Trying to appeal to everyone is one of the fastest ways to become invisible.
In this episode of Good Girls Get Rich, Karen Yankovich explains why the women who land speaking opportunities, podcast interviews, and dream clients aren’t the ones with the most polished pitches—they’re the ones with the strongest point of view.
Why Playing It Safe Is Killing Your Personal Brand Visibility
If you’ve ever watered down your message because you didn’t want to offend anyone, you’re not alone.
Many brilliant women entrepreneurs make themselves smaller the moment they decide to become more visible. They soften their opinions, choose safer language, and try to appeal to everyone.
The problem?
When you’re trying to attract everyone, you end up attracting no one.
True personal brand visibility doesn’t come from being more like everyone else. It comes from confidently owning what you believe and letting the right people find you.
The Most Magnetic Brands Aren’t for Everyone
Think about a magnet.
A magnet doesn’t attract everything around it. It only attracts the materials it’s designed to connect with.
Your business works the same way.
The strongest personal brands aren’t built by saying what everyone agrees with. They’re built by sharing a clear point of view that speaks directly to the people you want to serve.
That also means some people won’t connect with your message.
And that’s exactly how it’s supposed to work.
When you stop trying to please everyone, you create space for the right clients to recognize you immediately.
Visibility Isn’t About Being Popular
One of the biggest misconceptions about visibility is that you need a larger audience.
You don’t.
You need the right audience.
That’s why podcast interviews, speaking engagements, guest trainings, and other borrowed stages are so powerful. They already have the people you want to reach.
But before anyone invites you onto their stage, they’re asking themselves one question:
Why this person?
The answer isn’t a clever pitch.
It’s clarity.
People remember someone who stands for something.
The Difference Between Vanity Visibility and Authentic Visibility
Many entrepreneurs chase visibility by asking:
“How can I appeal to more people?”
A better question is:
“What do I believe strongly enough that the right people immediately know I’m talking to them?”
Those are two completely different approaches.
Vanity visibility focuses on attention.
Authentic visibility focuses on connection.
And connection is what creates conversations, clients, referrals, and revenue.
The Story of Marion
Karen shared the story of Marion, a leadership coach who knew she could transform her clients’ lives.
She started pitching podcasts and speaking opportunities.
She sent five pitches.
None of them worked.
Her emails sounded polite and respectful.
Almost too respectful.
She apologized before anyone had even responded.
She softened her expertise because she didn’t want to inconvenience anyone.
It wasn’t that she lacked experience.
It wasn’t that she wasn’t qualified.
She simply wasn’t communicating with conviction.
Once she rewrote her message to clearly state what she believed—and why it mattered—everything changed.
The very next pitch earned a “yes.”
Not because she suddenly became more qualified.
Because she became more confident in her positioning.
Your Work Doesn’t Speak for Itself
Many professional women have been taught to believe this:
“If I do great work, people will notice.”
Unfortunately, business doesn’t work that way.
Your work doesn’t speak.
You do.
If you never talk about your expertise, your audience has no reason to remember it.
If you wait to be discovered, you’re teaching people to overlook you.
Visibility isn’t about becoming louder.
It’s about becoming clearer.
Consistency Builds Trust
One thing Karen emphasizes repeatedly is consistency.
Your LinkedIn profile…
Your podcast pitches…
Your website…
Your content…
Your conversations…
They should all reinforce the same message.
When your positioning is consistent everywhere your name appears, people begin associating you with that specific expertise.
That consistency also helps LinkedIn understand exactly who should see your content.
Instead of trying to talk about everything, become known for one thing first.
Sometimes Saying “No” Is Your Best Positioning Strategy
Karen also shared a personal story about turning down a significant five-figure opportunity.
The client wanted help promoting a message that didn’t align with Karen’s values.
Walking away wasn’t easy.
But protecting trust mattered more than protecting revenue.
That decision reinforced exactly what Karen stands for.
Your audience pays attention to the opportunities you accept.
They also notice the ones you decline.
Sometimes your strongest positioning comes from what you’re willing to walk away from.
Find Your “Slightly Dangerous” Belief
Here’s an exercise Karen recommends.
Finish this sentence:
I believe __________, and that’s why I __________.
Then ask yourself two questions:
- Could a reasonable person disagree with this?
- Would my ideal client feel relieved hearing someone finally say it?
