I am the woman I needed as a young girl
Girls are taught to stay in their lane, seek permission, and shrink to fit expectations. The result isn’t confidence, it’s confusion.
PowHer Up helps girls unlearn those messages and build confidence as a skill, using grit, moxie, and critical thinking. Because being different isn’t a flaw. It’s a strength.
About Me
I care about this work now more than ever because I’ve lived long enough to see how early messages shape a girl’s entire life.
I grew up learning to adapt, to sacrifice, to stay in line, even when my instincts were telling me something else. Like many girls, I figured things out by trial and error, carrying lessons I didn’t have words for until much later.
With time, perspective, and experience, I’ve come to understand what was missing: not motivation, not permission, but tools. Tools to think clearly. Tools to trust yourself. Tools to act with courage and stay aligned when life gets hard.
PowHer Up exists because I’ve become the woman I needed as a young girl. And now, I want to be that woman for other girls, so they don’t have to wait decades to understand their worth, their voice, or their power.
Cheryl
Moving beyond "empty advice."
Why "just be confident" doesn't work. Confidence is a skill, not a switch. Telling girls to “just believe in themselves” gives them no tools for real-world pressure or decision-making.
How the "Recipe" changes her future. When girls learn grit, moxie, and critical thinking early, they build the ability to act with courage, think clearly, and make choices that support who they are becoming.
The woman I needed as a young girl. PowHer Up bridges the gap between life experience and mentorship to give girls the tools she wish she'd had.
The Ingredients
Confidence is a skill that can be taught. When girls learn and practice these three pillars, they gain tools to navigate pressure and make decisions that support their values.
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GRIT
The courage to take action despite fear.
The willingness to try and show up and to move forward without guarantees.
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MOXIE
The courage to stay aligned with your truth, even when it’s uncomfortable. Moxie is how you keep going after setbacks without losing yourself.
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CRITICAL THINKING
The ability to filter mixed messages and see the truth. Making decisions based on your values, not societal pressure.
Meet Cheryl
Cheryl is the founder of PowHer Up and the author of Mix, Stir, Rise: A Girl’s Recipe for Confidence That Grows With Her, along with its companion workbook and recipe cards.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and brings decades of experience in leadership, administration, and entrepreneurship. Her background includes roles in higher education and corporate management, as well as building businesses focused on empowering girls, including Girls Outside the Box, which encouraged independent thinking and unconventional paths.
Cheryl’s work is grounded in real-world decision-making, long-term leadership experience, and a deep understanding of how communication and environment shape confidence over time.
She has been married for 45 years, is a mother of three adult children, and a grandmother of nine.