No Name Bastard

How Our Lives Teach Us What We Can Control, Manage, and Influence

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million

About the Author

Tori DaCosta is a business leader, coach, author, and speaker dedicated to empowering individuals to lead themselves well. Her work centers on the transformative power of ownership—helping people take intentional action, develop clarity, and create meaningful impact in both their professional and personal lives. Drawing from her experience as a leader within a Fortune 50 company and as a long-time mentor, Tori brings practical insight, authenticity, and encouragement to every audience she serves.
Tori holds multiple degrees and professional designations, including an Executive MBA from Emory University and a bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband, Mike, and enjoys spending time with their two children. Outside of work, she finds joy in running, being outdoors, and finding moments of laughter.

Speaking Engagements

Tori is a dynamic speaker on leadership, ownership, and personal growth, helping individuals and organizations translate intention into action.
Whether you need a keynote or an interactive workshop, Tori customizes each engagement to meet you and your team’s need to execute with clarity and purpose.

Leadership & Personal Development

The Power of Ownership

Building Intentional Action

Resilience & Personal Leadership

Book Tori

No Name Bastard

How Our Lives Teach Us What We Can Control, Manage, and Influence

Our most vivid memories can be our greatest teachers.

Official Launch Date March 3, 2026

Buy now on Amazon, or find the book at trusted retailers like Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million.

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million

Purchase the audio book on Audible, Barnes & Noble, Spotify, Apple, Libro.fm or Chirp

Audible
Barnes & Noble
Spotify
Apple
Libro.fm
Chirp

Testimonials

Imagine taking the significant moments from your life, distilling them down to the crucial lessons you’ve learned, and sharing these practical and actionable insights so others may benefit. That is what Tori has achieved. I double-dare you to read this amazing book.

—ROBERT A. GOLDBERG, founding partner, Organization Insight

In this insightful and beautifully written book, Tori guides us through her pivotal life lessons, granting us the opportunity to reflect and examine our own challenges and the insights they offer. She emphasizes that we alone determine our responses to events: with self-awareness, emotional accountability, and deliberate choices that shape our future and influence those around us. By separating what we can control from what we can influence, we unlock the freedom to lead ourselves toward a more self-directed life. Tori’s narrative powerfully illustrates that each experience— whether uplifting or challenging—can foster growth if we are willing to learn from the life lessons it offers.

—KARL KUHNERT, PhD, professor of the practice Goizueta Business School at Emory University

Tori DaCosta does a masterful job of sharing her honest and vulnerable life journey while provoking readers to reflect on their own life experiences and look for those nuggets of hope. This book is a masterclass in balancing struggle with inspiration, and realness with practical life lessons. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for light in the midst of darkness or hope in a season of hopelessness. Inspiring to the very end!

—BRANDON SMITH, host, TheWorkplaceTherapistShow President, The Worksmiths LLC.

This book gives language and courage to two muscles we all need: saying no and hearing no. With a little humor, a lot of humility, and hard-won wisdom, DaCosta shows us how to release what isn’t ours and own what is. A brave, practical guide for anyone ready to lead with clarity, compassion, and conviction.

—LATRAYL ADAMS, MS Director of counseling and well-being, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

Tori’s book is a thoughtful and engaging guide to understanding the subtle but powerful distinctions between what we can control, what we can influence, and what we must simply learn to manage. What truly elevates the book is Tori’s ability to blend practical wisdom with heartfelt reflection, creating a reading experience that feels comfortable and empowering.

—Travis Blalock, Goodreads Review

Very inspiring and a really good read for anyone who wants to take their life to the next level by owning their very unique story.

—Shanarah Nau, Goodreads Review

It’s rare to find a book that captures the quiet, often overlooked realities of the human experience as good as No Name Bastard: How Our Lives Teach Us… by Tori DaCosta. Right from the very first page, DaCosta strips away the usual self-help fluff and grounds the reader in a profound truth: most days in life are just not that memorable. The author has a brilliant way of articulating the subtle exhaustion of our daily autopilot She acts as a guide, helping the reader extract actual wisdom from the routines that usually numb us. If you are looking for a grounded, beautifully written exploration of what our lives are actually trying to teach us when we aren’t paying attention, this is an absolute must-read.

—Dr. Malcolm Hamilton, Amazon Review

No Name Bastard is an excellent book for anyone looking to become a better version of themselves. This book will cause you to step out of your comfort zones and challenge yourself to be better in your decision making process and how you deal with challenging situations.

—Henry King, Amazon Review

DaCosta gives language to two skills many adults and older teens struggle with: saying no and hearing no. With humility and even moments of humor, she illustrates how releasing what isn’t ours to carry allows us to reclaim our energy and purpose. The lessons are not abstract ideals; they are grounded, practical tools readers can apply immediately in relationships, careers, and personal development.

—Erin, Amazon Review

Newsletter

If No Name Bastard resonated with you, continue the journey. Join Tori’s newsletter for monthly insights on resilience, personal leadership, and the lessons our most powerful memories can teach us.

Get in Touch