Many accomplished professional women come to a point in their lives where they struggle to balance their personal and professional responsibilities. Whether it’s their high-pressure career, raising children, caring for aging parents, or all of the above, it can often feel like you lose control over your lives and yourself in the process. On this week’s podcast guest, Sharon Ehrlich, a former hospital administrator, English teacher, and professional at IBM and now an executive coach, and our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz chat about the challenges Sharon faced when she felt she was losing control of her life while juggling her role as a mother, caring for a disabled parent, and managing her demanding professional life and how she came to realize the importance of setting boundaries and prioritizing her needs. Sharon, a graduate of our Thought Leader Academy, shares how the program helped her gain clarity and direction for her message. She talks about her transformative experience during her VIP Day, where she worked intensively on her signature talk. The result was a powerful framework for her talk - OWN (Observe, Weigh, Negotiate) - which she used to regain control of her life and now shares to help other women do the same. In this episode, Sharon and Diane talk about: Sharon's journey from hospital administration to IBM leader to executive coach, and her life-changing move to Austria Her struggle with balancing her personal life and professional commitments and how very long (6-hour!) hikes helped her find clarity and a way forward How empowering others, both personally and professionally, can lead to growth and free up our own time The creation and application of her O.W.N. framework (Observe, Weigh, Negotiate) during her VIP Day How the Speaking Your Brand Signature Talk Framework that she learned in the Thought Leader Academy helped her to create an entirely new talk, boosted her confidence, and enabled her to deliver a powerful talk that got rave reviews . . . and leads! Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/353/ Sharon’s website: https://livingwhileleading.com/ Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz/ Sharon Ehrlich (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonehrlich1/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 341: Unearthing Your Unique Message: Discovering What Makes You Stand Out with Judy Carlson 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.