1 00:00:00,020 --> 00:00:01,190 Carol Cox: Are you feeling stuck? 2 00:00:01,190 --> 00:00:03,260 Or maybe you've hit a plateau with your 3 00:00:03,260 --> 00:00:04,910 brand or visibility? 4 00:00:04,940 --> 00:00:07,490 Well, it's time to break the rules. 5 00:00:07,490 --> 00:00:09,020 That's what we're talking about on this 6 00:00:09,020 --> 00:00:15,530 episode of the Speaking Your Brand podcast. 7 00:00:15,530 --> 00:00:17,720 More and more women are making an impact by 8 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:20,420 starting businesses, running for office and 9 00:00:20,420 --> 00:00:22,430 speaking up for what matters. 10 00:00:22,460 --> 00:00:24,710 With my background as a TV political 11 00:00:24,710 --> 00:00:27,590 analyst, entrepreneur, and speaker, I 12 00:00:27,590 --> 00:00:29,990 interview and coach purpose driven women to 13 00:00:30,020 --> 00:00:32,480 shape their brands, grow their companies, 14 00:00:32,480 --> 00:00:35,180 and become recognized as influencers in 15 00:00:35,210 --> 00:00:38,510 their field. This is speaking your brand, 16 00:00:38,540 --> 00:00:41,060 your place to learn how to persuasively 17 00:00:41,060 --> 00:00:45,470 communicate your message to your audience. 18 00:00:45,470 --> 00:00:46,610 Hi there and welcome to the Speaking Your 19 00:00:46,610 --> 00:00:48,800 Brand podcast. I'm your host, Carol Cox. 20 00:00:48,830 --> 00:00:51,350 I have a confession to make. 21 00:00:51,980 --> 00:00:54,440 I realize that I've diluted my brand 22 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,130 message, my brand style and my brand voice. 23 00:00:58,130 --> 00:01:01,330 Now this has happened unintentionally and 24 00:01:01,330 --> 00:01:03,640 inadvertently, but I've been sensing this 25 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:05,020 for at least a year. 26 00:01:05,020 --> 00:01:07,630 But I kept powering through, creating new 27 00:01:07,630 --> 00:01:11,020 podcast episodes, sending emails, posting on 28 00:01:11,020 --> 00:01:14,080 LinkedIn like that proverbial hamster on a 29 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,630 wheel, churning out content that was good 30 00:01:16,630 --> 00:01:18,670 and valuable and useful. 31 00:01:18,670 --> 00:01:22,690 But I knew it was missing a spark, and I 32 00:01:22,690 --> 00:01:25,420 felt this because I was getting bored and 33 00:01:25,420 --> 00:01:26,530 burnt out. 34 00:01:26,530 --> 00:01:28,300 But I thought, well, that's just what you 35 00:01:28,300 --> 00:01:30,040 have to do when you have a business. 36 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:32,320 And yes, there is a certain truth to that, 37 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:34,840 but you still need that spark. 38 00:01:34,930 --> 00:01:37,300 Now, I wasn't bored with the topics that I 39 00:01:37,330 --> 00:01:39,040 cover on the podcast or on my email 40 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:40,270 newsletter or on LinkedIn. 41 00:01:40,270 --> 00:01:42,940 I loved talking about thought leadership, 42 00:01:42,940 --> 00:01:45,580 public speaking, how to help women escape 43 00:01:45,580 --> 00:01:48,790 the expert trap and provide transformational 44 00:01:48,820 --> 00:01:51,130 talks and content to their audiences. 45 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,050 But really, where I've been feeling stuck 46 00:01:53,050 --> 00:01:55,720 and stagnant was in creating this content 47 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,440 every single week I've mastered these 48 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:00,990 formats and I realize that I'm ready. 49 00:02:00,990 --> 00:02:02,010 I'm hungry. 50 00:02:02,010 --> 00:02:04,290 I'm longing for something new. 51 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,270 And then a few weeks ago, after the 52 00:02:06,270 --> 00:02:08,220 in-person speaking workshop we held in 53 00:02:08,220 --> 00:02:10,860 Orlando, one of the women who attended said 54 00:02:10,860 --> 00:02:13,920 to me, you know, Carol, you and Diane are 55 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:17,130 really fun and funny and personable. 56 00:02:17,130 --> 00:02:19,800 And I hadn't realized that until I was with 57 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:21,300 you at the workshop. 58 00:02:21,300 --> 00:02:24,120 You come across so buttoned up on your 59 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,160 website, but you're not. 60 00:02:26,700 --> 00:02:28,740 And I realized that she was right. 61 00:02:28,920 --> 00:02:31,560 And these activities, the podcast, email 62 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,620 newsletters, LinkedIn posts have become, I 63 00:02:34,620 --> 00:02:36,660 realized, a bit of a compulsion. 64 00:02:36,660 --> 00:02:38,160 Like I must keep doing it. 65 00:02:38,190 --> 00:02:39,960 Kind of like a Snapchat streak where that 66 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,090 was a thing a number of years ago, where 67 00:02:42,090 --> 00:02:43,680 people would have to do a Snapchat every 68 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:45,270 single day, otherwise they would break their 69 00:02:45,270 --> 00:02:48,330 streak and these kids would do it for days 70 00:02:48,330 --> 00:02:50,190 and weeks and months on end. 71 00:02:50,220 --> 00:02:52,140 So these activities have become a bit of a 72 00:02:52,140 --> 00:02:54,000 compulsion. It's actually hard for me to 73 00:02:54,030 --> 00:02:55,500 imagine stopping them. 74 00:02:55,620 --> 00:02:59,190 And they've also become a crutch, a crutch, 75 00:02:59,190 --> 00:03:01,170 because telling myself I have to do these 76 00:03:01,170 --> 00:03:04,290 things every week has let me off the hook of 77 00:03:04,290 --> 00:03:07,050 doing other things I want to do, but that 78 00:03:07,050 --> 00:03:10,950 are bigger, bolder, scarier, and out of my 79 00:03:10,950 --> 00:03:14,040 comfort zone. So yes, I am very much fallen 80 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:15,840 back into the expert trap. 81 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:17,670 This happens to all of us, even with the 82 00:03:17,670 --> 00:03:18,840 best of intentions. 