Tara Horstmeyer

Happy Words

I believe you were made to lead, not exhaustively create LinkedIn content.

ABOUT HAPPY WORDS ⬇️
Hi! I'm Tara. 

After a 20+ year career as an award-winning editor, writer + leader, my career evolved to building Happy Words: A writing, consulting + training team that supports executives around the country.

As The OG LinkedIn Ghostwriter, I've trained and influenced many of the best in the best in the business. I’ve also been featured in Business Insider, Vox and Morning Brew as a LinkedIn Ghostwriting industry expert and have spoken at events + workshops while appearing on dozens of podcasts.

This truly sets me apart as I can both appreciate + serve busy executives who desire to impact others through their LinkedIn presence.

Executives—like you.

WE GET IT—BECAUSE WE GET *YOU* ⬇️

We know firsthand the weight of leadership duties and professional ambition leaders carry daily.

In fact, my unique background in people leadership + professional writing has firmly cemented me and my Happy Words team's reputation as the obvious choice for world-class executives and their teams.

You can't afford to leave your professional reputation or company’s brand to chance with just any Ghostwriter or service.

You genuinely need trusted social strategists AND experienced media experts to guide you.

Experts—like us!

Bottom line:

You were made to lead, not exhaustively create a LinkedIn presence.

We're here to help you expand your influence, grow your presence and stand out as the authoritative thought leader you ARE.

LET'S CHAT. HERE TO SERVE YOU ⬇️
You could be (and, let's face it, *should be*) the talk of LinkedIn.

Serving individuals, founders, execs, teams + companies:

1. CONTENT: LinkedIn Post Strategy + Ghostwriting
2. WORKSHOPS: LinkedIn Mastery Workshop + Workbook

Founder

Gravy

Worked with the Channel Partnerships team to scale Gravy’s client relationships program by helping establish new relationships while optimizing existing one-to-many channel partnerships.

Director of Partner Success

Tested and proved Gravy’s inbound and outbound strategies through non-conventional SDR methods, including pioneering voice and video, resulting in new clients + MRR.

Built scalable Sales Development program from scratch, including proving prospecting methodology, testing messaging, strategies and approaches, resulting in new clients, referral partners and a new stream of predictable revenue.

Helped implement SalesLoft in Q1 2020, including writing and testing all cadences, snippets and more. 

Ultimately recruited, hired, trained, onboarded and led new SDRs to build out our SDR team, helping 3 out of 5 break previous quota records within their first 60 days of onboarding.

SDR / SDR Growth Manager

Provided Gravy's overall content direction by producing and repurposing original content, including client communications, lead magnets, blogs and webinar + email marketing campaigns. 

Built and launched "The Outsider" newsletter, which is quickly becoming a pillar piece of communication for clients and subscribers.

Awarded Gravy’s highest honor in August 2019: Gravy MVP.

Content Manager

Assisted the sales manager and project managed all sales-related activities, including prospecting, discovery, referrals, maintaining CRM updates, email campaigns and led sales enablement activities.

Inside Sales Specialist

RevGenius

www.revgenius.com/mag

- Laid foundational framework that helped establish scaleable systems and processes.
- Assessed all inbound authors before approving to submit for RevGenius Magazine. 
- Assigned deadlines and brainstorms article topics while maintaining pipeline of content and authors so magazine has articles well in advance of publish date. 
- Recruited new authors for RevGenius Magazine as needed, and strategized additional ways to expand magazine’s engagement and reach through promotion, video use, etc.

Founding Managing Editor: RevGenius Mag

North Point Community Church

Recruited, trained, developed and led more than 225 volunteers as a director in the United States' second-largest student ministry setting.

Directed leaders and coaches through regular one-on-ones, relationship building, pastoring and helping to navigate any situation that would affect the small group. Developed leaders through trainings, weekly communication and meetings run one-on-one and in large groups.

Supported ministry as a whole through assisting with events, camps, trainings, leader meetings, written communication and resourcing volunteer leaders to help students pursue and discover a faith of their own.

Developed, curated and wrote the Transit small group leadership training manual used across campuses and at partner churches across the globe.

Groups Director

Naylor Association Solutions (Naylor, LLC)

Worked with association clients to plan, vision cast and produce all materials for print, online and event publications, including monthly magazines, newsletters, directories and additional resources as needed. 

Liaison between clients and sales to produce content and annual editorial calendar both favorable for members and to promote advertising revenue. 

Collaborated with clients to create broad-scale vision for publications as well as fine-tune the details needed to execute established vision. 

Produced original editorial content, served as copy editor, chose appropriate art, wrote design worksheets and detailed plans to ensure production and design team maintained integrity and clients’ expectations in their print, online and trade show presences. 

Managed all relationships via consistent email and phone communication. 

