Meet Laverne Mckinnon | Executive & Leadership Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laverne Mckinnon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laverne, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
One of my favorite affirmations is courage over confidence.

When I was fired from a high profile job years ago, I lost my identity, esteem and confidence (along with many other things!) I found it more and more difficult to put myself up for cool opportunities, to speak up in meetings and take calculated risks. While I waited for my confidence to return, my life and career were drifting.

So I turned to research and self-reflection. In unpacking where confidence comes from I realized that I needed to lean into courage. Courage would allow me to take action. Action, over time, builds confidence.

It started out small. Signing up for an online course no one would know I was taking. Asking a former colleague out for coffee. Getting feedback on how to strengthen my resume. The actions grew from there and as a result I doubled-down on my coaching business by growing my social media presence (very scary for a perfectionist!), hiring consultants to assess my business plan and products (very scared to find out I might be doing things wrong!) and investing in a team (very scary to stretch my budget, but was able to reframe it was an investment).

Challenging myself on a regular basis to ask what in my life and career requires courage and then taking an action step (no matter how small) has helped me grow exponentially.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Every bold idea, groundbreaking project, or career-defining step comes with the risk of failure. We all know this, but when failure happens—and goes unprocessed—it chips away at our creative spirit, resilience, and sense of belonging. I’ve watched it happen to incredibly talented colleagues in the entertainment industry, and I’ve lived it myself.

In 2006, I was fired from a job that had become my identity. As the Senior Vice President of Drama Development at CBS, I had built a career that seemed unstoppable. And then—suddenly—it wasn’t. That loss was more than professional; it was deeply personal. At the time, I didn’t have words for what I was experiencing, but now I do: career grief. The silent, unspoken loss that so many high-achieving professionals experience but rarely acknowledge.

That moment forced me to ask: *Who am I without this title? Without this role?* The answers didn’t come quickly or easily. I had to deconstruct what success meant to me, grieve the version of myself that no longer existed, and rebuild with intention. That process led me to become a certified coach and grief recovery specialist—not just to understand my own experience, but to help others navigate their own transitions.

That’s how my coaching business was born. I founded **Moonshot Mentor** to help ambitious professionals reframe setbacks, reclaim their confidence, and design careers that align with their purpose. Whether it’s recovering from a layoff, embracing a career pivot, or stepping into leadership with clarity, I guide clients through their reinvention. My work isn’t about surface-level career strategies; it’s about transformation—helping people see what’s possible, not just probable.

My background in film and television informs everything I do. Storytelling is at the heart of my work, and I use the same instincts I honed as a producer and executive to help clients rewrite their “pitch”—not just in their careers, but in their self-narratives. The most compelling characters are the ones who face adversity and emerge stronger. That’s what I teach my clients to do.

Building this business wasn’t easy. The biggest challenge? Letting go of the belief that reinvention had to look a certain way. There was no linear path to follow—only the willingness to experiment, iterate, and trust that the skills and experiences I had accumulated weren’t lost just because my job title had changed. I also had to push past the internalized shame of failure. The entertainment industry, like many high-stakes fields, is built on a culture of success-at-all-costs, which makes it even harder to talk about loss. But I learned that the only way forward was through.

The lesson? Career setbacks aren’t the end of the story. They’re just plot twists. And if we learn to embrace them, we gain agency over what comes next.

I want people to know that they’re not alone in these moments of uncertainty. There’s a path forward, and it’s not just about getting back to where you were—it’s about moving toward something even more aligned, fulfilling, and true to who you are now.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Wow, I loved this prompt and really went all out. Here’s a week-long itinerary that blends the spiritual and strategic, the doing and the being. I live in Laurel Canyon so this is all centered with this as our home base.

Day 1:
Easing into the visit, we’d start with a hike at Fryman Canyon in Studio City—nothing too intense, just enough to stretch our legs, breathe in the fresh air, and catch up. Afterward, we’d reward ourselves with Eggs Benedict at Blu Jam Café in Sherman Oaks, one of my favorite breakfast spots. From there, we’d go for a big dose of TLC at Olympic Spa, a Korean day spa for women. There’s something about the ritual of showering, soaking, and getting a full-body scrub that feels like shedding the weight of the outside world and fully arriving in the present moment.

