Have you ever felt like you have a bunch of ideas and you’re not sure how they’re connected and how to get them into one message? You are not alone! Most of us struggle with this because we’re too close to our own ideas, expertise, and stories. Our guest, Cindy Rowe, owns a marketing agency that works with small businesses. Cindy also has a passion for speaking and for spreading her message around kindness. Cindy joined our Thought Leader Academy in March and worked with our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz in a VIP Day to create her signature talk. In this episode, Diane and Cindy talk about: What led Cindy to her thought leadership message and how it connects to her story The process that Diane and Cindy went through to incorporate Cindy’s story into her keynote The types of speaking engagements Cindy most enjoys doing Why Cindy joined our Thought Leader Academy and what her experience has been About My Guest: Cindy Rowe is an Entrepreneur, Mom and Kindness Spreader. Enduring a series of challenges, she was determined to rise. Her transformation happened when she focused on practicing kindness. Not only did her personal life change, but her business grew with this pivotal shift towards kindness. Her passion is to inspire and empower others to discover how kindness can be the gamechanger; the key to success in life and in business. Cindy is the perfect example of how the power of kindness can pull you through dark and difficult situations including divorce, a brain injury and childhood traumas. She resides in Northern Illinois with new found love and soon-to-be husband, her children and blended family as well as two crazy, but sweet pups. She continues to build her marketing company that serves entrepreneurs and small business owners. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. This episode is hosted by Diane Diaz, our lead speaking coach. 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, voices, 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/284/ Cindy’s website: http://thecindyrowe.com/ Apply for our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ Connect on social: Diane on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz Diane on Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/dianediaz Cindy Rowe (guest) on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindyrowe1/ Cindy Rowe (guest) on Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/cindyarowe/ Cindy’s favorite book = “Chasing the Bright Side” by Jess Ekstrom: https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Bright-Side-Optimism-Activate/dp/0785229329/ Cindy’s favorite TED talk = Brene Brown on vulnerability: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability?language=en Cindy’s favorite quote = “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 259: Connecting Your Business and Your Thought Leadership with Carol Cox Episode 280: Making the Shift from Expert Presenter to Storyteller in Your Keynotes with Katie Anderson 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.