Making It with Jess Ekstrom

Latest Episodes:

3. 6 Ways to Use Your Voice in 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Show notes

Welcome back to Amplify with Jess Ekstrom!

For today’s Monday Motivation, Jess talks about why habits and intentions are more effective than New Year's Resolutions.

If one of your resolutions is to grow your personal brand, Jess is going to share some of her habits to make that goal happen, including speaking engagements, podcast guesting, and writing!

Learn how to leverage your platform - to serve both yourself and everyone out there who needs to hear your message.

Amplify with Jess is produced by Earfluence, and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

2. The Mistake You're Making by NOT Creating that Video, with Giselle Ugarte Jan 10, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Amplify with Jess, Today, we’re leading off with Giselle Ugarte, Global Speaker and Executive Performance Coach, and someone who’s become TikTok famous. Giselle wasn’t always comfortable being behind the camera, so I ask her what happened and why she appears so confident now.

(00:00) The confidence journey

(03:56) Admitting vulnerability

(07:47) Breaking barriers

(11:00) Competition or support system?

(17:58) Conquering your content creation fears

(21:10) “What if you just let it be messy and you just let it be real and you just let it be you.”

(27:14) Managing video expectations

(29:20) J-Lo: Longevity over virality

Amplify with Jess is produced by Earfluence, and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

1. Inspiration or Comparison? Jan 08, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Amplify with Jess! Get ready to dive into anecdotes, insights, and tips that'll amp up your 2024!

Today, we’re talking about the fine line between inspiration and comparison. When you see others winning (especially on social media), do you find that motivating? Or a little deflating? If it makes you feel less than, what can you do about it?

Amplify with Jess is produced by Earfluence, and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

New Name, New Season Coming January 8th, 2024! Jan 01, 2024

Show notes

I was hesitant to restart this podcast because my mind was saying, "Is the world too noisy right now? Are we in information overload? Will I be yet another podcast that people will roll their eyes at?"

But we were in Week 3 of Mic Drop Academy, which is our 10-week elite speaker program for women. And I was giving advice to someone who is hesitant to start their career as a speaker or in thought leadership - If what you have to say can help someone else, then you'd be doing them a disservice by not saying it.

So this podcast - with a new name, Amplify with Jess Ekstrom - is another way I can help lift women up. And I have some pretty amazing guests lined up who will help as well!

Follow along on any podcast channel or on YouTube, and we'll see you January 8th with episode 1!

Amplify with Jess Ekstrom is produced by Earfluence and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

42: 1 Mantra That Will Rock Your World Jun 20, 2021

Show notes

Do you find it hard to separate your personal worth from your business, allowing every little failure to eat you up? I'm going to let you in on a little secret and daily mantra I use: it's just business.

Over the last few years, I've dealt with the pain that comes from someone not loving a product, because I was taking it personally. When I started using this mantra, I found more space to focus on growth.

About the Phrase: It's just business. (1:21)

Using "It's just business." as a Mindset Hack (2:02)

How Moods Affect Your Day (3:01)

Putting Space Between the Person You are and the Product You're Creating (6:29)

Removing Ego From Your Work (7:16)

Text HYPE to 7042289495

41: 3 Ways to Get Speaking Gigs with Suz Chadwick Jun 13, 2021

Show notes

As a speaker, you're always looking for ways to gain experience and land speaking gigs, right? Suz Chadwick is sharing 3 ways to qualify yourself as a speaker and get booked for speaking engagements.

Listen in as she walks us through what it looks like to call yourself a speaker, how to show your value, and where you need to start today!

Get to Know Suz (2:41)

Three Ways to Land Speaking Engagements:

1. Practice with low hanging fruit: Podcast, FB/IG Live, Webinar, Events (3:14)

2. Create assets that qualify you as a speaker and make you credible. (7:42)

3. Start calling yourself a speaker. (16:38)

Title it on social media. Sample

Add a speaking page to your website. Sample

Add yourself as a Speaker title on your LinkedIn position. Sample

One Liner: Being a successful speaker is about using your story to help people in their story.

Links

suzchadwick.com

Suz's Webinar

Review the Transcript at businessonthebrightside.com

40: How to Land a TED Talk Jun 06, 2021

Show notes

Are you dreaming of standing on a stage next to those three big, red letters? Let's get you ready to land a TED Talk!

In this episode of Business on the Bright Side, I'm sharing the four P's to getting booked for a TED Talk!

