Madame Speaker Says

You've spent years making other people powerful. You built the thing, ran the coalition, trained the leaders, held the room together. Somewhere in all of that — you stopped asking what you want. Not the organization. Not the mission. You.This episode is the intervention.Joan Godoy is the CEO of Radical Partners, co-founder of Fuckup Nights Miami, and one of the most quietly radical builders in the social impact sector. She spent $1.5 million dollars a year amplifying other people's leadership. And then her executive coach asked her one question that froze everything — and set her free.By the end of this conversation, you will know exactly why you keep giving your authority away, what it is actually costing you, and the one move that starts building it back in your own name.Here's what you'll walk away with:The question that will make you stop hiding behind the institution you built — and start claiming authority in your own nameWhy failure is not a lesson to extract — it's the thing that made you brave enough to jumpHow to know when a crisis is actually an invitation to build something nobody else has the guts to buildThe hybrid model that saved Radical Partners — and why it applies to every woman sitting between two worlds afraid to claim eitherWhy the most dangerous move a builder makes is staying invisible inside the thing she createdThe three Cs that tell you exactly where your authority lives — independent of any title, any org, any room that hasn't let you in yetWhat it actually costs to step into the center — and why your coach has never asked you that questionThis is not an episode about Joan. This is an episode about the moment you stop building authority for everyone except yourself.CONNECT WITH JOAN: radicalpartners.org Instagram: @radicalpartnersMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: 🔥 Fuckup Nights Miami — the global movement in 200+ cities built on one radical premise: go public with what didn't work 🏛️ Leadership Lab — Radical Partners' flagship five-month cohort for BIPOC community leaders, nearly 200 graduates deep 🌍 Global Shapers Community — World Economic Forum initiative where Joan first refused to give the accomplishment speech — and accidentally started a movement 📖 The Fuckup Nights Manifesto — the document that broke open a two-hour conversation that changed everything 🧠 Arathi Ramapushnam — the executive coach whose one question dismantled years of self-erasure 🎙️ Abstract on Netflix — why bold work always divides the room, and why that means you're doing it rightTIMESTAMPS: 03:00 — The accomplishment speech she refused to give — and what happened when she told the truth instead 09:15 — Failure sucks, but it instructs: what shame actually is, where it comes from, and why you'll never outrun it 18:40 — How to know when to stay silent and when to act: the George Floyd moment that built Radical Partners' most powerful program 27:00 — The hybrid bet: how she moved from 90% grants to selling more than they raise — and what that unlocks for you 36:20 — The $1.5 million question: what it actually costs to make everyone else visible when you're still invisible yourself 42:00 — The one question your coach has never asked you — and why answering it changes everything 51:00 — The three Cs: how to locate your authority when it has nothing to do with your title, your org, or anyone's permission 55:30 — Rapid fire: Guatemala or Miami, the failure she won't applaud, bachata, and chocolate-covered humanity📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

From Creative Vision to Cultural Movement: Wanuri Kahiu on Funding Bold Ideas and Building a Brand Bigger Than Your WorkIn this rich and unfiltered conversation, award-winning Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu — the director behind Rafiki and Hulu's Washington Black — gets radically honest about what it actually takes to bring a bold, unconventional creative vision to life.Because having the idea is one thing. Finding the belief, the village, and the funding to make it real? That's something else entirely.Wanuri breaks down:Why excellence alone will never be enough — and what you actually need beyond craftHow she spent seven years pitching Rafiki before getting the yes that changed everythingWhy a no is never the end — and how to turn rejection into the beginning of a relationshipHow naming a movement (Afro Bubblegum) gave her community permission to claim their right to joyWhat it means to understand yourself as a brand — and why that realisation set her freeWhy the ideas that keep haunting you are the ones you're meant to followHow to pitch your creative vision to funders when your story sits outside the dominant narrativePlus: Wanuri shares the daily four-hour practice that keeps her creative output consistent — and the dead-simple phone hack that makes it actually work.TIMESTAMPS: 05:00 — When excellence isn't enough: redefining success on your own terms 07:14 — The creative process: from blank page to unshakeable belief 09:40 — The idea that keeps coming back — and why you must follow it 12:11 — Self-doubt, spirals, and the cycle every creative goes through 15:28 — Directing Washington Black and making mistakes at the highest level 21:50 — How to turn a no into the beginning of a relationship 40:44 — How to pitch when you're outside the dominant narrative 45:00 — The four-hour daily practice that changes everythingCONNECT WITH WANURI: Website: wanurikahiu.comInstagram: @wanuriMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:🎬 Washington Black — now streaming on Hulu🎬 Rafiki — Wanuri's landmark Kenyan love story, funded in part by the World Cinema Fund🎉 Blankets & Wine Festival, Nairobi — Wanuri's most Afro Bubblegum real-life experience🎨 Afro Bubblegum — the cultural movement Wanuri co-founded celebrating African joy, imagination, and creative freedom🎥 Children of Men (Alfonso Cuarón) — the film Wanuri credits with changing how she thinks about what the camera can doNigerian designers mentioned:FruchéZero + Maria Cornejo📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

From Body Shaming to Reclaiming Her Voice (Part 2): Lebo Mashile on Turning Pain Into PowerIn Part 2 of this raw and unfiltered conversation, Lebo moves beyond the origin story and into something even more powerful: what it actually takes to trust your voice, follow your calling, and bring a bold vision to life.Because the truth is, having the idea is one thing. Having the courage to act on it? That’s something else entirely.Lebo breaks down: Why Black women’s bodies are still treated as public property and how to reclaim yours  How Saartjie Baartman’s story still shapes the way Black women are seen, judged, and controlled today  Why your body is still a battleground and what it takes to defend your boundaries  What happens when you stop asking for a seat at the table and start becoming the whole house  How to know when a risky creative vision is yours to pursue even when you don’t feel ready  Why the ideas that won’t leave you alone are usually the ones you’re meant to follow Plus: Lebo shares the internal test she uses to separate fleeting ideas from true callings and why taking the first step matters more than having the full plan.TIMESTAMPS: 05:00 — Is this vision really yours to pursue? 06:00 — The True Love Magazine cover that sparked a national controversy 12:00 — Everything is data — and why Pamela Vete changed everything 15:00 — How Lebo went from poet to playwright overnight 17:00 — Saartjie Baartman and the hypervisibility of Black women 22:00 — Why you have permission to make the work that scares you 29:00 — Why a poet is telling you to make AI your research assistant 35:00 — Do you have the nervous system that fame requires? 43:00 — Stop plotting the steps — take the first one 47:00 — Your future self wants to know they can trust you nowCONNECT WITH LEBO: Website: lebomashile.comInstagram: @lebomashile Twitter: @lebomashileMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: 🎭 Lebo's play Saartjie vs Venus at the Market Theatre: markettheatre.co.za/shows/watch/saartjie-vs-venusOther theatrical works mentioned in her journey include:“Roses and Angels” — the production where Lebo first stepped into acting and writing for theatre, under the influence of Pamela Nomvete“I Am Dancing” (stage adaptation) — based on Pamela Nomvete’s autobiography, where Lebo performed and collaborated creative📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

From Body Shaming to Reclaiming Her Voice: Lebo Mashile on Turning Pain Into PowerLebo Mashile was publicly shamed for her pregnant body. Instead of shrinking, she turned her fury into a groundbreaking play about Saartjie Baartman — and a five-year excavation of how the exploitation of Black women's bodies shapes our world today.In this raw, two-part conversation, the iconic South African poet and playwright breaks down:Why Black women's bodies are still treated as public property — and how to reclaim yoursHow Saartjie Baartman's story is a portal to understanding the dehumanization of Black womenWhy your body is still a battleground — and how to defend your boundaries in a world that wants to bulldoze themWhat happens when you stop asking for a seat at the table and start becoming the whole houseHow to know when a risky creative vision is yours to pursue — even when the world says you're not readyPlus: Why politeness is poison when someone disrespects your body, your dreams, or your destiny.TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Why Lebo sat down to interview herself this season 04:56 — How a gossip column about her pregnant belly became a groundbreaking play 12:11 — Saartjie Baartman: the woman whose body was exploited in a freak show for centuries 18:02 — Why the public still feels entitled to Black women's bodies today 23:26 — The internal test that tells you when a creative risk is yours to take 32:29 — Why body shaming is never about your body — and how to stop backing downCONNECT WITH LEBO: Website: lebomashile.comInstagram: @lebomashile Twitter: @lebomashileMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: 🎭 Lebo's play Saartjie vs Venus at the Market Theatre: markettheatre.co.za/shows/watch/saartjie-vs-venus📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Becoming the Authority: The Moment You Stop Waiting and Start Claiming ItYou don’t become powerful the moment everything is perfect. You become powerful the moment you decide you’re enough as you are.In this raw and deeply personal episode of Madame Speaker Says, Magogodi steps out from behind the mic and into the hot seat stripping away the “expert” layer to reveal what it really looks like to build authority in real time.This is not a polished highlight reel. This is the becoming.From navigating vulnerability and perfectionism to confronting fear, visibility, and self-doubt, this episode unpacks the internal shifts that shape true leadership and presence.Because stepping into authority isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about choosing yourself before you feel ready.So here’s the real question:Are you waiting to feel qualified… or are you ready to claim your voice now?Short answer: authority is not something you earn later. It’s something you decide to embody today.This episode is for women who know they are meant for more, more visibility, more impact, more truth but feel the tension between who they are now and who they’re becoming.In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, you’ll explore:Why vulnerability not perfection is the real gateway to authorityThe hidden ways perfectionism keeps you stuck and playing smallWhat it actually costs to step into your voice and be seenWhy waiting for the “right time” is the biggest illusionHow to move from proving yourself to owning your powerThe difference between performing expertise and living your truthWhat courage looks like in real, messy, everyday momentsChapters 0:00 — Why This Episode Is Different 2:00 — Breaking the Expert Illusion 5:00 — The Fear of Being Seen in Real Time 8:00 — Vulnerability vs Authority 11:00 — Letting Go of Perfectionism 14:00 — The Real Cost of Growth 18:00 — Claiming Your Voice Without Permission 22:00 — Why You Don’t Need a Team to Start 26:00 — Visibility, Fear, and Judgment 32:00 — Becoming Her in Real Time 36:00 — You Are Already Enough 43:00 — What Season Three Is Really About 50:00 — From Listener to Leader📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