83 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:21,390 And yes, I know that I could hire a 84 00:03:21,390 --> 00:03:23,520 marketing assistant, a marketing person to 85 00:03:23,550 --> 00:03:25,890 help me with this and I will definitely be 86 00:03:25,890 --> 00:03:29,850 doing that. But before that, I recognize 87 00:03:29,850 --> 00:03:32,700 that the content creation hamster wheel is 88 00:03:32,700 --> 00:03:35,820 still in my brain taking up mental space. 89 00:03:35,820 --> 00:03:39,240 I know I need to detach and detox from doing 90 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,700 it for a while, so that when I do bring 91 00:03:41,700 --> 00:03:44,670 someone in, they can truly own that and take 92 00:03:44,670 --> 00:03:46,890 it away from me. Perhaps you're feeling a 93 00:03:46,890 --> 00:03:49,410 bit bored and burnt out, or stuck and 94 00:03:49,410 --> 00:03:51,240 stagnant like I've been feeling. 95 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,280 Or maybe you're enjoying the content you're 96 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:55,930 creating in the topics you speak about, but 97 00:03:55,930 --> 00:03:57,370 you've hit a plateau. 98 00:03:57,400 --> 00:03:59,470 Your business is not growing as much. 99 00:03:59,500 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaking opportunities aren't growing. 100 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,420 You're not getting higher profile keynote 101 00:04:04,420 --> 00:04:05,890 speaking opportunities. And that's what you 102 00:04:05,890 --> 00:04:08,830 really want. And most importantly, maybe you 103 00:04:08,830 --> 00:04:11,500 feel personally that you've hit a plateau, 104 00:04:11,530 --> 00:04:14,140 that you're not growing and your business 105 00:04:14,140 --> 00:04:16,510 speaking and visibility opportunities will 106 00:04:16,510 --> 00:04:19,330 only grow if you're stretching and growing 107 00:04:19,330 --> 00:04:22,270 yourself. In order to do that, though, we 108 00:04:22,270 --> 00:04:24,430 have to break some rules. 109 00:04:24,430 --> 00:04:27,610 Rules that make us feel safe, comfortable, 110 00:04:27,610 --> 00:04:28,960 and validated. 111 00:04:28,990 --> 00:04:31,840 Now, I'm actually not really a rule 112 00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:34,780 follower. I call myself a rule bender. 113 00:04:34,780 --> 00:04:37,780 Maybe a rule breaker. Not nothing illegal or 114 00:04:37,810 --> 00:04:39,850 an unethical or anything like that. 115 00:04:39,850 --> 00:04:42,610 But I do like challenging the status quo. 116 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,340 I do like pushing the limits and thinking 117 00:04:45,340 --> 00:04:47,560 where is something that we can do that's 118 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:49,030 different. This is like the innovative 119 00:04:49,030 --> 00:04:52,080 aspect of my personality and my brand, but 120 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,180 this is where I realize I've been diluting 121 00:04:54,180 --> 00:04:55,830 this again, not intentionally. 122 00:04:55,830 --> 00:04:57,750 It's just kind of happened over the past few 123 00:04:57,750 --> 00:05:00,150 years because of being on this content 124 00:05:00,150 --> 00:05:01,800 creation hamster wheel. 125 00:05:01,980 --> 00:05:04,350 So I'm going to share with you three rules 126 00:05:04,350 --> 00:05:06,180 you can consider breaking or at least 127 00:05:06,180 --> 00:05:08,730 bending in, why you should do that, and how 128 00:05:08,730 --> 00:05:10,830 you can think about doing that for yourself. 129 00:05:10,860 --> 00:05:14,070 I'm also going to share a big change, a rule 130 00:05:14,070 --> 00:05:16,500 that I'm breaking. So keep listening to the 131 00:05:16,500 --> 00:05:18,360 end. And I'm also going to share with you 132 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,010 the ways that you can work with this in 133 00:05:20,010 --> 00:05:22,800 2025. Make sure that you're on our email 134 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:24,240 list, because that's where you're going to 135 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,400 get the most up to date announcements of 136 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:28,200 what we're doing, and you can join our email 137 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:29,490 list by going to speaking your 138 00:05:29,490 --> 00:05:32,610 brand.com/join again that's speaking your 139 00:05:32,610 --> 00:05:36,510 brand.com/join. Now let's get on with the 140 00:05:36,510 --> 00:05:39,690 show. Here's the first rule to break. 141 00:05:39,690 --> 00:05:43,200 Stop providing information and teaching and 142 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,780 training content to your audience. 