For Leslie Hocker, a career in wellness and entrepreneurship wasn’t a calculated choice; it was a natural extension of a lifelong passion that ignited in her teenage years. A former nationally ranked collegiate swimmer and founder of the Youthful Aging Movement, Hocker has spent more than four decades dedicated to helping people look and feel their best. Her journey is a testament to the power of consistent habits, a growth-focused mindset, and the belief that confidence is a skill to be learned.
Neora, the company behind Leslie Hocker’s latest project, is a global brand with a mission to “make people better.” For over 14 years, the company has focused on offering transformative products, opportunities for community, mentoring, and the determined pursuit of happiness. Starting with a single product, Neora has grown into a successful enterprise, selling over 40 million products worldwide with the goal of helping people feel, look, and live better. Hocker’s work with the company aligns with its mission to empower individuals and provide groundbreaking, clean, plant-based products that offer visible results without the need for invasive procedures.
From Competitive Swimming to the Youthful Aging Movement
Hocker’s deep-rooted interest in wellness began at age 16, a period when she was swimming 10 miles a day and constantly exhausted.
“At the time, I knew so little about health and wellness, so I started seeing what I could find to help my constant fatigue,” she recalled.
As a teen, she was given an iron supplement, which was thought to boost energy—a testament to the limited knowledge of the time. This sparked a lifelong journey of studying health and wellness, a passion she shares with her husband, Ron Forrester, a Doctor of Pharmacology, and her brother, who has a doctorate in chemistry.
This collaborative, research-driven approach to healthy longevity evolved into the Youthful Aging Movement.
“It’s more than aging gracefully,” Hocker explained. “It’s aging with energy, it’s aging while looking and feeling your best.”
She combined her extensive business experience with her wellness expertise to create a movement that provides practical, science-based, common-sense ways to look and feel your best at any age.
The Power of Coaching Yourself to Confidence
Hocker is a strong proponent of her “Coach Yourself to Confidence” philosophy, which she believes is crucial for navigating life’s challenges. She emphasizes that everyone has an inner voice, an inner critic, and that the key to success is to replace criticism with self-encouragement. Confidence, she insisted, is not a born trait, but a learned skill.
She advised people to focus on their future selves, coaching themselves in the present with the understanding that their future selves will appreciate the effort.
“Confidence is not about perfection. It’s about progress and self-trust,” Hocker said.
This mindset is built through small, daily wins and the habits we cultivate. Hocker credits her late mentor, Paul J. Meyer, a self-made billionaire, for teaching her that a positive attitude and consistent habits are more important than occasional bursts of discipline.
A Healthy Mindset for Business and Wellness
For Hocker, there is no separation between business success and personal wellness. The key principles, she argues, are the same: consistency and persistence.
“Your health, your wellness, your business– it’s your daily habits that matter more than just one big effort,” she said.
She uses a clever analogy, noting that while an apple a day is great for your health, a lot of people try to eat seven apples in one day, and the result won’t be pleasant.
She also emphasized the importance of community, pointing out that both business success and “healthy longevity” are tied to the people you surround yourself with. Ultimately, she believes that the same discipline that builds the business also builds your health and vitality.
A Breakthrough in Skincare: Taking Your Face to the Gym
Hocker’s latest project within the Youthful Aging Movement is a revolutionary, non-invasive Future of Filler skincare product, Neora.
“Imagine you can take your face to the gym,” she said, highlighting that the face has 40 muscles and that this new breakthrough in skincare science topically activates facial muscles, training them to “lift, fill, and plump themselves.”
The product, a topical, needle-free alternative to neurotoxins and fillers, combines three unique innovations into a one-of-a-kind product and is “powered by growth factor peptides and plant stem cells.”
This innovation serves as a natural bio-stimulator, as demonstrated in third-party clinical trials, which showed a 1,200% increase in collagen production in the skin within 12 weeks. It targets forehead lines, crow’s feet, under-eye bags, jowls, frown lines, and more.
“There isn’t a filler on the market that’s like that,” she said, noting its efficacy is three times greater than even the most expensive fillers and micro-needling.
This groundbreaking product, which takes just 30 seconds to use in the morning and evening, is helping people achieve healthy, vibrant skin. Hocker believes it’s a business gold mine and a perfect fit for her mission of promoting healthy, Youthful Aging.
The Silver Lining of a Healthy Lifestyle
Hocker credited her 101-year-old mother for instilling a foundation of healthy habits from a young age. Growing up, her mother put the family on a clean and mindful eating diet, a decision driven by her determination to prevent the family from having the short lifespans of her father’s side of the family. Her mother’s disciplined approach ensured that the entire family, including five children, ate well and had a consistent schedule of physical activity, which developed Hocker’s lifelong love of movement. Hocker’s mother, at 101, was in good health and took no medication.
This upbringing taught her to find the silver lining in every cloud and the importance of a movement-based lifestyle, which she promotes by encouraging people to engage in physical activity every day, even if it’s just a 20-minute walk.
“Motion is lotion,” she advised, “and most people don’t realize that.”
This simple yet powerful wisdom encapsulates the core of Leslie Hocker’s philosophy: that a healthy, vibrant life is built on small, consistent actions and a mindset of continuous growth.
The Legacy of a Lifelong Learner
Leslie Hocker’s story is more than a chronicle of business success; it is a powerful blueprint for living a vibrant, intentional life at any stage of life. Her journey from a teenage swimmer seeking more energy to a global wellness leader is a testament to the belief that personal growth and professional achievement are intertwined.
Hocker’s commitment to continuous learning, her decades of studying wellness with her family, and her latest venture in innovative skincare demonstrate that curiosity is the driving force behind innovation and longevity. By sharing her “Coach Yourself to Confidence” philosophy and the tangible results of her work, she empowers others to take control of their health, their careers, and their personal narratives.
Ultimately, Hocker’s legacy is one of transformation, demonstrating that with the right mindset and consistent effort, it is possible not only to age gracefully but also to truly thrive. Her work is a call to action for everyone to embrace the concept of Youthful Aging, turning every year into an opportunity for growth and vitality.
For a FREE Intelli-SKIN Scan, which was developed by dermatologists, backed by research, and provides an instant, personalized AI skin analysis of 15-plus skin concerns in seconds, and is valued at up to $150, visit https://amber.neora.com/us/en/skin-scan.
Interview by John Solleder
