July 2, 2025 • 22 mins
Send me a text message and get your questions answered on the podcast! I'd love to hear from you!
Respected in real life, but hearing crickets online? The credibility gap between offline success and online impact is real and can be hard to navigate.
This episode unpacks why your hard-earned reputation isn't automatically translating to digital spaces and, more importantly, how to fix that without burning out or starting over. The truth? Your success offline operates in a different world from your online presence. Credentials that opened doors in your career don't carry the same weight in the digital landscape without strategic positioning.
Let's transform your online presence and turn your reputation into digital success. Tune in now. Your next opportunity is just a click away!
*********
Ready to identify the gaps preventing your genius from being recognized? Click here to take the quiz to discover your next steps toward unshakeable credibility that generates consistent demand without the hustle.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, let me guess You're respected in real life.
Your clients love you and yourname carries weight Whenever you
walk in the room.
Things are going well whenyou're networking and you're
meeting new people and you areable to sell yourself when you
have a seat at the table.
But when it comes to showing uponline and trying to attract a
(00:23):
bigger or more expansiveaudience, that can be a little
bit more difficult.
As a matter of fact, it canoften sound like crickets.
I get it, I know, I've beenthere, and one of the things
that I do realize is that yoursuccess offline doesn't
necessarily translate online, atleast not easily and without
(00:45):
intention.
So today we're going to unpackwhy the credibility you've built
already isn't translating intoconsistent demand and how we
actually fix that withoutburning out, without being
beholden to the algorithm gods,and definitely without starting
over, because nine times out of10, you don't need to do that.
(01:06):
We're going to talk about thereal reason why many of us, as
seasoned consultants, tend toplateau, and how we can better
engineer our platforms to findthe right people who need our
help.
They say the odds are stackedagainst us as women, especially
women of color, trying to thrivein the consulting world.
(01:27):
But rather than wait for a seatat the table that may never
come, what if we build our owntables?
What if we channeled ourtalents into guiding each other
towards the success we deserve?
Welcome to the Black GirlsConsulting Podcast.
I'm your host, dr AngelinaDavis, and I've walked the path
from healthcare consultant to amentor.
For women like you, ambitious,unstoppable and ready to make
(01:50):
waves in the consulting world,this podcast is your go-to spot
for all things entrepreneurialconsulting.
For us as women, especiallywomen of color, think of it as
your weekly coffee date with afriend who's here to dish out
real talk on building a solidbusiness, elevating your thought
leadership and mastering thatall-important mindset.
(02:10):
And let's not forget, we'redoing all of this while
balancing day jobs, family lifeand running teams.
Yes, we can do it all.
So if you're ready to dive intohow you can grow a thriving
consultancy or get strategiesand insights that actually fit
your busy lifestyle, then you'rein the right place.
Grab your coffee, tea or hey,even a glass of wine, I won't
(02:33):
judge and let's get started.
Hi, my name is Dr AngelinaDavis and I'm the host of the
Black Girls Consulting Podcast,and on this podcast, we are
focused on not just surviving inthe consulting industry, but
actually thriving in this spaceand reshaping it all together.
(02:56):
So if you have been trying tofigure out how you shift from
just being emotion to havingmeaningful growth online, then
this is the episode for you,because there is a definite
difference between being busyand booked and being booked by
the right clients who actuallyvalue everything that you have
(03:18):
to offer.
So today, no cold pitches.
We're not focused on being on acontent treadmill, so don't
worry about any of that beingthe case.
We're looking for clarity,traction and things that allow
you to have sustainable growth.
All right, so let's get startedNow.
If I hear that one more experttells you to just do more, I
(03:40):
think I might scream.
One of the reasons is becauseyou're already doing enough.
You don't need to keep doingmore, especially if it's not
working the way that you thoughtit would.
Doing more, putting in moreeffort there's something to be
said for that.
It does help when you have asituation where things are
(04:01):
already working in your favor.
