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What if your personal story could be more than just a story — what if it could spark a movement? In this episode, I’m joined by Allison Walsh, a speaker, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate who has done just that. From her beginnings as Miss...
What if your personal story could be more than just a story — what if it could spark a movement?
In this episode, I’m joined by Allison Walsh, a speaker, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate who has done just that.
From her beginnings as Miss Florida to building a platform that empowers women and advocates for mental health, Allison has used her voice to create a ripple effect far beyond herself.
Tune in as we explore how you, too, can transform your story into a powerful movement that inspires and creates real change.
Allison and I talk about:
Links:
Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/409/
Allison’s websites: https://www.allisonwalshconsulting.com/ and https://www.shebelievedshecould.co/
I was a guest recently on Allison's podcast "She Believed She Could". You'll love that episode too!
Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/
Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/
Connect on LinkedIn:
Related Podcast Episodes:
It's time to escape the expert trap and become an in-demand speaker and thought leader through compelling and memorable business presentations, keynotes, workshops, and TEDx talks. If you want to level up your public speaking to get more and better, including paid, speaking engagements, you've come to the right place! Thousands of entrepreneurs and leaders have learned from Speaking Your Brand and now you can too through our episodes that will help you with storytelling, audience engagement, building confidence, handling nerves, pitching to speak, getting paid, and more. Hosted by Carol Cox, entrepreneur, speaker, and TV political analyst. This is your place to learn how to persuasively communicate your message to your audience.
Carol Cox:
What it's like to transform your story into a
movement with my guest, Allison Walsh.
On this episode of the Speaking Your Brand
podcast. More and more women are making an
impact by starting businesses, running for
office, and speaking up for what matters.
With my background as a TV political
analyst, entrepreneur, and speaker, I
interview and coach purpose driven women to
shape their brands, grow their companies,
and become recognized as influencers in
their field.
This is your brand, your place to learn how
to persuasively communicate your message to
your audience.
Hey there and welcome to the Speaking Your
Brand podcast. I'm your host, Carol Cox.
If you've ever wondered how you can take
your personal story or something that you
really care about and translate it into
something bigger, to have a bigger meaning
to your audiences and really to spark a
movement, you're going to be inspired by my
conversation today with Alison Walsh.
She has done exactly that, starting at a
very young age, when she was in college,
when she decided to share publicly her story
of overcoming an eating disorder and how
that led her to become a national advocate
and has informed so much of the work that
she does. In our conversation, we talk about
the power of vulnerability in storytelling,
even when you feel hesitant to do so, but
how empowering it is not only for your
audience, but also for yourself.
Allison shares how she gets her speaking
engagements, including keynotes.
You're going to want to take notes on this
one, from local events to major conferences.
We also talk about the importance of finding
your voice and your cause, really thinking
about your bigger why and how to scale that
impact. If you would like to listen to more
of Alison, check out her podcast called She
Believed She Could.
I love that she believes she could.
I was a guest on her podcast last week.
So the week that this episode is airing
right now, I was a guest on Allison's
podcast. The week prior, so make sure to
check that out as well.
All of the links are in the show notes.
If you would like to discover your speaker
archetype, which is going to help you
understand how to leverage your storytelling
as well as your natural strengths and
recommendations for what else you can do.
You can take our free multiple choice quiz.
It only takes a few minutes as speaking your
Brand.com slash quiz.
Again, that's speaking your brand.com/quiz.
Now let's get on with the show.
Welcome to the podcast, Allison.
Allison Walsh:
I am so thrilled to be here.
Thank you. Carol.
Carol Cox:
Well it is it's a thrill to have you here.
And it's so funny because we both live in
Orlando, Florida, but this is the first time
we are officially meeting, I think.
I mean, we're online, not in person.
I know eventually we'll meet in person.
I saw you as on a panel last fall, 2023 at
the Orlando Women's Conference.
And then this fall, you are one of the
keynote speakers at the Orlando Women's
Conference. So congratulations on that.
And before we dive into your background and
your journey to where you are today, I know
my listeners would love to know how did you
get this keynote talk and what is it going
to be about?
Allison Walsh:
Oh my goodness, Sarah.