Developed, encouraged and enforced tight deadline schedules for clients and production throughout the planning and publication process. 

Worked closely with production, design and shipping to ensure clients’ expectation of excellence in both overall experience and product results was exceeded.

Maintained a workload of approximately 50 projects per year.

Awarded 2008 Editor of the Year, a highly coveted award spanning the U.S. and Canadian staff.

Editor

The Gainesville Sun

Reviewed articles for grammar, punctuation, flow, AP style and accuracy.

Wrote headlines and subheads. Produced breakout boxes as needed.

Selected appropriate stories and art to fill selected internal sections, capture readers’ interest and encourage advertising support.

Copy Editor

Sun Sentinel Media Group

Reviewed articles for grammar, punctuation, flow, AP style and accuracy. 

Wrote headlines, subhead and summary decks. 

Collaborated with reporters to clear up any ambiguities.

Copy Desk Summer Intern

Simplifying LinkedIn | Individual + team training you need to succeed on LinkedIn | Executive Ghostwriting | Content Coaching | Hands-on Workshops

"One person posts, and I now know them. Multiple people post, and I now know their company..." - MJ Peters. (Powerful, huh?)

Execs: I believe you were made to lead—NOT exhaustively create LinkedIn content.

Yet:
> Figuring out how to engage + leverage the power of LinkedIn.
> Finding a TRUSTED Executive LinkedIn Thought Leadership team that understand business.
> One that also offers content strategy, company LinkedIn training and high-level, strategic writing execution...

...can feel like another full-time job.

I'm here to remove this burden.

HI! I'M TARA ⬇️

The Original LinkedIn Ghostwriter + Founder of Happy Words. 

My 20+ year career as an award-winning editor, writer + leader gives me a unique understanding of not only what it takes to leverage content in a digital world...

But also what it takes to work with impactful leaders—in the REAL world.

After scaling to 30K+ followers + driving well more than 6-figures of revenue solely from my LinkedIn as THE Original AND highly sought-after LinkedIn Ghostwriter...

My career evolved to building Happy Words: A writing, consulting + training team that supports executives like you.

I’ve since been featured in Business Insider, Vox and Morning Brew as a LinkedIn Ghostwriting industry expert and have spoken at events + workshops while appearing on dozens of podcasts.

This truly sets me apart as I can both appreciate + serve busy executives who desire to impact others through their LinkedIn presence.

Executives—like you.

Bottom line:

You were made to lead, not exhaustively create a LinkedIn presence.

I'm here to help you expand your influence, grow your presence and stand out as the authoritative thought leader you ARE.

LET'S CHAT. HERE TO SERVE YOU ⬇️
Serving individuals, founders, execs, teams + companies:

1. CONTENT: LinkedIn Post Strategy + Ghostwriting
2. WORKSHOPS: LinkedIn Mastery Workshop + Workbook

---

So, that's a little bit about who I am, what I built (for years) and how I've served countless leaders (like you!) on LinkedIn.

I am ALWAYS up for a chat in the DMs. So...

Drop me a note.
Say hi.

DMs always open.
Cheering for you!

- T

Executive LinkedIn + Leadership Trainer

I help executives, companies and teams build their LinkedIn reputation at scale.

------

Leading is a full-time job.
Exhaustively figuring out LinkedIn shouldn't be.

No matter if you are looking to build your executive personal brand on LinkedIn, bring visibility and opportunity to you, your company or team or create an employee advocacy program, I can help you achieve it all.

You were created to lead — not spend your time writing for LinkedIn.

Let’s work together to bring YOU, your business, your team and your company to those who need it the most.

🔥 Expand your influence. Grow your reputation. Ignite your opportunities.🔥

3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU ⬇️

1. LinkedIn GHOSTWRITING:
Writing WITH you + AS you is what I'm known for.
DM or email for information, packages and availability.

2. LinkedIn 1:1 + Corporate TRAINING:
From corporate workshops to 1:1 consulting + employee coaching, I've worked with the best to leverage LinkedIn.

Shoot me a DM to design your session now.

3. LinkedIn Brand CONSULTING + COACHING:
Whether you are looking for an all-encompassing LinkedIn strategy that works or need a professional editor's eyes on your (or your team’s) posts, I'm your guide to help you along the way. 

Shoot me a DM to discuss a Coaching or Consulting plan or visit me here:

tara@happywordssell.com
www.happywordssell.com

Dream to Done Ops

You’ve built success.
But now it’s costing you.

You’re a visionary founder or high-achiever with a big mission.
Your business is thriving on the outside—but inside, something feels off.

👉 You’re stuck in the hustle, even though the money’s flowing.
👉 You’re the bottleneck, and the business depends too much on you.
👉 You crave freedom, but feel trapped by what you've built.

Here’s the truth: You don’t need to work harder. You need to realign.

