Real Personal Branding Podcast - Business Building for Keynote Speakers, Personal Brand, Personal Development, Coaches, Consu

In this episode of The REAL Personal Branding Podcast, Lauren welcomes Sue Heilbronner. She reveals why one of the most powerful moves an entrepreneur can make is getting deeply aligned with their core values while remaining unattached to whether a specific piece of business closes. Sue explains that selling is not an aggressive action, but rather a process of alignment and communication. In her conversation with Lauren, Sue discusses: Lead with alignment, not pressure. Sue explains that the foundation of effective selling is getting deeply aligned with your core values, strengths, and what the market actually needs—then communicating that clearly and confidently. Practice "passionate ambivalence." Be fully invested in your work while staying unattached to whether any specific opportunity closes. This mindset reduces fear, improves relationships, and leads to stronger long-term business outcomes. Build magnetism through clarity and positioning. A concise 15–30 second bio and a clear articulation of your value help expand your "top of funnel," making sales feel more natural and less dependent on chasing individual prospects. Sue shares her fascinating journey from the Justice Department to the early internet era, illustrating how a mindset oriented toward change and curiosity can create massive opportunities in any economy. She also breaks down the core concepts from her book, Never Ask for the Sale, explaining why traditional "outcome chasing" can compromise the quality of business relationships and how building a personal brand with purpose creates natural magnetism. More about our guest today: Sue is a sought-after speaker, startup CEO, mentor, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship, facilitator, strategic advisor, Conscious Leadership coach, co-founder of the MergeLane investment fund, creator of the Leadership Camp training program for high-potential leaders, former federal prosecutor, and a direct and fearless catalyst for change. Lauren and Sue also explore how entrepreneurs can shift away from traditional aggressive selling toward the practice of passionate ambivalence - the art of being deeply invested in your work while remaining unattached to specific outcomes. Connect with Lauren V. Davis here: https://linktr.ee/ldaviscreative Connect with Sue Heilbronner here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sueheilbronner/ https://www.heysue.com/

In this episode of the REAL Personal Branding podcast, Lauren welcomes back globally recognized author, futurist, and marketing strategist Mark Schaefer to talk about his groundbreaking new book, Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World. Lauren and Mark explore how creators, business owners, and professionals can thrive in a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping marketing and visibility. Mark shares why you can't outsmart AI. You have to out-human it. He also explains how leaning into authenticity, creativity, and community can make your personal brand stand out. Mark outlines the three pillars that set humans apart in a tech-driven world: personal brand, community, and transcendental content that sparks emotion. You'll also learn why audacity, the courage to break bad rules for good reasons, is now essential to visibility, and how storytelling, awe, and imperfect humanity create a connection AI can't replicate. If you're ready to disrupt the dull, amplify your voice, and show up more boldly online, this conversation with Mark Schaefer will help you discover how the most human company and personal brand always wins. Connect with Lauren V. Davis here: https://linktr.ee/ldaviscreative Connect with Mark Schaefer here: https://businessesgrow.com

On today's episode of the REAL Personal Branding Podcast, international best-selling author, award-winning speaker, TEDx speaker, podcaster of a number 1 rated podcast, and online business owner Teresa Heath-Wareing shares her insights on personal branding, visibility strategy, and online business growth. A strategic marketing and business growth coach, she works with online business owners, course creators, membership owners, and coaches to grow their businesses to six- and seven-figure levels. In her conversation with Lauren, Teresa shares how she helps business owners increase their visibility and become the go-to expert in their field. She reveals strategies for defining your niche, pitching yourself confidently for podcasts and speaking engagements, and creating lead magnets that convert. Teresa also stresses why focusing on a smaller, engaged audience can produce better results than chasing large numbers. If you're an online business owner, course creator, or coach, don't miss this episode for actionable advice to build credibility, boost visibility, and turn your audience into loyal clients. Teresa explains how to grow your personal brand authentically, confidently share your expertise online and on stage, and avoid feeling pushy or overwhelmed. Connect with Lauren V. Davis here: https://linktr.ee/ldaviscreative Connect with Teresa Heath-Wareing here: https://calendly.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fteresaheathwareing.com%2Fvisible https://www.instagram.com/teresa_heathwareing

In this episode of the REAL Personal Branding Podcast, Lauren sits down with Kat Boogaard, a full-time freelance writer with over 10 years of experience. Kat specializes in long-form content for software clients in the "world of work" space and offers advice and resources for fellow freelancers through her newsletter, social media, and freelance shop. She shares her strategies for using data to book clients and secure speaking engagements, including leveraging content analytics, crafting pitches that get noticed, and attracting ideal clients via social media. Kat offers tips on personal branding, client acquisition, project-based pricing, recurring income, and scaling a freelance business without burnout. If you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, or a professional navigating a career transition who wants to grow your brand and land more opportunities, don't miss this episode with Kat Boogaard. Connect with Lauren V. Davis here: https://linktr.ee/ldaviscreative Connect with Kat Boogaard here: https://katboogaard.com/subscribe

In this solo episode of REAL Personal Branding, Lauren shares data-backed insights to help entrepreneurs and speakers book more speaking engagements and attract more clients. She breaks down statistics about consistent branding, emotional marketing, and brand loyalty and shows you how to apply them to your personal brand strategy. You'll learn how maintaining consistent brand elements across your website, social media, and speaking materials can increase revenue by over 20%. Lauren also uncovers why emotional connection builds deeper audience trust than discounts or promotions, and how authentic storytelling can grow your long-term visibility and impact. Through practical steps, Lauren helps you audit your brand presence, create content that resonates emotionally, and design systems that strengthen loyalty with your audience. If you're ready to build a recognizable, trusted brand that opens doors to new opportunities, this episode will help you turn data into meaningful growth. Connect with Lauren V. Davis here: https://linktr.ee/ldaviscreative I believe in sharing where my insights come from, so every statistic and takeaway in this episode is supported by credible, recent research. Sources include WebFX – Branding Statistics, Marq (Lucidpress) – The Impact of Brand Consistency, DesignRush – 35+ Branding Statistics, Blacksmith Agency – Top Branding Statistics, Funnel.io – Brand Consistency: Why It Matters, Fuel For Brands – The ROI of Branding, Exploding Topics – Branding Statistics, Cropink – Branding Statistics, Papirfly – Brand Consistency: The Ultimate Guide, Spinutech – Measuring the ROI of Branding, Bloomreach + eMarketer Study (2025) – Emotional Connections Drive Brand Loyalty in Today's Economy, Amra & Elma – Brand Consistency ROI Statistics 2025, and Amra & Elma – DTC Brand Loyalty Statistics 2025. Each of these reports contributes to a fuller picture of how brand consistency, authenticity, and emotional connection influence visibility, trust, and long-term audience loyalty for entrepreneurial speakers.