Well, I have loved being an attendee or a
panelist at this conference for many, many
years. Long story short, Christy Ashby, who
runs the conference along with her daughter
Kate, have been long time friends of ours
and they have always been super supportive
of everything happening in my life, my
career. I mean, I can even date back
probably until like the early 2000, where
they were just very, very supportive of
things that I was doing at the time.
I was Miss Florida at the time.
They were sharing that message with me.
I've been an advocate in the mental health
space for two decades.
They were always helping to support those
causes, and I think just being on their
radar and always being willing to share my
message with vulnerability.
And really putting it out there, I think,
makes it exciting for them to ask me to be a
part of it, because they know I'm going to
share real life, real scenarios that
hopefully will help move their audience in
the direction that they're hoping to make
that happen with.
Carol Cox:
So I love that this is how it came about,
because what I always tell those of you
listening and our clients is that
relationships, relationships, relationships,
it can be a relationships that you've had
for a year, or it could be a relationship
that you've had for 10 or 20 years.
I know most of my best speaking engagements
have come from relationships that I have
had, and and that you first were an attendee
and then a panelist.
You know, you're constantly not, you know,
on the radar, but on the radar, because that
is just who you are. You're going out to the
same events that Christy and Kate are at,
and you're visible and you're sharing your
message, and then they're picking up on
that. So when the time was right, when you
were the perfect person that they were
looking for, you were top of mind for them.
Allison Walsh:
Yeah. No, I'm honored.
And I think the theme this year of just be
bold, embrace change, make it happen.
I've had a lot of that happen this year.
So I'm going to be sharing really, the
behind the scenes stories that I haven't
really shared publicly as of yet, but very
excited to be able to pour into the
audience.
Carol Cox:
Well, maybe you can share a bit of those
here, because this episode will air after
the conference. So we we won't be revealing
anything that that, uh, too soon.
But before we get into that, you mentioned
that you were Miss Florida.
So can you tell us a little bit about what
that was like competing for Miss Florida and
then your journey to becoming a mental
health advocate?
Allison Walsh:
Absolutely. So, you know, for me, I didn't
grow up competing in pageantry.
It's not like a Toddlers and Tiaras
situation over here.
It was something I started doing in college.
I always wanted to compete at Miss America.
That was the dream, and I started competing
when I was a freshman in college with my
first title was miss UF.
It took me four times to win and it was an
incredible opportunity.
I was actually crowned on my 23rd birthday,
which was a really great birthday gift.
But my message was about eating disorder
prevention and awareness.
I unfortunately went through a terrible
struggle when I was a teenager and made a
decision when I was 18 years old that I
wanted to help people and make change
happen. And most importantly, I never wanted
somebody to feel like they were alone on
their journey and their struggle because it
can be very isolating as is, and just not
knowing where to turn and what to do.
And so I started a nonprofit when I was 18.
It initially started as a student
organization at the University of Florida,
and I wanted to make a difference.
And I think when you're a young advocate
talking about something that's pretty
stigmatized still, and it was especially
back then, it got a lot of people noticing,
right? And a lot of opportunities came as a
result of me being brave enough to share a
story that so many people could feel, you
know, a lot of shame around.
And so I started sharing my story.
It started becoming something that was my
thing, right? I wanted to be out there in
the community. I wanted to be out there
helping people, and it gained a lot of
traction and a lot of momentum.
It was obviously my my platform.
During my year of service, I had the chance
to travel across the country.
And then literally six years after I was
Miss Florida, a woman that had booked me to
speak as Miss Florida, called me and said,
hey, we have a job working in the mental
health space. Is anybody on your board of
directors for your nonprofit looking for a
job? And I was in my third year of law
school, very clear that I did not want to be
an attorney. And I was like, you know what?
This sounds like an amazing opportunity.
And the rest is history. And I've spent two
decades in behavioral health.
I've scaled incredible healthcare companies
from zero to unicorn status.
I've had an unbelievable career.
And it all started with me telling my story.
Carol Cox:
Oh, okay. So, Allison, I have so many
questions. First, Go Gators.
I'm a UF alum as well.
And then so the next thing is so why law
school. Like clearly you know you're such a
great speaker and a podcast interviewer and
a spokesperson. So what drew you to law
school? I can see why you.
What drew you out? But what drew you in to
begin with?
Allison Walsh:
Yeah, lots of reasons to draw me out, and I'm
stubborn, so I had to finish.
