Elevating your dream - and yourself - is no joke.
I know because I am doing it too.
“The best way to sum up Merritt? High whimsy, low bullsh*t.”
— Elizabeth Alice Murray Actor/Writer I New York City, NY
Hey there, I’m Merritt Minnemeyer.
I am on a mission to eradicate executive mediocrity.
Clients call me a “master coach,” but I think of myself more as a thought partner, guide, and cheerleader.
I founded Master of One Coaching to catalyze passionate creative leaders in succeeding as purpose-driven change makers and innovators for good.
Because if we are to thrive together in the future we need people like you leading the way with bold vision, compassionate leadership, + decisive action.
Me at age 3 with handsome papa. (Holy 1979, Batman.)
Bringing big visions to reality is in my DNA.
I come from a long line of executive leaders, creatives, and entrepreneurs. From the time I could talk, my family discussed business at the breakfast table.
While my Grandfather was the Founder + CEO of his international, publicly traded company, my Dad and Mom ran their architectural design and real estate development firm in my hometown in Northern California.
By my teens, I was traveling the world attending shareholder meetings with my Grandad AND seeing the realities of running a main street business through my parents’ eyes on a daily basis.
My headshot fresh out of college. Ahh, youth.
Art is in my veins.
My family taught me more than the art of business. They taught me about the value of art. Dad was a brilliant visual artist. Mom loved to sing and play the piano. Grandad played tuba and sang baritone in a barber shop quartet. My godparents were a textile artist and a jewelry maker. Our home was filled with music. We were surrounded by creative work and creative people.
I was fortunate enough to be encouraged to follow my heart. Starting at age 3, I spent hours each day immersed in dance, music, and theater. That little heart led me all the way to New York City to pursue big Broadway dreams.
Though I now call myself a “recovering actor,” those years performing, directing, producing, and teaching theater and film provided me THE BEST possible training for business - and for life. I see the world through a creative lens and find tremendous joy and meaning in creating.
This unique upbringing taught me a lot about what to do…and what NOT to do.
Growing up in those environments, I gathered some amazing experiences. I also learned the pitfalls of leadership gone wrong.
My Dad, once a highly respected visionary, ended his career in heartbreak. He trusted the wrong people, divorced twice, and died too young with little to his name.
My Grandad lost millions late in life. He let his ego get in the way and nearly destroyed what was, at its height, a booming, continent-spanning empire.
The effects on our family - and the people who relied on those businesses - were pervasive and devastating.
As a young professional, I worked with some of the biggest names in the New York theater community. Some of them were wonderful mentors and teachers.
Others - not so much. (I have stories…)
These experiences, and more along the way, taught me to do differently.
They gave me the tools to handle high stakes situations with grace, help others reach their full potential with integrity, and plan for meaningful legacies so more people can thrive in their wake.
Then life handed me my hardest lesson of all.
From the time I was young, I had a vision of building something of my own. But for one reason or another I kept holding back. It never felt like the perfect moment.
Then, in March of 2011 my sweet husband Peter, aged 39, suffered a seizure totally out of the blue. Imagine how terrified we were when he was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.
After a year of gut-wrenching treatments, and while parenting our three little kiddos…we lost him.
Both my dad and my grandad also passed away that year. All within weeks of each other.
Our entire world was blown apart.
The time that followed was horrendous.
I was drenched in grief and unable to see past it. I’ll spare you ugly the details, but suffice it to say I was not my best self.
It was a moment of reckoning. Something had to change.
These days, I no longer wait for the “perfect moment” to make big moves toward purpose, joy, and success.
And you don’t have to either.
That sweep of losses led to a despair that all but broke me.
In the midst of what felt like the end, I was faced with a decision: self destruct or start again. Driven by commitment to my children and an inexplicable spark of hope, I shut up and started listening.
I got acutely in tune with my intuition.
I surrounded myself with mentors and peers to elevate my thinking, my work, and my relationships.
I learned to trust my gut even when it was terrifying.
And now I know:
With clarity, commitment, and follow through transformation isn’t just possible - it’s inevitable. The choice is yours.
Today I am grateful to grow a body of work that I truly love. I completed a Master’s degree, attained several professional coaching certifications, and founded a business that affords me the fulfillment and opportunity to create a legacy of positive impact.
I get out of bed excited to work with amazing leaders who are innovating the creative, arts + entertainment, cultural, social, economic, and environmental spaces.
I am even remarried to an incredible man. And he adopted all three kids!
I am carrying out my purpose. Finally.
And you deserve that too!
If you are ready to step into an inspired version of yourself in leadership and in life…
you are in the right place.
“Merritt, is nothing short of a superhero. Her love, compassion, and ability to show up fully for her life is inspiring. I love her and all she brings to this world.”
- Carole Kennelly Founder/CEO, Mayware Ceramics Studio and Ritual Retreat Studio I Ojai, CA
It is time for your brilliance to shine.
I believe…
There’s wisdom in humor. (And healing too!) Like they say: “What doesn’t kill you, makes you funnier.”
And that your courage to evolve in your body, mind and spirit is the key to your success and joy.
I LOVE…
Dark chocolate (I mean, I REALLY love it), luxury couples’ spa days with my darling husband, nonfiction audiobooks, grooving to live music, yoga and meditation, cheering on my kids from the stands, traveling to destinations near and far, “forest bathing,” knitting hats for friends’ babies, and Star Wars. Yep, I said it. After all I help our clients “use the Force” all day long ;).
Are you ready to ignite your Inner Executive Genius?
Testimonials are unpaid from actual previous clients. There are no known material conflicts of interest. Results vary per goals and priorities of each client.
“Merritt truly is a MASTER coach. In just one hour we made some terrific discoveries about what’s holding me back from achieving my goals and we put together a practical framework to accomplish them. If you’re struggling to achieve your goals, this teacher/cheerleader will deliver a high return on your investment”
— Karen Anderson
CEO, Purple Peak Marketing l Boston, MA
“Merritt responds to the issues at hand and also gently pushes to get to the deeper issues underlying one’s resistance and fears. I’m so glad to have found her—my work, and my life, have grown and my visions for the future are more possible, and more likely, than ever.”
— Chris Wells
Founder + Executive Director, The Secret City l Woodstock , NY + Los Angeles, CA
Media Bio
Merritt Minnemeyer is on a mission to executive mediocrity in entertainment, innovation, and the arts.
As the Founder of Master of One Coaching she employs 25 years of leadership experience and her entrepreneurial DNA in guiding leaders and visionaries to exceed expectations. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coaching Federation, a “recovering” actor, an international speaker, and a passionate catalyst of the conscious business movement. She holds a BFA in Acting from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts, a Masters of Professional Studies, and several specialized coaching certifications.
Having rebuilt her life after being widowed with young, “neuro-spicy” kids, Merritt believes that conscious creative leaders are the #1 key to a thriving future, and that anything is possible when inspired people channel their power for good.
