Honestly, I’m not sure I originally believed we’d get this far.
In the beginning of 2020 I decided I wanted to launch a podcast, despite the fact that I knew nothing about producing one.
Ironically, sometimes it’s best NOT to know too much about something before committing to do it… for example, I’m glad I did NOT know that more than half of all new podcasts don’t make it past the seventh episode, and less than 20% of podcasts last a full year!
My inspiration was the simple fact that nearly every day, I had the privilege of hearing the behind-the-scenes reality of leadership, communication and influence from top executives in business and not-for-profit organizations, whether they were clients, fellow conference speakers, or students in executive MBA classes where I got to lecture, among other connections.
With each exchange I had, there were major “a-ha” take-aways, often along with amazing stories of overcoming challenges, heartfelt moments of vulnerability, and a good dose of humor in the mix.
How could I keep all these pearls of wisdom to myself? The answer was: I couldn’t.
With the right vision, team and guests, (and a lot of research, trial and error getting my studio set up… much of which became the fodder for my Virtual Influence online course,) we launched the pilot episode of the Speaking to Influence podcast that June, and I’m so excited to announce that today the Speaking to Influence Podcast is celebrating its 100th episode!
To celebrate this milestone, I invited not one but THREE other guests (the more the merrier for a party, right?), two who have been on the show in past episodes and one who you will be meeting for the first time here today.
And what a combo they made! Check this out:
Leading off was Michael Houlihan, co-founder of Barefoot Wines which revolutionized the wine industry; New York Times bestselling author of The Barefoot Spirit (a fabulous case study AND overall incredible story), and co-founder of the new Business Audio Theater. Michael also believed in the vision of Speaking to Influence right from the start, so much so that he was my guest way back in episode #3!
Next is Janet Salazar, President and executive chairman of the Foundation for the Support of the United Nations, an NGO promoting diplomacy in international and intercultural dialogue for peace and security, development, and human rights; and CEO and founder of Impact Leadership 21, a not-for-profit organization promoting women’s global leadership around the world. You first met Janet back in episode 39, and she has been a passionate and dedicated STI partner ever since!
And joining the STI ranks this week is Diana Yousef, Founder and CEO of Change:WATER Labs, whose technology is bringing dignity, safety and hope through sustainable waterless (yes, you read that correctly: water-LESS) sanitation to communities around the world.
These three global leaders may come from vastly different industries and sectors, but they all shared a passion for the importance of communication and leadership. Join the conversation as we discuss:
- How to help your audience understand the value of the problem
- The role of gender, politics, and leadership in legacy building
- How to make conversations between leaders more meaningful and intimate
- Why future generations will be voting with their time, not their money
- The impact of mentorship on communication and growth
and more!
One thing we all agreed on was that there are always challenges to make our voices heard when trying to change the status quo and make people understand the importance of what we do.
Listen to the full conversation here and watch it on YouTube here.
And speaking of making our voices heard, I want to make one more humble request for your votes. Please help us to get STI in Podcast Magazine’s Top Moms in Podcasting so we can help even more people find their leadership voice, and increase their confidence, presence and influence!
Cast your vote here. You can vote for me once a day (every day) until Sunday, April 10. See below for instructions.
As always, thank you for your support, and especially today for helping us reach this incredible 100th episode milestone!