If your answer makes you a little uncomfortable…
You’re probably getting close.
Your best message usually isn’t the safest one.
It’s the one that feels honest.
Three Simple Steps to Increase Your Personal Brand Visibility
If you’re ready to become more visible, start here.
1. Write Your One Belief
Complete the sentence:
I believe ________, and that’s why I ________.
Don’t overthink it.
Don’t edit yourself.
Write the version that’s true.
2. Say It Out Loud
Read it aloud.
Practice saying it until it feels natural.
The more comfortable you become saying it, the more confidently you’ll communicate it everywhere else.
3. Share It With Someone
Tell another person.
Watch how they react.
Their response will tell you far more than silently thinking about it ever will.
Visibility grows through conversation, not perfection.
Stop Playing Small
The entrepreneurs who build authority aren’t the ones with perfect messaging.
They’re the ones willing to stand behind what they believe.
Not everyone has to agree with you.
In fact, they shouldn’t.
Because the clearer your message becomes, the easier it is for the right people to recognize themselves in it.
That’s how you stop chasing opportunities.
And start attracting them.
Ready to Become More Visible?
If you’re ready to stop blending in and start becoming known for your expertise,
Karen’s free Borrow the Stage masterclass is the perfect next step.
Magical Quotes From The Episode:
“Stages don’t book topics. They book the woman with the message only she can deliver.”
“Your people can’t find you at half volume.”
“A magnet that doesn’t repel anything doesn’t attract anything either.”
Help Us Spread the Word!
It would be awesome if you shared the Good Girls Get Rich Podcast with your fellow entrepreneurs on twitter. Click here to tweet some love!
If this episode has taught you just one thing, I would love if you could head on over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW! And if you’re moved to, kindly leave us a rating and review. Maybe you’ll get a shout out on the show!
Ways to Subscribe to Good Girls Get Rich:
- Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts
- Click here to subscribe via PlayerFM
- Good Girls Get Rich is also on Spotify
- Take a listen on Podcast Addict
Read the Transcript
Episode 383
Host: Karen Yankovich
[00:00] Your Business Needs a Magnet, Not More Attention
Karen:
Here’s something nobody ever tells you about magnets.
A magnet doesn’t work by being attractive to everything. It works because it’s incredibly specific. The right piece of metal snaps right to it, while the wrong one doesn’t respond at all.
Think about when you’ve tried sticking a magnet to something that isn’t magnetic. It doesn’t even try to stick.
And honestly? If a magnet attracted everything, it wouldn’t be a magnet anymore. It would just be a mess.
This month we’re talking about visibility and borrowing stages that already have your ideal audience.
One thing I see happen all the time is this:
The moment a successful woman decides to become more visible, she starts sanding off her edges.
She softens her opinions.
She rounds off her corners.
She tries to become more appealing to everyone.
But stages don’t book topics.
They book the woman with the message only she can deliver.
That message is almost never the polite version.
It’s your real beliefs.
The ones that make people pay attention.
Today I’ll share two stories:
- Marion, who pitched the same stage five times before finally getting a “yes.”
- And the time I turned down a five-figure opportunity because it didn’t align with my values.
Let’s talk about becoming a magnet.
[02:23] Why Would They Pick You?
One of the questions I get all the time is:
“Why would that stage choose me?”
Sure, great pitches matter.
Good hooks matter.
But what really attracts opportunities is conviction.
Not louder marketing.
Stronger conviction.
Vanity visibility asks:
“How do I appeal to more people?”
Authentic visibility asks:
“What do I believe strongly enough that my people can hear it from the next room?”
We’re not looking for applause.
We’re looking for:
- Calls booked.
- Contracts signed.
- Revenue.
You’ve heard me say this before:
I want more wealthy women in the world.
When women have money, they have choices.
They can contribute.
They can create change.
That’s the scoreboard.
Not likes.
Not applause.
[03:42] Marion’s Story
Let me introduce you to Marion.
She’s a leadership coach for women.
She’s brilliant.
Her clients cry during coaching sessions because she helps them make real breakthroughs.
She wanted more clients, so she started pitching podcasts and speaking opportunities.
She sent five pitches over two months.
Nothing.
Her emails sounded like this:
“I’d love to be considered if you ever have an opening.”
“I totally understand if it’s not the right fit.”
“No worries either way.”
Do you hear how many apologies are packed into one request?
