Mindy Deardurff’s Master Class in Career Courage

Tina-Schuricht • July 24, 2025

Share this article

In this episode of @SuccessYourOwnWay, Mindy Deardurff shares how her roots in a small town laid the foundation for a remarkable career spanning higher education and corporate settings. She is driven by a deep desire to empower students and those early in their careers without established support systems. Her personal experience fuels her commitment to mentorship, guidance, and purposeful leadership.

Mindy’s definition of success once meant hustle and proving herself and now centers on leading with respect and empathy, maintaining balance and wellness, and modeling healthy boundaries for her family. Her story is a masterclass in career courage – authenticity, reinvention, and leadership. It’s a call to reject limiting environments, trust your instincts, and honor your evolving definition of success.


About the Guest

Mindy Deardurff has spent nearly 25 years in the Early Careers talent development space.  She spent time in higher education preparing students for the future of work. And worked corporations leading Early Careers talent development and internal mobility functions. She currently leads Early Careers and Internal Mobility at Best Buy.  Before that, she led Early Careers at a Fortune 5 healthcare company.

She spent two decades in higher education, serving as the Dean of Career Exploration at Macalester College. She also led career development and admissions functions at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. As a Pell-eligible college student who worked full-time plus to afford college, she has a passion for providing Early Careers pathways for those who may not have access.

She is a die-hard St. Paul, MN, fan and lives there with her 16-year-old son and husband David. On the weekends you will find her fawning over her garden, cheering on the sidelines of soccer games and ideating home remodeling projects.

Recent Posts

Arrangement of colorful gourds with a crumpled paper that reads
By Tina-Schuricht November 21, 2025
Gratitude as a leadership practice in the workplace is far more than a fleeting “thank you” scribbled on a sticky note or tacked onto the end of an email. For leaders, genuine gratitude is a powerful tool that shapes culture, boosts morale, and helps teams navigate the inevitable storms of high-stress seasons. When leaders weave […] The post Gratitude as a Leadership Practice appeared first on McGinty Coaching.
By Tina-Schuricht November 14, 2025
It is the season of harvesting, not just crops, but harvesting wisdom.  This article is my 50th and this isn’t just a creative milestone—it’s a harvest. Each piece represents a seed planted in service of others: a thought offered, a question posed, a perspective shared. Over time, those seeds have grown into a field of […] The post Harvesting Wisdom – 50 Articles appeared first on McGinty Coaching.
By Tina-Schuricht November 12, 2025
In this episode of SuccessYourOwnWay, “Success, Self-Leadership, and the Power of Choice”, executive coach and leadership advisor Sadie Wackett shares her journey of redefining success. With 20+ years in global HR leadership, a former CHRO, and as co-founder of Life Intended, Sadie empowers women through self-leadership and intentional living. She reflects on her career and […] The post Success, Self-Leadership, and the Power of Choice appeared first on McGinty Coaching.
By Tina-Schuricht November 7, 2025
How are you navigating the fog?  As the calendar inches toward its final pages, many leaders find themselves in a peculiar emotional fog. The year’s momentum slows, yet expectations remain high. Revisiting goals, evaluating performance, and the pressure to “finish strong” collides with fatigue, ambiguity, and the quiet whisper of “what’s next?” This season also […] The post Navigating the Fog appeared first on McGinty Coaching.
By Tina-Schuricht October 31, 2025
Unmasking success can feel scary and not just in a creepy, Halloween way.  Halloween is the one day a year we’re encouraged to dress up, play pretend, and step into someone else’s shoes. But what about the other 364 days? As professionals, leaders, and even coaches, we often wear invisible costumes—roles, personas, and expectations that […] The post Unmasking Success appeared first on McGinty Coaching.
By Tina-Schuricht October 29, 2025
Do you have the courage to make bold transitions in your life?  If so check out this episode of Success Your Own Way! From First-Gen Student to Corporate Fellow: A Story of Bold Transitions with Christine Nowakowski In this inspiring episode, Dr. Christine Nowakowski—Corporate Fellow at Cargill and one of General Mills’ most prolific female […] The post A Story of Bold Transitions appeared first on McGinty Coaching.
By Tina-Schuricht October 24, 2025
Mentorship in motion isn’t just a catchy phrase.  The concept of mentorship being in motion refers to the power created by a reciprocal, dynamic, and evolving relationship. Effective mentorship spans generations, career stages, and even industries, forming a web of support, insight, and growth for everyone involved. Mentorship in Motion At its core, mentorship is […] The post Mentorship in Motion: Building Reciprocal Relationships That Last appeared first on McGinty Coaching.
By Tina-Schuricht October 17, 2025
Letting go to lead.  What does that mean for you? Autumn is nature’s quiet invitation to release. As the trees shed their leaves, they remind us that letting go isn’t a loss—it’s a necessary step in renewal. In leadership and life, we often cling to outdated beliefs, roles, or expectations simply because they’ve been with […] The post Letting Go To Lead appeared first on McGinty Coaching.
By Tina-Schuricht October 15, 2025
In this powerful episode of  SuccessYourOwnWay, you’ll meet Maychee Mua, a 2025 Bush Fellow, systems change leader, and first-generation Hmong-Chinese American.  Maychee shares her transformative journey of identity, advocacy, and redefining success. Maychee is navigating cultural duality, discovering her own neurodivergence, pioneering autism policy in Minnesota, and raising neurodivergent children. Maychee’s story is one of […] The post Authenticity, Advocacy, and Ancestral Strength with Maychee Mua appeared first on McGinty Coaching.
By Tina-Schuricht October 10, 2025
Parenting in the Fast Lane.  What does that mean and what does it have to do with coaching? Let me explain.  Parenting is a journey I have been on for over a decade – both enjoying and contemplating how to do it better.  One summer day, I was driving kids to their camps, and it […] The post Parenting in the Fast Lane appeared first on McGinty Coaching.
Show More