Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

Have you ever had a vulnerability hangover? I know I have, including just last month, along with other times this year after recording particular podcast episodes or writing emails to our list. A vulnerability hangover is that feeling of regret or uncertainty after you share something that’s personal or something that could be considered controversial. I’ve been thinking about vulnerability hangovers as we’re preparing the speakers for our virtual summit that’s coming up live on October 15. I’m in awe of the emotional resonance of the personal stories they’re sharing and the journeys they’re going to take us on. I know it’s not easy to open yourself up like that, so in this episode I share six strategies you can use to lessen the impact of vulnerability hangovers. You may have guessed that there is no “cure” other than not being vulnerable in the first place. You may save yourself a hangover, but you - and your audience - will lose out on the benefits of being vulnerable. In this episode, you’ll learn: What a vulnerability hangover is and why we feel them The benefits of being vulnerable for both you and your audience 6 specific strategies you can use to lessen vulnerability hangovers   I’d love to hear if you have other strategies you use! Email me at carol@speakingyourbrand.com or connect with me on Instagram or LinkedIn. This episode is the last in our podcast series called Use Your Voice.   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/192 Register for our one-of-a-kind live virtual summit on October 15: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/summit/ Get on the interest list for our new Thought Leader Academy for Women Entrepreneurs: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy  Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolmorgancox/    Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 92: Deconstructing My TEDx Talk: Why We’re Uncomfortable with Women in Power Episode 97: Thinking Bigger – I Get Coached On-Air by Geraldine Carter Episode 118: Push Past Your Speaking Plateau Episode 175: The Work of Anti-Racism as White Women with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz Episode 185: My Journey as a Thought Leader and How We’re Evolving at Speaking Your Brand with Carol Cox [Thought Leadership Series] JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

I’m excited to have on the show today Anna Eskamani, who is my state representative in the Orlando, Florida, area where I live. Anna is young, outspoken, and tireless in the work she does for her constituents and for Floridians in general. I invited her on to have a conversation about what it’s like to run for office as a woman, how she found her voice, how she deals with negative and vocal opponents, and the importance of supporting progressive women running for local offices. I have a background in politics myself, having served as chairperson of my county’s Democratic Party in 2005-2006. I also founded a technology company called DemsLink that was one of the first in the nation to provide a complete set of online tools for Democratic candidates and organizations. And since 2005, I’ve been providing political analysis on TV news.  I’ll be back on TV for another Election Night this November 3, this time via Zoom instead of in the news studio.  I recorded the intro to this episode a day after Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at 87 years old, now leaving a vacant Supreme Court seat less than 2 months before the election that Senate Republicans, in all of their hypocritical glory, are going to try to ram through and fill.  Just as RBG worked her entire career to expand equality and rights to more people, we have to take up her mantle, which I address in the intro. In our conversation, Anna and I talk about: What it's been like to run for office as a woman How Anna found her voice How Anna deals with negative and vocal opponents Lessons she’s learned for other women interested in running The importance of supporting progressive women running for local offices What kind of support we can give   This episode is part of our podcast series called Use Your Voice.   About My Guest: Born and raised in Orlando, Representative Anna V. Eskamani is the daughter of working-class immigrants who has a proven track record in building consensus while fighting unapologetically for progressive values. Anna previously served as the Senior Director of Public Affairs and Communications for Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida and is a PhD student studying Public Affairs at the University of Central Florida. On November 6, 2018 Anna was elected to serve the great people of House District 47 with a vote margin of 57% to 43%, flipping a legislative seat, and becoming the first Iranian-American elected to any public office in Florida. During her first two legislative sessions, Anna fought hard to increase funding for arts and culture, pushed back against anti-LGBTQ legislation, voted to preserve the environment 100% of the time, and to increase access to healthcare. Tough, authentic and unafraid, Anna has been recognized across the state and nation for her tireless work during the COVID-19 outbreak. She continues to call on the state demanding more testing, immediate benefits for the hundreds of thousands struggling to receive unemployment, and for equitable small business relief. Heading into her November re-election bid, she continues to build collective power and advocate in support of Florida’s hardworking families. