Woodbury, Long Island, New York (516) 340-0378

Long Island’s Teen Life Coach,
Published Author & TV Show Host

Connie Henriquez Kimmel

Beauty executive turned life coach, Connie is a PRO at LOVING LIFE! And she loves to teach people the same!

Connie is a mental health expert (who LOVEEEES the color pink!) and founded her own trademarked positive psychology coaching system and lifestyle brand “Start Loving Life”.

She is the published author of “What Lawyers Don’t Know” a self-help book for lawyers she co-wrote with her husband attorney Jeff Kimmel in 2020.

June 6, 2023, she released her NEW book, “Start Loving Life; The Philosophy of Loving Yourself and Your Life”.

She can also be seen on Long Island local cable TV hosting her very own TV show “Start Loving Life with Connie” on channel 20 at Saturdays at 9pm.

Connie loves to laugh, smile LOTS and have fun in everything she does! And she hopes to inspire you to do the same!

Connie has a private coaching practice located in Woodbury, New York where she works with local clients in-person.

Connie also has clients all over the world that she works with via FaceTime & Zoom.

When Connie isn’t spending time with clients, she is loving life with her husband Jeff Kimmel, their chihuahua Pumkin and their newly rescued 4 kitties in their Woodbury, Long Island home.

To find out how you can work with Connie,

call (516) 340-0378

or click here for her Start Loving Life coaching information!

Our  Start Loving Life family…

 

OUR CAT STORY

In September 2021, Jeff and I returned home from vacationing in Napa Valley, California.

We arrived home late to our back deck light on. We saw a momma cat feeding 4 kittens on our deck. We were NEVER cat people. I was allergic!

The next day, we went to Petco and bought LOTS of cat stuff and food. Within a few weeks of wondering what we should do and feeding them. We took it as a sign that our house had so much love to give and we were gonna take them in and keep them. ALL Of them. So that’s what we did.

Momma cat didn’t want to stay as she had already grown independent to the outdoors. So momma got fixed, went back outside and returns everyday for her meals.

She sometimes still likes to sneak indoors but then she just rushes to get back outside. Ironically, she pays no attention to the kittens. So, we know she is happy to come and go as she pleases as she knows her kitties are loved and cared for. 

For me, I quickly made my way to the allergist, requested ALL the meds or WHATEVER I needed in order to be allergy free. It has worked. 

We have learned so much about cats as these cats were somewhat feral. We spent months socializng them. It has been such a learning experience but I must say I and we (My husband and I) are officially cat people. The love they have brought to our home and to Pumps, our chihuahua is pricless. Just when I thought I knew everything about life, who knew cats would come along…

And I am SO thankful they did….

Why I created Start Loving Life?

Growing up I followed the rules.

I was as smart as my grades said I was.

I was as good as people told me I was.

I was as nice as possible to others so people would like me.

As a result, I doubted myself all the time. How could I not, knowing what I now know? I gave away all my power, hoping to receive positive opinions from others.

From others?!

Not myself. I cared so much about how I was perceived, it placed me at the mercy of other people. It mattered to me whether or not  others liked me and saw me as “good enough” to be a partner or to get a job, promotion, or a raise.

I gave away all my power to others and allowed them to tell me “whether I was good enough.”

And you know why? Because that’s what we are taught all day, every day from when we are young.

We are taught that we are good enough ONLY IF WE:

  • Get good grades.
  • Have teachers that like us.
  • Have lots of friends.
  • Have parental approval.
  • Behave in class.
  • Get into a good college.
  • Get a good job.
  • Have a boss that likes us.

I’m here to tell you that the reason why so many people out there are stressed, anxious, and suffering from depression is because that way of thinking is ALL WRONG!

That’s what you were taught so you would behave, be obedient, and conform without ever finding your own way and developing the true you. You feared that you would be unliked and unsuccessful.

The reason I’m sharing this is because it’s what I learned in 2007 when I created my own philosophy, Start Loving Life. I learned that I didn’t need anyone’s approval but my own.

And that’s when MY LIFE CHANGED.

And so could yours.

No longer do you need to be a victim of what others say you should be.

It’s about time you start to “OWN” who you are.

It’s about time you realize your true brilliance (which, BTW, has nothing to do with your grades, job, or current income).

It’s about time, you stop playing small with the masses and take back control of the only person who will ever matter in your life … YOU.

When you Start Loving Life, you stop looking for approval from others and start getting it from where it is … YOURSELF.

That’s why I created Start Loving Life! To teach those like the old me that there is a BETTER WAY! And if some Long Island girl from the cosmetic industry can do it, so CAN YOU!

What is Start Loving Life?

It’s my lifestyle. It’s my way of living and thinking. It’s me.

Start Loving Life is the NEW modern-day mindset of mental health.

 

Start Loving Life is:

  • The ability to bounce back from any struggle, problem, or situation, bigger and better than before.
  • The power to LOVE yourself unconditionally.
  • The power to drown out any negative noise around you.
  • The belief to be, have, or do anything you want in life.
  • The knowledge to create your life any way you want.
  • Supercharged self-esteem at its best.
  • Hardcore-confidence at its finest.

 

It’s the true freedom of independence and self-sufficiency everyone seeks (yet some never realize).

What did I do before I was a life coach and created Start Loving Life?

