When Casey Squires left the bright lights of the city and returned to her roots on the NSW Central Coast, she wasn’t chasing a sea breeze and a better work-life balance,  she was on a mission to amplify the voices of regional women.

Casey runs a business that does more than teach public speaking. As a coach, mentor and confidence-builder, she helps female entrepreneurs create and deliver a Signature Talk… The kind of talk that doesn’t just sound polished but shifts something real in the audience.

But as she’ll tell you, it’s not about slick slides or where to put your hands.

“I don’t teach perfection,” she says. “I teach powerful presence, clarity of message, and authentic connection. Because when a woman truly owns her voice, everything changes. Not just in her business, but in how she sees herself.”

From high schools to high impact

Casey’s business isn’t an overnight sensation. The idea evolved from years of observation, first in high school auditoriums and then in university lecture halls.

“In all-girls schools, I’d see these powerful, moving stories being shared. But in co-ed settings? Those same girls often stayed quiet and let the boys take the lead,” she recalls.

“Later, working with university speakers, many of them incredibly accomplished women, I saw that pattern repeat. They’d pull back, question themselves, and pass on speaking opportunities, not realising the disservice it was doing to them and their audience.”

It was a lightbulb moment.

“I knew I had to help. I wanted to stand beside these women and show them the value of their voice, and how to bring it to life.”

Signature talks: smashing the old rules

What sets Casey’s work apart from the average speaking coach is how deeply it digs. It’s more than surface-level presentation skills or rote memorisation. It’s soul work.

“Traditional speaking training focuses on the mechanics. But my clients come in asking bigger questions: ‘What’s special about me?’ ‘Do I really have something worth sharing?’ That’s where we start,” she explains.

Her seven-week group program, Your Unforgettable Signature Talk, is designed to do exactly that: help women uncover the gold in their own story and share it with power and confidence. And for Casey, the ripple effect is huge.

“With women leading around 35 per cent of small businesses in Australia, the opportunity is enormous. But too many brilliant women are still holding back. I want to change that. Because when women share, everyone benefits.”

Building a business beyond borders

Being based on the Central Coast comes with its share of challenges, particularly when running a coaching business that relies on building trust and connection.

“The biggest hurdle is reach,  trying to fill programs and coaching spots in a smaller population base. That’s why I took my programs online,” she says.

The switch wasn’t just a business decision,  it was also born out of personal experience.

“In 2020, I had a six-month-old baby and was stuck at home during lockdown. We were missing Rhyme Time at the local library, so I created Rhyme & Shine, an online singalong for other parents and babies. Mums and dads from all over Australia joined in. It was beautiful,” she says.

“That experience showed me how powerful online connection could be. It gave me the confidence to take my coaching business virtual. It’s allowed me to serve women in small towns and big cities across Australia and beyond.”

Big dreams from a small place

Ask Casey what she loves most about being a regional business owner and she can’t help smiling.

“There’s such a strong sense of connection here. You show up to a local networking event and see familiar faces. People who are more than colleagues, they’re friends and collaborators,” she says.

Casey tells Business Builders her values are shaped by her regional roots.

“Living regionally has taught me the value of connection over clout. It’s never just about the numbers. It’s about making sure every woman I work with feels seen, heard and supported.”

And those relationships have helped her business flourish.

“From the local photographer who brought my brand to life, to creatives I’m now exploring video work with, it’s about building something together.”

Coming full-circle

While many entrepreneurs might point to hitting revenue goals or winning awards as their proudest moment, for Casey, it was something quieter, and more personal.

“My proudest moment wasn’t when I hit a milestone. It was when I finally said ‘yes’ to myself,” she says.

After years of sitting on the idea, she says a conversation with a mentor gave her the clarity and courage she needed to understand that helping women craft talks and share ideas was what she was meant to do.

“That night, I launched my first group program. Five women signed up. I couldn’t sleep. I just kept thinking, this is it. That whisper from my heart hasn’t stopped since.”

And then came another unexpected moment: “My son started Kindergarten this year and gave his first-ever speech, one I helped him prepare. It was such a full-circle moment. It reminded me how powerful it is to help someone find their voice, even at five years old.”

Giving back to her community

Casey’s not just coaching from behind a screen, she’s working to shift the landscape in her local area too.

She’s in talks with a local women’s networking group to make their events more impactful by spotlighting regional speakers.

“I want women here to see themselves as leaders and storytellers. We don’t need to import all our inspiration, it’s right here in our own backyard.”

Her goal? To transform local events into spaces where women feel confident, seen, and celebrated.

So, what’s next? Casey says there’s plenty on the horizon.

“I want to offer more face-to-face programs locally, and not just for women in business, but teenage girls too. There’s something so powerful about helping girls find their voice early, before the self-doubt really settles in.”

She also dreams of scaling her Signature Talk program to reach even more women in rural and remote communities.

“I used to work at a uni running a program that brought career inspiration to kids in remote areas. I want to do something similar now, to make sure opportunity isn’t limited by postcode.”

From Beyoncé to the bush

One surprising twist in Casey’s story? She once worked behind the scenes at one of Australia’s biggest entertainment venues, watching icons like Prince, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga perform night after night.

And yes, she had a private audience with Oprah.

“It was an intimate interview, just 40 people in the room. Totally surreal.”

But those experiences taught her more than she realised at the time.

“I learnt about stage presence, audience connection, and the quiet power of storytelling. I bring that into my work now.”

Eventually, though, the city lost its shine.

“I felt the pull to come home. And while it may have looked like a step back, it’s actually where I found my momentum. I get to combine everything I learnt on those big-city stages with the values of regional living. That’s a pretty special mix.”

A Regional Hero, for real

Being named a Regional Heroes’ finalist has meant the world to Casey.

“It feels surreal, but in the best way. I’m so proud to represent my regional community, and the amazing women I work with every day. I hope I can do this recognition justice and keep showing what’s possible when you follow your purpose, no matter where you live.”

Want to learn more about Casey and her work? Check out her website or follow her on Facebook and Insta @caseysquirescoaching.

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