So if your efforts as you areonline is translating into more
clients and people reallyresonating with you and you're
growing and building a highlyengaged audience and community,
if all of those things areworking, then, yes, do more so
(04:21):
that you can increase thevisibility that you have.
But if those things have notlanded yet, doing more is not
going to help.
You have to first gain traction.
And I think that's where wemess up as consultants, because
we're often seeking the volume,the doing more and, to be honest
(04:43):
, it's often because it feelsgood, it feels more productive,
to be able to do more.
When we are taking more actionand when we're go-getters and
we're making progress bychecking things off our to-do
list, it feels as if we haveaccomplished a lot and although
we've been in motion, it doesn'tmean that we've taken the types
of action that are actuallymoving us along, moving us
(05:06):
further down that path, becausethat is the difference between
taking action and actuallygaining traction.
If I was to just lean on some ofthe writings from Gino Wickman
in his book Traction, you'llfind that in his framework he
talks a lot about how tractionis really the combination of you
(05:28):
putting together the rightvision with the right people and
the data and the processes thathelp you to grow.
So it's not just about oneaspect or one thing, such as
visibility, but it is thealignment of all those things
together that helps you to gainthe traction that you need, that
helps the business to grow.
(05:49):
So when we think about ourgrowth, we have to think about
it in the same way.
It's not about doing more.
That is a myth that if you justdo more you're going to succeed
, and so, yes, doing more hasits place, but in terms of you
gaining traction and growing thebusiness and getting it truly
(06:10):
to a point where it'ssustainable, it's going to take
more than just doing more,especially if those efforts are
not already aligned and working.
You have to begin to thinkabout what are those things that
people resonate with, thatthey're going to respond to,
that they are going to listen to, because, in all honesty, the
(06:31):
market is very noisy and if weare just doing more to create
more noise in the space, then noone hears anything.
So it has to be about building areputation that stands on its
own and, unfortunately, thereputation that we had offline
in our careers or maybe innetworking circles and in places
(06:55):
where we're able to sellourselves in front of people
that doesn't always translateonline, and if it doesn't
translate online, then we haveto build it.
I like to think of it as twodifferent worlds.
So when you're in the offlinespace, in your career or maybe
in a setting where you're not asconcerned about your presence
(07:17):
online, that's one world and youmay have mastered that world
tremendously well, but thatworld and its credibility does
not translate into this newworld where we're online, where
everybody has their own platform.
If you're going to have a spacein this new world online that
matches the world that you hadoffline, then you have to
(07:40):
actually bridge that gap.
There needs to be somethingthat allows you to carry the
credibility that you had offlineinto the online space, and what
often happens with us asconsultants is that we think
that it's going to be ourcredentials that's going to
allow us to transport thatcredibility from one world to
the other, and that's not true.
(08:01):
The credentials don't carry thesame weight as they did, maybe
in the offline space or maybe ina career where there was more
context around the credentialsthat you had.
So if you are building in thisnew world, then you have to also
design your business to succeedin that new world.
(08:23):
Business to succeed in that newworld, you need to create an
ecosystem that lives andbreathes on its own in this
online space, because that's howyou're going to build the
credibility that you need togain traction.
It's about why should peoplelisten to you?
Why do they want to seek yourhelp?
Why are you the person thatthey want to work with.
(08:46):
That all has to bestrategically built in this new
world, in this new space.
Online, it's a totally differentapproach to gaining credibility
.
So the myth of just be visiblewe need to put that out of our
minds and toss it aside, becausemore is not the answer.
(09:06):
Instead, gaining traction,being able to create a level of
credibility that stands on itsown in this new space, is going
to be the answer to us growingthe business to the level that
we desire.
When we talk about gainingcredibility online, a lot of
this is tied to differentiation.
(09:27):
So how do we stand out in thisreally noisy space?
Because what we're trying to dois take everything that we've
accomplished offline or in ourcareers and hope that translate
into this new world and thisonline space.
That means that we have to finda way to stand out, and with
(09:50):
such a noisy market, that can bedifficult to do if you are not
different.
So one of the key components ofbuilding credibility is
differentiation.