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/191 Anna’s website: https://annaforflorida.com/  Connect with Anna on Instagram and Twitter. Register for our one-of-a-kind live virtual summit “Brave. Bold. Beyond.” on October 15: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/summit/ or text SPEAKING to 33-777. Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.    Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Rep. Anna Eskamani (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaveskamani/   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 92: Deconstructing My TEDx Talk: Why We’re Uncomfortable with Women in Power Episode 94: Speaking and Showing Up Powerfully as Women with Molly Baker McPherson Episode 141: Advocating for What You Want for Yourself and Others with Nicole Tisdale [Leadership Series] Episode 163: A Feminist Approach to Public Speaking with Carol Cox Episode 180: You Say You Want to be a Thought Leader: What That Really Means & How to Find Your Voice with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz [Finding Your Voice Series]   JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

Have you had an experience that made it so you couldn’t *not* speak up and use your voice? It could have been something that happened directly to you or it could have been something you witnessed or learned about. My guest is Dr. Karla Manning, who had such an experience when she taught in South Africa, which she calls a transformative experience that led her to be more vocal about injustice and disparities, particularly in education. Karla is the founder of The Equitable Leadership Group, LLC, a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultancy focused on K-12 schools. Karla received her PhD in Curriculum & Instruction and Multicultural Teacher Education.  How she sees what she does as a spiritual pursuit Using love to overpower fear Speaking truth to power Where Karla got her courage froKarla and I have a deep conversation in this episode about: The experience in South Africa that inspired her to speak out m The importance of language and using certain words The impact of silence This episode is part of our podcast series called Use Your Voice.   About My Guest: The Equitable Leadership Group, LLC is a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultancy based in Brooklyn, NYC. The Equity Leadership Group was founded by Dr. Karla Manning, who serves as the CEO and lead trainer for the company. Previously, she was a high school English teacher in the Chicago Public Schools System (2007-2011) and received her PhD in Curriculum & Instruction and Multicultural Teacher Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2017. Bringing her 13+ plus years of teaching experience to ELG, she has developed systems and strategies designed for educational equity and excellence in K-12 classrooms and schools. Dr. Manning has delivered trainings and speaking engagements at the American Educational Research Association, National Association of Multicultural Education, Wisconsin Council for Teachers of English and is a member of The National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa. She also teaches pre-service educators in culturally responsive teaching at the CUNY University system in New York City.   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/190  Karla’s website: https://equityleadershipgroup.com/  Karla’s podcast “The Equity Experience”: https://equityleadershipgroup.com/the-equity-experience/  Register for our one-of-a-kind live virtual summit on October 15: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/summit/ Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Karla Manning (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/karla-manning-phd-a22773163/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 171: 5 Types of Webinars You Can Do to Build Your Business and Visibility with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz Episode 175: The Work of Anti-Racism as White Women with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz Episode 180: You Say You Want to be a Thought Leader: What That Really Means & How to Find Your Voice with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz [Finding Your Voice Series] JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

What’s it like to plan an event in only 8 weeks? We’re about to find out! Our live virtual summit takes place on October 15. Register at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/summit (it’s free!). This is a one-of-a-kind event: a mix of TED-style 10-minute talks plus panel discussions so you can learn how to craft a stellar speech and build your thought leadership platform. I’ve coached a number of TEDx speakers over the years and love the format of short, impactful talks that center around a big idea and a powerful personal story. If you enjoy speaking, want to get better at speaking, want to hear high-quality speeches, and want to learn what goes into them, you won’t want to miss our event. In this episode, I’m joined by our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz to talk about how we’re planning the event, from the speaker application process and speaker prep to the virtual event platform and marketing and promoting the event. We talk about: Why we decided to host a virtual event (the business goal) The overall timeline and logistics of planning an event Why we chose the format we did (TED-style talks) The speaker selection process What stood out in speaker applications and videos - and what did not How we’re preparing the speakers, including providing each one with a speaking coach Marketing and promotion of the event Lessons learned (so far!) After the summit, we’re going to come back on the podcast and talk about how it went, what we loved, the survey results of the attendees, what we’ll do differently next time, and more. