Unlock Peak Performance & Thrive

Unlock peak performance & thrive.

Helping athletes, leaders, and teams push boundaries, build mental strength, and sustain high performance.

Hi, I’m Cara.

I’m a World Champion athlete, ICF-certified high-performance coach and co-driver of change. Why a co-driver? Because in coaching, the chief visionary is YOU—the one driven to reach peak performance in sport, leadership, or life. Welcome! I’m happy you’re here. I’m all in, and skilled-up to serve. Let’s see how high we can go.

Cara has an enormous heart and is truly dedicated to helping others achieve their goals. She’s put in the hard work to master her craft, grounding her coaching in both research and personal experience as a gold medalist athlete.

Steve H.
Super Bowl XLVIII Champion

coaching for
athletes

coaching for
coaches & industry leaders

coaching & consulting
hybrid

How it all started…

In 2015, I started a blog called “Be Brave,”

with an underlying desire to serve the rowing community by sharing my experiences through writing. I was training on the historic Boathouse Row in Philadelphia and aspiring to make my first US National Team.

My first blog post, “Secret Dreams, Random Facts,” gives insight into the mindset of a young athlete who struggled with confidence yet deeply desired to race for Team USA.

Today, Be Brave has evolved into a high-performance coaching platform serving athletes, coaches and industry leaders. It’s mission: To facilitate peak performance and well-being in athletes, coaches and industry leaders through mindset training and personal development in the context of sport and career.

be Brave

Ready to live out your peak performance vision?

the journey starts here

“It’s been an incredible honor to walk alongside @carastawicki for the past five years. Sustained world class performance is its own kind of hard. Be Brave is the embodiment of how she lives + competes. Love that she’s stepping into the coaching space to pay forward her many gifts + serve others. It’s hope-giving and a gift to sport.”

Samantha Livingstone
olympic gold medalist / high-performance coach / mental health advocate

Work with a
world-class athlete
to achieve world class results.

Schedule My Free Discovery Call

on the
Be Brave Blog

10.8

Competitive Fire: Born or Built?

Beach sprint rower launching into the surf during a trial race

09.26

uncertainty & mental skills for athletes

06.14

mindset & beach sprint racing in Costa Rica

05.29

student-athlete mindset & mental health

Focus and intensity is key to optimize mental performance in female athletes.

05.17

5 keys to unlock fire in female athletes

07.21

whey protein: surprising facts

What people are saying about the Be Brave blog:

The Change blog resonates with me, especially in a period of introspection for navigating big changes in my life. Cara authentically shares an optimal blend of her personal journey of challenges and triumphs that is inspiring, paired with professional wellness education that is digestible and actionable to boost my performance! The takeaways are of immense value!

Ciera G.

Certified Health Coach, Exercise Instructor, Entrepreneur

How to Rise stood out for its sourcing. Cara is obviously a subject matter expert, but calling upon others to help support her points gave the specifics even more credibility than they would have had independently.

Chandler Smith

Five-time Individual CrossFit Games Athlete and Army Veteran

Quality. Integrity. Evidence-Informed. Fact-Checked. Balanced. Cara checks all these boxes when writing and coaching. She understands that performance, health and longevity are not achieved through restrictive food models, over-taxing workouts or sleep deprivation. Cara’s skill is grounded in real life experience. She has a keen insight for supporting clients on their journeys to true north!

Tammera J. Karr PhD, BCHN®, CNW®, CDSP, CGP

Author, Wellness Educator, Clinician, Food Historian