The Worker Bee Trap Women Leaders Fall IntoBeing the hardest worker in the room does not make you the leader. Vision does.In this powerful mini episode of Madame Speaker Says, host Magogodi breaks down a transition many brilliant women leaders struggle to make:The shift from worker bee energy to queen bee leadership.For years, your success may have come from proving yourself through execution being the one who fixes problems, rescues teams, and makes sure everything gets done.But the very skills that helped you rise can quietly trap you in the wrong role.Because the next level of leadership requires something different.It requires vision, imagination, and the courage to stop proving your value through labor.So here’s the real question:Are you leading the work or are you still proving that you can do the work?Short answer: being the hardest worker is not the same as being the visionary.And no, that doesn’t mean your work ethic isn’t powerful. It means your leadership is ready for its next evolution.This conversation is for founders, executives, creators, and impact leaders who know they are capable of more influence  but feel stuck constantly executing instead of steering the vision.In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, get clear on:Why many leaders stay stuck in worker bee energyThe hidden cost of constantly rescuing teams and fixing problemsWhy visionary leaders stop proving their value through laborHow rescuing people can actually limit your leadership impactWhy stepping into queen bee leadership unlocks the next level of influenceChapters 0:00 — Worker Bee vs Queen Bee Leadership 2:00 — Why Many Leaders Stay Stuck in Execution 4:00 — The Visionary Shift Leaders Must Make 6:00 — Why Being the Hardest Worker Is a Trap 8:00 — Identify the Decisions Only You Can Make 10:00 — Stop Proving You Can Do the Work 12:00 — Stop Rescuing People 13:30 — Fire Yourself From Execution 15:00 — Why Visionary Leadership Matters📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Reintroducing Your Next Level Self: When Your Work Outgrows How You’re SeenYour work hasn’t outgrown your ambition. It has outgrown how you are seen.In this powerful mini episode of Madame Speaker Says, host Magogodi breaks down why so many brilliant women  founders, executives, and industry leaders  feel like they’ve outgrown the rooms they’re in, yet people still introduce them as an older version of themselves.You’ve evolved.Your thinking has sharpened.Your work has expanded.But your bio, your website, and your public messaging might still be promoting the version of you from two years ago.And when your growth happens privately without being articulated publicly, people keep responding to the old narrative.So here’s the real question:Has your work evolved but the way you present yourself stayed the same?Short answer: growth without repositioning creates frustration. And no, that doesn’t mean people are intentionally underestimating you.It often means you haven’t reintroduced the world to who you’ve become.This conversation is for founders, executives, creators, and cultural leaders whose work has expanded faster than their public positioning — and who are ready to step fully into the next version of themselves.In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, get clear on:Why your work can outgrow how you are publicly perceived The hidden cost of growth without repositioning How outdated bios and messaging keep you playing small The gap between what you believe privately and what you say publiclyWhy reintroducing yourself is essential to claiming your next levelChapters 0:00 — When Your Work Outgrows How You’re Seen 2:00 — Why People Still See the Old Version of You 4:00 — The Symptoms of Outgrowing Your Platform 7:00 — Private Growth vs Public Perception 9:00 — Growth Without Repositioning Creates Frustration 13:00 — The Fossil Test: Is Your Bio Outdated? 17:00 — Do You Have the Right Room Key? 22:00 — Does Your Voice Hold Weight? 24:00 — The Gap Between Private Belief and Public MessagingConnect with Madame Speaker Says📲 Instagram: @madamespeakersays🎙 Subscribe: Madame Speaker Says PodcastConnect with Magogodi📲IG: @magogodimakhene👩🏽‍💻Website: https://www.magogodi.com📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Multi-Talented vs Multi-Scattered: Why Focus Builds Real AuthorityRange is powerful but focus is what builds authority.In this powerful mini episode of Madame Speaker Says, host Magogodi breaks down why so many brilliant women founders, executives, creatives, and industry leaders struggle with one quiet but costly problem:Trying to do too many things at once.When you’re multi-talented, you can speak, write, teach, convene, strategize, host, and lead. Your range is impressive.But authority doesn’t come from range.It comes from depth, consistency, and building heat in one lane long enough for people to recognize you as the obvious choice.Because when you keep switching lanes, something important never has time to happen. Momentum.So here’s the real question:Are you truly multi-talented or are you unintentionally becoming multi-scattered?Short answer: talent without focus becomes noise. And no, that doesn’t mean you aren’t capable.This conversation is for founders, executives, creators, and multi-hyphenate leaders who know they have powerful gifts but feel pulled in too many directions to build the authority they deserve.In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, get clear on:The difference between being multi-talented and multi-scattered Why switching lanes prevents you from building real authorityHow depth transforms you from impressive to the obvious choiceWhy every thought leader needs a “main weapon” for their expertiseHow cutting distractions strengthens your authority and influenceChapters 0:00 — Multi-Talented vs Multi-Scattered 2:00 — Why Range Without Focus Creates Noise 4:00 — The Exhaustion of Being Everything in Every Room 5:30 — Identify Your Most Potent Weapon 7:00 — Why Depth Builds Authority 8:30 — Where You’re Performing Instead of Building 9:30 — The Six-Month Cut: Starving Distractions 10:30 — Focus Is How Authority Is BuiltConnect with Madame Speaker Says📲 Instagram: @madamespeakersays🎙 Subscribe: Madame Speaker Says PodcastConnect with Magogodi📲IG: @magogodimakhene👩🏽‍💻Website: https://www.magogodi.com📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Narrow Your Message to Build Authority: Why Broad Messaging Is Costing You InfluenceBroad messaging feels safe but safety is not what builds authority.In this powerful mini episode of Madame Speaker Says, host Magogodi breaks down why so many brilliant leaders, founders, and impact-driven experts dilute their authority by trying to speak to everyone.When your work is broad enough to include everyone, it often becomes powerful for no one.And that comes with a cost.Many leaders soften their messaging because they want to avoid friction. They want their work to feel inclusive, approachable, and welcoming.But real authority doesn’t come from making everyone comfortable. It comes from clarity and specificity.And it often comes from challenging the very systems your work is meant to disrupt.So here’s the real question:Are you keeping your message broad to stay safe or because you’re afraid of what clarity might disrupt?Short answer: broad messaging protects comfort, not authority.This conversation is for leaders, founders, creators, and thought leaders who know their work is meant to create real impact   and who are ready to stop hiding behind vague language.In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, get clear on:Why broad messaging quietly destroys authorityThe hidden cost of trying to make everyone comfortable How specificity creates thought leadership and visibility Why powerful work always challenges a system or narrativeHow narrowing your message can unlock influence, media attention, and opportunityChapters0:00 — Every Serious Body of Work Disrupts Something 2:00 — Why Leaders Soften Their Messaging 4:00 — The Danger of Broad Language 7:00 — Authority Lives at the Edge 10:00 — Cultural Disruption and Narrative Power 14:00 — Tool #1: The Opposition Test 19:30 — Tool #2: The 8-Word Thesis Challenge 26:00 — Tool #3: The Authority Cost Calculation 31:00 — You Cannot Change What You Won’t NameConnect with Madame Speaker Says📲 Instagram: @madamespeakersays🎙 Subscribe: Madame Speaker Says PodcastConnect with Magogodi📲IG: @magogodimakhene👩🏽‍💻Website: https://www.magogodi.com📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Build Authority Without Waiting for Confidence: Structure Over Self-DoubtConfidence is not what builds authority. Structure does.In this powerful mini episode of Madame Speaker Says, host Magogodi breaks down why so many brilliant women  even high-achieving executives, founders, and industry leaders still wrestle with the question:“Who do I think I am?”From Michelle Obama to Serena Williams to Viola Davis, self-doubt does not discriminate. But authority isn’t built by waiting for confidence to arrive. It’s built through structure, clarity, and accountability.So here’s the real question:Is confidence actually the thing you’re waiting for  or is it structure you’ve been avoiding?Short answer: confidence is overrated. And no, that doesn’t mean you’re not capable.This conversation is for experts, founders, creatives, and cultural leaders who feel the tension between expertise and authority, and who know the world and their industries are shifting.In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, get clear on:Why confidence is overrated in leadership The real reason you’re not stepping fully into your authority How structure eliminates “Who do I think I am?” energy The difference between having ideas and building influenceWhy every thought leader needs a witness and accountabilityChapters0:00 — Authority Does Not Come From Confidence4:00 — Why Brilliant Women Still Doubt Themselves8:00 — The “Who Do I Think I Am?” Trap11:00 — Why Structure = Confidence15:00 — Identify Your Core Idea16:30 — Choose Your Container17:30 — Metrics That Matter18:30 — If You Had Structure, What Would You Claim?Connect with Madame Speaker Says📲 Instagram: @madamespeakersays🎙 Subscribe: Madame Speaker Says PodcastConnect with Magogodi📲IG: @magogodimakhene👩🏽‍💻Website: https://www.magogodi.com📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Pitch Anyway When Rejection Is Likely: Authority Without PermissionWhat do you do when you pitch your heart out… make it to the finalist round… and still get rejected?In this powerful mini episode of Madame Speaker Says, host Magogodi shares what happened when she was rejected from a major TED main stage opportunity  and how she turned that “Big R” into rocket fuel instead of self-doubt. So the real question becomes: Is pitching yourself really worth the rejection?Short answer: yes and “no” is part of the receipt.And no, that doesn’t mean you’re not ready.This conversation reframes rejection as refinement as redirection and authority training. Because if your authority depends on one institution green-lighting you, you don’t have authority you have permission anxiety.In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, get clear on: Why rejection clarifies your assignment instead of defining your worth How to extract the asset from every pitch (even the ones that don’t land)The difference between authority and permission anxietyWhy pitching is part of leadership and why you can’t afford to stopHow to reassign the stage when a gatekeeper says “not right now”Chapters0:00 — The Big R: What Happened5:00 — Rejection Is Information, Not Identity11:00 — Clarifying the Assignment15:00 — Reassign the Stage17:00 — Rejection as R&D (Research & Development)20:00 — Authority vs Permission Anxiety23:00 — Your Homework: Reuse the PitchConnect with Madame Speaker Says📲 Instagram: @madamespeakersays🎙 Subscribe: Madame Speaker Says PodcastConnect with Magogodi📲IG: @magogodimakhene👩🏽‍💻Website: https://www.magogodi.com📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Stay Visible When Backlash Is Inevitable: Authority in the Age of CritiqueHow do you step into visibility and authority when being seen comes with critique, backlash, and resistance?In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, host Magogodi names the reality many experts, founders, and leaders are quietly navigating right now:Is visibility really worth the cost? Short answer: yes — and backlash is part of the receipt. And no, that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.This episode unpacks why backlash is historically tied to power, why fear shows up the moment you carry receipts, and why choosing not to be visible has its own consequences. Magogodi explores how authority is built, not granted and why sticking your neck out has always been the catalyst for change.This conversation is for experts, founders, creatives, and cultural leaders who feel the tension between expertise and authority, and who know the world and their industries are shifting.In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, get clear on:Why visibility always comes with backlashThe real cost—personal and ancestral—of staying silentHow to convert expertise into authorityWhy being labeled “too much” is often evidence of powerThe three tools you need before stepping into visibilityHow to build resilience without losing integrityWhy community is non-negotiable once you become visibleChapters0:00 — Welcome to Madame Speaker Says2:10 — The Gap Between Expertise & Authority4:00 — Visibility Comes with Backlash6:00 — The Ancestral Assignment11:00 — They’re Going to Come for You Anyway15:30 — The 3 Tools for Surviving Visibility23:00 — Turning Expertise Into AuthorityConnect with Madame Speaker Says📲 Instagram: @madamespeakersays🎙 Subscribe: Madame Speaker Says PodcastConnect with Magogodi📲IG: @magogodimakhene👩🏽‍💻Website: https://www.magogodi.com📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Stay On Brand While the World Is Burning: Authority in a Time of CrisisHow do you show up with authority during global crisis without being tone-deaf, performative or reactive?In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, host Magogodi addresses a question many experts, leaders, and thought leaders in public-facing work are asking right now: Is it appropriate to speak when the world is burning? Short answer: yes And your expertise may be more necessary than ever.This episode breaks down how your authentic authority functions as stability during chaos. Magogodi explains why people still need leadership, clarity, beauty, and structure in moments of collective pain—and how staying on brand (with integrity) during crisis builds trust rather than erodes it. This conversation is for founders, creatives, speakers, executives, and cultural leaders who want to remain visible and relevant while responding ethically to the moment we’re living in.In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, get clear on:Why your voice and authority matter more during global instabilityHow to stay on brand while the world is burningHow to acknowledge collective pain without sounding tone-deafWhy beauty, imagination, and culture are leadership toolsHow to turn expertise into authority during crisisThe key question every leader should ask about their work right nowChapters0:00 — Welcome to Madame Speaker Says1:52 — Authority as stability during crisis5:39 — Staying on brand while the world is burning10:18 — Why your expertise is more necessary right now12:58 — Naming collective pain without performative leadership21:28 — Beauty, imagination, and survival22:10 — Turning expertise into authorityConnect with Madame Speaker Says📲 Instagram: @madamespeakersays🎙 Subscribe: Madame Speaker Says PodcastConnect with Magogodi📲IG: @magogodimakhene👩🏽‍💻Website: https://www.magogodi.com📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

