Confidence, Voice & Presence Episodes

So many women were taught to be nice, helpful, agreeable and easy to work with. Those qualities aren’t bad—but they become a problem when they keep us quiet, overextended or afraid to disappoint anyone. In this Quick Lift, Betsy recaps her conversation with Michelle Minnikin about “Good Girl” conditioning, why people may resist when we begin to change, and how to set boundaries without believing we’ve become cold, difficult or selfish.

Were you taught to be nice, helpful, agreeable and easy to work with—only to end up overworked, undervalued and quietly resentful? In this episode, Betsy talks with psychologist, coach and Good Girl Deprogramming author Michelle Minnikin about the conditioning that teaches women to put everyone else first. They unpack how it follows us into the workplace, why traditional career advice often fails women and how being the “good girl” can eventually hold us back. Michelle also explains why resentment is one of the clearest signs that a boundary has been crossed, how to begin changing these patterns through small experiments and what it really means to enter your villain era—without becoming someone you’re not. You’ll learn: How good-girl conditioning shows up at work Why being capable and agreeable can lead to more work, but not more opportunity How to recognize when your boundaries are being crossed Why resentment is an important signal instead of something to ignore How…

Silencing yourself does not always mean staying quiet. Sometimes it means agreeing when you have a different opinion, putting everyone else’s needs ahead of your own or becoming so focused on keeping everything running that you lose touch with what you think and want. In this Quick Lift, Betsy shares the key takeaways from her conversation with Elaine Lin Hering and practical ways to begin rebuilding your voice. You’ll learn: • The subtle ways women silence themselves • Two questions th...

What if you are not struggling to speak up because you lack confidence—but because you have spent years learning to stay silent? Elaine Lin Hering, author of Unlearning Silence, joins Betsy to explore how women withhold their opinions, needs, goals and emotions to make life easier for everyone around them. That silence may earn you a reputation as agreeable, helpful and easy to work with, but it can also leave you feeling overlooked, exhausted and disconnected from who you are. Elaine shares why women often lose touch with what they think and need, how narrow expectations around leadership and executive presence silence talented people, and why your perspective becomes one of your greatest professional assets as you advance. You’ll learn: How learned silence shows up beyond simply staying quiet Why women are often rewarded for being agreeable and easy to work with How narrow definitions of leadership and executive presence silence talented people Why your perspective be…

Sometimes we’re not stuck on the decision. We’re avoiding the conversation that comes after it. In this Quick Lift, Betsy breaks down one of the biggest takeaways from her conversation with Kasey D’Amato: the hard conversation sitting underneath the big decision. You’ll learn how to name the real issue, use Kasey’s head-heart-gut framework to get clear, recognize when busyness is actually avoidance, and prepare to have the conversation without over-explaining, over-apologizing, or trying to ma...

Most of us don't actually have a decision problem — we have an avoidance problem. There's one conversation, with one person, that we keep dodging, and it's the reason we're spinning our wheels. This week, Betsy sits down with Kasey D'Amato — a physician assistant turned founder who built and exited a company that went global, and now advises CEOs and executive teams on the big calls: pivots, partnerships, hiring, firing, exits. What you'll take away: The head, heart, gut test for makin...

Rachel Druckenmiller was out for a run when she was hit by a truck. The crash fractured her spine — and it fractured something harder to see: her trust in her own body. This Quick Lift pulls the biggest lessons from that conversation. It's not a fitness episode, and it's definitely not about working out to look a certain way. It's about what happens when movement becomes the way you come back to yourself. After the accident, Rachel felt weak, scared, and disconnected. What rebuilt her wasn't a...

Rachel Druckenmiller is known for helping people get unmuted — to stop holding back, use their voice, and show up more fully in their lives and work. But this conversation takes a different path. Six years ago, Rachel was hit by a truck while out for a run and suffered a spinal fracture. In the months and years that followed, she had to rebuild her relationship with her body, her confidence, and her sense of trust in herself. She was presenting about hope and resilience while wearing a back brace, managing pain, navigating isolation during the pandemic, and privately wondering if she would ever feel strong again. What changed wasn’t a quick mindset shift. It was movement. Showing up consistently. Borrowing belief from people who could see her strength before she could fully feel it herself. Rachel shares how lifting helped her repair the mind-body connection, rebuild confidence, and move from feeling powerless to feeling strong, capable, and fully alive again. This is n…

Confidence rarely shows up first. It gets built in the smaller moments—through reps, discomfort, and the decision to move before we feel fully ready. In this Quick Lift, we unpack the biggest takeaways from our conversation with Jeannie Zappe, from building confidence in small steps to learning how to challenge the story we tell ourselves. Her story is bigger than swimming or reinvention. It is about how women build courage in real life. If we’ve been hesitating, overthinking, or talking ourselves out of something bigger, this one is the reminder to take the next step.

What happens when a woman decides it is not too late to do something bold? In this episode, we sit down with Jeannie Zappe — coach, speaker, lifelong swimmer, and open water athlete — to talk about confidence, courage, optimism, and what it really looks like to reinvent yourself in midlife. From leaving a stable 20-year IT career to swimming the English Channel, Jeannie shares how small acts of bravery build real confidence over time. This conversation is such a good reminder that confidence is not something you magically have. It is something you build by saying yes, stretching yourself, and choosing a better story than fear. In this episode, we cover: ▪ why confidence is built through action, not waiting until you feel ready ▪ how to start small when you want to take a bigger risk ▪ the power of optimism and the stories we tell ourselves ▪ why women need to stop leading with “what if I can’t” ▪ what it looks like to reinvent your life and career at any age ▪ how suppo…

