Keynote · Command Before Confidence

You will never feel ready.Lead anyway.Start now.

Shashi was the first female infantry officer in the Nepalese Army, went on to coach corporate teams as an Agile coach, and now runs SparkVerse, where she teaches kids and founders to find their voice. She speaks about leading before you feel ready.

Shashi speaking into a microphone at a SparkVerse event
On stage at a SparkVerse event
22Age when she became chief instructor, teaching ambush tactics to soldiers with 22+ years of service
26Age when she sat in an American classroom and stopped raising her hand
3Programs she built to teach what she learned the hard way

Signature keynote

Command Before Confidence

Most people wait to feel confident before they lead. Shashi learned the opposite in a uniform, relearned it in a classroom, and built a company on it. Confidence doesn’t come first. It shows up after you’ve taken command. This talk gives audiences the story, the permission and the structure to go first.

Act I

The Uniform

Twenty-two years old and chief instructor, standing in front of junior commissioned officers who had served for decades. Some carried bullet wounds. None of them were waiting for her to feel ready.

Act II

The Classroom

Twenty-six, new to the United States, hand halfway up and then back down. A whole semester of silence. It wasn’t shyness. She simply didn’t know the format yet.

Act III

The Founder

SparkVerse started with one idea: give people the format early, so the next quiet kid, new hire or first-time founder doesn’t lose a semester the way she did.

Your audience leaves with

  • Permission to start unready. Readiness is a feeling that arrives late. Leadership can’t wait for it.
  • Structure before self-belief. A simple way to take command of a room, a meeting or a moment before the confidence shows up.
  • A new read on “quiet” people. Most aren’t shy. They just haven’t been shown the format. Leaders can change that for their teams.

Formats

Built to fit your event

  • 45Minutes

    Full keynote

    All three acts, for conferences, leadership summits and annual meetings.

  • 15Minutes

    Short talk

    A tight version that centers on Nepal, for TEDx-style stages and opening sessions.

  • 10Minutes

    Community talk

    For Rotary, chambers, luncheons and member meetings.

  • 60+Minutes

    Workshop

    Hands-on practice for teams: how to take the floor, structure a point and speak up in the room.

Who it’s for

Audiences

  • Women’s leadership groups
  • Employee resource groups
  • Professional associations
  • Rotary & chambers
  • Veteran communities
  • Founders & startup cohorts
  • Parents & school communities

Also available for panels, podcasts and fireside chats.

About Shashi

Shashi in Nepalese Army dress uniform
Nepalese Army, infantry officer

Not shy. Just un‑formatted.

Army
First female infantry officer, Nepalese Army
Study
Leadership, University of Notre Dame
Career
Corporate Agile coach
Founder
SparkVerse: KidSpark, LittleSpark, PitchMaster

Shashi was the first female infantry officer in the Nepalese Army. At 22 she earned the instructor grading that made her chief instructor, which meant teaching ambush tactics to soldiers who had served longer than she had been alive.

At 26 she came to the United States for her Master’s degree, and the officer who had commanded rooms went silent in class. She wasn’t afraid. She just didn’t know how things worked there yet. That semester changed how she thinks about confidence.

She went on to become an Agile coach, helping corporate teams speak up and move faster. Then she founded SparkVerse, a live online speaking and confidence brand. Its programs include KidSpark for young speakers, LittleSpark for ages 5 to 7, and PitchMaster for adult founders.

She’s a mom of two, and she believes the right structure gets people talking long before they feel confident.

Booking

Bring Shashi to your stage

Tell her about your event. Include these details and you’ll get a reply within two business days:

  • Organization and event name
  • Date, location, or virtual
  • Audience size and who they are
  • Format and time slot
  • Budget, or whether it’s a community or pro bono event

Email Shashi

Visit SparkVerse

Community groups, nonprofits and schools: ask about pro bono and reduced-fee talks.