143 00:05:45,780 --> 00:05:48,540 Now I know this goes against all of the 144 00:05:48,540 --> 00:05:51,580 advice that is out there that says, provide 145 00:05:51,580 --> 00:05:53,500 lots of content to your audience, free 146 00:05:53,500 --> 00:05:56,200 content so that they understand what you do 147 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:58,570 and who you work with and provide them. 148 00:05:58,570 --> 00:06:00,910 With all of these tips and trainings and 149 00:06:00,910 --> 00:06:04,960 resources, webinars and blog posts and free 150 00:06:04,990 --> 00:06:06,730 downloadable guides and all of that. 151 00:06:06,730 --> 00:06:09,130 Now, I'm not saying don't do any of that, but 152 00:06:09,130 --> 00:06:11,770 you probably have already done enough. 153 00:06:11,770 --> 00:06:13,090 And that's what I realized. 154 00:06:13,090 --> 00:06:15,130 I have done enough. I have so much content 155 00:06:15,130 --> 00:06:18,310 out there, from this podcast to all of the 156 00:06:18,310 --> 00:06:20,740 articles on the Speaking Your Brand website, 157 00:06:20,770 --> 00:06:23,770 to all of the lead magnets and webinars we 158 00:06:23,770 --> 00:06:25,900 that we've created over the years. 159 00:06:25,900 --> 00:06:27,790 And if you've been listening to this podcast 160 00:06:27,790 --> 00:06:30,010 for a while, you know that I talk about the 161 00:06:30,010 --> 00:06:33,340 need to escape the expert trap to provide 162 00:06:33,370 --> 00:06:36,250 transformation to your audience, not just 163 00:06:36,250 --> 00:06:38,530 information, because that's how you're going 164 00:06:38,530 --> 00:06:40,450 to step into thought leadership. 165 00:06:40,450 --> 00:06:43,420 After all, it's not about how much you know. 166 00:06:43,420 --> 00:06:46,270 It's about how you make others feel, think 167 00:06:46,300 --> 00:06:50,100 and act. And this really crystallized for me 168 00:06:50,100 --> 00:06:52,800 when I worked with my client, Julia Korn, on 169 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:55,020 her recent keynote. We talked about it in 170 00:06:55,020 --> 00:06:57,450 the previous episode, number 422. 171 00:06:57,480 --> 00:06:59,850 And listeners have loved that episode. 172 00:06:59,850 --> 00:07:01,800 They've told me this on LinkedIn in an email 173 00:07:01,860 --> 00:07:03,630 they sent to me. They loved it so much that 174 00:07:03,630 --> 00:07:05,280 they listened to it twice, because there are 175 00:07:05,280 --> 00:07:07,650 so many good things that we talk about in 176 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:09,300 that episode about how to provide 177 00:07:09,330 --> 00:07:11,880 transformation and not just information to 178 00:07:11,910 --> 00:07:14,040 your audiences, because that's what people 179 00:07:14,070 --> 00:07:15,330 are looking for. 180 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:19,020 Expertise, tips, trainings, how to's are 181 00:07:19,020 --> 00:07:20,670 plentiful on the internet. 182 00:07:20,670 --> 00:07:23,490 From Google searches to YouTube videos to 183 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,520 asking ChatGPT your audience can find 184 00:07:26,550 --> 00:07:29,100 whatever they're looking for, but instead 185 00:07:29,100 --> 00:07:32,280 they want to hear from you, those hard won 186 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:33,420 life lessons. 187 00:07:33,420 --> 00:07:35,670 They want that thought leadership of how do 188 00:07:35,670 --> 00:07:38,250 you go from the stage that they're currently 189 00:07:38,250 --> 00:07:40,440 in to the stage that they want to be in, 190 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:42,210 whether it's for their business, their 191 00:07:42,210 --> 00:07:44,040 personal life, their relationships, their 192 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:46,230 health, their finances, whatever your 193 00:07:46,250 --> 00:07:48,530 business and your topic happens to be. 194 00:07:49,010 --> 00:07:51,470 So I want you to break the rule of just 195 00:07:51,470 --> 00:07:54,080 providing lots of information and teaching 196 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:55,460 and training to your audience. 197 00:07:55,460 --> 00:07:57,680 I really want you to focus on the change. 198 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,740 You want to help them to create, not just 199 00:08:00,740 --> 00:08:02,690 the knowledge you want to share. 200 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,240 I invite you to share a personal insights 201 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:07,940 and stories with your audience, and also to 202 00:08:07,970 --> 00:08:10,310 address your audience's emotions and 203 00:08:10,310 --> 00:08:13,550 challenges and identities, not just their 204 00:08:13,550 --> 00:08:14,870 how to questions. 205 00:08:14,900 --> 00:08:16,550 Rule number two to break. 206 00:08:16,550 --> 00:08:20,090 Stop playing it safe and trying to be like 207 00:08:20,090 --> 00:08:21,350 the big players. 208 00:08:21,380 --> 00:08:23,360 I really noticed in the past year, 209 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,810 especially that the online ecosystem, 210 00:08:26,810 --> 00:08:29,840 whether it's YouTube, podcast, Instagram, 211 00:08:29,870 --> 00:08:33,560 TikTok and so on, that it has become what is 212 00:08:33,560 --> 00:08:35,660 called a winner take most. 213 00:08:35,900 --> 00:08:38,360 And that means that the biggest players, the 214 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:41,390 biggest podcasters, YouTubers, influencers, 215 00:08:41,390 --> 00:08:43,700 they're going to take most of the attention 216 00:08:43,700 --> 00:08:45,730 from the people who are online. 