top of page
Every business has a story to tell.
LOCAL STORIES
Thursday, May 23, 2024
Share on social media:
A Provocateur leader turned her global experience into a flourishing speaking and consulting business and a book..
How Maiden Manzanal-Frank's brings strategy, change, and leadership into powerful solutions for executives
Published on:
Thursday, May 23, 2024
Ignite Business Insider shares the stories of businesses that are making an impact in their local markets. We highlight their stories in order to inspire entrepreneurial growth and to let readers learn more about businesses across the world that are growing and scaling.
Featuring
Maiden
President and Owner
GlobalStakes Consulting
Share on social media:
Thank for taking the time to sit with us today. You have some big news to share. But before we dive into that, can you share a little bit about yourself and your company?
Thanks for having me. My name is Maiden Manzanal-Frank. I'm a Leadership Speaker, Author, and Consultant based here in Central Alberta, Canada.
I am the Bhichai and Khunying Charoye Rattakul Scholar for Peace and Conflict Resolution at the Rotary Peace Center, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. For three consecutive sessions, I coached Rotary Peace Fellows from 25 countries on leadership and change-making at the Rotary Peace Center, Thailand, and currently lectures at Red Deer Polytechnic on Intercultural Communications.
Having travelled in more than 30 countries and in her social entrepreneurship work in 15 developing societies, the 18 years of experience and lessons learned are now accessible through her commercially published book: "Provocateurs not Philanthropists: Turning Good Intentions into Global Impact (Changemakers Books: 2022). This book will equip leaders, organizations, workplace teams, and business executives with practical lessons in leadership, strategic mindset, engaging communities and legacies-building for sustainable social transformation they could use right away.
I was featured on Authority Magazine, Medium, Chicago Tribune, Red Deer Advocate, Rotary Voices, and the World Fair Trade Organization Podcast. I was a speaker at the global conferences, summits, and expert-led sessions of Canadian Society of Association Executives, UNESCO Diversity Futures Summit, Alberta Social Innovation Connect, Manchester Metropolitan University, Burman University, Prairie College, IDRAC Business School, France, Juris North UK Roundtables, University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh and many more.
I also mentor, coach, and connect with thousands of networks, communities of practice, and coalitions working to secure a better world. I produce blog pieces that add to thought leadership on strategy, change, and leadership.
A question so many people are interested in, is how you got started. Can you share a little bit about what you were doing before this, and what that moment was like for you when you decided to start this new journey?
I was a Diversity Coordinator from 2010 to 2015 for a municipality that was experiencing social inclusion issues due to rapid population growth and the diversity of its newcomers. After that, I moved to Alberta and founded my own family. Given my extensive experience in community and international development and with core skills in research, public speaking, project management, consulting, stakeholder engagement, and strategy, my first instinct was to establish my own consulting business to achieve that flexibility and diversity of opportunities and challenges not found in regular full time jobs. Lo and behold, I'm now at the 6th year of my consulting practice and I can bravely say that for those who are scared of trying to build their own business because of the economics of the times, please don't. You will never know the extent and depth of your skills, character, and the opportunities that lie await if you don't try and really go for the big win.
Well, let's not keep our readers waiting. What is your announcement?
In 2022, I launched my first commercial book: Provocateurs not Philanthropists: Turning Good Intentions into Global Impact (Changemakers Books: 2022) which led me to nation-wide and global promotions. I have reached out to students, academics, private sector, businesses, Rotarians and purpose-driven organizations to discuss how to become Provocateurs for Social Good. Now I am calling for these changemakers to join me on a wait list for the Provocateurs' Nexus, a global community of changemakers who come together to learn from their peers, connect and support deeply, and build and imagine strategic initiatives together. For more info, please visit: https://www.maidenmfrank.com/provocateursnotphilantropists.html#/
I am also excited to launch my four keynote speaking topics which I had been presenting for a number of years in various shapes and forms. These enlightening themes reflect the need for more strategic insight, grounded and contextual leadership, and nuance change management approaches to issues besetting organizations and company executives today. And I can do this through keynotes, seminars, workshops, retreat sessions, and many ways.
I also launched this week my Summer Webinar Series featuring four key topics that best reflect my work with organizations for years. I hope that you can join me as these are all free and you can receive a recording too. Summer is fun when you're also improving everyday! To register: https://mailchi.mp/824c7a44ac4d/summer-webinar-series
What about your announcement personally excites you the most?
As I reached the 6th year of my consulting practice, I am very fortunate to count the many individuals who have helped me reach this stature and achievement today. I am indebted to them and to my family who's unconditional love and support helped me braved the challenges and occasional self-doubts that come with this career.
My announcements on my keynotes and the webinar series are important milestones in providing value and relevant content to my clients and to those that seek out my work on a regular basis. Now that I have the book, the series, and the network, and speaking offers, all these demonstrate tremendous value to my clients and partners. All the behind-the-scenes work paled in comparison to the satisfaction I received on a regular basis.