That's one of the reasons whyoutside of just making it easier
for you when you start thatmany people choose a niche.
(10:10):
Because if you begin to nichedown, you're working with a
smaller group of people thatrecognize your value and you're
able to build and gain tractionfaster.
So that's one of the reasonswhy niching down works so well.
Now, when we get to this pointwhere we're already have the
credibility and we're trying toallow that credibility to
(10:30):
translate in different setting,then what we have to do is not
just niche down, but go a lotdeeper, and I like to call this
your MVP specialization.
So this is that deep expertisethat you have as a consultant
that helps you to stand out.
That is what's going totranslate into your value in the
(10:52):
market.
And when you think about this,it's not just about learning and
knowing more.
That's one of the reasons whyoften, when I'm talking to
clients and they're thinkingabout potentially getting
another degree or anothercertification, I always ask them
well, why do you want to dothat?
It's not that it's a bad idea,but if you're doing it for the
sole purpose of buildingcredibility, then that's
(11:13):
unnecessary in most instances,because what's going to build
the credibility is not just theknowledge.
It's not just someone vouchingfor the fact that you went
through a program or you havebeen exposed to a certain level
of material.
What is going to build thecredibility is what you live
(11:34):
through.
That's actually yourfingerprint in this industry.
It's tying that knowledge thatyou gained together with your
lived experience and that iswhat creates the lens that you
see through, how you interpretchallenges in your industry, the
way that you solve problems.
And so when you're thinkingabout credibility and building
(11:57):
that credibility and developingresonance in your space, you
have to lean on the things thatmake you you.
What have you experienced asyou have navigated challenges
within your space that you canoffer to clients?
Those are the things that helpyou to stand out.
That's what's going to help youbuild the credibility that you
(12:19):
need, just like you built inyour career or offline.
That is what's going to helpyou bridge those two worlds.
So I want you to ask yourselfwhat have you been trusted with
that others may not fullyunderstand?
Usually, if you think hardenough, that's going to cue you
(12:40):
into where you can specializemore deeply where people have
gone to you about a problem orlooking for a solution where
they have not been able to findthat, help with others.
That is part of your deep MVPspecialization and many times we
can find this if we look andtry to find a through line in
(13:05):
our work.
So, looking back on yourexperiences in life, looking
back on your career, lookingback on your education, where
are you able to connect the dotstogether so that that helps you
to perform at a higher level?
Those are all the componentsthat you want to pull together
to offer to your industry.
(13:26):
That specialization, thatdeeper knowledge that you have,
that lived experience, thatbeing in the trenches that
you've done, that is what makesyou stand out and that's what
builds the credibility that youneed so that you become the
go-to in your space.
And this is often hard for usto do because it requires us to
(13:47):
be comfortable with sharing adifferent perspective, a
different way of looking at theworld, and that's a little
nerve-wracking, it can feel alittle bit scary to do.
But if you understand that thisis the central component of you
(14:08):
being able to stand out and howyou're able to build greater
credibility in your space sothat you are the go-to expert,
then you understand its valueand it becomes easier and easier
for you to push yourself to do,because that's often just what
we need.
We need to understand why it'svaluable and then have the why
(14:28):
behind it so that we know how weneed to move forward and why we
need to take these actions.
So this is what we need tofocus on MVP specialization
Making your specialized approachthe MVP of your business, and
whether you are offline oronline, it translates because
(14:50):
you become known for the onething that others cannot do.
This is the key to you beingable to bridge the two worlds,
and when that message is clear,when you're able to communicate
that clearly to each and everyperson that you work with, then
that builds the reputation thatyou need to generate demand over
(15:13):
time so that you're not solelyrelying on referrals.
People know you because theyknow you from the credibility
that you've built, and you'vebuilt that through sharing a lot
of what it has taken for you toget to where you are now.
It's what you've lived through.
That is life, part of the mostvaluable piece of your
(15:40):
positioning.
Why am I harping on this?
Why does all of this matter?
If we were to name it plainly,consulting still is a very
masculine space.
