Making It with Jess Ekstrom

The world is constantly in a state of chaos—from an unexpected crisis at work to the personal high stakes of having a baby during a global pandemic. How do you find the calm confidence needed to navigate those moments when you feel most exposed?

This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with Caitlin Gardner, a veteran crisis communications expert who is the founder of Blooming Communications. Caitlin's professional life involves helping Fortune 500 companies communicate with calm maturity during crises. Her personal life, however, includes having a baby at the peak of the 2020 pandemic while her husband lost his job—a high-stakes moment that uniquely prepared her for the work she does today.

Caitlin shares how to apply the lessons learned in the delivery room to the boardroom, giving you the practical tools to handle unexpected public scrutiny, internal high stakes, and even the double-edged sword of going viral.

Tune in for:

• Caitlin's incredible story of delivering a baby in April 2020, juggling a crisis communications job in the hard-hit cruise industry, and the power of focusing on one goal in a chaotic environment.
• The concept of the "Reputation Bank Account": making positive deposits so you have the benefit of the doubt when you need to make a withdrawal (like when you fumble publicly).
• The difference between good-intentioned feedback and negative trolling, and the importance of assuming good intent in professional communications.
• Caitlin's take on cancel culture, and why brands and people must define their core values to maintain clarity in polarizing times.
• Why it’s essential to be prepared for the worst-case scenario (the "tabletop exercise") so you can be agile and confident when chaos hits.
• How to handle the urge to jump on viral trends and why every piece of content—even your social media hook—needs a strategic rationale and intentionality.
• A key reminder for leaders: You don't get to choose when the stakes are high for others, so be thoughtful about how you deliver high-stakes feedback.

About Caitlin Gardner:

Caitlin Gardner is the Founder of Blooming Communications, a strategic communications consultancy. She is an expert in high-stakes communications, reputation management, and crisis preparedness, helping clients bring "calm confidence" to moments of unexpected chaos.

Resources & Links:

• Follow Caitlin Gardner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlingardner/
• Blooming Communications: https://bloomingcom.com
• Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

Have you ever confused a bigger salary with a richer life? What if the key to getting what you truly want isn’t a better tactic, but a deeper understanding of your own values?

 In this Amplify episode, Jess sits down with negotiation expert Kathryn Valentine, a former McKinsey consultant with an impressive background featured in Harvard Business Review and The Wall Street Journal. Kathryn's journey started with a high-stakes failure—a negotiation so bad it ended with a security escort. Still, that experience led her to discover that proper negotiation is a valuable tool for life design, not just a means to secure a salary bump.

Kathryn reveals how to identify your true currency (it’s often not money), the critical research that proves women significantly underestimate their market value, and the simple questions you can ask to strip away societal expectations and define your own "rich life."

Tune in for:

• The shocking story of Kathryn’s first negotiation attempt that ended in her being escorted out of a large company.
• The "Rich Life Design" concept: how seeing the long-term impact of choices from her 70-year-old grandparents taught her to prioritize currencies like time, credibility, and autonomy.
• What you really want is often a promotion (for long-term financial gain) or credibility (for respect), not just a raise.
• The "Magic Wand" question helps strip away fear and societal expectations, revealing what you truly want.
• The "Ask Relationally" formula that virtually eliminates the risk of backlash and moves "no" from a rejection to a piece of information.
• Why assuming good intent is the key to overcoming the fear of being "annoying" when following up.
• Kathryn's personal thoughts on how motherhood has changed her perspective over time and why she now chooses to pursue only projects that bring her "good exhaustion."

About Kathryn Valentine:

Kathryn Valentine is a negotiation expert, speaker, and former McKinsey consultant. Her work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review and The Wall Street Journal, and she advises companies such as JPMorgan Chase. She is dedicated to equipping women with the tools to negotiate for their richest life.

Resources & Links:

• Get the "76 Things You Can Negotiate" List: https://seventysixthings.com
• Watch Kathryn Valentine's TED Talk:
• Follow Kathryn Valentine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrynvalentine/
• Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

Have you ever questioned if you should quit your career to focus on family, only to realize that constant self-doubt is draining energy you could use elsewhere? What if continuing to work is not just a financial necessity, but a vital investment in your own identity?

This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with Hazel Sy, a Fortune 500 executive, board member, and powerful advocate for working parents. Hazel shares the moment her childcare plan fell through, the panic and guilt that followed, and the eventual mindset shift that allowed her to thrive as both a dedicated professional and a devoted mom.

