Episode Details

What happens when the thing you once felt most insecure about becomes your greatest strength?

This week, I’m joined by Annelise McCarthy, a renowned women’s speaking coach and founder of Her Speaking Coach.

She shares how a childhood struggle with speech became the foundation for a career empowering others to speak with confidence and authenticity.

At just 20 years old, she launched her business, but behind the polished brand and professional voice was a young woman terrified she wouldn’t be taken seriously.

In this episode, Annelise gets honest about imposter syndrome, starting a business young, and the moment she realised that hiding her age (and her story) was holding her back.

This is such a fun and insightful conversation, packed with practical takeaways, lessons on confidence, communication and the power of backing yourself.

In this episode, we chat about:

• The childhood experiences with a lisp and speech therapy that shaped Annelise’s confidence and love of communication
• How studying public speaking from age eight built lifelong speaking and presentation skills
• The mindset hurdles of launching a business at 20, and why she now sees it as a privilege to mentor women
• The self-doubt that surfaced in her early business years and the conversation that changed everything
• Why age has nothing to do with authority or impact when you have the experience to back it up
• The importance of solo dates and how spending intentional time alone builds confidence, creativity, and self-trust
• How her business evolved into Her Speaking Coach, a global community of over 250,000 people

Annelise’s story is a reminder that confidence isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something you build through practice, self-trust, and courage.

Connect with Annelise:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herspeakingcoach/

Website: https://www.herspeakingcoach.com/

You're on Mute Tour: You're On Mute | Australian Tour 2026 | Her Speaking Coach

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