It's a hyper masculine industry, meaning that typically the
loudest voice in the room oftengets the deal, all because it
(16:03):
was presented by someone thatfit the traditional norm.
And for us as women, especiallyas women of color, that can
create a huge obstacle to getover at times, because the
industry still demands that weprove ourselves, whereas others,
(16:25):
who may be mediocre in terms ofthe work that they do, because
they fit the norm of theindustry, the traditional norm,
then they get the benefit of thedoubt.
This is one of the main reasonswhy us building credibility
strategically matters.
You've been in those roomsbefore.
(16:48):
You have been in spaces whereyour expertise has been
second-guessed and questioneduntil someone else validates it.
I often think, sometimes, in mypersonal opinion, I think
that's why I have sought outmany credentials and degrees
over time, because I was alwayslooking for the external
validation, not because I neededit, but because I felt other
(17:09):
people needed it in order for meto achieve the position that I
wanted to achieve or get.
We don't have to rely on thosetraditional systems any longer.
Yes, it looks different, butthere are other options and
everything that you experiencedbefore being closed out of rooms
(17:33):
or being second-guessed orfeeling as if somehow your
expertise was not as valid asothers.
You weren't imagining that andyou weren't alone.
But positioning is how we beginto take our power back, being
able to create a certain levelof credibility in our industry
(17:54):
and position ourselveseffectively to capture and
capitalize on the demand thatexists.
To capture and capitalize onthe demand that exists those are
the things that will allow usto not just win one contract or
two, but to build sustainablebusinesses that last over time,
because positioning, although itdoes not fix bias, it does help
(18:15):
us to lead with more clarity.
Us to lead with more clarity,to be bolder, to really command
respect in any room that we walkinto.
So if I was to speak to you,woman to woman, sister to sister
, in this moment, I really wantyou to focus on not just what
(18:36):
you know to be the traditionalconsultant version of you, not
just what you know to be thetraditional consultant version
of you.
I want you to honestly leaninto those things that are going
to create unshakablecredibility in your space, that
are going to help you stand outand really catapult your
business far beyond what youmight have ever imagined.
(18:57):
Because if you are used tobeing the strategist behind the
scenes or doing the thanklesswork.
It's time for you to beacknowledged for the excellence
that you provide and the workthat you do For us.
Credibility is not optional.
Building strategically is notoptional.
(19:19):
The online space, for us, can bean asset, a business asset that
allows us to market at afraction of the cost.
That helps us to put ourthought leadership in the world
without having to sell and pitchendlessly.
It helps you to show up on yourown stage instead of waiting
for the invite to come.
(19:41):
This is the opportunity tobegin to level the playing field
and utilize this online spaceas another tool.
So, if this episode resonatedwith you, I want you to stop
grinding, stop trying to do moreand instead focus on the things
(20:01):
that allow you to build greatercredibility in your space.
And if you are interested infiguring out what that might be,
where the gaps might lie inyour business, for why people
don't see your genius, whypeople are not seeing your
credibility translate offline toonline, for you to identify the
(20:26):
gaps that may exist, then Ihave a quiz that you can take.
I'm going to leave it in thedescription and just hop right
in and figure out for yourselfwhere those gaps exist and then,
when you're ready to refineyour platform from the inside
out, we can work together.
We can talk about how youdesign your authority, because
(20:50):
when you do that strategically,then you sharpen your
specialization and you build abusiness that reflects your
brilliance and it stands out andsucceeds in your market.
You've done enough grinding,you have done enough hustling.
It is time for you to gaintraction.
You deserve the business thatyou want.
(21:11):
You deserve that business tonot just exist, but for it to
sustain you, to reflect you inwho you are and, most
importantly, for it to rewardyou.
So thanks for listening anduntil next time, keep being
brilliant, keep being you.
All right, guys, we'll talksoon.
(21:31):
Thank you for tuning in to theBlack Girls Console 2 podcast.
If you enjoyed today's episode,be sure to leave your review on
Apple Podcasts, subscribe andshare it with a friend.
