Unleashing Your Voice: The Power of Being Disruptive
I’ve been thinking about my fraternal grandmother a lot lately. I wrote about her pistol packing, quick witted ways in The BOSS™ Shift. She was my first model of living life on your own terms. She was the daughter of sharecroppers, born in 1914 and raised in the South, turned real estate mogul in the North. My grandmother was a beautiful mix of grit, perseverance, strength, infectious humor, intelligence and deep love. And you best believe she knew how to use her voice to disrupt the status quo and get what she wanted - a resonate beacon that calls out to my soul as inspiration even decades after her passing.
She was the disruptive voice I needed before I even realized it.
As I reflect on my grandmother’s lasting impression on my life, I’m reminded that I come from a bloodline of disruptors. My father for instance was the first black quarterback of the high school in my hometown in Ohio. He used his voice as a student athlete to stand up to the racially laced antics of the 1960’s. My mother was proud, out loud before it was protected or celebrated to do so. She used her voice and lived her life in a way that held space for sexual freedom and expression. My parents stood together as a disruptive front as they exchanged vows in 1978, just 11 years after the Loving vs. Virginia Supreme Court case that ended race-based legal restrictions on marriage in the United States. Let that sink in - I am personally just over a decade removed from my own birth being considered illegal.
Then there’s my sit-in demonstrating, walk-out organizing, neighborhood canvassing, protest marching self - never allow my soft smile or the calm cadence of my voice fool you, my passion for rights, justice and freedom is as real as the day is long. From the time I was a little girl, my Daddy used to call me militant and would say that I never went looking for fights, but that I never backed down from one either. His recognition, celebration and support of the disruptive force within me is probably one of my favorite aspects of our relationship to this day. In the marketplace, that force within me has been amplified as a disruptor of the hustle and believer of doing the work you love without sacrificing yourself to do it. I literally wrote the book on it.
And in case you were wondering, the reach of my family’s generational disruptive passion hasn’t run out yet. In fact, it’s been passed down to my son, whose name literally means ‘the fiery one.’ As I write this I’m reminded of an instance during second grade when he came home upset about something he’d observed at school. He shared that the other second grade classes were permitted to engage in a weekly show and tell ritual and it really stirred him up that his class didn’t get to participate. If there is one thing my son values, equity is it. So after we talked through the emotions he was dealing with, he laid out his plan to address the imbalance of the situation. The next day at school he initiated a petition to address the policy that he felt was unfair to him and his classmates. He had discussions with his peers, had them sign the petition and presented it to his teacher. In the end, his teacher decided to keep her approach to show and tell for her classroom unchanged, but nonetheless my baby boy is a community organizer y’all! His great grandmother, affectionately known as Mama Lou would be so proud. I’m most definitely a proud Mama, because my son knows how to leverage his voice to inspire the changes he wants to see, even at the young age of seven.
Are you ready to leverage your voice?
In today's ever-evolving business landscape, rising above the noise as a disruptive voice that challenges the norms can be a path to success. A single voice can bring a new perspective and shake up an industry. The strategic amplification of your disruptive voice in the marketplace could be a game-changer for your business. Here's why hosting a podcast might be the transformational beacon your disruptive voice has been looking for.
Diversity & Inclusion
For starters, your voice is unique and if you have something important to say, it should be heard. Amplifying an array of voices promotes diversity and inclusion within the marketplace. When a podcast host embraces different viewpoints and ideas as a core value, the show itself holds space to create a culture of respect and inclusivity.
Podcasting provides a platform for individuals who may not have had the opportunity to share their ideas and perspectives via other outlets. This can be particularly valuable for marginalized or underrepresented communities, whose voices may not regularly be heard in mainstream media. This point reminds me of a piece I wrote, Holding Space for Black Voices at the onset of the COVID pandemic.
I remember having a conversation with a fellow black female entrepreneur after she attended her very first BOSS™ Talk LIVE . She remarked that although BOSS™ Talk doesn’t exclusively market to the black entrepreneurial community, she still felt like she belonged there.
When I heard her words, I knew exactly what she meant.
As a speaker and business owner, I regularly participate in spaces that don’t feel very welcoming to my #blackgirlmagic.
With my show, I wanted to build an inclusive, welcoming and supportive community. I know what it’s like to be in a space, all eyes, all attention, all focus on me and to feel completely isolated simply because of the way I look. I don’t want anybody else to feel that way, especially not women that look like me.
Because let’s not forget - I AM a black woman entrepreneur.
And while an array of entrepreneurs have been featured guests on my show, as the founder and current host of BOSS™ Talk, it gives me extreme amounts of joy to highlight the entrepreneurial journeys of other black women - because far too often our genius and voices go unnoticed and unheard.
Black women will always have a seat at any table that I build - because I know what it’s like to not have an invitation to sit at one.
It’s baked into the values of BOSS™ Talk to hold space and learn from each story shared, the good, the bad and the real - and sometimes the real includes topics that are uncomfortable to talk about like burnout, business failures and the need to stop shoulding on ourselves. But it’s the uncomfortable conversations that bring about lasting shifts, so like my Daddy said, I’ll never back down from having them.
Reach & Credibility
In recent years, podcasting has become a popular medium that comes with the appeal of being able to reach a wide and diverse audience. Take my podcast for example, even though I reside and record the episodes in Arizona, my show is listened to in 25 unique countries.
Podcasts are available on a variety of platforms and can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection. When listeners find a podcast that aligns with their interests and values, they are more likely to become loyal followers that will listen to your show on a regular basis. This can lead to the formation of a community of individuals who are passionate about the same topics and ideas that your business is passionate about - creating opportunities for collaboration and beyond.
This also means that your target market all around the world can tune in and engage with your content, attracting new leads to your brand that you can nurture to generate increased revenue.
In a world dominated with antiquated mindsets and traditions, as a podcast host you have a unique opportunity to curate the way you and your brand is received in the marketplace. Amplifying your voice can be a powerful tool in building your stand out reputation. By broadcasting your innovative and forward-thinking point of view, you can position yourself as a leader in your industry and attract like-minded customers.
Thought Leadership
Amplifying a disruptive voice often sheds light on new ideas and perspectives that challenge the way others think. By hosting a podcast, you can share fresh insights with your industry and engage with your audience around your unique perspective - strengthening your know, like and trust factors in the marketplace.
And building this trust equity with your audience can lead to new innovations, products, and services that will continue to set your business apart from the competition.
The business of podcasting can also help to establish you as a thought leader in your respective field. An average of 47% of podcast listeners do so in order to learn something - your voice can inspire and motivate listeners to take action. By creating a platform and sharing your ideas and perspectives, you and your featured guests can inspire listeners to make a difference in their own lives and in the world around them.
Think about how many roadblocks your audience might be facing right now, feeling boxed in and looking for an ah-ha moment. Your podcast can deliver those unique and thought provoking ideas to the marketplace as a catalyst for positive change and personal growth.
Your voice can change the world.
Give yourself permission to unleash it.
Hosting a podcast can have numerous benefits for your business from sharing new ideas and perspectives to increased diversity and inclusion. Unleashing your voice can be a powerful tool in creating a positive reputation, gaining a competitive advantage, and increasing loyalty and support around your brand. By embracing disruption, entrepreneurial podcast hosts can position themselves as leaders in their industry and stay ahead of the curve.
If you're wondering where to start with your podcast - download the free Amplify Launch Blueprint that will guide you through the 7 critical questions to ask yourself before you get started.