Hazel opens up about the emotional journey of creating her viral TED Talk, the shocking financial reality of childcare, and the surprising ways that conscious parenting techniques can make you a more intentional and connected leader at work.

Tune in for:

• Hazel's eye-opening story of her childcare falling through and the constant question she asked herself: "Should I quit?"
• Why the high cost of childcare is actually a financial and personal investment that pays off in career growth and a preserved sense of self.
• The "mother AND" philosophy: how to choose a parenting style where your children see you succeeding and failing, not just staying home.
• The subtle societal double standards around working parents, including the "babysitting" comment and the different applause men and women receive.
• How Hazel consciously uses the word "study" instead of "work" around her children to avoid modeling a workaholic lifestyle.
• The emotional journey of getting 67 rejections before landing her TEDx Talk, and the critical moment when she decided to scrap all the feedback and write from the heart.
• How the skills of conscious parenting—like giving two choices instead of a demand—make you a better leader and influencer in the workplace.

About Hazel Sy:

Hazel Sy is a Fortune 500 executive, a board member, a highly requested speaker, and an alumnus of Mic Drop Academy. She is a passionate advocate for working parents and a living example of how intentionality and purpose can allow you to thrive in both your professional and personal life.

Resources & Links:
Watch Hazel's TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE-PN4i-eAE

• Find Hazel's Speaker Prep Checklist:
• Follow Hazel Sy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thehazelsy/
• Visit Hazel Sy's site: https://www.hazelsy.com/ 
• Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

Have you ever secretly loved being underestimated? That feeling of having nothing to lose and everything to prove. But what happens when you start to succeed, and that pressure of being watched threatens to sabotage your progress?

This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with her dear friend, author, and speaker Mary Marantz, whose new book Underestimated explores how to break free from the fears that hold us back. Mary gets candid about her journey, from being told by a high school teacher that she wouldn't make it, to the destructive cycle of perfectionism and self-sabotage that comes with success.

She shares how she's learned to embrace a new kind of fuel for her ambition and why she believes the very act of facing fear means you're about to do work that truly matters.

Tune in for:

• Why being an underdog is a "role of a lifetime" that can destroy your ambition if you aren’t careful.
• The surprising connection between childhood chaos and the urge to self-sabotage as an adult.
• The "Motivation-Defeat Cycle" and how to break free from the all-or-nothing mindset.
• Why consistency will always beat excellence in the long run.
• Mary’s powerful reframe: Fear isn't a creative force; it's a "boring liar" that uses the same broken scripts on everyone.
• How to identify your "achiever type" and use that knowledge to overcome your unique fears.
• The truth about asking for help and why we’re often our own worst enemies when it comes to showing vulnerability.

About Mary Marantz:

Mary Marantz is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur whose work empowers people to unlock their purpose and do the work they were put on this earth to do. She is a New York Times bestselling author of Dirt and Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots, and her newest book is titled Underestimated.

Resources & Links:

• Get Mary's free first chapter and Achiever Quiz: https://namethefear.com
• Follow Mary Marantz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marymarantz/
• Follow Mary Marantz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-marantz-726461b/
• Listen to the Mary Marantz Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mary-marantz-show/id1454133596
• Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

Amy Porterfield really wanted freedom, flexibility, and autonomy in her career.

She entered the digital course industry, which allowed her to work from home while still making money. Starting small, her first course made just $267, but she pulled in over $100 million in revenue through tweaks and relaunches.

How did she do it?  How can you leverage digital courses to balance work and family life and generate income while being present for your family?

Let's find out!

And if you’re ready to take the first steps yourself, Amy is breaking it all down inside her brand-new Course Confident Bootcamp. Over 5 days, she’ll walk you through 4 simple steps to turn your talk or story into a course—without the overwhelm.

It all starts September 11.

👉 Join Course Confident for $47

This is a replay from Aug 28th, 2024. 

---

Rate Amplify on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review for Jess Ekstrom.

Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West, and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop

Have you ever felt like you're not what meets the eye, with a deep, complex backstory hidden behind a seemingly successful exterior? What if the most difficult parts of your past, the ones you tried to escape, are actually the secret ingredients to your greatest triumphs and your most powerful message?

This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with Adam Tanaka, a founder and speaker who has built and sold companies and now teaches others how to unlock their most creative selves through the power of play. Adam's journey is far from linear and his seemingly picture-perfect success story is built on a childhood filled with trauma and chaos, where a game of hide and seek was an act of survival.

