Meet Sabrina Shafer

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sabrina Shafer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sabrina below.

Hi Sabrina , we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

I built confidence by walking straight into fear. Early in my career, I thought confidence was something people were born with. But I’ve learned that it’s something you build – one scary step at a time. That’s the heart of what I teach today through something I call Fear Forward: the idea that leaning into your fears is what allows you to grow. You don’t wait to feel fearless. You start before you’re ready. It’s something I learned from my behavioral analyst background – each time you take a small, courageous step, you teach your brain to interpret discomfort not as danger, but as expansion. This process literally rewires your brain for confidence.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’ve had many phases in my career: I’m a lawyer and behavioral analyst and a recovering tech executive. I started and exited a go-to-market and AI business, but today, I dedicate my time to the work I enjoy most: speaking. Through my keynotes, I get to help people and organizations rethink and shape their cultures that turn fear into fuel and disruption into momentum.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Courage, authenticity and humor. In that order.

Courage: it’s the foundation for innovation, leadership, and most importantly the most importantly for tfor personal growth. Without it, you can’t take the steps that lead to meaningful change.

Authenticity: real authenticity is hard. It means showing up as yourself, even when it’s uncomfortable or unpopular. But pretending to be something you’re not is exhausting and will keep you from flourishing. Yes, this is easier said than done, and it’s even more challenging for some groups than others, but in the end, when you are yourself, you attract the right people and the right opportunities. It takes courage to be authentic.

Humor: As you lean into your fears, you will fail, and that’s OK. That’s part of the journey, and it’s where the growth happens. Humor is essential not just for getting through failures, but also navigating the curveballs life will inevitably throw your way. Life is full of them. If you can find humor in the darkest of times, the pain or suffering will be easier to carry, and the journey becomes lighter and more sustainable.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

I used to believe my strengths were being behind the scenes, and one of the things that terrified me most was public speaking. Ironically, that fear is now my full-time career. It wasn’t until I wrote down all my fear and started tackling them one by one that I turned speaking in public from a weakness into a strength.

So my advice is: double down on your strengths because that gives you momentum but do not run from the things that scare you. Often, what scares you most is what has the potential to change your life. Lean into those fears and turn them into strengths. One practical way I do this is through what I call an investment block. I block an hour on my calendar each week to learn a new skill or explore an area I want to grow in. You can start with just five minutes. The point is to make growth intentional, not accidental.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sabrinashafer.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabrinashaferofficial/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinashafer/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SabrinaShaferOfficial