297: Be Curious. Ask “What If?” When Luck Shows Up, Be Prepared To Do The Work with Heather Hansen O’Neill

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Written By Tammy Gooler Loeb

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297: Be Curious. Ask “What If?” When Luck Shows Up, Be Prepared To Do The Work with Heather Hansen O’Neill

In this episode of Work from the Inside Out, Tammy Gooler Loeb welcomes Heather Hansen O'Neill, a keynote speaker, coach, leadership expert, author, and former professional dancer whose career journey is a powerful example of resilience and reinvention. Heather shares how dance became her passion early in life and how it shaped her identity for years as she pursued a professional performing career.

At 13 years old, Heather was already dancing professionally and dedicating herself fully to the art form she loved most. She eventually turned down multiple college scholarships to pursue dance full-time, trusting her intuition that the opportunity was too important to ignore. But at the height of her career, a serious injury abruptly ended her path as a professional dancer and left her questioning who she was without it.

Heather opens up about the difficult years that followed which included working a variety of jobs, struggling emotionally, and trying to rediscover her sense of direction. What ultimately shifted things for her was learning to ask a different question: “What if?” That sense of curiosity became the spark that helped her reconnect with dance in new ways and eventually led her toward a career in sales, coaching, leadership development, and speaking.

Throughout the conversation, Heather and Tammy discuss the importance of human connection in leadership and work. Heather shares how her experiences led her to help organizations move beyond transactional relationships and build more meaningful, human-centered cultures. They also explore how many professionals become disconnected from work they truly care about and why taking time to listen to your inner voice can help uncover what’s next.

Heather closes the conversation with a memorable lesson from her dance career about rejection and persistence. Reflecting on difficult auditions, she recalls advice from a choreographer who reminded her that sometimes you simply “don’t fit the costume”—and that rejection does not mean you are not talented or capable. Often, the right opportunity is still ahead. Her story is a reminder that reinvention is rarely linear, but with curiosity, resilience, and courage, it is possible to create meaningful work that aligns with who you truly are.

In this week’s Work From The Inside Out podcast, learn more about:

  • How Heather’s professional dance career shaped her identity and leadership style

  • What happened after a career-ending injury changed the direction of her life

  • Why curiosity and asking “what if?” can open new possibilities

  • How human connection transforms leadership, sales, and workplace culture

  • The importance of listening to your inner voice amid external noise

  • Why many professionals feel disconnected from their work, and how to reconnect

  • How Heather transitioned from sales into coaching, speaking, and authorship

  • Lessons about resilience, rejection, and persistence from the dance world

  • Why reinvention often begins with letting go of old expectations

  • How setbacks can ultimately lead to more meaningful opportunities 

Learn more about Heather:

Interested in individual or group coaching with Tammy?  Learn more about her coaching service.

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Affiliate Links: Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links above are “affiliate links”. This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products and services I use personally and believe will add value to my listeners. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

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About Tammy, host of
Work from the Inside Out

Before launching my coaching practice, I worked in mental health, higher education, public policy, and fundraising. Those experiences showed me how deeply our work shapes our sense of purpose—and now I help clients navigate change and growth so they can feel more fulfilled and aligned in what they do

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