Meet Madeline Schmidt

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Madeline Schmidt. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Madeline below.

Hi Madeline, 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, in some ways, I’m not sure you ever completely overcome it. But I’ve definitely learned how to quiet it and not let it run the show.

I still vividly remember one of my first big jobs in my early 20s. I was in charge of leadership training at the Hotel del Coronado. Here I was, fresh out of grad school, running sessions for people twice my age, many of whom had been leading teams longer than I’d been alive. The imposter syndrome was real. I used to joke that I couldn’t wait to get gray hair because maybe then people would take me seriously!

What helped me move through that was realizing I didn’t need to pretend to be something I wasn’t. I didn’t have to walk in and act like I was the most experienced or the smartest person in the room, because I wasn’t. But that didn’t mean I didn’t have value to offer.

I started grounding myself in what I could bring to the table – my ability to connect with people, to create space for learning, and to help bring out the expertise in the room. I shifted how I looked at my role. I didn’t need to be the expert on everything. If I could help facilitate great conversations, tap into the genius in the room, and make sure people walked away having learned something, I’d done my job.

I also reminded myself: other people put me in this role for a reason. They believed I could add value. I had to trust them, even when I wasn’t totally trusting myself yet.

And probably the biggest thing? Just showing up with humility, curiosity, and authenticity. I didn’t need to be perfect, I didn’t need to do things like anyone else. I just needed to be me.

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

Madeline Schmidt is a nationally-recognized expert in learning, talent, and organizational development with 25 years of experience across a wide range of industries. As the owner of Monarch Training & Consulting, Madeline has built a reputation for creating innovative, customized solutions that help organizations achieve their business goals and foster a culture of growth and success.

With a proven track record of creating and growing strategic learning organizations from the ground up, Madeline specializes in high-impact leadership development, organizational development, and culture/change initiatives. Her flexible and customized solutions are built specifically for your needs, culture, company, and people, and she has worked with companies all over the country in industries ranging from biotech/pharma/biosciences, product/manufacturing, advertising/PR, e-commerce, technology, hospitality, finance, retail and more.

In her almost 20 years of experience working in-house as the Head of Talent & Leadership Development for several growth companies, and now in her own consulting practice, Madeline has developed and coached thousands of individuals at all levels of an organization, including individual contributors, emerging leaders, new/mid/senior leaders, and executives. She is known for her ability to help individuals leverage their current strengths, develop new strengths, and uncover blind spots that get in the way of growth and success.

Madeline’s passion, insights, and ability to connect with hearts and minds have made her a sought-after speaker and facilitator. Her programs and strategies are practical, in-depth, and free of fluff, and her facilitation style is engaging, energetic, authentic, and humorous. Applying her expertise in psychology, Madeline’s programs tap into and reframe mindsets, resulting in long-lasting growth for individuals and the company.

Madeline holds an M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and is a certified facilitator/practitioner in a variety of globally recognized training programs, including DISC, Predictive Index (PI), Situational Leadership II (SLII), and AchieveGlobal. In addition, Monarch Training & Consulting creates and facilitates a variety of signature leadership development programs that are fully customizable to your organization’s needs.

Madeline resides in San Diego, California with her husband, 2 teenagers, and a Mini Golden Retriever puppy.

Overall, Madeline’s expertise, passion, and innovative approach to talent development make her an invaluable partner for organizations looking to expand their learning, talent, and organizational development strategies.

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, three things really stand out, and they’re less about technical skills and more about how you show up.

First, staying humble and curious. I’ve always believed you don’t have to have all the answers. In fact, the moment you think you do, you stop learning. Especially early in your career, being genuinely curious, asking questions, and being open to learning from everyone around you – that will take you far.

Second is drive and passion. I’ve always had this internal push to keep growing, to do meaningful work, to help others succeed. That kind of energy is contagious. People notice when you care and when you’re invested in what you do. My advice to others is: find the parts of your work that light you up, and lean into those. It doesn’t mean you’ll love every moment, but that inner drive keeps you moving forward.

And finally, empathy and connection. Relationships matter. Probably more than anything. Whether it’s with a team, a client, or a peer, taking the time to truly connect, to listen, to understand – that’s where trust and real impact happen. If you can lead with empathy, you’ll always stand out.

For anyone early in their journey, I’d say you don’t have to have it all figured out. But stay curious, stay passionate, and focus on building real connections. Those things will open doors you don’t even see yet.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

For me, it’s really less about the size of the company and more about the mindset. I tend to work with small to mid-sized companies — and some larger ones too — but the common thread is they genuinely care about their people, their culture, and their values. They don’t just see learning and development as something to “check the box” – they see it as a real investment in their people and the long-term success of their business.

My ideal clients are the ones who want a true partner – someone who feels like an extension of their team. They get just as excited as I do when we see that “win” – whether that’s leaders growing, culture shifting, or the business benefiting from stronger teams.

I also love working with companies where that belief in learning starts at the top. It makes all the difference when senior leaders are modeling that growth mindset themselves.

And honestly? I love when my clients love what they do – and they’re excited to work together. That energy and shared passion always leads to the best outcomes.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.monarch-consulting.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinejschmidt/