Ideas Love Community

The World Needs What Only You Can Say

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 20:01:35 +0000

Have you ever felt a deep longing to say something important—but held yourself back?

In this heartfelt Pep Talk, Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson explores what it means to activate the voice of your soul and why the world needs the message only you can share.

Drawing from her own experiences with bullying, self-doubt, criticism, and visibility fears, Jacquelyn shares how she learned that there is room for every unique voice—and that your message isn't meant for everyone. It's meant for the people who need it most.

Whether you're dreaming of writing a book, stepping onto bigger stages, launching a podcast, sharing your expertise, or finally speaking up about what matters to you, this episode is an invitation to stop waiting for permission and start using your voice.

Because ideas don't change the world alone.

Ideas love community.

In this episode:

• Why the longing to use your voice exists for a reason
• How fear, criticism, and old stories keep us silent
• Why your voice doesn't need to be perfect before you begin
• How to find the audiences who resonate with your message
• The difference between fitting in and finding your people
• A powerful invitation to put your mission in motion

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

I earned the nickname "speaker whisperer" as a conference designer so I created a whole new event to help you get in front of the trail angels who can open doors to bigger stages and broader impact at the Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest. The Gathering includes information and inspiration on public speaking and getting seen and a pitch fest...(think Shark Tank!) Come for the learning or raise your hand to pitch the head of all TED conferences, literary and speaker agents, entertainment execs, and more.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

Visibility Lessons from Professional Speaker Cait Donovan

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Tue, 26 May 2026 18:50:59 +0000

What if the thing you’re searching for is already sitting beneath you?

In this deeply honest and wildly energizing conversation, burnout expert, keynote speaker, and host of Fried: The Burnout Podcast, Cait Donovan joins Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson for a conversation about visibility, burnout, fear, community, and what it really takes to share your voice in a bigger way.

Together, they unpack:

-Why your ideas need space to breathe
-How burnout often comes from “mismatch”
-The hidden treasure chest most people are sitting on
-The cure for visibility fear

Cait shares powerful stories about leaving her acupuncture career, building a global thought leadership platform, navigating uncertainty as a professional keynote speaker, and discovering that the only real question is:

“Is this bringing me closer to match… or closer to mismatch?”

This episode is a permission slip for anyone who knows they have something important to say — but keeps waiting for the perfect moment to begin.

Spoiler alert:

You already have a stage.

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

How a Panic Attack and an Ask for Help Changed Everything

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Sun, 10 May 2026 15:29:42 +0000

She was at a conference surrounded by experts in healing.

And suddenly…

She couldn’t focus.

The sounds in the room swelled around her.

The lights burned her eyes.

And suddenly she knew she couldn't pretend she was okay anymore.

So she said four words:

“I’m not okay.”

And everything changed.

In this story, you'll hear a story by Robyn Scherr, Diplomate-certified in CranioSacral Therapy and Certified Master Practitioner and Presenter for the Healing From the Core curriculum. And a conversation with host Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson that explores:

-Panic attacks and nervous system overwhelm

-Why asking for help feels so hard

-Childhood experiences that shape self-reliance

-The difference between looking okay and actually being okay

-Healing through connection and safe relationships

-The sacred power of storyIf this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and send it to someone who needs to find their voice. Because ideas don’t change the world alone. Ideas Love Community.

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

The Biggest Block to Your Thought Leadership

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Mon, 4 May 2026 19:02:33 +0000

Your voice is as unique as your fingerprint, but there’s something you’re doing that’s quietly dismantling your ability to express yourself in a one-of-a-kind way. In this powerful Pep Talk, from Ideas Love Community executive coach Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson shares a story that reveals what holds so many of us back from getting on bigger stages, writing that book you keep saying you want to write, or starting a podcast.

“You are allowing other people’s vocal fingerprints to influence your own.”

It shows a path to reclaiming your voice and your unique way of showing up in the world. If you’ve been comparing yourself, shrinking, or waiting until you “sound right,” this is your reset. It doesn't just end with a nice story, it wraps up with a challenge you can use to find and hone your vocal fingerprint so you can create a space for your thought leadership in a noisy world.

If you're a high-achieving leader, speaker, or visionary trying to build your thought-leadership platform, this episode will help you reconnect with your authentic voice, build confidence, and stop comparing yourself to others.

If you find this episode helpful, subscribe, review it, and share it with someone who needs a pep talk.

