Power Your Platform

In today’s episode we’re going to shine a light on the 3 common mindset myths I find my clients buying into that actually STOP them before they even get started.  

If one of these myths is holding YOU back from doing what you were born to do and making a real impact in the world, then this episode is for YOU!  As I’ve built my own personal and professional brand, I’ve faced at least three common mindset myths that threatened to sideline my entrepreneurial spirit for good.  

Over time and with the help of my new community of role models, I was able to debunk these myths.  So I thought I’d share them with you today, in case you’ve been facing some similar thoughts.  

Myth #1 - “I’m not an expert in my field, so I can’t share my expertise with others.” Has that thought ever crossed your mind before? For a really long time, I put off doing what I felt was my purpose-driven calling because I felt I wasn’t qualified enough. Here’s the thing: no matter how much training or experience we may have, there's always someone out with a little bit (or a lot) more. Remember, you don't need to be the world's greatest expert on your subject to be qualified to speak about it.  So Myth Buster #1 is “You are ready RIGHT NOW to begin sharing what you know with others. Expert status is not required.”  

Myth #2 - “It’s too late to get started.” The fear at the heart of THIS myth is that somehow you’ve missed your opportunity. And nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve noticed that  Myth #2 is a particularly common roadblock for women who are in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Maybe they’ve been in the workforce for awhile and they have an idea they’d love to share or a course they want to launch. But the idea of “age” keep stands in their way, especially when it comes to learning new technologies, platforms and tools. Let me debunk this myth right now: it is NEVER too late to get started.  In fact, I want you to consider 5 women who launched their most successful endeavours later in life or pivoted their careers and still found BIG success: Madeleine Albright, Viola Davis, Nancy Pelosi, Julia Child and Susan Boyle. Get rid of the idea that success is somehow linked to age. If you’re listening to this podcast and you’ve been around the block a few times, consider the fact that you are now armed with tons of valuable life lessons and aha moments you can share with your audience. And guess what? They are waiting right now to hear from you.  So Myth Buster #2 is this: “It’s never too late. The time to get started is right now.”  

Myth #3 - “Someone else is already doing it.” There IS space for your story, sister. The key is not to get distracted by all the others on the road. In fact, if I learn there’s someone out there who’s doing something even similar to what I’m doing, I make a point of NOT following them on social media. I don’t want to get distracted by what they may or may not be doing and start second-guessing myself at every turn. Instead, I’ve decided to stay in my own lane, look straight ahead and keep driving.  Based on YOUR expertise, experiences and life lessons, you'll be able to connect with groups of people that not everyone can reach.  So Myth Buster #3 is “Speak on common topics in uncommon ways, and you’ll carve out a brand niche that is entirely your own.”  

Those are the 3 mindset myths I hope you’ll start debunking today to ensure you make steady progress on your Story PATH.  

EPISODE LINKS:

Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

Web site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Hey, Story Sister! Inside this BONUS episode, you’re going to get a SNEAK PEEK inside 3 powerful, free resources that are specifically designed to support you along your story journey.  

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably always looking for brand-boosting resources that can help you move your idea or existing business to the next level.  So let me ask you this: have you grabbed your Free Story Power Pack yet?  If not, click here now. 

The first free power pack is designed specifically for Story Starters.  

The second was created to serve Story Builders.  

And the third is tailor-made just for Story Pros.  

But here’s the thing: I want to make sure you’re getting the RIGHT power pack that fits with YOUR current storytelling stage. Does that sound fair?  

To learn which story stage you're at, take our 60-second free Storytelling Quiz.  

Once you find out your storytelling stage, you'll be given the option to download the free resource that’s matched to your storytelling stage, whether you’re looking to own your story, share your story or sell your story.  

So let’s take a sneak peek inside each of the three power packs so you can get a better idea of the value you’re gonna find inside.  