When your nervous system, business model, and leadership identity work with you—not against you—you stop surviving and start soaring.

That’s where I come in.
I’m Cassie Shea, Somatic Business Coach + Identity Strategist.
I help high-performing leaders unlock their personal magic and systemize their inner genius—so they can share their gifts with the world, without sacrificing their time, energy, or freedom.

Together, we’ll unlock the next chapter of your leadership: one where ease, alignment, and expansion are the norm.

🚀 Choose Your Path 🚀 

1️⃣ Private Coaching
“I need deep, high-touch support to shift FAST.”
If you're ready for a personal, high-level container to make quantum leaps in identity, income, and leadership, this is for you.

✅ Shift who you are as a leader
✅ Design a business that doesn’t burn you out
✅ Step fully into your next level of power
💼 1:1 Coaching + Unlimited Voxer + Weekly Check-ins

2️⃣ The Kingmaker Foundry (90-Day Group Accelerator)
“I want structure, momentum, and support to scale without the burnout.”

For high-achievers ready to lead with clarity, scale with systems, and grow with ease—inside a powerful group container.

🔥 Regulate your nervous system for calm, confident leadership
⚙️ Build scalable systems so the business runs without you
📈 Grow your revenue while working way less
💼 12 Weeks of Live Coaching + Elite Peer Community

You don’t have to choose between success and sanity.
Let’s build a business—and a life—that feels as good as it looks.

Somatic Business Coach | Radical Alignment of Identity, Nervous System, and Revenue 

Agency Builders

At Agency Builders, I’m the Coach-in-Residence for founders and operators who are done playing small. We’re building more than agencies—we’re building lives that win at home and at work.

Inside our community, we trade ego for collaboration, hustle for harmony, and empty metrics for real momentum.

We believe in:

✨ Collaboration Over Competition – We grow faster when we grow together.
🤝 Rich in People, Not Just Pixels – Because real success is built on trust, not transactions.
⚖️ Healthy Work-Life Blender – We blend ambition with alignment, so your work fuels—not fights—your life.
💰 Profit with Purpose – We’re here to make money and a meaningful difference.

This is where agency leaders come to build businesses they actually want to run—with a tribe that’s in their corner for every messy, magical step.

Coach-in-Residence | Collaboration Over Competition Champion 

Interactive Education Concepts, Inc. dba IMPROVLearning 

CXO leading Biz Dev and Product Ops for an $8MM / year company in the eLearning industry. 
☑️ Exceeded June 2021 business development goal by 30% through relationship-building partnerships. 
☑️ Spearheaded new brand, website, and marketing launch to activate a new 1M/year audience online. 
☑️ Achieved a 4.0 internal eNPS rating with internal communications and benefits program analysis.
☑️ Communications officer in charge of all corporate and external communications including website copy, marketing / sales collateral, email marketing programs, and internal communications.

Chief Experience Officer

Brainjolt

COO for a $30MM / year media company doing 5B ad impressions monthly. 
☑️ Saved 32% on operating overhead by migrating the team fully remote in 2019. 
☑️ Built HR program from scratch and deployed full-stack people operations programs + engagement plan to global workforce. 
☑️ Coached 7 employees in 12-months, or 28% of the company. 57% of the coaching clients were promoted within 12-months of coaching, receiving an average 10% raise to accompany an enhanced job title and set of responsibilities.

Managing Director

Vendo

Led Operations, HR, Customer Delivery and Product Teams for a $14M / year company. 
☑️ Built end-to-end operations, and a full-cycle talent strategy, including an internship program for a team doing $14MM yearly in product sales on Amazon.
☑️ Launched CRM, onboarding checklists, reduced project kickoff time from 2+ weeks to 48 hours.
☑️ Introduced team to Asana, increasing task visibility and reducing reporting time by 20%.
☑️ Sales Operations - built Salesforce, implemented Yesware for automated email marketing and launched DocuSign
☑️ Sales Enablement - developed sales KPIs, and created reporting for activities/pipeline

Director Of Operations

☑️ Sourced 500+ leads and trained 2 new sales hires

Business Development Associate

StackCommerce

Led strategic direction for channel expansion and championed go-to-market strategies for eCommerce content marketing company. 
☑️ $6mm book of business built, enabling the company to acquire new JV & distribution outlets
☑️ 75% increase in leads generated and 15% lift in leads converted QoQ, 115% to goal on $1.3mm+ quota for Q4
☑️ 40% MoM revenue growth for new vertical, increasing vendor earnings by 6x in the women's vertical
☑️ Developed the sales operations playbook from scratch including: creating process, adopting new tools (Salesforce, Looker, DocuSign), and streamlining reporting to the executive team. Designed training programs and scripts.

