Member since August 2026
Jonelle Marie Carter is a best-selling author, singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, and dynamic keynote speaker who believes your voice matters and that confidence starts with how you talk to yourself.
After facing a rare cancer that nearly silenced her voice forever, Jonelle came through the experience with a deeper understanding of resilience, self-worth, and what it means to truly use your voice. Today, she brings that perspective to the stage, helping audiences rethink their mindset, quiet their inner critic, build confidence, and show up more authentically.
A serial entrepreneur, Jonelle has built multiple successful ventures, including two brick-and-mortar businesses. She sold her first service business after more than a decade with nearly 100% team retention and grew a wellness company to six figures. Along the way, she's learned that great leadership isn't about having all the answers, it's about people, trust, courage, and being willing to grow.
Jonelle is also a full-time musician, co-host of the No Stage Lights Podcast, and founder of GLOW and GLOW Girl, initiatives focused on helping women and young women recognize their worth, find their voice, and become more confident leaders.
Whether she's speaking to a corporate team, women’s group, educators, or students, Jonelle combines real-life stories, humor, vulnerability, and practical takeaways to remind people that they don't need to become someone else to become more of themselves.
Growth mindset and anything foodie related!
A few months ago, I was speaking to a group of students from 5-8th grade co/ed.
The topic was Your Superpower... Using your voice. I shared my story about being a singer/songwriter and musician. At the end of the session, a young girl approached the stage and asked me if I could sing something. At the time, I had not added music into my keynote and panicked a bit thinking, "how can I teach these kids to use their voice confidently when I am showing them something different". I asked them if they knew the words to Country Roads by John Denver. I started to sing the first verse and by the time the chorus came, the entire group of 275+ kids were singing along. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my stage career.
I grew up in a small town with a big voice and an even bigger dream.
Music was always the place where I felt most like myself. I learned early that a song could say the things we sometimes don't have the courage to say out loud. I dreamed of performing, of building a life around music, and of doing something that mattered.
But my story didn't unfold in a straight line.
There were disappointments, mistakes, seasons when I questioned myself, and moments when the life I had imagined looked very different from the life I was actually living. I became a wife, a mother, an entrepreneur, a business owner, and a musician, often trying to figure out how all of those pieces could belong to the same woman.
Then, in 2011, I faced a rare cancer that threatened something I couldn't imagine living without: my voice.
For a singer, losing your voice isn't just losing a physical ability. It's losing a piece of your identity. And for me, that experience forced me to ask some really hard questions: Who am I if I can't do the thing I've always believed I was meant to do? What happens when the dream you've worked so hard for suddenly feels like it's being taken away?
I eventually found my way back to my voice, but I came back different.
I realized that finding your voice isn't just about being able to sing, speak, or stand on a stage. It's about knowing who you are when the applause stops. It's about learning to trust yourself, changing the way you talk to yourself, and having the courage to take up space in your own life.
That realization became the thread running through everything that came next.
I built businesses. I learned what people first leadership really looks like. I experienced success, failure, reinvention, and the uncomfortable process of figuring out what was actually mine to carry and what wasn't. I continued making music, writing books, raising a family, and chasing ideas that mattered to me.
And eventually, I realized that all of those seemingly different chapters were actually telling the same story.
Your life doesn't have to look like you thought it would for it to become something beautiful.
Today, I speak to women, leaders, teams, and young people about the things I wish someone had taught me earlier: how much our mindset matters, how powerful our self-talk is, how confidence isn't something we're born with but something we build, and why authenticity will always take us further than pretending to have it all figured out.
I created GLOW because I believe women deserve to know their worth. I created GLOW Girl because I want young women to discover their voices before they spend years trying to find them again. And I continue to make music because, at the end of the day, music was where my own voice began.
I don't speak from a place of having life figured out.
I speak from having lived it.
I've learned that the things we think are detours can become the very things that give our lives direction. That mistakes don't disqualify us. That endings can become beginnings. That sometimes the hardest chapters are the ones that introduce us to the strongest version of ourselves.
And that the voice we spend the most time listening to isn't the one coming from the stage.