We're on a mission to increasethe success and longevity of
women in consulting, and you canhelp us do just that.
Also, I'd love to hear from you.
So let's connect at Dr AngelinaDavis on Instagram or LinkedIn,
(21:54):
and don't forget to visitexcelatconsultingcom for more
information to support yourconsulting journey.
Until next time, keep breakingglass ceiling, all right, take
care.
Okay, let me guess You're respected in real life.
Your clients love you and yourname carries weight Whenever you
walk in the room.
Things are going well whenyou're networking and you're
meeting new people and you areable to sell yourself when you
have a seat at the table.
But when it comes to showing uponline and trying to attract a
(00:23):
bigger or more expansiveaudience, that can be a little
bit more difficult.
As a matter of fact, it canoften sound like crickets.
I get it, I know, I've beenthere, and one of the things
that I do realize is that yoursuccess offline doesn't
necessarily translate online, atleast not easily and without
(00:45):
intention.
So today we're going to unpackwhy the credibility you've built
already isn't translating intoconsistent demand and how we
actually fix that withoutburning out, without being
beholden to the algorithm gods,and definitely without starting
over, because nine times out of10, you don't need to do that.
(01:06):
We're going to talk about thereal reason why many of us, as
seasoned consultants, tend toplateau, and how we can better
engineer our platforms to findthe right people who need our
help.
They say the odds are stackedagainst us as women, especially
women of color, trying to thrivein the consulting world.
(01:27):
But rather than wait for a seatat the table that may never
come, what if we build our owntables?
What if we channeled ourtalents into guiding each other
towards the success we deserve?
Welcome to the Black GirlsConsulting Podcast.
I'm your host, dr AngelinaDavis, and I've walked the path
from healthcare consultant to amentor.
For women like you, ambitious,unstoppable and ready to make
(01:50):
waves in the consulting world,this podcast is your go-to spot
for all things entrepreneurialconsulting.
For us as women, especiallywomen of color, think of it as
your weekly coffee date with afriend who's here to dish out
real talk on building a solidbusiness, elevating your thought
leadership and mastering thatall-important mindset.
(02:10):
And let's not forget, we'redoing all of this while
balancing day jobs, family lifeand running teams.
Yes, we can do it all.
So if you're ready to dive intohow you can grow a thriving
consultancy or get strategiesand insights that actually fit
your busy lifestyle, then you'rein the right place.
Grab your coffee, tea or hey,even a glass of wine, I won't
(02:33):
judge and let's get started.
Hi, my name is Dr AngelinaDavis and I'm the host of the
Black Girls Consulting Podcast,and on this podcast, we are
focused on not just surviving inthe consulting industry, but
actually thriving in this spaceand reshaping it all together.
(02:56):
So if you have been trying tofigure out how you shift from
just being emotion to havingmeaningful growth online, then
this is the episode for you,because there is a definite
difference between being busyand booked and being booked by
the right clients who actuallyvalue everything that you have
(03:18):
to offer.
So today, no cold pitches.
We're not focused on being on acontent treadmill, so don't
worry about any of that beingthe case.
We're looking for clarity,traction and things that allow
you to have sustainable growth.
All right, so let's get startedNow.
If I hear that one more experttells you to just do more, I
(03:40):
think I might scream.
One of the reasons is becauseyou're already doing enough.
You don't need to keep doingmore, especially if it's not
working the way that you thoughtit would.
Doing more, putting in moreeffort there's something to be
said for that.
It does help when you have asituation where things are
(04:01):
already working in your favor.
So if your efforts as you areonline is translating into more
clients and people reallyresonating with you and you're
growing and building a highlyengaged audience and community,
if all of those things areworking, then, yes, do more so
(04:21):
that you can increase thevisibility that you have.
But if those things have notlanded yet, doing more is not
going to help.
You have to first gain traction.
And I think that's where wemess up as consultants, because
we're often seeking the volume,the doing more and, to be honest
(04:43):
, it's often because it feelsgood, it feels more productive,
to be able to do more.
