Velvet Machete® Leadership Academy
An 8-Week Leadership Certification Program
Velvet Machete® Leadership is an interactive, 8-week group coaching certification experience that supports you in maximizing your influence, focus, and results as a powerful leader.
Become more effective and efficient while doing more with less via the proven and actionable strategies of the Velvet Machete® Leadership journey. With five key pillars in clear focus, you are guided through small, achievable steps to unveil one massive impact: becoming an influential, confident, compassionate leader in a fast-paced, ever-changing world.
All levels of leadership across many industries all add to the depth of experience.
You can download the flyer here simply enroll today!
The Velvet Machete® Leadership Journey
Here's What You Get
- Official Velvet Machete® Leadership certification with a physical and digital certificate of completion for your office, company tuition or professional development reimbursement, business expense plan or LinkedIn profile
- 5 module program featuring a simple, step-by-step, proven process to walk you through the Velvet Machete® Leadership Model
- 8 LIVE weekly group coaching calls via Zoom to review content and problem solve with peers
- 8 LIVE weekly office hours with Amber Hurdle via Zoom for laser coaching
- Ongoing peer advisory group support
- Members-only Facebook group for daily conversation, networking, problem solving, celebration and camaraderie
Learn the Velvet Machete Brand Strategy
The Velvet Machete® Brand Strategy breaks brand success into three parts:
Personal Brands, Employer Brands and Business Brands.
You see, when leaders leverage their personal brands to uphold their company’s employer brand through communication, engagement and infusing the company’s culture into every aspect of operations, customers then enjoy a strengthened brand experience, true to the heart and soul of the organization. It takes all three pieces working together for a company to find longstanding success.
The Machete cuts to the chase, while the Velvet wraps the message in a way that is appealing to the intended audience. It is now my pleasure to guide you in bringing your Velvet and your Machete into balance.
The Course Path
Explore each week's curriculum. Every week has group coaching and office hours, even on the implementation weeks.
01
Build Your Personal Brand
Personal Brand Self-Assessment
Personal Brand Peer Assessment
Follow Your Breadcrumbs
Personal Brand Peer Assessment Evaluation
Personal Brand Promise
02
Build Supportive Environments
Your Workplace Culture
Your Physical & Digital Work Environments
Your Systems & Processes
Your People Environments
Your Private Environments: Spiritual
Your Private Environments: Mental & Physical Health
03
Master Your Communication
Know Your Audience
Two-Way Communication
Leadership Communication Style
Difficult Conversations
Meeting Mayhem
04
Implementation Week
Group Coaching & Office Hours Still Scheduled
05
Master Your Engagement
The Characters on Your Team & Their Impact on Engagement
Employee Recognition: Low Cost, High Impact
Develop Your Employees to Develop Your Engagement
EMPOWER Your Team to Engage Your Team
06
Implementation Week
Group Coaching & Office Hours Still Scheduled
07
Build Your Influence
Command Confidence
Inspire Results
Be A Professional Problem Solver
Be Present
GSD
08
Graduation Week
Receive certificate and digitally verified certification
Participate in virtual graduation ceremony with fun and presents!
What Participants Are Saying
As Seen In
Leading a small, national nonprofit association, I joined the Velvet Machete Leadership Academy to become a more influential, confident leader. Before working with Amber, I never really thought I needed a personal brand--I believed my organization's brand was what mattered most. After working with Amber, I realized how defining my personal brand helped me better clarify exactly what I excel at, which is key to being a confident leader.
The worksheets and assessments Amber used throughout the program helped me understand exactly who I am as a person and as a leader, and how I’m seen by those closest to me. That knowledge is empowering!
I appreciate Amber's direct, thoughtful, and down-to-earth guidance, and the time she clearly invests to make this program beneficial for every leader involved. I can definitely say that I have grown as a leader because of the Velvet Machete Leadership Academy. Thank you, Amber!
-Aubrie Kobernus, REALTORS Land Institute
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I joined Velvet Machete Leadership Academy to improve my personal branding, but what I got from the experience was so much more! Amber takes you through a mindset change in light of your personal brand statement. I have never experienced anything like this, and I am more confident as a result!
I love Amber’s direct style of teaching, which delivers breakthroughs early and often, and quickly takes you through the changes you want to make. Don’t delay! You will make big strides if you do the work.
