Meet Cecily Elmas

We were lucky to catch up with Cecily Elmas recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Cecily , thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

I’ll be honest — imposter syndrome wasn’t a term I used for most of my career, though in hindsight, I definitely felt it. I would often find myself thinking, “Why me?” I remember one specific phone call with my coach, Susanne Conrad, where I said, “I don’t know why it’s me. I don’t know why the executives want me in these meetings just to be me.”

Her response was simple and powerful: “Because it is you.”

That moment changed everything. It helped me see that I wasn’t being invited in despite who I was — it was because of who I was.

I overcame imposter syndrome by recognizing the sheer amount of work, study, learning, and even failing that shaped me into the leader I am today. Every hour of effort and every experience built a foundation of real capability. That’s how I moved past the idea of being an “imposter” and began fully owning who I am — leading with my values, confidence, and the humility to admit when I don’t know something.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I spent 15 years at lululemon learning how to open and run stores, lead teams, and navigate the world of leadership and operations. During that time, I went through every level of training in both personal and professional development. Since then, I’ve carried that path forward — launching my own consulting business, serving as Chief Operating Officer for another, and now running two businesses while being a full-time mom and consultant. Along the way, I’ve continued to travel, learn, and grow. I recently completed my Master’s in Executive and Organizational Coaching and served as President of the International Coaching Federation.

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 qualities that were most impactful in my journey were curiosity, self-awareness, and resilience.

Curiosity kept me learning — asking questions, seeking feedback, and saying yes to opportunities before I felt fully ready. It’s what allowed me to grow into every new role and stretch beyond what I thought was possible.

Self-awareness helped me stay grounded and lead with intention. The more I understood my own values and triggers, the better I became at navigating relationships, communication, and decision-making — both in leadership and in life.

And resilience was key. There were moments of failure, uncertainty, and reinvention. What carried me through was the ability to pause, reflect, and reorient rather than give up.

For anyone early in their journey, my advice would be: stay curious — learn from every experience, not just the easy ones. Build self-awareness — it’s your greatest tool for authentic leadership. And practice resilience — because growth rarely happens in your comfort zone.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did for me was raising me to see failure as part of life and resilience as a way of being. They were equally supportive and tough — always encouraging me to try, fall, and get back up again.

When I was six, they did something extraordinary: they took me out of school, sold everything we owned, and decided to travel the world. There was an opportunity to go for next to nothing, and they took the leap. We were only allowed to carry what we could fit in our backpacks — and as a six-year-old, mine was pretty small. I traveled through Asia, Europe, and the Middle East in a bathing suit and sneakers, seeing the world in ways most adults never do.

I remember walking the Great Wall of China, climbing Mount Sinai, seeing the wreckage in Taipei, feeling the heat of India as we stood before the Taj Mahal — all without realizing the lessons they were teaching me. Looking back, that journey shaped everything. It taught me that the world is vast and beautiful, that discomfort can be the greatest teacher, and that anything is possible when you take a chance.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Where does your self-discipline come from?

One of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. We asked some

Productivity
Tactics & Strategies for Keeping Your Creativity Strong

With the rapid improvements in AI, it’s more important than ever to keep your creativity

Productivity
Working hard in 2025: Keeping Work Ethic Alive

While the media might often make it seem like hard work is dead and that