Latest / Black Girls Consult TOO! / Episode 81: Embracing Vulnerability to Increase Visibility of Your Consulting Business

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Episode 81: Embracing Vulnerability to Increase Visibility of Your Consulting Business · Black Girls Consult TOO!

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: When you're thinking about visibility showing up online, going to speak, writing a book, whatever it may be to get your name out there, to be seen in your industry and your space it requires you to be vulnerable And, let's be honest, that's often what many of us fear most, because vulnerability means that you're going to be seen.
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: It means that people are going to know more about you and they may see something that they don't like, and unfortunately, that causes a lot of anxiety in most cases.
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: But in order for us to be more visible, to get our businesses out there, to create more brand awareness and to eventually land more clients and make more sales all of those things we have to get comfortable with being vulnerable.
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: So in this episode we're going to talk about how we can do this, that There's a misconception that we don't exist, that somehow our ability to excel at the highest level of our industry is limited, that overcoming barriers as a woman of color would be insurmountable.
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: But what would happen if we decided to venture out on our own, despite everything we're up against?
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: I'll tell you Welcome to the Black Girls Consult 2 podcast.
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: I'm your host, dr Angelina Davis, a healthcare consultant, consulting coach, high performance fanatic wife and proud girl mom.
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: I help transform female professionals into thriving solo consultants And, just like you, i'm wearing all the hats and doing all the things.
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: So this podcast is to empower the busy female professionals to move past fear to start and grow a successful consulting business, despite the obstacles you may encounter.
• 1:51
  Speaker 1: We'll dive deep into consulting practice, business strategy mindset and more.
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: So grab your cup of coffee or tea, if that's your thing, and let's get started.
• 2:11
  Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to the Black Girls Consult 2 podcast.
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: I'm your host, dr Angelina Davis, and today we are going to talk about vulnerability because, let's be honest, many of us my clue to myself vulnerability just doesn't feel good.
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: Right, it doesn't feel good to let people in, especially people you don't know or people you feel may judge you.
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: It can be very hard And by avoiding being vulnerable, we end up holding ourselves back, and that's one of the things that I found to be one of my biggest challenges when I first started out.
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: I didn't know how to show up and be vulnerable and still be able to maintain this sense of professionalism that I feel like I had to have.
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: I mean, picture this if you're in a room full of industry professionals, the people that you work with your colleagues, people that you know in your space, and everybody's all poised and confident and all put together You don't want to be the one in the midst of all of it who's standing out, especially not standing out for a situation or circumstance that you feel doesn't paint you in the best like.
• 3:23
  Speaker 1: Those are the instances and the times where we become very vulnerable and it is scary to think about how people may think of us or may judge us.
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: And although we're being genuine and we're not being afraid to show our true selves, the thing is is that it's still scary, it's still uncomfortable.
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: But I want to just stress that the power of vulnerability is real.
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: It is real And the thing is, the more that we're able and willing to be open and honest and authentic, even though it feels uncomfortable and even though it feels risky, the more it's going to pay off.
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: I mean, unfortunately, vulnerability has often been seen as a weakness in many settings, especially when it comes to professional settings.
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: So we've climbed these corporate ladders by being poised and professional in doing the things that we needed to do in order to show up in our strength.
• 4:26
  Speaker 1: The thought of somehow dismantling that and being seen as weak or not, as polished or not as poised or not as put together.
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: However you want to phrase it, the thought of being vulnerable in that space seems as if it goes against everything we've been taught.
• 4:47
  Speaker 1: It's almost like we're moving backwards instead of moving forwards, and it feels as if we are creating a weakness for ourselves, that somehow we're shooting ourselves in the foot by doing so.
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: But vulnerability actually is something that people resonate with On every level, whether it's in the corporate space or entrepreneurial space.
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: People resonate with the fact that you're being real and honest and sincere.
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: People connect with the fact that you're able to share your story, and share when things may have not have gone right or when they've gone wrong, or celebrate with you when it's been so exciting to make a positive change.
• 5:32
  Speaker 1: They want to feel like they know you and, all in all, vulnerability will build a deeper level of trust and empathy that it can do nothing but help us in the end.
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: So the question is why do we feel like vulnerability is a bad thing?
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: Why are we so hesitant to really let our guard down and be more vulnerable in our professional and business lives?
