We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Christine Simmons. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Christine below.
Hi Christine, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
For a long time, I confused confidence with perfection. I thought if I worked harder, achieved more, or stayed two steps ahead, that sense of certainty would come. But what I really developed in those years was the habit of apologizing — excessively — even when I wasn’t wrong. I asked for permission when I should’ve just moved forward. I played small so others could feel big.
As a recovering people-pleaser and overachiever, I overthought, overanalyzed, and often let the noise of others drown out my own voice. It took years — and a lot of inner work — to realize that confidence doesn’t come from silencing the critics, it comes from silencing yourself long enough to hear your truth again.
The real shift came when I stopped worrying about outcomes and started finding joy in the process — the freedom, creativity, and innovation that come from simply figuring it out. Once I let go of the need for validation, I discovered a version of myself that was bold, curious, and unafraid to take up space.
It’s still a practice. Especially for Millennial and Gen Z women like me, who were taught to shrink ourselves, wait our turn, and seek approval. But I chose another path — I created my own lane, flaws and all — and I did it by being UNAPOLOGETICALLY me.
That mindset is now at the heart of everything I build — the companies I consult for, my leadership labs, speaking engagements, online courses, and even my UNAPOLOGETICALLY (TM) clothing line. They’re not just programs or products — they’re reminders that confidence isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about claiming your space, owning your story, and leading with love, courage, and a little bit of badassery.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
At my core, I’m a builder — of people, businesses, brands, and impact. Everything I create lives under the umbrella of Living UNAPOLOGETICALLY — a movement, a mindset, and most importantly, a mirror, reminding people that they can live, lead, and love without shrinking themselves to fit someone else’s definition of success.
Professionally, my world sits at the intersection of leadership, culture, and impact — with a constant through line of economic empowerment and profitability. I’ve always believed the two aren’t in conflict; they’re in partnership. One of my favorite quotes comes from my former boss and mentor, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who taught me that you can “Do well and do good” at the same time. That principle guides everything I build — integrating purpose and profit in authentic, equitable ways that are good for everyone involved.
I speak globally to corporations and communities about how to lead boldly, operationalize good, and create generational wealth in communities that need it most. My UNAPOLOGETICALLY Leadership Labs bring those same principles into boardrooms — equipping executives and teams to lead with authenticity, inclusion, and purpose through actionable processes and creating equitable systems that drive results, profitability, and ROI.
My forthcoming online course, Live, Lead & Thrive Unapologetically, helps individuals unlearn the habits that keep them playing small — perfectionism, people-pleasing, burnout — and replace them with confidence, clarity, and joy. And because mindset is also a lifestyle, I launched the UNAPOLOGETICALLY clothing and accessories line that lets people wear that same energy of freedom and self-trust.
What’s most exciting now is expansion and scaling. I just had the most amazing Leadership Labs for one of my corporate clients, and I am developing new digital experiences that merge storytelling and personal growth, and producing a new series of live Living Unapologetically workshops in 2025.
But at the heart of it all, my mission remains the same: to help people remember who they are before the world told them who to be — and to show them that doing good and doing well are not opposites. They’re the blueprint.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, the three things that have shaped my journey most are SELF-WORTH, RESILIENCE, UNAPOLOGETIC EMPATHY, LOVE and “Operationalizing the Good.” (There I go over-achieving again)!
SELF-WORTH is everything. You can be talented, brilliant, and hardworking — but if you don’t believe you belong in the rooms you’ve earned, none of it matters. Early in my career, I often doubted myself, even when I had the receipts to prove I was qualified. The turning point came when I stopped waiting for external validation and started honoring my own voice. True self-awareness starts with knowing your worth — and refusing to discount it for anyone’s comfort. My advice: know your value, protect it fiercely, and endeavor to lead from that truth EVERY SINGLE DAY.
RESILIENCE has been the heartbeat. Every “no,” every setback, every closed door — I learned to see them not as rejections but as redirections. Resilience isn’t about being unbreakable — it’s about being unshakeable in your belief that you’ll rise again. But let me be clear — resilience isn’t about being Wonder Woman 24/7. (Though let’s be honest — she is my favorite superhero. She’s got fly boots, her own jet, and a lasso that makes people tell the truth — what’s not to love?)
Too often, especially for women — and particularly Black women — we’re taught that strength means invincibility. That we have to hold it all together, smile through the struggle, and never drop a ball. True resilience isn’t about pretending not to feel pressure; it’s about giving yourself permission to pause, reset, and keep showing up anyway — wiser, softer, and stronger. It’s knowing when to power through and when to power down.