When we are taking more actionand when we're go-getters and
we're making progress bychecking things off our to-do
list, it feels as if we haveaccomplished a lot and although
we've been in motion, it doesn'tmean that we've taken the types
of action that are actuallymoving us along, moving us
(05:06):
further down that path, becausethat is the difference between
taking action and actuallygaining traction.
If I was to just lean on some ofthe writings from Gino Wickman
in his book Traction, you'llfind that in his framework he
talks a lot about how tractionis really the combination of you
(05:28):
putting together the rightvision with the right people and
the data and the processes thathelp you to grow.
So it's not just about oneaspect or one thing, such as
visibility, but it is thealignment of all those things
together that helps you to gainthe traction that you need, that
helps the business to grow.
(05:49):
So when we think about ourgrowth, we have to think about
it in the same way.
It's not about doing more.
That is a myth that if you justdo more you're going to succeed
, and so, yes, doing more hasits place, but in terms of you
gaining traction and growing thebusiness and getting it truly
(06:10):
to a point where it'ssustainable, it's going to take
more than just doing more,especially if those efforts are
not already aligned and working.
You have to begin to thinkabout what are those things that
people resonate with, thatthey're going to respond to,
that they are going to listen to, because, in all honesty, the
(06:31):
market is very noisy and if weare just doing more to create
more noise in the space, then noone hears anything.
So it has to be about building areputation that stands on its
own and, unfortunately, thereputation that we had offline
in our careers or maybe innetworking circles and in places
(06:55):
where we're able to sellourselves in front of people
that doesn't always translateonline, and if it doesn't
translate online, then we haveto build it.
I like to think of it as twodifferent worlds.
So when you're in the offlinespace, in your career or maybe
in a setting where you're not asconcerned about your presence
(07:17):
online, that's one world and youmay have mastered that world
tremendously well, but thatworld and its credibility does
not translate into this newworld where we're online, where
everybody has their own platform.
If you're going to have a spacein this new world online that
matches the world that you hadoffline, then you have to
(07:40):
actually bridge that gap.
There needs to be somethingthat allows you to carry the
credibility that you had offlineinto the online space, and what
often happens with us asconsultants is that we think
that it's going to be ourcredentials that's going to
allow us to transport thatcredibility from one world to
the other, and that's not true.
(08:01):
The credentials don't carry thesame weight as they did, maybe
in the offline space or maybe ina career where there was more
context around the credentialsthat you had.
So if you are building in thisnew world, then you have to also
design your business to succeedin that new world.
(08:23):
Business to succeed in that newworld, you need to create an
ecosystem that lives andbreathes on its own in this
online space, because that's howyou're going to build the
credibility that you need togain traction.
It's about why should peoplelisten to you?
Why do they want to seek yourhelp?
Why are you the person thatthey want to work with.
(08:46):
That all has to bestrategically built in this new
world, in this new space.
Online, it's a totally differentapproach to gaining credibility
.
So the myth of just be visiblewe need to put that out of our
minds and toss it aside, becausemore is not the answer.
(09:06):
Instead, gaining traction,being able to create a level of
credibility that stands on itsown in this new space, is going
to be the answer to us growingthe business to the level that
we desire.
When we talk about gainingcredibility online, a lot of
this is tied to differentiation.
(09:27):
So how do we stand out in thisreally noisy space?
Because what we're trying to dois take everything that we've
accomplished offline or in ourcareers and hope that translate
into this new world and thisonline space.
That means that we have to finda way to stand out, and with
(09:50):
such a noisy market, that can bedifficult to do if you are not
different.
So one of the key components ofbuilding credibility is
differentiation.
That's one of the reasons whyoutside of just making it easier
for you when you start thatmany people choose a niche.
(10:10):
Because if you begin to nichedown, you're working with a
smaller group of people thatrecognize your value and you're
able to build and gain tractionfaster.
So that's one of the reasonswhy niching down works so well.
