Michelle Van Otten

Business Image Expert and Peak Performance Coach

Consultant, Public Speaker, Author

About Michelle

Who am I?

Well, first let me say thank you for taking the time to visit this page and get curious.

Second, let me say that what you will find here is not going to be a third person, blow-smoke-up-your-skirt (or pants) bio that positions me as some “guru” or “new-age savior.” I won’t bore you. I feel your time is valuable, you’re intelligent and play a bigger game. You deserve what I call the real me…the real transparent truth about who I am and why I am passionate, fearless and committed to you and your journey.

I love my life!

I am grateful and blessed to spend my days working with incredible minds on a mission who innovate, create solutions, develop, inspire, speak, lead companies and movements, collaborate, anticipate, expand, diversify, look for opportunities and seize them, influence, make an impact, leverage themselves, give, operate outside of the box and live a purposeful life full out. Who I have the pleasure to work with are Entrepreneurs, CEOs, Speakers and Coaches who are real people just like you. People who struggle with life at times and need someone to show them the way to create real-life solutions that support them in being successful with their mission.

I create the systems and solutions for your inner and outer game so you build a rock solid, unstoppable foundation for 7 figure success and become your own most powerful brand.

You see, I have a special fondness and calling to do the work I do with you. It took me many years of struggle, failure, lessons, opportunities, growth and overcoming challenges and obstacles to become a Peak Performance Coach. The journey…every bit of it…was worth every juicy morsel it has given me. It has molded and shaped me into someone who can stand on the mountain top and shout to the world “THANK YOU! I am unstoppable!” In fact, you’ll want to look for my next book due out this year called, From Unlovable To Unstoppable.

As a child, I think every single day of my life was about figuring out how to overcome challenges and hardship. I’ve got a highly tuned in, solutions-oriented mindset as a result. I lived two lives. One surviving being raised by an emotionally damaged, abusive, violent, alcoholic mother. The other being raised by my father whose side of the family was steeped in California history, architecture, design, philanthropy and the good life…although he too had suffered from feeling unlovable and disconnected from himself. This isn’t the part where I blame my parents! In fact, this is the part where I say I was blessed to have had every single experience I endured, overcame, treasured, learned from and embraced. All of it, shaped me to be able to become who I am today.

Life is a bed of roses…beautiful petals, thorns and all.

I spent many years of my life struggling to overcome the emotional battles I fought as a child well into my adult years. I sought comfort in sugar and battled food addictions until I ballooned to 200 lbs! That was when I hit a pivotal moment in my life, shortly after my son was born. It was a point when I made the most important decision of my life…I decided to lose the emotional baggage, unzip the fat suit and really step into being who I was meant to be in this lifetime. I knew from a very early age, in moments after being beaten and abused when I would silently coach myself to hang on, I would tap into this knowing feeling that my life was on purpose and that I was always going to rise above. I knew deep down that my life had immense meaning.

I embarked on a mission, my mission.

I went on a quest to master everything I could about nutrition, mindset, fitness, personal development, entrepreneurship and business. I devoured every book I could and every article that possessed a glimmer of meaning. I put everything I read and learned into practice and took massive action to step into my life in the way I felt I was being called to.

Making your best first impression is the make it or break it in your most pivotal moments…

I will never forget the day I went on my first job interview after making my pivotal transformation decision. I was a single mom on a mission. My plan was to put my business skills to work and get hired in the financial services industry. I knew nothing like I know now about making first impressions! But, picture an overweight girl, stuffed into tight pants and a white and navy blue checkered (yes, it looked like a picnic tablecloth) blazer, nervous as hell (sweating in fact) walking into one of Wall Street’s most notable firms to apply for an entry level receptionist position! Eek gad! Looking back, I know I got that job because of my energy, strong will and determination. Being a fighter who is unafraid to stand for you, take risks, feel the fear and do it anyway is invaluable.

I spent nearly a decade fast tracking my career in the financial services industry, working my way from a $12 an hour receptionist to a 6 figures trader. I’ve had the pleasure to learn priceless lessons from corporate culture, working with some of the brightest people in the Silicon Valley, watching innovative entrepreneurs go from obscurity to IPO. In fact, one of my best and most unforgettable moments was the day we launched Pixar’s IPO with Steve Jobs sitting right behind me on our trading desk. He sat there like a little boy grinning from ear to ear. I will never forget he expression on his face of joy, pride and enthusiasm for watching his dream of innovative animation in films become a reality.

Intuition speaks volumes…

There were so many days, I sat on the trading desk looking out the windows across the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge at the ocean knowing I was not happy and not doing what I was meant to be doing with my life. I didn’t like the greed, drama, the BS, or the corporate fluff, and it wasn’t me.

I never regret leaving my “corporate comfort zone,” facing my fears head on and making the leap into becoming an entrepreneur and High Performance Coach.

It’s been the greatest decision I’ve ever made. I’ve been blessed and fortunate enough to have been mentored by, studied with and coached by some of the greatest coaches, mentors and thinkers of our time. No need to brag or name names. I am and always will be a grateful student in this life.

I love speaking, inspiring, empowering and creating superstars! I live my life full out and embrace all of it. Those who know me might tell you I have enough energy to light up an entire city or they may tell you I’m one hell of a results-driven coach who doesn’t accept anything less than your personal best. Either way, it’s not about me…it’s about you.

What’s ahead in the New Economy?

Fast forward to now…We are facing a paradigm shift in our global economy and the way we are doing business and creating the future.

It’s my personal belief that we are entering the era of the entrepreneur. It’s those who are brave enough to make that leap and step into who they are meant to be, with complete heart and soul, serving this world with their vision and mission for the future that will be making the biggest impact and influence on what’s ahead.

We have to get out from behind our computers! The way we are doing business now requires us to get out of the box and put forward our best mindset, face, body, energy, style, appearance, passion! We are our own best advertisements and our own most powerful brand. Whether we are using our videos, speaking, connecting, leading…we must have the biggest presence possible to impact, influence, motivate and inspire. Are you with me on this?

If you’re going to play a bigger game in life, you’ve got to have the energy, vitality, health and a powerful mind to have and attract rock solid, unstoppable success and become your own most powerful brand!

Personally, I feel that never before has it been more important to serve you to create your foundation for success and support you on your journey too.

I value building relationships and hope you’ll interact here with me and find out what you can create in a strategy session,on my blog or at one of my live events. Whatever you do, take action NOW! Reach out. Say hello. Extend a hand. I’m here to receive it.

Michelle is available for…