What does it actually take to go from burnout and identity loss to becoming a powerful voice, brand, and authority online?

In this episode of CEO Declassified, I sit down with business strategist, bestselling author, and podcast host Kat Mak to unpack the real story behind visibility, personal power, and building a brand that actually converts.

From building global brands across three continents to walking away from a high-powered corporate career, Kat shares how she rebuilt her identity, found her voice, and turned it into a movement that helps women step into leadership, visibility, and profit.

If you’ve ever felt invisible online, struggled to articulate your authority, or questioned whether your voice even matters, this conversation is your wake-up call.

In This Episode You'll Uncover:

• Why visibility is non-negotiable in today’s business landscape 
• The hidden reason you feel like you’re “shouting into the void” 
• How to turn your voice into authority, leadership, and sales
• The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make when starting online 
• Why outsourcing your content to AI kills your authority
• The truth about personal development (and why most people overcomplicate it) 

🗂️ CASE EVIDENCE FROM THIS FILE:

• "You don’t need degrees… it’s the experience you learn on the job and how you fall on your face."
• "Your story is your power — it’s what makes people buy."
• "Don’t do everything for free. When you pay, you show up differently."
• "If you are confused, your customer is confused."

📌 CONNECT WITH KAT MAK

• Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/katmak/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kattmak
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathmak
• She Said Yes Live Event in Melbourne on June 28, 2026: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/she-said-yes-to-herself-charity-lunch-tickets-1987032711329

📌 CONNECT WITH JELENA: 

• Instagram: @jelenaostrovska
• Threads: @jelenaostrovska
• Facebook: Jelena Ostrovska
• YouTube: Jelena Ostrovska
• LinkedIn: Jelena Ostrovska

Meet Raphy Mendoza, the founder of Co-Create Space, a creativity coach, and someone who will completely challenge the way you think about business, identity, and self-expression.

Raphy helps artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs be seen and paid, without selling out or becoming someone they’re not.

We dive into what happens when your business looks successful on paper… but feels empty inside. And how to rebuild it in a way that actually fulfills you.

From walking away from a thriving 10-year brand strategy business to stepping into the identity of an artist, Raphy shares what it really takes to reinvent yourself, trust your intuition, and create a business that feeds your soul and your bank account.

In This Episode You'll Uncover:

• Why success can feel like a trap (and how to recognize it) 
• The identity shift required to evolve your business 
• Why art is one of the most powerful (and profitable) ways to build a brand 
• The real reason most people stay stuck (it’s not your marketing strategy) 
• How to protect your work in the age of AI 
• Why every business owner must hire a coach
• The uncomfortable question that will reveal if you’re actually ready for the life you say you want

🗂️ CASE EVIDENCE FROM THIS FILE:

• "The only thing scarier than all the what-ifs was spending my life on autopilot."
• "Your business should feed your soul, your heart, and your bank account."
• "When you try to make money, it doesn’t work. When you create value, people want to give you money."
• "Art is one of the most lucrative ways to make money… because there’s no ceiling."
• "You’re not stuck because you don’t know what to do—you’re stuck because you’re not willing to become who it requires."
• "If you want to dominate your business, you have to submit to something bigger than you."

📌 CONNECT WITH RAPHY MENDOZA:

• Instagram: @raphymendozaofficial
• Facebook: Raphy Mendoza
• Come to see Raphy speak at the Misfit Nation event on May 14, 2026: https://www.joyousmisfit.com/misfitnation
• Website: https://co-create.space

📌 CONNECT WITH JELENA: 

• Instagram: @jelenaostrovska
• Threads: @jelenaostrovska
• Facebook: Jelena Ostrovska
• YouTube: Jelena Ostrovska
• LinkedIn: Jelena Ostrovska

What if hustle culture isn't just exhausting, it's actually the wrong strategy? Emma Eirene, founder of the Embodied CEO Academy and creator of the Business Misfit Network, makes a compelling case that pleasure and play aren't just indulgences. They're the actual mechanism behind magnetic, sustainable business growth.

In this episode, we get into identity, rejection, multi-passionate entrepreneurship, and why the best room you'll ever walk into is one where you can't stop being yourself.