High-performing women are wired to fix things fast. But when something isn’t working, we often default to: “It’s me. I need to try harder.” In this Quick Lift, we are breaking down three takeaways from the conversation with Kehla G that will help you step back, quiet the noise, and make decisions that feel clear—not chaotic. Quick Lift Takeaways: ■ Orientation: Step back and look at the whole ecosystem before you “fix” anything ■ Coherence: The answer is often subtraction—simplify the sequence and reconnect the system ■ Intuition + Precision: Intuition needs space; precision keeps it clean (“do less, say less”)

Kehla G joins us for a real-talk conversation on what it looks like to lead (and build) when the pressure is real—without spiraling into more hustle, more noise, and more “I must not be enough.” We talk about orientation (where you’re standing when you try to solve a problem), why the solution is often taking things away, and how to reconnect with your intuition by clearing the mental and digital clutter. Kehla also breaks down Human Design + Gene Keys in a way that actually makes sense for corporate women who already know tools like DISC and StrengthsFinder—and want a deeper, steadier kind of self-trust.

You can be the best in the world at something… and still battle self-doubt, comparison, and “do I belong here?” thoughts. In this under-10-minute Quick Lift, We are breaking down the most actionable lessons from Olympic gold medalist Charlotte Worthington—so you can use them in your next big meeting, pitch, or hard conversation.

Ever notice how the higher you achieve, the louder the expectations get? Olympic gold medalist Charlotte Worthington gets it—because she’s lived it in the most high-stakes arena possible. In this episode, Charlotte shares how she built mental toughness in a sport that’s equal parts fearless and strategic, why confidence is a practice (not a personality trait), and the simple mindset shift that changed everything for her: swap comparison for admiration.

Replay tough conversations on a loop in your head? In this under-10-minute Quick Lift, Betsy Hamm recaps communication expert Sarita Maybin’s simple scripts for saying the hard thing without being the office villain. You’ll learn how to use Sarita’s AIR framework (Awareness, Impact, Request), swap blamey “you” statements for confident “I/we” language, and upgrade one everyday line like “I noticed…” / “I’m wondering…” so you sound clear, not cruel. Perfect for women in leadership who want more confidence, stronger executive presence, and fewer 3 a.m. “I wish I’d said that differently” replays.

Communication expert Sarita Maybin shows women in leadership how to deliver tough truths with tact—without damaging trust. We unpack her simple AIR framework (Awareness, Impact, Request), share credibility-saving phrasing, and quick rules for high-tech communication. ). If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t want to sound harsh,” or “I’m tired of being walked on,” this one’s for you. This episode is packed with tips growing your leadership confidence, navigating conflict, or building executive presence, this episode is your new playbook. You’ll learn: AIR: a 3-step script for hard conversations “We/ I” language swaps that sound firm—never harsh The top 10 positive communication phrases (with starters like “Would you be open to…?”) Listening under pressure: “How do you mean?” and other curiosity prompts Email kindness checks (please/thank you), when to move tough topics off email, and how to follow up in writing

In under 10 minutes, we turn Melanie Lippman’s image strategy into action you can use before your next meeting. You’ll learn how to build a brand-first wardrobe (not trend-first), use color to create connection, pass the Zoom 10-second check, codify your Style Code to kill decision fatigue, and show up as the most authentic, magnetic version of you—IRL and on camera. This is executive presence from closet to conference room: simple systems, repeatable confidence, and an outfit that reads “leader” before you say a word.

On this podcast episode, Image Strategist Melanie Lippman helps women in leadership build executive presence and a memorable personal brand—without dressing like everyone else. She introduces her Style Code framework, shows why color creates connection (and all-black can build walls), and explains how to swap “corporate armor” for credibility, warmth, and authenticity—on camera and in real life. This episode is perfect for leaders who want practical, repeatable outfit formulas that align with their brand. If you are a woman that cares about personal branding, executive presence, and practical career growth, this one’s your new uniform. You’ll Learn How to define your brand words and make every outfit a brand-first decision The Style Code framework (your quick path to repeatable outfit formulas) Why color builds connection—and when all-black sends the wrong signal Fast Zoom rules: frame, neckline, texture, and light that flatter on camera How to swap corporate armor for credi…

This Quick Lift episode recaps the game-changing takeaways from our conversation with Jill Avey. In less than 10 minutes, we break down: Why confidence is a skill, not a personality trait How to shut down limiting beliefs with a simple phrase: “That’s not like me.” The truth about executive presence and how to start cultivating it Why being busy isn’t the same as being impactful—and how to reclaim your time A simple daily habit that builds long-term confidence and keeps imposter ...

In this episode of Loud & Lifted, host Betsy Hamm sits down with Jill Avey—leadership coach and founder of SisterSmart—to get real about the inner work required to rise in leadership. Jill specializes in helping high-potential women reach Director and VP-level roles, and her insights are both practical and transformative. Together, they unpack: The invisible impact of limiting beliefs and internal saboteurs Why executive presence is often the missing link between where you are and wher...

In this Quick Lift episode, we’re teeing up takeaways from our conversation with Jamie Mowery—marketing pro, entrepreneur, and co-founder of She Said Golf. In under 10 minutes, we unpack how confidence is built one swing at a time (literally and figuratively), why perfection is overrated, and how the real game-changer is finding a community that cheers you on. Jamie reminds us that we don’t have to wait to be great to show up—just get in the room, grab the mic (or the golf club), and have som...

This episode is all about showing up, lifting up, and stepping into spaces that weren’t always built for women. Betsy sits down with Jamie Mowery, co-founder of She Said Golf—a fast-growing community that's changing the game for women, both on and off the course. What started as a way to get more women into golf has become a movement centered around confidence, connection, and real support. Jamie shares how she’s building a culture where women cheer each other on, and try new things, awkwa...