If You Feel Called to More: Stop Playing Small and Build a Bold Public VoiceWhat happens when you stop playing small and finally use your voice the way you were meant to?In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, host Magogodi Makhene closes out Season 2 by breaking down the real work behind storytelling, leadership visibility, and building authority without selling your soul. She shares how ancestral wisdom, lived experience and creative strategy can help founders, speakers, creatives and executives step into their power and expand their impact.We talk calling, confidence, community building, public speaking and why your voice matters more than ever in today’s attention economy.If you’ve been feeling stuck, unseen or ready for your next level, this episode is for you.In this episode of Madame Speaker Says, Magogodi shares:Why playing small keeps talented leaders invisibleHow to build a strong public voice through storytellingWhat real community building looks like (without gatekeeping)How to step into leadership visibility with confidenceWhy imagination is a serious leadership skillHow Season 3 is being shaped by listener inputIf you feel called to more, this episode will help you stop holding yourself back.Chapters0:00 — Welcome to Madame Speaker Says1:52 — The business of storytelling2:30 — Leadership through lived experience5:39 — Building real community6:28 — Shaping Season 3 together10:55 — Stop playing small11:35 — Answering your callingConnect with Madame Speaker Says📲 Instagram: @madamespeakersays🎙 Subscribe: Madame Speaker Says PodcastConnect with Magogodi📲IG: @magogodimakhene👩🏽‍💻Website: https://www.magogodi.com📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

CultureCon's Imani Ellis: From Living Room to 12,000 People What happens when you stop waiting for someone else to build the thing you've been craving? CultureCon founder Imani Ellis knows—because she built it herself, starting with 10 friends in her New York City apartment.In this episode of Madam Speaker Says, Imani takes us inside the journey from publicist at NBCUniversal to founder of the largest creative conference for Black professionals. She reveals her definition of purpose (spoiler: it's not what the self-help industry sold you), why she believes "the dream evolves as your courage evolves," and the uncomfortable truth about the gap between what audiences say they want and what they actually need.We talk leadership, loneliness, living room beginnings, and why sometimes the scariest thing isn't failure—it's realizing you might actually be qualified.If you've been waiting for permission to start the thing that's been keeping you up at night, this is your sign.In this episode of Madam Speaker Says, Imani Ellis shares the raw truth about:→ Why she believes "purpose = your gifts solving a specific problem"→ The mistake she made signing her first venue (no bathrooms, no AC 😬)→ Why big things HAVE to start small→ How to build self-trust as a leader→ The gap between what audiences say vs. what they actually wantIf you've been waiting for permission to start YOUR thing, this conversation is your sign.Chapters0:00 — "We are the ones we've been waiting for"3:13 — How CultureCon started with 10 friends in a living room5:02 — Why seeing your full vision too early would terrify you8:09 — Your easy skill is still a skill (stop discounting it)10:33 — Purpose = your gifts solving a specific problem12:31 — The magic of starting when nobody's watching17:31 — Building self-trust: "80% of the time, I make good decisions"21:00 — What audiences say they want vs. what they actually need25:14 — Inside the CultureCon war room: Reverse engineering success29:39 — Stop letting no's make you bet against yourselfConnect with Imani 📲IG: @imaniimani👩🏽‍💻Website: https://www.imaniellis.com/info📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