He opens up about his "normal," which included a mother struggling with addiction, his heroic act of saving her from a house fire at age 15, and how that trauma unknowingly followed him into adulthood. Adam shares how his success led to one of his darkest moments, what truly saved his life, and the powerful framework he created to ensure he and others always have a community to fall back on.

Tune in for:

• The childhood trauma that led Adam to seek control and stability by building his own businesses.
• How Adam learned to stop waiting for permission to play and why he believes play is a crucial tool for both creativity and healing.
• The moment a sheep farmer in Iceland changed Adam's perspective on overcomplicating life and rigid goals.
• The importance of building your community before you need it.
• The "Community Tag" framework, a powerful and simple system for checking in on those around you that Adam created after a near-fatal moment.
• Why Adam's mission as a speaker is to help people bring play into the workplace and life.

About Adam Tanaka:
Adam Tanaka is a founder, speaker, and advocate for the power of play. With a background in building and selling companies, Adam's mission is to help people move from rigid, "hustle culture" to a more creative and connected way of working and living. He is the founder of a kids' brand, cavehousesupply.com, and an author.

Resources & Links:

• Cave House Supply: https://cavehousesupply.com
• Adam Tanaka's Website: https://adamtanaka.com
• Follow Adam Tanaka on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-tanaka-7b43a85b/
• Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

Have you ever felt completely lost in your career, only to find that your most challenging experiences became your greatest assets? And how can AI, often seen as a threat to creativity, actually unlock your most authentic stories?

This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with Patrice Poltzer, co-founder of My Story Pro AI, a storytelling and AI strategist, and a former award-winning producer for The Today Show. Patrice has a somewhat non-linear journey - from the grit of door-to-door book sales and navigating a toxic startup culture after leaving her dream job, to more unexpected pivots and entrepreneurial endeavors.

Plus Patrice talks about her "lost twenties" - and why they were foundational to her success.

Tune in for:

• Why embracing non-traditional career paths and "being behind" can be your unfair advantage.
• The unexpected "grit" and "hustle muscle" developed through challenging early career experiences.
• Patrice's jarring experience transitioning from a dream corporate job to a toxic startup, and what she learned about knowing when to walk away.
• How a personal crisis (her husband losing his job, moving to a new country) became the "fire energy" that fueled her entrepreneurial leap into AI.
• Why Patrice, as a seasoned storyteller, initially resisted AI but was "jolted" into embracing it.
• Her revolutionary approach to AI: using it as a "mirror" to uncover your deepest insights and understand your audience, rather than just generating content.
• The crucial difference between soulless AI-generated content and emotionally connective storytelling.
• How Patrice’s tool, My Story Pro AI, acts as a "third-party" coach, helping founders overcome self-censorship and unleash their authentic voice.
• Why small business owners and solopreneurs now have access to "six-figure marketing research insights" through AI, a previously unattainable advantage.
• How AI can help you "get out of your own feedback loop" and broaden your perspective on what truly resonates with your audience.
• Patrice's advice for the "AI-shy" or "AI-resistant" creative, ensuring your unique voice and tone are amplified, not replaced.

About Patrice Poltzer:

Patrice Poltzer is the co-founder of My Story Pro AI, a storytelling and AI strategist, and a former award-winning producer for NBC's Today Show. With a unique blend of media expertise and entrepreneurial grit, Patrice empowers individuals and businesses to leverage AI as a tool for deeper self-discovery and more authentic, impactful storytelling.

Resources & Links:

• My Story Pro AI, free for 7 days: https://patricepoltzercreative.com/story-pro-for-business
• Follow Patrice Poltzer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricepoltzer/

Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

Do you sometimes feel like your creative well has run dry? In a world increasingly dominated by AI and efficiency, how do we protect and cultivate our unique human spark?

This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with Natalie Nixon, PhD, a renowned creativity expert, innovation strategist, and author, famously dubbed the "Creativity Whisperer to the C-Suite." Natalie shares profound insights on how to reclaim your inherent creativity, understand its real-world ROI, and navigate the evolving relationship between human ingenuity and artificial intelligence.

Drawing inspiration from childhood wonder, Natalie and Jess explore how our natural creative impulses often get "disciplined" by traditional education and societal norms. You'll learn why "getting lost on purpose" can be a powerful catalyst for new ideas and how leveraging AI can actually amplify, rather than stifle, your human creativity.