In This Episode You'll Uncover:

• How the "joyous misfit" philosophy was born, and why pleasure-led business is the way to go.
• Why being repelled from the wrong rooms is actually the fastest path to finding your people.
• How Emma built multiple successful careers (photographer, painter, author, coach) without picking a lane, and why her approach to niching is completely different.
• How to restructure your business around your life era instead of squeezing your life around your business
• What makes the Misfit Nation event different from every other business conference you've left with a spinning 

🗂️ CASE EVIDENCE FROM THIS FILE:

• "When you come from pleasure, when you come from play, what you actually end up doing is magnetizing people in... the people are pulled towards you because you are in a different kind of state and energy."
• "You attract, and you repel all at the same time, but it means the people that are there, they're your people. And that's the whole point."
• "Niche from your joy. That's your niche — your passion, your mission, whatever it is that drives you, and then allow that to be expressed in multiple ways."

📌 CONNECT WITH EMMA EIRENE:

• Instagram: @joyousmisfit
• Misfit Nation event (May 14, 2026, Bristol Village Hotel): use code SPEAKGUEST at checkout for a VIP upgrade (lunch + after-party drink included): https://www.joyousmisfit.com/misfitnation
• Websites: https://www.joyousmisfit.com and https://www.emmaeirene.com
• Book: Unfuckwithable - paperback & Kindle (audiobook coming soon)

📌 CONNECT WITH JELENA: 

• Instagram: @jelenaostrovska
• Threads: @jelenaostrovska
• Facebook: Jelena Ostrovska
• YouTube: Jelena Ostrovska
• LinkedIn: Jelena Ostrovska

Only 10% of podcasts reach 20 episodes. Even fewer hit 30. So for this milestone episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what it actually takes to build a podcast that sticks - the wins, the mistakes, and the things I'd do differently from day one.

Whether you're thinking about launching your own show or you're already in the trenches, in this episode, you'll get 10 lessons from my own experience of launching and running the CEO Declassified podcast. 

🔍 IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL UNCOVER:

• Why getting crystal clear on your podcast direction before you hit record changes everything
• The simple setup that works (and why you don't need a $500 mic to get started)
• The magic number of episodes to launch with (and the math that backs it up)
• Why video is still king, even if you're recording in your pajamas
• The one habit that helped me find content gold inside every transcript
• Why guest podcasting (in both directions) is one of the fastest growth levers you're probably underusing

🗂️ CASE EVIDENCE FROM THIS FILE:

• "I don't want you to keep your genius in a cage and not let other people get to know you and your expertise through a podcast."
• "Promote your podcast like it's a paid product."
• "The best way to promote your podcast is to be a guest on other people's podcasts."
• "The real work starts when you actually start posting."

🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Descript (recording + editing): https://get.descript.com/znzxb70s8kr9
• Buzzsprout (podcast hosting): https://www.buzzsprout.com/
• DJI Mic: https://amzn.to/4v9x6jD
• Maono microphone (~$60): https://amzn.to/48q8NEi
• Audacity: https://www.audacityteam.org/

📌 LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIALS:

• Instagram: @jelenaostrovska
• Threads: @jelenaostrovska
• Facebook: Jelena Ostrovska
• YouTube: Jelena Ostrovska
• LinkedIn: Jelena Ostrovska

🔐 WORK WITH ME:

🗃️ [Course] The Content Confidential – Build Content That Positions, Persuades & Converts

📲 [Private Coaching] Learn more about 1:1 support (strategy sessions or ongoing consulting here)

Coach Lee is a criminal defense attorney by day, and Productivity & Accountability Coach, as she likes to say, throughout. Now, Coach Lee helps transform the lives of driven corporate women who feel trapped in the demands of their careers to thrive without compromising their lives! Her mission is to help you identify and tackle the barriers that are getting in the way of you getting done what needs to be done to live your best life! She helps you master time management, build boundaries, and develop strategies to thrive at work without compromising their personal lives. 

Coach Lee is an author. Her book, Lee’s Laws of Productivity, is the ultimate guide to getting things done, boosting efficiency, and achieving your goals without feeling overwhelmed or stressed out. Packed with practical tips, empowering strategies, and the tools you need to tackle stress, overwhelm, and burnout head-on, this book is a roadmap to living a more balanced and fulfilling life.

From brain dumps to color-coded calendars to racing yourself with a timer, Coach Lee shares the no-fluff systems that help driven women stop drowning in their to-do lists and start actually moving the needle, whether they have five hours or five minutes to spare.

🔍 IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL UNCOVER:

• Why waking up at 2:30 AM isn't the answer, and how to find YOUR productivity pockets instead
• The three laws of productivity from Coach Lee's book, and the one most people skip straight past
• How to stop procrastinating on big projects using a simple timer trick
• How to stay on top of your business when your day job throws everything off plan

🗂️ CASE EVIDENCE FROM THIS FILE:

• "We overthink how long the big projects are gonna take, and then we underestimate how long the small projects are gonna take."
• "Get it out of your head and onto paper - if it's in your head, it's taking up space."
• "If it's not scheduled, it's not happening."
• "However much time you give yourself, that's exactly how long it's gonna take."