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes! This episode is the second in our podcast series called Use Your Voice. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox, joined in this episode by our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/189 Register for our one-of-a-kind live virtual summit on October 15: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/summit/ Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.    Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz    Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 174: Hosting Your Own Virtual Summit with Dr. Holly Tucker Episode 184: Why Some Speakers Become Thought Leaders with Carol Cox [Thought Leadership Series] JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

This episode is the perfect bridge between the series we just wrapped up on Thought Leadership and the new series we’re starting called Use Your Voice. My guest is Gina Bianchini, the founder of Mighty Networks, which enables people like you (and me!) create and host online communities (and more). I’ve been a fan of Gina’s since her days as co-founder of Ning and in the past couple of years even more so as Gina has been bold and direct in calling out Facebook for their lack of transparency and accountability around data privacy, misinformation, and disinformation. You’ll enjoy our conversation around trends, thought leadership, and the importance of having trusted circles you can turn to when you want to - and do - use your voice.   In this episode, Gina and I talk about: Being a few years ahead of trends and the impact that can have on your business The problem with Facebook and Facebook Groups How Gina felt about her decision to publish a very direct and bold article against Facebook The dangers of being too negative as a thought leader A time when Gina didn’t speak up, why she didn’t, and what she learned she needed I reflect on a similar situation on not speaking up, “losing my voice,” and what I learned that I do differently now Speaking up when you disagree with friends What Gina sees as the future of conferences and networking   This episode is the first in our new podcast series called Use Your Voice. About My Guest: Gina Bianchini is the Founder & CEO of Mighty Networks. Her mission at Mighty Networks is to usher in a new era of digital businesses built on network effects. Mighty Networks serves small and medium businesses that offer digital memberships, online courses, community, and subscriptions–all offered in one place under their brand, instantly available on every platform. Before Mighty Networks, Gina and Netscape co-founder Marc Andreessen launched Ning, a pioneering global platform for creating niche social networks. Under her leadership, Ning grew to ~100 million people in 300,000 active social networks across subcultures, professional networks, entertainment, politics, and education. It was sold for $150M in 2010. In addition to Mighty Networks, Gina serves as a board director of TEGNA (NYSE: TGNA), a $3 billion dollar broadcast and digital media company, and served as a board director of Scripps Networks (NASDAQ: SNI), a $12 billion dollar public company which owned HGTV, The Food Network, and The Travel Channel that was purchased by Discovery Communications in 2018. Gina and Mighty Networks have been featured in Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Wired, Vanity Fair, Bloomberg, and The New York Times. She has appeared on Charlie Rose, CNBC, and CNN. She grew up in Cupertino, California, graduated with honors from Stanford University, started her career in the nascent High Technology Group at Goldman, Sachs & Co., and received her M.B.A from Stanford Business School.   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/188 Check out Mighty Networks: https://www.mightynetworks.com/ Gina’s LinkedIn article “Facebook is gaslighting us”: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/facebook-gaslighting-us-gina-bianchini/ Connect with Gina on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ginab Speaking Your Brand live virtual summit on October 15: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/summit/ Get our Webinar Idea to Launch online course: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/webinar-course  Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.    Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Gina Bianchini (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginabianchini/   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 144: What I’ve Learned about Being a Leader [Leadership Series] Episode 180: You Say You Want to be a Thought Leader: What That Really Means & How to Find Your Voice with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz [Finding Your Voice Series] Episode 184: Why Some Speakers Become Thought Leaders with Carol Cox [Thought Leadership Series] JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

