Embracing cringe moments: Jordana Borensztajn on humour, resilience, and authentic influence

Jordana Borensztajn is a comedian, keynote speaker, communication expert, and now, author of The Little Book of Influence.

From being escorted off Facebook’s Silicon Valley campus  when she was dressed as a giant, like button to being booed on a cruise ship and even suffering an egg-related injury, Jordana has experienced her fair share of epic fails. But instead of shying away from these cringe-worthy moments, she’s turned them into comedy gold and powerful lessons on resilience, vulnerability, and authentic communication.

Jordana shares how she mines her most embarrassing moments for laughter and learning, why leaning into vulnerability is so crucial for business owners, and how her “Presence Framework” can help anyone connect and influence more authentically. Plus, she opens up about the power of finding joy, the importance of listening to your body, and how her passion for magic and mentalism unlocked unexpected creativity during lockdown.

Key topics

1. Turning Failure into Power and Comedy    

• Jordana Borensztajn uses personal and professional failures as material for growth and stand-up.    
• Signature story: the Facebook 'Like' costume incident and lessons in resilience and congruence.
• Encourages sharing failures to reduce the stigma and normalise vulnerability.

2. Embracing Vulnerability and Authenticity

• Importance of showing up honestly in business and communication.
• Self-reflection: questioning if current choices make you happy or serve your goals.
• Authenticity as essential for genuine connection and influence.

3. The Presence Framework for Influence

• PRESENCE acronym for transformative communication.
• The power of nonverbal signals, congruence, and embodying your whole self.
• Practical tools like the “glitter chest” technique for confident presence.

4. Managing Pressure and Prioritising Wellbeing

• Advice for business owners to let go of perfection and prioritize health.
• Value of self-care activities: rest, hydration, meditation, movement\
• Giving yourself permission to pause and recharge to avoid burnout.

5. The Joy of New Experiences: Magic and Mentalism

• Jordana Borensztajn explores magic duringlockdown, finding awe and playfulness.
• Using magic to facilitate wonder and learn about how people approach life.
• Integrating magic and mentalism into her professional toolkit.

Time-stamped overview

00:00 Turning Cringe Into Comedy

03:41 From Comedy to Connection

07:50 Accused of Being Outside Mark's house

11:47 Authenticity Through Vulnerability

16:26 "Stories Inspiring Growth & Joy"

18:29 Authenticity Over Perfection

20:57 Dancing Breaks Fear Loops

26:46 Easing Perfection Pressure for Entrepreneurs

28:59 Energy Management Through Mindfulness

31:58 Magic: Love, Hate, or Revealing

35:30 Podcast Recap and Reminder

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