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Life coach, speaker, performer, blogger, and host of the weekly Free & Open Mind podcast on living authentically.
New York, NY, USA
Publications:
Life coach and performance artist Hardy Brooklyn helps people considering or experiencing life transitions to discover—and start living—their authentic selves through transformational life and business coaching. Hardy doesn't just talk about transformation — he lives it, pivoting from a stressed-out techie to a thriving life coach, performance artist, and speaker who enjoys life to the fullest. Drawing on certifications in NLP, happiness coaching, and mental health — plus nearly three decades of entrepreneurial experience, improv training, and time on stage as a burlesque performer, speaker, and emcee — Hardy offers audiences engaging stories, tools that work, and friendly challenges that spark immediate action. Straightforward, animated, and disarmingly funny, Hardy meets audiences exactly where they are — stuck, skeptical, or somewhere in between — and moves them forward.
What if the “safe” life you were told to want is exactly what’s draining your soul? In this episode of Free & Open Mind, Hardy Brooklyn sits down with Alexis Crisp—personal trainer, life coach, and self-described “helper to mankind”—who walked out of a traditional law firm job as a single mom and rebuilt her world around radical authenticity, mental health, and movement.
iheart.com
As independent contractors and solopreneurs, freelancers often struggle with issues like scope creep and demanding clients. Hardy provides practical tips for setting up client relationships for success by defining effective boundaries.
blog.freelancersunion.org
In this episode of Free & Open Mind, Hardy and Stan sit down with Yaron (Ron) Urbas — rapper, finance guy, software engineer, actor, and founder of Yummy Media Agency — to dive into what it really costs to live authentically when your path looks nothing like the brochure.
Spotify Podcasts
Freelancing is supposed to provide an open field for creativity, self-direction, and the chance to shape your own professional identity. But sometimes it feels like you need to fit a certain mold or meet others' expectations to succeed. In this post, I share how I learned to trust his instincts, honor my unique values, and show up as myself in client relationships and creative projects.
blog.freelancersunion.org
In this episode, Hardy Brooklyn and Stan Nelson sit down with award‑winning artist and author Harrison Love—one of the rare creators celebrated both as a visual artist and a novelist—to explore turning dyslexia into a superpower, living with Amazon tribes, art, social media, and staying safe while being visible, and more.
Spotify Podcasts
B.A., Computer Science at Queens College
Life Coaching at Transformation Academy
The Free and Open Mind podcast seeks individuals who help people from marginalized, underrepresented, and disadvantaged communities live authentically to talk about your own journey to authentic living and the tools, resources, processes you use to help others move forward towards authenticity. Hosted by coaches Hardy Brooklyn and Stan Nelson, the Free and Open Mind invites listeners and viewers to break out of old routines and live boldly on their own terms. We stream live every Friday at 9AM Eastern Time (US) / 9 PM Australian Western Time.
Deadline: Sep 30th, 2026 5:00 PM ET
•Free & Open Mind Podcast