I’m Michelle Ward (she/her), and I can help you make a grown-up living with a business you love.

 

I became a business coachsultant (as I like to call being a coach-consultant hybrid) back in 2008 after walking away from my dreams of being a Broadway performer and going from one ill-fitting job to another. When I finally realized I was done trying to make my living as an actor, I came to two big conclusions:

 

  1. I refused to spend the 40ish years I had left before retiring doing work that didn’t make me feel valued and fulfilled.

  2. If I wanted to be happy at work, I needed to be the boss.

This hit me all at once back in 2007, when I transitioned out of my job as an Account Manager with a verbally abusive boss who made me psychosomatic. My breaking point came when I had to run off a rush hour train to dry heave into a trash can at one of the busiest NYC subway platforms…but felt absolutely fine when I turned myself around right away to go home. Talk about a wake-up call!

I decided then to pursue life coaching, and secured a new job that would save me my sanity and allow me to spend my nights, weekends, and lunch hours on my entrepreneurial goals. I got my certification and built a rock-solid business foundation —- the kind that allowed me to give my notice in March of 2010, in the middle of one of America’s largest recessions. I’ve never had to look back.

It’s been over a decade since that scary, brave, exciting decision, and I now have:

  • total freedom over my work, time, and schedule

  • grossed over $2m in income

  • hundreds of clients who’ve created *their* dream business (I love a good ripple effect!)

  • spoken at Etsy, Freelancers Union, SXSWi, Craftcation, The World Domination Summit, Mavenly + Co, Lady Boss, Holstee, Macaulay Honors College, and keynoted the Women Work Worth conference hosted by Mavenly + Co

  • the family time I want and need with my husband and daughter

  • features in the Forbes Top 100 Websites for your Career List, New York Magazine, NY Post, The Huffington Post, Etsy, Newsweek, Freelancers Union, USA Today and 150+ more media outlets

  • 2 courses on CreativeLive that have been watched and worked through by tens of thousands of people

  • appearances on podcasts like Real Talk Radio, Joyful Marketing, EO Fire, Raise Your Hand. Say Yes., The Lively Show, Profit. Power. Pursuit, The Unmistakable Creative and dozens more

  • total authenticity in my day-to-day life, no matter where I am or who I’m with

While personally, I’ve…

family.jpg

  • been battling Stage 4 breast cancer, with a wonderful NED (no evidence of disease!) diagnosis after being treated twice before - at 33 in 2011 and 37 in 2015

  • bought my dream home with my family just outside of New York City in Montclair, NJ

  • became the breadwinner, with my freelancer husband only taking the jobs he wants

  • led my small-but-mighty Avon 39 team of 5 to raise $108,839 for breast cancer in 6 years - and spoke at the last Closing Ceremonies in NYC

  • adopted our daughter Ramona when she was 5 weeks old

  • won a Judge Judy fan contest by penning and performing an original song about her on my pink ukulele - and yes, she is just the same in person

But you won’t be working with just me…

Meet the team 👋

Meet the team 👋

  • vp wright (she/they)

    vee leads the private BIPOC subgroup as well as the monthly private BIPOC coaching calls for all my paying clients. A master Business Coach and DEI Educator, it’s not surprising that many of my BIPOC clients have said “vp is a VAULT of info and insight”, provides “so much inspiration” and remark “my mind is blown right now” after their calls.

  • Heidi Critz (she/her)

    Heidi is my Virtual Assistant, helping me with everything from design work to tech stuff and customer service, too! You might meet her in Show Up Squad or on the other side of an email…

  • Verô Souza (she/her)

    A 90 Day Business Launch alum and accomplished brand designer, Verô has 10 years of experience and has been featured in Vogue, Forbes, People and more. Her lessons on creating a brand suite are featured in 90 Day Business Launch, where she’ll also give you custom feedback on your logo, fonts, and colors.

  • Michelle Murphy (she/her)

    Michelle's lesson is a 90 Day Business Launch bonus on Business Legalization 101, where she covers incorporation, contracts and more. A small business attorney and trademark lawyer, Michelle loves working with creative entrepreneurs, content creators, and small business owners just like you! She’s the owner of Wilson Murphy Law and the founder of CEO Legal Loft.

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FANCY THIRD-PERSON BIO & HEADSHOT

 

Michelle Ward (she/her) is a business coachsultant (yup, she made up that term and is sticking with it) and CEO of Hello Business.

Since 2008, she’s guided her clients to discover, launch, and grow their dream businesses. You may have seen or heard her in New York Magazine, NY Post, The Huffington Post, Etsy, Newsweek, Freelancers Union, USA Today, the Forbes Top 100 Websites for your Career list, Joyful Marketing, Real Talk Radio, Profit. Power. Pursuit., The Tiffany Han Show or hundreds of other media outlets. She’s also the teacher of Create Your Dream Career and Ditch Your Day Job, which were watched by tens of thousands of people on CreativeLive.

When she’s not coaching, teaching or speaking, she can be found performing in musicals, watching her daughter play ice hockey, or sitcom-binging with her husband. Get ready to be your own damn boss at ohhellobusiness.com.

Photo credit to Carley Storm