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: Well, let's explore that.
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: Let's explore this whole concept of being vulnerable, because I think, if we break this down a bit, it's going to help us to show up more consistently, to be more visible in whatever capacity that you're trying to be visible in your business so that you can market and promote your services more effectively.
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: It's going to help you do that because you will be able to embrace vulnerability.
• 6:32
  Speaker 1: So we're going to do this work together.
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: We're going to explore this whole concept of vulnerability And I think one of the first places that we need to start is with society as a whole, because, in all honesty, society has conditioned us to believe that vulnerability is a liability, meaning that if we show our weaknesses, if we expose our weaknesses to others, that people will see, that will target it, take advantage of it and pretty much expose every negative thing possible about us, about our business, about anything and everything in our lives, and that attack will cause us harm.
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: So it's natural for us to feel like, in order to protect ourselves and shield ourselves from something like that happening, that we would not be vulnerable, that we would not expose ourselves, that we would not let people see who we really are.
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: That's an easy way to have a shell of protection around us And oftentimes, especially for professional women, especially for women of color.
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: We go into our corporate experiences with the mindset that we can't let anybody see us be vulnerable.
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: I remember having my grandmother and other women and my family and in my community pretty much tell me that I was to never let anyone see me cry.
• 8:09
  Speaker 1: I'm sure a lot of you have heard that.
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: You probably feel that way.
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: You probably may even be teaching your children those same principles and concepts.
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: I even found myself telling my daughters that from time to time, realizing that the reason why we feel that these comments and these protective factors exist is because if we show that we are vulnerable or we are exposing our ability to be hurt or to show weakness, that that will give us an inherent disadvantage That there's so much that we already have to fight against.
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: Being open to showing how that has hurt you, how that may have traumatized you or may have caused you discomfort, is something that we have been taught not to do for so long.
• 9:06
  Speaker 1: Many of us are entire lives.
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: So now you're taking someone who has been taught not to be vulnerable, to appear strong and to appear as if nothing can break that shell.
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: You're now trying to force this person to show up in a different way, where they are to openly express their feelings and thoughts to people complete strangers on the internet.
• 9:35
  Speaker 1: Of course that's not going to feel good.
• 9:38
  Speaker 1: Of course that's going to feel uncomfortable.
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: So there's no surprise that we have trouble doing those things.
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: It's not surprising that most people don't feel comfortable talking into a camera to millions of people in the online space sharing their ideas and their thoughts and their perspectives.
• 9:57
  Speaker 1: It's not surprising that that is something that people don't want to do because in our circumstances, we've been taught not to do those things, not to show that level of vulnerability.
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: But here's the truth.
• 10:13
  Speaker 1: The truth is that vulnerability is actually what takes more strength.
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: Right, it's actually the thing that takes more courage.
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: It means that you acknowledge the fact that you have this fear and that you have these insecurities, and, although you have these fears or these insecurities or these things that you may find are not, quote-unquote perfect in your world, that you're okay with that being present, and you know that that being present doesn't say anything about you.
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: It does not determine your outcome and your success.
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: It is simply an aspect of your life experience that you are allowing other people to see, and so one of the things that we have to begin to do is find the courage so that we don't let our fears and insecurities keep us from achieving our goals and hold us back and limit our potential.
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: It really does start with recognizing that vulnerability is not synonymous with failure or incompetence.
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: It's not weakness.
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: Vulnerability is about being human.
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: So when you show up and you're expressing your feelings, your thoughts, your hurts, your discomforts, your anger, your frustration, your wins, your celebrations, all of those aspects positive or negative, good or bad all those vulnerable moments are a reflection of the ups and downs, the ebbs and flows of life.
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: They represent what it means to be human, and this is why it's such a way to connect.
• 12:01
  Speaker 1: It connects to your audience and to the people that you want to work with, because when you humanize this aspect of yourself, it takes a complex topic that you may be discussing.
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: For instance, if you're doing consulting around HR, or maybe you're working in public health, or maybe you're working in some aspect of information technology or IT, whatever it is that you do, those are complex topics.
• 12:28
  Speaker 1: There was a heavy topic, so it takes a lot of knowledge and understanding to communicate higher level principles in those areas.
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: And so if you're showing up and you're sharing your information, it can sound rather textbook, dry, sterile, if it doesn't have that human touch, if it doesn't feel like the information is being humanized.
