Photo credit: Matt Young Photography, LLC
Tori Kruse is a leading expert in the field of mindset and confidence work. She started her career in St. Louis, Missouri and not long after moved to Hollywood where she was a print and runway model and a freelance sports reporter. Tori is a former Miss Missouri USA and competed at Miss USA in 2018. She’s walked the runways of New York Fashion Week along with being featured in many fashion magazines. Tori is a successful entrepreneur with her business Highlights ’n Heels, Ltd where she speaks to millennial-aged women about developing clarity, confidence, and consistency with their goals. Tori also coaches women through her 7-week program that transforms their mind and empowers them to have the confidence to achieve their dreams and believe in themselves.
Favorite Quote: “I never lose. I either win or I learn.” – Nelson Mandela
Favorite Influencers: Rachel and Dave Hollis, Grant and Elena Cardone, Tony Robbins, Dean Graziosi, Amy Porterfield, Jen Sincero
What are you passionate about? In the next 5 years, my goal is to create an entire online university for women to completely transform their minds and confidence to believe in themselves and accomplish unimaginable dreams.
How many years have you been in the industry? I’ve been in the personal development industry for 10 years and an entrepreneur for 3 years.
Tell us about your journey. When did you decide to be an entrepreneur? After graduating college from the University of Iowa, I was hired as an outside sales manager for a flooring company in St. Louis, Missouri. During my college years, I competed for Miss Iowa Teen USA 2010 and Miss Iowa USA 2013, at which both pageants I placed as a semi-finalist. Once I moved to Missouri after college, I decided to compete again in my new state. I hired the best mentors and coaches to teach me runway, interview, styling, and mindset techniques so I would eventually win and compete at Miss USA. After placing first-runner up at Miss Missouri USA 2017, I decided to leave my sales job and pursue my ultimate career goals at that time in Hollywood – modeling and sports reporting. Eight months after being in Hollywood, I went back home to Missouri and won that year. I truly believed it had everything to do with me stepping outside of my comfort zone, pursuing my ultimate career dreams and hiring the best coaches and mentors. Now after years of working with the best coaches to develop my skills and enhance my mindset, I want to be that coach, that one mentor that can help change the lives of others. I’m so passionate about teaching the mental strategies and confidence techniques that took me to the Miss USA stage and now to develop my own company, so others can also achieve their biggest dreams!
What words of wisdom do you have for other young entrepreneurs? After graduating from college with my degree in Entrepreneurial Management, I still had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I took an outside sales position because I knew I loved working with people and I knew I loved talking. So seemed like a great fit, but it wasn’t. Then I tried modeling and sports reporting, that still wasn’t enough but I knew I loved having a mic in my hand and I knew I wanted to make a huge impact with people. So once I won Miss Missouri USA in September of 2017 I became an entrepreneur and decided I wanted to start my own personal development company by speaking on stages and eventually coaching people. I’m now living out my purpose because I had to experience different industries and piece together what my strengths and desires were and what kind of life I wanted to create. So ask yourself the same questions and if you always keep serving and helping people at the forefront you are on your way to creating an abundant life!
Your passion? I have created a 7-week program that focuses on increasing self-confidence and developing a positive mindset to overcome fear, doubt, and anxiety and empower women to step outside of their comfort zones. I offer one-on-one coaching, group coaching, and currently developing a DIY online coaching program launching soon! Throughout these courses, I blend my academic training and professional development insights from my mentors and top experts in personal development such as Tony Robbins, Dean Graziosi, Rachel Hollis, Grant and Elena Cardone, Amy Porterfield, and Jen Sincero.
Your winning formula? My “secret sauce” is taking action and over-delivering for my clients every single day of the week! Also, consistency in my daily habits and routines along with the content that I deliver weekly is what continually leads me to more success!
What current projects are you excited about? My biggest project currently is launching my DIY online Confidence Masterclass. It’s going to be packed full with content, videos, and tangible actions steps that you can take to totally enhance your mindset and take your confidence to a level you’ve never been at before.
