It's time to go from I can't to Icon!
Hello, I'm Sarah Foley, keynote speaker, confidence & speaking coach and reinvention strategist, and I help people rise from their most challenging moments and step into their most iconic lives.
In 2012 I was on a weekend getaway, and little did I know one wrong turn would turn my entire world upside down. While out on an ATV ride with friends, my boyfriend was coming down the hill to let me know it was safe to come up, however I didn't realize it when I decided to go up the hill. As we both came around a turn at the same time going in opposite directions, I panicked and jerked the handlebars to get off the trail. My front wheels hit a ditch and I went flipping through the air, the massive machine landing on me multiple times in the process.
My body was immediately paralyzed and the next four months I spent in the hospital and rehab in order to get me ready to go home to my new life. The beliefs I had around disability were more paralyzing than anything else. I began to fall apart behind closed doors while putting on the inspirational smile for the rest of the world.
Life took me to Maui along with my one year old son and his dad. While in Maui, I experienced the most incredible healing in my body, my mind and deep within my soul. I was greeted with healers of all kinds from therapists, to dance teachers, to coaches, to sharing stories with others who were going through their own healing journeys.
​
Maui is full of magic and I now incorporate Hawaiian practices not only in my daily life, but also in my keynotes and coaching as I guide others to find healing, growth and joy on the other side of hardship. Honoring the Hawaiian culture is such a precious gift and I aim to continue to help share it with others in the way it was shared with me.
After my spinal cord injury left me paralyzed, I chose not to hide my wheelchair, but to transform it into a symbol of bold, feminine power. That decision sparked a new era of my life, one that’s taken me from spa director to speaker, from heartbreak to healing and from invisibility to impact. This is where Vertical Blonde was created and would go on to be the core message of everything I teach.
You may have seen me on stage with Tony Robbins and Mel Robbins, featured in USA Today as one of the “Top Five Female Speakers Igniting Humanity,” or recognized in Patricia Heaton’s bestselling book Your Second Act. Before stepping into the wellness world, I hosted Palm Springs Edge TV, a role that ignited my love for powerful storytelling and taught me how to bring richness, depth, and relatability to every story I tell. I later served as a five-star spa director for seven years, where I honed my passion for luxury, transformation, and meaningful human experience.
I created Disability Icon, a coaching program that elevated the health, vitality, and confidence of female wheelchair users, empowering them to take the lead in their own reinvention. Today, I’m the founder of The Icon Academy, a speaker development experience for those ready to share their voice with clarity, confidence, and unforgettable impact.
I believe our greatest transformation begins when we decide we’re no longer defined by what happened to us, but by what we do with it. From I Can’t to ICON™ isn’t just my story, it’s the invitation I extend to you.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities.
Let's connect!
