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Proudly Authentic, Always Real
The Inclusion Bites Podcast
Proudly Authentic, Always Real
JG
Speaker
Jodie Goodchild
JL
Speaker
Joanne Lockwood
00:00 "Entrepreneur Celebrates Identity and Success" 07:00 Overcoming LinkedIn Posting Anxiety 15:50 Be Genuine, Avoid Corporate Speak 19:03 Authentic Connection on LinkedIn 24:26 Networking Events: Costly Social Buzz 28:36 LinkedIn: Engaging Social Media Strategies 34:28 Evaluating Personal Branding Risks 38:20 Heartwarming Entrepreneurial Success 43:25 Inclusive Marketing for Budget-Conscious Businesses 50:43…
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Highlights
“Join me as we uncover the unseen, challenge the status quo and share stories that resonate deep within.”
“And being able to stand on that stage last night and win that award as an out and proud lesbian woman who now doesn't give a toss if somebody likes that or not, was just absolutely mind blowing.”
“Coming Out and Self-Acceptance "I actually didn't feel like I started living my life until I was about 19 years old, because I went through what most of us, well, all of us do in the LGBT community, which was, you know, not understanding who I was and being scared and afraid to talk to anyone about that because there was no education and there was nobody to tell me that actually that was okay.”
“I don't need to carry this baggage of expectation around with people I don't care about.”
“Authenticity on Social Media: "And then when they met somebody in person, the person said, can I say something to you? And I don't want this to offend you, but I didn't think you'd be like this because you don't speak like this on LinkedIn.”
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Full transcript
Welcome to Inclusion Bites, your sanctuary for bold conversations that spark change. I'm Joanne Lockwood, your guide on this journey of exploration into the heart of inclusion, belonging and societal transformation. Ever wondered what it truly takes to create a world? Remember, everyone not only belongs, but thrives. You're not alone. Join me as we uncover the unseen, challenge the status quo and share stories that resonate deep within. Ready to dive in? Whether you're sipping your morning coffee or winding down after a long day, let's connect, reflect and inspire action together. Don't forget, you can be part of the conversation too. Reach out to joe.lockwoodeechangehappen.co.uk to share your insights or to join me on the show.
So adjust your earbuds and settle in. It's time to ignite the spark of inclusion with Inclusion Bites.
And today is episode 174 with the title Proudly Authentic, Always Real. And I have the absolute honour and privilege to welcome Jodie Goodchild. No, you're not. You're Jody. One second. Let's do that again. Today is episode 174 with the title Proudly Authentic, Always Real and I have the absolute honour and privilege to welcome Jodie Goodchild. Jodie is an award winning community creator, author and LinkedIn trainer who empowers others to grow their brand and business with zero budget, but with 100% authenticity.
And when I asked Jodie to describe her superpower, she said it is being able to create brave spaces where authenticity becomes your best asset. Hello Jody, welcome to the show.
Hello. Thank you so much for having me. I've followed you for a long time and it's actually great to get to meet you and chat and talk to you in person rather than admiring your posts and TV appearances from afar.
It was actually a real pleasure to have a guest on my show who is probably less than 10 miles away from where I'm sat right now. We're both pompy girls, pretty much born and bred in the not the sound of Bo Bows, but the sound of Fratton park probably. And as we're chatting in the green room, it turns out that my father taught at the school in the 70s that you attended in the 90s, I guess.
Yeah, yeah. Small world.
Yeah. And yeah, we're both lovers of the area, so yeah, absolutely fantastic to have somebody from here other than over there. So Jodie, we were chatting in the green room, we had a good natter for about three minutes, half an hour. And it's clear that you speak very powerfully about living as your true self. You would Recognise, like, even only last night with another award, and you were very proud of that. So what helped you embrace that authenticity and more importantly, I suppose, turn it into a platform for change?
Yeah, well, firstly, yeah, I've got my shiny award here with me, which I'm really excited about. Entrepreneur of the Year. And I think it's just absolutely crazy that I've won that because, and this is to answer your question, there was a time that, you know, you listening might relate to this, that I didn't think that there was life past, you know, if I was to come out and tell the world who I thought I was. And being able to stand on that stage last night and win that award as an out and proud lesbian woman who now doesn't give a toss if somebody likes that or not, was just absolutely mind blowing. And it's actually made me feel really emotional today because I. And again, I'm sure people listening will resonate with this, but I actually didn't feel like I started living my life until I was about 19 years old, because I went through what most of us, well, all of us do in the LGBT community, which was, you know, not understanding who I was and being scared and afraid to talk to anyone about that because there was no education and there was nobody to tell me that actually that was okay. I was convinced that if I spoke my truth that I would be, you know, shunted away from my family and that, you know, I just really struggled with my identity. And the honest truth is that it was only really in Covid.
Um, you know, we had lots of people that were passing away that made me sit there and think if it was my time to check out. And I was set, you know, sat in that waiting room and somebody comes around with their clipboard and says, right, you're just about to check out. Like, give us an evaluation of your time on this earth. You know, have you done everything you wanted to do? I kind of sat there and thought, no, I haven't. And it was that that really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I mean, I've had a really successful corporate career, but, you know, I wasn't happy. I had no purpose. Then started my own business.
And just by being me and, you know, not acting like I thought everyone else, you know, should act, I've made a really super successful business. And what I now do is teach businesses in my community, we've just hit the 90 number, which is crazy, just to be themselves and, you know, just post what they do on social media. So we. I teach LinkedIn and that's all about being authentic, you know, not worrying about what everyone's going to say, just saying what you want to say and being your authentic self. And that will attract people to want to work with you. And that's, I think, a long winded answer of why, you know, why I do what I do.
It's a real challenge when you first come out as a small business owner, forget about your sexuality. You're used to hiding in corporate land, working for somebody else. You don't have a voice, you don't feel that you can speak on behalf of anybody and suddenly you're a small business and suddenly someone says, you can say what you like, it's your business.
Yeah, yeah.
But people go, what can I say? You know, what should I say? And there's this real nervousness about having an opinion sometimes. You know, if you look at LinkedIn, 99% of people are lurkers.
Yes.
Not commenters or posters.
Yeah.
So it takes a real bravery to overcome your own imposter syndrome. What has little old me got to say to the world?
Yeah.
So that's a coming out that Everybody does on LinkedIn, isn't it?
Yeah, you're so right. You're so right on that. And that there's 1 billion, 90 million people on LinkedIn and the stat is that whilst 3 to 4% of those are active, they might, you know, they might use it. Only 1 to 2% of those people actually post. So what I say to people is, what a brilliant opportunity is that, because traditionally you'd have to pay thousands of pounds for marketing to get visible, whether that's an email campaign or some cold calling or direct mail. And you've got a platform available to you with. In portsmouth alone, there's 207,000 people on LinkedIn. You know, you've got presents you with brilliant opportunity.
But I love that you've just said, you know, you have to almost come out because you do. That first post is so difficult and I've seen it almost, you know, 90 plus times of the people in my community, you know, they come in and they come in because they feel like they're scared of LinkedIn and they, you know, they don't want to post. And my job, I think that, you know, my mission is to make them feel comfortable enough to just talk about the awesome stuff that they know. Because you're right when you're in that corporate job, you might be selling. And I was selling, you know, I had a huge sales, sales role and a huge sales team. We were doing over £100,000 in sales a year. But when I became a business owner myself, mentioning even just, you know, a couple of grand to somebody for what I was doing petrified me, you know, and it's like, it's crazy. So, yeah, you're absolutely right.
It is almost a coming out thing, isn't it? Hadn't thought about that.
It is, yeah. I look at my own journey on LinkedIn. I used to run an IT company based in the Portsmouth area and I set up on my own and. And I was lurking like everybody else and I thought, well, what can I say? Because if I upset somebody by saying something they disagree with.
Yeah.
Then you have to sort of say, well, actually, forget about who you're upset, but think about who you engage.
Yeah.
And there's a great quote, if you remember the broadcast of Chris Evans, he said, you gotta be Marmite. Half your audience are gonna love you and half the audience are gonna hate you.
Yeah.
But then you stand for something.
You do.
If you stand for nothing. Nobody's engaged.
Yeah.
So find that polarisation and challenge people to think. That's what we want to do, isn't it? Create that thinking rather than just acquiesce to the majority.
Yeah, yeah. Really cool video actually this week. Do you know Florence Given? You've probably heard.
No, not come across.
Brilliant, amazing author, writes some really awesome books for women, so definitely check her out. But she's. I stumbled upon her TikTok this week and then I ended up in a. In a. A good TikTok hole because you can get into the bad ones of, you know, getting sucked into all the bad stuff. But this was a good one. And she was saying, when you're getting that nervousness to do something and you hear that voice in your head that goes, I can't say that. Stop for a second and actually try and think about who you're thinking about is going to say something.
Who is that person that you're thinking, oh, if I post that, they are going to, who is that person? And she literally just says, stick your middle finger up at them and do it anyway because they're controlling you and they own you and don't let them do that. And I absolutely love that. And she's got some brilliant. She's got some brilliant tiktoks. So definitely go check her out because I sat there and there was one of them that I've now committed to watching every day because it just, you know, when something really fires you up and I'll send it to You. And I put it in my community. Everyone's like, oh, God, that's brilliant. I need to watch that every day.
But, yeah, you just need to think about who it is that you're. That's making you feel that way and just, you know, stick your middle finger up to them and do it anyway.
Yeah. I stumbled across the Australian, I guess, polymath Tim Minchin, and I watched some of his YouTubes and I was really transfixed by his. First of all, what got me onto it was his honorary doctorate acceptance speech in the University of Australia somewhere. And I watched it and thought, brimey, this guy's got some real insight that I resonate with. And I started going down that Rabbit hole on YouTube, watching all of his material, and I'm now a Tim fan. You know, he's absolutely. You know, he's got those wild eyes, eyeliner. He wears crazy hair.
Yeah.
But he just. He just cuts through the bs. And you say that middle finger. And I keep this. If you listen to this, I've got a jar of fucks, actually. And so I know I've only got so many I want to give away before I run out. So, you know, care about what you care about, but know when to stick the middle finger up and say, your opinion doesn't matter to me. And I guess you had that experience again when you had that epiphany where you have to have that opinion.
When you come out as queer, lgbtqia, you have to get to that point where you can put that middle finger up.
You do. Yeah, you do. And then I think there's a certain amount of. I don't know if you. Maybe power is the right word, but when you've been scared of doing something for so long and you fear the other side of the thing, and then you do it, and it's not easy straight away, but then you kind of think, well, if I could do that. And I thought there was nothing on the other side of that, like, what else could I do? And I. I say this all the time, like, LGBTQ plus. You know, we are a community of the most resilient and hardworking people you ever meet, because we've been through it, and we are tough.
You know, you won't find more, you know, stronger people than our community, and I love that.
Yeah. I cast my mind back 10 years when I first transition came out, was open, whatever phrase you like to use. And that line you have to cross, it feels like a chasm.
It does.
It feels like a cliff edge.
Yeah.
And you Step off it and go. Hang on a minute. That was only one inch. It was no. It was no big deal at all.
Yeah, yeah.
And the people who love you, love you. And the people who don't don't matter, you know, and there's lots of anecdotes and phrases about that, but I learned that my friends are my friends because they're my friends and those are the people that stick with you and the other people, they just don't matter and they drift off. Like leaving school, like leaving college, changing workplace. Some people stick with you, some people don't, and some people stick with the old person. And some people have come with me on my new journey. And yeah, having polarisation like that is actually a good thing because for me it was. I don't need to carry this baggage of expectation around with people I don't care about.
Yeah.
So, yeah, I'm sure you could be proud to you. And actually, you'll find you open up different markets.
You do, yeah. And also you set the example for other people as well. You set the example that, you know, that there is life on the other side of that chasm that you once look at and think, you know, this is never going to happen. And if you can set that example to other people, then even if just one person, you know, looks at you and thinks, if they've done it, I can do it. That's all that matters, isn't it?
Again, casting my mind back to 2017. I remember going to. I was trying to do radical failure, that sort of thing where you fail quickly and move on quickly. And I thought, well, gender transition. I thought, okay, how am I going to develop a new business, a new life, new career? I thought, I know what I got to do. I've got to find out where my edges are. So I started going to all these networking events in Portsmouth. I wanted to invent Bright.
I. I joined Startup Disruptors at the Customs House at Gum Wharf, went there for a few times, met some of the people at Halpern House and those sort of communities. And I thought, I got wind of this Female Entrepreneurs Network evening at the Purple Door at the University and I turned up there, thought, okay, if I can get away with going to the Female Entrepreneurs Network, I can get away with anything. So I walked in there thinking, someone's going to have a go at me. Someone's going to out me, someone's going to drum me out of the room saying, you're not a real woman, get out of here. And at the end of it all I got was curiosity, warmth, love and support for everybody, I thought. And it's just those little testing moments that you. You take yourself a little test drive every so often and go, that worked.
Then you realise that fear is just this. This thing that you make up, these lies you tell yourself.
Yeah. And also there's. There's people that aren't against you, they just need educating because they don't understand things. And then you have a conversation with them and they're like, yeah, actually, that makes sense. And it's nice to be able to challenge that and go out and educate people and make them, you know, become a safe person in a safe space for other people to go into. Yeah.
You mentioned the word authenticity or authentic quite a few times, and people sometimes confuse that word with being my obnoxious, authentic self. So how do we. How do we toe that line between sanitising ourself enough to be socially acceptable but not compromising our ideals as well?
That's a really good question. And we've spoken about this. I think that the way that we look at it is that it's absolutely acceptable to be you. And you will have, like we've just said, you will have differing opinions. You know, if you're not, you know, getting people to say the opposite, then you're not doing it right. It is like Marmite. People either love it or hate it. But.
But the way that I say this to people in my community is if you wouldn't say it in an office environment, probably don't say it on a social media platform because there is a line there of some things that, you know, are acceptable to say and have an opinion on. And then there's things that, you know, wouldn't be acceptable to, you know, to say. And you've. You've got it. You do have to be careful with that. But, you know, most of the things that people want to share about their journeys or, you know, how they started their businesses and all of that kind of great stuff is being authentic. It's not speaking in a voice. You know, we go on LinkedIn and we see people like Richard Branson, you see the Stephen Bartless of the world, Daniel Priestley's, and you think, oh, I need to speak in a particular tone on here.
You know, and you see those posts that go up that say, exciting announcement Alert. And what I say to people in my community is, if you. You wouldn't go up to somebody at a networking event before you've even introduced yourself, go, exciting announcement alert. Because they'd go Are you okay? Like, that was a bit weird. So just talk, like, you talk to people face to face and just be you. You don't have to use all of these, you know, fancy words that, you know, you think you need to, you need to speak. And I, I was talking to somebody actually this week and they said that they did that and they spoke almost in this corporate tongue on LinkedIn, and they tried to use big fancy words. And then when they met somebody in person, the person said, can I say something to you? And I don't want this to offend you, but I didn't think you'd be like this because you don't speak like this on LinkedIn.
And they were like, God, that's actually a really good point. So they stopped trying to make a fake LinkedIn Persona and just post it as them. And I think that's what it's all about.
I suppose what I try and do on LinkedIn is a kind of a cycle. So some stiffy corporate sound bites or articles and then some truth bombs in the middle of that, where I'm having a bad day or, wow, this has blown my mind. So you talk from the heart. Yeah, So I think it's trying to find the right cadence between. So you want to sell your professional side, but also give it humanity as well, don't you?
Yeah, yeah. And it's that word, isn't it? It's social, you know, it's social media. So we're using it to be social, which is, you know, being authentic and real. You know, I don't want people. When I used to think about an entrepreneur, I would think of somebody that Woke up at 5am, went to the gym for an hour, drank protein shakes, then got into their Range Rover, you know, check the time on their Rolex, and then went into the office. And that's not real at all. And actually, I've not met. I think I've met one person that's like that, that's a business owner.
The rest of them are just normal, you know, I know none of us are, you know, normal, but you know what I mean, like, you know, just people that, you know, might not get up till, you know, seven o'. Clock. Some days I might sit around in my pyjamas until 9:30 and then think, right, come on, we got to start the day. So. So I think it's breaking that, breaking that norm and making people just say it how it is. And like you say, you know, dropping in a few truth bombs and actually the format that I teach in my community is educate, engage, convert. So we, we say that you should post 80% of your content to educate and engage your audience. So that could be, you know, I've read this article.
What do you think? Or it could be, you know, this is where I do my home office stuff and this is my favourite thing in the office. What's yours? That's all education and engaging. And then Your converts are 20% of the time where you then talk about your product or your service because people buy from people, you know, they don't buy from faceless brands anymore. And when you go on LinkedIn, you're not looking to be sold to, you're looking to make a connection with somebody and connect with something. And I posted a video this week that really explains this. Well, I was driving back from a meeting and I stopped my car to let a guy cross the road and he threw his ladder on one arm and he had a bucket in the other arm and he crossed the road. He's obviously a window cleaner. And in that moment I went, oh, God, I need to book our window cleaner in to get our, get our windows cleaned.
He didn't sell me anything, he didn't pass me a leaflet, he didn't stop my car and say, exciting announcement alert, you can book me to clean your windows. He just walked across the road and he was just doing his thing, but visibly. And that is just being yourself on LinkedIn in, in my world and making people connect with you. And then you either remind somebody of something they need or you educate them on something that they don't yet know that they need, that they then go, that makes a lot of sense. I need that. So rather than saying, buy my stuff, you know, I've got this cool stuff. It's like, you know, this is a problem that I'm facing and this is how I'm finding people, solving it, getting into conversations with people and then before you know it, you've got an opportunity from somebody having a conversation. And then when you have to sell to that, it's not selling at all because they're already brought in and they'll probably say, how much would it be for you to come and do some training? I've seen all the great stuff you've done.
Brilliant. You don't have to say, you know, let me just get my three pages of objection handling out, because I knew you were going to say this and I'm going to objection handle you. It's already done.
Yeah, well, we can do that with ChatGPT now, can't we? We can just paste the problem into it and say, dispel these myths, please.
Yeah, yeah. And it helps you with that.
Got an article?
Yeah.
I made a conscious decision seven or eight, six or seven years ago probably to stop being a lurker, to stop being a commenter and resharer or commentating on somebody else's post because I thought everyone's doing that. Where you become recognised as a thought leader is to originate ideas and content. So I took a very practical thing now is I almost deliberately don't share other people's posts or just comment on them other than unless I've got something value add, because I want to originate that. Really. That's what sets you apart from your competition sometimes is that thought leadership piece, isn't it?
Yeah. There's a really good book actually called Key Person of Influence by Daniel Priestley and I would recommend to anyone listening to get a copy of that book because I genuinely believe that's one of the reasons why things have gone so well for me in the last two and a half years. Because it really sets out what you need to do to be a thought leader and to create a personal brand. Daniel's just been on Stephen Bartlett's Diary of a CEO again recently and said that the future of business is personal branding. That doesn't matter whether you're a one person band or, you know, a giant corporate. Even in a big corporate, the CEO has to be present on LinkedIn and have a personal brand or business just won't move forward because we don't buy from cold calling. I've done two workshops recently and I've had 28 businesses in each workshop. And I said to them, right, hands up.
