Meet Monique Duell | Founder of This Ability LLC, Author, Advocate & Radio Show Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Monique Duell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Monique, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
I define success as the proper execution of your God-given assignment. Whether your assignment is in ministry or in the marketplace, following God’s blueprint for your life will result in prosperity and success, even as your soul prospers.

What should our readers know about your business?
This Ability was founded in 2010. At the time I was a divorced, single mom and full-time caregiver to my son Jeremiah who has cerebral palsy and my brother MJ who has autism. What began as a resource in PG County Maryland has become a global movement. This Ability’s mission is to provide services, support and resources which will enhance the lives of families and individuals with special needs. This Ability inspires and encourages others through faith, media, conferences
and workshops. I am also an Author. I have penned 5 books to date: Grief is a Gangster, Caregiver CPR, Jeremiah the Jackrabbit, Handicapped Mom: Lessons I Learned Through Cerebral Palsy and How Do I Handle a Special Needs Child? What sets me apart from others is my passion and my drive for advocacy and my total transparency no matter who I encounter. God uses my books and my testimony to encourage and minister healing to the special needs community. This Ability is not your ordinary LLC. It is a ministry that helps families to embrace God in the midst of their uncertain journey with their disabled loved ones. We help them to change their persepective about themselves and their condition. We help them to thrive and to become the best version of themselves. Our motto is, “Don’t Diss This Ability”. I am most proud of the fact that This Ability has been well received, recognized and awarded for our hard work. It wasn’t easy to start this business because I didn’t file the proper paperwork until after lost my grandmother and sister 2 wks apart. That was my wake up call to get busy! God gave me This Ability back in the early 2,000’s and I sat on it. I had everything written out, logo drawn, etc. I honestly didn’t want to talk about the fact that I was a special needs mom. I was already a big sister to a special needs sibling and growing up, it was no fun for obvious reasons. I was ashamed and angry at God. When God told me to launch, there were alot of tears, fear and insecurity because I’d never started a business before and I had zero dollars when I started, but I was obedient. All I knew was that this was all GOD, not me. I overcame all of that by taking God at his word and just doing it. I was already coaching, teaching, in full-time ministry etc. anyway and I realized that I was already in position to do what God said do. There were many lessons that I learned throughout this journey, but the biggest lesson I learned was that I am enough. Whatever God has placed in my hands to do, I am more than capable of completing it with his guidance. Before that revelation came, I was swallowed up in being a special needs single parent, which led to depression, exhaustion and burnout. This Ability literally saved my life! I want the world to know that you’re looking at a true overcomer. I survived domestic violence, child abuse, divorce, sexual assault and suicide. My brand is not just a “brand”. It is my beauty for ashes. It is my legacy.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When my best friend comes to visit, we google restaurants and places to go to read the reviews. Then we choose two of them and visit both. We’re both movie buffs, so we’ll go to AMC or the iPic Theater. We love the bread at Texas Roadhouse and I’m a steak girl, so we’re definitely going there during the week. We would just make it a girl’s week, so we’d stay in a nice hotel, like the Gaylord or the MGM Grand, get mani/pedis and check out the local entertainment around town. Anytime that I can get away to relax and recharge is a win for me. The most fun thing to do is to go on road trips. We both like to drive and take pics of the scenery along the way. We also enjoy a good concert, karaoke bar or comedy show. That’s where we meet the most interesting people. I always end up meeting a caregiver like me. We like to be spontaneous so having an itenerary isn’t our norm. We go places we’ve never been and try new cuisines. We google, we agree and we go.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost, THANK YOU GOD for all you’ve done for me. To my sons, Ronald III and Jeremiah, your constant love and support keeps me going. To the staff at This Ability LLC, thank you for keeping me focused and grounded. Thank you to my entire village of family, friends, mentors, clients and fans who continue to support me. Last but certainly not least, a very special shoutout to my late grandmother Inez who raised me alongside her 8 children. She was very instrumental in shaping me into the beautiful and strong woman that I am today. I love her and miss her dearly.

Website: linktr.ee/moniqueduell

Instagram: @msdeereign

Linkedin: Monique Duell

Twitter: Monique duell

Facebook: Monique Duell

Youtube: Monique Duell

Other: Having a Moment With Moni Radio Show & Podcast airs on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google, Amazon and every Friday at 11 am EST on HOD Radio Network from Benin, Nigeria.