CourtneyWiley.

As the co-founder and CEO of ShearShare, I helped build a technology company that served more than 71,000 small businesses across 1,017 cities. Along the way, I became the 33rd African American woman founder to raise $1 million in venture capital, earned a U.S. patent, and received national recognition, including Ernst & Young’s Women in Innovation, Inc.’s Female Founders 100, Cosmopolitan’s New C-Suite Honoree, and the Ada Lovelace Female Tech Founder of the Year.

But my most meaningful lessons didn’t come only from the boardroom. They also came from the sidelines.

Raising an NFL athlete while building a startup taught me that success in both arenas requires an uncommon commitment to preparation, perseverance, partnership, and believing in potential before there’s proof.

Today, I bring those lessons to stages, boardrooms, and conversations with founders, executives, and emerging leaders who are building something bigger than themselves.

Through keynote speaking, strategic advising, and mentorship, I help people navigate uncertainty, cultivate resilience, and pursue ambitious goals without losing sight of what matters most.

Because whether you’re raising capital, raising a champion, or raising the bar for yourself, the principles are the same: build fearlessly, operate like a champion, and do it scared.

My perspective as an NFL mom