I knew like my first year I was like, this
isn't for me. But I was like, I don't even
know what to do next. But no, seriously, I
initially went because I was really sick and
tired of people getting denied access to
insurance coverage in the world that I was
operating in. In the nonprofit world, so
many of the families that we were running
alongside were coming to us saying, hey, my
child is struggling, but we don't have
coverage and we can't get access to care.
And this is a life threatening illness.
There was only one attorney that I knew of
in this entire country.
Her name was Lisa Kantor.
She's in California that really specialized
in helping families with loved ones that had
eating disorders get access to behavioral
health benefits that they were supposed to
have but were being denied coverage on.
And so I literally like, flew to California.
I interviewed Lisa as part of a project for
our nonprofit. I was like, I'm going to be
the Lisa Kantor of the East Coast.
And that was my mission, and that's why I
went to law school. And then I quickly
realized, like, this is the worst.
This is just not my calling.
My husband's an attorney.
I'll let him do that. Like, I don't need to
do this. But I wasn't really sure what that
next opportunity was going to be for me.
I did not want to practice, um, you know, in
the field. I didn't want to be a therapist
or a psychiatrist, but I loved helping
people. And so when that opportunity
presented itself to work in behavioral
health and to help connect people with care
more on the business development side, I was
like, this is like perfect for me.
And so that was the first opportunity, which
led to two other incredible opportunities to
be involved in awesome organizations where I
learned so much.
Carol Cox:
Well, Allison, and your story shows that and
I talked so much about this that the thread
of what matters to you goes back all the
way. And so, you know, we think about we
have most of us have very different things
we've done in our career.
Sometimes things that seem really like
outliers, like, well, how does that part of
my career possibly fit with all these other
things that seem to make sense, like for
you, law school? Like, how would that fit
in? But clearly that still was so reflective
of your mission and your why and what
mattered to you, because you wanted to find
a way to get insurance coverage for those
for the people who were suffering from
eating disorders and couldn't get it.
So even though the law didn't end up being
your vehicle for that, you found a different
vehicle. But it's all still very much
interconnected with your mission.
Allison Walsh:
Oh, absolutely. And you think about just that
drive, that connection to the why.
Right? Not wanting people to walk alone as a
result. Right. Over the last decade plus, as
we've built out these different healthcare
organizations, over 80,000 people got access
to care in the programs that I've been
involved with while I was there.
And my job was to make sure that people in
the community. Professionals in the
community knew about the programs, and
families and their loved ones were able to
get what they needed, and their lives were
changed and saved as a result.
So it's like I had, in my opinion, an even
greater opportunity to have scalable impact,
which is something that is the through line
with so many of the things that I get
involved in. And it's one of the things I
look at and say, can this make a massive
difference in this world?
And if the answer is yes, then I'm like,
let's go. So it's a lot of fun in that way.
Carol Cox:
Allison, so you've spoken at a lot of events
and conferences and also on your podcast,
and you've been doing this, as you said,
since you were really 18 years old in
college and wanting to make this part of
your message and your platform and obviously
your story, your own personal story is a big
part of it. So when you were first starting
to tell your story, how did it feel?
Did you kind of what I call like smooth out
the edges, which a lot of us do with our
stories where we don't really feel like we
want to share all that much, like we're a
little afraid to share too much detail, or
too many of the really hard parts of our
story. How did that feel for you, and how
has sharing your story evolved over the
years?
Allison Walsh:
Oh, there's there's so many different
iterations and evolutions of this.
You know, I think initially my message was
about the fact that recovery is possible.
I wanted people to look at me and say, if
she can get over what she struggled with, I
can get over what I'm struggling with, too.
And that it's it's a hope that's out there,
right? There's something that they can
strive for. In the beginning, especially
because I was freshly in recovery and very
mindful that I didn't want to trigger
anybody. I was very, very, very mindful of
what I shared and that was intentional.
And also, you know, it helped me be delicate
with myself because I was also still
healing, right? I was I was, you know, a
couple of years on the other side of it, but
very much still putting those puzzle pieces
back together. And it was very therapeutic
for me, just like writing my book many years
later was therapeutic.
That was a very therapeutic experience.
It allowed me to find peace and purpose in
something that was so dark and awful and
literally could have taken my life.
So that was just such a renewing experience,
and it gave me my power back, right?
It allowed me to stand in my truth, and it
also held me accountable, because I knew
that if I was out there sharing a message
that recovery is possible, I needed to be
solid in my recovery, right?
And it helped me through some very
challenging times that, you know, I think
because I was so visible and because I was
such an advocate and so present in my
community and across the country, like it
helped me stay strong.
And I'm very grateful for that.
As I've evolved and as I've had all of these
other lived experiences, I've given myself
permission to evolve into who I am now.
Right. And so the story is multifaceted.
That was where it all started versus that
being the only story to share.
And so the older I get, the more stories
I've got to tell. But it's also it all comes
back to your point to where it all began.
And now I get to talk about the lives that
I've changed and the businesses that we've
built. And, you know, me learning how to
share my story and the success I had in the
Miss America realm and Miss Florida, you
know, I've gotten to help a lot of other
women package themselves, brand themselves,
tell their stories, you know, make change
happen, make impact a priority.
Because I did it myself.
And I think that is something that, you
know, 18 year old Allison would be really
proud of and probably didn't even see as a
possibility when she started to share.
Carol Cox:
And back to that 18 year old Allison, or even
the 23 year old Allison.
What what did you have around you that
helped you to have the courage to go, to
start doing this, to share your story and to
continue to do that. What was helpful to for
you.
Allison Walsh:
Such a good question, and one that I can see
it as if it happened yesterday.
I think it's really important that we all
have people around us that can help us hold
up the mirror and see ourselves, right.
And that's what coaches, trainers,
individuals like yourself, myself, we do
that for other people.
I had that in my life.
And it's actually a woman that's in Orlando
that many people probably know that are
listening to. Her name is Lisa maley.
Um, she was my one of my coaches when I was
younger, and she was the one that said to
me, Allison, you are blessed with a voice to
tell your story and you have the ability to
change lives. And she was the one that
really planted that seed for me, um, and
stood there with me and helped me learn how
to tell my story from the very beginning.
I stood at the end of her runway in her
studio before, when it was hers, right
before she sold it, and she just listened to
me. She let me work through it, right?
She helped me get my first speaking
engagement at Winter Park High School,
right? Like it was.
She was she was my cheerleader.
She was there because she saw something in
me that I didn't see in myself.
And I think it's really important until you
gain that confidence, especially that you're
able to borrow the confidence of other
people that are around you.
And she was that for me.
And she made a massive difference.
And of course, I've always surrounded myself
with coaches and people that can help me be
better. I always think of the best athletes
in the world, surround themselves with the
best coaches in the world because they want
to be exceptional, and I have continued to
do the same. If I'm going to do something, I
want it to be great and I'm going to put the
people in my corner that I need to make sure
that I can show up and be my best.
Carol Cox:
Yeah, well, I love that you found someone,
especially so early on to be that mirror for
you and to be that coach and cheerleader is
absolutely essential.
And I do liken this a lot to, I think, about
the athletes who go to the Olympics.
You know, we just had the Summer Olympics in
Paris just a few months ago and thinking
about the coaches who are there and some of
those coaches have been to the Olympics
themselves, and maybe some of those coaches
have won medals, but some of the coaches
have never been to the Olympics.
And you think like Michael Phelps, coach, I
don't think he's ever been to the Olympics.
But yet he was able to coach Michael Phelps
to I think the, you know, the most medal
count probably for a US Olympian ever,
because he had the coaching skills to do
that. And so a lot of times I feel like we
look for coaches who have achieved the
pinnacle in their career, the pinnacle of
the thing, which could be the case, but not
necessarily everyone who does.
The pinnacle is a coach is a good coach
either, like Allison.
I know from having had conversations with
you on this podcast and on your podcast that
you are an incredible coach because you're
an excellent listener.
You see people you see beyond what's on the
surface. You do your research ahead of time
to find out about the person.
Right. So have you found that yourself?
Allison Walsh:
Absolutely. I mean, I think about the coaches
that I had growing up and then throughout my
journey. Right, They haven't necessarily
done the thing themselves.
Now, I will say there are certain areas
where I do want that, right?
So if I'm hiring a business coach, like I
want them to have been able to demonstrate
that, like they've built the business,
right. But like to your point around skills,
right. I think that's where you can hire
people that are just exceptional at helping
you refine your craft.
