Hi, I'm Nataly!

Keynote speaker, bestselling author, storyteller, and lover of all things yellow.

Six years ago I suffered a debilitating burnout and went through the hardest time in my life. It taught me a powerful lesson:

You can’t give what you don’t have.

To be a force of good in the lives of others, you have to make your emotional fitness and your relationship with yourself your #1 priority.

Practice with me!

My “official” bio

A leading expert on emotional fitness and leadership, Nataly Kogan is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and keynote speaker on a mission to activate millions of people to struggle less, thrive more, and embrace their Awesome Human!

Nataly immigrated to the US as a refugee from the former Soviet Union when she was 13 years old. Starting her American life in the projects and on welfare, she learned English by watching “Who’s the Boss?” on repeat.

She went on to reach the highest levels of success at McKinsey and Microsoft, as a Managing Director at a venture capital fund, and as founder or executive at 5 startups and tech companies.

But after years of chasing a non-existent state of nirvana, Nataly suffered a debilitating burnout that led her to find a new way to live and work.

Nataly is a sought-after international keynote speaker and has appeared in hundreds of media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, TEDx Boston and SXSW.

She is the founder of Happier, Inc. and has worked with hundreds of top companies, teams, and leaders through her Happier @ Work and leadership programs.

Nataly is the author of HAPPIER NOW, GRATITUDE DAILY, and THE AWESOME HUMAN PROJECT and hosts The Awesome Human Podcast that people call their “best-self hour”.

Nataly began painting when she turned 40 and is a self-taught abstract artist. She loves yellow, overuses the word “awesome”, and is the funniest person in her family. (Just ask her husband and daughter, her favorite Awesome Humans.)

For more, visit natalykogan.com.

5 things I want you to know about me

My burnout taught me a powerful lesson

I burned out at 38, after achieving tons of career success as a business executive, venture capitalist, consultant, and entrepreneur. This was the scariest time in my life but it taught me a powerful lesson:

You can’t give what you don’t have.

If you want to do meaningful work and be a force of good in the world, you need to make your emotional fitness your #1 priority.

I came to the U.S. as a refugee

I came to the U.S. as a refugee when I was 13. That experience has shaped a lot of who I am and I’m grateful for it, although it was really difficult.

By the way, my Russian name is Natasha, but I changed it to Nataly to fit in better… except I spelled it in a unique way that stands out.

Lesson learned:

Don’t try to be anything you’re not.

I began to paint when I was 40

… and I believe it’s never too late to try something new or explore your creativity.

But I had to do a lot of talking back to my inner doubter to finally start painting and I love teaching other Awesome Humans how to quiet their inner doubter and inner critic!