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: And your vulnerability is what begins to do that.
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: When you share your stories, when you share your insight, your unique perspective, all those things that make you you, that allows people to see why you have been able to be successful or face different challenges in a positive way, all of those things are what make you, your solution, your frameworks, your process, all those things valuable in someone else's eyes.
• 13:26
  Speaker 1: It's going to elevate their perceived value because they can relate to it.
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: It's something that they understand.
• 13:33
  Speaker 1: They understand the human journey.
• 13:37
  Speaker 1: So when we're able to overcome this barrier of not wanting to show up and we have the courage to still do so, even though it feels uncomfortable, we unlock the power that vulnerability actually offers.
• 13:49
  Speaker 1: And so that is one of the first steps that we have to take is once again acknowledging that we have fears and insecurities, but then having the courage to show up anyway.
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: Now the next thing is that part of the power of vulnerability is being able to reflect on ourselves and our personal growth.
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: So when you're thinking about how you're able to showcase your services or market your business, whatever it may be, to get your name out there and to get more clients and more leads.
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: When you're able to first of all reflect on how far you've come and be open and honest about that journey, you will not only help others navigate a similar path, but then you're going to also give them something to look up to, the encouragement that they need to know that they may be starting right now, but they can eventually reach the level that you've reached and beyond.
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: You're going to create by telling your story, by sharing those things that you've been through, you're going to create a level of belief in themselves, in what they can do and accomplish, that will keep them from holding themselves back And also, by you sharing it, it's going to allow you to grow further, because you're going to acknowledge what you have accomplished and where you've been, and it's going to also remind you of the fact that you were able to be successful by keeping the focus on your goals and your outcomes and moving forward in taking action.
• 15:33
  Speaker 1: So it is both a supportive mechanism for those who are around you, for your work and peers, but also for yourself as the person who is sharing your story and your experience, and when we practice this level of self-compassion and understanding around our journey and share that journey with others, it creates a sense of pride.
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: I think oftentimes When you're able to look back and say to yourself I originally started from nothing, i didn't have clients, i didn't know where clients were going to come from, i was nervous about showing up online, i didn't know how to pitch or to sell my services, but now I can do this with ease.
• 16:18
  Speaker 1: Number one it helps you to just understand what led to that success so that you can repeat it over and over again and how you can help others, which can turn into you providing better and better outcomes for the clients that you work with.
• 16:36
  Speaker 1: The recommendations, the strategies, the insight that you're able to provide as their consultant is going to be based on the experiences that you've had over time.
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: That may not necessarily be tied directly to you being visible for your business, but maybe it's tied to some other aspect of your journey that you have not shared with other people.
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: Maybe it's tied to the mistake that you made when you were working with another client, but the fact that you can acknowledge those weaknesses and that vulnerability and be able to share.
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: The transition from that is going to be the same way that you're able to help your current client navigate a difficult obstacle that they're currently facing so they can get to the next step of their journey.
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: It all goes back to being comfortable with being vulnerable and also going through this process of self-reflection and personal growth that's going to allow you to develop further and to also use those lessons that you've learned to help others Now.
• 17:40
  Speaker 1: Additionally, one of the big things that is always a barrier we've talked about this before in other episodes is this whole aspect of a posture syndrome, and this imposter syndrome is something that can fuel itself, especially when we feel the need to prove ourselves constantly to other people.
• 17:58
  Speaker 1: So if vulnerability means embracing imperfections and acknowledging that nobody has it all figured out, then it is going to help alleviate this aspect of imposter syndrome, because when you embrace vulnerability, you're not going to feel like an imposter because you're not expecting yourself to be perfect.
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: You're expecting yourself to be human Once again, going back to that vulnerability being tied to being human, and that is going to allow you to show up as your authentic self and trust in your expertise and what you can offer, because you know that it doesn't have to be perfect in order for you to be successful, in order for you To do what you need to do in order to help the clients that you serve.
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: So embracing vulnerability means starting small, taking these calculated risk, sharing your ideas, openly, asking for help when you need it, being human, learning, navigating the journey and, over time, the more comfortable and confident you're going to be with sharing that.
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: So the process of being vulnerable will create a newer level of confidence and courage that you need to be even more active in your business and in the public.