And so I think it's knowing what you need.
It's seeking out the people.
It's making sure that there's credibility
and proof there. Right.
And that they are they are who they say they
are. And they have a track record of success
even if they haven't done the thing.
Do they have a list of clientele that have.
And that to me is everything.
Carol Cox:
Yes. Because sometimes it's easy to do things
for yourself, and it's really hard to figure
out how to help someone else do it for
themselves. Right? Absolutely.
Absolutely. All right, so, Allison, your
podcast and your book are called She
Believed She could, which I love this, this
idea of she believed she could.
So why that phrase in particular?
Why? Why did that resonate with you, and why
do you think it resonates with so many
women?
Allison Walsh:
Oh, I think it is one of those phrases that
when you hear it, you're like, yes, I can.
Right. So but you know, for me, the story
behind it is that I have a little flip book
of quotes. I love, quotes I always have.
My mom gives them to me all the time.
And I had this flip book sitting on my desk
for years in my coaching studio, and my
daughter would always look at them.
And in 2020, when I decided that I wanted to
start a podcast, we were taking a walk
around the neighborhood because it was
Covid. We had nothing else to do but walk
outside and stay in our house.
So we were walking around the neighborhood
and I like Maddie.
I just can't figure out what I want to call
this. And she's like, mom, it's so obvious.
And I was like, what?
Holding up the mirror for me. She's like, it
has to be. She believes she could.
You love that quote. It's on your desk like
it's everywhere. And so it really was Maddie
who, like, called that out for me.
But I think the reason that the quote
resonates so much and of course, the follow
up portion to that is and so she did.
Right, is that it's that affirming factor
that when you do believe in yourself and you
take that step, you absolutely can do the
thing, whatever that thing is.
But it has to start with that, at least that
first ounce of belief and that first step.
And so I think it is a tangible
representation of what what we all need to
do. And I've loved it.
And, you know, I when we were writing the
book, there were like a million different
book titles that were thrown around the
whole time. And then, you know, the
publisher went a lot of different ways and
went back and forth and back and forth.
And let me tell you, writing a book without
a title was awful because, like, I find so
much energy from the title, it's like the
North Star, right?
And so when they finally came back around
and they were like, Allison, we've met with
our advisors, we've met with all of the
people that sell the books to the
bookstores, and we've come up with a
decision. I was like, okay, what is it?
Because this book is coming out in like
three months and they're like, she believes
she could. I was like, you've got to be
kidding me. So after all that, like, you go
back to like, the tried and true, but I do
think that it resonates with so many people
because I think there is.
Everybody can think about at least one thing
that they believed in themselves and they
did. And when you can anchor in belief and
you can use that as proof of concept, it
gives you more opportunity to then find that
next opportunity for yourself.
So I love it.
It feels good as we're building out new
programs within the company now, we're very
much focused on on preserving that identity
because so many people do resonate with
that. And it's exciting to think about all
of the different iterations and offers that
now exist. As a result of Maddie saying she
believes she could.
Carol Cox:
Well, this is a great segue, Allison, into
opportunities, because I know that the
message that you've been sharing more
recently is this idea of embracing our
evolution and understanding when to lean in
to new opportunities.
What to look for in opportunities.
So how do you look for opportunities?
Are there filters that you use to decide
what is a yes versus a no?
And what does it look like to lean into new
opportunities?
Allison Walsh:
Yes. And I think that the more success that
you gain, right, the more opportunities will
come your way, which is why it's really
important to have those filters.
Because if you just keep saying yes to
everybody and everything, you're going to
say no to yourself. And I've had to learn
this over time, right?
And I think that's where it's there's so
many factors that I really encourage people
listening to take into consideration.
First of all, you have to know your values,
right? Is it in alignment with your values?
Is it really going to propel you forward?
Is it allowing you to tap into your
strengths? I do a lot with strengths based
coaching, and the work that we do helps to
really open people's eyes to understand what
is that neurological makeup.
Right? Because when you can do work that is
intrinsically fulfilling, or say yes to
opportunities that are in alignment with
your strengths, you are going to be lit up
on fire and have so much fun in the process
where you're doing work that doesn't feel
like work, right? And that's the goal.
That is true fulfillment and engagement.
And so I utilize that psych framework of
really making sure that there's alignment
there. And I've had to say no to way more
things that I've said yes to, especially as
I have gotten busier as my life has changed.
