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).
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:
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:
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