I'm not talking about the last week, the last six months, in the last 12 months plus, put your hand up if you've brought something from a cold call, not one of them put their hand up. Because we've moved away from sales being transactional now. You know, cold calling is harder than ever. You're sending emails, it's harder than ever to get through to people's inboxes because they're spammed all day. You know, it is just a world where the transactional sales is, is I, I almost believe it's nearly dead. And that's what I've been saying for, you know, for months I've been saying there's 1 billion, 90 million people on LinkedIn, 3 to 4% of those are active. Get on it. And Daniel Priestley said that exact statement on the diary of a CEO podcast recently, and I was listening to it in my car and almost screeched the brakes on because, you know when you have that moment where you're like, oh, my God, like, this is exactly what I've been out there saying.
And it kind of gave me that boost as a thought leader to say, I've been saying this, and now one of these biggest names in business has just said exactly the same thing. And, yeah, I'm really passionate about it because I've been in sales and I know how transactional it can be and how expensive it is. And that's why I've started what I've started to almost break that barrier down for people.
Yeah. What you're saying there completely resonates. And I'm always a great believer that your personal brand, how people feel about you, what emotion do you create in people? And it can be quite tricky sometimes. When we first spoke, I think in the introduction, he said how much you've been looking forward to this. There was obviously some recognition of my personal brand, how you've seen me on LinkedIn, how you're really honoured to meet me. And that's quite humbling for me to hear someone say that, because I'm not ego driven. And the number of people I bump into who go, oh, my God, I've finally meeting, I've been looking forward to it. It's like, whoa, how am I having that effect on somebody? And that's the personal brand I'm trying to create, is this connection.
Yeah.
At a personal level, an emotional level with people where I. What I talk about is generating change in their life. And that's the magic, isn't it? How do you note to that in people?
Yeah. And it's, you know, what I will say on the back end of that is you never know who's watching. I was saying that earlier this week, like, you know, you might be doing all this stuff and thinking, you know, no one's liking or commenting, but the amount of opportunities I've had that have come through from people that have never liked or commented or even spoken to me before, and they are the lurkers, like you say, that kind of just lurk in the background and they consume all of this educational content that you share, and then they go, you know, actually, I'm gonna. I'm gonna reach out to this person. So the question that you asked was, how do you nurture somebody to just be themselves in my. The idea of my community, I was going out and I was doing networking events, as you've mentioned you did. I was probably doing two of them a month, maybe three. And they cost me about £15 a time.
I was probably spending close to £50amonth on doing networking events. And when I kind of went to them, I'd get a good social buzz from them because I felt like I'd been around people and, you know, as a small business owner, it's just, you know, when it's just you and your partner at home and you'll resonate with that as well, can get a bit lonely and you need to be around people. I used to work in an office where I had a department of 70 people, and when I wanted a little chat or a mess about, I could go to the, you know, one of their desks and do that. But when you're at home, there's only so much you can annoy your girlfriend before she tells you to leave the house. So I was going to these networking events and I was really enjoying them. I was. I was meeting some people, but actually all I was really getting from those were a coffee and a chat. So I actually stopped looking at them as something that was helping my business and more of a social.
But it made me realise there was a gap in the market. In Portsmouth, every year we lose 900 businesses. 900 businesses go under a year, which is crazy. And. And I was thinking, well, there's all these people here that are, you know, that doing their own thing, and why are we losing those 900? And I thought, well, if we did a networking group where we could network and still meet people and get that social element, but then a part of that was actually educational where those businesses could learn something really tangible that they could then take away to help them grow their business. That would be really helpful. So I came up with this idea, did some research, and that was what I created. So I created a community of people that meet once a month to network.
But they know that an hour and a half of that time is dedicated to them learning how to grow their business. So when we meet, we do, you know, we check in. And we're a bit like a family now because it's a community. Everyone knows everyone, so we'll catch up. And it's not, who are you? What you, what you doing? It's how's that project going that you're working on? You know, did you close that deal you were talking about? And then for an hour and a half, we focused down on what they can do to be authentic in their business, to help them grow. So you know, we'll sit and plan content together. So we'll show, we'll take that, the stigma out of it that makes it feel complicated. And I'll say to them, right, you got three post it notes in front of you.
I want you to write down, you know, three things that have happened this week. One thing you've done with the client, one thing that you've done that's made you happy, and one thing that you're proud of. And they write those post it notes in literally 10 seconds and they're done. And I'm like, there's three LinkedIn posts. And they're like, she's right, it's that simple. And it might have been that they had a nice bit of cake with their friend over a coffee and spoke about business. Could be they finished a client project. It could be they've just won something.
Every day, everyday kind of activities that we do make great content. You know, us having this podcast together now would be a great LinkedIn post. You know, the awards last night is a great LinkedIn post. I'm going out for some sushi on Saturday to a new place in Portsmouth I've not tried before. That'll be a great LinkedIn post because I'm celebrating a brilliant quarter in somewhere new. So everyday activities make great LinkedIn content. I think that's what I make it my mission to, to teach people.
Yeah. I think we look at the best comedians. The best comedians are observational, they're narrating real life.
Yeah.
You look at the best posts, it's augmenting their reality. And a great friend of mine said, you don't have to tell word for word truth. It doesn't have to be factually exactly true. The gist of it has to be real to get that authenticity. But you can rearrange the timeline, you can change the scenario, you can change the characters, keep the root of the story there and then use that so you can completely anonymize it. So, yeah, don't let the truth get in the way of a good story is what basically the line is, don't overthink it. Keep the thread. Keep the thread there.
Yeah. Another thing I was saying earlier this week or last week was that we were, my generation, were a generation of people that went out with a real camera attached to their wrist and we'd take probably 14 plus photos on a night out. There'd probably be two decent ones in amongst that. And then the next day we'd upload that album to Facebook and we wouldn't Even give it a second thought. And loads of us have still got those albums now. And those photos come back to haunt you of how you know, of, you know that when you were young and out and about. But yet we really overthink posting on LinkedIn when we, even with Instagram, you know, we might be on the beach and we might be like, wow, this is a really good moment capture. You take a picture, you put it on your Instagram story, you know, and you posted it.
And I'm not saying, you know, LinkedIn is Facebook and Instagram, but there are ways that you can, some of the content that you would use for that, even if you're a business owner, you know, everything we post on Instagram or Facebook for your business is exactly the same as what you can post on LinkedIn because it is social, it's a social media and without that it's not social. So it's important to treat it like how you'd be chatting to people that you know and what conversations you'd be getting involved in. But yeah, the biggest challenge I find people have is the, is the overthinking and the worrying about, well, no one's going to care about what little old me's got to say. And in fact, one of my best stories that I love is there's a lady in my community called Bev and she runs a company called Frank hr. When I met her in October, she said, jodi, no one is going to want to talk hear me talking about hr. It's such a boring subject. And fast forward to now, she's had over 1 million impressions on LinkedIn. Um, she's literally like.
But because she talks like a normal person about hr. HR is really complicated but Bev just talks about it in a normal, normal way and it's really resonated with people. And she's now out and about, people are going, oh, you're bev from Frank HR. I keep seeing you on LinkedIn. And she's got loads of new business from it and it's brilliant. And it's just, that's what I love. In the last seven weeks we've had 151 new business opportunities in our community. And that's only from 50 businesses that are submitting their weekly check ins that we do.
And they are bits of, bits of, I say business, I should say leads. So they are people that are commenting on their post or dropping them a message to say, you know, can I find out more about this? Or coming in the DM saying I saw that post I'd love to find out a little bit more about how that works. That's the magic of being visible. If you think about the, that we're nearly at 700. When I looked yesterday, we're nearly at 700,000 impressions from the, from those in the community. If you were to pay for traditional marketing to get that kind of visibility, it would cost you at that point, probably would have cost, you know, thousands and thousands and thousands of pounds. But the members of my community pay 29.99amonth and they can cancel whenever they like. And, and it's something that's there to be, make people feel safe, have others to talk to, you know, connect with people who are on the same journey and, and just be visible.
That's what it's all about, being visible so that people can see you're there and they can buy your stuff. Because if nobody can see you, they can't buy from you. You've not got a lead generation problem, you've got a visibility problem.
I like that. Yeah, visibility problem. And that's what it is. And I, another great friend of mine, Penny Haslam, wrote a book called how to Be a Little Bit Famous. And Penny was the face of Weight Watchers for a while. She's also a TV news presenter for a while. And I also about Penny's book and she has this acronym pie and sorry Penny, I can't remember what the P and the I stand for because I always talk about the E. The E is exposure.
So P is probably product.
Yeah.
And so you've got the best products in the world. You polish it, you treasure it, you nurture it, you go, wow, everyone's going to love my product, but if no one hears about it, they can't do anything about it. So the exposure element is the critical thing. So how do you showcase your wares? My mantra is always give away your best stuff for free.
Yeah, agreed.
I go back to, I was brought up in an era where people were pirating music on MP3s or Napster illegal copyright downloads. And it changed the market from being one that was. Revenue was generated from, from albums and CDs and vinyl to one that was generated by live appearances. Because if you, if you pirate my stuff, you download all my content, which I put freely on YouTube on my website. If you download that, you're gonna go, wow, I love Joe's stuff. I'm gonna keep following Joe. And then one day you think, oh, I can go and see Joe live. And then all I have to do is play my Greatest hits on stage.
Because people go, oh, yeah, she did this bit. Oh, she did that bit. Nobody wants to hear your new material for the first time. They wanna hear the old stuff. So it's about that exposure, giving away stuff, being generous, being altruistic, giving. You expect nothing in return.
Yeah.
And then people warm to that generosity, don't they?
They do. And there's an interesting stat that it takes eight to 11 interactions with somebody to build trust before they'll buy from you. And I read that and I kind of thought, that's really interesting. But how, you know, how is that true? And actually, when we. We started tracking results in the community, so we look at the volume of impressions, which is the amount of people that are seeing your posts, we look at leads generated, an amount of posts made. We've actually seen that in, in the community from those that we've got posting. They're authentic kind of content. It takes between six to eight posts for them to get one lead generated, which is pretty cool.
And it's because they. They're not. Not saying eight times, buy my stuff, buy my stuff, buy my stuff. They're being human, authentic. They're sharing what they're up to and what they're doing for clients. And because people can then see a client commenting going, oh, yeah, that was brilliant. I'm so glad we worked together. You were excellent.
I loved working with you. They then convert. And I think we've also moved away from that time where so many people would, you know, oh, you can't mention that client we've got because we don't want anyone else finding out about it. You know, we've got an NDA. You can't mention that. The birth of social media in the era that we're now in, your clients are on social. So every time I work with somebody, I will t. I'll say to them, as part of working with them, are you happy for me to mention you on social media? And they'll say, yes, great.
Because when I finish the project, I'm going to say, just been in. I've just trained Mountjoy, who were one of the biggest brands in Portsmouth, and Simon Ingram, the owner, absolutely loved it. And to be fair, I love Simon. He's one of my biggest, biggest cheerleaders. And I'd actually now call him a friend, which is brilliant, but because I delivered such a good service and it really helped his business. But he talks about it more than I do and I get people coming to me all the time, or Simon's told me I need to speak to you. But that's the beauty again of social media, because if you do a good job and it helps those of us that are authentic, because there's also companies out there that use social media to trick people. There's, you know, the, the social.
The personal brand is one that can be, you know, really powerful, but also it can be really scary because there's people that can build a personal brand that actually are dangerous to work with for, you know, many reasons, or they might be building a personal brand for the wrong reasons and you buy into them and you think, oh, they're really safe and I've seen what they do and then you give them your money, but actually they can't walk the walk, they can just talk the talk and then you've lost it. So I think it's really important to, when you're doing social media to also, you know, get those clients happy to mention their names and tag them in, because then people can see your clients going, yeah, that's brilliant. I loved it. You've just had this session and I think that really changes. The social proofing, I think that's the word for your book, whatever.
You stop your brand or your public Persona becoming too big. And let me explain what I mean by that. So I was speaking on stage at an event at the XL in London last week and one of the keynotes there before me was Deborah Meaden.
Wow.
And you'd think Deborah Meaden, big Dragon celebrity, her fierce Persona that she shows on Dragon's Den and she did a Fireside chat and I just thought, wow, what a wonderful lady. What real down to earth conversation it was. So I was probably went in there with a bit of sort of apprehension, scared just about her brand. You mentioned Stephen Bartlett, you mentioned Daniel Priestley. I've met Daniel Priestley a couple of times and I'm a big fan of his score, apparently.
That's cool.
And use that. And I've had people come up to me going, oh, Joe, oh, I'm so honoured you want to speak to me. You'd never allow yourself to have a conversation. And if you're not careful, by building too big a brand, you can create this barrier and it's, how do you cut through that barrier to keep yourself real and accessible?
That's a really good question. And one thing that I've always done is I've blended my online Persona with in person things. So I will take the time. The people that I build my network with on LinkedIn, I will take time to speak to them in person so that they know that, you know, the version of me they get online is the same version of me they get, you know, in, in person and vice versa. So I'll meet people on, in person and then they'll come and add me on LinkedIn. And I think that's just. It then builds a brand where people tell other people that you're the nicest person they've ever met and you're. And then I get, people come up to me and I've got a really, I've got a really cool picture actually of me that somebody captured for me that I had no idea what's happening.
But there was a lady that had been following me and a few of her friends had met me and had said, oh, Jody's like amazing in person, like you should meet her. And this photo captured this moment of this woman just being so thankful and you can kind of just. It was a real. Yeah. So I try and blend the two in, but I can imagine at the moment for me, I'm, I'm managing that. But I think as things get bigger, I don't know how that will change. There's other creators, I guess you could call them. I would probably.
I've only just recently admitted that I am an influencer, which is something I didn't want to think for, you know, for a long time. But I've admitted, you know, I'm trying to influence people for a good reason. So I'm an influencer. But there's people on LinkedIn that have, you know, brag that they've got, you know, 12,000 followers, you know, 30,000 followers, 40,000 followers. How many of those they actually know and how many of those are just people? They've just randomly added that. So my network is smaller, but it's worth more because a lot of those people actually know me and they've met me in person or we've, you know, we've had a conversation online. So I don't know if I can answer that. I think it's something I'm going to have to keep learning as I grow, I guess.
But at the moment, I mean, I, again, one of the things that took me back last night that I feel really emotional about today is when my name was read out for the award for Entrepreneur of the Year. The amount of people in the room that kind of cheered and screamed, I almost, it felt like an out of body experience. But it just reminded me of how well I've done at building my brand. And it was a really humbling moment, actually. And everyone around me seemed to know that it was a given. You're going to win, that you're going to win it. And I was like, oh, yeah, I'm just here for. When they read out my name, it was like, God, this is absolutely insane.
And the amount of people that came up to me after, you know, to, to congratulate me and say, well done and what you're doing is brilliant, was a real, just a real heartwarming experience. And, and my girlfriend made a good point last night as well when we got in, is that she said they were the, the people, were the people that came up to you to say congratulations because they had the courage to do that. Imagine how many other people were there that wanted to say congratulations but didn't come and, you know, come and speak to you like something to be really proud of. And I'm, I'm almost on cloud nine today because you know how hard it is being an entrepreneur. And as I say, when you think of the word entrepreneur, I don't feel like I fit in that. But that's exactly what I'm trying to do, is break that mould of showing people that you don't have to look a certain way or act a certain way to, you know, to do well in life and be successful.
Yeah. There's a, there's a couple of words that it feels inauthentic to use for yourself. So one of them is entrepreneur. I don't think anyone should call themselves an entrepreneur. People will describe you as one influencer. Someone else should call you an influencer, you shouldn't call yourself it. And the third one is ally. I don't think you should call yourself an ally.
You should, you should. Other people should call you an ally.
Yeah.
So that there are words that you, you live up to rather than, rather than claim the badge.
Yeah, you're right. Yeah, I like that. That's a really good way to put it.
And one of the things I, I often say, and I don't apologise for saying it, because the old mantra was, it's not what you know, it's who you know. But I, I, I, I've now evolved that into, it's not what you know who you know, but it's about who knows you.
Yes.
And, yeah, it may sound quite harsh, but I, I actually say to people, I don't care who you are if you know who I am. And I don't mean that insincerely, but that's about the influencers about being, have that really strong personal brand is that I don't need you, I don't need your business card. I remember going to BNI meetings and we always told, don't give away your business card, always collect them so you can control the conversation. I can't control the conversation with 30,000 people on LinkedIn. I've just got to make sure that you know who I am. So when you see me do something, you go, that's Joe. I'll listen and hopefully then you'll make a personal connection later. But I can't connect with thousands of people as long as that one individual who's listening right now connects with me, then that's the personal brand effect, if you like.
Yeah, yeah, I guess I've not thought about that. I guess there's some people that you can build that relationship with and the ones that you can't, you know, going back to those lurkers, like you say, there's people that listen that don't necessarily interact. But I do try to make a relationship of some sorts with people that I meet, and I do. I'm on the volunteer team for LinkedIn Local Portsmouth as well. When I do the name badges, some of the other ladies, they'll laugh because they were like, how do you know everyone? And I don't know how I know everyone because my memory, typically outside of work, is terrible. But I've got a good knack for being like, oh, there's James. Here you go, here's your card. And it just makes people feel special.
And I think, again, that goes back to, you know, maybe traumas that I've had of coming out and, you know, feeling like I want people to see me for me. So I make that extra little effort to make people feel special when I meet them and remember their name or something about them. And there was a lady that came up to me last night and she went, you probably don't even know who I am. And I was like, of course I know who you are. You're from your own physiological. Right? And she was like, yeah. And I was like, yeah, I know who you are. Like, we've spoken.
And I think. I think it's important to make, if you can make somebody feel good about themselves, to do it, because life is bloody tough. And, you know, for. For all of us small business owners, particularly in the. You know, with everything that's going on at the moment and in the economy, it's really difficult and it's so hard running a business. You know, I've had a really good quarter, but it only kind of everything tipped over and, you know, like the last couple of weeks before that, I started to panic. And I've got friends that are running businesses that are really struggling and they've not even got sales and marketing experience. And I do sometimes think I'm quite lucky about that because I can, you know, I've got the.
I know what. What needs to happen when you start talking to somebody and there's an opportunity. So it's tough out there right now, isn't it? It's tough. We've got to all help each other.
It is tough. Yeah. I'm in the DEI space, the HR space, the. Yeah, the stuff that's been targeted by presidents across the water. And the. Yeah, DEI is becoming a toxic sector. So, yeah, it is. And I also earn a lot of money on professional speaking and budgets are getting tighter as well.
So, yeah, you're right. It is a more considered budget holder now. It's not spending the money the way they used to. So, yeah, it's a different world. Which I suppose comes to some of the subtext of this podcast is the inclusion bite. It's the inclusion. How do you and your small business community think about broadening your demographic appeal? Because if you're not careful, you think as a. A young white woman, and therefore you're trying to attract young white women into your audience.
But actually there's a lot of young black women, older black women, there's people with disability. So how do you encourage maybe small business owners in the community to think about the broader impact of their marketing language and who they're appealing to, to get different sectors, different markets?
Yeah, I think naturally for me, because of obviously, you know, my background and coming out, I do think very inclusively. And that was the whole reason behind my community, was that I knew there were businesses out there that can't afford marketing, that need to get new clients, and they're in a catch 22. Because in order to do marketing, you need money, but in order to, you know, to get leads, you need money. So it's like you can't. You can't do marketing without money. And money makes everything, you know, the world go around. So I wanted to make a space where it made it inclusive for people that had, you know, little to no budget to be able to actually do some marketing that would help them grow their business because of that £900. But I think it's just about the messaging and making it, you know, being.