217 00:08:45,730 --> 00:08:47,080 If you think about podcasting, the 218 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,960 concentration of listenership is so high. 219 00:08:49,990 --> 00:08:53,890 Of the 600,000 podcasts that produce content 220 00:08:53,890 --> 00:08:56,860 every week, the top ten capture half the 221 00:08:56,860 --> 00:08:58,960 revenue. If you have a podcast, you may not 222 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:01,150 be doing it for ad revenue, but just think 223 00:09:01,150 --> 00:09:03,610 about translate that half that revenue into, 224 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:05,260 say, half of listeners time. 225 00:09:05,260 --> 00:09:08,050 This winner take most ecosystem is for the 226 00:09:08,050 --> 00:09:10,720 people who appeal to a lot of people and 227 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:12,430 have already established themselves. 228 00:09:12,430 --> 00:09:14,230 You think about the Joe Rogan's of the 229 00:09:14,230 --> 00:09:16,270 world, but say in an R space. 230 00:09:16,270 --> 00:09:17,410 Business and marketing. 231 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,830 Amy Porterfield, Marie Forleo, Mel Robbins, 232 00:09:20,830 --> 00:09:23,740 Brene Brown now these women are fantastic 233 00:09:23,740 --> 00:09:26,350 and they provide excellent content, but they 234 00:09:26,350 --> 00:09:28,300 really do have to be kind of all things to 235 00:09:28,330 --> 00:09:31,090 all people. And you can't compete with them 236 00:09:31,090 --> 00:09:33,640 by doing the same thing that they're doing. 237 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,670 They have to appeal to big audiences because 238 00:09:36,670 --> 00:09:38,260 they are big players. 239 00:09:38,260 --> 00:09:40,270 But you don't have to appeal to big 240 00:09:40,270 --> 00:09:43,260 audiences, and you shouldn't Because you're 241 00:09:43,260 --> 00:09:46,470 not in the same winner take most ecosystem 242 00:09:46,470 --> 00:09:48,960 that they are. This means that you have to 243 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:50,850 be even more of you. 244 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:53,820 I know you hear this all the time, that your 245 00:09:53,820 --> 00:09:56,280 personal brand and even your business brand 246 00:09:56,310 --> 00:09:59,370 should reflect who you are, and we know 247 00:09:59,370 --> 00:10:00,960 this, but we don't do it in a way that's 248 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,300 going to resonate with our audiences. 249 00:10:03,330 --> 00:10:05,640 We still have a tendency to play it safe, to 250 00:10:05,670 --> 00:10:08,100 do what is most palatable to the people out 251 00:10:08,100 --> 00:10:09,330 there. Now, I'm not saying to be 252 00:10:09,330 --> 00:10:12,270 controversial for controversy's sake or just 253 00:10:12,420 --> 00:10:14,430 to do things to make people angry. 254 00:10:14,460 --> 00:10:15,510 Not at all. 255 00:10:15,510 --> 00:10:17,970 But I really want you to think about what 256 00:10:17,970 --> 00:10:21,540 are those unique aspects of who you are and 257 00:10:21,540 --> 00:10:24,450 your personality, and combine them and 258 00:10:24,450 --> 00:10:26,910 incorporate all these different aspects, 259 00:10:26,910 --> 00:10:29,490 even if they seem contradictory to each 260 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:31,530 other. Actually, that's a good thing because 261 00:10:31,530 --> 00:10:33,780 it makes you more interesting. 262 00:10:34,260 --> 00:10:37,290 What I've done recently is I opened up a 263 00:10:37,290 --> 00:10:39,900 blank document in Canva, and I started 264 00:10:39,900 --> 00:10:42,290 putting Different brands that I like, 265 00:10:42,290 --> 00:10:44,240 different brands that have resonated with me 266 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:45,860 to get some inspiration. 267 00:10:45,860 --> 00:10:48,440 And I realized when I did that that all the 268 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:50,870 threads have always been there in my brand, 269 00:10:50,870 --> 00:10:53,210 but I had lost touch with them because I 270 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,160 forgot about putting them front and center 271 00:10:55,190 --> 00:10:57,230 is what I talked about in the intro of this 272 00:10:57,230 --> 00:10:59,060 podcast that I had inadvertently, 273 00:10:59,060 --> 00:11:01,790 unintentionally diluted my brand voice and 274 00:11:01,790 --> 00:11:02,960 style and message. 275 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,170 So on this brand board inspiration Canva, I 276 00:11:06,170 --> 00:11:08,600 have things like Sara Blakely, the founder 277 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:10,340 and CEO of Spanx. 278 00:11:10,340 --> 00:11:12,530 I follow her on LinkedIn and I see her 279 00:11:12,530 --> 00:11:15,710 posts. And not only is she so fun and funny 280 00:11:15,710 --> 00:11:17,750 and kind of silly, but she's also very 281 00:11:17,750 --> 00:11:20,900 relatable and ambitious and very much a 282 00:11:20,900 --> 00:11:22,850 feminist. So all of those things, I'm like, 283 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,370 yes, and that's what that workshop client 284 00:11:25,370 --> 00:11:28,640 mentioned to me, this fun, funny aspect of 285 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:30,920 our personalities and our brands that Diane 286 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:33,080 and I have but isn't coming across enough in 287 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:36,050 our content. Then I also have Sydney Bristow 288 00:11:36,050 --> 00:11:38,600 from the TV show alias, which I absolutely 289 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:40,570 loved. And so she's very different than 290 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,240 Sarah Blakely. She's she's also very smart, 291 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:44,830 but more mysterious. 