Sales Operations | Account Executive, Partnerships

☑️ 147% to Q3 goal for deals closed 
☑️ 168% QoQ growth for deal size (revenue generated per deal)
☑️ 193% QoQ growth for deals closed

Digital Account Manager

CS Management Service

Business management firm provided bookkeeping, HR, and CFO services.
☑️ Added 25% recurring monthly revenue through referrals & onboarding new clients 
☑️ Streamlined reporting led to closing EOM books on avg. 5 days sooner, allowing for more analysis time
☑️ Trusted advisor to executives on HR best practices, compliance, and performance management tools

Redgate Software

Account-based selling for technology change management and data base administration. 
☑️ Generated over $2m revenue from existing accounts and signed new accounts from M&As
☑️ Launched a new sales playbook that started with emails, which increased close rate by 300% month over month. 
☑️ Continually exceeded monthly $300k+ sales targets at 105-158% 
☑️  Set a global customer retention record in October 2014, with the best close rate for 3-year agreements out of 13 person team 
☑️ Influenced performance of team having led skill labs, mock demos, training bootcamps, and a team book club.

AMER Account Manager

Azusa Pacific University

Recruited top-tier candidates for nationally-recognized health and science graduate degrees. 
☑️ Achieved 95% retention from Fall '13 - Spring '14 and exceeded 80% enrollment goal per semester
☑️ Maintained top application volume by program out of a team of 8 recruiters in Q3 & Q4 2011
☑️ Increased matriculated students by 20% in 2012 for key graduate program 
☑️ Conducted market research reports that were used by the board of the university to set tuition rates

// Titles Held // 
Student Services Coordinator  |  Sept 2013 - June 2014 
Recruiter & Program Representative | June 2011 - Sept 2013

Recruiting & Operations 

Code To The Future

☑️ Composed storytelling and marketing materials to promote the after-school program
☑️ Represented the brand by hosting a presentation at the ACI Chess Conference 
☑️ Market research included phone surveys, in-person interviews, and collecting testimonials 
☑️ Organized a free, family-friendly event for the City of Azusa to come and play chess

Marketing Operations Specialist 

Helping online founders overcome the trap of over-working + under-earning | 4 Day Work Week + Resource Optimization to help founders buy back time ⏰ and increase their revenue 💰 | Revenue Accelerator + Fractional COO

You Built the Business. But Are You Thriving?
👉 From proving your worth → to leading in full alignment.

You did it. 📌 Built the business. 📌 Created security. 📌 Hit the milestones. 📌 Checked every damn box.

By all accounts, you should feel fulfilled. At peace. Enough.

But in the quiet moments, you feel it. That subtle ache that whispers:
"This isn’t it. Not all of it."

Maybe you’re stuck in the success you built—so much so that stepping into what’s next feels impossible.
Maybe the business relies too much on you, and no matter how much you delegate, it’s still in your orbit.
Maybe you’re realizing that more achievement ≠ more freedom.

👉 The version of you that got you here won’t be the one that takes you where you want to go.
📌 You don’t need a strategy.
📌 You don’t need a productivity hack.
📌 You need an identity shift.

This is where I come in.

I Don’t Do “Coaching.” I Do Magic.

(Not sleight of hand magic. The kind that shatters what’s keeping you small and shifts you into expansion.)

💡 I see what’s keeping you stuck before you do.
💡 I ask the exact questions that unlock what’s next.
💡 I help you remove every single thing standing between you and aligned success.

The Truth About Me (That I Used to Be Embarrassed to Say Out Loud)

I spent my life chasing gold stars, thinking if I just achieved enough, I’d finally feel safe.

I was the overachiever. The “figure-it-out girl.” And for a long time, that worked.

Until it didn’t.
💡 My second marriage ended.
💡 My “dream job” turned into a gilded cage.
💡 My body started keeping score.

I had built an identity around achievement, not alignment.

So, I walked away. From the penthouse. The titles. The “shoulds.”

And that’s when I finally found it—the thing I’d been looking for my whole life.
👉 Not another job.
👉 Not another strategy.
👉 Not another achievement.
✨ It was ME. Fully expressed. Fully aligned. Fully free.

Now, I work with ridiculously talented people who were already successful—we just unlocked a version of success that felt effortless.

✅ Dustin → From $50K to a $1M run rate in 2 years. Biz now runs without him.
✅ Jordan → Went from stressed and stuck to $100K months—with ease.
✅ Natalie → Built a 5X more profitable biz and took paid maternity leave.
✅ Clay → Closed $2M in new business within 60 days.
✅ Christine → Launched her financial community after 10 years of “sitting on the idea.”
✅ Michelle → Went from drowning in work to working 75% less—and making 66% more.

💡 Their businesses didn’t just grow. They did.

So, what’s the story we’re going to write about you?

taplio

The Battle

Tara Horstmeyer

Cassie Shea ✨

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