We Believe the Greatest Opportunity Inside Any Business is its People.
When People Grow, Businesses Grow.
We help executives, leaders, teams, CEOs and founders get to the source of what may be holding them back and unlock the capacity and potential for what’s next.
Our work combines deep business experience with coaching, human behavior, leadership development and experiential practices to create growth that starts within and ripples outward.
People grow. Businesses grow. Communities thrive.
Meet Heather Warnke
I’ve been the leader in the room.
I’m Heather Warnke, Founder and CEO of I-Luminate.
Before becoming a coach, I spent nearly 30 years building brands, developing people and leading businesses inside some of the world’s most recognized beauty and personal care organizations.
My career began with a degree in Chemical Engineering and product development, where I learned how to turn an idea into something real.
At Clairol/Bristol-Myers Squibb, I led Product Development for the Matrix salon business, partnering with stylists, marketers and executives to bring innovation to life. I also led a strategic alliance with Bath & Body Works to develop haircare products for the brand.
After Clairol was acquired by Procter & Gamble, I moved into consumer insights for the hair color category. I later earned my MBA and expanded my career into marketing, commercial leadership and global brand building.
That journey eventually brought me to Kao Corporation, home to brands including John Frieda, Goldwell, Oribe and Bioré. Over many years, I held product development, U.S. marketing and global marketing roles, with deep leadership experience on the John Frieda business.
But the chapter that changed the trajectory of my work came when I moved with my family to Melbourne, Australia.
The People Have to Grow With the Business.
In 2019, I became General Manager of Kao Australia and New Zealand, with responsibility across the Consumer and Salon divisions as well as Asian export markets.
I had responsibility for the business, the people, the culture and the results.
Over the next three years, I led through significant business and cultural challenges, helping move the organization toward a more sustainable, profitable future within the global company.
And I began to see leadership differently.
But none of it could be separated from the people.
I began bringing more human-centered leadership practices into the business, including principles from Dare to Lead and the Enneagram. During this chapter, I also began studying and working with executive coach and Dare to Lead Certified Facilitator Kemi Nekvapil, who continues to be my personal leadership coach today.
I saw what could happen when we stopped looking only at the business problem and became curious about the human dynamics underneath it.
That experience planted the seeds for what would eventually become I-Luminate.
BUILDING BUSINESSES BY DEVELOPING PEOPLE
People-first isn’t our coaching style.
It’s our growth strategy.
My final chapter at Kao took me into Business Expansion and New Business Ventures, where I worked with CEOs and founders who were building and scaling businesses from early stage to $100M+.
I studied the founders and leadership teams who were successfully making that journey and created a Founder Playbook capturing the leadership principles and practices they had in common.
What became clear was that scaling wasn't simply about having the right strategy.
As the business grew, the capacity of the founder, leaders, team and culture had to grow too.
Today, I combine those lessons with the I-Luminate coaching model to help leaders build the human capacity that makes growth possible.
THE WORK TODAY
From Leading Executives to Coaching Them.
Today, I coach C-suite executives, senior leaders and teams, CEOs and founders navigating growth, change and the increasing complexity that comes with leadership.
I've coached leaders from organizations and brands including KEVIN.MURPHY, Galderma/Cetaphil, Kao/John Frieda/Goldwell/Oribe/Bioré, Henkel/Schwarzkopf, Kenvue/Aveeno/Neutrogena, Mondelēz, Ferrero and UnitedHealthcare, along with leaders from privately held, private equity-backed and other organizations.
The challenge that brings someone to coaching may be delegation, communication, accountability, team performance, decision-making, culture or navigating the next stage of growth.
But the challenge you see isn’t always the source.
That's where our work begins.
We get curious about the fears, beliefs, stories, motivations and patterns underneath the challenge while also illuminating the strengths, gifts and potential already there.
Strong Ground. Bright Light.
We develop the human capacity for what comes next.
DEEP ROOTS IN BEAUTY + PERSONAL CARE
We know this industry from the inside.
I-Luminate works across industries, but Heather brings particularly deep experience in beauty, haircare, personal care, salon, health and wellness.
