Cortney McDermott

Cortney McDermott is an award-winning author, TEDx speaker, and human potential enthusiast. Her work in self-development and business strategy has been featured in Inc., Women’s Health, SUCCESS, The Huffington Post, MindBodyGreen, and numerous other mainstream business and lifestyle media outlets.

McDermott's talks on human potential have been presented on stages such as TEDx, Mindvalley University, Oxford Saïd Business School, and Richard Branson’s private island, Necker.

Holding a Master of Science from the London School of Economics, McDermott combines academic rigor with real-world experience to assist individuals and organizations in reaching their highest potential. Her career highlights include executive roles at Vanity Fair Corporation, Vice President at Sustainability Partners Inc., and successfully running her own businesses, collaborating with brands like Universal Music Group, Nike, Kickstarter, and Google.

Fluent in four languages, McDermott divides her time between Italy and the United States. Her books, "Give Yourself Permission: Be Confident, Be Free, Be You"—a transformative guide that empowers individuals to break free from societal constraints, overcome self-doubt, and embrace their true potential—and "Change Starts Within You: Unlock the Confidence to Lead with Intuition"—about a journey of personal growth and intuitive leadership—have been named by Inc. Magazine in the list of "26 Books of High Achievers."