The purpose of the Story Starters Power Pack is to help women speakers, leaders and entrepreneurs like YOU begin building clarity and confidence. Inside the Story Starter Power Pack is a guide to the 3 most common story blockers, tips on creating a Clear Story Path, a Story Path Worksheet PLUS a list of useful resources for Story Starters, including books and podcast titles.  

The purpose behind the Story Builder Power Pack is to help you create vision and visibility. Our 8-page free Story Builders Power Pack includes a guide to the 3 types of brand stories, some firsthand tips on organizing your story closet AND a 6-step system to building brand visibility. But that’s not all. We’ve also included a fill-in-the-blank worksheet to begin building your brand vision as well as a list of some of my personal favourite TED Talks by visionary women. Cool, right? And if you like what you discover, then go ahead and book a 1-hour paid Power Hour coaching session with me to help you begin expanding the vision for your message and how you can get it in front of the right audience!  

The purpose of the Story Pros Power Pack is to serve those who are focused on income and innovation. And if you’re at the point that you’re ready to begin monetizing your message, then reach out and let’s talk further. I’d love to support you on your story journey. The Story Pros Power Pack includes a chart to help you determine the difference between serving and selling. It also offers tips on how to overcome the most common sales blockers and a handy reference sheet on the 3 areas to think about when diversifying your income for long-term success. It also includes a strategic diagram showing how to distinguish what you do for free from what you do for FEE. Helpful, right? And finally, this power pack includes 10 revenue stream ideas for creating more diversified income. Talk about value inside a freebie, right?  So those are the three power packs that are waiting for you over at powerherplatform.com.  

To make sure you get the freebie that’s designed for your storytelling stage, make sure to click on the quiz button on our page.  

And hey, let us know which one you get! You can share your favourite part of the resources by taking a screen shot and tagging Power Your Platform when you do. 

Today’s episode features an amazing interview with Workplace Relationships Expert and Conflict Management Authority Penny Tremblay.   

Want to know what you’re in for? Well, 25 years ago, Penny led a sales team into the Million Dollar Club using the principles of relationship strategies.  Since then, she’s developed her own brand called Learn to Play Nice in the Sandbox. She also teaches, speaks and writes on the glue that holds business relationships together – plus she studied Negotiation and Advanced Mediation at Harvard. So… there’s that!   

She’s one incredible lady and I’m so excited to share our conversation with you.    

Penny has such a great outlook on conflict and relationship building – and I’m so grateful she shared some of her very personal and moving stories with us today in this episode.   

By the way, isn’t it great to know that we’re all in the same boat when it comes to mindset? It’s just a part of having a human brain!    

Here are my Top 10 Takeaways from my conversation with Penny:     

1. Conflict resolution is an inside job.    

2. The most important feedback usually isn’t something we want to hear.    

3. People are hired for their technical skills, but they’re fired or stuck in dead-end positions due to their inability to get along with other people.    

4. Conflict is inevitable; but suffering is optional.   

5. Healthy teams embrace conflict.    

6. We can’t change our past, but we can change our attachment to it.    

7. Watch your language… to yourself.   

8. Learn to recognize the difference between thoughts and truth.    

9. We connect with others when we share our stories of struggle and challenge.    

10. And finally, it’s always better to teach from your scars and not your wounds.    

Thanks so much for listening in today! 

EPISODE LINKS: 

Penny Tremblay - https://pennytremblay.com/ 

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807 

PowerHER Platform web site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/ 

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Today we’re digging into the Power of Small Stories and talking about how we can unlock the potential of ordinary teaching moments.  Because let’s face it, we’ve all been impressed by the history-changing stories of women like Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart and Laura Secord. But the truth is, that small stories matter too. And what’s more, they’re a lot easier for most people to relate to.  

So today I’m going to share a tool I’ve created called the StoryNET. And I hope it’s as useful for you when it comes to story catching, because I know it’s been helpful for me.  

Small stories matter in a big way. And here’s the thing: we’re surrounded by small stories every day of our lives, am I right?  Of course, since we move through our lives at such a breakneck speed, we often don’t take the time to notice the small stories because we’re so distracted by so many other things. Now some of these things could actually be tragedies or crises in our lives which obviously demand our full attention.  

