Hidden Gems: Meet Kris Monkou of The Whole Being Coach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kris Monkou

Hi Kris, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a non-binary, trans-masculine, burnout coach for tech professionals and entreprenuers. And I am passionate about all things wellness, healing, holistic, and wellness arts. Back in 2020 my wife and I decided to pack up our lives, move out of our apartment that was a block away from the DC line and head out west. We traded in our sedan for a big dually truck and moved our downsized belongings into an RV. We set our course for California, and along the way fell in love with Colorado. During our time on the road I was intensely focusing on my personal development and my wellness/healing journey. Which would help me years down the road. After traveling full time in our RV for 3 years we decided it was time to have home base. At this time both my wife and I were working for a tech company. About 9 months ago I was well on my way to a very deep burnout, so I decided to take action. Unfortunately, my physical and mental health had already taken a hit, but because of my dedication to my wellness and wellbeing I could still take action and steps towards fixing things. I took a leave of absence, and spent the time healing. After my leave was up I very shortly after left my tech job because it was very clear that environment no longer aligned with me. But it taught me something beautiful, that I was able to make the brave choice and prioritize myself first, and that I wanted to help others do the same for themselves. I decided to jump two fit into being an entrepreneur and starting my own coaching practice to help folks prioritize their wellness and recover from burnout.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some key struggles along the way were the steep learning curves! Being first time RV owners was quite difficult. Before hitting the road my wife and I had never even been in an RV. This chapter of my life as a small business owner has been very similar in terms of challenges. Owning your own business there is always something to do, or something to learn. So the same steep learning curve has been apparent. Additionally, ones healing journey is never smooth. I’ve learned so much about my self and keep learning that there’s always a deeper more challenging level to go to in your healing journey.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Whole Being Coach?
My business is The Whole Being Coach. Coming from a tech startup background I realized that too often we focus on just the numbers, but employees are so much more than that. I wanted my coaching business to be focused on ALL of someone. To help them become harmonious in their lives. I specialize in helping tech professionals, and entrepreneurs recover from burnout and find their wellbeing. Ultimately helping folks realize that it’s vital to put themselves first. On an airplane they tell you to put your mask on first, before helping anyone else. It’s the same with life. Unfortunately, society often tells us that we should help others first, self sacrifice, or people please as a way of life. My goal is to help change that perspective for folks. Putting yourself first, holding firm with boundaries in the workplace and personal space then means you can thrive in any area of your life. What makes me different is that I focus on any and all parts of my clients and teach/reaffirm that they can say yes to themselves first. “No” is a complete sentence, but often folks feel uncomfortable saying that. I’m most proud of seeing growth in folks. I offer traditional 1 hour coaching sessions, 8 week wellness coaching programs, and 30 minute “hype” coaching sessions for those folks who just need a cheerleader in their lives.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Very few people would know that I am obsessed with football (soccer). My dad was born in Britain and so I guess it runs in my blood.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Thewholebeingcoach.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-monkou
• Youtube: @wholebeingcoach