I am Sandy Stricker, the founder of Emerging Confidence. I am a woman who is confident in her skills and abilities—but that wasn’t always the case. Early in my career I felt that I “lucked into” jobs. I downplayed my achievements, and found I was constantly comparing myself to others.

But I was fortunate enough to have a mentor who helped me see my worth, and stretched me to do things I never thought I could do. I went from a customer service representative, to a corporate trainer (Yes, speaking in PUBLIC!), to managing a few people, then a team, then an entire division of a Fortune 500 company.

Seeing women’s confidence emerge is so important to me. With more than 30 years of corporate learning and development, and experience working with women in leadership programs, the most rewarding parts of my career are those times I’m able to help women recognize their value, find their voice, and reach their goals.

My formal education includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Training and Development from DePaul University and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Behavior from Benedictine University. That education, along with my background in learning and development and my past experience with imposter syndrome gives me a unique perspective on what it takes to overcome it.