Jess' First TedX Talk (1:06)

Ted X Talk vs. Ted Talk (1:47)

Ted X Talk: Localize Events

Ted Talk: Main Events

The Benefit of the Ted X Talk: (2:10)

- You can feature the logo on your site.

- You can prove your speaking ability for a Ted Talk.

- It will propel your speaking career.

- Provides credibility as a speaker.

- Lists you on their speaking directory.

The Four P's to Land a Ted Talk: (2:54)

Passion

Prepare

Practice

Pitch

Passion: What's a unique subject or concept that you're passionate about? (3:09)

Bright Pages Speaker Pathway

Prepare (4:31)

The Importance of Your Ted Talk Title (4:33)

The Transformation Promise (5:25)

Jess' Transformation Promise: I help audiences become more optimistic by believing that the future is good and they can be the ones to create it.

Practice (7:43)

Pitch (8:57)

1. Apply to all Ted X Talks, not just your local ones.

2. Review the theme of the event to tweak your pitch to fit that theme.

Get my Pitch Templates from Mic Drop Workshop

Set Up Google Alerts & Get Notified (9:47)

Links

Find a Ted X Event

Mic Drop Workshop

Free Keynote Planner

Monday Morning Hype Text: To sign up, text HYPE to 7042289495

Review the transcript at businessonthebrightside.com.

39: 3 Ways To Be More Direct with Erica Reitman May 30, 2021

Show notes

We live in a society where it's hard to be direct and say what you want—but I want to change that, starting with myself.

Erica Reitman joins us today for a straightforward conversation on three ways to be more direct in both your life and your career. Listen in as she walks us through her journey and how being direct has moved the needle forward!

Erica’s Past as an Interior Designer (1:44)

Inner Shift to Coaching (3:31)

Three Ways to Be More Direct (7:07)

1. Setting the tone for being direct (7:07)

2. Being straightforward in your pricing (14:40)

3. Be clear about who you want to work with (17:18)

Parting Advice (20:47)

Links:

instagram.com/ericareitman

ericareitman.com

Review the transcript at businessonthebrightside.com

38: 3 Ways to Make Your Website More Accessible with Myrna Daramy May 23, 2021

Show notes

Are you ready to make your website accessible for everyone? Let's test your website's accessibility!

Myrna Daramy is an advocate for Digital Media Optimization, encouraging others to create an inclusive and accessible space in their brands. Listen in as she walks us through opportunities for improvement and how we can start optimizing our websites today!

DMO: Digital Media Optimization (1:50)

Digital Inclusivity: Your digital platforms are accessible to any and everyone. (3:41)

ADA Compliance (5:53)

Disabilities to consider: Mobility, Hearing Impaired, Hard of Hearing, Vision Loss, Deaf, ADHD, Epilepsy, Cognitive (7:42)

Three Ways to Make Your Website Accessible:

1. Run an automated test to be ADA compliant (9:03)

Wave, ace, Site Improve (only 25% accurate)

Levels of ADA Compliance

A - Lowest Level of Compliance

AA - Industry Standard of 38 Checkmarks

AAA - 100% ADA Compliant

2. Working with your designer or developer to ensure you’re compliant.

Myrna’s checklist

3. Add Active ADA Widget

One Liner: In order to accomplish Digital Media Optimization, you not only have to consider how diverse you are, how inclusive you are, but also how accessible you are. (20:23)

Links:

myrnadaramy.com

Myrna’s checklist

instagram.com/myrnapdaramy

Active ADA Widget

37: Do I Need a Trademark? with Michelle Murphy May 16, 2021

Show notes

Do you have a great business idea or name? You may be asking yourself, "Do I need a trademark?"

Michelle Murphy of Wilson Murphy Law and The CEO Legal Loft join us to discuss when and why you need a trademark for your big idea, and how to go about the trademark process. Listen in as she walks through a trademark search, a few legal steps to take when you're getting started, and how an attorney can help you get legal!

Something that Made Michelle Want to Quit What She Does: She felt like she was talking to no one. (2:48)

What Kept Michelle Going: Staycations (6:02)

Michelle's Mission Statement: Make legal accessible and easy to understand. (7:47)

Tips to Getting Legal When Starting a Business (12:36)

1. Research your name and make sure it isn’t taken as a trademark, then trademark it.

2. Make sure you have terms & conditions and privacy policy up on your website (include CCPA).

3. Separate your bank accounts from business and personal.

Holding a Trademark Name (18:06)

Costs and Time Investment of a Trademark (18:42)

Links

Wilsonmurphylaw.com

theceolegalloft.com