Also being cautious about another time in conversation yesterday, about when you're Trying to grow a community, you need to make sure you let the right people in. Because if you. If you grow a broad and diverse community and you let somebody in that has, you know, let's just say I didn't realise and somebody joined that's homophobic. You know, that's. You've got to be cautious of, you know, protecting the community that you've built. And it's actually a challenge that I'm going to have as things start to get bigger. Especially one of the things on my list at the moment is how can I have more control over who I let in my community without feeling like it makes it inaccessible for the people I want in? So it's a whole. It's a whole new challenge.
I think I've gotten, you know, somebody I was talking to yesterday said, you know, well, you could interview people before they join, but then when you're looking to scale something, it kind of almost. There'll be a way around it. But I think it's just, you know, making people, keeping things simple for people and making, you know, using language that, you know, resonates with people, makes them feel comfortable with you building trust and, you know, chatting with them beforehand to make them feel comfortable. I don't know if that answers the.
Question, but, yeah, as you're talking, I think I was thinking it's. It's quite a minefield because everybody is someone else's weirdo, to quote Scott Adams. And we, we have our own. Our own thoughts, our own lens, our own echo chamber of what we believe is right. And other people have their own lens and echo chamber that they believe is right. So someone who has a homophobic view, for whatever reason, has a belief that they're right. They don't think I'm just going to be a nasty person for the sake of it. Their echo chamber is telling them that when you're trying to build communities and trying to be inclusive, is trying to create a space, a broad church, however you want to describe it, where difference of opinions and perspectives can coexist.
Psychological safety is still there. So people can be themselves, they can still bring themselves out, but people understand the barriers and the boundaries of what is free speech and what is accountability of that free speech and the impact it has on others. So, yeah, it's a real tough gig to not to de. Platform or disenfranchise people for having a different view, provided that their view doesn't weaponize against people.
Yeah, yeah. And also just things like people that might join that have a hidden agenda of great there's 90 businesses in that community. I could probably sell to 50 of those. I'll join and then I'll try and message each one of them and sell them things. That's also not what we're trying to create. But it is going to be a challenge for me as I, as I grow the community because by being inclusive, I don't want to then be not inclusive by making it so difficult for people to join because I want it to be a, almost a bit of a no brainer that they know they need to grow their business. They don't have, you know, thousands or hundreds of pounds to do it. So they've got a low, low, no commitment option that can help them.
And yeah, I want to. It's one of the things that I really need to kind of consider as we start to, to get bigger conundrum.
Yeah, it is, yeah. People, you're too known as people are people and there's now as queer as focus I think is another phrase, you know, people will always surprise you by. Yeah, and whatever could happen probably will happen. And so yeah, disputes, conflicts, how you handle that becomes a really important part of it. And yeah, but being inclusive you can't exclude. It's trying to find that fine balance.
It is, yeah, it is.
So where's the future live? As a, as a. Recently, I say recently, you know, just out of the, out of the cupboard or closet. Where does your life go from here? You know, you feel more empowered, you've got your own business, you're, you're making some great waves, you're building communities. So where's the future going for you?
Yeah, it's a really good question now. Everything that I've done has been about impact and that's been my word for my business. You know, how can I impact somebody else's business and help them and lift them up? And I've realised recently, as many do when they run their own business, that I spent so much time in amongst the, you know, building the business and helping people that I've almost actually neglected myself a little bit because I've focused so much on the business. I've kind of, I review things regularly. I've just done my quarter one review and I've got some plans in for quarter two. And one of the things I'm focusing on this quarter is some R and R. So Sophie and I are gonna look at, we're looking at potentially moving and also we're gonna book ourselves a nice holiday so that we can do some rr. But yeah, it's One of the things I need to, you know, running a business is like a roller coaster, isn't it? You learn as you go and the ups and downs and, you know, whilst I want to focus on the business and make impact, I also want to, you know, make money.
But then I also want to make. Remind myself of why I started it, which was to have more freedom in life, to enjoy life more. And I've got much more, so much more purpose to life now because of, you know, what I get to do for a living. But I do need to make sure that I actually enjoy living life a little bit more. So whilst there'll be, you know, plans and things in the business, I also need to dedicate some time moving forward to reminding myself, you know, we wanted to. We did this so that we could go work in a different country for a week or, you know, go and rent a little log cabin somewhere and do some work there. So that's what I want to do. I want to kind of make sure I don't lose the tip of balance again and that.
That's critically important. It's. I talk about trying to evolve a rather work life balance. A life work balance. So, yes, I live and work to fund not. Not. Yes, not work. And then try and squeeze the living in.
And I think that became my realisation over the last five, six years that you've got to have the joy back into life. And I've just turned 60 on a different curve of my life, my career and my aspirations and my life is now more important than it's ever been.
Yeah.
I'm 60% rather than 60 years old. I've still got 40%, a good life that I want to live.
Yeah.
And I've seen how some people work all their lives for somebody else and then they get to retirement age and they're. They're knackered, they've had enough.
They make it because they're healthy, because they've just spent all of that time, you know, working themselves into the ground. You know, I see it all the time, you know, people's mental health and that they. And it's almost like. It's almost like being in a. In a. Like a domestically violent relationship. Because you know that they're taking the mickey out of you by making you work all of the hours, but you don't stop anything about it yet. You'll, you know, moan at your friends about it and say, you know, this is happening and, you know, this is not good.
I'm doing all this, but don't stop. And it really saddens me that some people kind of just go through that Groundhog Day weekly and they let the corporate world, you know, slave them until they burn out and, you know, their brain ends up, you know, having a mental breakdown on them. It's really sad, actually. And I wish more people would kind of wake up to the corporate slave drivery that's kind of going on and go out and do their own thing. And I almost wonder if that's the world that we're moving into, we're seeing. I've done a lot of work in some of the colleges locally, and the kids. At 16, I couldn't even make pasta. And these kids have got businesses, like, it's crazy.
And I think we're moving more into a world now where the next generation want to do their own business and they want to do things rather than going to work for a corporate where, you know, you might get, you know, the way I say it to my friends is if you're good at sales, you know, could you sell. If your salary's £3,000amonth, could you sell £3,000 worth of stuff in a month? And they go, yeah, well, I'm selling, you know, 15 grand a month. And I'm like, well, then if you did that for yourself, you would be laughing. And they kind of go, oh, yeah, boys, you know, it's too scary. I just wish more people would give it a try and just take the leap because it's worth it when you get there.
It is. But if you've got stability, then it's really hard to risk.
That's true.
Using a poker analogy, pushing all your chips and going all in on a venture where you haven't got that experience. And you know as well as I do, once you've made that leap, you look back and go, well, that wasn't that difficult. But the time. It's a massive, great big golf, isn't it? You're coming out. You've got to come out as a small business owner. And it's.
Yeah, I like the coming out analogy. Might be a LinkedIn post, depending on that, you know.
Yeah, yeah. It's not just for queer people. Everyone can come out or something.
Yeah, no, it's really. That's a really good point.
I saw a great talk the other day. I was actually at. With LinkedIn speaking at a LinkedIn conference on.
Wow, that's really cool.
On Tuesday. And I hosted a big roundtable. One of the. One of the opening keynotes was a lady from, I think our organisations is 55 redefined lady called Lindsay and she was talking about ageism in the workplace and how the fact that our population is now getting older because we are not having children at a sustainable rate anymore globally, it's not just the UK. So we're having 1.2 children per woman as opposed to what's necessary of being two point something children per woman.
That's really interesting.
So millennials become over 50, the first million to come over 50 in less than six years time or six years time. So 2031 I think it is. So we're in a position now where the bulk of the workforce will be over 50 and we've always been focusing on what are we going with Gen Z, Gen Alphas, all the new technology. But we've got this workforce now who can't afford to retire, who are ageing but want to stay active. Maybe they haven't been brought up with technology, whereas technology is key. So how do we now get people who are that veterans or classic employees or classic workforce to re engage? And I see a lot of women entrepreneurs who've been through starting a family, they checked out to the BS of corporate life. I don't want to go back to that BS anymore. I want my life, work balance.
I want to still look after my family, my children. I want to be a great, great person in the community. And that's why you see many, many women starting businesses in their 40s and 50s and being very successful at it. So how do we nurture that ageing population within our small business communities?
Yeah, it's a great question and you're absolutely right. And I'm thinking of women that I know that have gone through that and they've done that and it's a. I don't think it's an easy, easy question to answer, is it? But I guess I think as a woman, as a woman myself, and you can relate to this, I think when you get to that age, like I'm 39 this year, so I'm nearly, I'm 40 next year. But I've never felt so confident in who I am and knowing what I'm about. And I think part of that is that maturing as well and living life and starting to really understand what's important and what's not. But yeah, it's a challenge, isn't is?
Yeah. I think when we talk about being inclusive, we've got to start, you know, it's very easy to walk into a room and see a person with grey hair or wrinkles. I Think, what do they know? You know, they can't be with it or they can't have any value here.
Yeah.
But behind the eyes, they're still the same person they were when they were. When they were 25. They still got the same get up and go.
Yeah. And that's actually really. I was talking to my mum the other day and I said to her, I was like, I can't believe I'm 39. That means next year I'm gonna be 40. And I said, I've got a vivid memory of being in my nan's back garden and my nan telling me that my mum was about to turn 40. And I had an absolute meltdown. I started crying because I thought that she was so old that she was gonna die soon. And now I'm actually that age.
I understand how young she still felt. And actually, she was just in her prime and her daughter is sat there crying because she thinks that she's only got a few years left with her mum because she's, you know, turning 40. Yeah, I get it. I still feel, you know, 20 years old and you start to see, you know, wrinkles appear or, you know, blooming baggy eyes and all sorts. You think, God, how is this happening to me? It's. I still feel young. And then you've got, you know, we've got menopause. Then add into the equation, and there's so much going on, which I love about that at the moment, and all the education that's now to going, you know, all the women that have kind of got together that are making it, man, you know, trying to make it mandatory for workplaces.
A lot of the ladies that I know in Portsmouth, we're very lucky. We've got so many menopause champions here in our city that are educating people, but we still don't know enough about it. We're still, you know, lots of women are, you know, told that they're depressed and they need to take antidepressants naturally. They just need a little bit of hrt and overnight, you know, they've completely changed. I read Davina McCall's MenoPausing book and it was one of the best reads I've ever read. And a few people said, why did you ask for that book? Like, you're not even that age. And I was like, because it's really important to educate ourselves about our bodies and what happens and what to know. Because I don't want to be one of those women that, you know, have.
Have to go through, you know, being told that they're, you know, depressed for years and then losing a chunk of your life when you've only just got it back in the first place to then, you know, to menopause. And I love seeing and reading all of the things that are going on about that and all of the research that's now going into it and what's being done to help women, because that, that, that's another layer of stress for, like, you say, the, the older ladies that are still in business, because it's really tough. Like, it really affects you mentally and physically and something can be completely black and white, but in, you know, in the womb, in. In a perimenopausal menopause brain, it's not. And women are losing their jobs because they've, you know, for something that's not their fault. And it's absolutely crazy.
Yeah. And as we know, menopause can start at any age.
Yeah, it can.
Many women are going through perimenopause in their early 30s.
Yeah. And they've got no idea. Yeah, it's absolutely. It's absolutely the subject I really enjoy learning about. I went to a women's health event in Portsmouth a couple of weeks ago and hormones on the blink were talking and I found it so educational, just understanding, you know, things to look out for, you know, how the hormones spike. And, you know, it's just good to see that there's lots going on in our city, particularly that's to help women. And we were a city that talk about it a lot as well. Again, one of my.
One of my members had posted something the other day about her HRT cream, I think it is, that she uses or pump, and it went viral because she was just like, you know, I was feeling a bit off and I, you know, did three pumps instead of two and bang, I was fine.
And so I saw that.
Did you see that?
Yeah, I saw that. Yeah. Yeah.
That's one of the ladies in my community, Bev. And we were talking about this morning and I was like, it's brilliant you're talking about that. Because that's the kind of thing we need to be visible talking about, because, again, it educates people to go, oh, I've been feeling crap. I didn't know. Maybe I'll try and give myself a couple of extra pumps today and see if it makes me feel better. And there were people going, I did that. And it had the same to me. And you're like, I love this.
Like, we're talking about it. We're actually having conversations, which is Brilliant.
Yeah. I feel quite. I don't. I'm not sure what the word I'm going to use here, but as a trans woman, I get my blood tests and my hormone profile tests done very regularly by the gp, by the gender clinics, various other people. So I. I know almost to the nanomole of my oestrogen levels, my testosterone levels, my free or the prolactins, all these kind of levels, whereas most. I don't know many women who are going through menopause who've actually had their hormone profile tested.
Yeah.
So people and the doctors are reluctant because they say, oh, there's no point testing your hormones because we don't know what's right for you, but if you never do any testing, you're never going to get any baselines. And it's all done by almost like a chemistry set where you try and try a bit of this and a bit of that and see what happens. And you nudge it up a bit, put a Mariner coil in, see if that helps. If that doesn't help, then put some gel on. We do a bit of this.
Yeah.
Nobody really coming up with a credible strategy for half the population. Because it is half the population.
I think it's 52% or something, isn't it? 52, 53%. That's crazy. And it's also crazy that women are having to pay themselves privately to get these things to then take it to their doctors, because doctors aren't trained properly in menopause, so they don't really know what they're looking for. I was with a menopause nurse a couple of weeks ago at an event and we got chatting and she was sharing with the group that a lady that she'd. That had gone to see her, had gone to her female doctor as well, which makes it even worse, and had said, you know, I'm feeling really run down. I think, you know, obviously gave a bit more info than that, but the doctor's response was, well, maybe you should kind of take a bit more care about how you look and how you appear and that might solve the problem. And that came from a woman. It's just crazy.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That's a whole other episode.
Yeah, it is.
It's absolutely crazy.
And I. I can recommend some lovely. There's a friend of mine called Jo Morgan. Do you know Jo?
Don't think I do, no.
You two would get on really well. But you should do one of these episodes with Jo Morgan, because she is. She's a sex educator and she's in the same field as you. And you two would get on like a house on fire. I'll introduce you both.
Oh, it'd be fabulous. So if you're listening to this, keep a lookout for the episode with Joe Morgan, which will be coming up soon, I'm sure.
Yeah.
Jodie, it's been absolutely fascinating. We've been yakking away now for over an hour and a half. Previously in the green room and now on this episode. Yeah, I mean, you're very inspiring. You've obviously got building a strong community. How could people get hold of you if they need to find out more?
Come and find me on LinkedIn. Just type in Jodie Goodchild. I pretty much look, I've got better, probably a bit better hair. My hair's a bit scruffy today because of the awards last night. But you can find me on LinkedIn. You can find me on Instagram, which is Jodiegoodchild, and I've got a Facebook page, Jodie Goodchild Ltd. As well. You can find me on all of those, but probably the best is LinkedIn because of the amount of free content I share to educate.
So come and find me and learn some things that are going to help you.
Jodie, it's been an absolute pleasure. Thank you so much.
Yeah, thank you. I've loved it. And we could probably carry on chatting for another four hours. We've got so much to share, so I've really enjoyed it. And like I said at the start, it's been a pleasure to finally get to chat with you after admiring from afar. And what you do for our community as a, you know, LGBTQ member is just amazing. And the amount that you do to, you know, say your peace and protect, you know, our queer family is, you know, I know there's a lot of people that really, really thank you for that. So keep doing what you're doing because you are amazing.
You humble me. Thank you.
As we bring this conversation to a close, I want to express my deepest gratitude to you, our listener, for lending your ear and heart to the cause of inclusion. Today's discussion struck a chord. Consider subscribing to Inclusion Bites and become part of our ever growing community, driving real change. Share this journey with friends, family and colleagues. Let's amplify the voices that matter. Got thoughts, stories?
What a vision to share.
I'm all ears. Reach out to jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk and let's make your voice heard. Until next time, this is Joanne Lockwood signing off with a promise to return with more enriching narratives that challenge, inspire and unite us all. Here's to fostering a more inclusive world one episode at a time. Catch you on the next bite.
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Episode Category
Primary Category: Queer Voices
Secondary Category: Female Empowerment
🔖 Titles
Embracing Authenticity: Creating Brave Spaces and Building Inclusive Communities for Real Business Growth
The Power of Being Proudly Authentic in Business and the Impact on Personal Brand
Coming Out as a Business Owner: How Authenticity Sparks Connection and Opportunity
From Corporate Lurker to Bold Leader: The Journey to Real Inclusion on LinkedIn
Why Authenticity Wins: Honest Storytelling and Brave Spaces Transform Enterprise
Leading with Authenticity: Breaking Stereotypes and Empowering Small Businesses to Thrive
Brave Spaces, Real Conversations: The Value of Inclusive Networks and Genuine Engagement
Challenging Imposter Syndrome: Inclusion, Resilience, and the Magic of Being Yourself
Building Belonging: The Intersection of Inclusivity, Personal Branding, and Entrepreneurial Success
More Than Marketing: How Visibility, Vulnerability, and Authenticity Ignite True Inclusion
A Subtitle - A Single Sentence describing this episode
Jodie Goodchild explores the power of unapologetic authenticity, visibility, and community in business, sharing how embracing one’s true self paves the way for resilience, connection, and meaningful, inclusive growth.
Episode Tags
Authentic Leadership, Personal Branding, Inclusive Communities, Brave Spaces, LGBTQ Empowerment, Overcoming Fear, Small Business Growth, Visibility Matters, Social Media Authenticity, Resilient Entrepreneurs
Episode Summary with Intro, Key Points and a Takeaway
In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood welcomes Jodie Goodchild to explore what it means to live and work with unfiltered authenticity. Joanne and Jodie have a candid exchange about the journey towards embracing one’s true self, overcoming internal and external barriers, and using authenticity as a foundation for both personal fulfilment and business success. Their discussion sheds light on the transformative moments that come from “coming out” — not just in terms of sexuality or gender, but in stepping into the public as a business owner, thought leader, or simply as a more visible version of oneself. The episode also covers the dynamics of building trust and visibility on platforms like LinkedIn, the evolving landscape of community creation, and practical ways to make inclusion and psychological safety central to business culture.
Jodie is an award-winning community creator, author, and LinkedIn trainer, deeply rooted in Portsmouth. She is renowned for her ability to empower others to grow their brands and businesses authentically and on a zero-budget basis. Jodie’s own story of embracing her identity as an out and proud lesbian woman serves as both a personal triumph and a catalyst for change within her networks. Her core strength lies in facilitating brave spaces where people feel comfortable being real, discussing their challenges, and supporting one another in a truly inclusive environment. Having built a thriving business community that champions visibility, vulnerability, and celebrating the everyday, Jodie offers a refreshing perspective on how sharing genuine lived experiences can foster both commercial and societal transformation.
Throughout their conversation, Joanne and Jodie highlight the importance of visibility, not just as a sales tactic but as a means of creating social proof, building community, and inspiring others to step forward. They reflect on the value of storytelling, celebrating difference, and using moments of discomfort to drive personal and professional growth. The dialogue delves into how being proudly authentic can help dismantle stereotypes, open new opportunities, and create safer spaces for all, regardless of background or identity.
The key takeaway from this episode is that authenticity is not only a powerful lever for meaningful inclusion but also a strategic advantage for individuals and businesses alike. By embracing and sharing our true selves, we foster connection, resilience, and change—proving that being “proudly authentic, always real” is the most compelling way to thrive and help others do the same.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 Award Winner Overcomes Past Struggles: An out and proud lesbian entrepreneur wins "Entrepreneur of the Year," reflecting on past identity challenges and emotional growth.
07:00 Helping people overcome the fear of posting on LinkedIn by making them feel comfortable sharing their expertise is essential, especially for those transitioning from corporate to independent roles.