Lets focus on how and why this latest news impacts your clients.
We live in deeper levels of complexity and uncertainty. Change is ubiquitous and unrelenting, whether you like it or not. Any tool, resource, and knowledge handles on hot button issues of the day are always welcomed by organizational executives who faced these on a daily basis. Instead of putting out fires, they need to get their acts together by forwarding a strategic mindset to everything that they do. Hence, if you really think about it, it all boils down to strategy, change, and leadership. My three favorite things.
Share on social media:
What are three takeaways you would like your customers or clients to have from this?
My webinar series on this trifecta will bring perspectives to help ground these concepts and perspectives to their own life, career, and organizational pursuits. It will also empower them with practical solutions and strategies that they can use right away. Connecting with their peers is always a powerful way to learn, share, and build community.
In business, it's good to have a differentiator. What is your greatest differentiator? And, why?
My greatest differentiator is me. I'm the brand, the company, and I deliver my services myself. I don't have a team of people doing the work for me. That way, I choose the projects I want to work on, the clients I love to help with, and the kinds of strategic work that helps communities move forward. In that way, I'm being strategic with my own expertise and contributions. There's nobody on earth like me and I celebrate that. A Filipino-Canadian immigrant with more than 15 years of expertise and living in one of the most prosperous countries in the world, with two Masters Degrees, and a travel record in more than 30 countries, I can't complain the privilege and opportunities I had and continue to enjoy.
How has that impacted you or your business?
I chose solopreneurship because that fits well with my skills, competencies, and challenge appetite. My clients and collaborators value working with me because I can give best practices and a whole lot of expertise to them if they elect to work with me. I am very diligent, conscientious, and value-driven in my relationships and I consider all of them part of my eco-system helping me grow my impact.
How does that impact your clients, or customer's experience?
One time, my proposal for a strategic consulting work was turned by an organization and the sole reason for that was money. This was sad, but if the organization is not working on a scarcity mentality, they should have explored more ways of working with me and I was completely flexible that way. I am a coach, mentor, consultant, trainer, and advisor. So in any of these roles, I can deploy and assist them if only they gave themselves that chance.
In your line of work, what is the best ways that you have found to engage your customers?
I work on one-on-one and build trusting relationships first. That is the key to any successful customer relationships. Building an open communication lines and setting early on expectations, will address any issues that can affect or derail our projects together. I have thought leadership and amazing flexibility and adaptability not found in other larger firms or agencies. I deploy all my talents to help my clients succeed, simple as that.
Do you have a favorite project or client experience you can talk about?
I have a long-time client who I worked with for a number of projects for years. They were just ecstatic to have me, having worked with them previously on another project and in another capacity. I delivered these services and learned lots as a result which bring me back to how one intervention can multiply and affect and produce another interventions that weren't there previously. This the art and science of multiplying outcomes just with one client organization. Until now, I am proud to being part of this strategic initiative on a municipal scale.
How did that impact you personally?
Personally, it affirmed my belief on myself, my expertise, and my call for service in that area. I'm a firm believer that if you give your best in any endeavor, it will come back to you many folds, surpassing what you imagine the outcomes to be. I learned to enjoy while doing it in the process. Challenges, rejections, and failures are all part of the journey, so roll with these.
Final thoughts before we wrap up. What are some insights you could give our readers?
Be a Provocateur-Leader- create opportunities for those who can't so that you build up your change ecosystem and move the needles on some many critical issues in your organization and communities with others.
Go for the win-Even if you fail or half-achieved your goals, you are still better off than just sitting and waiting for things to land on your lap.
Never stop giving - You are blessed, enough, adequate, and equipped for the task that you have now. Go and give your best.
Well, it has been great sitting with you and learning about your latest announcement. How can people follow you and learn more?
You can find all about me on my website: www.maidenmfrank.com. My book: Provocateurs not Philanthropists: Turning Good Intentions into Global Impact is now available on Amazon, and other online retail outlets. My summer webinar series will start on Monday, 27th May so be sure to register immediately. My community: The Provocateurs' Nexus is calling for members, please join the waitlist. I'm available for speaking, training, and coaching on strategy, change, and leadership. Follow me on Linkedin at www.linkedin.com/in/maidenmanzanalfrank
Thank you so much for sitting with us today.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share the opportunities that I have for organizations and their executives. I look forward to more insightful conversations with you.
Share on social media:
Did you like this Story?
Subscribe to get New Article Updates sent to your inbox
Would you like to be featured on Ignite?
Ignite Business Insider is on a mission to share the stories of entrepreneurs across the globe. We truly believe that business owners and entrepreneurs are driving the world's economy and making this world a better place to live and work. We would like to share your story.
bottom of page