This is my Story...

I'm a Gen X through and through – and all that implies. I grew up in a suburb about an hour from Chicago, where we played kickball in the cul-de-sac in the summer and walked six blocks to school the rest of the year.

Most of us were latchkey kids and learned not to burn the house down or sever a limb by the age of ten. (Although that didn’t stop me from putting my hand through a window during a fight with my sister when I was in 2nd grade, tearing a hole in my pinky finger—and still walking my little self to school with my bloody finger wrapped in toilet paper. Who needs parental supervision, anyway?)

I grew up with my older sister, Tina, and two stepbrothers who visited on the weekends.

My stepfather raised us, and I was commonly the target of the end of his patience as well as the end of his belt. From a young age, I learned that silence kept me off his radar.

It doesn’t take much of a stretch of the imagination to realize that in my teen years, I definitely had some “daddy issues.” This ultimately led me to marry the first serious boyfriend I had, who was 13 years older than me. Shocking, right? I bet you also wouldn’t be surprised to learn that this relationship soon became abusive. So once again, I learned that silence was my best friend. Stay still. Pick your battles.

I won’t bore you with a super long story here, but I will tell you that despite my childhood, experiencing domestic violence, a 12-hour bilateral mastectomy, and eventually 3 difficult losses - my stepdad, my biological father, and mom... my story actually has a happy ending.

After working 20 years in medical transcription and outpatient coding, my story took a hard right turn directly into a movement called A Complaint Free World, founded by Will Bowen. With his in-depth guidance and training, I became a Certified Complaint Free Trainer in 2017 and began my motivational speaking journey.

By this time, I was long since divorced and now remarried to my current husband, Brian, who is my absolute favorite person on earth. With his unrelenting support, I was ready to take things to the next level and quit my full-time job to hit the stages running!

It was a crazy rollercoaster! 

Now—here I am, years later: an International & TEDx Speaker, author of two books, founder of WHEN Stories, and host of the annual women’s business and empowerment experience, Warrior Unchained.  Besides being annoyingly happily married(lol), I have two adult daughters and my favorite little humans- my grandson & granddaughter.  And I live my life to the fullest!  This also includes becoming an award-winning, published lyricist & songwriter (I love writing my own "theme songs" for my events too!)

To say I grew out of my silence is putting it mildly!

I love hearing other people’s stories and am always in awe of the lives my clients have lived. I’ve worked with a former NFL player, a 1972 Miss America contestant, and incredible men and women who have so much knowledge and impact to present to the world!

Through my own experiences, I’ve learned that when we share our stories of tragedy to triumph, from rags to riches, from chaos to clarity—we get to create a little light of hope for those who might be where we once were.

So, I don’t say this lightly…

... Your Story Matters.

Let’s make sure the world hears it.

- Wendy