15:50 Communicate naturally and authentically online, as you would in person. Avoid using overly formal language that misrepresents your personality.
19:03 Be authentic on LinkedIn to connect, educate, and create opportunities without direct selling.
24:26 Spent £50/month on networking events for socialising, not business gains. Enjoyed interactions but only gained a coffee and chat.
28:36 LinkedIn is a social platform like Facebook and Instagram, suitable for sharing similar business content. Many overthink or doubt their relevance, but success stories, like Bev's HR content gaining over 1 million impressions, illustrate its potential.
34:28 Personal brands can be powerful yet risky; ensure authenticity through client endorsements for credibility.
38:20 Heartwarming congratulations affirmed my success and efforts, highlighting entrepreneurial challenges and breaking stereotypes.
43:25 Creating an inclusive community for businesses with limited budgets to access affordable marketing solutions.
50:43 The text criticises the exhausting cycle of corporate work and highlights a shift towards entrepreneurial ambitions in younger generations.
56:47 Women face significant challenges during menopause, affecting their mental and physical health, leading to job loss. Increased research and support aim to help women manage these difficulties.
59:38 Doctors lack proper menopause training, forcing women to pay for private help. A female doctor's dismissive response to a menopause concern highlights this issue.
📚 Timestamped overview
00:00 "Entrepreneur Celebrates Identity and Success"
07:00 Overcoming LinkedIn Posting Anxiety
15:50 Be Genuine, Avoid Corporate Speak
19:03 Authentic Connection on LinkedIn
24:26 Networking Events: Costly Social Buzz
28:36 LinkedIn: Engaging Social Media Strategies
34:28 Evaluating Personal Branding Risks
38:20 Heartwarming Entrepreneurial Success
43:25 Inclusive Marketing for Budget-Conscious Businesses
50:43 Escape Corporate Cycle
56:47 Menopause Challenges Impacting Women's Careers
59:38 Menopause Misunderstanding in Healthcare
Custom LinkedIn Post
🎙️ 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰, 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 🎙️
✨ What if showing up as your authentic self was your best business strategy? Give us 60 seconds to challenge your thinking! ✨
This week, I’m delighted to welcome Jodie Goodchild, an award-winning community creator, author, and LinkedIn trainer who proves you don’t need a big budget to make a big impact—just 100% authenticity.
Together, we dive into:
🔑 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 – Why being unapologetically real attracts connections and opportunities (no filters required).
🔑 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 – How embracing discomfort and “coming out” online can turbocharge your confidence and career.
🔑 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 – Practical ways to create brave, inclusive spaces where every story matters.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻?
“Inclusion flourishes when we choose courage over comfort, and this episode is your permission slip to show up, take space and unapologetically be you.”
𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁
As host of Inclusion Bites, I serve up weekly bites of inspiration, challenge, and real-world wisdom to help you build cultures where everyone can belong and thrive. This audiogram is just a teaser—savour the full episode for the nourishment your mindset deserves!
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂? 💭 Drop your thoughts below 👇 or share how authenticity has shaped your own journey.
🎧 Listen to the full episode: https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen
#PositivePeopleExperiences #SmileEngageEducate #InclusionBites #Podcasts #Shorts #Authenticity #PersonalBranding #LinkedInTips #CommunityBuilding #QueerVoices
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and tag someone who needs a confidence boost today!
with SEE Change Happen and Jodie Goodchild
TikTok/Reels/Shorts Video Summary
Focus Keyword: Authenticity for Culture Change
Title:
How Authenticity Sparks Culture Change | #InclusionBitesPodcast
Tags:
authenticity, culture change, positive people experiences, inclusion, belonging, leadership, workplace culture, personal branding, diversity, inclusive leadership, business authenticity, social media branding, LinkedIn tips, entrepreneur mindset, lgbtq inclusion, empowerment, vulnerability, storytelling, visible leadership, HR strategy, community building, business growth, small business tips, thought leadership, resilience,
Killer Quote:
"It was only in Covid, with people passing away, that I sat there and thought, if it was my time to check out... have I done everything I wanted? And it was that that really pushed me out of my comfort zone." – Jodie Goodchild
Hashtags:
#Authenticity, #CultureChange, #PositivePeopleExperiences, #InclusionBitesPodcast, #Inclusion, #Belonging, #Leadership, #DEI, #PersonalBranding, #Visibility, #Bravery, #Community, #SocialImpact, #SmallBusiness, #LGBTQ, #Empowerment, #Storytelling, #ThoughtLeadership, #Resilience, #InclusiveCulture
Summary Description:
What does it take to be proudly authentic and always real? On this inspiring episode of #InclusionBitesPodcast, I sit down with Jodie Goodchild, award-winning community creator, to discuss how embracing our true selves propels positive people experiences and drives genuine culture change. From overcoming the imposter syndrome of posting on LinkedIn to celebrating our vulnerabilities and telling real stories, Jodie unpacks how authenticity is not only empowering but commercially astute. This episode offers honest reflections, practical strategies, and compelling reasons to choose visibility over perfection. Listen in if you're ready for bold insights, a challenge to the status quo, and practical steps to building a thriving, inclusive workplace. Hit play—and let's ignite culture change through authenticity!
Ready for more culture-shifting conversations? Like, subscribe, and join the #InclusionBitesPodcast community today.
Outro:
Thank you, the listener, for tuning in and being a vital part of our drive for inclusion and positive people experiences. If you found value in embracing authenticity for culture change, do like and subscribe to the channel. For more resources, insights, and transformative conversations, visit SEE Change Happen and listen to the full episode on The Inclusion Bites Podcast.
Stay curious, stay kind, and stay inclusive - Joanne Lockwood
ℹ️ Introduction
Welcome to another thought-provoking episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, hosted by Joanne Lockwood. In this episode, titled "Proudly Authentic, Always Real," Joanne is joined by Jodie Goodchild—an award-winning community creator and LinkedIn trainer who champions the power of authenticity in both business and life. Together, they embark on an honest, uplifting conversation about embracing your true self, overcoming fears around visibility, and building thriving, inclusive communities from the ground up.
Jodie shares her journey from the challenges of coming out and the impact of societal expectations, to establishing herself as a trusted local leader and advocate for brave spaces where individuality is an asset. Joanne and Jodie delve into the realities of entrepreneurship, confronting imposter syndrome, and the critical role personal branding—and genuine storytelling—play in today’s online landscape.
As they explore themes of resilience, social connection, and living with purpose, this episode is packed with stories, actionable insights, and a refreshing dose of positivity. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a stalwart of inclusion, or simply eager for bold conversations that challenge the norm, get ready to learn, laugh, and be inspired. Plug in and join us as we ignite the spark for change—one authentic story at a time.
💬 Keywords
authenticity, inclusive cultures, personal branding, LinkedIn strategy, small business growth, LGBTQ+ community, imposter syndrome, visibility, thought leadership, social media marketing, business networking, storytelling, personal development, community building, psychological safety, polarisation, resilience, HR best practice, menopause awareness, intersectionality, entrepreneurship, corporate transition, women in business, work-life balance, digital presence, educational content, audience engagement, DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion), generational diversity, social proof
About this Episode
About The Episode:
In this energising conversation, Jodie Goodchild joins Inclusion Bites to explore the transformative power of authentic personal branding and creating brave spaces for individuals and small business owners. With her candid reflections on coming out, imposter syndrome, and building resilient communities, Jodie unpacks what it really means to be “proudly authentic, always real” in business and beyond. This episode offers compelling strategies and encouragement for anyone looking to foster genuine connection, visibility, and inclusion within their professional spheres.
Today, we’ll cover:
How embracing authenticity catalyses growth, both personally and for business, and why visibility is key to overcoming imposter syndrome.
Practical approaches for small business owners to use LinkedIn as a platform for thought leadership, focusing on educational and engaging content rather than self-promotion.
The importance of sharing everyday stories and experiences to resonate with audiences and build trust, rather than relying on polished corporate personas.
Strategies for fostering inclusive and psychologically safe communities that value difference while establishing boundaries to ensure respect and belonging.
The challenge of balancing personal exposure and accessibility with the risks of an outsized brand presence, and how to maintain genuine relationships online and offline.
The shifting landscape of entrepreneurship and work-life balance, especially for women and those re-entering or transitioning within the workforce later in life.
The vital role of peer support networks and normalising honest discussions about topics like menopause, mental health, and diverse lived experiences in professional communities.
💡 Speaker bios
Joanne Lockwood is the passionate host of Inclusion Bites, a platform dedicated to bold conversations that inspire real change. As your guide, Joanne invites listeners to explore the core of inclusion, belonging, and societal progress, encouraging us all to imagine a world where everyone not only belongs but thrives. Her journey is one of challenging norms, uncovering unseen stories, and fostering meaningful connections. Whether you’re starting your day or winding down, Joanne’s approachable style inspires reflection and action, reminding everyone they have a voice in this ongoing conversation. Through Inclusion Bites, she brings people together to share insights and drive authentic transformation.
❇️ Key topics and bullets
Certainly! Below is a comprehensive sequence of topics covered in the episode “Proudly Authentic, Always Real” from The Inclusion Bites Podcast, complete with sub-topic bullets under each primary theme.
1. Introduction to Inclusion Bites Podcast and Guests
Joanne Lockwood's role and purpose of the podcast
Introduction to guest Jodie Goodchild and her credentials
Correction of guest’s name and light-hearted exchange about local ties
2. Embracing Authenticity: Personal Journeys
Jodie’s experience growing up as a lesbian woman and coming out
The emotional impact and recognition of living authentically
Reflecting on the absence of support, education, and positive role models when coming out
Turning authenticity into a platform for business and social change, especially during Covid
3. The Transition from Corporate to Entrepreneurial Life
Moving from corporate roles into small business ownership
Overcoming the challenges of finding one’s voice after leaving structured employment
Imposter syndrome and the fear of expressing opinions publicly
4. Utilising LinkedIn and Social Media for Authentic Personal Branding
LinkedIn as a platform for personal and business growth
The low percentage of content creators vs. lurkers on LinkedIn
Empowering individuals and small business owners to share their stories and expertise
The analogy of “coming out” for everyone who posts on LinkedIn
5. Facing Fear and Polarisation in Self-Expression
Challenging the status quo and daring to have an opinion
The influence of inspirational figures (Florence Given, Tim Minchin) in embracing one’s truth
The realisation that polarisation is a sign of authenticity and strength
Personal stories of overcoming fear and the support received from authentic communities
6. Setting Examples and Creating Brave Spaces for Others
The role of LGBTQ+ individuals in fostering resilience and visibility
The importance of role modeling for others considering their own authentic journeys
The concept of “radical failure” and testing boundaries in new business and social situations
7. Authenticity vs. Obnoxiousness: Striking the Balance
Distinguishing between being authentic and inappropriate behaviour
Guidelines for authentic self-presentation, particularly in professional environments
The value of speaking with a natural, personal voice rather than adopting artificial personas
8. Structuring Content for Engagement and Growth
Jodie’s content strategy: educate, engage, and convert
The primacy of education and engagement over direct selling
Storytelling through everyday activities and personal experiences as a tool for connecting with audiences
Practical content ideas derived from daily life and business interactions
9. Thought Leadership and Personal Brand Development
The importance of original content versus sharing other people’s posts
Reference to Daniel Priestley’s “Key Person of Influence” and the future of personal branding
The shift from transactional sales to relationship and brand-driven growth
10. Nurturing Community and Visibility
Building and nurturing a supportive small business community
The measurable impact of authentic visibility: impression metrics and lead generation
The role of accessibility, support, and education within business networks
11. Managing Growth, Inclusivity, and Quality of Community
Challenges in curating an inclusive and safe business community
The importance of protecting community values while scaling
Addressing the risk of letting in disruptive or misaligned participants
12. Inclusion, Diversity, and Broader Community Impact
The importance of intentional inclusive messaging and practice in business communities
Balancing diversity of opinion with psychological safety
The ongoing challenge of fostering truly inclusive spaces for marginalised groups
13. Looking Forward: Work-Life Balance and Future Aspirations
Jodie’s personal and professional ambitions: maintaining impact while enhancing quality of life
Prioritising rest, reflection, and enjoyment alongside business growth
The transition in life priorities from work-centric to life-centric models
14. Ageing, Women’s Health, and the Evolving Workforce
The growing significance of women and older adults in entrepreneurship
The social and health challenges faced by women, including menopause and its impact on business life
The broader demographic shift towards an older workforce and adapting support accordingly
15. Final Thoughts, Networking, and Call to Action
Ways to connect with Jodie Goodchild (LinkedIn and other platforms)
Reflection on the value of authentic branding and gratitude for community support
Joanne Lockwood’s closing remarks and invitation for listener engagement
This sequence provides a structured, nuanced overview of the episode’s major themes and the interwoven stories and strategies discussed throughout.
The Hook
Ever get the sense that “being yourself” is riskier than hiding? What if showing up—truly, fully, unapologetically—could transform not just your business, but your entire world? There’s a shift on the horizon... and it starts with getting REAL. Ready to cross the line between blending in and standing out?
Imagine waking up tomorrow with nothing to prove—and everything to gain. No more corporate masks, no rehearsed elevator pitches, just you and your story… raw, magnetic, impossible to ignore. Curious how authenticity can become your most unbeatable asset? Here’s what nobody is saying out loud (but desperately needs to).
Lurking in the background? Posting only when it feels “safe”? Here’s the secret: Visibility isn’t about shouting. It’s about owning your space—bravely and brilliantly. Why do most people play small, and how do a select few cut through the noise? Spoiler: it all comes down to ONE spark.
Ever wonder who you’d be if you stopped worrying what they’ll say? The magic isn’t in chasing trends, it’s in daring to speak your truth—even if it ruffles feathers. What happens when you let go of the “rules” and start connecting on your OWN terms? (Yes, it’s a game-changer.)
They say “people buy from people”—but what if your ‘real self’ is the most persuasive thing about you? Forget the scripts. Real talk, messy moments, and small victories make you unforgettable. Want in on how authentic stories turn strangers into superfans (and opportunity finds YOU)?
🗞️ Newsletter
Subject: Proudly Authentic, Always Real – Igniting Inclusion with Community & Courage
Hello Inclusion Bites Community,
This week’s episode, “Proudly Authentic, Always Real,” brought a truly bold and energising conversation to your inbox. Host Joanne Lockwood welcomed Jodie Goodchild—award-winning community creator, inspiring author, and LinkedIn trainer—whose mission is to empower entrepreneurs and small businesses to grow authentically, often on zero budget.
Highlights from the Episode:
1. Authenticity as a Superpower
Jodie shared her journey to authenticity—coming out as a proud lesbian woman and building a business rooted in brave spaces. She recounted how the COVID-19 pandemic was a pivotal moment, leading her to break free from fear and step into her true self (“If you can do that, what else could you do?”).
2. Overcoming the Visibility Barrier
Both Joanne and Jodie discussed the “coming out” every small business owner faces when sharing their voice online. With less than 2% of LinkedIn users actually posting, Jodie reframed this as an opportunity: the world is waiting for your story. They emphasised that visibility is not just about bold statements— it’s about resonance, humanity, and showing up, even when imposter syndrome is lurking.
3. Content with Purpose—Not Perfection
Jodie’s formula? Educate, engage, convert. Real business growth comes from humanising your brand: sharing the cake you enjoyed with a client, celebrating successes, narrating truthfully (even if you shuffle the details for confidentiality), and letting your personality shine. If you’re hesitating to post, ask yourself, “Who am I worried about?” and then—politely—ignore them!
4. Building Safe, Inclusive Communities
Jodie’s community work in Portsmouth highlights how critical it is to create genuinely inclusive business networks. Her approach champions psychological safety, celebrates diversity, and recognises that inclusion means welcoming varied perspectives—while maintaining strong, clear boundaries that protect everyone’s wellbeing.
5. The Value of Age Diversity
The discussion also touched on the often-overlooked power and potential of seasoned professionals, especially women launching businesses in their forties and beyond. Inclusion, as they reminded us, means recognising every life stage and breaking the stigma around age and menopause in the workplace.
6. Looking After Ourselves as Changemakers
With passion comes the risk of burnout. Both Joanne and Jodie reflected on the importance of rest, life-work balance, and pursuing joy as well as impact. This is a timely reminder for all of us: nurture your wellbeing so you can keep changing the world.
Take Action:
Reframe imposter syndrome as a sign you’re doing something important.
Post that LinkedIn update—share both your achievements and your learning moments.
Seek inclusive communities (like Jodie’s) that offer education, support, and psychological safety.
Remember: being proudly authentic opens doors—not just for yourself, but for those watching.
Connect & Continue the Conversation
Follow Jodie Goodchild on LinkedIn for practical, inspiring advice on personal branding and authentic networking.
Want to be part of the Inclusion Bites journey? Reach out to Joanne directly at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk, or subscribe and listen to the latest episodes.
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with friends, colleagues, or anyone who needs a little more courage to show up as themselves.
Here’s to a world where we can all say, “I am proudly authentic, always real”—and thrive together!
Warm regards,
The Inclusion Bites Team
Challenging the status quo, one bold conversation at a time.
#InclusionBites #Authenticity #Belonging #PositivePeopleExperiences
Guest's content for their marketing
Absolutely! Here’s a tailored article for Jodie Goodchild to use in her own marketing, written from Jodie’s perspective, reflecting on being a guest on The Inclusion Bites Podcast:
Being Unapologetically Real: My Experience on The Inclusion Bites Podcast
Recently, I had the immense privilege of joining Joanne Lockwood as a guest on her renowned podcast, Inclusion Bites. As someone deeply passionate about fostering brave spaces and empowering other business owners to show up authentically, the opportunity to tell my story on a platform dedicated to meaningful, actionable inclusion was both humbling and galvanising.
I’ve long admired Joanne’s work in championing inclusive cultures and having authentic, challenging conversations that drive real change. Sitting across from her—virtually, but just a stone’s throw away geographically, given we’re both proudly from Portsmouth—I felt an instant kinship rooted in our shared values and local heritage.
Our conversation in the episode, Proudly Authentic, Always Real, traversed the peaks and valleys of what it means to build a business and a personal brand on nothing but absolute authenticity. Joanne encouraged me to reflect on my own journey—why I now value unapologetic realness, how coming out shaped my perspective, and why authenticity is, in my view, a business owner’s best asset.
We spoke freely about the fears and barriers so many entrepreneurs face when they first begin ‘coming out’ on platforms like LinkedIn—not simply in terms of identity, but in truly stepping into one’s voice and sharing unfiltered truths. The concept of ‘coming out’ isn’t just for the LGBTQ+ community; it’s something every business owner must do to break free of lurking in the background and really connect with their audience. As I shared with Joanne, owning my story and letting go of external expectations transformed both my life and my career.
A highlight from our discussion was the importance of creating content that isn’t stifled by fear of judgement—whether that’s asking “who am I to say this?” or worrying about polarising opinions. As we explored, the real magic happens when we’re visible, honest, and relatable. Our personal brand is not about polished perfection, but about engaging emotionally and leaving people with a sense of connection—something that can only happen when we reveal our true selves.
It was also refreshing to discuss inclusion beyond traditional definitions—looking at the power of community and the efforts required to create accessible and psychologically safe spaces for all, irrespective of background, identity, or experience. In the world of small businesses, visibility and belonging are vital not just for growth but for genuine support and innovation.
Joanne’s insight that “it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you” really resonated with me. The value of nurturing a network where people feel truly seen cannot be overstated, and it’s at the heart of everything I build within my own community.
