Teaching What Technology Can’t with Tracy Hooper of The Confidence Project

Tracy Hooper of the Confidence Project, joins Kim Allchurch Flick to talk about building confidence and real connection in an increasingly device-driven world. 

Hooper traces her values to a large, welcoming family and her TV news experience, where introducing herself with her full name and treating people as significant helped create trust. 

She says the Confidence Project “teaches what technology can’t,” emphasizing in-person conversation skills, eye contact (or looking at the bridge of the nose), and open-ended “Kickstarter questions” using “what,” “how,” and “tell me more.” 

They discuss how phones can block presence and how talking to strangers builds “social courage.” 

Hooper describes coaching methods like creating a “like list,” sweet-talking yourself, practicing public speaking through rehearsal, and workplace techniques to amplify quieter voices.