Haley James

My journey as a speaker began the same as many speakers do—long before they are speaking anywhere—with the hardship that they will later come to speak on. For me, that hardship happened in my early 20s when I became very sick with multiple chronic & rare conditions.

For 10 years, I was fighting for my life, relying on a feeding tube & infusions to survive. I spent many years advocating for myself in the doctor's office & with insurance. Witnessing & experiencing how broken the system was brought me to a place where I wanted to expand my advocacy efforts. I knew I could speak & share my story to try to make others feel less alone, bring awareness to the problems, & help others get the help they need—so I did.

Starting with just a few people here & there, my speaking engagements gradually expanded as I became more involved in disease-specific organizations, hosting statewide support groups, speaking at online events & eventually presenting to members of congress.

While I loved being able to advocate in those ways, I knew that I didn't want to stop trying to find more ways to help others like me. I didn't know where to start though, so I reflected on all the hard things I had gone through & tried to pinpoint what had helped me most. I realized the thing that in many ways saved me—was hearing people share their stories & experiences online. Through these other patients, I was able to get to the right doctors, get diagnosed, & feel less alone on my journey.

Inspired by these creators, I decided I wanted to pay forward all that they had given me & create something to help all those going through what I had gone through & was still going through. While trying to figure out what I could do that would help, I came up with a formula that helped: Pain → Passion, Purpose, Positive Impact. I came up with this when reflecting on each pain point I experienced & asked myself how I could use my passions & talents to make a difference. What purpose could it serve, & how can it help make a positive impact on people most?

I applied this formula again & again, leading to the creation of 3 businesses, a non-profit, 4 podcasts, multiple YouTube channels, Instagram accounts, online stores & more!

This formula didn't just help me. I watched as those I shared it with were able to use it to create lives they loved & found ways to help others too! It became clear to me this message was needed.

This has brought me here now, where I speak about my journey - all the parts of it: the mental health, the chronic illnesses, the rare diseases, advocacy & activism, learning to own your story, overcoming adversity, entrepreneurship & how to turn struggles into strength to create a life you truly love, filled with passion, purpose & positive impact!

I hope that through these talks we are able to inspire, empower & equip others on their journey too!

I would love nothing more than to come alongside you and make a difference in people's lives & the world - together!

Do you know the best way to engage an audience? How about the best way to teach someone something they’ll remember? What about the best way to inspire and empower others? The best way to make a meaningful connection and impact? It’s through stories—vulnerable, authentic, and genuine storytelling that connects us all at a deeper level. But sharing our deepest struggles, mistakes, and vulnerabilities isn’t always easy, especially with a room full of people you may not know. That’s why finding a speaker who can do that can be so difficult. Even though it may be harder to find someone willing to do this, it’s in this sharing of stories that we create the deepest connections and leave a lasting impact on others.

I wholeheartedly believe in the power of sharing stories because I’ve experienced its transformative effect in my own life. When I was going through the darkest and most challenging times, it was the stories of others—of their triumphs, their hurt, their joy, and their resilience—that helped pull me through.

As I journeyed through my own hardships, I discovered that speaking on these topics became a way for me to cope, make sense of my experiences, and channel my story into a greater purpose—to help others navigate their own challenges and lives.

So, at the core of every topic I speak on or teach, you’ll find a genuine desire to use my story in a way that will inspire, empower, educate, and equip others on their own journey—whatever that may be. Whether it’s chronic illness, passion, purpose, positive impact, overcoming adversity, learning to own your story, or one of the other topics I speak on that you can learn about below, I want to be here to help you put on an event, a seminar, a panel, a podcast—something that matters and can make a difference. If you’re looking for someone to join you in creating a meaningful impact on your audience, I’d be honored to partner with you to change lives through the power of stories. Let’s connect and make a difference together!