This is an incredibly powerful conversation about owning and telling our story and what it looks like to develop into a thought leader. My guest is Besty Jordyn, who is truly a brand whisperer. She has a magical ability to understand who her clients are at a deep level and help them position their business and marketing. Betsy went through our Thought Leader Academy earlier this year and on our final graduation call, Betsy shared her journey through the program. This part of her speech stopped me in my tracks: “What I thought was *in my way* to my thought leadership was *the way* to my thought leadership. What I felt crippled me actually qualifies me for the message that I want to deliver to others,” Betsy said. Betsy and I have had many conversations since then about what it means to be a thought leader, so I asked Betsy to come on the podcast to talk more about her own experiences and the insightful model she’s developed. As you listen to this episode, think for yourself if there’s something you have within yourself that could be the way to your thought leadership message, especially if it feels like right now it is what’s holding you back. Betsy and I talk about: What it means to find the right business for you What Betsy realized about her thought leadership message The surprising question Betsy asks her clients to discover what their natural passion is Normalizing our experiences and flaws and releasing shame around our story The feminist power of owning and telling our story The differences between the hero’s journey and the heroine’s journey Betsy’s 4 stages of adulthood maturity, including going through the dark night of the soul to let go of the false ego to reach stage 4 to be of authentic service to the world Examples of people who have reached stage 4, including Oprah, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Monica Lewinsky Thought leadership is about your lived experience, not just about what you know intellectually The role of loss, grief, and suffering in developing into an authentic thought leader (I share my own realization around this) Recognizing the narratives we tell ourselves and when they no longer serve us About My Guest: Betsy Jordyn is a business positioning strategist, keynote speaker, podcaster and prolific content creator. Her business development firm builds strong and powerful brands for remarkable consultants and coaches and their unique strengths. Simply put, her team designs credible online stores that position consultants and coaches as thought leaders and sought-after experts. She personally helps her clients find the words to describe the value of what they do and use them on their website and in their marketing. You can learn more about her mentoring and marketing agency services at https://www.betsyjordyn.com. 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/238 Betsy’s website = https://www.betsyjordyn.com Betsy’s podcast “Enough Already” = https://www.betsyjordyn.com/podcasts/enough-already Download our FREE workbook on how to position yourself as a thought leader: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/. Get on the interest list for our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/. Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact. Connect on LinkedIn: Carol on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Carol on Instagram= https://www.instagram.com/carolmorgancox Betsy on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsy-jordyn/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 232: Are You an Influencer, an Expert, or a Thought Leader? with Carol Cox Episode 233: 3 Types of Thought Leadership Models with Carol Cox 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/.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.