Ina Coveney I am so excited to have Kristine Munro on the podcast. Kristine, welcome. Thank you for being here.

Kristine Munro Thank you so much for having me, Ina. I'm so excited to be here.

Ina Coveney Me too, and I can't wait to really dive deep into your story. But before we do, can you please tell everybody what it is that you do right now, and who you help?

Kristine Munro Well, right now, in this very moment, I am the founder of The Illume Collective, which is a community for women entrepreneurs here in Denver to connect on a deeper level, illuminate their light, and do the things they were meant to do. Right now, I am also the host of The Pivot to Passion podcast because I’ve pivoted my way to discovering my purpose and passion.

Ina Coveney That’s amazing. I can’t wait to get into all of that. But first, can you please tell everybody about way back in the beginning? Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

Kristine Munro I am originally from Canada. I was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, and my parents are immigrants. My mom is from the Philippines, and my dad was from Hong Kong. I grew up in Canada around Canadians, and it was a town where there weren’t many people of color. So, I grew up navigating that and trying to figure out who I was, because I didn’t really fit in anywhere.

Ina Coveney Is that something you remember clearly—feeling different from the other kids?

Kristine Munro Oh, yeah. I went to a school where it was primarily Caucasian kids, and I was treated differently because people didn’t know or see anyone who looked like me. When people don’t understand something, they treat it differently. I didn’t have friends for the first few years of school, and I was bullied as a kid. Then, when another Asian boy joined our class, people made fun of us and teased that we were boyfriend and girlfriend because we looked the same. As humans, we all just want to fit in, and I couldn’t find my place.

Ina Coveney That must have been so hard. Did you find it difficult to fit in anywhere else?

Kristine Munro Definitely. My dad wanted me to learn Chinese, so he put my sister and me in a Sunday school with Chinese kids. But it wasn’t really a Chinese language school; it was just Sunday school with Chinese kids who already spoke the language. I didn’t know how to speak Chinese, so I didn’t fit in there either. It felt like I didn’t belong at school, and I didn’t belong with the kids who looked like me. I was really trying to figure out where my place was in the world.

Ina Coveney At what point did you start to develop a sense of what you wanted to do with your life? When you were in middle school or high school, what did you imagine your future would look like?

Kristine Munro I didn’t really know. I remember telling my parents when I was in middle school that I wanted to be a model. I loved fashion and putting on little shows at home. But my dad, who was an accountant, told me I needed to do something more practical with my life, like go to business school. He was coming from a place of love and wanting the best for me, but I ended up following his advice. I went to school to become an accountant.

Ina Coveney So you went into a more traditional path?

Kristine Munro Yes. I started in accounting, then moved into finance, and eventually ended up in commercial real estate development. I built custom homes and climbed the corporate ladder for about 10 years, and then ran my own real estate business for another 10 years. On the outside, it looked like I had everything—what most people would consider “success.” But inside, I felt unfulfilled. I knew I was meant for more, but I didn’t know what that “more” was.

Ina Coveney Was there a specific moment when you realized you wanted something different?

Kristine Munro Yes, it happened when we moved to Denver. My husband got a job opportunity here five years ago, and he asked if I wanted to start fresh. I said yes, even though it was terrifying. I wasn’t happy in my career anymore, and I felt like it was draining my soul. Moving gave me a chance to figure things out. But after leaving my career of 20 years, I felt lost. I realized how much of my identity was tied to my work. It was during Covid, too, which made it even harder. I went to a really dark place.

Ina Coveney What did you do to start finding your way out of that dark place?

Kristine Munro I hired a business coach. At first, I thought I was hiring her for business strategies, but she surprised me. On our very first call, she told me to start meditating. I didn’t understand what meditation had to do with my business, but it ended up being everything. It helped me get quiet with my thoughts and tap into what I truly wanted. That began my path of self-discovery, which ultimately led to where I am now.

Ina Coveney I love how you followed those breadcrumbs. Before we dive into your pivots, I want to touch on something significant: your first marriage. You’ve mentioned this on your podcast as a pivotal moment in your life. Can we talk about it?

Kristine Munro Of course. I met my first husband when I was 18, working at a grocery store. We got into a serious relationship right away. Looking back, I can see my parents were concerned about me settling down so young. They questioned why I was rushing into it, but I didn’t listen. We were together for 14 years, married for five, but something was always missing.

Ina Coveney What was the turning point for you in that relationship?

Kristine Munro There was a moment when I was on a trip with friends, and I realized I didn’t want to go home. It hit me that if I didn’t want to go home to my own life, something was deeply wrong. When I returned, I told my husband I wanted a divorce. It was incredibly hard because he was a wonderful person, but I knew deep down that staying wasn’t right for either of us.

Ina Coveney That must have been so challenging. How did your family react?

Kristine Munro My parents didn’t approve. They come from a culture where divorce is frowned upon, and they were more worried about what others would think than about how I felt. It was tough not having their support, but I knew I had to make the decision for myself.

Ina Coveney Thank you so much for sharing that part of your journey with us. I know it couldn’t have been easy. You spent that year navigating a tough time, and then later, you met your now-husband. At which point did you start to build your family? When did your son come into the picture?

