Interview with Michelle Cochran-wells

Written By michelle cochran-wells

August 2025: Inspiring Conversations with Michelle Cochran-Wells of The Gen Lab Project™
(excerpts from VoyageATL™ Magazine)

“Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Cochran-Wells.

Hi Michelle, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Thanks for having me. I appreciate the opportunity to chat with you, tell a little bit about my story, and introduce The GenLab Project™. I grew up in Dalton, Georgia, attended college at Southern Polytechnic and Georgia Tech here in Atlanta and graduated with a degree in Engineering. Ironically, I hated math, but more of that story later (laughs). I have an amazing family who support my many endeavors and are my biggest cheerleaders. I have always been entrepreneurial and find my greatest joys in helping others to succeed and do all the things that they never thought that they could do. I’m an ambivert…totally an introvert, but can absolutely be an extrovert when needed. It’s annoying sometimes. Personally, my greatest accomplishment are my kids. I totally hit the jackpot with them! I love being a mom to them. In my spare time, I love reading (shout out to my book club at The Book and Cover in Chattanooga, TN!). I have a TBR stack that is embarrassingly large. I also am a competitive tennis player and play several times a week on several leagues.

Tell us more about this math story…

I was the honor graduate who once failed an honors high school math class because a teacher told me I wasn’t “wired for it.” I was supposed to be a broadcast journalist and go to law school. However, I carried that math story for years until I eventually shattered it by graduating with a college engineering degree that involved way too many calculus classes. I hated math, but had a point to prove to myself and the teacher! Too bad I was basing a career on trying to prove someone wrong. That moment defined a pattern for me for many years going forward. I adapted, I overachieved, and I survived by becoming whoever I needed to be in the rooms I entered. But, I never truly felt like I was living as me. Note to the young ones out there…choose something you are passionate about and not try to be something you aren’t.

Fast forward to my twenties and thirties. If you had told me then that I’d walk away from a successful corporate engineering career to become a speaker and founder of movements focused on authenticity and generational understanding, I would’ve laughed. I was constantly on the go, driven by procrastination and deadlines, external expectations, wanting everyone to like me, and had a deep need to prove myself in a world that often made me feel I didn’t quite fit in.

Eventually, life forced me to slow down with the births of my two favorite humans…Jack and Eli. They will always be my greatest accomplishment. In that stillness of rediscovery and parenthood, I realized I had spent decades looking outward for validation instead of inward for alignment. For my entire life, I had always been looking externally for happiness instead of internally for acceptance, approval, and authenticity. As I was teaching my children that they should always be true to themselves, it dawned on me that I wasn’t a very good example of authentic living. I wanted them to always be exactly who they were meant to be and to be empathic to causes around them.

It was then that I realized I had a true, real life mentor from my childhood. As a Gen X latch-key kid, I spent countless afternoons at my grandfather’s lumber mill—curled up in the corner of his office with my homework. I always thought I was just passing time until my parents picked me up, but in reality, I was learning from a generation that led with quiet strength and unwavering values. I watched him earn loyalty without ever raising his voice, solve problems with steady hands, and make decisions that put people before profit. He didn’t need a mission statement—his presence was one. Show up. Be real. Listen more than you speak. I learned a lot about empathy from him. He used to say of people who owed him money, “If their conscience can handle it, my wallet can do without it, too, I guess.” He wanted to believe that people were innately good and honest. Those lessons stuck with me long after the sawdust settled.

A decade or so ago, I founded reCLAIMED SILENCE™, a non-profit created to help women reconnect with their true selves. What began as a personal awakening grew into a powerful ripple effect. I wasn’t alone. I met women from every background and generation who were tired of performing and ready to live freely and fully…no masks to hide behind and no one to impress but themselves.