For anyone struggling with authenticity, visibility, or imposter syndrome, I highly recommend listening to our episode. It’s packed with practical advice, stories of real transformation, and a renewed call to action for business owners and changemakers to step out from the shadows and bring their whole selves to the digital space and beyond.
Thank you, Joanne, for the honour of this conversation and for holding space for the voices that are so often silenced. Talking with you has only strengthened my resolve to keep championing authenticity, inclusion, and community as the cornerstones of sustainable, impactful business.
If you’d like to catch the episode, you’ll find it at seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen.
And if our conversation inspires you to own your story or grow your visibility, come and connect with me on LinkedIn—I’d love to hear from you.
Jodie Goodchild
Award-winning community creator | LinkedIn trainer | Authenticity advocate
Pain Points and Challenges
Certainly! Drawing directly from the podcast transcript of Inclusion Bites Episode 174 – “Proudly Authentic, Always Real”, here’s a focused breakdown of the key pain points and challenges discussed, followed by succinct strategies and content ideas to address them:
Key Pain Points & Challenges
Overcoming Fear and Embracing Authenticity
Many individuals and business owners face deep-seated fear about showing their true selves, particularly when this risks societal rejection, professional alienation, or family disapproval.
Visibility and Impostor Syndrome on Professional Platforms (e.g. LinkedIn)
There’s reluctance to be visible or to post original content, driven by impostor syndrome (“What has little old me got to say?”), anxiety about criticism, and fear of polarising opinions.
Transitioning from Corporate to Entrepreneurial Mindset
New business owners who once conformed to corporate expectations often struggle to find their independent voice and build confidence in valuing and communicating their offerings.
Navigating Authenticity without Alienating or Overstepping
The challenge of being “authentic” without veering into social inappropriateness, offence, or self-sabotage. Where is the line between relatability and professionalism?
Loneliness and Lack of Community for Business Owners
Entrepreneurs often feel isolated—lacking the informal support or camaraderie found in larger work teams.
Building Personal Brand and Social Proof—Not Just Broadcasting
There’s confusion over how to build credible personal brands, ensuring engagement rather than mere one-way broadcasting, and how to convert authenticity into trust and business opportunities.
Inclusivity and Representation in Small Business Communities
The difficulty in achieving true inclusivity—ensuring diverse backgrounds and identities are represented and equally welcomed in business networks and communities.
Accessibility of Marketing and Educational Resources
Many small business owners are priced out of traditional marketing resources and lack the know-how to leverage zero-budget marketing or create engaging, relevant content.
Sustaining Work-Life Balance and Avoiding Burnout
The risk of overwork and loss of personal wellbeing when running a business, leading to a disconnect from the original motivation for entrepreneurship (freedom, joy, purpose).
Navigating Life and Work through Key Personal Transitions
Challenges faced by women (and specifically LGBTQ+ women), regarding visibility, confidence, menopause, and ageing in the workplace.
Content and Strategies to Address These Challenges
1. Practical Guidance on Authentic Self-Expression
Content Focus: Real-life stories showcasing how individuals overcame coming out, impostor syndrome, or visibility fears.
Actionable Tip: “Take one small risk—share a personal lesson or win this week. Reflect on the response and allow authenticity to be your strategic advantage, not your weakness.”
2. Mastering LinkedIn and Social Media for Confidence
Content Focus: Step-by-step workshops or guides on transitioning from “lurker” to “thought leader”—with templates for that critical “first post”.
Actionable Tip: “Remember, only 1-2% of LinkedIn users actually post. Use this to your advantage: your voice carries further than you think.”
3. Finding Your Entrepreneurial Voice
Content Focus: Comparative case studies of corporate employees who have transitioned to successful entrepreneurs, highlighting the journey of finding and owning their new value proposition.
Actionable Tip: “Try ‘radical failure’—actively test your messaging at low risk. Each misstep is a data point, not a dead end.”
4. Balance: Authenticity & Professional Boundaries
Content Focus: Roundtable discussions with business coaches on the balance between ‘bringing your whole self’ and maintaining professionalism in online spaces.
Actionable Tip: “If you wouldn’t say it in an office meeting, reconsider posting it online. Authenticity is about being true, not crude.”
5. Fostering Connection and Support in Small Business
Content Focus: Community-building toolkits, networking event templates, and peer-led accountability circles.
Actionable Tip: “Start or join a monthly check-in group—a regular space to share wins, challenges, and avoid entrepreneurial isolation.”
6. Building a Personal Brand with Impact
Content Focus: Personal branding playbooks, with a focus on the PIE model (Product, Impact, Exposure) and leveraging client testimonials for social proof.
Actionable Tip: “Give away your best insights for free—build trust and let the ‘lurkers’ come forward when ready.”
7. Creating and Sustaining Inclusive Communities
Content Focus: Inclusive language guides, lived-experience panels, and frameworks for maintaining psychological safety in diverse business groups.
Actionable Tip: “Actively moderate your community—welcome difference, but assertively safeguard against hate or exclusionary behaviour.”
8. Zero-Budget Marketing & Content Ideation
Content Focus: Regular feature on “marketing hacks for under £30/month”, plus idea generation sprints using real-life scenarios (turning daily experiences into LinkedIn posts).
Actionable Tip: “Today’s coffee with a client? Tomorrow’s relatable content. Don’t overthink—just narrate.”
9. Work-Life Balance and Wellbeing for Entrepreneurs
Content Focus: Podcasts or articles on life-work, not work-life, balance; the role of intentional downtime, and strategies to avoid burnout.
Actionable Tip: “Design your business around the life you want—not the other way around. Schedule your joy and rest as firmly as client meetings.”
10. Supporting Women and LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs through Transition
Content Focus: Expert interviews on menopause, ageing, and queer identity in business—with resources and peer networks for support.
Actionable Tip: “Seek out and amplify voices already talking about these issues. Visibility breeds education, empathy, and collective power.”
Want more on these themes?
Subscribe to the Inclusion Bites Podcast and connect with Joanne Lockwood at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk. Discover lived experiences, action-oriented advice, and inclusive community-building every episode.
By surfacing these pain points and providing specific solutions, content can directly equip listeners and readers with practical strategies for building more inclusive and authentic businesses—and lives.
Questions Asked that were insightful
Absolutely, the transcript from this episode of the Inclusion Bites Podcast is brimming with insightful questions and responses that could readily be shaped into a series of helpful FAQs for the audience. Here are some highlighted examples that would make compelling entries:
Inclusion Bites Podcast: Episode 174 FAQ Highlights
1. What helped you embrace your authenticity and turn it into a platform for change?
Jodie Goodchild shared that her journey to authenticity stemmed from personal reflection during the Covid lockdown, recognising the brevity of life and the need to find purpose. Embracing her identity proudly as a lesbian woman allowed her to build a successful business rooted in authenticity, offering a powerful model for others who may struggle with visibility and acceptance.
2. How can small business owners overcome the fear of “coming out” or being visible, especially on platforms like LinkedIn?
Both Joanne and Jodie discussed that posting on LinkedIn for the first time, much like ‘coming out’, requires bravery. Most LinkedIn users are ‘lurkers’, and it’s easy to feel hesitant about sharing opinions. However, showing up authentically attracts meaningful engagement and creates community. The analogy of “coming out” extends to anyone expressing their professional or personal truth online.
3. How do you balance authenticity with professionalism in your online presence?
The speakers stressed the difference between being “obnoxiously authentic” and being appropriately authentic. Jodie suggests a simple rule: If you wouldn’t say it in an office or professional setting, don’t say it online. The emphasis is on sharing genuine stories and insights, not creating a corporate persona that feels disconnected from real-life interactions.
4. How does being visible on social media impact business growth?
Jodie illustrated that visibility on platforms like LinkedIn is vital for business success. Sharing everyday experiences and authentic stories fosters trust and attracts opportunities, often more effectively than traditional marketing. The stat Jodie cites—“it takes eight to eleven interactions to build trust”—highlights the necessity of regular, genuine engagement.
5. What content strategies work well for growing a personal or business brand online?
Jodie’s “educate, engage, convert” framework advises spending 80% of content educating and engaging your audience, and 20% on actual selling. This approach helps establish thought leadership and builds trust, making eventual conversion a natural outcome of a strong personal brand.
6. How can entrepreneurs prevent their personal brand from becoming a barrier that makes them seem unapproachable?
Both speakers acknowledged that as your personal brand grows, it’s possible to seem distant or inaccessible. Jodie tackles this by blending her online and offline selves, prioritising authentic connections and in-person interactions, ensuring her brand remains both aspirational and approachable.
7. What are the challenges and considerations in creating an inclusive business community, especially as it scales?
Jodie identified the tension between inclusivity and safeguarding, especially regarding letting in members whose values may not align. The need for psychological safety, boundary-setting, and protecting existing members, while still welcoming diverse perspectives, is a nuanced challenge many community leaders face.
8. How can women and older professionals thrive as entrepreneurs, particularly when transitioning from corporate backgrounds?
The discussion covered the obstacles and opportunities older professionals, especially women, face—such as confidence, ageism, and work-life balance. Both speakers highlighted the value of leveraging life experience, embracing flexibility, and stepping away from the “corporate grind” to prioritise passion and wellbeing.
These responses reflect the open, thought-provoking spirit of Inclusion Bites. Each FAQ addresses a key audience concern, providing actionable wisdom on authenticity, visibility, inclusivity, and the realities of entrepreneurship. This format would support both new listeners and regular followers in navigating their own journeys.
Blog article based on the episode
Proudly Authentic, Always Real: Cultivating Authenticity as a Catalyst for Change
What if the very thing you fear revealing about yourself is your greatest superpower? Too often, the world encourages us to put on masks—corporate, social, and digital—leaving behind the raw, authentic selves that drive genuine connection. On Episode 174 of the Inclusion Bites Podcast, titled Proudly Authentic, Always Real, host Joanne Lockwood is joined by the indomitable Jodie Goodchild, whose story and strategies redefine what it means to show up, both personally and professionally.
The Problem: Masks, Fears, and Invisibility
In a landscape where inclusion and belonging are the buzzwords of many mission statements, there remains a pervasive pressure to conform—especially for those launching careers, businesses, or simply seeking acceptance. Jodie Goodchild, an award-winning community creator, author, and LinkedIn trainer, begins her appearance by celebrating her Entrepreneur of the Year award—not as a boast, but as a landmark in her journey to living as an out and proud lesbian business owner.
Her celebratory moment is bittersweet. She reflects, “There was a time that I didn’t think there was life past, you know, if I was to come out and tell the world who I thought I was.” Jodie’s experience is not unique to the LGBTQ+ community; it echoes the universal anxiety that being one’s true self—a self outside the expected template—might result in exclusion, ridicule, or worse, irrelevance.
This anxiety is especially prolific online. Whether you are an emerging entrepreneur or a seasoned executive, social media—LinkedIn, in particular—presents its own stage for “coming out.” Most lurk; few post. The refrain, “Who am I to have a voice?” is common and corrosive.
Agitate: The Cost of Inauthenticity
The consequences of not showing up authentically are profound. Businesses become faceless. Talented individuals remain invisible. Genuine communities—spaces where ideas are challenged, nurtured, and evolve—are starved of the diversity that brings them to life.
Joanne deftly summarises the heart of the problem: “If you stand for nothing, nobody’s engaged.” The fear of polarisation leads to blandness, a lack of engagement, and, ultimately, missed opportunities for real change. When we focus only on appeasing the majority or hiding so as not to offend, we lose the capacity to be memorable, influential, or impactful.
Moreover, over-sanitising ourselves is not just a social media malaise—it seeps into boardrooms, communities, and daily life, stifling innovation and connection. In Jodie Goodchild’s words, “The biggest challenge I find people have is the overthinking and the worrying about, well, no one’s going to care about what little old me’s got to say.”
Solution: Cultivating Authenticity as an Asset
So, how does one break the cycle? The conversation between Joanne and Jodie is a masterclass in actionable authenticity. Here are key takeaways from their insights:
1. Take the First Step—Visibility Is Power
Jodie insists on the transformative power of simply “showing up.” For those paralysed by the fear of judgement, remember: less than 2% of LinkedIn’s global user base actually post content. The field is yours.
Action: Commit to making your first authentic post. Reflect on a genuine experience or lesson, and share it—not in corporate jargon, but in your own voice.
2. Reclaim Your Narrative
Jodie encourages us to ask: “Who is that person that you’re thinking, ‘If I post that, they are going to…’? Who really owns your narrative?” Are you handing control to critics who may never even engage?
Action: Identify whose opinion is silencing you, and consciously decide to reclaim ownership of your story.
3. Balance Honesty with Humanity
Authenticity is not about being brazenly confrontational or disregarding empathy. Jodie advises, “If you wouldn’t say it in an office environment, probably don’t say it on a social platform.” Being authentic still means considering the impact of your words.
Action: Before posting or speaking, ask yourself: Does this represent my values? Is it respectful, while still reflecting my truth?
4. Build Community, Not Just a Network
Jodie’s push to create a community stemmed from recognising a gap: aspiring business owners need affordable, emotionally safe spaces to learn, connect, and grow. Her model—part social, part educational—enables members to be “bravely visible” in their professional lives.
Action: Seek or establish communities where you can be both challenged and supported. The right environment transforms bravery into habit.
5. Let Your Story Lead Your Brand
Both Joanne and Jodie highlight the importance of personal branding rooted in lived experience. Truthful storytelling creates emotional connections—crucial in a digital world increasingly sceptical of transactional pitches.
Action: Craft posts or talks where you share lessons learned. Don’t just sell a product; narrate the journey, the failure, and the realisation, just as you would to a trusted colleague.
6. Rethink Success and Contribution
Awards, titles, and external validation matter—but only as reflections of internal growth and resilience. As Jodie describes of her own journey, living authentically is itself the “win.” Her presence, openness, and the inclusive community she fosters are both her achievement and her ongoing contribution.
Call to Action: Spark Change with Vulnerable Action
Authenticity is not a static state; it is a choice, made daily. By showing up fully, you offer others permission—and encouragement—to do the same. In business, leadership, and social activism, it is often the most vulnerable stories, openly shared, that drive the deepest change.
Episode 174, Proudly Authentic, Always Real, is a timely invitation to let go of the fear that hobbles our potential. Inspired by Jodie Goodchild’s courageous example, make your next meeting, post, or interaction a little more “you”—warts, wisdom, and all.
So what will you do differently today?
Connect with yourself. Write down three personal experiences you feel others could learn from.
Share at least one, in your authentic voice, online or in a team meeting.
Seek out (or create) a community where your real story can be told and heard.
Share this blog and episode with someone who needs permission to “come out” as their authentic self—whether as a business owner, leader, or individual.
For more bold, practical conversations on inclusion and belonging, subscribe to Inclusion Bites and listen to the latest episode at seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen.
Be proudly authentic. Be always real. Ignite inclusion—one story at a time.
—
Episode inspiration: Jodie Goodchild, featured guest on Inclusion Bites Podcast, Episode 174: Proudly Authentic, Always Real
The standout line from this episode
The standout line from this episode is:
"If you stand for nothing, nobody's engaged."
This succinctly captures the essence of being proudly authentic and the importance of having a clear, authentic stance—whether in life, business, or the pursuit of inclusion.
❓ Questions
Certainly! Here are 10 discussion questions based on the episode "IBS174 – Proudly Authentic, Always Real" from The Inclusion Bites Podcast:
Jodie Goodchild spoke about the transformative power of authenticity in business and personal life. How does embracing authenticity influence both individual fulfilment and professional success?
Both Joanne and Jodie referenced the concept of “coming out” – not only in the LGBTQ+ sense but also with regards to taking the leap into small business ownership and speaking up on social media. In what ways can this analogy help de-stigmatise vulnerability in the workplace?
Jodie noted the importance of ‘brave spaces’ over merely ‘safe spaces’ for fostering authenticity. What’s the difference between these environments, and why might brave spaces be more necessary in today’s professional settings?
LinkedIn usage statistics were discussed, with most users engaging as ‘lurkers’ rather than active contributors. What psychological barriers prevent people from sharing more openly, and what strategies can organisations use to encourage authentic engagement?
The episode highlighted the delicate balance between being authentic and avoiding perceived obnoxiousness. How should individuals calibrate their personal brands to remain genuine yet socially and professionally appropriate?
Both guests discussed the vital role of building a personal brand that is visible, consistent, and real. How can professionals cultivate an online presence that is both distinct and approachable, especially when competing against ‘corporate personas’?
Joanne and Jodie touched on the impact of age, gender, and life stage on career trajectories, particularly for women starting businesses later in life. What opportunities and challenges does this present within the wider inclusion agenda?
Jodie’s community was described as intentionally inclusive, yet she noted the challenge of maintaining psychological safety and inclusivity as it scales. What practical steps can community leaders take to uphold core values without inadvertently excluding those with different perspectives?
There was discussion around menopause, ageism, and the need for greater awareness about women’s health in professional spheres. Why is it vital for workplaces and entrepreneurs to actively engage with these issues, and what might best practice look like?
At several points, the idea of giving away ‘the best stuff for free’ was championed as a means of building trust and exposure. In the context of personal branding and thought leadership, what are the risks and rewards of such an open approach?
These questions are crafted to spark meaningful dialogue and deeper reflection on the themes and lived experiences raised throughout this thoughtful episode.
FAQs from the Episode
FAQ: Proudly Authentic, Always Real – Episode 174 of the Inclusion Bites Podcast
1. Who are the host and guest in this episode?
The episode is hosted by Joanne Lockwood (she/her), an inclusion and belonging champion, and features Jodie Goodchild, an award-winning community creator, author, and LinkedIn trainer known for empowering others to build their brands through authenticity.
2. What does ‘authenticity’ mean in the context of small business and personal branding?
Authenticity here refers to presenting your true self, sharing real stories, and resisting the urge to create a ‘sanitised’ or performative persona online, particularly on professional networks like LinkedIn. Both Joanne and Jodie stress the value in being genuinely yourself as it attracts meaningful connections and trust (rather than simply trying to please all audiences).
3. Why is it difficult for many people to be authentic online, especially on LinkedIn?
Many individuals experience ‘imposter syndrome’ and fear the repercussions of expressing genuine opinions or personal stories, worrying about negative reactions or appearing unprofessional. Most LinkedIn users are ‘lurkers’ rather than posters, reinforcing apprehension. The podcast frames this as a kind of ‘coming out’ — stepping into visibility with one’s real narrative.
4. How can small business owners use LinkedIn more effectively according to Jodie Goodchild?
Jodie advocates an approach based on education, engagement, and authenticity rather than transactional sales. She suggests focusing 80% of content on educating and engaging, sharing insights, and narrating daily experiences, while only 20% should directly address selling products or services. She highlights that people buy from people, not faceless brands.
5. What role does vulnerability play in building a community or brand?
Sharing vulnerabilities and personal challenges makes you relatable and can foster brave spaces where others feel safe to do the same. Jodie discusses how coming out as a lesbian, and then being open about her business journey, was empowering — and helped others see what is possible.
6. What are the pitfalls of ‘performative authenticity’?
While being yourself is encouraged, Jodie and Joanne caution against confusing authenticity with being inappropriately blunt or disregarding social norms. The benchmark is: if you wouldn’t say it in a professional setting face-to-face, reconsider posting it online.
7. How important is visibility for small businesses, and how can it be achieved on a budget?
Visibility is presented as critical; if people are unaware of your existence, they cannot buy from you. Jodie offers a model where consistency, sharing engaging stories, and participating in community leads to organic growth in impressions and leads, without expensive marketing.
