Smiling woman in a navy blazer stands outdoors on a wooded path.

Lee Hays, Certified Transformational Coach, BA Psychology, MA Leadership

Welcome! I’m Lee - Founder of Optimal U, transformational coach, leadership strategist, and the creator of the HEART-Led Framework.

Midlife can be a strange moment: you’ve built a good life, you’ve done what you set out to do… and yet something inside starts asking for more truth. That was my experience too. I had checked the boxes, achieved a bit, and still felt a deep pull to reinvent - less from crisis, more from calibration.

I invested in coaching and did the inside work. What I found on the other side was clarity, calm momentum, and a life that feels more aligned - at work, at home, and in my own body.

Now I support high-achieving women who have checked all the boxes on the outside but feel misaligned on the inside. Together, we reconnect you to what’s true, clarify what you want next, and build a grounded path forward without overworking, people-pleasing, or losing yourself in the process.

8-Minute Reset: A HEART-Led Approach

Aligned Expertise

Work with a transformational coach who understands high-achieving, purpose-driven women and is skilled in leadership development to help you move forward with clarity and confidence, especially during your burnout recovery journey.

Rooted in You

Every session is tailored to you: your energy, your goals, and your season of life, ensuring the transformational coaching fits who you are, not the other way around.

Real Transformation

No quick fixes. Just honest, lasting change: reclaiming your power, redefining success through women empowerment coaching, and building a life that finally feels like yours.

What Optimal U Clients are Saying:

Positive change

I have loved and learned each and every minute of each and every hour we have spent together during this transformational coaching journey. As a leadership coach, I know that anyone who engages in this process, especially women empowerment coaching, will undoubtedly experience significant changes in positive ways, aiding in their burnout recovery and overall leadership development!

Valuable tools

I thoroughly enjoyed our time together, and as part of my burnout recovery journey, I've gained many valuable tools and ideas. These insights will continue to guide me through the next chapters of my life, especially in the context of leadership development and transformational coaching. I appreciate the support from my leadership coach, which has been instrumental in my personal growth and women empowerment coaching.

Empowerment

I truly looked forward to each and every session, and I would genuinely encourage others to take the proactive step of inviting Lee into your world as a guiding force for self-improvement and empowerment through transformational coaching. Lee's expertise in burnout recovery and leadership development, particularly in the realm of women empowerment coaching, makes a significant impact.

Support

Thank you, Lee, for all your guidance, support, and amazing compassion throughout my burnout recovery journey. Your expertise as a leadership coach has been invaluable in my leadership development, and your approach to transformational coaching has truly empowered me as a woman.