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

How to Speak Up When it Matters

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 18:12:31 +0000

As Tamara Myles prepared to launch her book on meaningful work, she found herself in a moment that many women know too well: She was positioned in way that invalidated her expertise, reduced her contribution, and stripped meaning from her work.

Instead of staying silent, she made a different choice, one that required intention, preparation, and bravery.

Join host Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson and Tamara as they unpack how difficult moments can create positive ripple effects when you get the courage to use your voice.

About Tamara Myles

Tamara Myles helps leaders unlock the transformative power of meaning at work. As a speaker, author, professor, and entrepreneur, she specializes in blending the art and science of human flourishing with practical strategies that drive innovation, resilience, and growth. Her mission is simple: to unlock the power of meaningful work to build cultures where people feel connected, challenged, and fulfilled. Tamara is the co-author of Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee, a guide for leaders to harness the power of meaning and create thriving workplaces. This book brings together research and actionable strategies to inspire leaders to cultivate meaningful work in every job, at every level of their organization. At Boston College, she teaches future leaders about the science of flourishing organizations, and as a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, she continues to study how meaningful work drives performance and well-being. Her research—the first rigorous academic study of leadership practices that increase meaning at work—has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, and FastCompany.

If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and send it to someone who needs to find their voice.

Because ideas don’t change the world alone.

Ideas Love Community.

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

Press Play Before You Go on Stage: A Pep Talk for Nervous Speakers

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:34:49 +0000

This is your go-to pre-stage pep talk for public speaking, executive presence, and overcoming stage fright.

If you’re about to step on stage, present in a meeting, or speak in front of an audience, this episode will help you calm your nerves, trust your voice, and step into confidence.

Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson, executive coach, speaker whisperer, and visibility accelerator, guides you through a powerful mental reset so you can move from fear to flow.

Perfect for:

Public speaking for leaders
Executive presence training
Overcoming fear of public speaking
Building confidence before presentations
Voice and visibility coaching

🎧 Save this and listen before every talk.

Key Takeaways:

You are here for a reason.
“You have something important to say.”

Your voice creates ripple effects.
Sound travels, and your words change lives.

You are safe to be heard.
Let yourself be seen, heard, and experienced.

There is no failure on stage.
Mistakes don’t interrupt impact, they deepen connection.

Trust what’s coming through you.
Even if you don’t trust yourself yet, trust the message you're here to share.

Your voice can change lives.
Not someday. Not when you're perfect. Now.

Save this episode. Come back to it every time you’re about to speak. And if you’re ready to build your confidence, your storytelling, and your presence at a deeper level, apply for a Gateway Coaching Sprint. Your voice is ready. Now it’s time to use it.

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

Coffee or M&Ms? The Speakers Who Get Booked Again (And Those Who Don't)

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 15:38:17 +0000

PSA From A Conference Designer

When you're hired to speak to an audience, how do you want to be remembered? What do you want to be known for? In this pep talk, Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson shares her experience hiring speakers for national events. She shares a cautionary tale about a speaker who became known for the wrong thing. And though people talked about her afterward, it wasn't to refer her or hire her.

You'll hear what makes the best speakers stand out. They check in on the team. Offer help. Ask how to make things easier. And wow the audience all at the same time.

These are the speakers who get referred, booked, and talked about in positive ways.

The surprising truth about speaking is that the difference isn't always the talk you give. It's the human delivering it.

Some speakers feel pressure to "act like a celebrity." They feel like they have to be demanding and high maintenance to prove their value. But when your motivation is coming from that place, people can feel it.

The speakers who resonate the most are the ones who are connected fully to the voice of soul moving through them. They allow the voice they were born to share flow through the vehicle of their voice and body. And when you are fully yourself? That's what the audience feels. That's when your words ripple out into people's kitchens, homes, and hearts.

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

When Your Message Matters More Than the Risk: How Rachel Estes Leyk Found Her Voice

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000

The Moment That Changed Everything

Rachel Estes Leyk shares a defining moment for her family when her son was violently attacked at school. In the middle of chaos and fear, her son did something extraordinary. He stayed grounded, regulated, and calm.

That moment became the foundation for everything that followed.

When Your Story Becomes Your Work

Rachel didn't set out to write Response-ABILITY. But experts and teachers kept asking her the same question: "What did you teach him?" She realized that she couldn't keep the story to herself, even though she was afraid to tell it. It wasn't just a personal story. It was a framework others needed. "I have a responsibility to bring this message to the world."

