MEET MERILEE

Speaker • Mindset & Leadership Coach • Facilitator

I’m Merilee Smith—a spark-igniting speaker, mindset and leadership development coach, and the founder of Spark With Merilee. I help high-performing, purpose-driven women, leaders, and organizations ditch pressure and perfectionism, own their energy, and lead from their Inner Leader—the calm, confident, most authentic version of themselves.

I’m wildly passionate about helping people shift from pressure to presence. I equip my clients with the mental and emotional tools they need to thrive in life, leadership, and business—without burning out. In addition, I create transformative spaces that spark clarity, courage, and sustainable self-leadership through dynamic keynotes, interactive workshops, one-on-one coaching, and my signature Spark Your Mindset Petite Retreats.

My approach is rooted in emotional agility, mindset mastery, and lived experience. I’m the creator of the Inner Board Members™ framework—a tool that helps you recognize the internal voices that drive fear, doubt, and overachievement, and consciously choose how you want to lead and live.

As a Certified Professional Coach, Energy Leadership™ Index Master Practitioner, and certified trainer of The Empowerment Dynamic (TED)®, I help individuals and teams shift from reactive habits to empowered, intentional leadership.

But, I didn’t always led this way. Early in my career—from my family’s community pharmacy to leadership at Walt Disney World and beyond—I was driven by growth and service, yet weighed down by the need to prove myself and perfectionism.

My own transformation came when I let go of those old patterns and chose a different way of being—inner work that now fuels my mission to help others shift off autopilot, return to themselves, and live what I call their own Best Life Experience, vibrant and fully aligned with who they truly are. And now, I hope to help you do the same.

At the core of my work are three beliefs I live by:

You can lead with clarity and heart—while still being bold, driven, and grounded in your truth.

You can be wildly impactful and still feel calm, connected, and fully yourself.

You don’t have to sacrifice your well-being or happiness to succeed.

Bringing the Spark to Life

BRAND ETHOS & MISSION

At Spark with Merilee, my goal isn’t to talk AT you…it’s to boldly empower you to create real and sustainable transformation. I want to bring heart, humor, and strategy to our sessions so this feels less like work and more like collaborating with a friend.

At the heart of everything I do is a powerful commitment to you:

To help you reconnect with your truth, rise into your full brilliance, and lead your life—with purpose, peace, and presence.

That commitment is grounded in the values that guide both my life and this work:

Purpose & Intention – Live with clarity, not autopilot.
Kindness – Lead with heart.
Confidence – Trust your own brilliance.
Compassion – Growth without judgment.
Mental Wellness – Build resilience that lasts.
Connection – Transformation happens together.

These values aren’t just words on a page—they’re the foundation of how I show up, and how I’ll support you in showing up for yourself.

I’ve also had the honor to be a contributing author of the best-selling book Twenty Won: 21 Female Entrepreneurs Share Their Stories of Business Resilience During a Global Crisis. READ A SAMPLE CHAPTER HERE.