I’m Cheryl Hayes, and I created PowHer UP because I believe girls and women deserve more than empty advice like “just be confident.”

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Confidence isn’t something you flip on like a light switch. It’s something you build—with the right ingredients, tools, people, and mindset. I wish I’d known that growing up.

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I became a wife and mother young—because I thought that’s what I was supposed to do. The stories, examples, media, and messaging I grew up with made it seem like there was only one path. Pink was for girls, blue was for boys. Girls played with dolls, boys played with trucks. Girls grew up to marry, have children, and take care of their families. Motherhood meant sacrifice.

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I believed the more I sacrificed myself, the better mom I was. But the truth is—the more I sacrificed myself, the more I lost myself. Having children wasn’t presented as a choice. But it is. So is how you build your life, your relationships, and your identity.

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Now, in my early 60s, I’ve found myself—or maybe I’ve finally created myself. With distance and perspective, I can clearly see what could’ve helped me back then. Marriage can be a partnership—not a set of gender roles. You get to define what works for you, together. That’s what my partner and I did. And yes, choosing him was one of the best decisions I ever made. But it wasn’t the only one that shaped me.

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Girls need to know they have options. And whatever option they choose—if it’s truly theirs—is valid.

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With experience in multiple successful businesses, a degree in communication, a creative brain that won’t quit, and a passion for organizing, designing, and telling the truth—I built PowHer UP as a space where girls and women can explore what confidence really means for them.

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Through books, workbooks, stories, courses, and resources for parents, coaches, and teachers, we’re changing the way girls are seen—and how they see themselves. The earlier a girl builds confidence, the better her decisions will be. And the stronger her future becomes.

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That’s why I created a simple, powerful recipe:
Grit + Moxie + Critical Thinking = Confidence

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Confidence takes effort, reflection, and trial and error. There are bumps and setbacks. But it can be taught. And it can grow—at any age.

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Girls today are bombarded with mixed messages. Speak up—but not too loud. Be smart—but not bossy. Be confident—but figure it out alone. That has to change.

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I’ve taken everything I’ve lived through—and everything I’ve learned—and turned it into something useful. Not perfect. Not polished. Just real. I don’t have all the answers, but I have a recipe that works. And I’m proud to share it with anyone ready to build something better, one confident step at a time.​​​​​​