Member since November 2022
Dr. Carolyn D. Mack is the founder of TaylorMcKiney Strategies, LLC, The Mastering Midlife community, and spends her days in medical education administration. Dr. Mack is an animated speaker/storyteller who intertwines life stories into impactful, transformational midlife strategies useful in professional and personal pursuits. She’s the go-to panelist, podcast, keynote speaker, and social media guest, making midlife an asset and not an issue by incorporating the empathetic dismantling of self-imposed limits to unlock the intuitive magnificence women naturally display. She is also an event planner, facilitator, and presenter for higher education events. Dr. Carolyn has inspired thousands of midlife women of all backgrounds to acknowledge themselves and embrace their decision-making ability to boost their confidence while discovering their little girl aspirations.
Being the Midlife Strategist allows her to embrace this incredible time in women's lives and combine it with her love of educating and coaching to give people operational skills to reveal the spark that makes life meaningful, masterful, and magical.
Empowering women to grow their confidence by acknowledging and keeping their promises to themselves to own their decision-making prowess.
My best story is more of a tapestry woven from myriad undertakings, from education to entrepreneurship. The limited examples of extended success in these areas in my life spurred me to study business and be relentless in finding opportunities. My story of drive, desire to make my mark, and fear of failure are always with me. Remarkably, successful endings often followed my endeavors. From the “100 Days of Motivation” Pandemic live stream, “The Blue Robe Chronicles,” the cross-country pandemic move from Texas to Washington, DC, and the Mastering Midlife Community; each story writes itself—a testament to seizing moments and confronting fears. As Nelson Mandela stated, “I never lose, I either win or learn.” These stories are lessons learned and are born from bold leaps and persistent resilience, which beckon to be shared. And what better place than speaker stages everywhere?
I was raised to follow the traditional educational route in life. The family mantra was and is: get an education, get a good job, move up the ranks, and retire. The obvious gaps between each milestone were measured in years, student loans, and job hopping. It sounded so easy. However, I was challenged when managers and supervisors didn’t acknowledge my hard work and promote me. My first encounter with the “failure to promote” came as a recently graduated college student working retail. A department manager position was available, and I was not offered the position. When I asked, they said I wasn’t chosen because they did not believe I wanted the role as I had just graduated college. Unfortunate as that ordeal was, it was the springboard into the higher education arena began, encompassing over half of my job life. Yet, this lack of promotion storyline and silencing of my voice would play out repeatedly throughout my career.
The more education I pursued to get promoted in an area where I could thrive, the fewer positive effects materialized. Achieving my doctorate six months before the pandemic forced me to re-evaluate my pursuits and make a different decision. I had always wanted to be an expert and own a business. Now I get to do both!
I started coaching because I know how to take apart skills or seemingly complex material and make them into easily implemented sections. I love to teach and help others, so I also began to help people in the area I was experiencing. That helped me be more empathetic. I started helping parents find college sports opportunities and scholarships for their kids. I coached young athletes in track and field, earning a Level 1 Track Coach certification from USATF. Additionally, I guided parents on navigating school resources for kids with special needs with minimal frustration. I focused on coaching in areas where I had firsthand experience and achieved positive outcomes. Wherever I struggled, I made it a point to have my experiences benefit others. I also became a certified career coach in 2021. I now have the awesome privilege of helping people spend less time in the gaps of life and more time pursuing their career goals.
I was born in Philadelphia, PA, and raised in South Carolina, where I completed high school and attended the University of South Carolina at the flagship campus in Columbia, SC. I began my work career in the retail and customer service industries during college. I then moved into higher education at my alma mater, The University of South Carolina, College of Business.
My best story is more of a tapestry woven from myriad undertakings, from education to entrepreneurship. The limited examples of extended success in these areas in my life spurred me to study business and be relentless in finding opportunities. My story of drive, desire to make my mark, and fear of failure are always with me. Remarkably, successful endings often followed my endeavors. From the “100 Days of Motivation” Pandemic live stream, “The Blue Robe Chronicles,” the cross-country pandemic move from Texas to Washington, DC, and the Mastering Midlife Community; each story writes itself—a testament to seizing moments and confronting fears. As Nelson Mandela stated, “I never lose, I either win or learn.” These stories are lessons learned and are born from bold leaps and persistent resilience, which beckon to be shared. And what better place than speaker stages everywhere?
I was raised to follow the traditional educational route in life. The family mantra was and is: get an education, get a good job, move up the ranks, and retire. The obvious gaps between each milestone were measured in years, student loans, and job hopping. It sounded so easy. However, I was challenged when managers and supervisors didn’t acknowledge my hard work and promote me. My first encounter with the “failure to promote” came as a recently graduated college student working retail. A department manager position was available, and I was not offered the position. When I asked, they said I wasn’t chosen because they did not believe I wanted the role as I had just graduated college. Unfortunate as that ordeal was, it was the springboard into the higher education arena began, encompassing over half of my job life. Yet, this lack of promotion storyline and silencing of my voice would play out repeatedly throughout my career.
The more education I pursued to get promoted in an area where I could thrive, the fewer positive effects materialized. Achieving my doctorate six months before the pandemic forced me to re-evaluate my pursuits and make a different decision. I had always wanted to be an expert and own a business. Now I get to do both!
I started coaching because I know how to take apart skills or seemingly complex material and make them into easily implemented sections. I love to teach and help others, so I also began to help people in the area I was experiencing. That helped me be more empathetic. I started helping parents find college sports opportunities and scholarships for their kids. I coached young athletes in track and field, earning a Level 1 Track Coach certification from USATF. Additionally, I guided parents on navigating school resources for kids with special needs with minimal frustration. I focused on coaching in areas where I had firsthand experience and achieved positive outcomes. Wherever I struggled, I made it a point to have my experiences benefit others. I also became a certified career coach in 2021. I now have the awesome privilege of helping people spend less time in the gaps of life and more time pursuing their career goals.
I was born in Philadelphia, PA, and raised in South Carolina, where I completed high school and attended the University of South Carolina at the flagship campus in Columbia, SC. I began my work career in the retail and customer service industries during college. I then moved into higher education at my alma mater, The University of South Carolina, College of Business.