A few weeks ago in episode 184, I talked about the five elements that thought leaders have. One of these elements is what I call a *container* for their message and content. What happens as content creators and speakers is that we create pieces of content here and there. What makes the content more impactful is when there’s a participatory project or initiative, a container, that your audience can get involved with and carry with them, which means it’s more memorable and shareable. In this on-air coaching call, listen in as Speaking Your Brand coach Diane Diaz and one of our clients, Brenda Reiss, talk through the work that Brenda does with her clients and then identify a container for her message and content. This episode is the final one in our series on thought leadership.    About Our Guest: Brenda Reiss is an author, accomplished speaker, workshop leader and personal catalyst for forgiveness. She is a master at guiding women in the process of letting go and opening their hearts to love, peace and true freedom. Brenda has helped hundreds of willing souls, release the past and live a more vibrant life. Her vast background from navigating corporate leadership to facilitating personal transformation have made her an invaluable asset in the forgiveness field.   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. This episode is an on-air coaching call conducted by one of our speaking coaches, Diane Diaz. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/187  Brenda’s website: https://brendareisscoaching.com/ Brenda’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgivenesscoach/ Speaking Your Brand live virtual summit on October 15: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/summit/ Get our Webinar Idea to Launch online course: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/webinar-course  Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.    Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz    Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 184: Why Some Speakers Become Thought Leaders with Carol Cox [Thought Leadership Series] JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

We’ve been talking about thought leadership for the past few episodes - what it means to be a thought leader, what thought leaders have in common, and the importance of having a container/project for your message. My guest Elayne Fluker has done exactly that - even though she didn’t start out with that plan in mind. It evolved as she paid attention to what she needed and what she was hearing from her audience and community. From a personal mantra of “Support is Sexy” to a hashtag to a podcast and now a book coming out in 2021 with HarperCollins Leadership, Elayne’s evolution shows how powerful it can be to stay consistent with your message and to give your audience a way to be involved. It was such a joy to have this conversation with Elayne and I know you’re going to leave it feeling inspired.   Elayne and I talk about: Her recent decision to make the intentional and transparent change about who she works with in her business, beyond the “riches in the niches,” to a calling to serve Black women entrepreneurs The unique challenges Black women entrepreneurs face (Sojourner Syndrome and Superwoman Syndrome) How an event Elayne attended in 2015 sparked “Support is Sexy” for her The two things people find the hardest to ask for: love and support How “Support is Sexy” grew from a personal mantra to a hashtag to a podcast to a book Paying attention to who you’re already serving and what they’re naturally getting behind How Elayne got her book agent and book contract with a traditional publisher What Elayne did when she finished the first draft of her book and it was only half the length it needed to be and she had no idea what else to add to it This episode is part of our series on thought leadership.    About My Guest: Elayne Fluker is a coach and advisor for Black women who want to make entrepreneurship part of their next chapter. Elayne is also the founder of the content and consulting agency, Chic Rebellion Media, and she is creator of Support is Sexy, her beloved podcast featuring interviews with more than 500 diverse women entrepreneurs around the world. In 2019, Elayne founded SiS.Academy -- an online learning platform with video workshops taught by top women entrepreneurs and experts -- to help women have access to information that will help them grow their businesses. Her first book, which encourages unapologetically ambitious women to get over "I Got It!" Syndrome and embrace support as their super power, will be published by HarperCollins Leadership in 2021.   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/186 Pre-order Elayne’s upcoming book “Get Over ‘I Got It’”: getoverigotit.com Listen to Elayne’s podcast “Support is Sexy”: http://elaynefluker.com/podcast/ Elayne’s Black. Women. Business. newsletter on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/black-women-business-6683882050593841152/ Elayne’s Black. Women. Business. community for Black women entrepreneurs: blackwomenbusiness.us.  Elayne’s SiS.academy: https://www.sis.academy/ Carol’s book coach Joelle Hahn: https://brooklynbookdoctor.com/   Subscribe to get updates about the Speaking Your Brand live virtual summit on October 15: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/summit/ Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Elayne Fluker (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaynefluker/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 167: Creating a Sense of Belonging with Your Audience with Traci Baxley, Ed.D. Episode 180: You Say You Want to be a Thought Leader: What That Really Means & How to Find Your Voice with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz Episode 184: Why Some Speakers Become Thought Leaders with Carol Cox [Thought Leadership Series] JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

