Are you ready to break some rules? Shelley Brown challenges the deeply ingrained belief that women leaders must be “hard” to succeed. Drawing from her own corporate journey and the experiences of countless women, she explores how the pressure to be “bada$$” has created a leadership culture that forces women to choose between authenticity and authority. Through compelling storytelling and actionable strategies, Shelley reveals how embracing our whole selves—both our hard and soft qualities—is not only acceptable, it’s essential for lasting influence and impact.

This isn’t just another women’s leadership talk. It’s a radical reframing of what true strength looks like in leadership today. Shelley leads the audience through a journey of unlearning outdated leadership models and embracing a new paradigm where vulnerability is a superpower, empathy drives innovation, and authenticity creates extraordinary impact. By addressing the high costs of perpetuating hard leadership, Shelley offers concrete tools to lead from wholeness, helping women shatter the mold that was never made by them or for them.