I was blessed with a wonderful career in the cosmetic industry. Before that, I never loved school. I always thought it was kinda silly to study for a test just to forget it all the next day. I also felt something was truly off about the education system: it was set up to determine your level of intelligence by forcing random subjects on you and then judging you based on a grading system that someone just made up. So although I did well in school I was never a fan. And as much as I love to call out this “not ideal” system (like I do in my new book!), I actually appreciate my school experience very much. Because luckily (wayyyyy before my Start Loving Life self) I somehow figured out how to leverage my situation.

I always loved beauty, hair, make-up, and fashion, so I jumped at the chance to enroll in the cosmetology program my high school provided during school hours. I got school credit and it was free! That one decision set me up for something big before I even knew what it was.

After I graduated, I attended a cosmetics marketing program and quickly landed a job in the cosmetic industry. I started as a Beauty Advisor for the cosmetics brand Color Me Beautiful. It was an interesting entry level brand that coordinated your make-up colors (and clothing) with your skin undertones. It actually kinda worked – based on your skin coloring, certain colors do indeed look better on you. That’s why my love of pink make sense: in the CMB world I was a deep winter and looked best in cool tones. Within a short period of time I left for a more established brand, and first “real job” amongst the big beauty brands, working for Chanel as a Beauty Advisor in Macy’s Smithaven, Lake Grove, New York. I loved the job and the brand! From there, I grew and worked for many different amazing brands. I went from being a Beauty Advisor (make-up artist) to many different positions within management and multi-account management for retailers such as Macys, Bloomingdales, Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom … you name it! The brands I worked for included Estee Lauder cosmetics, their fragrance division Aramis & Designer fragrances, Puig, Prada Beauty, and Bare Escentuals. My last company within the industry was Clarins which I left in 2016.

I also did end up going to college at night very early on in my career. As I mentioned, I wasn’t a school fan but I am an “opportunity” fan and felt that not having my degree may put me at a disadvantage. So I went at night and on weekends for many years and graduated with a BS in Business.

I never imagined I would have gone from a career in beauty to the self-help industry. It’s a great example of how the universe pretty much knows better than you. My planned out life pretty much took a turn in a direction I never imagined and opened me up to a new life, a changed mindset, and opportunities I never even knew existed. I talk at length about this in my book, but I share here because life really is about being open, trusting, and embracing everything that comes your way. Even if, at the time, it makes no sense or it wasn’t in “the plan”.
I consider my time and experience in the beauty industry the perfect platform for the creation of who I am now, and who I am continually becoming. This is true of everyone’s past, once you understand the value of why things happen. Again, that’s something else I share in my book. And although it seems like I keep plugging my book (LOL!) it’s really because I feel so strongly about what I now know and how it changed my life.

How did I end up working with kids & teens?

I first started my coaching practice part time (working nights and weekends) while working full-time in the cosmetics industry in 2007. I worked specifically with executives ranging from various industries including retail, finance, law, and real estate.

After my clients achieved much success working with me, I found an overwhelming number of them requesting that I work with their kids. Originally, I took that as a compliment, but I really had no interest in working with kids. So I brushed off the conversation any time a client brought it up – until, one day a very close client shared a story about her 12 year old daughter being bullied at school. She placed her daughter in therapy, but saw little success, and the therapist recommended a light dose of medication to help with her anxiety. I was baffled (and pretty annoyed) as to why meds were the answer for her daughter. With the limited information her mother shared, I knew the answer. Her child didn’t need meds, she needed confidence. She needed to improve her self-esteem. That was the real SOLUTION she was seeking. So, low and behold (that universe is pretty smart) I told her mother to bring her in. After completing my Start Loving Life 30 Day Program, this girl went from wanting to switch schools to never mentioning switching schools again. She was happier, more confident, and was trying out for the school play by the end of the month. I was pretty amazed at how receptive she was to my teachings. I soon realized that kids, more so than adults, so desperately needed what I had to offer. I knew that teaching a child how to Start Loving Life at an early age would change the entire trajectory of their life for the better. As a result, Start Loving Life became the go-to for parents and kids alike, first on a local level and for the past few years it has grown on a national level.

I am proud to say I have influenced and impacted more kids than I could have ever imagined. How? By teaching them the easy, simple tools and techniques from my “30 Days to Happy” Program, which includes how to be happy, confident and love life in as little as 30 days. Something EVERY child should learn.

What makes me different than most coaches or therapists?

I LOVE LIFE. I LOVE what I do. I BELIEVE in what I do.
And my goal for your child is to achieve RESULTS.

There is never a reason for a child to be in therapy for years OR in therapy with little to NO RESULTS.

Do not settle for less than what your child deserves. Every child has the ability to be happy and confident. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

My education & training

Education & Training:

  • B.S. Business Communications & Marketing, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
  • Health Counselor Training Program, Teachers College~ Columbia University, New York, NY
  • Certified Health Coach, Institute of Integrative Nutrition, New York, NY
  • Certified Money & Marketing Coach Training with Kendall SummerHawk
  • Registered Practitioner of the Bach® Flower Essences, Dr. Edward Bach Foundation
  • Talent Plus, Former Leading Talent Assessment Interviewer

Affiliations:

  • American Association of Drugless Practitioners
  • The Dr. Edward Bach Foundation International Register of Practitioners for The Bach® Flower Essences
  • HR in the House Inc.
  • Salenger, Sack, Kimmel & Bavaro Law Firm
  • The Penn Club of New York
  • LawLine
  • Shelter Rock Tennis Club