The Fear of Sharing

Before sharing publicly, Rachel and her family pulled inward.

They got small.
They focused on healing.

Because telling a story like this comes with fear:

fear of judgment
fear of misunderstanding
fear of reliving it

But ultimately, something shifted.

“We will not operate out of fear.”

Here's the truth about thought leadership. It's turning something you've lived into something that helps others.

Because ideas alone don't change the world.
Ideas Love Community.

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

When You're Confident in the Wrong Things

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 23:15:18 +0000

The Confidence Myth

Most people think confidence is something you either have or don’t.

But that’s not what I see.

I work with incredibly accomplished people (leaders, founders, executives), people whose resumes are intimidating even to me. And still, after they step off a stage I've hired them to speak on, they ask:

"Was that okay?"

I guess you could call it imposter syndrome. I call it Career Dysmorphia.

Career Dysmorphia is when:

-Your success is real.
-Your accomplishments are undeniable.
-Your experience is deep.

And yet...you still can't see yourself clearly. It's like looking into the mirror and seeing an outdated version of yourself. In this Pep Talk I share a story about losing 100 pounds in my 20s. I didn't recognize myself in mirrors after the weight loss. And today, I find it's a powerful metaphor for what many high achievers experience professionally.

The Visibility Trigger

The more you open yourself to a bigger life, a more visible life, the more your confidence can take a hit. Whether you're posting your ideas, writing a book, or stepping onto a stage.

That's when all the confidence you thought you had can disappear.

Misplaced Confidence

One of the most powerful ideas in this episode breaks open a truth that once you see it, you can't unsee it. You already have confidence, but not always in the right things. When you align yourself to your center and activate the voice of soul in your work and life, that's when confidence becomes natural.

The Invitation

This episode of Ideas Love Community is not asking you to become someone new. It's asking you to:

-See yourself clearly.
-Own what you've already done.
-Choose confidence intentionally.

Because there's only one thing standing in your way.

Key Quotes

“You can achieve so much and still not see yourself clearly.”

“All of us have this… ‘Do you like me? Is this okay?’”

“The only thing standing between you and what you want is confidence.”

“I was confident in lack.”

“You get to choose where your confidence is.”

“When you tap the voice of your soul… confidence is easy.”

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

You're Allowed to Want More: Sabra Meretab on High Achievement, Hidden Exhaustion, and the Healing Power of Story

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 22:32:21 +0000

Sabra Meretab describes herself as someone who has always worked hard, often too hard. “I work hard in a way that makes my body scream in protest. It’s a double-edged sword I keep enthusiastically sharpening,” she says.

Her story will feel familiar to anyone who’s experienced the dark side of high-achievement, ambition, and success.

The Question That Changed Everything

During a particularly difficult time, she asked herself a simple but life-changing question: “Have I ever made a decision for myself in my entire life?”

That question led her to step away from her job, take time off, and start writing.

In this episode, Sabra describes what it feels like to realize that you’ve been following the path you were “supposed to” follow but not the path that’s right for you.

Writing as a Way Back to Yourself

Sabra didn’t plan to become a writer with a book on the way and a Substack full of her beautiful writing. She first turned to journaling because she was desperate to feel better and she was willing to try anything.

As the words spilled onto the pages of her journals, she quickly craved time with her journal because it helped her understand her life and herself.

If you’re feeling stuck between achievement and meaning, journaling can help you be honest with yourself in ways your mind might avoid.

The Message She Wants You to Take With You

At the end of the episode, Sabra shares the idea she hopes people remember: Optimism is not naive. Optimism is what makes action possible. If you believe things can change, you start making different choices. And those small choices can change everything.

Key Quotes

“Have I ever made a decision for myself in my entire life?”

“I work hard in the way that makes my body scream in protest.”

“The world is filled with so many non-skipping things.”

“I started writing because I was desperate to feel better.”

“If you don’t believe things can be better, you won’t act.”

About Sabra Meretab

Sabra Meretab has spent her career building payments products and leading engineering teams in Fintech. When she's not debugging technical infrastructure, she's debugging her own understanding of the world around her through writing. Sabra writes essays on ambition, burnout, and the achievement complex in her spare time and is currently working on publishing her first book, a memoir. Follow her on Substack: https://snackablegrowth.substack.com/

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

Why You Need A Bigger Dream

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:25:18 +0000

Lately I’ve been ringing the bell a lot.