But most often, we’re NOT distracted by the big stuff. We’re distracted by, well, pretty much everything. It could be a notification on our phone or it could be the fact that we’re trying to multitask and juggle three or four activities at once.  

If you’ve never seen this in action, by the way, just attend a child’s soccer game and keep your eye on the parents who are answering emails while cheering on the home team while also chatting with the other soccer parents about who’s turn it is next week to bring the popsicles. And yes, I may be speaking from personal experience here.  

So how can we flip this script? How can we start paying attention to the amazing moments all around us and giving them our full attention? Because when we do, that’s when the stories -- and the lessons they teach -- come into focus.  

And here’s the tool we can use to to do it. It’s called the Story NET and it’s a simple strategy for catching the everyday stories in your life before they pass you by.  

NET stands for Notice Examine and Takeaway.  

1. NOTICE - Without paying attention to the details of our lives, we’ll never notice the knowledge nuggets along the way. So it’s important that we to set our intentions at the start of every day to be mindful and notice the people, the places and experiences that come our way.  

2. EXAMINE – What are the types of things we notice when we take time to examine the stories that surround us? We probably notice what’s visible to the eye, as well as the emotions of the story, not to mention the story arc (beginning, middle, end).  

3. TAKE AWAY THE KEY LESSONS - What are the takeaways you can spot in the stories you’ve collected? The great stories – the ones worth sharing with others --- will have some sort of a lesson, a reminder or an aha moment that you can share. Whatever it is, keep it simple and state it clearly so your audience isn’t confused about what the takeaway is, and how they can apply it to their own life. When you do, your story collection will be in the perfect position to make a real impact. 

EPISODE LINKS:

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

PowerHER Platform web site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

In today’s show, I’ll be interviewing Pamela Sylvan, President of Mojomaker Productions in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia.  

As a professional Mojomaker Pamela is passionate about building trust and helping her audience have greater influence, impact and confidence in their business and careers. She’s been a sought-after speaker and mentor for the past 25 years and I’m also lucky enough to say she’s a wonderful friend of mine. I know you’re going to be blown away by the wisdom she shares in today’s podcast.   

In this 30-minute interview, Pamela and I talk about everything from personal branding and the power of community to how to monetize your ideas to the importance of self-talk. I just loved catching up with Pamela in this interview and I hope you’ll enjoy listening in on our conversation.   

Here are my top 10 takeaways from this interview:   

1. Our brand story must have an online presence.   

2. We need to take our personal branding seriously (while also having some fun).   

3. We’re never finished facing our limiting beliefs.   

4. Stay connected with your own thoughts; they’ll help keep you grounded.   

5. Success is an inside job.   

6. Choose the branding tools that feel most like home for you.   

7. Be grateful for the inspiration so it continues to come to you.   

8. Believe you know something worth sharing with the world.   

9. Do it scared – because when you do, you’ll inspire someone else to do the same.   

10. There’s medicine in community.   

EPISODE LINKS: 

Pamela Sylvan, Mojomaker Productions - https://www.pamelasylvan.com/ 

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807 

PowerHER Platform web site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/ 

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

In today's bonus episode of the Power Your Platform Podcast, I do an unboxing (and taste testing) of Lucky Elephant Pink Candy Popcorn, a throwback to my younger years. I even discover a prize inside!   

This episode is a reminder that inside every one of your life experiences, there’s a prize. Sometimes it’s hidden, but it’s that knowledge nugget you take away that makes you say, Here’s what I learned”. AHA! I get it now.  Maybe it was a good lesson. Maybe it was a bad one. But either way, it was a lesson. SURPRISE! 

If you’re lucky, the surprise is a DELICIOUS ONE and it’s something you can well, really chew on. And as you do, the true flavour starts to come out, am I right? Especially when you get to the kernel of truth inside the lesson. Ok ok, enough popcorn puns!  