292 00:11:44,830 --> 00:11:46,960 And she's very adaptable and resilient, a 293 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:48,790 little bit techie, but she goes all around 294 00:11:48,790 --> 00:11:51,100 the world. This is kind of like my spy 295 00:11:51,130 --> 00:11:54,310 aspect of of growing up and loving to read 296 00:11:54,340 --> 00:11:56,290 Nancy Drew novels when I was little, but 297 00:11:56,290 --> 00:11:58,930 then studying the French Resistance when I 298 00:11:58,930 --> 00:12:00,730 was getting my PhD in history. 299 00:12:00,730 --> 00:12:02,710 And then I think about other brands like 300 00:12:02,710 --> 00:12:04,960 Virgin Atlantic, which I absolutely love. 301 00:12:04,990 --> 00:12:07,450 They are innovative, they're bold, they're 302 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,150 irreverent, and they're upscale, but yet 303 00:12:10,180 --> 00:12:11,680 affordable at the same time. 304 00:12:11,680 --> 00:12:13,390 So I think about the brand for speaking your 305 00:12:13,390 --> 00:12:16,090 brand. That's what we want to be premium, 306 00:12:16,090 --> 00:12:19,090 high quality, high touch, but yet accessible 307 00:12:19,090 --> 00:12:21,490 and also have this bold, innovative aspect 308 00:12:21,490 --> 00:12:23,320 to what we're doing. Have you seen the TV 309 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:25,450 show The Good Place? I think it was out 310 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:27,310 2017, 2018. 311 00:12:27,310 --> 00:12:29,890 Well, there's Janet, the character in there, 312 00:12:29,890 --> 00:12:31,510 and then at some point in one of the 313 00:12:31,510 --> 00:12:34,720 seasons, Bad Janet comes out and now I feel 314 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,880 like I look like Good Janet, but I 315 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,570 definitely have a rebellious side like Bad 316 00:12:39,570 --> 00:12:41,370 Janet. I dressed up as Bad Janet for 317 00:12:41,370 --> 00:12:43,920 Halloween back in 2019, with the black 318 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:46,080 pleather pants and the, you know, the all 319 00:12:46,110 --> 00:12:47,490 black and black nail polish. 320 00:12:47,490 --> 00:12:49,740 And it was so much fun because I do have 321 00:12:49,740 --> 00:12:52,260 this rule bending, subversive, 322 00:12:52,260 --> 00:12:55,020 non-conformist aspect of my personality. 323 00:12:55,020 --> 00:12:57,330 This is where I came up with this idea of 324 00:12:57,330 --> 00:12:59,940 escaping the expert trap and bending these 325 00:12:59,940 --> 00:13:01,560 rules and breaking these rules. 326 00:13:01,560 --> 00:13:04,080 So this is what I mean about really stop 327 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:05,760 playing it safe. Stop thinking like you have 328 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:07,080 to be like the big players. 329 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:10,080 Take inspiration from them, but find this 330 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:12,600 unique combination that you have and keep it 331 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:14,580 front and center with this. 332 00:13:14,610 --> 00:13:16,710 Whether it's a brand board inspiration on 333 00:13:16,710 --> 00:13:19,620 Canva or a Google Doc or things that you 334 00:13:19,620 --> 00:13:22,050 that you print out or that you create so 335 00:13:22,050 --> 00:13:23,670 that you know that every time you're 336 00:13:23,670 --> 00:13:26,430 creating content or a presentation, that 337 00:13:26,430 --> 00:13:28,830 you're making sure that what you're saying 338 00:13:28,830 --> 00:13:31,230 and how you're saying it is reflective of 339 00:13:31,230 --> 00:13:33,510 these interesting aspects of your brand. 340 00:13:33,540 --> 00:13:36,290 Now, the third rule to break and this may be 341 00:13:36,290 --> 00:13:39,050 the hardest. Stop doing something you've 342 00:13:39,050 --> 00:13:41,150 been doing for a long time and have 343 00:13:41,150 --> 00:13:43,700 mastered, and start doing something you've 344 00:13:43,730 --> 00:13:45,770 either been neglecting or that will 345 00:13:45,770 --> 00:13:47,000 challenge you. 346 00:13:47,030 --> 00:13:49,850 Now, this is the hardest one because it 347 00:13:49,850 --> 00:13:52,610 requires not only a shift in habits, which 348 00:13:52,610 --> 00:13:54,350 is hard enough. Where I talked earlier about 349 00:13:54,350 --> 00:13:55,880 this idea of this compulsion, like I feel 350 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:58,190 like I have to continue on this hamster 351 00:13:58,190 --> 00:14:00,920 wheel. So we have these habits, but it also 352 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,620 requires a shift in your identity. 353 00:14:03,650 --> 00:14:05,000 So I want you to think about what is 354 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:06,650 something you've been doing for a long time 355 00:14:06,650 --> 00:14:08,450 and you've mastered it. Maybe you do have a 356 00:14:08,450 --> 00:14:10,010 podcast that you've been doing for a long 357 00:14:10,010 --> 00:14:11,810 time, and you maybe you're wondering, should 358 00:14:11,810 --> 00:14:14,000 I try a different format or should I try a 359 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:15,770 different channel? Maybe you've been posting 360 00:14:15,770 --> 00:14:17,720 on Instagram and LinkedIn for a long time 361 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:19,760 and you've mastered that, so maybe you want 362 00:14:19,790 --> 00:14:20,930 to try something else. 363 00:14:20,930 --> 00:14:23,510 Maybe you've mastered the standard 364 00:14:23,510 --> 00:14:26,150 conference presentation format and the lunch 365 00:14:26,180 --> 00:14:28,550 and learns or conference breakout sessions 366 00:14:28,550 --> 00:14:30,350 where you give the audience certain 367 00:14:30,350 --> 00:14:32,930 information and content related to your area 368 00:14:32,930 --> 00:14:35,420 of expertise and you want to challenge 369 00:14:35,420 --> 00:14:37,910 yourself to do something different. 