I'm a mom of three kids.
I'm also a dance mom, which that's a whole
other story. Uh, and then, you know, I've
worked in high hypergrowth, high demand
environments for a very long time.
And now now that I'm on my own.
Right, it would be easy to be like, oh, I've
got more time. I'm going to say yes, yes,
yes. It's like, no, no, no, I got to keep
those blinders on.
And if it's not in alignment with what I'm
working on for my own business now, then I
have to say thank you so much for this
opportunity. I'd like to just put this as a,
you know, a rain check for, for now, but
please circle back around in the future and
but understanding values Understanding
strengths and understanding priorities helps
me to say yes and no a lot easier.
Carol Cox:
Allison. Do you find that with the women that
you work with that and you're asking for a
friend, that sometimes we get really
comfortable, like our business is going
well, we're chugging along and maybe we're
not on the lookout for new opportunities,
but then perhaps we should be.
Allison Walsh:
Oh, no, this is great because I think there's
a lot here. There's a lot around mindset
here. And I always say complacency is where
dreams go to die. So just because it's we're
good at it and it's kind of on autopilot
doesn't necessarily mean that we are fully
maximizing our potential.
And there's seasons for this, right?
I do think that there are seasons where it's
good for us to have consistency and there's
good. It's good for us to just know that the
tried and true is going to get us to where
we need to be, but there's also seasons of
growth and we have unbelievable
opportunities. And I love the quote from
Oprah of, you know, the whole point of being
alive is to evolve into the complete person
you were intended to be.
And that, to me is like one of those anchor
quotes where, you know, if I'm not growing
and I'm not evolving, I know that that
really matters to me.
So going back to my values, going back to my
strengths, right, like that plays into both
of them. So I really I try to zoom out at
least once a month, if not every single
week, and say, where am I growing this week?
Right? Where am I stretching myself?
And it doesn't necessarily mean, like I'm
going to be successful at everything that I
try. In fact, I'm going to learn and
probably fail forward faster than I am going
to actually do it the best way the first
time. But that's where those support systems
come in place, right? Perfect example.
I'm now out on my own, right?
I left my corporate job on July 31st and I
am fully embracing.
She believes she could and my consulting
company, I've had that running alongside me
for years, but this is the first time that
I'm 100% all in, and I immediately had to
seek out the support for myself.
Right. I hired a fractional chief marketing
officer to help me because I wanted to
launch a program, and it's a great program,
and I knew that I needed the support to do
something that I hadn't done to that level
before. Right.
So it's stretching me.
It's pushing me. But I also knew if I didn't
put somebody in my corner that was going to
get on the phone with me a couple times a
week and talk through these things, I would
easily be able to say, not right now, and
just focus on what the easy stuff is.
Focus on, you know, what the private clients
focus on the speaking.
Focus on the things that I know I can do.
And I would have regretted it because I know
that this program is going to change lives.
And so it deserves the time and energy
support and accountability to get it done.
But it's going to force me to grow.
And so I think that anybody listening put a
put it on your calendar schedule.
The reminder today is your growth day.
What are you doing this month that's going
to stretch you for next month?
Or what are those things that you want to
work on that are outside of your comfort
zone. And then what do you need to do?
Who do you need to put in your corner in
order to help you get across the finish
line? I will tell you that I've had clients
that have been on my one on one roster for
five, six, seven, eight years, like
consistently, but it's because they know
they're going to have to show up and tell me
the progress that they've made on their
goals, right? We pick one goal at a time and
we're working towards it, but it is that
accountability piece, and it's that they
also know that I'm going to run alongside
them and help them get across the finish
line. Right. I'm not going to let fear stop
them. I'm not going to let imposter syndrome
stop them. Those mindset blocks aren't going
to get in their way, and we're going to make
great things happen together.
Carol Cox:
Oh, yes. Allison.
Accountability. Isn't that such a game
changer? This is why I say things here on my
podcast to the whole public, to everyone
listening, because I want I say them out
loud because I want to be held accountable,
even though no listeners are ever like.
So Carol, where's your book?
Right. But I say it out loud because it
reminds me, I have said this out loud in
public. Yes.
Allison Walsh:
And you're working on it, which I think is
awesome, right?