From Cubicle to CEO: Ellen Yin on Turning Expertise Into Speaking RevenueEllen Yin went from corporate marketing employee to multimillion-dollar entrepreneur — without a backup plan. Now the host of the globally charting podcast Cubicle to CEO, she's taught 14,000+ entrepreneurs (mostly women) how to build authority, land speaking gigs, and turn expertise into revenue. In this episode, Ellen breaks down:Why thought leadership isn't about having the "holy grail" to say — it's about showing up over timeHow she landed her first paid speaking gig (and turned it into recurring revenue)The truth about whether you should speak for freeWhy public speaking is the fastest way to hyper-nurture relationships and build trustHer income report transparency and what it taught her about businessPlus: Why every sales call, coffee chat, and podcast interview is actually public speaking practice — and how to use it.TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Why podcasts teach more than elite degrees 05:28 — What thought leadership actually is (you already have it) 06:06 — Why women hide their expertise (and how to stop) 14:22 — Every conversation is public speaking practice 19:37 — How to pitch yourself instead of waiting 21:08 — Should you speak for free? The real answer 23:26 — Why speaking builds trust faster than anything else 32:29 — Income transparency: what Ellen learned from sharing her numbersCONNECT WITH ELLEN:🎧 Cubicle to CEO Podcast: https://www.cubicletoceo.co/podcast 📱 Ellen on Instagram: @missellenyin🌐 Website: cubicletoceo.co📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Why does wanting scare you more than failing ever will?In this solo episode, Magogodi Makhene unpacks why thought leaders, founders, and creatives shrink from naming what they actually want—and how that silence is costing you more than any failure could.📚You'll learn: → Why desire feels dangerous (especially for women and marginalized leaders) → The 3-part Magogodi Method to get clear on what actually lights you up → How to build your thought leadership platform without burning out → One fear reframe that will change how you approach 2026If you're building a personal brand, writing a book, launching a speaking career, or stepping into visibility—this episode is your mirror and your map.🔗 CONNECT with Magogodi:📲 Instagram: @madamespeakersays @magogodimakhene👉🏾 Website: http://www.magogodi.com📚 Book: InnardsCHAPTERS:00:00 — Why I stopped writing (and what it revealed)02:15 — The hidden cost of avoiding what you want06:30 — How playing small is more expensive than failing09:45 — The 3-part clarity framework to unfuck your direction10:30 — Find your light-up zone (check your body, not your résumé)13:00 — Identify who you'd serve even without the paycheck15:30 — Match how you communicate to how they learn18:00 — Your thought leadership is an ecosystem, not one platform21:30 — Reframe: Failure is guaranteed, humiliation is optional24:00 — Three paths to accountability (pick one today)26:30 — Help me build what you actually need in 202628:00 — Your thesis: If you don't want it, you won't build it📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Thought Leadership Is Spiritual Work. No Ego, No Performance.What if thought leadership isn’t about influence — but about responsibility?In this powerful conversation, we explore why thought leadership is spiritual work, and what becomes possible when you speak not to be impressive, but to serve humanity. Ra invites us to reconnect with our deepest longings, reclaim imagination, and stop settling for 20% of what’s possible.We talk about courage as a practice, honoring intuition, speaking truth in rooms where silence feels safer, and what happens when you deny the voice you came here to give.This episode is for leaders, creatives, and visionaries who feel called to use their voice with integrity, depth, and soul — especially in a world that’s unraveling and asking us to dream again.✨ If you’ve ever felt your voice mattered — this episode will remind you why:→ Speaking truth in rooms that resist it→ Dreaming again in uncertain times→ Why your voice matters more than you think→ Courage, intuition, and spiritual leadershipChapters00:07:26 — You Came With a ChargeWhy denying your voice blocks joy, freedom, and fulfillment00:10:25 — Courage as a PracticeHonoring intuition and speaking truth even when it’s uncomfortable00:19:07 — Permission to Dream AgainReturning to longing, play, imagination, and childlike wonder00:52:37 — Stop Settling for 20%What becomes possible when we remove the guardrails01:01:06 — Thought Leadership Is Spiritual WorkSpeaking for, with, and to humanity — channeling real power01:38:02 — The Moment Everything Broke OpenRock bottom, asking for help, and the beginning of healingConnect with Rha:📚 Intentional Ambition: https://courses.movethecrowd.me/intentionalambitionbook📱 Rha on Instagram: @rhagoddess🌐 Website: https://rhagoddess.com/ 📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Tired. Angry. Happy. The Truth About This Year We SurvivedWhat if there’s nothing wrong with you for feeling tired, angry, hopeful, and joyful all at once? This week, I’m pulling back the curtain on why so many of us—especially Black women and marginalized leaders—are carrying emotional contradictions that actually make sense in this chaotic world.From political exhaustion to tiny pockets of joy, from grief to grit, from outrage to laughter…this episode is your reminder that your emotional complexity isn’t a flaw—it’s a compass.IN THIS EPISODE:Why you feel “tired” even after a year of doing everything “right”The anger behind DEI rollbacks, layoffs, and the cost-of-living crisisThe quiet joys keeping us afloat (yes, you’re allowed to have both)How to use your emotions as strategic data in your thought leadershipToolkit – A simple practice to tell the truth about what you feel…and what it’s pointing toward🔗 CONNECT with Magogodi:📲 Instagram: @madamespeakersays @magogodimakhene👉🏾 Website: http://www.magogodi.com 📚 Book: InnardsCHAPTERS00:02 You Don’t Have to Choose One Feeling01:11 The Political & Cultural Exhaustion Beneath the Fatigue03:25 Anger: The Data Point We’ve Been Taught to Ignore05:02 Joy as a Survival Practice (And Why It Still Counts)07:44 Using Emotional Truth to Strengthen Your Thought Leadership09:15 Permission to Be Tired, Angry, Happy—All At Once📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Unrig the Game: How to Organize Through Autocratic Fear with Vanessa Priya DanielWhat's your part to contribute when autocracy tightens its grip and fear becomes a daily ration? For Vanessa Priya Daniel, the answer has always been: organize. But not the performative kind—the kind that might get you attacks...from your own team. The kind that moves $100 million from donor control to community power. The kind that may costs you everything and also, actually work.In her book, Unrig The Game, Vanessa breaks down what organizing actually looks like when Black and brown women social justice leaders come under attack—not from the right, but from our supposed own side. She reveals how to survive when your own team comes for your throat, how to build a thought leadership platform that fortifies resistance (not just your book sales), and why the tools women of color have used since Day 1 are exactly what we need now.But here, Vanessa goes beyond the book to give you the toolkit you need to actually speak the difficult truth that needs to be spoken and take your idea from the pit of your stomach to published and disruptive AF thought leadership, to a book tour that fortifies community power in a time of raids and authoritarian fear. IN THIS EPISODE:The real-time playbook for when you speak truth and folks on "your side" come for your throat—because if you're doing this work right, they willHow Vanessa found an agent and publisher who align with her values, then built a book tour that fortified community and resistance (real numbers, real strategy, real receipts)Toolkit: How to channel your gifts to stand up to authoritarianism instead of metabolizing fear your body can't process🔗 CONNECT with Vanessa: 📚 Book: Unrig the Game: https://www.vanessapriyadaniel.com/books📲IG: https://www.instagram.com/vanessapriyadaniel 👩🏽‍💻Website: https://www.vanessapriyadaniel.com/ CHAPTERS:00:02 What's Your Part to Contribute?[Time] From Farm Laborers to Wealthy Philanthropists: What Organizing Actually Looks Like[Time] The Oligarchy Playbook: How American Philanthropy Still Runs on Donor Control[Time] Telling the Bare-Ass Truth: From Childhood Sexual Violence to Calling Out the Left[Time] When Your Own Team Attacks: The Real-Time Playbook for Survival[Time] How to Build a Book Tour That Fortifies Resistance (Not Just Sales)[Time] Your Antidote to Fear: Channeling Your Gifts Against Authoritarianism📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

The Productivity Lie That's Killing Your Thought Leadership (Why Rest Is Your Secret Weapon)What if the most powerful move you can make as a thought leader isn't relentless productivity—but radical restoration? After a sudden health crisis forced me to stop everything--including a week off this podcast schedule--I'm here to unpack the toxic lie that pausing makes you irrelevant. Here, I reveal why clarity and resonance require you to rest deeply.IN THIS EPISODE:The health scare that exposed the hidden cost of constant productivityWho actually profits from the lie that "if you pause, you'll disappear"The science of how restoration fuels clarity and focusToolkit - How to shift from chasing the optics of productivity to operating from genuine resonance🔗 CONNECT with Magogodi:📲 Instagram: @madamespeakersays @magogodimakhene 👉🏾 Website: http://www.magogodi.com📚 Books: InnardsCHAPTERS:00:02 Your Most Powerful Move: Restoration Over Productivity01:02 The Treadmill Lie: What Happens When You Give Yourself Permission to Rest01:50 The Health Scare That Changed Everything04:31 The Hidden Cost of Suppressing What Your Body Needs Most06:55 Is Constant Productivity Undermining Your Thought Leadership?07:28 Who Benefits When You Believe Pausing Makes You Disappear?09:12 The Catastrophic Cost to Your Clarity When You're Not Well-Rested📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

From Stanford Grad to Paid Storyteller: The Thought Leadership Blueprint for Resistance with Anna Malaika TubbsWhat does it really take to build a career around storytelling and public speaking—especially when the world needs your voice most? Anna Malaika Tubbs, award-winning author of "The Three Mothers" and "Erased," breaks down the exact roadmap from validating your "crazy" dream to leveraging your platform as a tool for change in times of division and crisis.IN THIS EPISODE:Why your vision of getting paid to write books and speak isn't crazy—and the mindset shift that makes it possibleThe #1 thing Anna wishes she'd started sooner to accelerate her thought leadership careerHow social media has become more important than your traditional resume—especially for breaking into TV and filmWhy this moment requires you to speak up—and how to find your role in the fightHow to study legacies of resistance when you're feeling hopeless—and why learning from those who stood up before gives you clarity and actionable toolsWhat makes a true leader right now: The ability to call out BS, maintain clarity amid distractions, and equip others for the battleWhy this isn't the worst we've ever been through—and how historical perspective grounds you for actionWhy documenting your journey creates opportunities and helps others find their pathThe storytelling identity framework: Moving from private impact to public platformYour expertise as resistance: Building a thought leadership career that offers an alternative in times of division🔗 CONNECT with Anna Malaika Tubbs:Instagram: @annamalaikatubbsWebsite: annamalaikatubbs.comBooks: The Three Mothers and ErasedCHAPTERS:51:47 From Stanford Grad to Paid Storyteller: The Career Path No One Maps Out52:08 Validating Your "Crazy" Dream: Yes, You Can Get Paid to Tell Stories52:32 The Social Media Mistake: What I Wish I'd Started Sooner53:03 Your Platform Is Your Resume: How Followers Unlock TV and Film Opportunities47:51 Documenting Your Journey: Why Capturing Moments Creates Career Opportunities25:40 This Moment Is Not Unprecedented—But Your Response Might Be26:01 Legacies of Resistance: How to Study Those Who Stood Up Before You26:24 Finding Your Role in the Fight: Clarity, Strategy, and Actionable Tools27:00 True Leadership Now: Calling Out BS and Equipping Others for Battle📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

