Theresa Bruno is an entrepreneur, coach, and storyteller whose professional life has been guided by imagination and reinvention. From her earliest ventures to her current work in coaching, she has allowed her creative instincts to inform each chapter of her life, weaving together business, artistry, and personal growth in ways that continue to unfold with intention.
Bruno's entrepreneurial journey took shape early when she opened her first agency in her late 20s. Initially an outlet for her creative and strategic skills, the venture grew steadily into a robust business that demanded leadership, vision, and adaptability. Over time, she found herself managing complexity and scale confidently.
Yet even amid outward momentum, Bruno sensed a subtle disconnect. "The work was functioning well, but it no longer invited the kind of creative engagement I valued most," she shares. That awareness prompted her to spend extended periods immersed in film and production environments, an experience that reawakened her artistic instincts and reminded her that creativity needed room to breathe.
Listening to that inner nudge led Bruno into an entirely new arena, launching a jewelry business rooted in personal expression and design. From a creative experiment, the venture grew into a chapter that carried her across different places and cultures while allowing her to remain closely connected to the creative process. She ran the business for more than a decade, balancing design, leadership, and growth.
"During that time, I felt the same pressure many women entrepreneurs know well, the constant need to prove myself and stay alert in every role," Bruno remarks. "When the business came to an unexpected close, in addition to dealing with professional loss, I was forced into a deep and personal reckoning."
She carried a sense of responsibility, questioning her presence and the pace at which she had been living. "I had achieved what I thought I was working toward," she says, "and yet I realized I had been rushing past parts of my own life." That realization became the beginning of a more inward journey.
Shortly after closing the business, Bruno experienced a tragedy when her husband passed away unexpectedly. The loss arrived without warning and shifted her focus entirely toward survival, care, and the daily work of moving forward. For a long while, life narrowed to the essentials: grieving, parenting, and learning how to exist in a world that no longer felt familiar. Rather than searching for answers too quickly, she allowed herself to sit with uncertainty. "There are seasons when the bravest thing you can do is stay," she states. "Stay with the pain, stay with the questions, and trust that meaning will reveal itself in time."
Out of that searching space came The Soul Talks podcast. Created as a personal lifeline, it became a place where stories could be spoken without urgency or expectation. "The podcast's invitation to 'tell me your story' opened conversations about growth, resilience, and the many ways people learn to endure and rebuild," Bruno says.
Through hosting, Bruno came to understand that survival is a shared human experience. Guests are offered care and agency, including full involvement in shaping how their story is shared. "People often share more openly when they feel safe," she says, "and the truth can be an important part of healing." Conversations are filmed with presence in mind, then released in thoughtful segments that honor the fullness of each narrative. Episodes are released weekly, offering listeners a consistent space for reflection.
Parallel to the podcast, coaching emerged naturally as another expression of Bruno's work. As a coach and interim president of Secure Coaching, she specializes in transformational approaches that emphasize identity, connection, and self-trust. The practice offers both extended and shorter signature programs, along with individual sessions, all designed to support transformational growth individually and in community.
Bruno is a strong advocate for the change that happens within cohorts, believing that witnessing the courage and vulnerability of others often accelerates personal insight. The coaching environment is designed to welcome openness without prescribing belief, encouraging each person to define meaning in their own way. Rather than offering answers, she guides clients toward their own understanding. Much of her coaching work serves women leaders and entrepreneurs, as well as younger women navigating formative seasons of life.
That commitment to younger women has also inspired the development of a scholarship initiative, rooted in the idea that those who have found stability and success can help widen access for others. Alongside coaching, Bruno continues to write. She authored He's Not Coming Back: Rewriting Life After Loss, reflecting on life after profound loss. Bruno is well into her next manuscript, which continues her exploration of meaning, resilience, and renewal.
Theresa Bruno's focus remains grounded in hope. Across her podcast, coaching, and writing, she aims to offer space for people who feel uncertain about what comes next. Her future goals center on launching a TV show with Ova Media Group and Cassandra Cooper, completing her second book, deepening her storytelling work, and expanding opportunities for shared growth. "If you're still here," she says, "your story is still unfolding." Through her work, she continues to live that belief creatively and with care.
