Meet Pam Sherman

Writer, actor, leadership consultant and recovering lawyer.

From Broadway Dreams to My Ill-Fitting Suit

When I was in the second grade I used to play piano with the door wide open, hoping that a wandering talent agent would hear me sing and cast me on Broadway. But of course, talent agents don’t wander the streets of Staten Island. So I put away my dream and went to law school.

After graduating, I practiced securities, banking, and employment law. But I found myself trying to “act” like a lawyer. Every day I felt like I was wearing an ill-fitting suit (which I was actually wearing at the time). I lost my confidence, my voice, and my creativity.

The Surprising Solution

One day I found myself lying on the floor of my office, weeping at the ceiling, and decided to return to the place where I’d found great joy—an acting studio.

Studying and creating characters with great teachers brought surprising results in real life: my confidence grew, my creative problem solving soared, and my energy expanded — one client even thought I was a partner!

That’s when I realized the solution to my “ill-fitting suit” feeling could come from using the same skills actors use to take audiences on transformative journeys — to be more believable to myself and my audiences.

Back on Stage

And then a funny thing happened to my “secure” profession — my law firm went out of business.

I decided to take the leap and became a full-time working actor in Washington, D.C., appearing in film, television, and on stage, including in the longest-running show in American history at the Kennedy Center, Shear Madness.

If you ask, “Why don’t I know you?” just dig deep into the archives of Unsolved Mysteries, Homicide: Life on the Streets, or the famous “sexy cheerleader” scene from The Replacements (OK, I’m not one of them — I played the “Shocked Mom,” a role I often play in real life).

After being profiled in People Magazine about ditching my day job to pursue my dream, I got a call from the head of training at a division of the Department of Justice who, as I recall, asked:

“Can you make my lawyers more interesting?”

I said, “NO!”

But in that moment, I realized I could use my solution to make a difference — not only for lawyers, but for anyone who needs to connect, influence, and persuade through who they are and their story.

My Work Today

Today, my work takes me all over the world, helping people of all backgrounds in all kinds of careers and positions, grow their energy, connections, and impact.

I’ve been lucky to work with leadership groups like the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), Vistage, and Tiger 21 in places as far flung as Saudi Arabia and Cincinnati; Milwaukee and Morocco; Lagos and Los Angeles — and every place in between.

Download Pam's Official Bio