When you’re an online entrepreneur on the rise, there are ALWAYS eyes and ears on you — and it’s all too easy to back away from the spotlight.
As far as speaking coaches and strategists go, I didn’t go down the average rock-the-circuit-then-teach-it path.
In fact, I’ve always been the tall, awkward and shy girl that tried to find her place. From a rare bone condition that led to wearing a lot of casts as a kid, to losing my hearing in college…
how the heck did I end up speaking on stages and teaching others how to do the same?
After losing my mom to cancer as a teen, my family started a non-profit foundation to honor her, which took me on the path to speaking in front of big groups and led me to be first runner-up to Miss Oregon.
👆saving that story for another day.
Later through my decade-long corporate career, I gave 100s of talks allowing me to crack the code on creating entertaining, effective talks that hooked my audience from the start.
And that’s when I decided to start my own business, teaching folks like YOU to build your confidence muscle so you can stand on any stage ready to deliver the magnetic message your audience needs to hear (and use speaking to make more in your business.)
If I could distill my purpose behind everything I do now, it would be found in my speaking mantra (which I help *all* my clients and members craft for themselves):
And if we wanna move beyond the resumé and go really deep?
I wasn’t always super comfortable rocking stages or recording podcasts.
The truth is, I started losing my hearing shortly after my mom died. I stepped into the spotlight to raise awareness (and money) for our foundation and struggled to understand people (and fit in) throughout college.
SO I adapted. I learned to read others through their facial expressions and body language, turning up the volume super high on, well, *everything*
In short? Let’s just say I’ve been down that “figureoutable” path before it was coined a buzzword by Marie Forleo… And in painful moments, there’s always an impactful story worth sharing.
Whether it’s been in my personal or professional world…
I’ve always believed that when we have something important to say, we need to speak up — even when our voice shakes.
On my own path, I’ve been tapped as a speaker, emcee, host, spokesperson (dating back to high school) without ever asking for it; and I’ve learned that while some of us are drawn to the spotlight…
… Many of us are called to it and need to find the courage to speak up when that happens.
Not for the Insta likes, the fame, the glamor: but because of the impactful ripple effect when we’re braver about sharing our true hearts and purposes.
Now, while it’s easier to slap on a filter and magnetic lashes (trust me, I love ‘em both!) to protect the Real You and hold back…
When you work with me and The Speaker Co team, my mission is to help YOU:
- Confidently deliver intentional and impromptu messages
- Clarify the REAL message your audience needs to hear
- Share your personality and humanness in your stories
- Conquer ANY platform you'd like to show up on
That way, when it’s your turn to step up to the plate?
You can deliver a magnetic message instead of getting stuck in your head *or* giving in to the perfectionism (and procrastination) that tells you “you can’t do this!”. It’s time for less negative self-talk, and MORE action to help you turn speaking into your uncopyable superpower.
Our Team lives and breathes these values on stage *and* behind the scenes.
DITCH THE "EASY" BUTTON
Speaking isn’t a course you complete; it’s a constant work in progress — and whether it’s on stage or in my programs, no amount of swipes or shortcuts delivers quality. Instead of sliding into an easy-peasy elevator to mastery, we choose to take the stairs, build muscle, and keep practicing to create the resilience we need to meet every new challenge.
AUTHENTICITY ACTUALLY MATTERS
Nothing is sugar-coated or off-limits around here: what you see is what you get — and know that asking the tough questions and being as honest as possible to help *you* reach your goals is always my top priority.
EVERYBODY’S WELCOME HERE
In my Zoom room, you’ve got a safe space to lay it all on the table — just as you are, regardless of what makes you, you. As someone who’s struggled with an *invisible* disability, I’m committed to helping every single human succeed in our work together — everyone’s on the same playing field here. Oh, and permission to mess up, get up and try again, laugh, snort, and bare the truth? Granted.
COMPASSION IS A LIFESTYLE
From the moment I lost my mom to cancer as a teen to inheriting her hearing loss, I’ve been hyper-aware of how every single moment can feel entirely different for each individual person — from Mother’s Day to trying to hold a conversation in a loud café. That sensitivity is at the heart of how I teach others to connect with their people: because becoming a magnetic speaker isn’t really about you, it’s about how you make your audience feel. If you can lean into empathy and compassion to put yourself in their shoes — consistently — you’ll have everything you need to figure out how to support them on a core level.
BE INTENTIONAL
In life and on the laptop, every decision is in alignment with the world and life I want to help create. They’re not separate spheres, and it’s something I share with my community often: living a better life and creating a sustainable business doesn’t happen when you’re drifting, it happens when we’re thoughtful about how we get there.
BRENÉ BRAVERY
It’s easy to hide in the shadows. Behind perfect recordings instead of messy live moments. But I believe that if we were all a tiny bit braver in sharing our true hearts, the world would be a happier place. (And we’d make Brené Brown pretty proud.) It’s my hope to help you help more people by starting with a tiny slice of bravery.
Let’s Call This One
- Obsessed with: Perfect Bars. Cooking *all* things Mediterranean. Not following recipes. P.S. Breakfast is my love language (and I can whip up a mean upside-down apple pancake cake.)
- Committed to: Daily sweats. Walking, lifting, running, Peloton-ing: you know, all the things that make you sparkle.
- Working towards: Living in another country for part of the year! Spain and Italy are on the vision board. Also, karaoke-ing in all 50 states.
- Reading again: Anything by Brené Brown, Atomic Habits, The Miracle Morning, Living Forward and Greenlights ← a MUST on audio for the narration!
- Singing to my kids: My morning “Getting Ready” song I wrote when my son Owen was 2 years old to systematize a morning routine (oh yes, I did!) He’s since taught his little bro!. Our family motto is “life is a musical, so dance it out.”
Before working with Heather, I felt a lot of uncertainty about my stage presence and I really wanted to improve it so I could get more visible on stages and podcasts. I was already showing up on YouTube consistently, but I wanted to hone in on how to express my message to inspire people to take action! I didn’t want to be worried about my presentation, I wanted to focus on teaching and being a dynamic speaker who moves and motivates people instead and can think of things on the fly.
Heather really showed me how to master story — I was spending so much time sharing technical content, but leaning into my personality and humanness and everyday stories are helping my content be way more approachable and open with my audience now. She totally helps you clarify your messaging and deliver it to your community in a way that's clear and effectively moves them from audience member to buyer.
Now, I’m confidently on my way to mastering my message and communication! Earlier this year, I had interviews with 10 different publishers to pitch my book… And Heather’s work with me was integral to improving my camera presence and landing a book deal. Speak Up To Level Up is my third course about speaking, and it’s the only one that’s felt genuine and authentic to help me create effective content — whether it's a video or a Facebook live or an email, it's ALL messaging, and she’ll help you understand how to deliver yours confidently and impactfully on ANY platform.
— Scarlett Cochran
Founder of One Big Happy Life
19 Magnetic Phrases for Stages Podcasts & Live Video to send your ideal client running to your opt-in page
Grab this actionable, fill-in-the-blank style guide with swipe worthy examples to attract leads like a magnet (without sounding scripted or schmucky).
YES! GIVE ME THAT CHEATSHEET →