from people pleaser to confident deal maker

As an author, podcast host, and trainer trusted by some of the largest organizations in the world to help their teams negotiate million-dollar deals, most people assume I’ve always been a confident communicator. But I wasn’t born this way — I was built this way.

Growing up as a first-generation Caribbean American in small-town Ohio, there was a moment on the playground when nobody wanted to play with me. That experience left a mark. I decided I would never feel that kind of rejection again — and I worked relentlessly to become someone people liked. It worked. I became well-known, well-liked, captain of the basketball team, it looked like I had it all.

But the success came with a cost. I became a people-pleaser. I avoided conflict, said yes when I meant no, and protected relationships at the expense of myself. I didn’t know how to stand my ground without fearing I might lose everything I had worked to build.

Studying psychology helped me overcome the fear holding me back. Then, in law school, I discovered negotiation — and realized that communicating clearly, setting boundaries, and handling tough conversations aren’t personality traits. They’re skills. Once I built both the mindset and the skill set, everything changed.

Today I’m the host of Negotiate Anything, which was the #1 negotiation podcast in the world for nearly a decade, reaching over 16 million people across 180+ countries. I’m a LinkedIn Top Voice, a bestselling author, and I’ve helped leaders around the world navigate high-stakes conversations with clarity and confidence.

How did I make the shift? I learned that the most important negotiation we’ll ever have is the one we have with ourselves. Once you can negotiate with yourself — your fear, your self-doubt, your need to be liked — you unlock the freedom to speak with clarity, stand in your value, and create the life and relationships you actually want.

The best things in life are on the other side of difficult conversations.

And my mission is simple: to help you live a better life and build a better career — one difficult conversation at a time.

Credentials and Accomplishments

• Bachelor’s in Psychology (Spanish & Foundations of Law minors), The Ohio State University

  • Juris Doctor, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law — home to the nation’s top dispute resolution program

  • Master of Public Policy, The Ohio State University John Glenn College of Public Affairs

  • Business Lawyer & Certified Mediator — facilitated and resolved hundreds of cases

  • Author of two bestselling books: Finding Confidence in Conflict and How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race

  • TEDx Speaker with +650,000 views — “Finding Confidence in Conflict”

  • Host of Negotiate Anything — was the #1 negotiation podcast globally for almost a decade (16M+ downloads across 180+ countries),

  • LinkedIn Learning Instructor with more than 2.5 million students worldwide

  • Trainer to Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and global leaders

  • Adjunct Professor in the nation’s top-ranked Dispute Resolution Program at Moritz College of Law

  • Forbes Contributor

  • Strategic thinker and competitive chess player (99th percentile global ranking; 20,000+ games)