📧JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER: Madame Speaker SaysWhy Black Women's Stories Matter - And How to Master Yours with Kutloano Skosana RicciYour story isn't just yours—it's a lifeline for someone walking streets halfway across the world who needs to hear they're not alone. Kutloano Skosana, founder and host of Shades and Layers podcast, reveals why mastering your personal narrative isn't optional for Black women and women of color, how the right people at the right time can transform everything, and why your voice matters more than you think in a world starved for diverse stories.IN THIS EPISODE:Why Black women's experiences are worth sharing—and why platforms celebrating us are still dangerously rareThe diaspora gap: How representation for women of color remains far from mainstream"You gave us permission to": The ripple effect of sharing your mastered expertiseThought leadership as resistance: Why women like us must take our voices seriouslyThe power of the right people at the right time—and how to find your community through technologyWhy stories aren't a joke: How personal narratives create understanding across continents and culturesFrom Soweto to Oaxaca: The universal language of Black women's lived experienceMaster storyteller framework: Understanding your past, embracing experiences, and shaping your compelling storyDynamic beings, dynamic stories: Why your narrative requires constant refinementThe universe's nudges: Turning life's pushes and conscious choices into narrative powerOwning mistakes and choices: How vulnerability shapes authentic leadershipYour story as a gift: Don't underestimate the power of bringing your truth to the world🔗 CONNECT with Kutloano:Shades and Layers PodcastInstagram: @shadesandlayersWebsite: shadesandlayers.comCHAPTERS:04:19 Why Women Like Us Must Take Thought Leadership Seriously05:00 The Scarcity Of Platforms Celebrating Black Women05:33 Mastering Your Expertise And Giving Permission07:49 You Have A Story: Becoming The Master Of Your Narrative08:32 Understanding Your Journey: Nudges, Choices, And Mistakes08:55 Owning Your Story And Learning From Experience58:53 The Right People At The Right Time59:01 Finding Community Through Technology And Connection59:15 People Sitting In Your Earbuds: The Power Of Podcasts59:21 From Oaxaca To Soweto: Stories That Travel Across Borders59:51 People's Stories Are Not A Joke60:13 Your Story As A Gift To All Of Us📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

📧 NEWSLETTER: Madame Speaker Says (Weekly Truth Bombs)Why 98% of Immigrant Businesses Fail (And What One Bankruptcy Survivor Learned) | Art Chang on Leadership, Small Business, and the Currency Beyond MoneyWhat happens when your business dies at 27 and still, your employees don't leave you? Art Chang—NYC mayoral candidate, women's studies major, and bankruptcy survivor who went on to build dozens of wildly successful companies—reveals the hidden currency that saved him, why immigrant entrepreneurship myths are dangerous and the systemic failures killing small businesses in America.IN THIS EPISODE:Why a man majored in women's studies—and how it became his framework for understanding powerGrowing up amid racism and trauma: How immigrant childhood shapes resilient leadershipRunning for NYC mayor: Ranked choice voting, coalition building, and sharing the micCOVID exposed the tech gap: Why 98% of Chinatown businesses lost revenueStorytelling as survival: The hidden advantage separating thriving founders from struggling onesBankruptcy at 27: What the system rewards (hint: not community value)Trust as currency: Why his employees stayed when he couldn't pay themBeyond networking: Give before you get and build relationships that matterTender-hearted masculinity: Redefining leadership for a new eraSHOCKING STATS:61% of small business owners struggle with cash flow (QuickBooks, 2021)Immigrant business owners face 2-3% higher interest rates (Harvard Business School)Small business owners often one week of revenue away from collapseABOUT ART CHANG: NYC Mayoral Candidate 2020 | Bankruptcy Survivor | Small Business Advocate | Women's Studies Major | Champion for Immigrant-Owned BusinessesArt learned the most important business lesson through bankruptcy: real currency isn't money—it's faith in people, confidence you instill in them, and genuine investment in their growth.🔗 CONNECT with Art: LinkedIn - http://linkedin.com/in/artchangMedium - http://medium.com/@achangnycInstagram - http://instagram.com/achangnycThe Tech Mayor Project - https://techmayor.nyc/CACF: Coalition for Asian American Children and Families - http://cacf.org/CHAPTERS: 1:00 Show Open And Guest Introduction 3:15 Why A Man Majored In Women's Studies 6:08 Growing Up Amid Racism And Trauma 10:22 Women's Studies As A Framework For Power 14:50 Running For Mayor And The Mic 16:22 Ranked Choice Voting And Power Sharing 20:30 Small Businesses As A Lifeline 24:40 COVID Exposed The Tech Gap 28:10 Storytelling As Survival For Founders 31:00 Privilege, Access, And Who Gets To Start 34:40 Self-Education And Business Basics 38:10 The First Company's Rise And Fall 42:20 Bankruptcy, Balance Sheets, And Capitalism 46:05 Community Value Capital Doesn't Count 49:20 Paying People Back And Earning Trust 52:05 Beyond Networking: Give Before You Get 56:20 Tender Heart, New Masculinity, Close💬 What currency are you building that money can't buy?#SmallBusiness #ImmigrantEntrepreneur #Bankruptcy #Leadership #ArtChang #Entrepreneurship #BusinessFailure #NetworkingTips #TrustAsCurrency📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

She Almost Died and Came Back to Tell Y'all: Stop Giving These Companies Your Integrity for FreeWhat happens when you almost die—and then go back to work in a place built on performative safety? In this raw, unflinching conversation, Jodi-Ann Bury shares how a three-week hospital stay rewired everything she thought mattered about career, status and survival—and why she couldn't keep lying to protect a company's image.We get into:💀 The hospital reckoning — When you think your life is over, the only thing left is integrity. Status symbols? Gone. The 3am emails? Irrelevant. What remains: the people who show up every single day.🎤 The unbearable weight of the lie — Returning to public-facing leadership after nearly dying, and realizing she couldn't keep pretending her company was a "safe space" just because she was there.🖤 Why Black women's thought leadership is under siege — Our thoughts, our leadership, and our frameworks are being actively targeted and stamped out. And if you don't know what Black women are thinking? You're in danger.📚 Thought leadership as survival — Not magic. Not aspiration. But ancestral, collective knowledge that keeps us whole, keeps us well, and when done right, keeps us in deep community.✍️ From concept to reality: Meet Authentic — Jodiann's book didn't start as a book. It started as a need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid and start taking her own medicine. Hear how years in startups, international development, and "let's save the Earth" organizations shaped her refusal to stay silent.Keywords: thought leadership, Black women leadership, workplace authenticity, integrity, DEI, diversity equity inclusion, speaking truth to power, corporate culture, near death experience, personal transformation, authentic leadership, Black feminist thought, professional development, career pivot, workplace toxicity, burnout recovery, leadership coaching, women of color, corporate survival, building authorityThis episode isn't about inspiration. It's about what happens when survival forces you to choose honesty over comfort—and why Black women's intellectual property isn't optional, it's essential for the next seven generations.--'📚 READ - Authentic: The Myth of Bringing Your Full Self to Work  by Jodi-Ann Burey📺 WATCH - Jodi-Ann's TED Talk🔗 CONNECT - Learn more about Jodi-Ann's work 👉🏾TAKE THE QUIZ - Stop guessing what your vibe is. Take the quiz to discover your thought leadership type, your secret superpowers, and—let's be real—exactly where you're getting in your own way. Spoiler: it's probably not where you think. 📧 JOIN - Madame Speaker Says Newsletter Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.--Ready to turn your ideas into influence? Learn more about building thought leadership on your own terms. Apply for 1:1 coaching to transfor📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Skip the Book Deal: One Powerful Article with Kleaver CruzTired of waiting for the "right time" to become a thought leader? In this episode, we sit down with Kleaver Cruz to explore the alternative path to publishing—and why you don't need a book deal to build authority.We get into:🔥 How one well-written article can attract editors and agents—bypassing years of the traditional publishing grind📖 Why there are no hard and fast rules in publishing—success looks different for everyone, and the "right" path might not exist✍️ Strategic article placement that actually works—it doesn't have to be the New York Times to open doors💭 Toni Cade Bambara's radical ideas on identity and self-discovery—reclaiming ownership of who you really are (not who the world told you to be)💪 Why marginalized communities must embrace thought leadership—and how to make money doing it authentically🎯 The difference between existing in public and being truly amplified—real strategies for building genuine influence from the marginsThis conversation is raw, unapologetic, and absolutely essential for anyone building authority without waiting for permission.--📚 READ - The Black Joy Project by Kleaver Cruz🔗 CONNECT - Learn more about Kleaver's work 👉🏾TAKE THE QUIZ - Stop guessing what your vibe is. Take the quiz to discover your thought leadership type, your secret superpowers, and—let's be real—exactly where you're getting in your own way. Spoiler: it's probably not where you think. 📧 JOIN - Madame Speaker Says Newsletter Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.--Ready to turn your ideas into influence? Learn more about building thought leadership on your own terms. Apply for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset.👉🏾 APPLY FOR COACHING | Spots are limited.📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Claiming Audacity: Building Thought Leadership For Marginalized Voices ft. Sisonke Msimang🎙️✨Tired of waiting for permission to lead? In this episode, we sit down with Sisonke Msimang to unpack what it actually takes to become a thought leader—especially when the world wasn't built with you in mind.We get into: 🔥The audacity required to claim your voice when structural violence says you shouldn't 📖 Why your belief in yourself has to come FIRST—before the book deal, the Ted stage, the validation 👁️ The power dynamics keeping marginalized voices off the megaphone (and how to reclaim it) 💪 Why Black women and marginalized storytellers stepping into public power literally changes everything 🎯 The difference between existing in public and being truly amplifiedThis conversation is raw, unapologetic, and absolutely essential listening for anyone building influence from the margins.📚 READ - Sisonke Msimang's transformative works explore identity, narrative, and the power of storytelling 🔗 CONNECT - Learn more about Sisonke's work at REACH Fellowship 👉🏾TAKE THE QUIZ - Stop guessing what your vibe is. Take the quiz to discover your thought leadership type, your secret superpowers, and—let's be real—exactly where you're getting in your own way. Spoiler: it's probably not where you think. 📧 JOIN - Madame Speaker Says Newsletter Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.💼 READY TO ACTUALLY BECOME THE THOUGHT LEADER? You've got the ideas. You've got the fire. Now it's time to get paid for it. I help high-achieving Women of Colour execs, founders, and creatives like you turn that audacity into authority and that whisper into a megaphone.If you're ready to: 📚 Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority 💸 Command stages and keynote fees that actually match your impact 🥇 Own your space as a #1 voice in your industryApply for 1:1 Coaching and let's make your thought leadership impossible to ignore.Spots are limited—I can only work with a handful of clients to protect the integrity of this work.👉🏾 APPLY FOR COACHING 📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Our 2020 Conversation with Joy HarjoJoy Harjo—the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate, saxophonist, member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the woman who held that laureateship longer than anyone in decades—breaks down why joy isn't escape, it's resistance.This conversation pulls from her work that refuses to separate poetry from music, grief from celebration and survival from beauty. Harjo, who lost her mother young, played jazz in honky-tonks to pay for college and still writes poems that make you weep and dance in the same breath.In this Love As A Kind of Cure 2020 recording, you'll hear Harjo talk about what it means to carry ancestors in your words, why a saxophone is as much a storytelling tool as a pen, and how Indigenous women have been practicing joy as revolution long before anyone gave it a hashtag. This isn't inspiration porn—this is a masterclass in staying soft in a hard world without breaking.From the poet who gave us "She Had Some Horses," played backup for her own readings, and reminded a country that this indigenous land--Turtle Island--now known as the United States, had poets long before it had a name. Here's Joy Harjo on memory, music  and why joy might be the most dangerous thing you can claim.📧 JOIN - Madame Speaker Says Newsletter Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