Yes. Even with my book, I hired a book
coach, too. I needed somebody that was going
to help me get out of my own head, because
while I was in the process, even just from
the moment I signed the book deal to having
to start to write it, I think I came up with
like seven other books that I wanted to
write in the process. Right.
I'm like, put those on the virtual shelf.
Like stay focused, but like, it's that coach
in your corner that really does help.
Just clarity of thought and keep you moving
so that those ideas don't die inside.
Like that's there's too much in there that
needs to come out.
Carol Cox:
Oh, yes. Yeah, yeah.
Book coaches in business coaches, business
coaches I mean speaking coaches, whoever it
is that you need in your corner is
definitely well worth it because I can't
tell you how clean my house gets when I'm
supposed to have my butt in my chair working
on my book. Right.
Allison Walsh:
It's so true.
I literally, like, cleaned out my daughter's
closet the other day instead of sitting down
and writing an outline for a program now,
like, I gotta get my CMO on the phone right
now? Yes.
Carol Cox:
All right. Allison, so I would love to know
what you have as far as in the future.
Before we hit record, we chatted a little
bit about perhaps a Ted talk in your future,
because I was surprised that you haven't
done one yet, because it seems like you've
done so much speaking.
You have this platform, you have this
mission. So tell me about Ted talk.
Would it be around the work that you've been
doing around eating disorders, or are you
thinking something different?
I'm thinking.
Allison Walsh:
Something different. You know, I think I've
gone back and forth on, like, what's my one
idea, right?
Um, and I've done a lot of work and a lot of
speaking around why Smart goals don't work
and some different frameworks that I've
worked with clients over the years to
actually make things happen.
And so excited about that.
I'm also, you know, we're launching a
program in the fall specifically focused on
high achieving moms.
And, you know, that community and I resonate
with this so much.
You know. I think a big reason why I left my
corporate career. I mean, I've been involved
with beautiful companies, mission driven
organizations, been sitting in very
influential seats, things that I never
thought I would walk away from.
But we had a situation with my daughter this
year where she got very ill, and it was
really important for me to reprioritize my
life and really make sure that as I run
alongside her and my other two kids over the
balance of their lives, that that I have the
availability in the space, right.
And so I want to make sure that I can show
other moms how they can do that too, right?
How they can create the life, uh, still be
able to attain the goals, still be able to
shine brightly, still be able to do the
things and to be fully present.
Um, and I think there's a lot of pressure on,
uh, on women in general, and especially
those of us that, you know, are taking care
of the little ones right now to.
And what does that look like as we move
through different seasons of our lives?
So really excited about that.
I also launched she Believes She Could
University a few months ago.
The book has been very well received by
collegiate audiences, probably because it
starts with me telling my story when I was
18 years old, and it walks them through how
that then turned into my career.
So I've been doing a lot of workshops for
different Greek organizations and, you know,
universities across the country.
So that's a lot of fun.
Um, and so just really leaning in to being
able to create new programs and new offers,
in addition to all the things that I already
love to do.
Carol Cox:
Oh, I love it, Allison. So along with your
podcast, she believed she could.
So definitely, listeners, go and check that
out and click follow or in your favorite
podcast app.
Allison, how else can listeners find you?
Allison Walsh:
Absolutely. Thank you for that.
Um, Allison Walsh Consulting.com has all of
the information about my business and
branding consulting services.
She believes she could.co is where
everything she believes she could live.
I'm very active on Instagram at Alison Walsh
but be prepared. I'm going to tell you you
are a queen and can accomplish your dreams
every single day. So if you love that type
of content, I'm your girl.
And then of course on LinkedIn, a little bit
more professional content over there.
But you can find me there pretty frequently.
Carol Cox:
I don't know, I think LinkedIn could
appreciate some, uh, you're a queen.
I believe you can content.
So.
Allison Walsh:
All right, post tomorrow is coming at you hot
Carol with some crown references and being a
queen. So.
Carol Cox:
You know, we got to shake up the algorithms a
little bit. I love that.
Allison Walsh:
I love that concept. And I'm totally going to
tag you in my caption, so.
Carol Cox:
Oh, Allison, thank you so much for coming on
the Speaking Your Brand podcast.
For those of you listening, make sure to
check out Allison's websites and social
media links are in the show notes.
And until next time, thanks for listening.