Three words stopped time.

“Mom, I’m gay.”

That moment cracked Heather Hester’s world wide open — and from the mess came a movement.

In this raw, electric conversation, Heather shares how she transformed fear into advocacy, pain into purpose, and compassion into a system that actually scales.

We talk about:

What really happens when your brand is born from heartbreak
The myth of “nice” versus the strategy of kind
How to operationalize empathy without losing authority
Why the best leadership lessons often start at home

If you’ve ever wondered how to stay soft in a hard world — or how to build something real after everything breaks — this episode will hit you straight in the gut (in the best way).

💬 Show Notes

Today’s guest, Heather Hester, is the author of Parenting with Pride: Unlearn Bias and Embrace, Empower, and Love Your LGBTQ+ Teen, founder of Chrysalis Mama, and host of the podcast More Human. More Kind.

After her son’s coming-out moment in 2017, Heather began building what she couldn’t find — real resources, compassionate community, and truth-telling spaces for parents, allies, and leaders ready to grow through the hard parts.

🎯 In this episode:

Why compassion without boundaries equals chaos
How to turn emotional pain into your brand’s engine
Tactical empathy — making kindness measurable
The difference between “nice” and “kind” leadership
The inner rewiring it takes to lead from humanity, not fear

Connect with Heather:

🌐 Website → https://www.morehumanmorekind.com

🎙 Podcast → More Human. More Kind. on Apple Podcasts

📕 Book → Parenting with Pride on Amazon

📺 YouTube → Heather Hester – More Human More Kind

📸 Instagram → @morehumanmorekind

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/hhchrysalismama/

💌 Email → hh@chrysalismama.com

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