Hi, I'm Kim
I help visionary leaders break free from overwhelm and over-functioning, shifting to aligned, clear, and empowered leadership without sacrificing who they are or what they care about.
This is the story of how I learned to lead from within, and how I guide others to do the same, unlocking their full potential while staying true to who they are and what they stand for.
My Story
From Proving to Trusting
I’ve always followed the spark—the thing that lights me up, pulls me in, and energizes me—even when it didn’t make sense to anyone else.
But I haven’t always had the courage to act on it right away. Like when I hesitated to leave my “perfect on paper” job: title, salary, stability. Following the calling I couldn’t ignore felt risky, even irresponsible. But I knew staying would cost me more.
Like many leaders, my path didn’t begin with formal training, but with opportunity. I was hired into a leadership role without a background in business or management, and then promoted into progressively more senior positions. The first time I was responsible for leading a team, I did what I’ve always done: I got curious. I dove deep into learning how to lead people well; not just manage tasks or hit goals, but actually lead.
I’ll never forget the moment it clicked. A team member came to me with a challenge, and instead of offering a solution, I paused and asked one powerful question. I watched her shift before my eyes; more grounded, more capable, more sure of herself. At that moment, I realized I didn’t need to have all the answers. I just needed to lead in a way that helped others find their own.
But leadership has a way of showing you where you’re not yet free.
When I was promoted to Executive Director, I had just returned from a leave to care for my family after a serious car accident. My husband and son came home unable to walk. We spent months navigating the physical recovery, but the emotional toll was unexpected and far more lasting.
I went back to work too soon. I wanted life to feel “normal” again. But really, I was avoiding the pain. I threw myself into work and chased success in the name of healing. I was capable, but I was also in survival mode. The three P’s ran the show: People-pleasing. Perfectionism. Proving.
I looked like I had it all together. Inside, I was exhausted. Alone. One misstep away from it all unraveling.
Eventually, it did.
Kim Mintenko Coaching is located in Treaty 1 territory, on the ancestral lands of Anishinaabe, Ininiwak, Anishininew, Dakota, and Dené, and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.
I burned out and took a five-month leave. That’s when everything changed.
I realized it wasn’t about better self-care or another quick fix. It was about changing how I related to myself on the inside.
That was the beginning of coming home to myself.
I began working with a coach and mentor who helped me understand how to change at the identity level. I learned to trust myself unshakably. To lead from my soul, not my survival patterns. To shed the mask, stop proving, and finally own my power.
That’s the work I now do with visionary leaders: work that rewires your inner world so you can rise into your next chapter with clarity, self-trust, and conviction.