For a client who posted something brave.
And another who finished a book.
And a third who was asked to speak at a huge conference in her industry.

And I want to ring the bell for you too.

In this episode, I’m talking about why so many talented, thoughtful, accomplished people still hesitate to go after the thing they really want.
Not because they aren’t capable. Because it doesn't even occur to them to go after the biggest version of their goals.

The Big Domino

I recently heard a story from two speakers who decided they weren’t going to climb the ladder one rung at a time.

Instead, they went after the biggest stage in their industry.

It took them 18 months —
but when they knocked down that one domino, everything else started falling into place.

That got me thinking:

What is your big domino?

What is the goal that feels exciting, scary, and a little bit unreasonable?

Why We Shrink Our Dreams

Most people don’t go after big goals because visibility feels risky or impossible. Or we don't consider our biggest dreams a close-up possibility. Instead, we take tiny steps toward our goals. Which can work, of course, over time.

Be Specific About What You Want

I once said I wanted to speak in a stadium, and technically I did, but not in the way I hoped. This taught me something important. If you want a big life, you have to be specific about the vision.

Creativity Turns Off Fear

One of the most powerful ideas in this episode: You can't be anxious and creative at the same time.

When you start brainstorming audacious, playful, and creative ways to reach your dream, your brain shifts out of fear or limited thinking and into big-sky possibility.

So if you have a goal of getting your leadership voice into the world in a bigger way ask yourself: What would be the most creative way to make this happen?

Say It Out Loud

One of the fastest ways to make a dream real: Tell someone.

Tell your community.
Tell your friends.
Say it where people can hear it.

Because once your voice is out in the world, things start moving. You can share your big dream with all of us here. I'll be listening to all of your messages and I might play yours on the air!

Ideas love community.

Dreams do too.

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

The Courage to Follow Your Calling: Shabnam Mogharabi on Joy, Leadership, and Living a Big Life

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 22:00:29 +0000

Success is Never the Whole Story

More than 1 billion views online. Global speaking engagements. Two best-selling books. It's a huge thought-leadership platform. And though it may look like success from the outside, that's never the full story.

In this special behind-the-scenes episode of Ideas Love Community, Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson (that's me!) sits down with entertainment executive, film producer, speaker, and former SoulPancake CEO Shabnam Mogharabi for a powerful conversation about what about what it really takes to build a meaningful career and life.

Shabnam shares her story of leaving security behind to help actor Rainn Wilson of The Office build SoulPancake, the viral storytelling company that reached billions of viewers. Jacque and Shabnam get real about their shared eldest daughter energy and the personal risks, doubts, and sacrifices that come with any big leap into a more meaningful life.

"I build this incredible thing and I'm proud of it. I'm also human and there were sacrifices," Shabnam says.

Together, we explore:

How our darkest moments make courage easier.
The costs of pursuing your calling.
The self-made myth.
When your soul wants more.

This episode is for anyone who feels called to use their voice, build something that matters, or step into a bigger chapter. Because ideas don’t change the world alone. Ideas love community. And being hydrated helps, too...

In This Episode We Talk About

The Three Crises Leaders Are Feeling Right Now

Shabnam describes three forces she sees everywhere today: A collapse of trust, rising isolation, and a crisis of meaning. Many people used to get meaning from family, faith, work, or community. Today, those anchors feel less stable — and leaders feel it deeply.

Why Community Matters More Than Ever

No one is self-made. Every success story includes teachers, mentors, partners, and communities. And the more we forget that,
the more disconnected we feel. We were never meant to work alone. We're meant to feel the pulse of humanity in everything we do.

Leadership, Service, and the Next Chapter

Leadership changes over time. At first, we focus on ourselves. But then we shift from having to prove ourselves to supporting others. And that shift requires letting go of control and trusting ourselves and our teams or community.

1,000 Cups of Coffee - #2

Shabnam Mogharabi is an award-winning producer, entertainment entrepreneur, and the former CEO and co-founder of SoulPancake, the mission-driven media company she built alongside Rainn Wilson. Under Shabnam’s leadership, SoulPancake reached over 1 billion video views, earned dozens of Emmy and Webby Awards, and ultimately exited to Participant Media. As an award-winning producer and writer she's developed and sold dozens of series, films, and digital shorts.

Today, Shabnam is the founder and CEO of The Joy Brigade, where she advises early- and mid-stage media, entertainment, and tech companies on strategy, culture, storytelling, and purpose-driven growth. She’s also a sought-after keynote speaker on joy, positive psychology, and meaning-making.