BONUS Episode - From our 2020 Conversation with Nikki GiovanniThink poetry is just pretty words? Think again. Nikki Giovanni—who survived lung cancer, buried her best friend James Baldwin, and kept teaching at Virginia Tech through everything—breaks down Morrison's genius, the writers who shaped her, and why celebrating "The Bluest Eye" fifty years later isn't nostalgia, it's survival.This was our 2020 conversation when the world felt like it was cracking open and we needed Giovanni's voice—sharp, warm, uncompromising—more than ever.You'll hear her talk about Morrison the way only someone who lived through the same fights can. About what it meant to watch "The Bluest Eye" land in 1970. About the cost of telling truth. This isn't a polite literary chat—this is two women who know what it takes to keep your voice alive when the world wants you quiet.From the poet who gave us "Ego-Tripping" at 24 and never stopped writing fire: here's Nikki Giovanni on legacy, love, and why some books don't just survive—they save lives.📧 JOIN - Madame Speaker Says Newsletter Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Our 2020 Conversation with Arundhati Roy Think love is just sentiment? Think again. Arundhati Roy—author, activist, truth-teller extraordinaire—breaks down how love becomes revolution, how tenderness transforms into resistance, and why the most radical act might just be refusing to harden your heart in a brutal world.This was our 2020 keynote for "Love as a Kind of Cure's Freedom Festival, hosted with my partner in crime Cleyvis Natera. This conversation was recorded when the world felt upside down and we needed Roy's fierce wisdom more than ever.You'll hear Roy's unfiltered thoughts on writing as resistance, the politics of storytelling, and why love might be the most subversive force we have. This isn't your typical literary interview—this is a masterclass in using your voice when the stakes couldn't be higher. From the Man Booker Prize winner who gave us, "The God of Small Things" and has  never stopped fighting: here is love as a kind of cure. 📧 JOIN - Madame Speaker Says Newsletter Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

🎯 PART 3/3 - The MAIN Character Method™: How to Embody Unstoppable AuthorityReady to own every room like Beyoncé owns a stadium? This is where everything clicks. We're breaking down the complete MAIN Character Method™ framework that transforms brilliant people from invisible to impossible to ignore.Think you can't have that level of aura and embodiment? Think again. You ARE capable of main character energy—you just need the right method to unlock it. The MAIN Character Method™ makes it simple: Mindset, Action, Impossible moves, Nonstop revision.Starting with M for Mindset: You need to shift your perspective and truly believe you are HER. You are that famous expert. You are that thought leader. This isn't about fake confidence—this is about embodying the authority you already possess.You'll master the complete framework for building unshakeable confidence, developing executive presence, and stepping into your power as an entrepreneur. This is about mindset mastery, personal development, and finally claiming your space as the thought leader you're meant to be.📋 DOWNLOAD - Your Free Vision Guide Worksheet🚀 APPLY - Storytelling Summer Intensive (deadline: Monday, AUG 18)📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

 🎯 PART 2/3 - Why Brilliant People Hide (Spoiler: It's Not Humility)We're diving deep into the real reason brilliant people stay invisible: the fear of judgment that makes you defer to everyone else's narrative except your own. You know that voice that says "What I have to say is stupid" or "Who would want to listen to me anyway?"Time to call BS on that voice and understand what's really happening underneath. Because when you hide behind other people's stories, you don't come off as generous—you come off as inauthentic. And that's costing you more than just visibility.You'll discover how to alchemize shame, claim your name, and do the mindset work needed to tell your signature story from power, not fear. This is about overcoming imposter syndrome, building confidence as a content creator, and finally stepping into your authority without apology.📋 DOWNLOAD - Your Free Vision Guide Worksheet🎧 NEXT WEEK: Part 3/3 - Becoming HER: MAIN Character Method™ for Visibility🚀 APPLY - Storytelling Summer Intensive (deadline: Monday, AUG 18)📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

🎯 PART1/3 - Getting Clear on Your Vision Tired of nodding politely while dumber people mansplain your own brilliance back to you? Tired of saying 'someday I'll write that book' while the same plain vanilla people publish plain vanilla stories that become bestselling books? Stop studying success in theory and start dissecting it in practice. We're reverse-engineering how expert storytellers you actually admire built their visibility and platforms—not through inspiration porn, but through strategic study of what actually works. You'll walk away with a 7-day framework to identify your visibility models, extract their patterns, and find your unique angle that makes competitors irrelevant. 📋 DOWNLOAD - Your Free Vision Guide Worksheet🎧 NEXT WEEK: Part 2/3 - Why brilliant people hide (spoiler: it's not humility) 🚀 APPLY - Storytelling Summer Intensive (deadline: Monday, AUG 18)📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