We tackle:

• Why children are the ultimate "wonder mentors," modeling the pure, uninhibited creativity we often lose.
• The profound impact of educational systems on stifling or cultivating creativity, drawing from Natalie's diverse schooling experiences.
• The importance of striking a balance between "wonder" and "rigor" in fostering creative thinking.
• Natalie's pragmatic and optimistic view on the relationship between AI and human creativity.
• Why intentionally "getting lost" (literally and figuratively) can unlock serendipity and new ideas.
• The concept of a "human revolution," not just a tech revolution, and how AI creates "spaciousness" for deeper human connection and thought.
• The value of liminal space and embracing ambiguity—just like artists do.
• How to use AI to ask better questions and prompt deeper reflection.
• The power of incorporating "daydream breaks" into your daily routine to activate your brain's default mode network.
• Why allowing for boredom (especially for kids!) is an invitation to imagination.
• A brilliant hack for overcoming creative blocks when the "stakes" of getting paid influence your work: "role-playing with your past self."
• Why "plenty of ideas end up on the cutting floor" is not failure, but "flow."

About Natalie Nixon, PhD:

Natalie Nixon, PhD, is a global expert in creativity, innovation, and the future of work. She advises leaders on how to make their organizations more nimble and innovative through her unique approach to applied creativity. As a speaker, strategist, and author of The Creativity Leap, Natalie empowers individuals and teams to unlock their creative potential and drive tangible results. She is also launching her new book, Move, Think, Rest, in 2025.

Resources & Links:

• Pre-order Move, Think, Rest by Natalie Nixon: https://www.amazon.com/Move-Think-Rest-Productivity-Relationship/dp/0306835584
• Download Natalie's Wonder-Rigor Tip Sheet: https://www.figure8thinking.com/wonderrigor-tip-sheet/
• Figure 8 Thinking: figure8thinking.com
• Follow Natalie Nixon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalienixonphd/
• Follow Natalie Nixon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natwnixon/

Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

Are you tired of feeling like you have to be inauthentic to be liked? Do you struggle with setting boundaries and advocating for yourself, fearing it might damage your relationships?

This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with her dear friend, Kwame Christian, a top-booked negotiation keynote speaker and host of the #1 podcast, Negotiate Anything. 

Kwame shares a deeply personal and formative childhood story that shaped his journey from people-pleaser to negotiation expert, revealing how his early experiences led him to compromise himself for the sake of being liked. He explains how this common "people-pleasing pressure" can actually damage the very relationships we're trying to protect.

You'll discover:

• The surprising link between childhood experiences and our adult people-pleasing tendencies.
• How the "big five personality traits" (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability) influence our negotiation style.
• Why being overly agreeable can lead to an "emotional hangover" and resentment.
• The profound impact of unspoken boundaries on relationships, both personal and professional.
• Kwame's simple "yes-no-yes" framework for setting and maintaining effective boundaries.
• Why the definition of negotiation is often warped, and how redefining it can empower you in daily life.
• The concept that "assertiveness is teaching the person how to treat you."
• How to navigate the "assertiveness penalty" that women (and other groups) often face in professional settings.
• Why overthinking is your "kryptonite," and how a "shot clock" can help you make better decisions faster.
• The psychological insight that you'll never truly "get over" stage fright, and why that's a good thing.
• How Kwame uses AI daily to amplify his humanity, manage emotions, identify blind spots, and create cohesive negotiation strategies.
• The power of mirror neurons and how our tone and attitude can unconsciously impact others.

About Kwame Christian
Kwame Christian, Esq., M.A. is the CEO of the American Negotiation Institute (ANI) and a leading voice in the field of negotiation. He hosts the #1 negotiation podcast, Negotiate Anything, and his TED Talk has garnered over 600,000 views. He is also a LinkedIn Top Voice and the author of Finding Confidence in Conflict and How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race. Kwame's mission is to make the world a better place, one difficult conversation at a time.

Resources & Links:

• American Negotiation Institute: americnnegotiationinstitute.com
• Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwamechristian/
• Listen to the Negotiate Anything podcast: https://negotiateanything.com/
• Finding Confidence in Conflict by Kwame Christian: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Confidence-Conflict-Negotiate-Anything/dp/0578413736
• How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race by Kwame Christian: https://www.amazon.com/Have-Difficult-Conversations-About-Race/dp/1637741308
• TEDx, Finding Confidence in Conflict: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6Zg65eK9XU

Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

 I recently had the opportunity to step onto the red dot at TEDx Sugar Creek Women, and I was surrounded by so many amazing speakers.

For eight years, I've been refining my thoughts on public speaking, and it really just all culminated in this eight minute talk - The Secret to Great Public Speaking (No, It's Not Confidence). 

Here's a sneak peek, and for the full video, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT2q1YKZQPE. And of course I'd love it if you left a review and comment!