370 00:14:37,910 --> 00:14:39,830 Or maybe you've been thinking about launching 371 00:14:39,830 --> 00:14:41,420 a podcast that's something that you haven't 372 00:14:41,420 --> 00:14:43,790 mastered, that you haven't done before. 373 00:14:43,790 --> 00:14:46,700 So start doing that one thing that you may 374 00:14:46,700 --> 00:14:48,830 want to consider, which is what I'm doing is 375 00:14:48,830 --> 00:14:53,000 stop doing so much online and shift some of 376 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,640 those efforts in that time to offline 377 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,490 activities. We are all sucked into spending 378 00:14:58,490 --> 00:15:01,100 so much time online, and we think this is 379 00:15:01,100 --> 00:15:02,900 what we have to do all of the time. 380 00:15:02,900 --> 00:15:04,910 The email marketing, the social media, the 381 00:15:04,910 --> 00:15:08,390 podcasts, the videos, the blogs and so on. 382 00:15:08,390 --> 00:15:11,480 So what if you cut your online efforts in 383 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:14,780 half? What would that free you up to do 384 00:15:14,810 --> 00:15:18,080 instead? An experiment and see what happens. 385 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:19,220 Track your metrics. 386 00:15:19,220 --> 00:15:20,300 Track your time. 387 00:15:20,330 --> 00:15:22,730 Maybe try this for three months and see what 388 00:15:22,730 --> 00:15:25,640 happens. Now you may say to yourself, well, 389 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:27,170 it doesn't really take me that much time to 390 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,420 post on Instagram or post on LinkedIn or to 391 00:15:29,450 --> 00:15:31,160 send an email newsletter to my list. 392 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,000 And yes, that may be the case and I've told 393 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,400 myself the same thing, but it takes up 394 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:38,850 mental space and it serves as a crutch. 395 00:15:38,850 --> 00:15:41,310 So this is where we go back to requiring a 396 00:15:41,310 --> 00:15:43,770 shift, not only in your habits, but also in 397 00:15:43,770 --> 00:15:45,720 your identity and what makes you feel 398 00:15:45,750 --> 00:15:48,240 comfortable. So if you think about if you 399 00:15:48,270 --> 00:15:50,580 cut your online efforts in half, what would 400 00:15:50,580 --> 00:15:52,470 that free you up to do instead? 401 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,170 Maybe things like attending local groups and 402 00:15:55,170 --> 00:15:58,410 events, inviting people to coffee and lunch, 403 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,960 going to conferences, pitching to speak at 404 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,390 those local groups and conferences and 405 00:16:03,390 --> 00:16:06,690 associations, hosting an in-person workshop 406 00:16:06,690 --> 00:16:08,670 related to what you do in your business. 407 00:16:08,670 --> 00:16:11,100 If you want to record a podcast or videos 408 00:16:11,100 --> 00:16:14,040 instead of doing it from your laptop at 409 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,350 home, maybe go find a local studio. 410 00:16:16,380 --> 00:16:18,900 Lots of cities nowadays have coworking 411 00:16:18,900 --> 00:16:21,210 spaces that have podcast studios that 412 00:16:21,210 --> 00:16:23,670 they've built, so maybe go book some time 413 00:16:23,670 --> 00:16:25,860 there and record some interviews just to get 414 00:16:25,860 --> 00:16:29,340 out from being sucked into spending so much 415 00:16:29,340 --> 00:16:32,000 time online, and that's what I've decided to 416 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,630 do for 2025, is really shift the majority of 417 00:16:35,630 --> 00:16:38,690 my time and efforts into offline activities 418 00:16:38,690 --> 00:16:41,060 instead of online, and I'll never know 419 00:16:41,060 --> 00:16:42,200 unless I try. 420 00:16:42,230 --> 00:16:44,120 What this ends up looking like, and I can 421 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,090 always pick it back up again before I get to 422 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:48,140 the big thing. 423 00:16:48,140 --> 00:16:51,380 I'm changing the rule I'm breaking regarding 424 00:16:51,380 --> 00:16:52,790 the stop doing something you've been doing 425 00:16:52,790 --> 00:16:54,980 for a long time, and start doing something 426 00:16:54,980 --> 00:16:56,780 that you've been neglecting, or that will 427 00:16:56,780 --> 00:16:59,000 challenge you. I want to let you know about 428 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,720 the ways you can work with us in 2025, 429 00:17:02,750 --> 00:17:04,790 because now that we've broken or at least 430 00:17:04,790 --> 00:17:07,430 bent the rules, we need to rewrite them. 431 00:17:07,430 --> 00:17:09,800 Rewrite them for your personal brand, for 432 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:11,450 your business, for your speaking and 433 00:17:11,450 --> 00:17:14,180 visibility, and most importantly, for your 434 00:17:14,180 --> 00:17:16,250 personal growth. And here's how we can help 435 00:17:16,250 --> 