Jess Ekstrom – 00:00:02:

Welcome to Amplify with Jess Ekstrom, a show designed to help women get out of their head and into their zone of influence. Happy Monday, everyone. Here’s some food for thought to start your week. I find it really important that, you know, whenever you have reached any level of success, you have to be transparent about like those earlier days. And I was definitely not the Forbes top rated speaker that you might see today. I did not have the confidence. I didn’t have the belief in myself. And it was something that was really like, there wasn’t really a light bulb, but I do remember a moment that really changed how I think about myself and how I approach myself when I go on stage. So it was one of my first kind of bigger gig opportunities. I started my speaking career speaking exclusively to colleges and college students. And then I got asked to speak at this chamber event in Florida for all of these local businesses. And it was like one of the fancier times when the limousine picked up the speakers from the hotel. And I was like, oh my gosh, this is better than high school prom. I get to ride in a limo to a speaking opportunity. And of course, I had started my company, Headbands of Hope. And so when I speak on stage, I always wear a headband. And I was wearing like one of our kind of glittery, glitzier headbands because I like the way it sparkles under the lights on stage. And I get in the limo and one of the other speakers got in and he was like, oh, I didn’t know we were supposed to wear our tiaras to this conference. And I just remember, and I was the youngest. I think I was maybe one of two women, and there was 10 speakers. And I already felt like I shouldn’t be here. And his comment just completely deflated me. And I just remember being in, sitting in that limo, like watching the trees go by, going to this event and being like. What am I doing? I can’t do this. Just second guessing myself, second guessing why I was here. And then I just remember getting to the opportunity and realizing the door is open. I have to walk through it. And I cannot let any person thing, comments, words get in the way of this opportunity. And so much of what I was talking about on stage and building Headbands of Hope was just trusting your guts, trusting your instincts, and that belief in yourself. And so, I felt like I had to realize that, of course, not everyone’s going to be in your corner. Not everyone’s going to be rolling out the red carpet as you come on stage. Sometimes that can be your peers. Sometimes that can be trying to win over every audience member. You’re not going to do it. But that shouldn’t waver the belief in yourself. And so I remember from that moment on getting on stage. And it ended up being a really great gig that I still get spinoff opportunities to this day. Just having more of a less people-pleasing mentality when it came to my confidence. Realizing that not everyone is going to be like, yeah, like Jess, you’re amazing or Natalie, the best person ever. And that’s okay. When you put yourself on display, when you’re in an industry like this, not everyone is going to be like lining up at your book signing, but that doesn’t mean that there’s not millions of people who will. Thanks for listening to Amplify. If you are a fan of the show, show us some podcast love by giving us a rating and review. And give us a follow @MicDropWorkshop and @JessEkstrom. Coming up on Amplify.

Natalie Franke – 00:03:48:

Being gutsy is going to look different season to season. Being courageous for you might be different than the way your friend is going to need to be courageous. And it isn’t a competition. Comparison in the context of courage is only a distraction. It really requires you to look within and say, what do I need to be brave in this moment? When I was going in for surgery, it was simply going in for surgery, having the courage to have faith that I was going to come out on the other side and be able to recover. And regardless of what I would face, that I would keep pushing forward.

Jess – 00:04:17:

This episode was edited and produced by Earfluence. And I’m Jess Ekstrom, your host. Remember that you deserve the biggest stage. So let’s find out how to get you there. I’ll see you again soon.