Kay Suarez, Walmart Home Office
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I needed help with branding and influence when I joined Velvet Machete Leadership Academy. What I got from the experience was clarity on multiple aspects of my business and an understanding of new ways to help my team thrive. As a result, I am energized to attack the final quarter of the year, even during a pandemic, as my very best self. I felt I got my money back by the second class!
Donna Feyen, More than A Review
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I joined Velvet Machete Leadership Academy to boost my confidence and discover new leadership strategies. Overall, it was an AWESOME experience. I discovered the difference between how I think about myself versus how other people think of me. I gained needed confidence. I confirmed areas I was making good choices for my business and life, and discovered important areas of growth. Ultimately, I have a clearer understanding of myself and what a good leader truly is so I can be the best possible version of myself while influencing others.
Misty Miller, Finishing Touch
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I decided to join Velvet Machete Leadership Academy to ensure I had systems in place to lead a group of individuals to a common goal when I’m ready to open my newest business. I wanted to do the important leg work up front so I’m prepared to run my business and motivate a team alongside me. I created a roadmap for my business by thoughtfully completing the course. I love that I can go back and revisit the areas I need to address as needed in the future.
A benefit of the course is being able to connect with leaders of other industries to discover what they do in their businesses. It gave me tons of inspiration for my own!
Jacki Kuehne, Self-Employed
Meet Your Coach, Amber Hurdle
Amber Hurdle helps leaders confidently define and position their value by leveraging both science and branding principles to maximize their influence and results through her proprietary five-step Velvet Machete® Leadership model. Amber understands how to accelerate success as a teen mom turned powerhouse businesswoman, having worked with celebrities, executives and Fortune 100 companies alike.
She was recently recognized among the “Top 40 Under 40” by the Nashville Business Journal, by the The Nashville Area Chamber’s Nashville Emerging Leader Awards (NELA) as the winner in the Business Services category, and by Global Gurus for being among the top 30 brand professionals for 2020.
Amber Hurdle Consulting’s clients have included large brands such as FedEx Ground, Marriott Hotels, and Stella & Dot, as well as small businesses who want to play big, all which lead to an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
She lives with her family in the Greater Nashville area, where she is known for being a gym rat, hot wing snob, and an unapologetic dog mom. As a professional speaker, talent optimization certified consultant, podcast host, and founder of Velvet Machete® Leadership Academy and the Velvet Machete® Leadership Society, Amber loves uniting the power of unified personal, employer and business brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is This Membership Program Right For Me?
This program will benefit anyone who wants to improve their ability to lead through impeccable communication and strategic influence. If you want to build trust by having a solid grasp on both people processes and business acumen, this program is for you. Oh, and if you like to whine, make excuses, or take, but not give, this membership program is NOT right for you.
What Type of Leader Do I Need To Be To Participate in This Program?
Corporate leaders, small business leaders, direct sales leaders, community leaders, political leaders, and non-profit leaders all have benefited from Velvet Machete® Leadership principles. Even solopreneurs who aspire to grow a team or have virtual, contract teams have grown tremendously from VML. Participants celebrate the diverse peer advisory group VML attracts, and the innovation the various perspectives contribute to their day-to-day solutions.
How Long Do I Have To Complete the Program And Get Certified?
The core content is delivered over the span of eight weeks, and participants are encouraged to keep up with the timeline as it unfolds to maximize the opportunity for group collaboration and to earn your certification in alignment with your class. However, the content will be available to revisit for as long as the program exists with new content added each month to continue to deepen the understanding of each core competency, as well as to master Velvet Machete® Leadership principles.
What If I Have Questions Or Need Support?
Once enrolled you’ll receive information from us on how best to contact us via email for questions about the coursework, or our technical support team for any system (online access or performance) issues. You will also be able to submit and ask questions during the live weekly office hours sessions, and via our online discussion areas.
What If I Am Already Feeling Overwhelmed? Will This Take a Ton of Time?
We GET YOU! The lessons are bite sized and manageable with your hectic life in mind. AND, two weeks of the eight weeks are implementation weeks. There will still be group coaching video calls and office hours those weeks, but you will have NO additional homework to complete, so you never feel "behind." (We want Velvet Machete Leadership Academy to compliment, not complicate your life!)
What Type of Companies Participate?
We have students from large companies like Walmart, FedEx, PWC, Edward Jones and more, and we have medium-sized companies, as well as small business leaders and even solopreneurs represented. This content is transferrable across all leadership environments and levels. If you want to clearly understand and position your value, greatly increase your confidence, and ultimately increase your influence as a leader, then this program is for you.