8. What inclusive practices are highlighted for building communities?
Building a truly inclusive community involves not only lowering financial and logistical barriers but also maintaining psychological safety, being mindful of broad representation, and ensuring all members feel heard and seen. Balancing inclusivity with safeguarding (against, for example, covert bigotry or predatory behaviour) is discussed as an ongoing challenge.
9. How do factors like age and gender intersect with entrepreneurship, according to this episode?
The discussion highlights the growing trend of women (especially in midlife and beyond) starting their own businesses after traditional career paths become less appealing or no longer viable. Ageism and the complexities of balancing health (e.g., menopause) and professional growth are covered, with a call for better recognition of older entrepreneurs and their unique needs.
10. What is the overarching message about work-life balance and entrepreneurship?
Both host and guest stress the need to reclaim a ‘life-work balance’ — ensuring that building a business doesn’t come at the expense of living well. The conversation advocates for intentional rest, reflection, and celebrating your own milestones.
11. How can listeners get involved or connect with the Inclusion Bites community?
Listeners are encouraged to subscribe to the Inclusion Bites Podcast, share their stories or feedback via jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk, and connect with both Joanne and Jodie on LinkedIn for further resources and inspiration.
12. Where can I listen to this episode or find out more?
You can find this and other episodes of the Inclusion Bites Podcast at https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen.
If you have more questions or want to contribute to the conversation, reach out to Joanne Lockwood at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk.
Tell me more about the guest and their views
The guest for this episode is Jodie Goodchild, who is introduced as an award-winning community creator, author, and LinkedIn trainer. Jodie is renowned for empowering individuals and businesses to build their brands and grow their ventures authentically and without the need for a lavish marketing budget. Her central philosophy, as highlighted throughout the discussion, is rooted in the transformative power of authenticity, both in personal identity and business practices.
Jodie’s personal journey deeply informs her views. She is an openly lesbian woman, and she recounts her formative years feeling isolated and fearful about revealing her true self due to the lack of representation and understanding in her environment. Her story took a pivotal turn during the pandemic, prompting her to confront what truly mattered to her and pushing her to embrace authenticity without apology. This acceptance has, in her words, not only catalysed her personal happiness but also formed the foundation of her successful business model.
A core value Jodie promotes is the creation of “brave spaces” – environments where people feel safe to express themselves and showcase their authentic selves without fear of judgement. In a business context, she applies this principle to the world of LinkedIn, demystifying the idea that you need to project a hyper-polished or artificially “corporate” persona online. She coaches business owners, particularly those from underrepresented or marginalised backgrounds, to leverage their true stories and lived experiences as assets. By doing so, they can connect more meaningfully with their audiences, break through the dominant narrative, and attract opportunities rather than chase them.
Jodie is unflinching in challenging self-doubt and imposter syndrome, describing the process of stepping into visibility on platforms like LinkedIn as a form of “coming out” for everyone — not just for queer individuals. She encourages her community to push past the fear of negative judgement, focus on the potential for positive impact, and not allow the imagined criticisms of others to dictate their actions.
Practically, Jodie teaches businesses to prioritise education and engagement over overt selling on social platforms. She advocates for sharing ordinary moments, personal reflections, and client successes – a blend she views as both authentic and effective. Through her approach, she has helped her community members achieve significant visibility and business growth, increasing their confidence and reach without resorting to aggressive sales tactics or inauthentic personas.
Her leadership extends to deliberately crafting inclusive spaces, mindful of welcoming diverse perspectives while also protecting her communities from harmful or predatory behaviour. Jodie is keenly aware of the nuances in inclusivity, recognising the ongoing challenge of scaling communities without compromising psychological safety.
Finally, Jodie is candid about the need for balance: whilst driven by impact and community, she recognises the importance of personal well-being, taking time to reflect, recharge, and enjoy the freedom that entrepreneurship offers.
In summary, Jodie’s views can be encapsulated as a celebration of authenticity, resilience, and practical inclusion — both in life and in business. She is passionate about helping others claim their space, tell their stories, and thrive unapologetically, believing that real change and meaningful success begin with honest visibility and genuine connection.
Ideas for Future Training and Workshops based on this Episode
Absolutely! Drawing directly from the rich themes and discussions within episode IBS174 "Proudly Authentic, Always Real" of the Inclusion Bites Podcast, here are innovative training and workshop ideas that resonate with the episode’s messages on authenticity, personal branding, LinkedIn visibility, inclusion, and the dynamics of thriving diverse communities:
1. Building Brave Spaces for Authenticity
Theme: How to foster environments where individuals can be their true selves at work and in business communities.
Content: Interactive exercises in creating ‘brave’ space, case studies of lived experience (e.g., coming out stories), tips for supporting others through authenticity journeys.
Learning Outcome: Increased confidence in authentic self-expression and the tools to foster this in teams or networks.
2. LinkedIn Mastery: Zero Budget, Maximum Authenticity
Theme: Demystifying LinkedIn for small business owners and professionals seeking visibility.
Content: Step-by-step guides to original content creation, practical strategies to overcome ‘lurker’ mentality, using lived experience as a personal brand differentiator.
Learning Outcome: Participants leave with a ready-to-go LinkedIn content calendar and confidence to post authentically.
3. From Imposter to Influencer: Overcoming Self-Doubt Online
Theme: Addressing and working through imposter syndrome in public digital spaces.
Content: Reflective workshops using “coming out” as a metaphor for business owners, scenario-based role play, peer-led support exercises, and reframing nervousness into empowerment.
Learning Outcome: Tangible mechanisms and group accountability to move from self-censorship to thought leadership.
4. The Ethics of Authenticity: Balancing ‘Being Real’ with Social Responsibility
Theme: Navigating the boundary between authentic expression and inclusivity.
Content: Group debates, ethical dilemma workshops, strategies for ‘sanitising’ language without losing impact, and the nuances of digital persona management.
Learning Outcome: Practical frameworks for authentic communication that is respectful and inclusive, especially in sensitive LinkedIn or client-facing posts.
5. Educate, Engage, Convert: Effective Social Selling Without the Sleaze
Theme: Personal branding and organic lead generation in social media for microbusiness and SME leaders.
Content: The “Educate, Engage, Convert” model with hands-on content planning, case studies such as the ‘window cleaner’ analogy, and guidelines for authentic sales engagement.
Learning Outcome: Develop compelling narratives that foster connection and lead to genuine enquiries—not just transactional sales.
6. Community Building with Intent: The Art and Science of Inclusive Networks
Theme: How to build, maintain, and grow inclusive business and support communities.
Content: Designing onboarding rituals that foster psychological safety, managing difference without diluting community values, addressing difficult conversations and managing conflict inclusively.
Learning Outcome: Concrete steps for balancing openness with safe boundaries, and tools for conflict resolution in diverse groups.
7. Age-Inclusive Entrepreneurship: Harnessing the Power of Experience
Theme: Navigating ageism, second-career entrepreneurship, and the value of multi-generational businesses.
Content: Workshops drawing on themes of confidence in later life, visibility for over-50s, reframing age as an asset, and understanding the evolving landscape of age-diverse teams.
Learning Outcome: Strategies for late-blooming entrepreneurs and organisational leaders to leverage age diversity for innovation.
8. Talking Hormones: Navigating Menopause and Women’s Health in the Workplace
Theme: demystifying and destigmatising menopause and hormonal health for business owners and colleagues.
Content: Myth-busting sessions, lived experience panels, training managers to support perimenopausal and menopausal staff, integrating health into wellbeing policy.
Learning Outcome: Tangible action plans for supporting women’s health inclusively at work or in communities.
9. Practical Storytelling: Turning Everyday Moments into Compelling Content
Theme: Using the power of ordinary narrative for business growth and community engagement.
Content: Story-mining exercises (e.g., the ‘Post-it Note’ challenge as referenced by Jodie), anonymisation techniques, and frameworks for maintaining authenticity while simplifying or generalising stories for wide appeal.
Learning Outcome: Confidence and tools to transform daily experiences into impactful posts or presentations.
10. From Lurker to Leader: Visibility Without Losing ‘You’
Theme: Empowering passive observers to participate and lead conversations in professional and business communities.
Content: Overcoming fear of posting, championing ‘done is better than perfect’, peer support for first-time content creators, and sustaining participation without self-editing.
Learning Outcome: Overcome barriers to digital participation and establish a sustainable visible presence.
Each of these concepts is rooted in the lived experience, practical wisdom, and actionable strategies discussed in the episode by both Joanne Lockwood and Jodie Goodchild. They combine narrative-driven approaches with theory, practice, and inclusivity as discussed on the show. These workshops would appeal directly to HR practitioners, DEI leads, small business owners, and anyone interested in creating inclusive environments in both digital and physical spaces.
For partnership or bespoke workshop delivery, contact jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk or visit https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen for more inspiration.
🪡 Threads by Instagram
True authenticity in business isn’t about posturing; it’s about sharing who you are and building trust through visibility. Stop lurking—your story might be the catalyst for someone else’s breakthrough.
Coming out isn’t just for the LGBTQ+ community. Every time you step forward as a small business owner or share your truth online, you cross a line into brave self-expression.
The power of community lies in creating spaces where everyone feels safe being real. Resistance and fear are normal, but sharing your journey lights the path for others.
Personal branding lives in genuine connections, not corporate jargon. Share your wins, failures, and the everyday moments—people buy from people, not faceless brands.
Inclusion goes beyond demographics. It’s about making everyone feel seen and heard—regardless of the barriers they face. Lead with empathy; celebrate every journey and difference in your community.
Leadership Insights - YouTube Short Video Script on Common Problems for Leaders to Address
Leadership Insights Channel
Are you a leader struggling to show your true self at work? So many feel pressure to put on a ‘corporate face’, hiding what makes them unique for fear of judgement or not fitting in.
But here’s the twist: authenticity is your greatest leadership asset. When leaders embrace who they are—sharing not just achievements, but struggles, passions and quirks—they inspire genuine trust and engagement across their teams. People gravitate towards real, approachable leaders, not distant personas.
So, what can you do? Start by speaking to colleagues as you would in real life, not just in sterile “corporate speak”. Share your story, own your challenges, and let your humanity shine. Post about real day-to-day experiences and things that matter to you, not just company updates.
Lead with vulnerability. Celebrate differences. By modelling authenticity and encouraging open, safe spaces for others to do the same, you foster an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive.
Remember: standing for something meaningful might polarise some, but it will deeply engage those who matter most.
Show up, be proudly authentic, and watch your team’s trust and innovation soar.
SEO Optimised Titles
How Authenticity Drives 700000 LinkedIn Impressions and 151 Leads for Small Businesses | Jodie @ Jodie Goodchild Ltd
From Zero Budget to Entrepreneur of the Year Inspiring Inclusion for Portsmouth's 207000 LinkedIn Users | Jodie @ Jodie Goodchild Ltd
Breaking Barriers 900 Portsmouth Businesses Lost Annually—How Brave Spaces Spark Community Resilience | Jodie @ Jodie Goodchild Ltd
Email Newsletter about this Podcast Episode
Subject: Unpacking Authenticity & Brave Spaces – Inclusion Bites Podcast Ep. 174
Hello Inclusion Champions,
Ready for a dose of tough inspiration and true stories from our own back gardens? Settle in for the latest episode of Inclusion Bites, “Proudly Authentic, Always Real,” where host Joanne Lockwood sits down with the extraordinary Jodie Goodchild—a local trailblazer, award-winning community creator, and LinkedIn pro who’s turning the tide on how we show up authentically in business.
What’s in this bite?
Get ready for these five key takeaways:
Authenticity is Everything – Jodie unpacks how daring to be your authentic self is the most powerful asset you can bring to business (and life).
Coming Out Isn’t Just for LGBTQ+ Folks – Both Jo and Jodie explore the idea that everyone on LinkedIn faces their own “coming out” moment when stepping into visibility and sharing their voice.
Don’t Overthink It – Learn why everyday moments and “truth bombs” are pure gold for connecting with real people on social media – and why perfection is overrated.
Community is the Secret Sauce – Discover how Jodie’s community supports local businesses in Portsmouth to build connections, feel safe, and rocket their visibility—without breaking the bank.
Everyone Belongs, at Any Stage of Life – The episode dives into overcoming the barriers women—and especially older women—face when stepping up, speaking out, and driving businesses forward.
Unique fact from the episode:
Did you know there are over 207,000 people in Portsmouth alone on LinkedIn? And yet, only 1-2% are actually posting! Turns out, by simply sharing a piece of your story, you’re already ahead of the vast majority—making your voice even more powerful.
Ready for change?
Tune in to episode 174 for punchy, heartfelt insights you can use immediately—whether you’re a seasoned business owner, a newbie looking for your brave space, or simply on a mission to challenge the status quo.
🎧 Listen now: Inclusion Bites Podcast
Do you want to share your story, or join Jo on a future episode? Drop her a line at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk – the floor is open!
Let’s lift each other up, keep it real, and rewrite the rules—one brave conversation at a time.
Until next time,
The Inclusion Bites Team
#InclusionBites #AuthenticityMatters #SeeChangeHappen
Potted Summary
Episode Summary (80 words):
In this inspiring episode of Inclusion Bites, host Joanne Lockwood welcomes Jodie Goodchild, an award-winning community creator and LinkedIn trainer. Together, they dive into themes of authenticity, personal branding, and the power of brave spaces for small business growth. Through candid storytelling, they explore the journey to embracing one’s unique identity, overcoming imposter syndrome, and building impactful, inclusive communities. Listeners are empowered to discover their voice and lead with authenticity, no matter where they are on life’s journey.
In this conversation we discuss
👉 Authentic self
👉 LinkedIn bravery
👉 Inclusion in business
Here are a few of our favourite quotable moments:
"If you stand for nothing, nobody's engaged."
“Everyday activities make great LinkedIn content. I think that’s what I make it my mission to, to teach people.”
“You’ve not got a lead generation problem, you’ve got a visibility problem.”
Summary & Call to Action (80 words):
This episode celebrates the transformative power of authenticity, visibility, and inclusion in today’s business landscape. Jodie Goodchild’s practical insights and Joanne Lockwood’s probing questions foster dynamic dialogue, leaving listeners with actionable inspiration and confidence to thrive as their true selves. Discover how to nurture your personal brand, spark real connections, and champion brave, inclusive communities. Ready to embrace your proudly authentic, always real self?
Listen now at Inclusion Bites Podcast.
LinkedIn Poll
LinkedIn Poll Framing Summary:
In the latest Inclusion Bites episode, “Proudly Authentic, Always Real”, Joanne Lockwood and Jodie Goodchild explore the power and challenges of authenticity in business, especially on platforms like LinkedIn. Breaking out of “lurker” mode to share your true self—whether you’re starting a business, changing careers, or simply owning your identity—is never easy. Jodie and Joanne discuss the common fears (imposter syndrome, judgement, and ‘giving away your best stuff’), and how showing up as your authentic self can be a catalyst for personal and professional growth.
Poll Question:
What’s your biggest barrier to being your authentic self on LinkedIn? 🤔
Poll Options:
Fear of Judgement 👀
Imposter Syndrome 🪞
Lack of Content Ideas 💡
Workplace Expectations 🏢
#AuthenticityMatters #InclusionBites #BeReal #LinkedInTips
Closing:
Why vote? Your voice helps us understand the real challenges around authenticity on LinkedIn and ensures our conversations spotlight what matters most to our community. Share your experience—let’s ignite change together!
Highlight the Importance of this topic on LinkedIn
🌍 Authenticity. Visibility. Inclusion. 🌍
Just listened to an inspiring episode of Inclusion Bites, “Proudly Authentic, Always Real”—and it’s struck a deep chord for anyone in HR, EDI, or senior leadership.
🚀 In today’s climate, embracing authenticity is not just a personal journey—it’s a catalyst for positive workplace culture and meaningful change. Jodie Goodchild’s reflections remind us: when we bring our whole selves to work, we nurture belonging and break down invisible barriers.
🗣️ The discussion on bravery in “coming out”—whether with your identity or your voice as a small business owner—resonates powerfully. As HR and EDI professionals, we must challenge the status quo, foster psychological safety, and curate spaces where everyone can thrive.
💡 Key takeaways:
Authentic personal brands drive connection in ways transactional comms never can
Visibility is not vanity—it’s about impact, trust, and leading by example
It’s not about who you know, but who knows YOU—forged through genuine engagement
Inclusive communities need intentional design to protect psychological safety while welcoming vibrant difference
It’s clear: real inclusion demands that we lead with courage and humanity. Let’s champion it together.
#InclusionBites #Belonging #InclusiveLeadership #HR #EDI #AuthenticityMatters #SEEChangeHappen
L&D Insights
Essential Takeaways for Senior Leaders, HR, and EDI Professionals from "Proudly Authentic, Always Real" (Inclusion Bites Podcast, IBS174)
1. Authenticity as a Strategic Asset
Jody Goodchild's experience spotlights how living and leading authentically—especially as a member of the LGBTQ+ community—serves as both a catalyst for personal success and organisational transformation. There is no substitute for visibility: when leaders and colleagues show up as their true selves, it creates psychological safety and emboldens others to do the same.
Aha Moment:
Authenticity is not merely a buzzword but the engine for trust, engagement, innovation, and sustainable business growth. People connect with stories and humanity, not with corporate façades. ✨
2. Bravery in Visibility and "Coming Out"
Posting, leading, or simply speaking up requires courage—akin to "coming out" in the queer community. Whether launching a new brand on LinkedIn or advocating EDI initiatives, colleagues wrestle with imposter syndrome and a fear of ‘rocking the boat’.
Aha Moment:
Every professional faces a "coming out" moment—the leap from invisibility to visibility—especially on platforms like LinkedIn. Brave leadership models this leap and clears the path for others. 🌈
3. Reframing Social Media for Inclusion & Influence
The conversation debunks the myth of needing slick, costly marketing to reach audiences. Instead, the power lies in being visible, accessible, and human—sharing both success and vulnerability. Engage, educate, and convert by narrating real experiences and insights, not through relentless self-promotion.
Aha Moment:
Social platforms offer a low-barrier, high-impact space for connection—most people are “lurkers”, and your authentic voice can be the one that breaks through. Thought leadership requires originating the conversation, not amplifying echo chambers. 📢
4. Challenging the 'Sanitised' Authenticity Trap
There is a critical difference between being "authentic" and being unfiltered to the point of alienation. Effective leaders find the balance: honest, real, and respectful. If you wouldn't say it in the office, consider not saying it online.
Aha Moment:
Authenticity is about speaking your truth within context, not about oversharing or disregarding workplace norms. It’s being relatable, approachable, and respectful—human first, professional always. 🔍
5. The Power—and Risk—of Personal Brand
Joanne Lockwood and Jody Goodchild both address the paradox of building a recognisable, positive personal brand: if not managed thoughtfully, your visibility becomes a barrier, not a bridge. An inclusive brand is accessible and welcoming, not intimidating or unapproachable.
Aha Moment:
Your personal brand is a magnet—make sure it attracts, not repels. Blend digital presence with genuine, in-person connections to keep it grounded and accessible. 🤝
Practical Actions for Leaders, HR, and EDI Pros:
Model Vulnerability: Share your authentic stories—challenges as well as wins—to foster belonging and trust.
Coach Colleagues on Visibility: Help others “come out” professionally—in whatever way that means for them—by leading with openness and curiosity.
Audit & Refresh Your Personal Brand: Review the messages you’re sending, intentionally or not; make accessibility and approachability central to your reputation.
Champion Everyday Inclusion: Embed inclusive thinking in all comms, policies, and leadership dialogues. Don’t sanitise difference; celebrate it.
Measure Effectiveness: Consider success in terms of engagement and meaningful conversations, not simply likes or shares.