This episode didn’t go quite as planned. In last week’s episode, we looked at why some speakers become thought leaders - the elements they have in common. I’ve gotten great feedback on that episode, so go back and listen to it if you haven’t already. I decided to do this series on thought leadership because of a client survey we did and a recent conversation I had with my business coach. She pointed out to me that I needed to step up. So, I was planning on sharing my own journey as a thought leader over the past 15 years. I have 3 particular inflection points: when I was in politics; when I had my prior technology company; and the past 5 years since I started SYB. Except Sunday morning came, two days before this episode airs, and I had been procrastinating on recording it. I had the outline done, yet I felt like something was missing. I was showing the facade of Carol - sure, I’d share “mistakes” I’ve made and lessons I’ve learned, but it felt flat. If you’ve been listening to this podcast this year, especially for the past few months, you may have noticed - I certainly have - that a theme has shown up several times - how hard it is for me to tap into my emotions.  I’m great at analyzing and intellectualizing, but ask me to tell you what my emotions are, what’s deeper, and there’s a wall there: my guests April Harter and Rebecca Arbona pointed it out (and I’m grateful for them); you can even hear it way back in episode 97 when Geraldine Carter coached me. So, I decided to use this episode to share a very personal story, one that most of my friends don’t even know.  You’ll also hear the reasons I chose to share it, as well as how we’re evolving our work here at Speaking Your Brand. Thank you for listening. This episode is the second in our series on thought leadership.  About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/185 Subscribe to get updates about our upcoming live virtual summit on October 15: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/summit/ Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.  Connect with Carol on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Business Coach Lisa Princic: https://www.scalingdeep.com Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 97: Thinking Bigger – I Get Coached On-Air by Geraldine Carter Episode 175: The Work of Anti-Racism as White Women with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz Episode 177: A Radically Different Approach to Understanding Racism with April Harter Episode 179: The Deep Truths You and Your Brand Need to Say with Rebeca Arbona [Finding Your Voice Series] Episode 180: You Say You Want to be a Thought Leader: What That Really Means & How to Find Your Voice with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz Episode 184: Why Some Speakers Become Thought Leaders with Carol Cox [Thought Leadership Series] JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

What do you think when you hear the term “thought leader?” Do you think you can be one? (Hint: you can!) I define a thought leader as someone who has an interesting idea that challenges the status quo, challenges our assumptions, maybe even breaks the rules, especially one that hasn’t been talked about a lot in their circle of influence, who communicates it with conviction and boldness, who inspires people to take action AND who causes people to be self-reflective, to learn more about themselves and how they relate to the world. We did a client survey recently and the phrase “thought leadership” came up more than I had expected. It makes sense that if you enjoy speaking, it means you want to have a bigger impact, reach more people, and grow your brand and business, all of which is related to being a thought leader. But sometimes it can feel like you’re putting out content - and yet it doesn’t seem to go anywhere in particular.  What’s missing is a container for what you’re doing. You don’t need to have extraordinary charisma or a great PR machine. (Although how you communicate does matter, but not in the way you may think.) For this episode, I analyzed 5 people - 4 women and 1 man - who’ve become thought leaders to see what they had in common: Brene Brown Simon Sinek Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Layla F. Saad Rachel Rodgers   Why did I select these 5? They were the first who came to mind and I wanted to analyze a few who’ve been around awhile (10 years) and a few who are more recent. In this episode, you’ll learn: 5 key elements that turned them from speakers/content creators into thought leaders What makes their communication style especially effective The role that thought leaders play for people What it means to have a container for your message Questions you can ask yourself   This episode is the first in a new series we’re doing on thought leadership.  About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/184 Register for our next free webinar: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/webinar/ Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact.  