Adaku Mbagwu, Founder, HEAL
Media & Press
"Redefining leadership for firstborn daughters, female founders, and women who've carried the weight of their families - and their companies for too long"
Adaku Mbagwu built a 7-figure recruitment company before burnout forced her to confront a pattern that was later coined as the 'eldest daughter syndrome' by researchers in 2024 - the invisible emotional labor that firstborn daughters carry in families and, later, in their careers. Today, she works with high-achieving women who lead companies, teams, and households while silently shouldering the burden of over-responsibility. Her work has been featured across AP News, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX affiliates, and major business outlets.
For interview requests, speaking engagements, or media inquiries, please contact:
info@healedhero.com
Download full media kit
AS SEEN ON
Speaking Clients, Past Engagements
Eldest Daughter Syndrome & Family Dynamics
Why firstborn daughters are more likely to burn out as entrepreneurs
The cultural roots of over-responsibility in immigrant and Black families
How eldest daughter dynamics show up in corporate leadership
Entrepreneurship &
Mental Health
Women's Leadership & Burnout
STORY ANGLES & TOPICS I COVER
Adaku is available for interviews, expert commentary, and feature stories on:
The hidden cost of high achievement for women who "do it all"
Why successful women struggle to ask for help
Redefining ambition without self-sacrifice
From $2.4M founder to burnout: What high-performers get wrong about resilience
The intersection of business success and emotional wellness
Building companies while healing trauma
Cultural Identity & Success
The immigrant daughter's double bind: Duty vs. desire
Navigating traditional family expectations while building modern careers
How cultural conditioning shapes women's relationship to money and power
Adaku guides transformational conversations on:
Emotional labor & silent burnout among high-achieving women
Firstborn daughter leadership psychology
Trauma patterns and identity conditioning
Burnout recovery for female executives
Conscious leadership and emotional mastery
Healing family systems without estrangement
Creating sustainable success without overfunctioning
Building businesses while healing trauma
Signature Topics
SOUNDBITES & QUOTES
In Adaku's words:
"Eldest daughter syndrome isn't just a family dynamic - it's a leadership pattern that first born daughters carry. The same women who raised their siblings or parents are now running companies, and they're still putting everyone else first."
"I built a 7-figure company while emotionally disconnected from myself. I thought I was winning. I was actually slowly breaking down."
"The eldest daughter is trained to be the family's emotional infrastructure. That doesn't disappear when she becomes a CEO."
"Burnout isn't about working too hard. It's about abandoning yourself while taking care of everyone else."
For more quotes download the Full Media Kit
Recent Features
Voices of Healing
Book Here
Adaku has been a guest on podcasts and panels exploring women's leadership, burnout, and the eldest daughter experience. Her work with firstborn daughters navigating over-responsibility and perfectionism has resonated with women across continents who recognize their own patterns in her story
Trusted Voice, Proven Impact
What If You Could Podcast -
Gary Scott/Adaku Mbagwu
Host: Gary Scott
Recent Features
Watch here
Healed Hero Community Launches to Support High-Achieving Women Facing Eldest Daughter Syndrome
Read the full feature
Why First-Born Daughters Thrive In Corporate America—But Often Struggle As Founders
Read the full feature
Speaking & Thought Leadership
Audience & Outcomes (Speaking)
Her keynotes address the leadership patterns that lead to burnout:
- Why high-achievers struggle to stop over-functioning
- How perfectionism becomes a form of self-abandonment
- The difference between performing and leading from power
Adaku sparks conversations that blend raw vulnerability with strategic wisdom, making complex emotional and leadership topics immediately actionable for your audience. Her unique lens as a first-born daughter who transformed depression and burnout into a 7-figure business brings both credibility and relatability to discussions on identity, courage, and legacy. She translates the invisible struggles of high-achievers - people-pleasing, over-responsibility, self-abandonment - into tangible tools that drive personal and professional transformation.
For Producers & Hosts
MEDIA KIT & ASSETS
Download the complete press kit, including bios, images, brand assets, and story angles for featuring Adaku Mbagwu.
Download Full Media Kit
Press Release
Executive Bio
Headshots
Logo pack
Podcast Guest One-Sheet
Speaking Topics and Expertise
All assets approved for editorial use with credit to Adaku Mbagwu.
For interviews, speaking engagements, or media collaboration, reach out to Adaku's team.
Email: info@healedhero.com
Katherine Fleischman (Publicist): kathfleisch@gmail.com
BY THE NUMBERS
Building a movement of women stepping into their limitless potential. Over 10,000 leaders follow along on LinkedIn. 6,000+ women find inspiration on Instagram. Nearly 1,000 subscribers receive transformational insights straight to their inbox - a community that doesn't just read, but takes action. And within our private membership, community drives real transformation.