Here’s the thing though – not everyone looks for the prize inside their story journey. And that’s too bad. Because frankly if we don’t get the prize the first time, we often find ourselves repeatedly opening box after box of popcorn without enjoying the prize inside.  What’s more, when we find the prize inside our story journey and we take it out of the box and we take off the wrapping, we usually examine it and we turn it over in our hands, and if we’re really excited about it, we show it to someone else. Right?  

When I’m speaking with my clients, we often talk about the knowledge and expertise and life lessons they’ve collected throughout their lifetime. And here’s the thing – we all have a different story path that we’ve experienced.  So they have story prizes that they can share me and I have story prizes that I can share with them. 

The thing to remember is that there are SOLUTIONS inside the prizes we’ve collected over time. And those solutions can provide a shortcut to other individuals who are looking to save themselves time, money and energy by learning from what YOU have learned and the prizes you’ve collected.  

Now a true prize inside a story journey is the one that has a personal flavour, but also a kernel of truth with a universal application. We actually talked about this back in Episode #11 of the Power Your Platform Podcast, so if you missed it, be sure to go back and download that podcast episode.  I also wanted to mention here that it’s very typical for a prize to be at the very bottom of your popcorn box. It would be great if it was right on top so you didn’t have to do any work. You would just open the box and see it and say, hey, there’s my prize! And the same thing is true with your story journey. 

It would be AWESOME if the lesson we were about to learn was shared with us at the start of one of our difficult seasons, -- wouldn’t it? Because it think it might make any pain or suffering more bearable if we were well-aware of the prize we were getting out of the experience. But life doesn’t work that way.  The truth is that the prize is usually buried. And again, it might be buried underneath something DELICIOUS or it might not. But you’re the one who’s going to the work to uncover it. We don’t know what the prizes is until we come THROUGH the experience – but that’s what makes it valuable. We’ve earned that prize. It actually wasn’t free after all. Just like my box of Lucky Elephant Pink Candy Popcorn was actually $1.99. So was my prize really free? Not really.  

So my challenge for you today is to dig to the bottom of your pink candy popcorn box. What are the personal lessons you’ve uncovered lately that also have a universal application? Those are the prizes that you can share with others. 

LINKS: 

Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Today’s episode is STACKED with powerful and tactical learning strategies I think you’re gonna love. 

If you’ve ever struggled with how to start building your brand using storytelling, then you’re in the right place! Because today is all about the 6 story bricks you need to begin building a powerful story brand. 

Here are the 6 Story Bricks I want to share with you today:  

1. Your Purpose Story - This is your WHY or your origin story. What is the purpose behind your business? You can share this in a number of places like your web site, your social media, podcast interviews or just about anyplace that people are willing to listen.   

2. Your People Story - Your people story should paint a picture not only of the audience you want to serve, but should reveal portraits of people you have already served. This provides social proof and it continues to build on your people story.

3. Your Promise Story - Your brand promise is the clear value statement you provide to your client or customer that tells them which problem you are going to solve for them and how.

4. Your Platform Story - Your Platform Story tells people where they can find you, what great value they’ll find there, and how they can help you share your platform with others who may be interested.

5. Your Promotion Story - Your Promotion Story is the story you’re constantly telling through your visibility tools (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) that shares who you are and what you're about an encourages others to share your story with their own network.

6. Your Posse Story - Your Posse Story is all about reminding your community what you have in common, how you can serve them and why they are the most important people in the world. And in turn, they will most likely become your greatest brand ambassadors.

Once you stack these story bricks one on top of another, you’re going to have a colourful and vibrant story  brand that stands out and interlocks beautifully with your purpose and does an amazing job of serving your core audience.  

EPISODE LINKS:

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

PowerHER Platform web site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Hey there, Story Sister – you are in for a treat today! This is my first interview on the Power Your Platform podcast and today’s guest is going to win you over, I have no doubt.   

