“Starting my own business was never an aspiration. I’m an accidental entrepreneur,” states Kris McGuigan, Founder, and CEO of Professional Courage in Cleveland, OH.

Since day one as a student, McGuigan was drawn to Hiram for its small campus and comfortable, close-knit classroom setting. Because of the support around her, it was easy for her to jump on opportunities to stay involved. McGuigan worked as a Resident Assistant, wrote articles for the newspaper, and served as a tour guide for the Office of Admissions. Little did she know that her time working in Hiram’s Career Center would later encourage her to create her own business while she was on her path of self-discovery.

After graduating, McGuigan remained in Cleveland, OH where she worked for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Kaiser Permanente. After pursuing her MBA at Case Western University in 2005, working at Kaiser Permanente as a Project Manager to eventual Director of Operations, McGuigan asked herself, what’s next? “I wanted to know what my ultimate career would be. I began going through this self-discovery process and realized that I was more excited about how I would get my next job, than getting the next job,” says McGuigan. This rationale and passion furthered her ambitions to start her own company, Professional Courage, where she works with individuals and corporations for high potential markets to find their next possible career. “We move people from limited to free. We show them what’s possible. We offer the tools and resources to help people see what they’re capable of.”

McGuigan encourages current students at Hiram to try everything. “This is the easiest time in your life to explore what you like. Uncover your hidden talents. Build your courage muscle,” she says. Hiram allowed McGuigan to think outside of herself and be open to viewpoints that she may not have understood or embraced. “Everyone has a right to their own authenticity.”
McGuigan is a wife, mother of a son and daughter, and aspiring author. She is looking to publish her book, The Requisite Courage. How to Make Brave Decisions in Business & Life this summer.