Heather has worked with the people developing the products, the stylists using them, the marketers building the brands, the consumers buying them, the teams bringing them to market and the executives responsible for growing the business.
That creates a unique perspective when working with leaders and founders in people-powered businesses.
We understand that an extraordinary product, service or creative vision can start the business.
But people bring that vision to life.
WHEN PEOPLE GROW, BUSINESSES GROW
TMR Salon: Building the people and culture first.
Heather began working with founder Tina Marie Roberto during the earliest stages of building TMR Salon in Cincinnati, when much of the business was still blueprints and possibility.
The work started with the people.
We focused on developing Tina as a founder and leader, investing in the growth of her team and intentionally building the culture that would bring the vision to life.
And then the business grew.
Two years later, TMR has become a thriving and rapidly growing luxury hair and beauty destination in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, known for artistry, high-caliber cut and color and an elevated client experience.
We didn’t develop the people because the business grew.
The business grew because the people did.
That is what we believe is possible when human development becomes part of the growth strategy.
WHY I-LUMINATE
Business Challenges are Human Challenges.
Nearly 30 years inside global businesses taught me how organizations grow.
Leading one taught me how much that growth depends on people.
Working with founders taught me that leadership capacity can determine how far a vision can go.
And coaching executives, leaders and teams continues to remind me that underneath so many of our business challenges are human beings trying to navigate fear, possibility, responsibility, relationships, ambition and change.
That's why I created I-Luminate.
We don't fix people. We help people grow.
We get to the source of what may be holding people back and help unlock the capacity and potential for what’s next.
Because when we develop the human, the ripple can extend far beyond one person.
People grow. Teams grow. Businesses grow. Communities thrive.
Meet David
Chief Product Officer | I-Luminate
David Warnke is Chief Product Officer at I-Luminate, where he leads the design and development of experiential programs and functional sound tools that support personal growth, nervous-system regulation, and inner coherence.
He spent over 20 years at Procter & Gamble in corporate product development, helping create best-in-class consumer products through deep consumer insight, breakthrough product models, and disciplined engineering design. His career focused on building things that genuinely improved people’s daily lives, a philosophy that continues to shape his work today.
A lifelong musician, David began playing piano at age five and later found his home in music production at the intersection of engineering and creativity.
His interest in functional music emerged through his own spiritual and personal development journey, where sound became a practical tool for supporting reflection, regulation, and coherence. At I-Luminate, he brings together rigorous product thinking and creative intuition to design integrated experiences, combining sound, structure, and program architecture to support sustainable personal transformation.
Powered by CoLabs HQ
Operational Excellence That Elevates the Coaching Experience
Behind every meaningful coaching experience is a foundation of seamless support.
That’s why I-Luminate Coaching partners with CoLabs HQ, a team of dedicated professionals who bring structure, organization, and excellence to every part of our client journey.
CoLabs ensures that all the behind-the-scenes details, scheduling, communication, systems, and client care run effortlessly, so you can focus fully on your growth and transformation.
This partnership allows I-Luminate to deliver a personalized, high-touch experience that feels intentional from start to finish. CoLabs shares our values of empathy, authenticity, and service, ensuring that every client interaction is handled with the same care and attention you experience in your coaching sessions.
Together, we’ve built an ecosystem where transformation feels supported, grounded, and thoughtfully managed.
Meet Guilherme
Office Leader | CoLabs HQ
Every great coaching experience needs a steady hand behind the scenes, and that’s Gui.
As I-Luminate’s dedicated Office Leader through CoLabs HQ, Gui ensures that every detail of your journey is seamless and supported. From onboarding and scheduling to communication and follow-ups, Gui manages the client process with empathy, precision, and care.
He’s the connection point between Heather and CoLabs HQ, ensuring that operations and client experience flow together effortlessly. His thoughtful approach allows clients to feel both seen and taken care of, creating space for Heather to focus fully on the work of coaching and transformation.
With a background in operations, client relations, and creative communication, Gui brings the same qualities that define I-Luminate itself: warmth, professionalism, and purpose-driven service.
Where Are You Ready to Grow?
You don’t have to know exactly where to begin.
Tell us a little about what brings you here, and we’ll help you find the right place to start.
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