About · Richmond, Virginia
Carmen “The Momba” Gulliksen — safety instructor, professional boxer, health researcher.
Thirty years of martial arts, an active professional fight record, a postgraduate research background in how stress works on the brain, and a DPOR-approved real estate school. All of it points at the same thing: what people can actually do when preparation runs out.
“Safety isn’t the absence of risk. It’s the presence of options.”
— Carmen “The Momba”
Who we are
Momba Promotions LLC is a Virginia SWaM-Certified, Women-Owned and Military-Owned Small Business providing professional readiness, situational awareness and resilience training for individuals, organizations and communities operating under pressure.
We design and deliver evidence-informed, real-world training that goes beyond theory — focusing on decision-making under stress, personal safety, adaptive resilience and practical skill development. The work bridges physical readiness, mental resilience and situational awareness in environments where clarity and preparation matter.
Momba Promotions partners with public agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, professional groups and private organizations — including SYWO Security Academy, Manifesting Wellness and the Department of Veterans Affairs — that are looking for grounded, trauma-aware approaches to safety, readiness and performance.
Current offerings include customized workshops, educational programming, and applied training in safety and situational awareness for client-facing and high-responsibility professions. Momba Promotions is also a DPOR-approved Virginia real estate school, delivering the Realtor Safety & Situational Awareness Continuing Education course (course #0214031425, 2 elective hours) — the Commonwealth's only live, hands-on Realtor safety CE.
The business is based in Richmond and works throughout Virginia: the metro counties of Chesterfield and Henrico, and out to Midlothian, Glen Allen, Short Pump, Mechanicsville, Williamsburg, Petersburg, Charlottesville and Northern Virginia — and Carmen travels anywhere in the US and internationally.
Carmen Gulliksen (The Momba)
Carmen “The Momba” is a professional boxer, health researcher, martial arts master and safety educator whose life is a blueprint for resilience and reinvention. With 30+ years of martial arts training and multiple black belts across disciplines, she has spent her life breaking barriers and building others up.
At 47 she made the extraordinary leap into professional boxing — proving strength has no expiration date. Now 6–2 in the ring, her fighting spirit is backed by a lifetime of leadership, including recognition as Shihan and instructor certifications spanning karate, hapkido, tae kwon do and law enforcement training. She is a 2025 RVA Female Athlete of the Year runner-up, a Division I collegiate athlete, and a mentor to women and girls learning to fight — physically and mentally — for their rightful place in the world.
Outside the ropes, Carmen holds an MBA, an MSIS and a postgraduate diploma in health research (with merit), with academic work focused on psychiatric disabilities including PTSD and ADHD. She is a published author, an active health researcher and — as founder of Momba Promotions LLC — a DPOR-approved real estate school owner and CE instructor. She channels that expertise into evidence-informed programming that builds professional readiness, situational awareness and resilience for real estate professionals, women, first responders and organizations operating under pressure. Her work has been published in Real Estate Agent Magazine and featured across industry podcasts.
A German-born immigrant, Carmen spent 17 years navigating the U.S. citizenship process while balancing a full-time IT career, parenting, homeschooling and rebuilding after personal loss. A homeschooling mother of three and wife to a disabled Army veteran, she leads a Virginia SWaM-certified, women-owned, military-owned business — and continues to prove that fighting for your future, at any age or circumstance, is a cause worth dedicating your life to.
“Safety isn’t the absence of risk. It’s the presence of options.”
— Carmen “The Momba”
- Professional boxing record 6–2
- 30+ years teaching martial arts and self-defense
- Shihan recognition; multiple black belts
- Karate, hapkido, tae kwon do, law enforcement training
- 2025 RVA Female Athlete of the Year runner-up
- Division I collegiate athlete
- MBA, MSIS, PGDip Health Research (with merit)
- Research focus: PTSD and ADHD
- DPOR-approved school owner and CE instructor
- Published in Real Estate Agent Magazine
Writing and thought leadership.
An article and a book on the relationship between anxiety and performance degradation — and a twice-monthly newsletter on what to do about it.
The Anxiety Tax™: How Agent Safety Is Quietly Hitting Your Closings
Carmen reframes agent safety as a brokerage performance issue rather than a footnote in a safety memo. Drawing on peer-reviewed neuroscience (McEwen, Arnsten, Lupien, van der Kolk), she explains what happens in the brain when a showing feels “off”: the threat response floods the body with stress hormones and takes the decision-making prefrontal cortex offline — precisely when an agent needs it to read a client and close. The cumulative cost shows up as missed cues, thinner margins, higher turnover and greater liability. Her solution is the structured Predict, Prevail, Persist readiness framework.
Read it in Real Estate Agent Magazine → · Also on ActiveRain →
Personal Safety and Self-Defense in Volatile Post-Election Times
A no-nonsense playbook of practical, family-focused advice you can implement today, covering building awareness as a first line of defense, creating a family safety plan, learning self-defense techniques, and building mental resilience.
The Momba Brief
One practical readiness move and a field note you can use the same day, two minutes to read: parking for the return, the four seconds when you walk into a room, getting into a car you don’t control. Your first issue is free.