Now, when we get to this pointwhere we're already have the
credibility and we're trying toallow that credibility to
(10:30):
translate in different setting,then what we have to do is not
just niche down, but go a lotdeeper, and I like to call this
your MVP specialization.
So this is that deep expertisethat you have as a consultant
that helps you to stand out.
That is what's going totranslate into your value in the
(10:52):
market.
And when you think about this,it's not just about learning and
knowing more.
That's one of the reasons whyoften, when I'm talking to
clients and they're thinkingabout potentially getting
another degree or anothercertification, I always ask them
well, why do you want to dothat?
It's not that it's a bad idea,but if you're doing it for the
sole purpose of buildingcredibility, then that's
(11:13):
unnecessary in most instances,because what's going to build
the credibility is not just theknowledge.
It's not just someone vouchingfor the fact that you went
through a program or you havebeen exposed to a certain level
of material.
What is going to build thecredibility is what you live
(11:34):
through.
That's actually yourfingerprint in this industry.
It's tying that knowledge thatyou gained together with your
lived experience and that iswhat creates the lens that you
see through, how you interpretchallenges in your industry, the
way that you solve problems.
And so when you're thinkingabout credibility and building
(11:57):
that credibility and developingresonance in your space, you
have to lean on the things thatmake you you.
What have you experienced asyou have navigated challenges
within your space that you canoffer to clients?
Those are the things that helpyou to stand out.
That's what's going to help youbuild the credibility that you
(12:19):
need, just like you built inyour career or offline.
That is what's going to helpyou bridge those two worlds.
So I want you to ask yourselfwhat have you been trusted with
that others may not fullyunderstand?
Usually, if you think hardenough, that's going to cue you
(12:40):
into where you can specializemore deeply where people have
gone to you about a problem orlooking for a solution where
they have not been able to findthat, help with others.
That is part of your deep MVPspecialization and many times we
can find this if we look andtry to find a through line in
(13:05):
our work.
So, looking back on yourexperiences in life, looking
back on your career, lookingback on your education, where
are you able to connect the dotstogether so that that helps you
to perform at a higher level?
Those are all the componentsthat you want to pull together
to offer to your industry.
(13:26):
That specialization, thatdeeper knowledge that you have,
that lived experience, thatbeing in the trenches that
you've done, that is what makesyou stand out and that's what
builds the credibility that youneed so that you become the
go-to in your space.
And this is often hard for usto do because it requires us to
(13:47):
be comfortable with sharing adifferent perspective, a
different way of looking at theworld, and that's a little
nerve-wracking, it can feel alittle bit scary to do.
But if you understand that thisis the central component of you
(14:08):
being able to stand out and howyou're able to build greater
credibility in your space sothat you are the go-to expert,
then you understand its valueand it becomes easier and easier
for you to push yourself to do,because that's often just what
we need.
We need to understand why it'svaluable and then have the why
(14:28):
behind it so that we know how weneed to move forward and why we
need to take these actions.
So this is what we need tofocus on MVP specialization
Making your specialized approachthe MVP of your business, and
whether you are offline oronline, it translates because
(14:50):
you become known for the onething that others cannot do.
This is the key to you beingable to bridge the two worlds,
and when that message is clear,when you're able to communicate
that clearly to each and everyperson that you work with, then
that builds the reputation thatyou need to generate demand over
(15:13):
time so that you're not solelyrelying on referrals.
People know you because theyknow you from the credibility
that you've built, and you'vebuilt that through sharing a lot
of what it has taken for you toget to where you are now.
It's what you've lived through.
That is life, part of the mostvaluable piece of your
(15:40):
positioning.
Why am I harping on this?
Why does all of this matter?
If we were to name it plainly,consulting still is a very
masculine space.
It's a hyper masculine industry, meaning that typically the
loudest voice in the room oftengets the deal, all because it
(16:03):
was presented by someone thatfit the traditional norm.
And for us as women, especiallyas women of color, that can
create a huge obstacle to getover at times, because the
industry still demands that weprove ourselves, whereas others,
(16:25):
who may be mediocre in terms ofthe work that they do, because
they fit the norm of theindustry, the traditional norm,
then they get the benefit of thedoubt.
