreneurs get clear on their "why." He suggests that answering these questions on paper is best for solo entrepreneurs, while business partners can benefit from discussing their answers together.

Monley discusses the challenges of having a business partner who is also a spouse. "It can be difficult to find the right balance between work and personal life, and that communication is key. Monley shared that she and her husband have tried different approaches to planning their business, such as reviewing the week once a week, once a month, or once a quarter. They found that some methods worked better than others and emphasized that finding what works for your partnership is crucial.



Monley stresses the importance of having a clear purpose and plan for your business, regardless of whether you have a business partner. "Entrepreneurs need to take the time to reflect on their "why" and to discuss their goals and strategies with their partners or advisors," says Monley. 

Monley shares how she and her husband balance their different personalities to effectively communicate and plan for the growth of their business. Monley's husband has a military analyst background, while she is more spontaneous and visionary. They found that early planning and goal-setting work for them, so they started mapping out their goals for 2023 in August of the previous year. They found that looking at the big picture, setting quarterly and monthly goals, and making daily implementations to achieve them. They regularly review their progress and make necessary adjustments, knowing that change is crucial to business growth.

Final Words of Wisdom from La'Quita Monley

Monley and her husband have different roles in the business. She is the visionary, CEO, and entrepreneurial person, while her husband is the chief operating officer and integrator. They balance each other out and understand the importance of their roles in achieving their goals. 



Monley stresses the importance of understanding the personalities of the people on your team, whether you are a married couple or have hired employees. She recommends taking personality assessments and evaluating the state of your marriage to determine your ability to communicate effectively as business partners. 

"Understanding your team's personality types helps in assigning roles that match their strengths, allowing them to excel in their position and contribute to the team's growth," says Monley.

Closing Statement

Straight Talk about Small Business Success podcast is brought to you by Salim Omar, CPA. Straight Talk CPAs is a firm which provides individuals with tax return preparation and tax planning. If you are a business, we have a unique approach when providing Virtual CFO, Accounting services, and Tax Planning and Tax Preparation services. Contact us today.

La'Quita Monley

La'Quita Monley is a successful real estate investor, business coach, mentor, and international speaker.