It's the one inside our own head.
That's the work I'm passionate about now: helping people change that voice, trust themselves again, and have the courage to become more of who they already are.
Because I am more than a country song.
And so are you.
In this inspiring keynote, Jonelle Carter shares her powerful personal journey of losing her voice and reclaiming it. She offers valuable lessons on building confidence, effective communication, and authentic self-belief. Through compelling stories and practical strategies, she introduces three essential tools: Asking for help, being prepared, and knowing your worth. These insights equip audiences to speak up with authority, stand firm in leadership, and foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute. When you invest in this talk, you inspire your team to find their voices, elevate their confidence, and create a culture of support and growth. It’s a transformative experience that leaves lasting impact and inspires action.
TAKEAWAYS
1. Understand the importance of confidence, communication, and self-belief in personal growth.
2. Recognize the ASK method as a way to shift confidence by using your voice to ASK,embracing curiosity, seeking knowledge, and fostering a growth mindset.
3. Identify practical strategies for reclaiming and strengthening one's voice, including asking for help, being prepared, and knowing your worth.
4. Develop the ability to speak up, stand strong, and lead with authenticity.
5. Appreciate how reclaiming your voice can boost personal self-worth, enhance leadership, and inspire others to find their own voices.
6. Learn how creating a supportive environment encourages confidence and growth in yourself and others.
In this inspiring talk, Jonelle Carter shares her personal story of how she lost her voice and then found it again. She teaches important lessons about confidence, communication, and believing in yourself. Through real stories and practical tips, she introduces three key ideas: Asking for help, Kindness, and Knowing your worth. These tools can help you speak up, stand strong, and shine brightly so those around you can do the same. When you find your voice, you inspire others to do the same. Reclaiming your voice can boost your confidence, your sense of self-worth, and your ability to lead and empower others to GLOW from within.
Jonelle also highlights the significance of the *Be a GG* movement, which encourages women to embrace their greatness, support each other, and lift one another up. The movement is about cultivating a community of confident, kind, and courageous women who are committed to making a positive impact and inspiring others to do the same. By being a GG, you not only empower yourself but also help create a ripple effect of confidence and kindness that can transform lives and communities.
In this inspiring talk, Jonelle Carter shares her personal story of how she lost her voice and then found it again. She teaches important lessons about confidence, communication, and believing in yourself. Through real stories and practical tips, she introduces three key ideas: Asking for help, Being prepared, and Knowing your worth. These tools can help you speak up, stand strong, and create a supportive environment so everyone around you can grow confident too. When you find your voice, you inspire others to do the same. Reclaiming your voice can boost your confidence, your sense of self-worth, and your ability to lead and support others.
A few months ago, I was speaking to a group of students from 5-8th grade co/ed.
The topic was Your Superpower... Using your voice. I shared my story about being a singer/songwriter and musician. At the end of the session, a young girl approached the stage and asked me if I could sing something. At the time, I had not added music into my keynote and panicked a bit thinking, "how can I teach these kids to use their voice confidently when I am showing them something different". I asked them if they knew the words to Country Roads by John Denver. I started to sing the first verse and by the time the chorus came, the entire group of 275+ kids were singing along. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my stage career.
I grew up in a small town with a big voice and an even bigger dream.
Music was always the place where I felt most like myself. I learned early that a song could say the things we sometimes don't have the courage to say out loud. I dreamed of performing, of building a life around music, and of doing something that mattered.
But my story didn't unfold in a straight line.
There were disappointments, mistakes, seasons when I questioned myself, and moments when the life I had imagined looked very different from the life I was actually living. I became a wife, a mother, an entrepreneur, a business owner, and a musician, often trying to figure out how all of those pieces could belong to the same woman.
Then, in 2011, I faced a rare cancer that threatened something I couldn't imagine living without: my voice.
For a singer, losing your voice isn't just losing a physical ability. It's losing a piece of your identity. And for me, that experience forced me to ask some really hard questions: Who am I if I can't do the thing I've always believed I was meant to do? What happens when the dream you've worked so hard for suddenly feels like it's being taken away?
I eventually found my way back to my voice, but I came back different.
