By: Deb Monfette
Carrie Prince doesn’t talk about leadership as a ladder. She talks about it like choreography: clear counts, strong posture, room for breath, and trust that your partner won’t drop you.
Before becoming a Certified Professional Leadership Coach, MBA-trained business strategist, and Chief Operations Officer, Prince spent her early years in dance studios, even earning a spot in the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive. The discipline stayed. So did the grace.
Today, she brings that blend of precision and humanity to everything she does. Prince has led through high-growth turnarounds, guided a company from chaos to acquisition in under a year, and managed operations when Dodger Stadium became the nation’s largest COVID-19 testing site. Now, as Director of Operations at Carnaby & Vine and founder of Carrie Prince Coaching, she helps leaders and teams grow from intention, not impulse.
Her philosophy? Lead with grace, communicate with clarity, and keep people at the center of every system.
Q&A with Carrie Prince
Q: “Leading With Grace” is one of your core philosophies, and “Grace” is also your middle name. What does it mean to you in practice?
Prince: For me, leading with grace isn’t about perfection, it’s about presence. It’s remembering that leadership starts with how we treat people, especially when things are hard. Grace gives you the pause before reaction, the space to ask, “What’s really needed here?” It’s equal parts compassion and accountability. You can hold high standards and still lead with heart.
Q: You’ve worked through some incredibly high-pressure environments—film sets, acquisitions, and even emergency operations at Dodger Stadium. What did those experiences teach you about people?
Prince: I learned that people will rise to almost any challenge if they feel seen, supported, and clear on the goal. During the pandemic, our teams worked very long days in triple-digit heat, and what kept everyone going wasn’t policy; it was purpose. I learned that structure creates safety, but connection creates endurance. You need both.
Q: You describe your coaching as people-first and values-driven. How does that show up in your work?
Prince: I focus on helping clients and teams embrace business and leadership practices that cultivate values-driven growth, with a focus on human connection and excellent communication. When those are in place, individuals and organizations can thrive with joy and purpose.
A lot of leadership advice still treats connection as a soft skill. It’s not. It’s infrastructure. It’s how we move from chaos to collaboration.
Q: Your career path is so eclectic—education, production, matchmaking, operations. How did those chapters shape your leadership philosophy?
Prince: Every one of those experiences taught me something about people and process. After college, I worked with San Diego Unified School District’s VAPA program, helping teachers integrate performing arts into classrooms. From there, I taught, performed, and choreographed across San Diego—often while holding down other jobs in customer service, education, and tech. Those early years gave me a 360-degree view of how different systems operate and how every role—no matter how small—matters.
Later, I started Tight Knit Productions to create short films and even hosted a local radio show called Carrie the Conversation, which explored uncomfortable but necessary topics. That project led to You Can Date Better, a coaching and consulting brand for singles, which eventually took me to a professional matchmaking role at Tawkify. I coached thousands of clients there and ended up leading a team of matchmakers before pivoting back toward leadership and business coaching.
Those experiences all built on one another. Whether you’re helping someone find a partner or manage a team, it’s really about the same thing: empathy, honesty, and alignment.
Q: How has your background in operations shaped your coaching approach?
Prince: Operations taught me that leadership is choreography. Every person has a strength they can bring to the table and finding how those strengths can act in unity to create a cohesive team is the magic. I’m obsessed with clarity. Clarity of purpose, process, and communication.
When leaders align on “why” before “what,” everything else flows. That’s why I say grace isn’t soft; it’s the structure that breathes.
Q: Tell us about your show, People Fuss. How does it tie into your mission?
Prince: People Fuss grew out of the realization that the resolution pathway to most issues—whether it’s leading, coaching, or a personal issue—is communication and connection with others in an authentic way. We’re in a historic moment where true connection between people is disintegrating quickly and we’re forgetting the value of two-way communication. So, Doug Daniels and I decided to start doing it. We explore the frictions of modern life, workplace dynamics, relationships, and culture with humor and context. Doug brings his love of history; I bring the people-ops lens. Every episode ends with a practical step listeners can apply. It’s part coaching, part culture, and all about connection.
Q: What’s next for you as both a coach and leader?
Prince: Right now, I’m focused on expanding my work with organizations that want to grow sustainably and lead with purpose. At Carnaby & Vine, I love helping teams connect the dots between operational excellence and human wellbeing. It’s not either/or.
For my coaching clients, I’m helping more women and emerging leaders lead authentically, with the confidence to set boundaries and the courage to stay curious. The goal is the same across everything I do: to help people find ease and excellence at the same time.
Prince in Practice
Prince lives in Los Angeles with her partner, Doug, and their two cats, Yoshi and Kiko. Whether she’s managing a growing company, recording a podcast, or coaching a client through their next big pivot, her approach remains the same: grace isn’t a pose, it’s a practice.
Learn more at CarriePrinceCoaching.com or listen to People Fuss on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