As I grew in authenticity, I began noticing something else. Everywhere I went, generational disconnect was stalling progress. Whether it be in school meetings, volunteer positions, corporate endeavors, the local coffee shop, or simply being around various age groups, the disconnect was always there. I could even see it on the court in my tennis matches. People misunderstanding others simply because we come from different generations. No matter the generation (Boomers, X, Millennials, or Z), each generation had their own roots deeply planted with little room for growth. That’s when I launched The GenLab Project™, a keynote and workshop experience that empowers schools and organizations to bridge generational gaps, decode generational tension, and rebuild connection using one powerful tool: authenticity. Because authenticity isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a leadership skill, a culture builder, and a key to retention, connection, and innovation.

Today, I help institutions and corporations blend emotional intelligence with generational strategy. I teach that when people are empowered to be real (not perfect!), generations rise together. We build teams that trust deeper, communicate better, and thrive with purpose. Ironically, once many of these strategies are in place, business profits rise and agency takes hold in school systems. It still amazes me how much power authenticity in branding has on profit. Blows me away.

I live by one phrase that has become my personal mantra and a rallying cry for the thousands who’ve for some reason decided to follow my “videos from the car” as I call them on TikTok: “You can do this, and so can I.” Because no matter your background, title, or generation—you are worthy of living a life that feels like yours. The only way to find where we belong comes from authenticity.

How does it feel to have a following on TikTok™?
Actually, it is quite amusing to me! I find it very humbling that so many people seem to just enjoy positive words, a cup of coffee and little ‘ol me in my car doing a video each day. I have to admit it was pretty crazy when that follower count started increasing every day. We used to joke that I would be lucky to hit 100. I definitely feel very blessed and seen. That’s my only goal for those that follow me, too. Everyone needs to be seen. I never imagined I would be able to encourage others using a simple 60 second video each day, but it brings me so much joy to hear others who are rediscovering themselves just as I have done. I likely get more from the followers than they do me! That catchphrase, “You can do this and so can I,” may sound simple, but it’s become a powerful reminder that no matter your title, background, or age, you’re not alone. And, you’re capable of more than you think. I’m a true testament of the power that positivity can hold in someone’s life.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it hasn’t always been a smooth road. I would learn this in my first “real” job.

After college I started working as an engineer in the carpet and flooring industry, I immediately discovered that working in a STEM-driven corporate environment as a female came with many challenges beyond my daily assignments. While I excelled in my engineering role, I often struggled to communicate and fit in with the “good ‘ol boys” club in the carpeting industry- especially as an educated woman. I was forced to deal with the gender jokes that sometimes turned into harassment. I found myself struggling to communicate with older generations who were less open to change and ideas. The disconnect wasn’t just about me. It was about how our generations viewed the workplace, progress, and communication differently. We didn’t truly understand each other, which led to barriers that made it difficult to collaborate and connect authentically. I vowed to never feel or allow others to feel less than because of their gender, beliefs, or generational ideas again. I can’t tell you how many days I just dreaded dealing with the environment in those days.

I decided to take a break to be a mom in 2005 and that is when I knew I had some time to reinvent myself and figure out life. Motherhood was (and is) amazing and so inspiring to me. I wanted to show my kids that their Mom could do big things, achieve her dreams, and also expected the same of them.

I woke up in February of 2020 and realized that my life was not aligned with how I wanted to live. I felt very lost in my own little world. I was no longer finding joy in my day to day chaotic life as a pandemic brought the chaos to a screeching halt. I found during this time that I had been given an amazing opportunity to detoxify my life – saving the good and releasing the bad. That meant letting go of some people, toxic relationships, and some fun little thing called self-sabotage. I was simply looking for INTENTIONAL LIVING that would allow me more authenticity in my own life, more balance, less stress, more ways to thrive, more presence with my children, less multitasking, and most of all, true and genuine happiness.