Jill Hewlett is a nationally recognized speaker, author, Brain Fitness Expert and Wellness Authority. She combines user-friendly neuroscience and inspired common sense strategies to draw out the resources and resilience in individuals and organizations across North America. 

Her work supports her clients in achieving greater levels of productivity, wellness and success.  

In this interview, we talk about everything from storytelling and overcoming limiting beliefs to stepping outside our comfort zone and cutting through the information clutter. Jill is such a wonderful human and it was an absolute pleasure to interview her for this show .   

Here is a list of the Top 10 Takeaways from this interview:   

1. Our brains are wired for storytelling.   

2. You can only take the next step.   

3. Be curious and soak up knowledge like a sponge.   

4. Stay open to new opportunities.   

5. Do what you energizes you.   

6. Stimulate your brain by moving your body regularly throughout your workday.   

7. FEAR is just False Evidence Appearing Real.   

8. Step outside your comfort zone.   

9. Brain coupling takes place when we exchange stories with each other.   

10. Stories are a powerful way to cut through the information clutter and connect with our audience.   

EPISODE LINKS: 

Brain Fitness Web site - https://www.jillhewlett.com/ 

PowerHER Platform Web site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/ 

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807 

In today’s episode, we’re going to explore how you can take your experiences, expertise and insights and begin sharing them on a purpose-driven platform that has the potential to make real and lasting change.  

And I’ll let you in on a secret --  your platform probably won’t look like anyone else’s, so you don’t have to worry about comparing yourself to someone else.  

The goal of today’s podcast is to help you narrow down your choices, and get you focused so you can go all in the platform that best suits your personal presentation style and intended audience. If you’ve been feeling torn between all the platforms out there or you feel like you’re just spread too thin, then today’s podcast is for you.  

So when it comes to choosing your purpose-driven platform, there are really 3 storytelling styles to keep in mind: written storytelling, audio storytelling and visual storytelling.  

Written Storytelling - Written storytellers are often voracious readers which is great because that allows them to continually  improve their writing skills. They’re often – though not always -- introverts. They are intensely curious, but tend to avoid the spotlight and typically work well on their own and most often, behind the scenes. If Written Storytelling is your happy place, then you likely feel comfortable communicating in a variety of written formats. If I was to recommend an ideal platform for women who thrive as written storytellers, I’d recommend blogging. And no, blogs are not dead. In fact, they’re still one of the best ways to optimize your web site for Google search results, especially when they’re combined with something like a Pinterest strategy.  

Audio (Oral) Storytelling - If you’re an Audio Storyteller, then you’re likely the type of person who loves to meet up with friends at the local coffee shop and tell them in great detail about your last blind date or the strange late-night habits of your neighbor across the street. You’re also more likely to spend a lot of time on phone calls with the people who matter most to you, including your clients. Audio Storytellers are most often ambiverts which means they can move between introvert and extrovert easily. While they do enjoy presenting to live audiences, they can still find them nerve-wracking at times. If this describes you, then you might already be comfortable on a number of platforms like podcasts, Instagram or Facebook lives and even onstage, at live events. But remember, what we’re looking to do when we build your purpose-driven platform is to choose a platform that’s free, public, allows long-form content and has a long shelf life. So in that case, I’d suggest podcasting for Audio Storytellers.  

Visual Storytelling - This group of communicators adds beauty to every corner of our lives, from the clothes we wear and the houses we live in, to the art we hang in our hallway. As artists and creators, Visual Storytellers capture our attention through what is visible to the eye. Often they’re highly detailed oriented, but they can also be perfectionists when it comes to their own work. Does that sound familiar to anyone? But for the most part: they just want to create! That’s why visual storytellers tend to be prolific content creators. And that content can show up in all types of formats from fashion design and architecture to videography and even mural painting. But remember, I want you to focus on ONE type of purpose-driven platform. And for Visual Storytellers, the platform I most often recommend is YouTube because of the highly visual component.  

EPISODE LINKS:

Web site- https://www.powerherplatform.com/ 

Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807