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: Now We talked about how you embrace vulnerability, but now we need to move from just embracing the vulnerability, recognizing how it can help our business and help us to Put ourselves out there and to gain more visibility and allow us to be open to Possible critique or judgment or someone realizing that we are human, to When I.
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: We need to move from that point to truly thinking about how we can use this vulnerability to amplify our brand and to stand out in our industry.
• 19:50
  Speaker 1: A thriving consulting business is built on a solid business foundation and a consulting code that leads you toward your ideal business and your ideal lifestyle, and the great thing about this code is that it works for any type of consulting practice, whether you help clients with professional development, business management, grant writing it or something entirely different.
• 20:10
  Speaker 1: This consulting code is not rocket science and is not beyond your reach, and when you crack the code, it can jump start the growth of your solo consulting practice And is what you need to know to get started and lend your first clients, and nothing more.
• 20:25
  Speaker 1: This is a step by step process I wish I had so many years ago, and that's why I wanted to share this with you and how you can do this too.
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: If you're interested in starting your consulting business and creating a desirable offer to generate leads for your offer and to make sales, then the consulting code is your solution.
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: Visit wwwexceletconsultingcom for more information.
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: Unless you've been hiding under a rock somewhere, i'm sure by now you're familiar with the fact that personal branding is big in the entrepreneurial space, is big in the corporate space as well.
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: Everyone wants to have an amazing personal brand.
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: We have been taught and told that we need this personal brand so that we can make a name for ourselves, so that we can stand out, so that we can be seen and we can be known, and this is definitely true.
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: There's value in that.
• 21:27
  Speaker 1: I want to stress that we definitely need to have an expert brand or personal brand that centers around our expertise.
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: Now, although that's the case that we need this personal brand, most people think that personal branding is all about Funtz and colors and the way that we are visually appearing in our business or in the online space, and that's only a small, small, tiny part of overall branding.
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: When it comes to your personal brand, however, is about Really being vulnerable when you get down to it, because part of what makes a personal brand is authenticity, is being you, and the more you can be you, the more you can be authentically you, the more you're going to create a unique brand as representative of who you are and what your business has to offer that's different from everyone else.
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: So part of us being able to successfully do this is for us to be vulnerable, is for us to be able to play that that role of unique storytelling, of sharing All of our inner core beliefs and values.
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: The things that we're thinking, the way that we see the world, the way that we see our industry, the visualization we have for the future and the work that we're currently doing All of those things begin to build out our personal brand, because we are embedding within the work that we do and the stories that we tell, our unique experiences, our insights, the things that we've been through, how we've been able to establish ourselves in the industry, how we have developed our thought leadership.
• 23:22
  Speaker 1: All of those things come from being vulnerable.
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: It comes from sharing who you are authentically.
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: So in order to be authentic, you have to be vulnerable, and that's the key that really unlocks the door to people paying attention.
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: People are going to pay attention to you because you're different, your special, your unique you are.
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: Your experience is not the same as anyone else, and the more that you can share how different that experience actually is, the better.
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: So if I was to sit here on this podcast and talk about landing clients or gaining more business, or even being more vulnerable From any other perspective than a black woman, a woman of color, in the corporate academic space, if I was to do that without sharing that vulnerable aspect of my experience and my life, then I would be doing you, as a listener, as well as myself, as someone who wants to make a greater impact, a disservice.
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: I have to honor all of the challenges, obstacles that I have faced, all the things I've been able to overcome, all of the things I have learned, the different ways that I have viewed my industry as the good and bad, all the ways that I have been able to navigate the industry differently when I found obstacles and barriers that may be tied to me being a woman in the industry or a woman of color in the industry.
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: All of those things make my experience, my perception, what I can share, the vulnerable way I could show up on this podcast different.
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: It makes it unique, and that is all that we have to do.
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: It's something that is so hard because of this level of vulnerability that requires, but when you really get down to the nuts and bolts of it, it's rather simple.
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: It is very simple for us to share our stories, to share our insights, experiences and perspective.
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: The hard part is being willing to be vulnerable enough to do it.
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: That's the hard part.
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: The hardest part is being vulnerable enough to do it.
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: This is what I want to challenge you with today.
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: I want to challenge you to find a time this week to be more vulnerable in your marketing and your communication strategy.