🎙️ BONUS EPISODE from our podcast sisters at Shades & LayersWhat happens when the dream your mother sacrificed everything for becomes your personal nightmare? Johannesburg-based filmmaker Karabo Lediga explores this haunting question through her debut feature film "Sabbatical" – a raw portrayal of a 30-something woman forced to return home after professional failure, confronting how her elite education created distance from her mother and the psychological cost of chasing parental dreams. From Netflix's "Queen Sono" to her grandmother-inspired short "What Did You Dream?" - Karabo shares insights on sustaining a creative career in South Africa's evolving film landscape and her commitment to authentic storytelling.📺 WATCH: Sabbatical & Queen Sono on Netflix 📲 LISTEN: Shades & Layers + Join their newsletter🔥 COMING TOMORROW: Getting Clear on Your VisionABOUT SHADES & LAYERS We're thrilled to share this special episode from Shades & Layers, hosted by Kutloano Skosana Ricci. A seasoned South African entrepreneur who co-founded the legendary Black Rage Productions (home to the country's first online magazine rage.co.za in 1996), Kutloano continues her love letter to the underrepresented through her podcast, which shares the entrepreneurial success stories of Black and other Women of Color in business. 🔥 COMING TOMORROW: Getting Clear on Your VisionAll season we've been talking to thought leaders in beauty (Felicia Walker), positive psychology and women's entrepreneurship (Yvonne Biggins) and activism (Anu Gupta)—now it's time to turn YOUR expertise into thought leadership. Ready to stop being the best-kept secret in your industry? Tomorrow kicks off our 3-part training series where you'll walk away knowing exactly what messaging makes you unforgettable and how to position yourself as the only expert who does what you do. This isn't theory—it's strategic clarity that transforms your expertise into undeniable authority.Hit FOLLOW so you don't miss fresh episodes. 📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Season 1 Finale with my Mom!This is it — Episode 10 and our Season 1 finale! And who better to close out this incredible season than my own mother, Maki Makhene, MSW? (But since I love you, I'm dropping a fun bonus episode next week with a very cool surprise! 👀 Stay tuned.)In this deeply personal conversation, my mom and I dive into:  🔍 High-functioning depression — you're crushing it but running on fumes 🔞 Life after 60 - your best life at every age🌱 Authentic self-care practices that existed long before corporate wellness📚 African therapy why Rwandans chose this over talk therapyThis isn't surface-level wellness talk. This is a mother-daughter conversation about resilience, dreams deferred and realized, and the healing practices our communities have always known.Thank you for an incredible Season 1. See you next season! ✨ 🎧SPEAK UP - Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts📩 NEWSLETTER - Keep in touch 📣 A free way to support our show is by leaving us a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts. It’s a chance to tell us what you love about the show and it helps others discover it, too. Thanks!-#DreamsDeferred #EducationAtAnyAge #GenerationalWisdom #NeverTooLate #CourageToChange #MotherDaughterTalk #ChaseYourDreams💼 WANNA TO BE A THOUGHT LEADER? Learn More About 1:1 CoachingGot all the receipts but still not seen as the thought leader?Your book’s still in your head. Your signature talk is stuck behind fear, and your bank account isn’t matching your brilliance. Gurl, that ends now.I help high-achieving Women of Colour execs, founders and creatives just like you to get that book done, book paid speaking gigs and position your personal brand to dominate the spotlight.If you're ready to get on stages, publish your book, and finally get paid like the powerhouse you are, Apply for 1:1 Coaching. TOGETHER, WE’LL:📚Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority    💸Command stages and keynote fees that match your impact   🥇Publish bylines that position you as a #1 voice in your industrySpots are Limited - I work with a handful clients to protect the integrity of this work.👉🏾APPLY📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Real Talk - My Story Behind The MicThis personal episode reveals the mistakes, missed chances, and mindset shifts that shaped who I am as your host. I'm pulling back the curtain and sharing my story—the hard lessons I learned in my 20s and 30s so you don't have to. What you'll learn:My biggest regrets from my earlier decades - and how they became my greatest teachersMindset shifts that completely transformed my perspective on successWhy I'm passionate about helping others through actionable insights to start living more intentionallyWhether you're feeling stuck or searching for purpose, this is for anyone ready to stop settling and start building a life of fulfillment and joy. It's never too late to rewrite your story—let's do this together! 🚀📚 READ – My book, Innards : https://shorturl.at/z9CLV 🔗 FOLLOW – My personal IG for more behind the scenes: https://shorturl.at/Co7Ze 💼 WANNA TO BE A THOUGHT LEADER? Learn More About 1:1 CoachingGot all the receipts but still not seen as the thought leader?Your book’s still in your head. Your signature talk is stuck behind fear, and your bank account isn’t matching your brilliance. Gurl, that ends now.I help high-achieving Women of Colour execs, founders and creatives just like you to get that book done, book paid speaking gigs and position your personal brand to dominate the spotlight.If you're ready to get on stages, publish your book, and finally get paid like the powerhouse you are, Apply for 1:1 Coaching. TOGETHER, WE’LL:📚Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority💸Command stages and keynote fees that match your impact🥇Publish bylines that position you as a #1 voice in your industrySpots are Limited - I work with a handful clients to protect the integrity of this work.👉🏾APPLY--#FemaleFounders #EntrepreneurLife #WomenWhoLead #MadameSpeakerSays #LifeLessons #PersonalGrowth #PodcastHost #IntentionalLiving #NeverTooLate 📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

The True Cost of Being a Female Entrepreneur 💼💥Tired of pretending it’s all fine? You're not alone.In this episode, I sit down with Yvonne Biggins to unpack her latest research on the real challenges women entrepreneurs face—and the powerful, creative ways they push through.We get into:📉 Why only 1.8% of UK equity funding goes to all-women teams👩‍👧‍👦 The pressure of being in the "sandwich generation"📈 Why 97% of women enjoy entrepreneurship, despite the odds💡 Science-backed tools to boost your business and your well-beingThis convo is raw, research-driven, and full of insights for women founders who want more freedom, funding, and truth.📚 READ:  The True Cost of Female Entrepreneurship🔗 CONNECT –Yvonne Biggins at Positive Entrepeneurship   #FemaleFounders #WomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurLife #StartupStruggles #FundingGap #MentalHealth #WomenWhoLead #ThoughtLeadership💼 WANNA TO BE A THOUGHT LEADER? Learn More About 1:1 CoachingGot all the receipts but still not seen as the thought leader?Your book’s still in your head. Your signature talk is stuck behind fear, and your bank account isn’t matching your brilliance. Gurl, that ends now.I help high-achieving Women of Colour execs, founders and creatives just like you to get that book done, book paid speaking gigs and position your personal brand to dominate the spotlight.If you're ready to get on stages, publish your book, and finally get paid like the powerhouse you are, Apply for 1:1 Coaching. TOGETHER, WE’LL:📚Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority    💸Command stages and keynote fees that match your impact   🥇Publish bylines that position you as a #1 voice in your industrySpots are Limited - I work with a handful clients to protect the integrity of this work.👉🏾APPLY📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Balancing A Corporate Gig & Purposeful Side Hustle with Sewela In this episode, we’re joined by the powerhouse that is Sewela Langeni—a full-time corporate leader and the founder of one of Johannesburg’s most beloved bookstores: Book Circle Capital, nestled in the heart of Melville. 📚We talk about what it means to build something beautiful and necessary in a place still shaped by its past. Sewela is doing what so many dream of—balancing a high-level career while creating space for stories, community, and ownership. Her story is one of vision, resilience, and quiet disruption.📍 If you're in Johannesburg, buy your next book from Book Circle Capital—support local, support Black women-owned, support legacy.📲 Not in Jozi? Connect with them online and follow the journey:👉🏾 @bookcirclecapital👉🏾 @sewela_langeni💼 WANNA TO BE A THOUGHT LEADER? Learn More About 1:1 CoachingGot all the receipts but still not seen as the thought leader?Your book’s still in your head. Your signature talk is stuck behind fear, and your bank account isn’t matching your brilliance. Gurl, that ends now.I help high-achieving Women of Colour execs, founders and creatives just like you to get that book done, book paid speaking gigs and position your personal brand to dominate the spotlight.If you're ready to get on stages, publish your book, and finally get paid like the powerhouse you are, Apply for 1:1 Coaching. TOGETHER, WE’LL:📚Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority💸Command stages and keynote fees that match your impact🥇Publish bylines that position you as a #1 voice in your industrySpots are Limited - I work with a handful clients to protect the integrity of this work.👉🏾APPLY📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

🎙️ ON TODAY's EPISODE - Becoming An IVF Mom While Building a Business What happens when a Type A, high-achieving entrepreneur faces the one thing she can’t plan, schedule, or control?In this powerful episode of Madame Speaker Says, we get real about becoming moms while building businesses. I'm joined by my brilliant friend Courtney Montague for a raw, funny and soul-stretching convo about her journey to motherhood through sperm donation—and my own story of surrender during postpartum.WE COVER🎯 Letting go of control (hello Type A’s)🎯 Embracing miracles after a lifetime of making it happen🎯 Redefining success as founders who are now mothers🎯 Navigating the unfiltered reality of postpartum as powerful womenIf you’re a career-driven woman or entrepreneur navigating motherhood (or even thinking about it) this one’s for you. You are not alone—and your softness doesn’t erase your strength.🏡 EXPERIENCE – Stay at a Kelsey Montague House🔗 CONNECT – with Courtney Montague: 💼 WANNA TO BE A THOUGHT LEADER? Learn More About 1:1 CoachingGot all the receipts but still not seen as the thought leader?Your book’s still in your head. Your signature talk is stuck behind fear, and your bank account isn’t matching your brilliance. Gurl, that ends now.I help high-achieving Women of Colour execs, founders and creatives just like you to get that book done, book paid speaking gigs and position your personal brand to dominate the spotlight.If you're ready to get on stages, publish your book, and finally get paid like the powerhouse you are, Apply for 1:1 Coaching. TOGETHER, WE’LL:    📚Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority    💸Command stages and keynote fees that match your impact   🥇Publish bylines that position you as a #1 voice in your industrySpots are Limited - I work with a handful clients to protect the integrity of this work.👉APPLY📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

🎙️ ON TODAY's EPISODE - Creating a World Without Bias by Anu Gupta“What would it feel like to live in a world without bias?”It’s a simple question—with radical power. In this episode, Anu invites us to pause, reflect, and imagine. Because if people can dream up colonies on Mars, surely we can dare to envision equity right here on Earth.🌍✨ Where our mind goes, our energy flows.What if we gave ourselves permission to feel the world we want before we build it?This conversation will move you—because it starts with feeling, not fixing.📚 READ – Breaking Bias : https://shorturl.at/0zgyK  🔗 CONNECT – Anu Gupta : https://shorturl.at/VSRva  💼 WANNA TO BE A THOUGHT LEADER? Learn More About 1:1 CoachingGot all the receipts but still not seen as the thought leader?Your book’s still in your head. Your signature talk is stuck behind fear, and your bank account isn’t matching your brilliance. Gurl, that ends now.I help high-achieving Women of Colour execs, founders and creatives just like you to get that book done, book paid speaking gigs and position your personal brand to dominate the spotlight.If you're ready to get on stages, publish your book, and finally get paid like the powerhouse you are, Apply for 1:1 Coaching. TOGETHER, WE’LL:📚Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority💸Command stages and keynote fees that match your impact🥇Publish bylines that position you as a #1 voice in your industrySpots are Limited - I work with a handful clients to protect the integrity of this work.👉🏾APPLY📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

