women in community

Case Studies

PUBLIC SPEAKING COACH

Storytelling maven and coach Johanna Walker was struggling in her business—offering too many services and still unable to cover her basic needs. Then, completely overwhelmed and treading water, she attended a free WINC class in 2013 and learned about the WINC 90-Day Program. “I remember at the end of that class just crawling—crawling!—on my hands and knees,” Johanna laughs, “to say, ‘Please help me.’” Since that moment, Johanna has transformed her public speaking business and tripled her revenue using WINC’s Engine System—including one takeaway that was a “huge awakening” for her in growing her business. Learn that takeaway—plus the most overlooked element of successful public speaking—in Johanna’s Case Study.


"My experience in the WINC 90-Day Program has been across the board 100% excellent. Before this Program, I felt consistently overwhelmed in my business, never knowing what to put my attention on. Myka has given me a clear map to help me know exactly what to do next. The 90-Day Workbook is helping me turn big projects and visions into small, manageable tasks, so I can actually see the big visions take shape. She’s shared a combination of super-smart, hands-on, step-by-step materials to guide me through product development, revenue goal setting, and marketing & sales plans, as well as her razor-sharp attention and compassionate wisdom to help me with my particular needs. The process has shined a light on the ways I get in my own way, and offered me powerful tools for unraveling those patterns. The Circle that connects me to other women entrepreneurs on similar paths is an added bonus that knocks the value of this Program out of the ballpark. And perhaps most importantly, my business revenue has tripled since the Program!"


Storytelling maven Johanna Walker has been coaching mission-driven changemakers, training companies and telling masterful stories of her own for about eight years. But it wasn’t until going through the WINC Program that Johanna—who we lovingly call the “lioness in sheep’s clothing”—stepped into her power and tripled her revenue. We’re so pleased to share Johanna’s inspiring transformation in this case study, where you will learn:

  • How Johanna went from rarely speaking as a child to becoming an expert in public speaking
  • Which of the 6 Barriers to Wealth made the biggest difference in growing her business
  • Which of the four-parts of WINC’s Engine System helped her triple her business
  • Why WINC’s approach to marketing was a “huge awakening” for her
  • The marketing type that WINC recommends for every woman-owned business
  • How her experience of women’s community led to the reclamation of her power
  • And the most overlooked element of successful public speaking


"Speak boldly,” public speaking coach and storyteller Johanna Walker says on her website. “I know you have something to say. Something big. An idea the world needs to hear. A story only you can tell. I want to help you say it—with dynamic power and authentic presence.”

Based in Boulder, Colorado, Johanna has been coaching mission-driven change-makers, training companies and telling masterful stories of her own for about eight years. “I'm the fear-blasting, storytelling maven for coaches, consultants, leaders and change-makers,” she says. “I help my clients own any room (including virtual rooms!) by telling great stories and transforming fear of public speaking into power and presence.”

And while her love of public speaking is undeniable, before she began the WINC 90-Day Program in the spring of 2013 (the first WINC Program ever!) Johanna was struggling to cover her basic needs—even after completing B-School. “I was definitely scrambling,” she says. “I’d always been a ‘starving artist’ and was okay with not making much money, but I was working SO HARD to do all the things and seeing minimal results.”

During the Program, Myka recognized Johanna as the archetype of the “lioness in sheep’s clothing,” because she could see that Johanna was a powerhouse, but it felt like she was wearing an old outfit that did not fit her skill, her capacity and her leadership. At that time, Johanna was making around $30,000 per year in her business. In this Case Study, Johanna tells the journey of stepping into her authority as a speaker and an empowered businesswoman. In the year after WINC, she tripled her business and started filling her business with clients she loved.

One of her main takeaways from the Program that most transformed her revenue was WINC’s marketing pipeline—“a huge awakening for me.” Through her experience with WINC, marketing went from a mystery to a delight, something she began to see as a point of creativity and connection with her audience instead of an intimidating question mark in her business. She also learned what exactly to say during a call with a potential client, so that her potential clients become actual paying clients, telling the power of their own stories with her help.

“You’ve just gotta dig deep to pull up your deepest resources from the well to be able to show up and speak,” she says, “and I feel like that’s true also for running a business.”

We are so inspired by Johanna’s transformation and wanted to know: Which three decisions or actions led to your success?

  1. I gave myself permission to do it my way, in my own time. It's easy to get stuck in comparison mind and feel like "I'm doing it wrong. I could be so much more successful if I could just do what xxx is doing." But I kept practicing over and over: This is MY business, MY life, and I get to do this MY way. That's a lot easier said than done, but it's what's truly helped me have success in my business.
  2. Simplify and repeat. I've done about a million and one things in my business, but WINC taught me things would get better if I simplified and offered fewer things. What that means is that I get to do more of the work I love and have greater impact.
  3. I took a stand for the value I deliver. Own it. Celebrate it. Don't apologize for it. Charge for it. It's been a huge mindset shift. Really standing in the value I deliver and standing for my own genius. I don't feel like an imposter anymore—I feel like an expert.

Johanna is a living embodiment of a woman with powerful, embodied voice. Words cannot do justice to this inspiring woman’s journey through entrepreneurship. We are so proud of Johanna’s business and her dedication to serving the creative expression of women’s voices everywhere. We know you’ll find her journey as inspiring as we do.

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