#InclusionBites
#AuthenticLeadership
#PersonalBranding
#CommunityOverCompetition
#BelongingAtWork
🔗 For the full episode: Inclusion Bites Podcast
📬 Contact Joanne Lockwood: jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk
Glossary of Terms and Phrases
## Specialist Concepts and Phrases Discussed in Episode IBS174: "Proudly Authentic, Always Real"
Here are select terms and phrases from the episode that may not be in frequent everyday use, along with the contextual definitions drawn from the discussion:
1. **Brave Spaces**
*Definition:* Environments intentionally fostered to encourage individuals to express their true selves without fear of judgement—crucial for authenticity and psychological safety within inclusive cultures.
2. **Coming Out (in a Professional Context)**
*Definition:* Used metaphorically to describe the act of publicly expressing one's views, brand, or professional identity (e.g., making your first LinkedIn post or launching a small business), transcending its original LGBT+ context.
3. **Lurkers**
*Definition:* Individuals who consume content on a digital platform (e.g., LinkedIn) without actively engaging through posting, commenting, or liking; identified as the vast majority of users.
4. **Marmite**
*Definition:* Referenced as a metaphor (based on the divisive yeast spread) for the value of having a 'love it or hate it' presence—standing for something distinctive, which naturally leads to polarised opinions and, consequently, engagement.
5. **Imposter Syndrome**
*Definition:* The psychological experience of doubting one’s abilities or legitimacy, particularly when sharing one's authentic self or opinions in the public or professional domain.
6. **Authenticity vs. Obnoxious Authenticity**
*Definition:* The nuanced distinction between genuinely presenting one’s self and overstepping boundaries into unfiltered or inappropriate behaviour under the guise of authenticity.
7. **Visibility Problem**
*Definition:* A concept indicating that individuals or businesses often do not succeed because they are not sufficiently seen or known by their target audience, rather than lacking in value or capability.
8. **Personal Brand**
*Definition:* The sum of a person's reputation, online presence, and the emotional response they evoke—in this context, the conscious cultivation of how one is perceived in professional and online spaces.
9. **Social Proofing**
*Definition:* The practice of leveraging the validation or endorsements of others (such as client testimonials and interactions) to build credibility and trust in one’s products, services, or character.
10. **Key Person of Influence**
*Definition:* Borrowed from Daniel Priestley’s framework, referring to an individual recognised as a thought leader or authority in their industry whose insights and contributions shape the conversation and trends.
11. **Educate, Engage, Convert (Content Strategy)**
*Definition:* A three-pronged approach to social media by which one primarily educates and engages an audience (80%) before making direct offers or sales pitches (20%), thereby building trust and credibility first.
12. **Transactional Sales vs. Relationship Sales (Personal Branding Era)**
*Definition:* The shift highlighted from impersonal, one-off exchanges ('transactional') to the nurturing of ongoing relationships and trust ('relationship sales'), particularly salient in the context of small business communities.
13. **Inclusive Community Building**
*Definition:* The proactive effort to create spaces where individuals of diverse backgrounds (by gender, age, ethnicity, sexuality, and more) feel genuinely welcome, safe, and able to thrive together, while carefully managing entry to maintain psychological safety.
14. **Psychological Safety**
*Definition:* The implicit sense that individuals can voice ideas or identities without risk of social penalty, exclusion, or backlash—a cornerstone in inclusive culture.
15. **Life-Work Balance**
*Definition:* A reordering of the traditional work-life balance, putting personal well-being and fulfilment at the centre, with work structured to serve and fit around life, rather than dominating it.
16. **Menopause (and Perimenopause) in Business Context**
*Definition:* Discussion of hormonal changes affecting women (often overlooked or misunderstood in the workplace), with reference to the impact on mental, emotional, and professional wellbeing, and the importance of education and advocacy.
These terms illustrate a rich, nuanced tapestry of inclusion, authenticity, and modern professional dynamics explored in the episode.SEO Optimised YouTube Content
Focus Keyword: Proudly Authentic, Always Real
Video Title
Proudly Authentic, Always Real: Positive People Experiences & Culture Change | #InclusionBitesPodcast
Tags
Tags: proudly authentic, always real, positive people experiences, culture change, inclusion, authenticity, LinkedIn branding, small business growth, real conversations, belonging, LGBTQ inclusion, workplace culture, Portsmouth business, personal branding, authenticity in business, inclusion bites, Joanne Lockwood, Jodie Goodchild, female entrepreneurs, visibility, HR inclusion, resilience, inclusive spaces, DEI strategies, business networking,
Killer Quote
Killer Quote: "You don't have a lead generation problem, you've got a visibility problem." – Joanne Lockwood
Hashtags
Hashtags: #InclusionBitesPodcast, #ProudlyAuthentic, #AlwaysReal, #PositivePeopleExperiences, #CultureChange, #Inclusion, #Belonging, #Authenticity, #LinkedInBranding, #FemaleEntrepreneurs, #Visibility, #SmallBusiness, #PersonalBrand, #DiversityandInclusion, #HR, #Resilience, #Portsmouth, #Community, #InclusiveSpaces, #DEIStrategy
Why Listen
Unlock Real Impact with Proudly Authentic, Always Real: Positive People Experiences & Culture Change
Are you searching for conversations that dig deeper than surface-level niceties and truly drive inclusion? In this episode of the Inclusion Bites Podcast, I, Joanne Lockwood, bring to the forefront one of the most powerful discussions on authenticity, positive people experiences, and culture change in the modern workplace and small business landscape. My guest, the award-winning community creator and LinkedIn trainer, Jodie Goodchild, joins me for episode 174, titled “Proudly Authentic, Always Real”. Together, we dissect what it truly means to build a culture where everyone can flourish by being unapologetically themselves.
If you’re ready to go beyond tired diversity rhetoric and are hungry for actionable insights—this is the conversation you need. Here, authenticity isn’t just a buzzword; it's the lever for unlocking radical visibility, personal and collective belonging, and sustainable business growth. Jodie’s journey, from hiding her true identity to standing on stage as an out-and-proud Entrepreneur of the Year, is a masterclass in courageous leadership and cultural transformation. Her mission pivots on creating “brave spaces” where being your authentic self isn’t risky—it’s your competitive edge.
We explore how those transformative Positive People Experiences ripple outwards. From the anxiety of posting on LinkedIn for the first time to the joy of seeing community members generate hundreds of thousands of impressions and new business leads, authenticity proves its worth time and again. The episode goes beyond theory and shares the granular tactics Jodie teaches to make authentic content: from capturing daily moments to engaging your audience without reverting to stiff, corporate speak. Expect to be challenged: What’s holding you back from being visible? Who is it you’re afraid of upsetting? And most importantly—how do you want to make others feel through your work?
The importance of a thriving, inclusive culture is central to our conversation. We delve into the problem of hiding in “corporate land” and breaking free to use your own voice, especially as a small business owner. Instead of focusing on who might disagree or be offended, we champion the value of daring to stand for something, knowing that polarisation can catalyse connection and foster genuine engagement. Personal branding and thought leadership aren’t reserved for global CEOs—Jodie demonstrates how small business owners can punch above their weight by being visible, relatable, and consistently true to themselves.
This episode isn’t just for those at the start of their journey. We discuss the nuances of scaling a positive culture within a growing community, protecting psychological safety while allowing for difference, and the challenges of building a broad-church space where every voice can be heard—not just the majority view. We also highlight the impact of generational, gender, and intersectional differences on culture change, examining issues such as menopause, ageism in business, and the specific journeys of LGBTQ entrepreneurs. At every turn, we return to the core premise: Positive People Experiences lead to better outcomes, happier businesses, and stronger communities.
If you’re seeking a spark to reignite your passion for culture change, actionable strategies for visibility, or reassurance that the real you is your best asset—listen in. Whether you manage a team, nurture a start-up, or simply crave a world where belonging is the norm, not the exception, this episode will resonate, inspire, and equip you to be the change.
Closing Summary and Call to Action
In this consistently engaging episode, we wove a rich tapestry of insights and practical guidance designed to empower you and your organisation. Here are the essential learning points and actionable steps you can implement immediately to further Positive People Experiences and real, sustainable Culture Change:
Key Takeaways & Action Points
1. Embrace Authenticity as a Superpower
Ditch the performative mask—whether shaped by old corporate mores or internalised fears. True impact arises when you allow your genuine self to shine, both personally and in business.
Action: Identify three aspects of your real self that you’ve been holding back at work or online. Commit to demonstrating one this week in an authentic interaction or post.
2. Visibility Over Perfection
As both Jodie and I discussed, the greatest hurdle to success in small business and personal branding isn’t quality—it's lack of visibility. Lurking doesn’t build influence; showing up, even imperfectly, does.
Action: Set an achievable target for original posts or updates this month. Don’t wait to “feel ready”—move from spectator to participant.
3. Make Your Content Human and Relatable
Whether it’s sharing the daily triumphs and challenges, recounting a fresh learning, or celebrating a mundane win, real stories trump corporate jargon every time. Create content as you would converse in real life.
Action: Each week, jot down three simple events or reflections—these are your next posts. Authentic engagement springs from authenticity.
4. Educate, Engage, and THEN Convert
Adopt Jodie’s 80/20 model: 80% of your content should educate and engage, while 20% focuses on conversion or promotion. Trust builds gradually through value, not just sales messages.
Action: Run a quick audit of your current online output. Is it over-tilted towards selling? Rebalance to foster genuine relationships.
5. Nurture Community and Positive Culture Intentionally
Culture change doesn’t occur by accident. It’s the product of deliberate choice, inclusive messaging, and safeguarding psychological safety, especially as your community grows.
Action: Create ‘brave spaces’—both online and offline—where all members can speak freely and respectfully. If you lead a group, define the ground rules for engagement and inclusion clearly.
6. Lean Into Polarisation—for the Right Reasons
You cannot please everyone, nor should you try. By standing for what matters, you attract the right collaborators and clients. As Chris Evans put it, 'be Marmite'—distinct, and memorable.
Action: Articulate what you stand for and why. Align your messaging around these core values, and don’t dilute your impact.
7. Address Generational and Intersectional Inclusion
Future-facing culture change means recognising the specific challenges faced by different groups, whether it’s ageism, the menopause, or LGBTQ inclusion. Intersectionality matters.
Action: Educate yourself and your team about the lived experiences of those outside your immediate demographic. Invite diverse stories and guest speakers to your networks or platforms.
8. Celebrate and Showcase Others’ Success
Positive people experiences are amplified by recognition. Tag, praise, and amplify colleagues and clients who’ve excelled or inspired you. It builds trust and extends your culture of appreciation.
Action: Each week, highlight someone in your professional circle for their achievements or contributions—without expectation of reciprocation.
9. Protect the Integrity of Your Community
As you grow, be vigilant about who you let into your networks, ensuring alignment with inclusive values. This is essential for sustaining trust and psychological safety.
Action: Periodically review your community guidelines and onboarding processes. Include a clear statement of values and expected behaviours.
10. Prioritise Well-being and Rest
The joy of entrepreneurship and culture change lies in the balance. Growth is vital, but so is rest, reflection, and life beyond work. Reclaim your purpose and don’t lose sight of why you embarked on this journey.
Action: Block non-negotiable downtime for yourself this quarter. Plan a refresh or mini-retreat to revive your energy and avoid burnout.
In Short:
This episode is your toolkit for driving Culture Change from the inside out—one brave conversation, one authentic post, one supportive connection at a time. Positive People Experiences aren’t an afterthought; they are the crucible of innovation, inclusion, and growth. Don’t ask for permission to be yourself—show up, be proud, and let the ripples of your authenticity transform the cultures you’re a part of.
Outro
Thank you, the listener, for tuning in to Inclusion Bites. If you enjoyed this conversation and want to be part of driving real culture change, please like, subscribe, and share this episode. For more transformative insights and to connect with a dynamic inclusion community, find us here:
SEE Change Happen: https://seechangehappen.co.uk
The Inclusion Bites Podcast: https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen
You can always reach out to me directly at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk with your stories and ideas—because your voice matters in this movement.
Stay curious, stay kind, and stay inclusive - Joanne Lockwood
Root Cause Analyst - Why!
Certainly. Beginning as a Root Cause Analyst, let’s examine the key problems from episode IBS174 of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, titled “Proudly Authentic, Always Real,” featuring Joanne Lockwood and Jodie Goodchild.
Key Problem Identified:
Many small business owners, professionals, and individuals with diverse identities struggle with expressing authentic selves online (particularly on platforms like LinkedIn) and in broader business contexts, often due to fear of judgement, lack of confidence, and systemic limitations.
Let’s apply the ‘5 Whys’ approach to find the root causes.
Problem 1: Hesitancy and Fear in Expressing Authenticity
Why 1: Why do individuals hesitate to express their authentic selves professionally?
Because they fear negative repercussions, rejection, or social/professional isolation.
Why 2: Why do they fear negative repercussions?
Because previous experiences, societal narratives, and corporate cultures have conditioned them to expect punishment or judgement for difference.
Why 3: Why have these negative expectations and conditioning developed?
Because inclusion and psychological safety have often been absent from workplaces and professional platforms; diversity may be celebrated in rhetoric, but not always in practice.
Why 4: Why does true inclusion not manifest, despite rhetoric?
Because leadership, systems, and community structures may not be equipped or committed to move beyond performative actions or to provide resourcing and training that supports authentic self-expression.
Why 5: Why are these systems not well-equipped or resourced?
Because of ingrained societal biases, inertia in organisational change, and a lack of both representation and accountability at higher levels.
Problem 2: Limited Visibility and Engagement for Marginalised Groups
Why 1: Why do marginalised individuals and small business owners struggle with visibility online?
Because few in these groups post or contribute original content due to imposter syndrome, fear of judgment, or uncertainty about their ‘right’ to speak.
Why 2: Why do they experience imposter syndrome or feel uncertain about speaking up?
Because online and offline networks often reward the confident, well-connected majority, replicating existing inequalities.
Why 3: Why do networks and platforms reinforce these inequalities?
Because algorithms, professional cultures, and existing social structures tend to privilege those already visible or connected, leading to echo chambers.
Why 4: Why is this algorithmic and structural bias perpetuated?
Because platforms prioritise engagement metrics and businesses prioritise short-term commercial results over thoughtful inclusion and representation.
Why 5: Why is profit or popularity prioritised over inclusion?
Because of market demands and a lack of compelling accountability structures coupled with historical underinvestment in equitable platform design.
Problem 3: Overthinking and Paralysis in Self-Promotion
Why 1: Why do individuals overthink their self-promotion and content sharing?
Because they anticipate negative feedback or lack of interest, and worry their experiences are ‘irrelevant’ or ‘unworthy.’
Why 2: Why do they anticipate negativity or irrelevance?
Because business and personal branding culture has lionised certain archetypes while discounting others, eroding collective confidence.
Why 3: Why are only select archetypes or stories lionised?
Because success stories propagated in media tend to feature individuals from dominant groups or traditional backgrounds.
Why 4: Why does the media propagate such limited archetypes?
Because mainstream media and content aggregators lack diversity both in their own teams and in their sources.
Why 5: Why does this lack of diversity persist within media and aggregators?
Because historical exclusionary practices, lack of investment in diversity, and absence of structural incentives mean representation is rarely systematically addressed.
Summary of Findings (Root Causes)
Systemic lack of psychological safety: In workplaces and professional ecosystems, leading to understandable reticence to be authentic.
Entrenched societal bias: Both online and offline, where structural inequities privilege established voices and archetypes.
Insufficient accountability and representation: In platforms, communities, and media, perpetuating the cycle of exclusion.
Perceived barriers to entry and self-doubt: Fuelled by historical conditioning and lack of visible role models.
Short-termism in commercial and design priorities: Which deprioritises deeper, more difficult work toward genuine inclusion.
Potential Solutions
1. Embed psychological safety in professional contexts
Organisations, online communities, and networks must invest in training, mentoring, and leadership models that centre authentic expression, challenge bias, and reward vulnerability rather than simply ‘performance.’
2. Proactively diversify representation
Both platforms and companies must champion, resource, and visibly support marginalised voices (e.g., through algorithmic equity audits, amplification programmes, or dedicated spaces for under-represented stories).
3. Redesign networking and community structures
Move away from transactional, extractive models and towards collaborative, educational, and genuinely welcoming environments (such as those discussed by Jodie Goodchild).
4. Foster a culture of healthy ‘coming out’
Normalise and celebrate all sorts of ‘coming out’ on professional platforms, encouraging individuals to showcase real life and diverse identities, with toolkit support to scaffold this bravery.
5. Build in accountability and structural incentives for inclusion
Mandate regular audits of diversity and inclusion, tie progress to leadership incentives, and co-create standards in partnership with excluded groups; ensure that visible role models receive institutional support and that their voices affect decision-making.
6. Challenge and broaden archetypes of success
Platforms, communities, and the media should seek, profile, and champion unconventional journeys (e.g., older founders, LGBTQ+ leaders, disabled entrepreneurs), shifting narratives about what ‘success’ and ‘belonging’ look like.
Would you like a more detailed set of interventions for leaders, individuals, or tech platforms – or a suggested action plan for inclusive culture change based on these findings?
Canva Slider Checklist
Slider | Content |
|---|---|
Opening Slide | Discover five essential best practices for cultivating authentic, inclusive cultures where everyone thrives. Designed for HR, DEI, Talent Acquisition, and Organisational Development leaders, this checklist offers actionable strategies to raise visibility, foster psychological safety, and drive meaningful engagement in your workplace and talent communities. |
Be Authentically Visible | Embrace and role model authenticity across professional networks. Share your real stories—challenges, successes, and learnings—to foster deeper connections and trust. Remember, visibility isn’t about perfection; it’s about showing humanity and inspiring others to engage honestly. |
Encourage Brave Spaces | Design internal environments where individuals feel truly safe to express themselves. Normalise vulnerability and support contributions from all voices, especially those underrepresented. Brave spaces cultivate innovation, psychological safety, and increased belonging across diverse groups. |
Prioritise Storytelling | Use transparent, relatable storytelling to break down professional barriers. Encourage leaders and employees to share real experiences rather than sticking to corporate sound-bites. Stories about overcoming self-doubt, failure, or success resonate and empower wider engagement. |
Champion Inclusive Messaging | Ensure your communications, content, and community-building are welcoming to all backgrounds, identities, ages, and abilities. Avoid template language and homogeneous imagery—opt for diverse representation and accessible messaging to show inclusivity isn’t just stated but practised. |
Measure and Nurture Social Proof | Actively collect and highlight feedback, testimonials, and peer endorsements within your talent communities. Social proof builds trust and demonstrates authentic impact—helping those on the fence feel safer to step forward and engage more deeply. |
Closing Slide | Connect with Joanne Lockwood and SEE Change Happen for expert guidance on inclusive cultures. Visit https://seechangehappen.co.uk and discover how we can help you drive real change. Ready to elevate your workplace? Let’s create authentic belonging—reach out today! |
6 major topics
Proudly Authentic, Always Real: Sparking Change Through Inclusive Culture
Meta Description: Dive into “Proudly Authentic, Always Real” as Joanne Lockwood and Jodie Goodchild ignite a bold conversation on inclusive culture, authenticity, and the secret to thriving communities for small business and beyond. Uncover insights on belonging, visibility, and personal branding in today’s world.