She had already written her rejection before anyone else had the chance.
She assumed she simply wasn’t ready.
But readiness wasn’t the problem.
Volume was.
[05:12] The Good Girl Tax
You’ve heard the phrase:
“If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.”
Marion asked.
But she asked quietly.
A quiet ask is almost the same as not asking.
That’s what I call the Good Girl Tax.
We convince ourselves we’re being polite.
We don’t want to bother anyone.
We don’t want to impose.
Meanwhile, we’re protecting everyone else’s comfort while sacrificing our own calendar and income.
So what does asking at full volume actually look like?
Before I answer that, let me tell you about a moment when someone asked me to turn my own volume down.
[06:16] The Five-Figure Opportunity I Walked Away From
A woman I’d been talking with for quite some time finally decided she wanted to work with me.
It was a significant investment.
Before signing, she asked me to watch a video and tell her whether I’d be willing to help promote it.
I watched it.
And honestly?
It represented everything I don’t believe in.
I liked her.
I respected her.
But if people trust me enough to invite me into their inbox or listen to this podcast, then I have a responsibility to stay true to my values.
So I said no.
She appreciated my honesty.
Yes, I walked away from what could have been a five-figure contract.
But I protected something far more valuable:
Trust.
That decision made my positioning even stronger.
Sometimes saying “no” is exactly what defines what you stand for.
[09:48] Your Slightly Dangerous Belief
Most LinkedIn headlines sound something like:
“I help women communicate with confidence.”
That’s nice.
It’s also completely forgettable.
Instead, ask yourself:
What belief would I defend even if not everyone agreed with me?
Here’s a simple test:
- Could a reasonable person disagree?
- Would your ideal client say, “Finally, someone is saying this”?
If the answer is yes…
You’re getting closer.
Don’t soften it.
Don’t water it down.
You’re not trying to start arguments.
You’re simply choosing a side.
[12:04] Your Work Doesn’t Speak for Itself
One of the most expensive lies professional women believe is this:
“My work will speak for itself.”
It won’t.
Work doesn’t speak.
You do.
Every year a woman waits to be noticed, she teaches her audience to overlook her.
Marion rewrote her pitch.
Instead of apologizing, she confidently shared what she believed.
Same expertise.
Same audience.
Same opportunity.
Different conviction.
The invitation came within a day.
Because her pitch matched her LinkedIn profile.
Her message was consistent everywhere.
That’s exactly what LinkedIn rewards.
The clearer your message becomes, the easier it is for the right people to find you.
[13:52] Your Homework
Here’s what I want you to do this week.
Step 1
Complete this sentence:
I believe __________, and that’s why I __________.
Write it honestly.
Then ask yourself:
- Could someone disagree?
- Would my ideal client feel relieved hearing this?
If your stomach flips a little…
You’re probably onto something.
Step 2
Say it out loud.
In the mirror.
In your car.
In your kitchen.
Wherever.
Get comfortable hearing yourself say it.
Step 3
Say it to one real person.
Not your journal.
A real human.
Watch their reaction.
That’s your data.
And if you’re a member of the Visibility Salon, post it there.
The women inside will encourage you every step of the way.
[15:40] A Magnet Should Repel People
If you’re thinking,
“But what if this turns people away?”
It will.
That’s exactly what it’s supposed to do.
A magnet that doesn’t repel anything doesn’t attract anything either.
Your people can’t find you at half volume.
Remember:
If you don’t ask, the answer is no.
But the ask only counts when you make it at full volume.
Stages don’t book topics.
They book the woman with the message only she can deliver.
Your beliefs are the magnet.
Not your clever hook.
Not your headline.
Not a template you bought online.
Your actual beliefs.
Turned all the way up.
[16:59] Final Challenge
So here’s your challenge.
Write your one-liner.
Say it out loud.
Then say it to another human being.
Tag me on LinkedIn and let me see it.
If you’re wondering where to start using that message, join my free masterclass:
Borrow the Stage
I’ll teach you exactly how to find stages, get booked, and turn visibility into paying clients.
You can register at:
sheslinkedup.com/masterclass
Because here’s what happens when you finally say your message at full volume:
You stop auditioning for everyone…
And start becoming magnetic to the people who need you most.
Next week we’ll continue this conversation and talk about how to keep that visibility growing.
I’ll see you then.