What's Next?

If this episode spoke to you, leave a review and share it with someone you know who needs to hear it!

Then share your voice with the Ideas Love Community podcast listeners. Tell us when a tough moment helped you take a leap of faith into a more fulfilling and meaningful life. Leave me a voice message.

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

How to Be Huge: Reclaim Your Voice, Stop Hiding, and Share Your Ideas

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 15:45:05 +0000

How to Be Huge

What does it mean to be huge?

For many of us, especially women, being called huge has never felt like a compliment. It’s a word often associated with shame, judgment, or comparison.

But what if we reclaimed it?

In this solo episode of Ideas Love Community, Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson gives listeners a pep talk to help them claim their voice, step into their courage, and live their leadership. She shares two powerful stories from her life that changed her relationship with her voice and shaped her mission to help leaders step into bigger visibility and broader impact.

She’ll share the most surprising piece of advice she’s ever received about keynote speaking. And how you can put it into practice, whether you want to step on a stage, write your book, or use your voice more effectively at work.

A Moment to Remember

Being huge doesn’t mean being famous. It doesn’t require speaking on massive stages. Being huge simply means showing up as the fullest version of yourself and allowing your voice, your joy, and your leadership to be heard.

Resources Mentioned:

Gateway Coaching Sprint, a 90-Day Visibility Accelerator
- Apply to Sprint here: https://gateway-project.com
Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest
- Get on the waitlist here: https://gateway-project.com

If this episode stirred something in you, don’t ignore it. Subscribe. Leave a review. Share this with someone who’s been sitting on the sidelines. And if you’re ready to build your thought leadership platform, apply for a Gateway Coaching Sprint. It’s time to find what’s yours to do and do it.

Share Your Story:
What do you feel a longing to do? Get on a huge stage? Do a TED talk? Write a book? Speak in a stadium? Share your vision for how you want to use your voice in a voicemail to me. I’ll be choosing recordings to play on the air in future episodes!
Record your message here: https://www.speakpipe.com/IdeasLoveCommunity

Connect with Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson:
Executive Coach | Visibility Accelerator | Founder of The Gateway Project
Subscribe, review, and share to help build a community of courageous voices.
https://www.jacquelynfletcherjohnson.com/

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

Inside TED: The Secret to Ideas That Change Everything with Monique Ruff-Bell

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Fri, 6 Mar 2026 17:18:50 +0000

Show Notes:

What makes an idea powerful enough to change the world?

In this episode of Ideas Love Community I sit down with Monique Ruff-Bell, Chief Program and Strategy Officer at TED and one of the leaders shaping the global platform behind some of the most influential ideas of our time.

Our conversation started the same way many meaningful things do: with a cup of coffee. (Or in Monique’s case…a giant bowl of coffee.)

What unfolded was a deeply honest and hilarious conversation about confidence, leadership, storytelling, and what it really takes to use your voice in the world.

Monique shares the mindset that helped her build an extraordinary career leading global events, shaping TED’s strategy, and curating experiences that bring thousands of people together around ideas worth spreading.

But this conversation isn’t really about titles or careers.

It’s about something much bigger:

The courage to believe you belong in the room.

Because the truth is, everyone is figuring it out.

And once you realize that, everything changes.

In This Episode We Talk About

• Why Monique lives by the 80/20 rule of growth
• How spending time in the right rooms can dissolve imposter syndrome
• What TED curators are really looking for when they evaluate speakers
• Why the idea inside the story matters more than the story itself
• The difference between networking and authentic connection
• Why discomfort is essential for leadership and growth
• How thoughtful event design can create real human connection

A Moment That Stuck With Me

We’re all just people.

Monique shared that one of the fastest ways to overcome imposter syndrome is to spend time in enough rooms where you realize something surprising:

No one has it all figured out.

And if someone else can be there… so can you.

One of My Favorite Takeaways

Monique talks about exercising the muscle of discomfort.

So many people try to avoid feeling uncomfortable.
But growth, leadership, creativity, and courage all live on the other side of that feeling.
If you want to do something meaningful with your voice…
You have to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

1,000 Cups of Coffee - #1

Monique Ruff-Bell is the Chief Program and Strategy Officer at TED, where she leads strategy, programming, and the organization’s flagship global events.