Day 2:
We’d start the morning with a hike in Burbank at the Brand Library. This is a “recent” find recommended by my friend Barbara Bloom. It’s a peaceful, lesser-known trail with stunning city views. From there, we’d indulge in a classic In-N-Out burger—because what’s a trip to LA without it? I may even buy my friend a T-shirt! The rest of the afternoon would be easygoing, maybe heading to the Skylight Bookstore and then hitting Gelsons to pick up supplies to make dinner at home.

Day 3
If Runyon Canyon is open (post wildfires), we’d do a morning hike there—one of the best people-watching and skyline-viewing experiences in the city. Afterward, we’d refuel at Sugarfish on La Brea for my favorite sushi. The afternoon would be a visit to LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art)—a place that never fails to inspire me. And we can have a late afternoon snack or glass of wine at the LACMA cafe.

Day 4:
The day would start at the Brewery Arts Complex, where my husband and I share an art studio. It’s a fabulous place with over 200 studio spaces – a great glimpse of the LA art scene. So much history here. From there, we’d grab tacos from my favorite taco truck near Home Depot. The afternoon would take us to the Los Angeles Central Library in DTLA. Words cannot describe.

Day 5
The morning would begin with a hike in Griffith Park, where we could take in even more sweeping views of the city and, if we’re up for it, visit the Observatory. Lunch would take us back into Studio City for the Bollywood Café — home to the best Indian food in LA. Afterwards we’d walk the “Silver Triangle” where there are a lot of cute little shops and then when our feet start barking we would head over to The Pampered Foot, a hidden gem for amazing massages where you don’t have to get naked.

Day 6
This would be a spontaneous day with plenty of great options to choose from. We could start with a leisurely walk through the Venice Canals or explore Silver Lake and Atwater Village, two of LA’s most eclectic and walkable neighborhoods. If we’re in the mood for movement, we might opt for a yoga class or an Orange Theory session at Century City Mall, followed by a well-earned meal at Din Tai Fung or Haidilao Hotpot. If sushi sounds more tempting, we’d head to Sawtelle Blvd, browsing the shops before grabbing a meal at Hide Sushi. And if the day calls for noodles instead, there’s no question—we’d make our way to Tsujita for the best ramen.

Day 7
On the final day, we’d stay close to home, taking an awe walk through Laurel Canyon. We’d spot animals in the Laurel Canyon Wildlife Corridor and I’d point out the homes of legends like Mama Cass, Frank Zappa, and Joni Mitchell. To wrap it all up, we’d order an early dinner from Pace, a cozy Italian spot beloved by locals. The night would be spent watching the Laurel Canyon documentary and Lisa Cholodenko’s film Laurel Canyon.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The transformation in my life and career has been informed, influenced and encouraged by dozens of individuals and organizations. I simply would not be here if not for the compassion and grace of others.

One organization that I would like to highlight is the Creative Grief Studio (https://creativegriefstudio.com/) where I learned how to create meaning after loss in more ways than simply talking or journaling. Their program challenged me to become an agent for change by understanding how to work with people using different modalities like art. It was a rigorous, powerful mixture of science, art, and philosophy. Receiving my certification form the Creative Grief Studio was a lynch pin in the work I do as a coach.

What I discovered as a coach who helps ambitious professionals navigate transitions (whether that’s moving into a leadership position, losing a role, or a project failing) is that the missing ingredient for being able to move forward is having permission to grieve. Not everyone needs grieve, but for those who do, it’s the key difference in staying stuck vs. meeting your potential. Having multiple ways to help people in a mourning process through CGS was a game changer.

Website: https://www.lavernemckinnon.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lavernemckinnon

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lavernem/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laverne.mckinnon

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWBuL2OWgglO_YHyFdJOGpg

Other: Substack is the platform I primarily direct people to: https://moonshotmentor.substack.com/
It has a lot of great resources.

Image Credits
All photos are mine.