This is one of the main reasonswhy us building credibility
strategically matters.
You've been in those roomsbefore.
(16:48):
You have been in spaces whereyour expertise has been
second-guessed and questioneduntil someone else validates it.
I often think, sometimes, in mypersonal opinion, I think
that's why I have sought outmany credentials and degrees
over time, because I was alwayslooking for the external
validation, not because I neededit, but because I felt other
(17:09):
people needed it in order for meto achieve the position that I
wanted to achieve or get.
We don't have to rely on thosetraditional systems any longer.
Yes, it looks different, butthere are other options and
everything that you experiencedbefore being closed out of rooms
(17:33):
or being second-guessed orfeeling as if somehow your
expertise was not as valid asothers.
You weren't imagining that andyou weren't alone.
But positioning is how we beginto take our power back, being
able to create a certain levelof credibility in our industry
(17:54):
and position ourselveseffectively to capture and
capitalize on the demand thatexists.
To capture and capitalize onthe demand that exists those are
the things that will allow usto not just win one contract or
two, but to build sustainablebusinesses that last over time,
because positioning, although itdoes not fix bias, it does help
(18:15):
us to lead with more clarity.
Us to lead with more clarity,to be bolder, to really command
respect in any room that we walkinto.
So if I was to speak to you,woman to woman, sister to sister
, in this moment, I really wantyou to focus on not just what
(18:36):
you know to be the traditionalconsultant version of you, not
just what you know to be thetraditional consultant version
of you.
I want you to honestly leaninto those things that are going
to create unshakablecredibility in your space, that
are going to help you stand outand really catapult your
business far beyond what youmight have ever imagined.
(18:57):
Because if you are used tobeing the strategist behind the
scenes or doing the thanklesswork.
It's time for you to beacknowledged for the excellence
that you provide and the workthat you do For us.
Credibility is not optional.
Building strategically is notoptional.
(19:19):
The online space, for us, can bean asset, a business asset that
allows us to market at afraction of the cost.
That helps us to put ourthought leadership in the world
without having to sell and pitchendlessly.
It helps you to show up on yourown stage instead of waiting
for the invite to come.
(19:41):
This is the opportunity tobegin to level the playing field
and utilize this online spaceas another tool.
So, if this episode resonatedwith you, I want you to stop
grinding, stop trying to do moreand instead focus on the things
(20:01):
that allow you to build greatercredibility in your space.
And if you are interested infiguring out what that might be,
where the gaps might lie inyour business, for why people
don't see your genius, whypeople are not seeing your
credibility translate offline toonline, for you to identify the
(20:26):
gaps that may exist, then Ihave a quiz that you can take.
I'm going to leave it in thedescription and just hop right
in and figure out for yourselfwhere those gaps exist and then,
when you're ready to refineyour platform from the inside
out, we can work together.
We can talk about how youdesign your authority, because
(20:50):
when you do that strategically,then you sharpen your
specialization and you build abusiness that reflects your
brilliance and it stands out andsucceeds in your market.
You've done enough grinding,you have done enough hustling.
It is time for you to gaintraction.
You deserve the business thatyou want.
(21:11):
You deserve that business tonot just exist, but for it to
sustain you, to reflect you inwho you are and, most
importantly, for it to rewardyou.
So thanks for listening anduntil next time, keep being
brilliant, keep being you.
All right, guys, we'll talksoon.
(21:31):
Thank you for tuning in to theBlack Girls Console 2 podcast.
If you enjoyed today's episode,be sure to leave your review on
Apple Podcasts, subscribe andshare it with a friend.
We're on a mission to increasethe success and longevity of
women in consulting, and you canhelp us do just that.
Also, I'd love to hear from you.
So let's connect at Dr AngelinaDavis on Instagram or LinkedIn,
(21:54):
and don't forget to visitexcelatconsultingcom for more
information to support yourconsulting journey.
Until next time, keep breakingglass ceiling, all right, take
care.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!