I realized that finding your voice isn't just about being able to sing, speak, or stand on a stage. It's about knowing who you are when the applause stops. It's about learning to trust yourself, changing the way you talk to yourself, and having the courage to take up space in your own life.
That realization became the thread running through everything that came next.
I built businesses. I learned what people first leadership really looks like. I experienced success, failure, reinvention, and the uncomfortable process of figuring out what was actually mine to carry and what wasn't. I continued making music, writing books, raising a family, and chasing ideas that mattered to me.
And eventually, I realized that all of those seemingly different chapters were actually telling the same story.
Your life doesn't have to look like you thought it would for it to become something beautiful.
Today, I speak to women, leaders, teams, and young people about the things I wish someone had taught me earlier: how much our mindset matters, how powerful our self-talk is, how confidence isn't something we're born with but something we build, and why authenticity will always take us further than pretending to have it all figured out.
I created GLOW because I believe women deserve to know their worth. I created GLOW Girl because I want young women to discover their voices before they spend years trying to find them again. And I continue to make music because, at the end of the day, music was where my own voice began.
I don't speak from a place of having life figured out.
I speak from having lived it.
I've learned that the things we think are detours can become the very things that give our lives direction. That mistakes don't disqualify us. That endings can become beginnings. That sometimes the hardest chapters are the ones that introduce us to the strongest version of ourselves.
And that the voice we spend the most time listening to isn't the one coming from the stage.
It's the one inside our own head.
That's the work I'm passionate about now: helping people change that voice, trust themselves again, and have the courage to become more of who they already are.
Because I am more than a country song.
And so are you.
In this inspiring keynote, Jonelle Carter shares her powerful personal journey of losing her voice and reclaiming it. She offers valuable lessons on building confidence, effective communication, and authentic self-belief. Through compelling stories and practical strategies, she introduces three essential tools: Asking for help, being prepared, and knowing your worth. These insights equip audiences to speak up with authority, stand firm in leadership, and foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute. When you invest in this talk, you inspire your team to find their voices, elevate their confidence, and create a culture of support and growth. It’s a transformative experience that leaves lasting impact and inspires action.
TAKEAWAYS
1. Understand the importance of confidence, communication, and self-belief in personal growth.
2. Recognize the ASK method as a way to shift confidence by using your voice to ASK,embracing curiosity, seeking knowledge, and fostering a growth mindset.
3. Identify practical strategies for reclaiming and strengthening one's voice, including asking for help, being prepared, and knowing your worth.
4. Develop the ability to speak up, stand strong, and lead with authenticity.
5. Appreciate how reclaiming your voice can boost personal self-worth, enhance leadership, and inspire others to find their own voices.
6. Learn how creating a supportive environment encourages confidence and growth in yourself and others.
In this inspiring talk, Jonelle Carter shares her personal story of how she lost her voice and then found it again. She teaches important lessons about confidence, communication, and believing in yourself. Through real stories and practical tips, she introduces three key ideas: Asking for help, Kindness, and Knowing your worth. These tools can help you speak up, stand strong, and shine brightly so those around you can do the same. When you find your voice, you inspire others to do the same. Reclaiming your voice can boost your confidence, your sense of self-worth, and your ability to lead and empower others to GLOW from within.
Jonelle also highlights the significance of the *Be a GG* movement, which encourages women to embrace their greatness, support each other, and lift one another up. The movement is about cultivating a community of confident, kind, and courageous women who are committed to making a positive impact and inspiring others to do the same. By being a GG, you not only empower yourself but also help create a ripple effect of confidence and kindness that can transform lives and communities.
In this inspiring talk, Jonelle Carter shares her personal story of how she lost her voice and then found it again. She teaches important lessons about confidence, communication, and believing in yourself. Through real stories and practical tips, she introduces three key ideas: Asking for help, Being prepared, and Knowing your worth. These tools can help you speak up, stand strong, and create a supportive environment so everyone around you can grow confident too. When you find your voice, you inspire others to do the same. Reclaiming your voice can boost your confidence, your sense of self-worth, and your ability to lead and support others.
