Behind the Mic
Hi, I'm Alaina.
I've always been the person who gets a little too excited about a good idea. The kind of excited where I want to talk about it immediately, start building it that afternoon, text you three people you should meet, and ask, "okay, so when do we start?"
That's basically still my whole personality. It just has a company attached to it now.
The résumé version
The short version doesn't fit on one line
Educator. Entrepreneur. Creator. Connector. Co-founder and COO of TeacherGoals. A little bit of science background, a little bit of publishing, a lot of marketing and communications, and a habit of building communities out of whatever room I'm standing in.
None of that was a plan, exactly. It's just what happens when you follow the interesting idea instead of the tidy job title. Which, if you're reading this, is probably a feeling you know.
How I lead
I'm not the loudest person in the room. I'm the one asking what you're building.
My version of leadership looks less like a speech and more like a text message: "Wait, tell me more about that." "Have you applied yet?" "You should meet her." "Okay but why not now?"
I get excited about other people's ideas almost as much as my own. I make introductions. I ask questions until the good part comes out. I notice the thing you're downplaying and make you say it louder. And I'm always, always willing to go first — try the new thing, send the awkward email, ask for more — so it's a little easier for you to do it too.
The origin story
Why Lead Loudly exists
Over the years, I kept meeting smart, capable women with ideas they weren't sharing, opportunities they weren't pursuing, and wins they'd talk themselves out of mentioning. My instinct was never "that's a shame." It was always: tell people. Apply for it. Post the idea. Send the email. Put your name on your work.
Lead Loudly is that instinct, built into a place. A stage for the podcast you'd be great at, the idea you keep almost posting, the circle of women who'll tell you to go for it, and the scripts and support to make sure you're paid what you're worth while you do it.
The invitation
Why not you?
You already have something worth saying. I'm not up here trying to teach you how to become powerful — I'm right next to you saying, come on, let's go.
The mic is yours. So is the room. Why not you?
Join the stage