Podcasts & interviews.
Long-form conversations on readiness, performance under pressure, and the road to turning professional at 47.
Investor Fuel · Real Estate Pros Show
Why Realtors Need Self-Defense & Situational Awareness Training
With host Dylan Silver. How stress and unpreparedness quietly erode an agent’s confidence, decision-making and productivity — and what training reverses.
Listen →
ASKITA · Episode 177
More Than A Pro Boxer
From collegiate athlete to professional boxer and resilience educator: the physical and psychological dimensions of martial arts, and building confidence for women.
Watch →
Our Family Invests · Episode 013
Gary + Carmen Gulliksen
Carmen and her husband Gary on building discipline, resilience and purpose through career pivots, parenting, and investing in health and mindset.
Watch →What people say about working with Carmen.
I hired Carmen to provide two hours of DPOR-certified CE safety training to my agents at Williamsburg Realty. It was outstanding! Carmen is knowledgeable, experienced, organized, personable, and real estate agent-focused. I highly recommend this class.
Every now and then, you come across a person, product, or service you feel compelled to recommend—and this is absolutely one of those moments. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Carmen for several years, and during that time I’ve watched her repeatedly demonstrate a rare talent: she connects with people in a way that builds real accountability and drives meaningful change.
Carmen is a committed entrepreneur who has earned her place through passion, purpose, and a genuine desire to create solutions that meet people where they are. The foundation of the Momba Network is beyond impressive—and the best part is, it continues to evolve in all the right ways.
I’ve heard the feedback from current users firsthand, and it’s clear that this is not just another online subscription. It’s refreshing, intentional, and rooted in effective human interaction with a positive mission behind it.
Go Momba—this is only the beginning.
Dr. Yudo
VP, Doctorate in Healthcare Administration, Certified Nutritionist, Behavior Change Coach, Stress Management Specialist, CTTS, Sleep Science Certified
I really enjoyed this course! It provided practical safety tips and real world strategies. Carmen was knowledgeable, engaging, and did an excellent job bringing the material to life through real-life examples and practical advice, making the course informative and enjoyable.
Awesomeeee Woman of power and strength. Carmen was absolutely phenomenal during our Women’s Situational Awareness & Safety Training at SYWO Security Academy.
She delivered self-defense techniques in a way that was clear, practical, and empowering. Her confidence and passion made every woman in the room feel more capable and prepared.
We are truly grateful for her impact and look forward to working with her again. Thank you, Carmen & Momba, for helping us empower and protect our community! It’s an honor to know you.
Thessa H.
Marine, Founder, SYWO Security Academy
Training with Carmen has been an incredible experience. She brings the perfect mix of technical skill, motivation, and real-world practicality to every session. Her background in boxing and self-defense shows — she breaks down techniques clearly, pushes you to improve, and makes every workout both challenging and empowering.
What really stands out is how she creates a welcoming and supportive environment, especially for beginners who might feel intimidated stepping into combat sports. I have gained not just strength and endurance, but genuine confidence. If you’re looking for a skilled, encouraging, and professional instructor, Carmen is the real deal!
They say it’s not about how you fall, but how you get up. But when life really hits, those sayings don’t help much. That’s where Carmen comes in.
I met her over fifteen years ago when she trained one of my sons in taekwondo, the other in Combat Hapkido, and I was immediately struck by her rare mix of calm authority and deep compassion. Later, in her women’s self-defense class, I saw it again — she pushes you to grow but never lets you feel alone.
Since then, I’ve watched her live what she teaches: grace under pressure, resilience through loss, strength through discipline. She’s walked through real storms and somehow turned each one into purpose.
When I went through my own hard season, she didn’t offer clichés — she offered presence, belief, and tools to rebuild. That’s her gift: she sees your strength long before you do.
Carmen doesn’t just teach resilience — she embodies it. Working with her isn’t about “being strong.” It’s about remembering that you already are.
Irina H.
Finance Professional, MBA, CMA, CSCA
Carmen led a self-defense class at my all-women’s gym, Empower, and it was so informative and equipping! Our members were very grateful to have gained such valuable information.
When life knocks you flat, Carmen’s the one who helps you find your footing again. I first met her over 20 years ago, and what’s always stood out is her strength. She doesn’t just talk about it — she lives it.
Her strength is contagious and I always leave her space motivated and uplifted.
Carmen led a women’s self defense class for our non-profit and her level of expertise and ability to connect with her students is incredible!
She’s an excellent teacher, coach, and encourager, offering ways to improve while remaining patient. She is great at seeing what I am doing wrong and how to correct. She takes my reasons for coming seriously. I can’t begin to say how much that means to me. […] I highly recommend Carmen.
Sarah B.
Registered Life Planner®, Financial Advisor
I am still riding the feeling of being excited about learning! I’m really pumped and passionate about continuing. I want to be able to protect myself and my family and I’m one step closer to attaining that. Thank you for being a passionate role model.
Let's work out what you actually need.
Fifteen minutes, no pressure.