🎙️ ON TODAY's EPISODE - Unlearn the Grind: Presence Over Productivity with Dr. Kate Otto CheblyWhat happens when you realize the voices that shaped you—school, church, whitewashed "success"—never actually had you in mind? Kate Otto joins me to unpack the toxic productivity scripts so many of us grew up with, especially as ambitious girls in all the wrong environments.We get into what it takes to deprogram—to save yourself, in your 30s or whenever you wake up—from the grind-at-all-costs gospel. Kate shares her real, lived practice of presence, why attention is sacred, and how committing to be fully in the moment is the most countercultural move you can make. Spoiler alert: you don’t have to do it all. You just have to show up for what you said yes to.🎧 If you’ve ever felt like productivity was your only worth, this one’s your permission slip to stop hustling for gold stars—and start giving them to yourself.📚 READ – Everyday Ambassador🔗 CONNECT – Kate Otto on LinkedIn 💼 WANNA TO BE A THOUGHT LEADER? Learn More About 1:1 CoachingGot all the receipts but still not seen as the thought leader?Your book’s still in your head. Your signature talk is stuck behind fear, and your bank account isn’t matching your brilliance. Gurl, that ends now.I help high-achieving Women of Colour execs, founders and creatives just like you to get that book done, book paid speaking gigs and position your personal brand to dominate the spotlight.If you're ready to get on stages, publish your book, and finally get paid like the powerhouse you are, Apply for 1:1 Coaching. TOGETHER, WE’LL:    📚Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority    💸Command stages and keynote fees that match your impact   🥇Publish bylines that position you as a #1 voice in your industrySpots are Limited - I work with a handful clients to protect the integrity of this work.👉🏾APPLY📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

“She said, ‘They’re not really Black.’ I said… ‘Oh really?’”Instead of clapping back, Sarah Crowell told a story—and changed the room.In this episode, visionary artist and cultural strategist Sarah Crowell joins me to talk about the power of storytelling, the politics of belonging, and what it really means to lead creatively in a world that wants to put us in boxes.We talk about how she dared to be a creative thought leader as an artist, and how Sarah uses movement—both literal and cultural—to create change within movements.🎧 This one’s for the visionaries, the creatives, the boundary-pushers who know art isn’t just expression—it’s direction.📚 READ – Watch Sarah’s TED Talk: Reimagining Destiny🔗 CONNECT WITH SARAH CROWELL – IG: @sarahcrowell65💼 WANNA TO BE A THOUGHT LEADER? Learn More About 1:1 CoachingGot all the receipts but still not seen as the thought leader?Your book’s still in your head. Your signature talk is stuck behind fear, and your bank account isn’t matching your brilliance. Gurl, that ends now.I help high-achieving Women of Colour execs, founders and creatives just like you to get that book done, book paid speaking gigs and position your personal brand to dominate the spotlight.If you're ready to get on stages, publish your book, and finally get paid like the powerhouse you are, Apply for 1:1 Coaching. TOGETHER, WE’LL:📚Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority 💸Command stages and keynote fees that match your impact🥇Publish bylines that position you as a #1 voice in your industrySpots are Limited - I work with a handful clients to protect the integrity of this work👉APPLY📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

🎙️ ON TODAY's EPISODE - Grief as Rocket Fuel with Carla FernandezWhat shifts when you really understand that time is temporary?In this powerful episode, I sit down with @renegade.carla—grief worker, storyteller, and author of Renegade Grief and Try Not to Cry at Work—to talk about what it means to live with that knowing.We get honest about grief, presence, and the sacredness of everyday moments—like the mundane phone calls with your mom that one day, you won’t be able to make. Carla reminds us that loss strips away our tolerance for the inauthentic, and invites us into a more intentional, no-BS way of living.  📚 READ -  Renegade Grief🔗 CONNECT  WITH Carla Fernandez💼 WANNA TO BE A THOUGHT LEADER?  Learn More About 1:1 CoachingGot all the receipts but still not seen as the thought leader?Your book’s still in your head. Your signature talk is stuck behind fear, and your bank account isn’t matching your brilliance. Gurl, that ends now.I help high-achieving Women of Colour execs, founders and creatives just like you to get that book done, book paid speaking gigs and position your personal brand to dominate the spotlight.If you're ready to get on stages, publish your book, and finally get paid like the powerhouse you are, Apply for 1:1 Coaching. Together, we'll:    📚Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority    💸Command stages and keynote fees that match your impact   🥇Publish bylines that position you as a #1 voice in your industrySpots are Limited - I work with a handful clients to protect the integrity of this work.👉APPLY📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

🎙️ ON TODAY's EPISODE - Exit Strategy with Alicia DeLiaTired of the grind? Wondering if there’s more to life than hustle and high costs in the U.S.? There is. And Alicia DeLia of DeLia Impact Advisors is here to prove it.In this episode, we’re talking real options for living better and freer—abroad. Whether you’re dreaming of raising a thriving business and happy babies beyond U.S. borders, or just craving a taste of international life, this convo is your permission slip to get curious, get global and stop playing small. Alicia’s insight is the mindset shift you didn’t know you needed.WE’RE TALKING:🌍 Global citizenship💼 Purposeful relocation💡 Creating borderless dreams👶 Raising kids with a worldwide worldview… and why the first step might be just getting curious.🎧 Don’t sleep on this. Press play and reimagine what’s possible.📚 READ – Learn more about Alicia’s work and how she helps families and entrepreneurs rethink global living: https://www.deliaimpact.com🔗 CONNECT WITH ALICIA Instagram: @aliciadelia_LinkedIn: Alicia DeliaWebsite: https://www.deliaimpact.com💼 WANNA TO BE A THOUGHT LEADER? Learn More About 1:1 CoachingGot all the receipts but still not seen as the thought leader?Your book’s still in your head. Your signature talk is stuck behind fear, and your bank account isn’t matching your brilliance. Gurl, that ends now.I help high-achieving Women of Colour execs, founders and creatives just like you to get that book done, book paid speaking gigs and position your personal brand to dominate the spotlight.If you're ready to get on stages, publish your book, and finally get paid like the powerhouse you are, Apply for 1:1 Coaching. TOGETHER, WE’LL:    📚Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority    💸Command stages and keynote fees that match your impact   🥇Publish bylines that position you as a #1 voice in your industrySpots are Limited - I work with a handful clients to protect the integrity of this work.👉APPLY📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

🎙️ ON TODAY's EPISODE - Your Power Glow with Felicia Walker Ever walk into a room and feel like your brilliance is dimmed by burned out skin? You're not alone—and this episode is your glow-up intervention.Beauty editor, entrepreneur, and founder of ThisThatBeauty, Felicia Walker joins me to share her signature approach to radiating power from the inside out. From boardrooms to brunches, your beauty and presence should speak before you do—and Felicia breaks down exactly how to make that happen.✨ GET: Your Glow Up Guide📲 FOLLOW Felicia: @thisthatbeauty💼 WANNA TO BE A THOUGHT LEADER? Learn More about 1:1 CoachingGot all the receipts but still not seen as the thought leader?Your book’s still in your head. Your signature talk is stuck behind fear, and your bank account isn’t matching your brilliance. Gurl, that ends now.I help high-achieving Women of Colour execs, founders and creatives just like you to get that book done, book paid speaking gigs and position your personal brand to dominate the spotlight.If you're ready to get on stages, publish your book, and finally get paid like the powerhouse you are, Apply for 1:1 Coaching. TOGETHER, WE'LL:    📚Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority    💸Command stages and keynote fees that match your impact   🥇Publish bylines that position you as a #1 voice in your industrySpots are Limited - I work with a handful clients to protect the integrity of this work.👉APPLY📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset. 

Madame Speaker Says is the podcast for women of colour ready to own the mic, drop that book and get paid like a legend.Join Magogodi oaMphela Makhene - author, speaker and coach - for real talk, shortcuts and receipts to help you lead with confidence — on stage, on the page and way beyond the 9–5. No caucacity, no crusty old school leadership. Edges snatched. Script flipped. No apologies.Fresh episodes drop weekly.Pull up. –Still not seen as the thought leader—despite all the receipts?Your book’s still in your head. Your signature talk is stuck behind fear, and your bank account isn’t matching your brilliance. Gurl, that ends now.I help high-achieving WOC execs and entrepreneurs dominate the spotlight.If you're ready to get on stages, publish your book, and finally get paid like the powerhouse you are, Apply for my 1:1 coaching. Together, we'll:    📚Get your name on a book cover and cement your authority    💸Command stages and keynote fees that match your impact   🥇Publish bylines that position you as a #1 voice in your industrySpots are Limited: I work with a handful clients to protect the integrity of this work.Ready to turn your expertise into presence, power, and paychecks?👉APPLY📧 JOIN -  Expect fresh newsletters every week or so, where I share bare truths, storytelling tips and plenty of F-bombs.Ready to turn your ideas into influence? APPLY for 1:1 coaching to transform your voice into your greatest asset.