00:17:17,390 you do that. 436 00:17:17,390 --> 00:17:19,670 First, we have our Thought Leader Academy, 437 00:17:19,670 --> 00:17:23,450 which is a live online program, and we work 438 00:17:23,450 --> 00:17:26,630 with you to craft powerful stories and talks 439 00:17:26,630 --> 00:17:29,250 that resonate with your audiences and drive 440 00:17:29,250 --> 00:17:32,130 action. We work with you to escape the 441 00:17:32,130 --> 00:17:33,750 expert trap and step into thought 442 00:17:33,780 --> 00:17:37,020 leadership, and we worked with over 250 443 00:17:37,050 --> 00:17:39,810 women over the years, and they consistently 444 00:17:39,810 --> 00:17:42,000 tell us that we get them to think 445 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:44,220 differently. We don't just dump a bunch of 446 00:17:44,220 --> 00:17:45,960 tips and information on you. 447 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,360 Instead, we really get you to think 448 00:17:48,360 --> 00:17:50,880 differently, to approach your presentations 449 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:52,680 and your public speaking in an entirely 450 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,230 different way. This is a live online 451 00:17:55,230 --> 00:17:57,750 program, so we work with you in a one on one 452 00:17:57,780 --> 00:18:00,000 virtual VIP day to create your signature 453 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:01,800 talk from beginning to end. 454 00:18:01,830 --> 00:18:03,360 We work with you to develop your thought 455 00:18:03,390 --> 00:18:05,550 leadership message, your story bank, how to 456 00:18:05,550 --> 00:18:08,130 tell great stories, the business of speaking 457 00:18:08,130 --> 00:18:09,630 and practicing your talk. 458 00:18:09,660 --> 00:18:11,640 And we do this not only in that one on one 459 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:14,970 VIP day, but in eight weeks of zoom calls 460 00:18:14,970 --> 00:18:16,980 with the small group that you're in. 461 00:18:17,010 --> 00:18:19,110 You can get all of those details at speaking 462 00:18:19,110 --> 00:18:21,750 your brand.com/academy. 463 00:18:21,780 --> 00:18:25,080 Second, we have our next one day in-person 464 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:27,470 speaking workshop coming up in Orlando, 465 00:18:27,470 --> 00:18:31,160 Florida on February 27th, 2025. 466 00:18:31,190 --> 00:18:34,130 We spend the entire day with you in downtown 467 00:18:34,130 --> 00:18:35,360 Orlando at the Citrus Club. 468 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:37,550 It's a beautiful venue, and you get to 469 00:18:37,580 --> 00:18:40,640 practice your storytelling and your delivery 470 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,850 on the stage that we have there, set up in 471 00:18:43,850 --> 00:18:45,530 the room, it looks like a speaking venue. 472 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:47,360 You get professional photography of you 473 00:18:47,390 --> 00:18:49,250 speaking that you can use on your website 474 00:18:49,250 --> 00:18:50,630 and social media. 475 00:18:50,630 --> 00:18:53,450 And as our workshop attendees said two 476 00:18:53,450 --> 00:18:57,410 episodes ago in episode 421, having that day 477 00:18:57,410 --> 00:18:59,060 with us to get that on the spot. 478 00:18:59,060 --> 00:19:01,850 Coaching and feedback 100 XT. 479 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:03,980 They're speaking in storytelling skills. 480 00:19:03,980 --> 00:19:06,260 That's the power of being in person. 481 00:19:06,260 --> 00:19:08,540 You can get all of those details as speaking 482 00:19:08,540 --> 00:19:12,290 your Brand.com slash workshop, and if you're 483 00:19:12,290 --> 00:19:15,080 feeling adventurous and ready for something 484 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,590 fresh, new and exciting, you can join me in 485 00:19:18,590 --> 00:19:22,070 London, England for our Bold Brand retreat 486 00:19:22,070 --> 00:19:24,680 in the summer of 2025. 487 00:19:24,700 --> 00:19:27,310 You can listen to episode 416 with my 488 00:19:27,310 --> 00:19:28,960 co-host Ashley Harvey. 489 00:19:28,990 --> 00:19:31,360 For more about this retreat. 490 00:19:31,390 --> 00:19:34,180 Because during our time together, we're 491 00:19:34,180 --> 00:19:37,000 going to blend branding, storytelling, 492 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,120 history, and theatre into an experience like 493 00:19:40,150 --> 00:19:41,200 you've never had. 494 00:19:41,230 --> 00:19:43,120 We're going to spend three and a half days 495 00:19:43,120 --> 00:19:47,950 together June 29th through July 2nd, 2025 to 496 00:19:47,980 --> 00:19:50,590 build the vision for your brand, what makes 497 00:19:50,590 --> 00:19:52,540 you stand out and how to own your unique 498 00:19:52,540 --> 00:19:54,550 space? We're going to work with you to 499 00:19:54,580 --> 00:19:57,370 discover your boldest voice with our hands 500 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,730 on workshops, one on one coaching, and of 501 00:20:00,730 --> 00:20:02,590 course, being with the other women who are 502 00:20:02,590 --> 00:20:04,900 there. You're going to develop and practice 503 00:20:04,900 --> 00:20:08,290 delivering your signature story, and we're 504 00:20:08,290 --> 00:20:10,570 going to immerse you in the best of a world 505 00:20:10,570 --> 00:20:12,580 class city that London is. 506 00:20:12,610 --> 00:20:14,380 We're going to take you on a women's history 507 00:20:14,380 --> 00:20:17,170 walking tour to get inspired by women's 508 00:20:17,170 --> 00:20:18,430 voices from the past. 509 00:20:18,460 --> 00:20:20,680 We're going to go together to see a play at 510 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:22,450 Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. 