Kristine Munro My son came way later. I met my now-husband in 2011, and we had our son in 2017. We had my daughter in Calgary before moving to Denver. When we moved, my son was one year old, and my daughter was four.

Ina Coveney So when you moved to Denver and decided not to continue with real estate, what did the beginning stages of your new business look like? What were you thinking at that time?

Kristine Munro When we moved, I knew I wanted to do something different, but I didn’t know what that was. At first, I thought, “Okay, I’ll stay home with the kids since they’re so young.” But I started following breadcrumbs. A friend from school, who was doing amazing things on Instagram, inspired me. I thought, “I want to do something impactful online, but I don’t know what.” I started taking Instagram workshops and learning about social media. Then, a friend introduced me to a network marketing company called BeautyCounter, and I decided to try it because I loved makeup and skincare. I did that for two years, but it didn’t completely fulfill me.

Ina Coveney So, how did that evolve into what you’re doing now?

Kristine Munro While I was working with BeautyCounter, my team kept asking me to teach them how to market themselves on social media. I became so fascinated with social media strategy that I created a course to help entrepreneurs. That eventually morphed into an Instagram agency for real estate professionals. Since I had a background in real estate, many people approached me to manage their accounts because they didn’t have time. It felt natural to lean into that, and it provided a solid income, but it still wasn’t fulfilling me.

Ina Coveney What wasn’t working for you with the agency?

Kristine Munro It felt like I was falling back into the same unfulfilling hustle I’d been in for 20 years. It wasn’t lighting me up. Around the same time, I started building The Illume Collective as a side project. The agency paid the bills, but The Illume Collective brought me joy. Eventually, I decided to let go of the agency, even though it was a big source of income, and go all-in on building this community. It was a scary leap, but it was the right one.

Ina Coveney That’s such a big decision. Can you share how you started to build the business model for The Illume Collective? How did you begin monetizing it?

Kristine Munro When I first started, I wasn’t focused on monetizing. I just wanted to create a space for women to connect. I organized brunches and charged just enough to cover costs. As the community grew, I started talking to other community builders and learning how they monetized their spaces. Eventually, I decided on a membership-based model. Now, we offer monthly memberships, a mastermind program, pay-as-you-go workshops, and an annual event. The business model is still evolving, but the memberships provide a consistent revenue stream.

Ina Coveney That’s incredible. You’ve also done an amazing job building visibility for yourself and your brand. You’ve spoken at conferences, been a podcast guest, and more. When did you realize that building your authority would be essential for growing your business?

Kristine Munro It took time. I used to have a big fear of public speaking. In college, I froze during a presentation in front of hundreds of people, and that experience traumatized me. For a long time, I avoided public speaking. But once I started working on myself—through therapy, meditation, and personal growth—I realized that being visible was essential to making the impact I wanted. Now, I love public speaking because I’ve shifted my mindset. Instead of worrying about what people think of me, I focus on how I can serve them.

Ina Coveney That’s such a powerful transformation. For someone listening who struggles with stage fright but wants to be more visible, what advice would you give them?

Kristine Munro Start small. When I began, I committed to doing Instagram Lives twice a week—one on Tuesday and one on Thursday. It was terrifying at first, but the repetition helped me get comfortable. If you look at my early videos, they’re cringeworthy, but I kept showing up. Practice is key. Once you’re comfortable with smaller steps, you can move on to bigger stages.

Ina Coveney I love that advice. What’s your big dream now? What are you working toward?

Kristine Munro My vision now includes speaking on bigger stages and creating an even greater impact. I used to block myself by saying I didn’t want to travel and be away from my kids, but I realized that was a safety shield. My purpose is to help women follow their hearts and lead with authenticity. That’s where true impact happens, and that’s what I want to continue doing.

Ina Coveney That’s so inspiring. Can you tell us more about The Illume Collective? Who is it for, and what can people expect when they join?

Kristine Munro The Illume Collective is for women with big dreams. Many of our members are entrepreneurs, but some are still in corporate jobs and just know they’re meant for more. It’s about surrounding yourself with women who uplift and inspire you. We offer connection, accountability, and opportunities for growth. It’s a space where women can step into their true potential.

Ina Coveney That sounds amazing. Where can people go to learn more about The Illume Collective and follow you?

Kristine Munro You can find everything at illumecollective.com. That’s “Illume” spelled I-L-L-U-M-E. We’re also on Instagram at @IllumeCollectiveCo. Personally, you can find me on Instagram at @ChristineKMunro. And don’t forget to check out my podcast, The Pivot to Passion.

Ina Coveney This has been such an incredible conversation, Kristine. Thank you for being so open and generous with your story. I know so many people will be inspired by what you’ve shared today.

Kristine Munro Thank you so much, Ina. It’s been an honor to be here. I really appreciate the opportunity to share my journey with your audience.

Ina Coveney Thank you, Kristine. And for everyone listening, go follow Kristine, check out The Illume Collective, and subscribe to The Pivot to Passion podcast. After this episode, take five minutes of quiet time for yourself. Thank you for tuning in!