Today’s episode it’s all about finding and developing your Big Idea for your thought leadership and public speaking.

Ideas are incredibly powerful; they can live on for years, centuries, even millennia. Ideas spark movements for political and social change. Ideas help us as humans understand ourselves, each other, and the world around us

Your idea doesn’t have to be something people have never heard of before; that’s unlikely as most things have been talked about before - and that’s ok!

As a speaker, you want to have something interesting and unique to talk about, you want to make a positive impact on your audience, and you want to develop your thought leadership

Perhaps you’re not sure what makes a good idea or which of your ideas is the best one. It all feels a bit messy and muddy.

That’s what I’m going to help you with in this episode! Think of me as your idea whisperer.

You’ll learn:

• What a Big Idea is

• Why too many speakers get stuck with superficial content

• How to identify your I.D.E.A. using this handy acronym I came up with

• Examples of Big Ideas from myself, from some of our clients, and from thought leaders you’ll recognize

• Specific questions you can ask yourself to get started developing your Big Idea

Get these questions and a lot more in our 24-page FREE guide and workbook on Developing Your Thought Leadership at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/.

This episode originally aired as episode 354 on November 6, 2023.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/354/

Get our free Thought Leadership guide and workbook: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/

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: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 352: 7 Things the Best Speakers Do: My Takeaways from TEDWomen
• Episode 343: Why YOU are the Messenger for Your Idea and Audience
• Episode 339: Using Public Speaking to Influence Social Change with Tanya Golash-Boza, PhD
• Episode 338: Escaping the Expert Trap: From Academic Presenter to Sought-After Speaker with Teri DeLucca
• Episode 319: The 3 Stages We Go Through as Women When We Use Our Voice

In this episode, our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz speaks with Michelle Massman, a longtime entrepreneur and graduate of our Thought Leader Academy, who shares her journey from “stuck” to “unstoppable” through storytelling and public speaking.

You’ll hear Michelle’s candid stories—from launching unexpected ventures like The Culinary Studio to her partnership with a music group—that reveal her resilience and passion for following her intuition.

As Diane and Michelle discuss the power of sharing vulnerable stories, Michelle opens up about the anxiety she’s faced and how she’s turned her experiences into speaking topics that resonate deeply with her audiences. Her frameworks, including From Stuck to Unstoppable and Passion to Profit, provide practical steps for anyone feeling stuck or seeking more clarity and confidence.

Michelle’s story is a reminder that by saying “yes” to opportunities, connecting with the right people, and being willing to share your authentic self, you can create incredible impact and growth for both yourself and others.

Diane and Michelle talk about:

• Finding clarity on the message you want to share and ways to bring your unique story to life

• Connecting with audiences authentically by sharing vulnerable, relatable experiences

• Understanding the power of frameworks and storytelling to guide and engage listeners

• Gaining inspiration to overcome obstacles and embrace your next speaking opportunity

About Our Guest: Michelle Massman has been a visionary entrepreneur for over 30 years and knew, even as a teen, that she wanted to own a business someday. After working at a few (ok several) jobs, she realized she didn’t like being told what to do, and didn’t like managing people. So she started her business and loved it! She has guided, launched, directed and overhauled everything from small start up ventures to multi-million dollar private companies, consulted with hundreds of people in the areas of entrepreneurship, marketing, brand partnerships, event production, and music management, and weathered failures and missteps that have given her experience and knowledge that she uses to help her clients sidestep them. Michelle’s sweet spot, as a problem solver, connector, advocate, and persuasive force, is the ability to jump into any problem and help find the best solution while helping her clients access the knowledge they need to get unstuck in their business.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/419/

Michelle’s website: https://www.michellemassman.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/

• Michelle Massman (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-massman-6629236/

The election clearly did not go the way many of us wanted. I was on the TV news once again on Election Night and the morning after. The outcome wasn't the shock it was in 2016, but it's profoundly disappointing.

Join me and Diane Diaz for this conversation on our thoughts and how we’re moving forward (recorded on Wednesday, November 6 at 11 am EST).

We too are sad and frustrated but we also want to remind you of the power of your voice and your community.

It's easy to jump to the conclusion that America won't elect a woman as president or that voters don't care about women's rights.

Two things to keep in mind.

First, in both Missouri and Arizona (as well as other states - both blue and red - since the Dobbs decision in 2022), amendments passed to counter very restrictive abortion laws. Unfortunately, in Florida where I live, a similar amendment did not pass because Florida requires 60% and the amendment got 57% (a similar percentage as in the other states). A healthy majority of voters, both men and women, agree that women's reproductive rights are essential.

Second, it was a *very* close race. Kamala Harris only had 100 days to do what most presidential candidates have 2 years to do: introduce herself to the American people, talk about the issues she would focus on as president, and contrast herself not only with her opponent but also with the incumbent (Biden) in an era of anti-incumbency sentiment. Harris ran a nearly flawless campaign and I believe she simply ran out of time.

Hang in there. Your voice matters and the work you do matters.

About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. 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/418/

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Join us in London for our B.O.L.D. Brand Intensive Retreat Summer 2025: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/london/

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/

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 406: Authenticity and Owning Your Story as Women with a Public Voice with Jennifer Adams and Sarah Henry

• Episode 191: Women in Politics and the Public Sphere with Rep. Anna K. Eskamani