📚 GUEST LINKS - COACH LEE:

• Instagram: @legallee.me
• Threads: @legallee.me

📌 LET'S CONNECT ON SOCIALS: 

• Instagram: @jelenaostrovska
• Threads: @jelenaostrovska
• Facebook: Jelena Ostrovska
• YouTube: Jelena Ostrovska
• LinkedIn: Jelena Ostrovska

Have you ever felt like your entire life revolves around your business… and suddenly, the creativity just disappears?

In this episode, I’m breaking down why so many entrepreneurs hit creative blocks, feel disconnected from their content, and start believing something is “wrong” with their strategy… when in reality, it has nothing to do with strategy at all.

This is your reminder that sometimes the best thing you can do for your business… is step away from it.

🔍 IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL UNCOVER:

• Why constantly thinking about your business actually kills your creativity
• The real reason you feel “blocked” (and why it’s not your strategy)
• Why monetizing everything makes your business feel draining
• The danger of doom scrolling VS intentional consumption
• How to create better content without relying on AI or overthinking
• Simple ways to bring creativity back (even with just 10 minutes a day)

🗂️ CASE EVIDENCE FROM THIS FILE:

• "You are not doing this for anybody. You're doing this for yourself."
• "Your brain is not getting enough rest. That's why it doesn't feel creative."
• "Sometimes the best thing that you can do for your business is do something that has nothing to do with your business."

📌 LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIALS:

• Instagram: @jelenaostrovska
• Threads: @jelenaostrovska
• Facebook: Jelena Ostrovska
• YouTube: Jelena Ostrovska
• LinkedIn: Jelena Ostrovska

🔐 WORK WITH ME:

🗃️ [Course] The Content Confidential – Build Content That Positions, Persuades & Converts

📲 [Private Coaching] Learn more about 1:1 support (strategy sessions or ongoing consulting here)

Hannah Walker is a sales coach who specialises in BOTH sales strategy and the sales identity work that REALLY makes the difference. She is an ex-corporate international sales manager, with over £1bn in sales under her belt, and has worked with some of the biggest companies in the world, including Siemens, EDF, Meta, and many more. Since leaving corporate, she has worked with businesses of all shapes and sizes, in pretty much every industry, to help them grow their confidence in sales, implement strategies that work, and step into the version of themselves that sells no matter what. She is a smutty book-loving, emo/metal head with a love of the countryside and regularly can be found in her book nook reading a dark romance or romantasy novel in between business and personal life.

In this episode, we unpack why great marketing still isn’t enough, why "trust recession" doesn't actually exist despite what every guru is yelling, and what actually creates sales in today’s market.

🔍 IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL UNCOVER:

• Why sales and marketing are not the same thing, even if people online keep treating them like they are
• What "sales identity" actually means and why a sales strategy alone won’t close the sale
• Why so many business owners hide behind content instead of having the conversations that bring in clients
• How to think about follow-up in a way that builds trust instead of making you sound like a desperate sales guy
• Why buyers need safety, leadership, and real connection now more than ever

🗂️ CASE EVIDENCE FROM THIS FILE:

• "2021 was the year of vibes and a Stripe link."
•  "There’s no trust recession. People are just actually expecting you to do some work in order to get them to give you money."
•  "Sales is intimacy. It’s relationship building. It’s having conversations with people."
•  "Your strategy is what you do and your sales identity is the version of you that does it."

📚 GUEST LINKS - HANNAH WALKER: 

• Facebook: Hannah Walker Consultant
• Instagram: @HannahWalkerConsultancy

📌 LET'S CONNECT ON SOCIALS: 

• Instagram: @jelenaostrovska
• Threads: @jelenaostrovska
• Facebook: Jelena Ostrovska
• YouTube: Jelena Ostrovska
• LinkedIn: Jelena Ostrovska

Have you ever felt like most productivity advice was designed for robots, and not entrepreneurs? In this solo episode, I’m sharing five productivity shifts that dramatically changed how I run my business and how I get things done without burning out. These shifts helped me focus on what actually moves the needle, protect my attention, and operate more like a CEO instead of a task machine.

