Philly Featured: Shelly O'Donovan
Meet Shelly O'Donovan, CEO of Authentic Influence Group and Wharton Lecturer - helping senior leaders communicate with clarity, credibility, and influence when the stakes are high.
I found Shelly O’Donovan on LinkedIn, and honestly, her content stood out. She wasn’t posting generic leadership quotes—she was breaking down what it actually takes to communicate effectively in high-stakes situations. Reading the room. Executive presence. The stuff that separates good leaders from the ones who actually get heard.
Helping Leaders Get Heard
Shelly is an executive communication coach. She runs Authentic Influence Group, a boutique training firm here in the Philadelphia area, and teaches persuasive communication at Wharton. She also co-hosts the Resilient Alpha Podcast.
But here’s what that actually means in practice: she works with VP- and Director-level leaders who need to show up differently in high-stakes moments. Think board presentations, difficult conversations, situations where the message has to land. Her approach combines communication strategy with body language analysis and learning how to read the room—it goes well beyond typical leadership coaching.
What drives her is pretty simple. She’s seen (and experienced) how capable people can struggle to rise—or struggle once they get there—because of small but critical gaps in how they communicate. That’s where she comes in.
On Philadelphia (and Advice for Getting Started)
When I asked Shelly about doing business here, she didn’t hesitate: people in Philly are real. Straight shooters. It lets her get to the heart of an issue quickly and just get to work. She also genuinely loves the city—calls it underrated, grounded, and says it has an energy that makes building meaningful work feel natural.
Her advice for anyone starting out? Do your job well first. Deliver results. Then learn how to communicate that impact without sounding like you’re bragging—frame everything in terms of value to others.
Looking Ahead
Shelly’s focus going forward is on depth over breadth. Fewer clients, higher stakes, harder problems. She wants to build something that extends her expertise without watering it down.
Her own brand has shifted over time too. Earlier in her career, she kept her head down and let the work speak for itself. Running a business changed that—she’s had to show up more intentionally. But at the core, she’s still the same: warm, focused on substance, and genuinely invested in helping others win.
About Philly Featured
Philly Featured is a series highlighting Philadelphia business leaders—the people shaping our local business community and building something meaningful in this city. It’s my way of connecting with and showcasing the talent we have right here.
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