Connect with Carol on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox   Resources mentioned: Brene Brown’s TEDx talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability Simon Sinek’s TEDx talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s speech on the House floor: https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4894496/representative-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-speaks-exchange-representative-ted-yoho AOC’s Instagram post about her speech: https://www.instagram.com/p/CDMrZIzAI1B/ Layla F. Saad’s Me and White Supremacy challenge and book: http://laylafsaad.com/ Rachel Rodgers’ Instagram video: https://www.instagram.com/p/CA1Ez5qHL6o/ Rachel Rodgers’ podcast: https://helloseven.co/podcast-page/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 175: The Work of Anti-Racism as White Women with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz Episode 179: The Deep Truths You and Your Brand Need to Say with Rebeca Arbona [Finding Your Voice Series] Episode 180: You Say You Want to be a Thought Leader: What That Really Means & How to Find Your Voice with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz [Finding Your Voice Series] Episode 183: Amplify Your Voice by Having a Sponsor with Jhaymee Tynan [Finding Your Voice Series] JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

If you've seen the incredible production of the play “Hamilton,” you may remember the song, “The room where it happens.” In it, Aaron Burr laments that he wants to be in the room where it happens - where leaders make decisions, make compromises, make opportunities for themselves and those who they are allied with. The idea is that to get traction, to have your ideas heard, to be successful, you want to be where things are going on, where you can make a difference, where the people around you can help you out.  But what happens if it's not possible for you to be in that room? You need people who are advocates for you, people who are in those rooms, especially higher-level rooms that you may not have access to or be invited to or be there at that moment, who can advocate on your behalf, who can recommend you for a speaking engagement, who can refer you to a new client, who can nominate you for an award or an opportunity. This is what it means to have a sponsor: a person who advocates for you in the rooms where you are not. Having a sponsor amplifies your voice - and you can amplify other voices by being a sponsor for them. My guest today is Jhaymee Tynan, who is Assistant Vice President of Integration at Atrium Health, a $10bn integrated healthcare delivery system in Charlotte, NC, and is passionate about sponsorship, particularly to advance women of color. Earlier this year, Jhaymee launched her 100 x 2030 initiative to sponsor 100 women of color in healthcare in the next 10 years - and to encourage others to do so as well. We worked together recently to create her signature talk so she can share this message of the power of sponsorship with more organizations.   In this episode, Jhaymee and I talk about: The difference between a sponsor and a mentor The 5 C’s of a great sponsor How you can become sponsor-ready Why Jhaymee created her 100 x 2030 initiative Jhaymee’s stress management strategies (including 2 book recommendations) How we worked together to create her signature talk to promote her initiative - and what she found especially helpful   This episode is part of our podcast series on “Finding Your Voice.”   About My Guest: Jhaymee Tynan, PMP®, PfMP®, FACHE® is Assistant Vice President, Integration at Atrium Health, Charlotte, N.C. In her current role, she leads the system’s Integration Management Office, which provides day-to-day operations and strategy leadership for post-merger integration activities with current and new partners. Before joining Atrium Health, Jhaymee was Business Transformation Manager at Deloitte Consulting in the Global Life Sciences and Healthcare Practice.  Jhaymee received a M.B.A. in General Management from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University, Atlanta, GA, a master’s degree in project management from The George Washington University, Washington D.C., and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, V.A. Jhyamee is the Creator and Founder of #100x2030, a career movement designed to increase diversity at the senior and C-Suite levels of healthcare organizations across the globe. Jhaymee personally made a commitment to sponsor 100 women of color in healthcare by 2030 to demonstrate the importance of sponsorship and to amplify the careers for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) in the healthcare industry.   About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/183 Jhaymee’s website: https://jhaymeetynan.com/ Jhaymee’s Forbes article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellevate/2020/02/05/why-im-sponsoring-100-women-of-color-in-healthcare-by-2030/#5db178f73f3f Work with us to create your signature talk and message: Schedule a free consultation call at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact. Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Jhaymee Tynan (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhaymeetynan/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 98: Expanding Your Personal Story into a Universal Message with Nicole Rochester, M.D. [Coaching] Episode 163: A Feminist Approach to Public Speaking with Carol Cox Episode 169: Leveraging Free Speaking Engagements Into Bigger Opportunities with Angela Hosking Episode 180: You Say You Want to be a Thought Leader: What That Really Means & How to Find Your Voice with Carol Cox and Diane Diaz [Finding Your Voice Series] JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.