She oversees TED conferences, TEDx initiatives, partnerships, and marketing, helping shape the platform that has brought thousands of world-changing ideas to millions of people around the globe.

Before TED, Monique held leadership roles across media, publishing, and global event platforms including Money20/20, where she helped build one of the world’s largest fintech events.

She is also a mentor, speaker, and champion for bold ideas and courageous leadership.

If This Episode Resonated

Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend! And if you want to share your takeaways from this episode with the Ideas Love Community audience, leave me a message with your thoughts and I might play it on the air!

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

Claim Your Voice: Stop Sitting on the Sidelines

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Mon, 2 Mar 2026 16:17:53 +0000

SHOW NOTES

Episode Title:

Claim Your Voice. Stop Sitting on the Sidelines

Episode Summary:

Have you longed to use your voice but felt afraid of the consequences? In this very first episode of Ideas Love Community, I’m giving a pep talk about the real risks of visibility and why it's time for you to find the courage to use your voice anyway. You'll hear a story that can change your approach to building your thought-leadership platform. You'll explore what I call the “guardians of the gate" that keep you from stepping into the spotlight. And you'll hear how now is the time to find what’s yours to do and do it. If you’re standing at the edge of your next chapter, this is your gateway.

Key Takeaways:

:52 - Stories create ripple effects.
Stories don’t just inspire, they can motivate action and change real people’s hearts and lives.

2:30 - The “Guardians of the Gate.”
Fear, perfectionism, lack of access, these are the internal and external forces that block your longing to do something meaningful.

3:28 - What’s mine to do?
Ask yourself this question daily on your path to living your leadership.

5:16 - Nobody else has lived your exact story.
The specific details of your life is what will make your thought-leadership stand out.

9:45 - Be a finisher.
Visibility, influence, and impact come from finishing what you start.

10:46 - Don't let your stories get locked inside you.
Live your leadership, tell your stories, share your teaching with the world. The work you want to do will take courage. You'll have to let go of people-pleasing and overcome stage fright and the fear of visibility.

11:43 - Leadership comes from grounded strength.
It doesn't come from a lack of fear, it comes from the willingness to experiment and show up again and again.

Quotes:

“Stories are the most powerful tool on Earth because ideas love community.”

“I had one foot on the gas and one foot on the brakes my entire career.”

“No one else has lived the human story the exact way you have.”

“Leadership doesn’t come from panic. It comes from grounded strength.”

“Leadership doesn’t come from knowing all the answers. It comes from the willingness to experiment.”

Resources Mentioned:

Apply for a Gateway Coaching Sprint, a 90-Day Visibility Accelerator see the Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest here: https://www.gateway-project.com/

Share Your Story:

What do you feel a longing to do? Get on a huge stage? Do a TED talk? Write a book? Speak in a stadium? Share your vision for how you want to use your voice in a voicemail to me. I’ll be choosing recordings to play on the air in future episodes!

Record your message here: https://www.speakpipe.com/IdeasLoveCommunity

Connect with Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson:

Executive Coach | Visibility Accelerator | Founder of The Gateway Project
Subscribe, review, and share to help build a community of courageous voices. https://www.jacquelynfletcherjohnson.com/

Ready to be HUGE?

I coach extraordinary voices.

I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world.

Follow me on LinkedIn.

Apply for coaching.

Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.

Ideas / Love / Community Trailer

jacque@heartwoodleadership.com (Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson) — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:51:06 +0000

Welcome to the Ideas / Love / Community podcast! In this trailer, host Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson shares the heart behind the podcast. In a world that feels heavy and uncertain, this is your invitation to rise, claim your voice, and live your leadership. It's time to step off the sidelines and into inspired action. Consider this podcast is your trailhead. Your call to courage. Your reminder that transformation happens when ideas, love, and community come together. Ready or not…it’s time. Ready to be HUGE? I coach extraordinary voices. I can help you find your mission and message, build your thought-leadership platform, and launch your voice into the world. I earned the nickname "speaker whisperer" as a conference designer so I created a whole new event to help you get in front of the trail angels who can open doors to bigger stages and broader impact at the Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest. The Gathering includes information and inspiration on public speaking and getting seen and a pitch fest...(think Shark Tank!) Come for the learning or raise your hand to pitch the head of all TED conferences, literary and speaker agents, entertainment execs, and more. Follow me on LinkedIn. Sign up for my newsletter. Apply for coaching. Get on the waitlist for the next Gateway Gathering & Pitch Fest.