511 00:20:22,590 --> 00:20:24,480 You may have seen Shakespeare productions 512 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:26,370 before. If you haven't been to the globe, 513 00:20:26,370 --> 00:20:28,320 you have never seen a Shakespeare play like 514 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:30,390 this. It is extraordinary. 515 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:33,150 We're going to infuse creativity, fun and 516 00:20:33,150 --> 00:20:35,550 inspiration into every moment that we're 517 00:20:35,550 --> 00:20:37,710 together. You can get all the details for 518 00:20:37,710 --> 00:20:40,200 our London retreat, including pricing, dates 519 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:42,150 and FAQs about speaking your 520 00:20:42,150 --> 00:20:45,720 brand.com/london. You're always welcome to 521 00:20:45,750 --> 00:20:47,700 schedule a zoom call with us if you want to 522 00:20:47,700 --> 00:20:49,560 talk about the Thought Leader Academy, the 523 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,260 Orlando Workshop, or the London retreat. 524 00:20:52,380 --> 00:20:54,660 Now drumroll please. 525 00:20:54,660 --> 00:20:57,720 Here's the big thing I'm changing the rule 526 00:20:57,720 --> 00:20:58,860 I'm breaking. 527 00:20:59,190 --> 00:21:02,940 I'm pausing this podcast, and I can't tell 528 00:21:02,940 --> 00:21:06,090 you how weird and uncomfortable that makes 529 00:21:06,090 --> 00:21:08,640 me feel to actually say this publicly. 530 00:21:08,670 --> 00:21:11,610 It's been nearly eight years that I've been 531 00:21:11,610 --> 00:21:13,230 doing this podcast. I launched it in 532 00:21:13,230 --> 00:21:15,300 February of 2017. 533 00:21:15,330 --> 00:21:18,390 It's been over 400 episodes and I've loved 534 00:21:18,390 --> 00:21:20,760 it. It has helped me to develop my own 535 00:21:20,790 --> 00:21:23,180 thought leadership. I love showcasing our 536 00:21:23,180 --> 00:21:25,280 clients and the other amazing women who've 537 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:27,710 been on, and I thank you so much for 538 00:21:27,710 --> 00:21:29,960 listening. Whether this is the first episode 539 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:33,050 you've listened to, the 10th, the 100th, or 540 00:21:33,050 --> 00:21:36,050 even more, but I realize that I need to take 541 00:21:36,050 --> 00:21:39,020 a break from the podcast to focus on other 542 00:21:39,020 --> 00:21:42,020 activities and projects, including the book 543 00:21:42,020 --> 00:21:43,160 that I want to write. 544 00:21:43,190 --> 00:21:46,400 I've mastered this content form podcasting, 545 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:48,380 and now I need to step back from this kind 546 00:21:48,380 --> 00:21:50,810 of content creation, the short form, every 547 00:21:50,810 --> 00:21:53,570 single week, to give my brain the space to 548 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:56,210 focus on writing longer form content like my 549 00:21:56,210 --> 00:21:58,490 book, and to work on some other creative 550 00:21:58,490 --> 00:22:01,820 projects. I love podcasting so much. 551 00:22:01,820 --> 00:22:04,130 I started listening to podcasts way back in 552 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,950 2008, so I love this medium. 553 00:22:06,950 --> 00:22:08,060 It's so intimate. 554 00:22:08,060 --> 00:22:10,130 I love listening to podcasts. 555 00:22:10,130 --> 00:22:12,140 I feel like I know the podcast host. 556 00:22:12,170 --> 00:22:14,690 Hopefully you feel the same way about me, so 557 00:22:14,690 --> 00:22:16,820 I'll be back. But the show may look 558 00:22:16,820 --> 00:22:19,870 different. I may do series or seasons and 559 00:22:19,870 --> 00:22:20,920 then take a break. 560 00:22:20,950 --> 00:22:22,540 We'll see what happens. 561 00:22:22,570 --> 00:22:24,940 Make sure to continue to follow the show in 562 00:22:24,940 --> 00:22:26,530 your podcast feed, whether you're listening 563 00:22:26,530 --> 00:22:28,750 on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or somewhere 564 00:22:28,750 --> 00:22:31,480 else, so that you know when the next new 565 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:32,830 episode comes up. 566 00:22:32,830 --> 00:22:35,230 In the meantime, there are so many episodes 567 00:22:35,230 --> 00:22:37,360 over 400 for you to listen to. 568 00:22:37,390 --> 00:22:39,100 If you missed any of them when they came 569 00:22:39,100 --> 00:22:41,740 out, or if you want to listen again, you can 570 00:22:41,740 --> 00:22:44,530 find the episodes I mentioned today on the 571 00:22:44,530 --> 00:22:46,870 Show Notes page for this episode at Speaking 572 00:22:46,870 --> 00:22:50,350 Your brand.com/423. 573 00:22:50,350 --> 00:22:52,120 And don't forget to check out our Thought 574 00:22:52,150 --> 00:22:54,400 Leader Academy, our Orlando workshop, and 575 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:56,800 our London retreat and to get on our email 576 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:58,720 list if you're not already so that you don't 577 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:01,180 miss future announcements, you can get on 578 00:23:01,180 --> 00:23:02,740 our email list at speaking Your 579 00:23:02,740 --> 00:23:07,420 brand.com/join. And now go break some rules. 580 00:23:07,420 --> 00:23:09,640 Your audience will thank you for it. 581 00:23:09,670 --> 00:23:12,160 Until next time, whenever that is. 582 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:13,480 Thanks for listening.