I don’t feel as if I truly started being authentic until I was close to forty years old. In my “past life,” I was always on the go. I had a really, really hard time stopping to simply enjoy life, bask in the sun, or just be present with others. I always needed that constant state of stress, overachieving, or anything that would keep me chasing the next level of success. I look back and think it was a chaotic way of living life, but it was all that I knew. I would always tell others, “Oh, I work so, so much better under stress!” One day I had a major realization. While I looked as if I had it together on the outside, I was far from having anything together (other than maybe parenting my children). This major epiphany would hit me so hard that it would take several more years to unravel. Once this unraveling started, I realized I had always lived in this “chaos state” because I was avoiding sitting by myself. I was always looking externally for something or someone to fill the void when it should have been me.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Gen Lab Project™?
I’m the founder of The GenLab Project™, a keynote and workshop experience designed to help school systems and businesses bridge generational gaps through one core principle: authenticity. We specialize in helping teams navigate the real-time friction that shows up when communication styles, work habits, and expectations clash across generations, especially between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers. If others only knew the impact that understanding generations had on education and business, they would be flocking to learn more about it. I’ve watched it turn brands around, increase profit margins, and most importantly to me, I’ve watched how it has helped in school systems. I love watching school systems who embrace our trainings and personal development.

Whether I’m working with a school system experiencing teacher turnover or a corporation facing employee disengagement, the goal is the same: build emotionally intelligent cultures that don’t just survive generational differences—but thrive because of them. We do this through customized speaking events, interactive workshops, and personal development resources that turn disconnection into collaboration.

What sets us apart is that we don’t offer generic team-building fluff or boring lectures. We get to the point by combining research, lived experience, behavioral science, and storytelling in a way that makes generational strategy feel both practical and personal.

Oh! And, we also bring a lot of FUN to our events and keynotes. I adore my job!

In the end, we have watched school systems evolve in many positive facets bringing together not only teachers, but students, parents, and administrators. The same has worked with the business side, too. We have helped high ranking executives, ground floor employees, and customers form a common ground to advance profits and desired growth.

Brand-wise, I’m most proud of how real it all feels. We’re known for making people feel seen. And when people feel seen, they work better together.

If there’s one thing I want your readers to know, it’s this: Every generation wants to be heard. The GenLab Project™ helps you make sure they are.

Alright, so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
There are several ways to work with us, depending on your needs. We have experienced our greatest success with educators, business leaders, realtors, greek organizations (sororities/fraternities), managers in service-oriented fields, and in social selling. We customize our offerings based on the needs of the people we are working with. I am likely a bit biased, but I love our staff. My business partner Julie Stokes brings an incredible depth to this business as a retired educator, literacy coach, and public speaker. She is a constant in program development and I’m absolutely thankful she is on our team.

Here is a list of The GenLab Project™ services:

Speaking Engagements & Workshops – We offer dynamic keynote presentations and interactive workshops for schools, districts, and corporate organizations. These events are designed to tackle generational friction head-on and provide actionable strategies to boost communication, retention, and team culture.

Professional Development & Training – We collaborate with educational institutions and corporate teams to provide custom PD sessions or staff retreats that go beyond the usual “motivational” talk. These are built around generational dynamics, authenticity in leadership, and team-building that lasts. Participants leave with plans they can implement immediately.

Brand Partnerships & Collaborations – For aligned brands, platforms, or organizations, I’m open to partnerships that help amplify the message of authentic connection across generations—whether through co-branded content, events, or community-based initiatives.

Bring The GenLab Project™ to Your School or Organization – If you’re facing generational disconnect, declining morale, or high turnover this is where the real transformation begins. Invite The GenLab Project™ in to decode the dynamics, spark connection, and create meaningful momentum across your team. We also love working with college staff and college organizations, too!

To collaborate, book an event, or simply start a conversation, you can connect with us directly at hello@thegenlabproject.com, or follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn where we share content centered on generational insight, workplace connection, and living authentically.

Pricing:

  • Personalized Pricing based on services needed

  • We also offer special non-profit pricing tiers

Contact Info:

michelle cochran-wells
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Teaching the Teachers: How Generational Differences Impact Staff Culture