Ep. 26: Stop Blending In: Niching, Brand Strategy & AI with Mallika Malhotra

Have you ever been really good at what you do and still feel overlooked, overwhelmed, and underpaid?In this episode, I sit down with Mallika Malhotra, The Brand CEO, brand strategist, speaker, and mentor who helps women entrepreneurs stop blending in and start becoming the only and obvious choice in their market.We talk about the identity crisis that comes with pivoting, what it really takes to niche down (especially when you're multi-passionate), and how the brands that cut through the noise in 2026 are the ones getting radically specific. We also get into AI, what's working, what's going wrong, and why your frameworks and lived experience still matter more than ever.In this episode, we talk about:Why most experts are invisible in their market and what to do about itThe difference between vague transformation language and messaging that actually convertsWhat it took to let go of a decade-long identity as a photographer to become a brand strategistHow Mallika rebuilt her business through six moves, a pandemic, grief, and starting overWhy niching feels scary but is the thing that makes you more memorable, referable, and findableThe AI tools she's building and the responsible way to actually use themWhat to do when your audience can't explain what you do in a single sentence꩜ Connect with Mallika MalhotraWebsite: www.thebrandceo.comInstagram: @thebrandceoLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/thebrandceoGrab LUMI (AI Brand Messaging Tool, $37): thebrandceo.com/lumi-ai꩜ Learn More About Designed to Be Human https://www.designedtobehuman.com/Highly Potent Human Sessions: https://www.designedtobehuman.com/highly-potent-human-sessionBuild your Authentic 6-Figure Brand Brand Embodiment: https://stan.store/itssashapearl/p/book-your-brand-embodiment-discovery-callBig Biz Energy (3-Month Mentorship): https://www.designedtobehuman.com/big-biz-energy꩜ Join My CommunityDesigned to be Human: https://www.instagram.com/designed.to.be.human/ Sasha Pearl: https://www.instagram.com/itssashapearl/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssashapearl Substack: https://designedtobehuman.substack.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@designedtobehuman