A Message from Nina

USA Gymnast | Emmy-Winning News Anchor | Tech Exec | Author

“I want to be in a room full of smart, hard-working people who are facing a challenge and embolden them to keep leveling up, and then give them the tools to handle anything that gets in their way.” ~Nina

I’m on a mission to help high achievers and ambitious teams take on the tough stuff - reduce stress, and build real resilience that lasts a lifetime.

I’ve spent decades performing under pressure. As a team U.S.A Gymnast, Emmy-winning news anchor, tech executive, and bestselling author, I’ve lived and led in high-stakes environments where pressure and uncertainty are part of the job. I was on the leadership team of a hyper-growth SaaS company that scaled to a successful IPO, and I saw firsthand how mental wellness, constant change, and pressure to perform take a toll, even on the best and brightest.

Along the way, I became obsessed with what helps people thrive through changes… not just survive it. I studied and leaned into neuroscience, cognitive behavioral therapy, and stoic philosophy. I researched elite athletes, entrepreneurs and organizations that had highs and lows. And I developed a practical, proven framework called THIS Method. It’s a science-meets-stoicism approach that helps people rewire their brains under pressure, shift how they think, and show up stronger in every area of life.

Through my keynotes, I teach driven professionals how to build the kind of resilience that fuels growth, clarity, and sustainable success - without burning out.

I’ve been trusted to speak to global brands like GE, Chick-fil-A, SHRM, and top cybersecurity and tech organizations. But what drives me most isn’t the logos, it’s the people.

I want to be in a room full of hard-working humans and empower them to take on the tough stuff - and keep leveling up.

Experienced, Intelligent, Authentic

Nina’s Mission:

‘Helping Hardworking Humans Thrive Through Tough Times’

We’re in a Mental Health Crisis that is crippling individuals and organizations across the globe, and we need our best and brightest to keep reaching new heights. Nina’s message can help during this unprecedented time. “I want to make the world a better place by motivating and equipping our best and brightest to tackle challenges and navigate change.” - Nina

‘THIS’ Method

Because thriving under pressure starts with how you think - not how much you can take.

For years, people kept asking Nina for tips.
How do you handle pressure?
How do you get through change?
How do you keep going when things get hard?

.Those questions became a framework - built through years of research, interviews, and hands-on work with individuals and organizations who have successfully navigated change, pressure, and uncertainty.

Nina’s TIPS Framework is a simple, science-backed method for navigating stress, change, and uncertainty, no matter the size of the THIS you’re facing. Rooted in neuroscience, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and Stoic philosophy, TIPS shows how small mental shifts can physically reshape the brain, regulate stress, and change outcomes over time.

It’s practical.
It’s visual.
And yes - it can literally be done on the back of a napkin.

Each step targets a specific psychological process:

The Four TIPS

• T — Timeline

  Create perspective.
  Timeline helps you zoom out and see where ‘this’ moment fits in the bigger picture. By creating psychological distance, emotional intensity drops, clarity increases, and wiser decisions become possible.

  I — Isolate

  Control what you can.
  Isolate teaches you to narrow your focus to the present moment and the variables within your control. Grounded in Stoic principles, it reduces anxiety, quiets mental noise, and increases productivity.

  P — People

  Don’t do hard things alone.
  People activates the brain’s social safety system. Connection calms the nervous system, restores confidence, and reminds you that support isn’t weakness, it’s strategy.

  S — Story

  Change the story you’re telling yourself.
  Story engages neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire itself. By reframing thoughts and interrupting unhelpful mental loops, you build new patterns that shape how you experience and respond to life.

The Result

When you use these TIPS, you don’t eliminate stress or challenge.
The framework helps you move through them differently.

You feel:

• More grounded

• Less overwhelmed

• More focused

• More in control

Even in the middle of change.
Even in the middle of chaos.
Even in the middle of a THIS.

Resilience Personified

Background/Timeline:

1. 1980s: Member of the USA Gymnastics Team; Olympic hopeful; awarded "Miss Congeniality" at the USA Gymnastics Championships.

2. 1985-1986: Competed for Louisiana State University’s gymnastics team (SEC powerhouse); athletic career ended by a knee injury, featured in The Reveille with the headline “Another One Bites the Dust.”

3. Post-College: Began journalism career as a reporter at WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge, LA.

4. 1992-2007: Became an Emmy-winning journalist and television news anchor in Charleston, SC, receiving the Emmy Award for Best News Anchor in the Southeast and being voted Charleston’s Favorite News Anchor for 10 consecutive years.

5. 2007-2019: Transitioned to the tech industry, joining the leadership team of SaaS company Benefitfocus. Played a pivotal role as VP of Marketing and Communications during its highly successful IPO, recognized by Forbes as a top ten tech IPO of 2013.

6. 2019-Present: Published two best-selling books:

   • This Is Not The End: Strategies to Get You Through the Worst Chapters of Your Life (2019).

   • But I Want Both: The Working Mom’s Guide to Creating a Life She Loves (updated edition, Fall 2023).

7. 2020s: Full time speaker, and Host of the podcast This Seriously Sucks: The Right Podcast When Life Goes Seriously Wrong (two seasons available).

8. Non-Profit Work: Surved on many non-profit boards through the decades. Currently focused on Alzheimer’s advocacy in memory of her father (passed in 2017)

9. Present Day: Today, Nina lives in Charleston, SC, with her husband Ben, and they’re proud parents to three thriving adult children. She travels the country as a sought-after motivational speaker, equipping audiences with the mindset and tools to navigate change, overcome adversity, and keep rising, no matter what.

Brief BIO

Nina Sossamon-Pogue is a nationally recognized keynote speaker who helps high achievers and ambitious teams rewire stress so it fuels success instead of breaking performance. Her bold message equips audiences with practical, science-backed tools to reduce stress and build real resilience, so they can thrive through change and succeed for the long haul.

Nina’s career spans elite athletics, broadcast journalism, and executive leadership. She competed as a USA Gymnast, became an Emmy-winning news anchor for more than a decade, and served on the leadership team of a hyper-growth SaaS company, Beneiftofucs, for 10+ years, helping take it public in 2013. Along the way, she faced career-ending injury, public setbacks, and personal tragedy - including a car accident that made headlines and tested her at every level. Through it all, she didn’t just bounce back - she came back stronger.

Today, Nina blends lived experience with her deep study of neuroscience, stoic philosophy, and cognitive behavioral psychology to deliver her proven framework called THIS Method that equips audiences to meet challenges of all sizes head-on and come out stronger.

She is the author of two bestselling books, This Is Not the End and But I Want Both, and host of the podcast This Seriously Sucks: The Right Podcast When Life Goes Seriously Wrong. Nina has spoken for national brands like GE, Chick-fil-A, SHRM, and at leading tech and cybersecurity events throughout the US, and she’s frequently called on to help teams navigate stress, pressure, and high-performance demands.

Named a Woman of Distinction by the State of South Carolina, Nina serves on multiple nonprofit boards and is a passionate advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association. Based in Charleston, SC, she travels globally, helping hardworking humans take on the tough stuff, rewire stress, and keep leveling up.