🔍 IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL UNCOVER:

• Why most productivity advice is rooted in hustle culture and doesn’t work for entrepreneurs
• The three core activities that generate revenue in a coaching and service-based business
• Why thinking in projects instead of tasks completely changes your productivity
• How to leverage AI tools to speed up content production without outsourcing your creativity
• The mindset shift that will instantly improve your focus

🗂️ CASE EVIDENCE FROM THIS FILE:

• "You don't need a 3-hour morning routine to have a productive day."
• "When you get the bare minimum done every single day, you know that you moved the needle in your business."
• "Consumption usually puts more doubts."
• "CEOs do not romanticize burnout."

📌 LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIALS:

• Instagram: @jelenaostrovska
• Threads: @jelenaostrovska
• Facebook: Jelena Ostrovska
• YouTube: Jelena Ostrovska
• LinkedIn: Jelena Ostrovska

🔐 WORK WITH ME:

🗃️ [Course] The Content Confidential – Build Content That Positions, Persuades & Converts

📲 [Private Coaching] Learn more about 1:1 support (strategy sessions or ongoing consulting here)

📌 TOOLS MENTIONED

• Descript: https://get.descript.com/znzxb70s8kr9 
• Google Calendar: https://calendar.google.com
• Notion: https://www.notion.com
• Pomodoro timer: https://pomofocus.io

If your marketing has been feeling a little… same-same, beige, and suspiciously robotic, this episode is your antidote.

Sara "Spokesperson of the Squirrels" Joelle is a Writer, Top 10% Global Podcaster, Multi Six-Figure Entrepreneur, and ADHDer on a journey to turn Main Characters into Must Haves through website copywriting, email marketing, and mentorship.

🔍 IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL UNCOVER:

• The ADHD productivity method that actually works: Tiny Task Till 10
• Why “eat the frog” advice fails for a lot of ADHD brains (and what to do instead)
• Why you still need a website (especially if you’re currently selling from a link in bio)
• How to write copy that makes people think: “this person is inside my brain”
• The phrases she wants erased from marketing forever (you’ve definitely used at least one)
• What “Main Character” actually means in Sara’s world and how to step into it

🗂️ CASE EVIDENCE FROM THIS FILE:

• "Your Substack is not a website. You don’t own it."
• "People need to consider their buyer's experience more, and it just makes you look more legit."
• "You gotta own your own thing so you can be in charge of your own thing."
• "The number one thing that I’m sick of right now is 'that’s where I come in.'"
• "Decide that you are [the main character]."

📚 GUEST LINKS - SARA JOELLE (BTL COPY): 

• Website: https://betweenthelinescopy.com
• Instagram: @BTLCopy
• Threads: @BTLCopy
• Newsletter Swipe File: https://betweenthelinescopy.com/swipe-file
• Podcast Freebie: https://betweenthelinescopy.com/podcast-freebie
• Site Series Sprint: https://betweenthelinescopy.com/site-series-sprint

📌 LET'S CONNECT ON SOCIALS: 

• Instagram: @jelenaostrovska
• Threads: @jelenaostrovska
• Facebook: Jelena Ostrovska
• YouTube: Jelena Ostrovska
• LinkedIn: Jelena Ostrovska

There are so many people creating content right now… and most of it sounds the same.

In this episode, I’m breaking down how to do real market research (the kind that comes from real conversations, not AI summaries), so you can create content that makes your audience feel seen, understood, and called out in the best way… without losing your brand voice.

🔍 IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL UNCOVER:

• Why content sounds generic even when it’s "good" (and why AI makes it worse)
• How to pull real-time language from the market that turns into high-converting hooks
• How to run market research calls (without selling on the call)
• The best places to “eavesdrop” ethically on your competitors
• How to use audience language in your hooks without losing your voice

🗂️ CASE EVIDENCE FROM THIS FILE:

• "There are so many people who are creating content today, but the problem is it all sounds the same or it's not specific enough."
• "One of the wildest pieces of advice that I've heard in the last year is you can outsource your market research to AI."
• "Content that truly gets the attention and truly converts into paid clients is when you actually make people feel heard and understood."
• "Write the way you talk and speak to one person only."
• "Your content doesn't necessarily need to be louder than everybody else… But it needs to be more specific."

📌 LET’S CONNECT ON SOCIALS:

• Instagram: @jelenaostrovska
• Threads: @jelenaostrovska
• Facebook: Jelena Ostrovska
• YouTube: Jelena Ostrovska
• LinkedIn: Jelena Ostrovska

🔐 WORK WITH ME:

💻 [FREE LIVE MASTERCLASS] The Identity Gap: The positioning shift that turns expertise into premium clients

🗃️ [Course] The Content Confidential – Build Content That Positions, Persuades & Converts

📲 [Private Coaching] Learn more about 1:1 support (strategy sessions or ongoing consulting here)