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: What does this look like?
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: I want you to find an opportunity, whether it is online, on LinkedIn or Instagram or Facebook, wherever you are, or if it's in a conversation, if you're doing a workshop or a facilitation or some other meeting, or if you're networking with others and you're in a group.
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: I want you to spend some time sharing either a challenge that you've had recently, a lesson that you've learned from an experience It can be current experience, past experience, it doesn't matter, it's a lesson that you've learned or rather a moment where you may have had some level of doubt or fear.
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: I want you to think about those things Sharing a challenge, a lesson learned and a doubt or fear.
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: I want you to do that this week because, if you take the time out to share this and to get really vulnerable about it, to tell the good, bad and the ugly about the situation, to let people into how you felt in that moment, what you were afraid of in that moment, if you're talking about the doubt or fear, what lesson you learned, especially if it was a lesson that was very difficult to learn, or maybe it was a lesson that you learned that let you know that you had to navigate your path differently.
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: Maybe it was a challenge that you faced that you didn't anticipate, but maybe it was there because you are a woman, a woman of color in your industry.
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: Or maybe it's there because you're a mom, a working mom, and you're trying to balance all these things and still show up and be as ambitious and driven as you have always been all your life.
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: Whatever it may be, i want you to share this and I want you to do this in a way that's very transparent, that's very open, that's very vulnerable, and then I want you to sit back and see how people respond.
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: That's what I want you to do Share your vulnerability and see how people respond, and what I'm going to bet is that people are going to embrace it.
• 28:06
  Speaker 1: I can almost guess that in 99.999% of cases, when you do this exercise, that you're going to find that people not only resonate with what you shared, but also they are going to more than likely find a way to empathize with it, celebrate it or just all out, embrace it fully, wholeheartedly, and that is going to be evidence to you that you need to do this more often.
• 28:40
  Speaker 1: But I know that it's not going to happen right away.
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: I know I can't push you into showing up and being extremely vulnerable when you have been so guarded for so long, understandably.
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: But I want you to practice that.
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: I want you to practice that this week, showing your vulnerability and your marketing communication, sharing a challenge, a lesson learned or a moment of self-doubt or fear, and look and see how people respond.
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: Because once you get comfortable doing this and you do it more often and I'm not saying to share all of your business and put everything out there, but I really do mean just showing up more authentically and being open to that, open to making mistakes in public, open to possibly failing in public All those things can happen because, once again, what do we say?
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: Because you're a human, not because anything is wrong with you.
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: But once you're open to that, you will find that you will begin to build your consulting business because you will gain more visibility, that you will increase the connections that people have with you, you'll start more conversations that are going to lead to more sales and you will achieve your business goals.
• 29:55
  Speaker 1: I promise All right, guys.
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: So this brings us to the end of today's episode.
• 30:01
  Speaker 1: I have really enjoyed this conversation about vulnerability because I think it's something we don't talk about very often and it's at the heart of so much, especially at the heart of being more visible, because it does take a lot of vulnerability to show up online or on a stage or in a book where you're going to be judged and critiqued by others.
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: At least so we think, and I want to.
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: Under that, i want to tell you it's okay to feel uncomfortable in this moment.
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: It's okay not to want to do those things.
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: I know what it feels like, trust me.
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: I know what it feels like not to want to have to go on camera or go live or say a speech or give a presentation.
• 30:40
  Speaker 1: I get it, i've been through all of it And so I can relate.
• 30:45
  Speaker 1: But I also know that me being able to share with you that I can relate to those things is probably making you feel a little bit better right now.
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: So I hope that all of these examples allow you to embrace vulnerability a little bit more, because, at the end of the day, your ability to be vulnerable and authentic is actually the superpower that's going to set you apart.
• 31:09
  Speaker 1: All right Now, if you enjoyed this episode, don't forget, as usual, share with a friend, tell someone, make sure that you reach out to me on Instagram and LinkedIn.
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: Always like to have those conversations.
• 31:22
  Speaker 1: I say that every episode because I really do mean it.
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: And also, if you haven't subscribed yet, what are you waiting for?
• 31:28
  Speaker 1: I need you to subscribe to this channel so you'll know when another episode drops.
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: But until the next time, i hope you have a great week and I'll talk to you later.
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: Take care, bye.
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: Thanks for watching, take care.