Meet Our Founder

"Compassion and kindness are born in the heart, and in the making of a better World to live in they play a huge part. Those who have such rare gifts are lucky indeed, and of more of their type, we are badly in need..."

-Francis Duggan

Cheil Friar

My entire life, I’ve been the person people turn to when they’re overwhelmed, stressed, or silently carrying emotional weight. I’ve always had a natural gift for listening deeply, creating safety, and helping people feel understood.

But over the last decade—through entrepreneurship, fatherhood, leadership, and witnessing my own community struggle—I realized something deeper:

People don’t just need advice. They need connection. They need presence. They need to feel seen, understood, and supported in real time.

I felt that personally.
I saw it in the people around me.
And the data proved it: loneliness, burnout, isolation—all skyrocketing.

The world is more connected than ever, yet people feel more alone than ever.

I started Shining Hearts because no one should have to carry their emotional battles alone.

My background has always been rooted in:

building trust with people facing life-impacting decisions

guiding people through financial, personal, and emotional stress

creating environments where people feel safe opening up

coaching and advising in high-pressure situations

leading with empathy, clarity, and calm

These experiences shaped the foundation of Shining Hearts.

This company is not a “startup idea” to me.
It’s the product of thousands of real conversations, moments, and lived experiences where I saw what people truly needed.

People need people.
And the world doesn’t have a platform that delivers that reliably, safely, and at scale.

Shining Hearts is my life’s work — the intersection of: emotional support, technology, community, trust

and human connection.

We are building the platform I wish existed years ago—
one that strengthens people, families, communities, and futures by making emotional support accessible wherever life takes you.

Founder & Visionary, Shining Hearts