In business, we glorify the grind, the packed calendar, the 4 a.m. emails, the “no days off” mantra. I lived by this for many years. But magic doesn’t schedule itself. Creativity, innovation, and opportunity need breathing room. As Scott Clary said, “Most people are too booked for miracles.” I’ve learned to leave space in my schedule for serendipity: the random coffee, the unexpected call, the impromptu idea that changes EVERYTHING.
Resilience, for me, isn’t about being unstoppable. It’s about being UNAPOLOGETICALLY human, and still choosing to rise.
And finally, UNAPOLOGETIC EMPATHY, LOVE AND “OPERATIONALIZING THE GOOD.”— yes, LOVE in the Workplace.
Leadership, business, and impact are all deeply human. But empathy on its own isn’t enough, it has to be active, structured, and unapologetic. Unapologetic empathy and love are about caring boldly and leading courageously by creating spaces where compassion and accountability coexist. It’s not the performative kind of empathy we talk about in HR trainings, but the real kind, the type that sees people as whole humans, not just job titles or productivity metrics.
Yes, I said “love” in the workplace, and I mean it. Love is respect, grace, and radical understanding in action. It’s what allows people to take risks, fail safely, and still feel valued. For too long, business has tried to separate humanity from performance, as if kindness weakens results. But the truth is, empathy and love are the strongest business strategies you can have. They build trust, creativity, and retention: all the things money can’t buy but every successful company needs.
Unapologetic empathy and love mean leading with both heart AND backbone. It means listening deeply, acting decisively, and building systems that honor people and performance equally. Because empathy without execution is merely a sentiment; empathy with structure creates results. And love, real, active love, is what sustains them both.
That’s the essence of what I call “Operationalizing the Good.” It’s not just a philosophy, it’s a framework for impact. It’s how I lead leaders who not only inspire teams but retain and are catalysts for their evolution. Leaders who drive performance and purpose in the same breath. Who prove that doing good IS good business.
I define Living UNAPOLOGETICALLY as “Being Bold, Attacking Life’s Challenges in Extraordinary Fashion, & Loving Oneself – Flaws and All!” This, combined with Operationalizing the Good means leading with courage, empathy, and love, and turning those values into MEASURABLE RESULTS THAT MOVE PEOPLE, PROFITS AND PURPOSE FORWARD.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
Both — but with intention.
I’m a huge believer in Kaizen, the Japanese principle of continuous improvement. Growth should never stop. The best leaders and the happiest humans are curious, self-aware, and always hungry to learn. There’s power in evolving and closing gaps where needed. You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be present in your own growth. One of my favorite phrases is: Relentlessly Reinvent Yourself.
That said, the real magic happens when you lean all the way in to what makes you special: your rhythm, your voice, your secret sauce. The world doesn’t need another well-rounded copy of someone else; it needs the fullest, most unapologetic version of you.
Early in my career, I spent so much time trying to “fit the mold.” I wanted to be “the best” at everything, to prove I belonged in every room. But everything I was measured by, the metrics, the KPIs, the definitions of success all came from systems that were never built with my success in mind. As I shared in a speech awhile back, I was constantly apologizing, constantly asking for permission, constantly giving someone else credit for my power. And then one day I realized if my brilliance makes someone uncomfortable, that’s on them. I’m still going to pour my heart, soul, and excellence into everything I do. That’s who I am. But if I sprinkle a little magic on it, YOU’RE WELCOME.
The moment I stopped overcorrecting and started owning my magic, everything changed. I stopped playing by outdated rules and started rewriting them. I leaned into my strengths of connecting PEOPLE, PURPOSE AND PROFITABILITY and that’s when my leadership, confidence, and results reached heights I hadn’t imagined.
And that same energy transforms the companies I work with. When I bring my edge, my unique mix of strategy, creativity, and unapologetic authenticity – they thrive too. Cultures become more innovative, teams more connected, and brands more human.
The lesson? Keep learning, but don’t lose your light trying to be everything to everyone. Sharpen your edges! Don’t sand them down!
Your edge is your advantage. Your magic is your ROI. And when you own it, UNAPOLOGETICALLY — that’s when you, your team, and your business start moving from PERFORMANCE TO PROFITABILITY TO POWER – ALL WRAPPED IN PURPOSE.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://unapologeticallychristine.com/
- Instagram: @unapologetically_christine
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnapologeticallyChristineNicole
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/unapologeticallychristine/
- Twitter: cnsimmons
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UnapologeticallyChristine
- Other: Thought Leadership (https://csq.com/profile/christine-simmons/)
Image Credits
Gold bodysuit blue walls – April Belle Photos
Black Suit Ring – Davy Greenberg