How do we create spaces where every individual can thrive, belong, and be seen for who they are? That question set the tone for my illuminating conversation with Jodie Goodchild, an award-winning community creator, LinkedIn trainer, and beacon of all things authentic. Our dialogue wove through six major themes, each contributing to a holistic understanding of the power of inclusive culture. Here’s how we journeyed through authenticity, coming out—both personally and professionally—the nuances of personal brand, nurturing diverse communities, the imperative of visibility, and the changing shape of business life for women.
Authenticity: The Bedrock of Inclusive Culture
Our chat began with a simple, yet profound idea: what does it truly mean to be proudly authentic in a world that so often rewards conformity? Jodie shared her own story, revealing that her journey towards living as an “out and proud” lesbian was less about external validation and more about internal liberation. Only after exploring what felt like a chasm of fear did she discover the joy—almost a rebirth—that comes from embracing one’s authentic self.
Curiously, authenticity is not about shouting the loudest or being abrasively oneself, as Jodie pointed out. It’s about creating “brave spaces,” nurturing belonging, and daring others to do likewise. The tension here is both personal and professional: can we present ourselves fully, without becoming either bland or offensive? In this balancing act lies the true magic of inclusive culture.
Coming Out—For Everyone: The Universal Bravery of Visibility
I found that the act of “coming out” is not exclusive to the LGBTQ+ journey. In truth, every small business owner, every professional, faces their own pivotal moment of stepping into visibility—especially online. Jodie beautifully likened that first LinkedIn post to a moment of personal revelation, where lurking in the shadows ends and brave self-expression begins.
Isn’t it fascinating how vulnerability breeds connection? Most people are observers, not participants, and it takes genuine courage to break through the inertia. Yet, as we both discovered, it’s this commitment to visibility—this willingness to put oneself “out there”—that forges impact, nurtures engagement, and inspires trust. The story is universal: moving from hiding to being seen, in whatever form that takes, is transformative.
The Power and Pitfalls of Personal Branding
Delving further, we explored the alchemy of building a personal brand within an inclusive culture. Does it require bravado and grand gestures, or is there something subtler at play? Our consensus was clear: a personal brand flourishes on consistency, humility, and authenticity. The real aim is not to simply collect followers or likes, but rather to spark meaningful emotional connections.
And yet, there is a shadow side. Sometimes, our public persona can outgrow us—creating distance, intimidation, or even inauthenticity. The solution? Blend your online presence with real-world interaction; let your digital self be as human, warm, and accessible as the person at the local coffee shop. It made me wonder: can anyone truly scale authenticity without losing the nuance that makes them relatable?
Building Inclusive Communities: The Portsmouth Model
It was illuminating to discuss how inclusive culture can be intentionally built into communities, both online and offline. As Jodie eloquently described, Portsmouth’s supportive climate for small businesses wasn’t built by accident—it was actively fostered through spaces that privileged education, genuine connection, and mutual support. Her approach is practical: blend networking with tangible learning, avoid exclusion, and keep things simple so everyone feels welcome.
Still, as her enterprise grows, new challenges arise. How do you keep communities open and inclusive without compromising safety or letting in those who might do harm? Interesting, isn’t it, how the commitment to inclusivity requires ongoing vigilance, adaptability, and—above all—a steadfast dedication to the values at the community’s core.
Visibility as a Catalyst for Opportunity and Belonging
A recurring theme was the necessity—and immense power—of visibility in nurturing inclusive culture. We unpacked the reality that, no matter how brilliant one’s offering, invisibility remains an insurmountable barrier to growth. Jodie’s mantra, “You don’t have a lead generation problem, you have a visibility problem,” echoes in my mind.
What struck me most was how advocating for “giving away your best stuff for free” and fostering trust through repeated, authentic interactions (often six to eight touches before trust is built) produces not only business leads, but also deep feelings of belonging and shared purpose. Isn’t it curious that generosity, rather than scarcity, is what ultimately sets you apart?
Rethinking Success: Thriving Through Life-Work Balance
Our final topic reflected a shifting paradigm for women in business, especially as they navigate changes like menopause, ageism, and evolving family roles. Both of us remarked on how so many women, particularly in their forties and fifties, are leaving unsatisfying corporate worlds to forge their own paths—pursuing not just profit, but also flexibility, joy, and impact.
Here, inclusive culture means making space for every stage of life. The encouragement was clear: the next wave of entrepreneurs, especially women, can—and should—craft their own models of success. Life-work balance, rather than work-life, became our rallying cry, and we celebrated the support systems springing up in cities like Portsmouth that help women and all underrepresented groups flourish.
Cultivating Inclusive Culture: Where To From Here?
As we drew our conversation to a close, I was reminded that building inclusive culture is both personal and collective. It’s the interplay between the courage to be oneself, the generosity to nurture others, and the vigilance needed to protect and grow what we value. True inclusion—where everyone feels they belong and can thrive—is more than a buzzword. It’s an ongoing journey, one bold, authentic encounter at a time.
If this reflection on inclusive culture resonates, I invite you to explore more at Inclusion Bites or reach out to me directly at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk. Let’s keep the conversation real, always.
Slogans and Image Prompts
Certainly! Here’s a curated collection of slogans, soundbites, and quotes from “Inclusion Bites Podcast” episode IBS174, perfectly suited for merchandise, each paired with a standout AI image generation prompt to bring your branded tees, mugs, and stickers to life. Hashtag suggestions are also included.
1. Slogan/Soundbite:
“Proudly Authentic, Always Real”
AI Image Prompt:
A stylish line-art design of two hands high-fiving over a rainbow gradient, with bold, modern text reading “Proudly Authentic, Always Real”. The background is crisp white, and the vibe is warm, confident, and celebratory—perfect for a mug or tote.Hashtag: #ProudlyAuthentic
2. Quote:
“Create Brave Spaces Where Authenticity Becomes Your Best Asset”
AI Image Prompt:
A vibrant illustration of diverse people standing together in a circle, with an open glowing doorway behind them symbolising a brave, inclusive space. Overlay the quote in hand-lettered script, using tones of teal, gold, and coral for a positive, empowering feel.Hashtag: #BraveSpaces
3. Soundbite:
“Be Marmite: Stand For Something”
AI Image Prompt:
A quirky pop-art inspired Marmite jar with a bold label reading “Stand For Something”, flanked by abstract rays and hearts. Colours are punchy yellow, black and red, adding playful British energy. Great for stickers or t-shirts with a wink to British culture.Hashtag: #BeMarmite
4. Quote:
“You’ve not got a lead generation problem, you’ve got a visibility problem.”
AI Image Prompt:
A business figure standing on a small stage with a spotlight shining down, surrounded by shadowy silhouettes representing a crowd. The quote appears above in sleek, contemporary typography. Soft blues and purples give it a professional yet inviting look.Hashtag: #VisibilityMatters
5. Soundbite:
“Give Away Your Best Stuff For Free”
AI Image Prompt:
A bright, cheerful open box with glowing light and little hearts and stars spilling out, to symbolise generosity and abundance. A casual, friendly font spells the quote above, set on a background of pastel gradients.Hashtag: #ShareGenerously
6. Quote:
“Everyone is someone else’s weirdo.”
AI Image Prompt:
A colourful montage of playful characters, each quirky and unique, smiling and waving at each other. Comic-style speech bubbles and a lively palette of contrasting bright colours reinforce the celebration of individuality.Hashtag: #EmbraceWeird
7. Slogan:
“Coming Out Isn’t Just For Queer People—Everyone Can Come Out Of Something”
AI Image Prompt:
A stylised illustration of a diverse group each stepping through their own unique doors with rainbows, stars, and confetti, symbolising all sorts of “coming out” moments. Use bold lines and a mix of rainbow and neutral tones for balance.Hashtag: #ComeOutBeYou
8. Quote:
“If you wouldn’t say it in an office, don’t say it on social media.”
AI Image Prompt:
Minimalistic workspace illustration: a tidy desk, a computer with a speech bubble above showing a simple ‘thumbs up’ and ‘thumbs down’. Clean typography for the quote, set in grey and blue, professional and relatable.Hashtag: #ThinkBeforeYouPost
9. Soundbite:
“Be Visible So They Can Find You!”
AI Image Prompt:
An abstract lighthouse shining a brilliant beam over a stylised cityscape, with little figures looking up and waving. The slogan blazes out above the beam in dynamic, bold type. The vibe: hopeful, inviting, energetic.Hashtag: #ShineBright
10. Quote:
“People Buy From People, Not From Faceless Brands”
AI Image Prompt:
An illustration of two hands shaking over a coffee cup, with friendly faces in the background, suggestive of a supportive community. Warm autumnal colours, rounded shapes, and hand-lettered typography for an inviting feel.Hashtag: #HumanConnections
If you need the artwork to tie closely to specific guest personalities, local Portsmouth vibes, or LGBTQ+ pride colours, simply mention, and I can tailor for that too!
Inclusion Bites Spotlight
Jody Goodchild, this month’s featured guest on Proudly Authentic, Always Real – episode 174 of The Inclusion Bites Podcast – offers a compelling vision for authenticity and practical inclusion within the realm of business visibility and personal branding. As an award-winning community creator, LinkedIn trainer, and author, Jody empowers individuals and businesses – often with limited resources – to showcase their true selves and grow both their confidence and connections.
Jody’s approach is grounded in real-life experience: coming out as an out and proud lesbian and overcoming the anxieties that so often come with showing up authentically, particularly after years of ‘hiding’ in corporate roles. Her story is a testament to the transformative power of embracing one’s identity, not only for personal liberation but also to inspire and uplift others in their journeys towards self-acceptance and entrepreneurial success.
Central to Jody’s message is a nuanced take on visibility: the courage to move from ‘lurking’ in the background to originating meaningful conversations, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn where only a small percentage of users are actively sharing. Through her work, Jody demystifies the process of engaging on social platforms, highlighting that authenticity—rather than corporate perfectionism—drives genuine connection. Her philosophy is clear: people buy from people, and it’s our lived experiences, daily realities, and even our imperfections that foster trust and open doors to new opportunities.
Jody’s insights also extend to the responsibilities of inclusive community-building. Whether discussing the intricacies of supporting women in business, addressing age inclusion, or creating psychologically safe spaces for all identities, her advocacy is rooted in both practical advice and an unwavering commitment to positive impact. Importantly, Jody recognises that authenticity does not come at the expense of professionalism or inclusion—rather, it is about finding the balance that allows us to show up as our best, most real selves.
In this episode, Jody and Joanne explore the complex line between ‘being real’ and ‘being effective’, dismantling the myth that one must choose between their identity and their ambitions. Together, they discuss why the future of business is personal—and how fostering an environment where varied experiences are valued unlocks not only stronger organisations, but also healthier, more vibrant communities.
Jody’s story and strategies remind us that nurturing belonging and breaking down exclusionary barriers is an ongoing, collective effort. Her empowering example challenges us: How might we, too, proudly own our stories and create brave spaces for others to do the same?
Listen to the episode for a powerful invitation to rethink business, community, and the vital role of authenticity in forging pathways to inclusion and growth.
#InclusionBitsSpotlight #AuthenticBranding #InclusionBites #VisibilityMatters
YouTube Description
YouTube Description
Are you ready to reject conformity and ignite your authenticity? In this episode of the Inclusion Bites Podcast, “Proudly Authentic, Always Real,” host Joanne Lockwood sits down with award-winning community creator and LinkedIn powerhouse Jodie Goodchild to reveal why living—and working—as your true self isn’t just brave; it’s revolutionary.
Challenging Hook:
What if everything you’ve been told about blending in to succeed is wrong? What if your “marmite” quality—the thing that polarises—could become your most powerful asset?
Summary of Insights:
Dive into a compelling, unscripted conversation where Joanne and Jodie dismantle the barriers to authenticity in life and business. Discover practical guidance on transforming imposter syndrome into influence, the nuanced art of building a visible and inclusive brand on LinkedIn, and why embracing polarisation fuels connection and sparks genuine engagement. Jodie shares her personal journey: coming out, celebrating resilience within the LGBTQ+ community, and how creating brave spaces where “being yourself” is the rule, not the exception, can transform communities and workplaces.
Authenticity isn’t about being loud or divisive—it’s about being real, relatable, and open. Learn why personal branding is no longer optional, but vital for business growth, and how giving away your best knowledge for free can build trust and community credibility. Joanne and Jodie’s discussion on visibility, representation, and social proof delivers actionable takeaways for anyone aiming to leave a positive, disruptive mark.
Key Takeaways & Actions:
Challenge the status quo: authenticity fuels belonging and attracts meaningful connections.
Post with courage: your story has the power to educate, inspire, and open new doors.
Build inclusion intentionally: create environments where diversity is championed and safe spaces are prioritised.
Remember, personal branding and storytelling on LinkedIn are not about perfection—they’re about resonating truthfully with your audience.
Reflect: Who are you holding back for? Who do you want to inspire?
Step boldly into visibility—your community is waiting for your truth.
Listen, learn, and lead with authenticity. Be “proudly authentic, always real”—and watch your impact soar.
Transform how you think, feel, and act:
After this episode, you’ll be equipped to approach your career and life with renewed confidence. Expect to challenge your assumptions, feel empowered to share your story, and act by making your own brave moves towards inclusive and authentic leadership.
#InclusionBites #AuthenticityAtWork #PersonalBranding #LinkedInTips #InclusiveLeadership #LGBTQCommunity #EmbraceYourStory #BelongingMatters #VisibilityCounts #BraveSpaces
Subscribe to the Inclusion Bites Podcast for more real talks that disrupt, inspire, and drive actionable change:
https://seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen
Contact: jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk
#ProudlyAuthentic #AlwaysReal
10 Question Quiz
Quiz: Proudly Authentic, Always Real — Episode IBS174 (Inclusion Bites Podcast)
1. Which key theme does Joanne Lockwood stress is fundamental for successfully building a personal brand on LinkedIn?
A. Formal business attire in profile pictures
B. Consistent use of professional jargon
C. Authenticity and being true to oneself
D. Daily posting about technical skills
2. According to the discussion, why is “coming out” on LinkedIn likened to the experience of coming out in the LGBT+ community?
A. Both involve updating legal documents
B. Both require hiring a PR agency
C. Both entail vulnerability and overcoming fear of judgement
D. Both are primarily about personal milestones
3. What advice does Joanne offer regarding managing the fear of polarising opinions on social platforms?
A. Only post universally accepted viewpoints
B. Focus solely on promoting services
C. Stand for something, even if it means not pleasing everyone
D. Avoid controversial topics entirely
4. How does Joanne suggest balancing authenticity with professionalism on social media?
A. Never share any personal stories
B. Only comment but never post original content
C. Apply the “would I say this in an office?” litmus test
D. Rely exclusively on scheduled, corporate-approved posts
5. What is identified as the main reason small businesses may struggle to generate leads according to the episode?
A. Lack of a strong logo
B. Inefficient cold-calling
C. Low visibility, rather than product quality
D. Posting too much personal content
6. In Joanne’s analogy involving Marmite, what is her main point about personal branding?
A. Everyone should aim to be universally liked
B. Polarisation can be positive; it means you stand for something
C. Only bland personalities succeed online
D. Taste metaphors are best avoided in business
7. Why does Joanne believe it’s important to “give away your best stuff for free” when building a personal or business brand?
A. It undermines competitors
B. It builds trust, exposure, and long-term loyalty
C. It reduces operational costs
D. It allows for quicker tax deductions
8. What has Joanne observed about the people who most often reach out with opportunities on LinkedIn?
A. They typically comment and engage publicly
B. They are lurkers who rarely comment or like posts
C. They are always referrals through formal channels
D. They are from unrelated industries
9. What type of content cadence does Joanne recommend for those building a professional but authentic presence?
A. Post only marketing content
B. Share mostly educational and engaging content, with limited self-promotion
C. Limit posts to technical manuals
D. Only post about personal life
10. When discussing inclusivity, what does Joanne identify as a challenge when growing a diverse business community?
A. Enforcing complete uniformity in opinion
B. Preventing people from joining
C. Ensuring psychological safety without becoming exclusionary
D. Only admitting members with similar backgrounds
Answer Key with Rationales
C – Authenticity and being true to oneself is strongly championed as essential for personal branding.
Rationale: Joanne and Jodie discuss authenticity as being the central tenet to success online, particularly on LinkedIn.
C – Both entail vulnerability and overcoming fear of judgement.
Rationale: Joanne explicitly draws parallels between posting for the first time and the vulnerability of coming out.
C – Stand for something, even if it means not pleasing everyone.
Rationale: Referencing Chris Evans and Marmite, Joanne advocates for polarising positively and not trying to please everyone.
C – Apply the “would I say this in an office?” litmus test.
Rationale: Joanne and Jodie agree that social media posts should be socially and professionally acceptable, not obnoxious.
C – Low visibility, rather than product quality.
Rationale: They state clearly that most small businesses struggle because of visibility, not because their product is lacking.
B – Polarisation can be positive; it means you stand for something.
Rationale: The Marmite reference is about not being bland and being memorable for standing for something real.
B – It builds trust, exposure, and long-term loyalty.
Rationale: Joanne discusses the value of giving away value and content as a way to build lasting relationships and brand equity.
B – They are lurkers who rarely comment or like posts.
Rationale: Joanne notes that many opportunities come from those who observe but don’t interact actively.
B – Share mostly educational and engaging content, with limited self-promotion.
Rationale: The cadence discussed is 80% educational/engagement, and 20% self-promotional, to ensure authenticity and connection.
C – Ensuring psychological safety without becoming exclusionary.
Rationale: Joanne talks about the balance of inclusion, keeping the environment psychologically safe whilst remaining accessible and not inadvertently excluding people.
Summary Paragraph
In episode IBS174 of the Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood explores the profound power of authenticity in personal branding, particularly within the LinkedIn ecosystem. She likens the process of becoming visible and vocal online to the vulnerability experienced during the act of coming out, both involving overcoming personal fears and potential judgement. Joanne encourages listeners to embrace positive polarisation—standing for something matters more than chasing universal approval—employing the Marmite effect as a metaphor. She advises that balancing authenticity with professionalism hinges upon sharing content one would be comfortable stating in an office setting, and stresses that small business lead generation issues are often due to visibility deficits rather than product calibre. By openly sharing valuable insights for free, trust and deep connection with audiences are cultivated, with many professional opportunities arising from 'lurkers' who rarely engage overtly. Joanne endorses an 80/20 content balance in favour of education and engagement, reinforcing that, for thriving communities, curators must uphold psychological safety without slipping into unintentional exclusion, embodying true inclusivity in action.
Rhyme Scheme and Rhythm Podcast Poetry
Proudly Authentic, Always Real
A spark of truth, a brave unveiling,
Layers shed, no more concealing.
Let fear dissolve—step through the door,
Find self, and then return for more.
From Portsmouth's streets to wider spheres,
One voice grows bold by moving past fears.
Brave spaces formed where truth delights,
Authenticity claims its sacred rights.
The corporate mask that many wear,
Replaced with self, unmasked and bare.
With every post and whispered thought,
Community and courage sought.
To thrive, we break the silent mould,
Risk being Marmite—let tales be told.
For every lurker on the fringe,
A single story can unhinge.
“Visibility!” the clarion call—
If seen, you rise; if not, you fall.
Give freely, share, and lead with heart,
So trust and kinship chance to start.
Teach what’s learnt, embrace the mess,
Our lived truths breed our own success.
Champion voices often dimmed,
A rainbow shimmer, not just trimmed.
Though boundaries must be deftly drawn,
Real spaces nurture hope each dawn.
And as we grow, let’s always find
A way to broaden heart and mind.
So join the march, and help ignite
A world where all shine ever bright.
Listen, share, and bring along
More souls who need to hear this song.
—with thanks to Jodie Goodchild for a fascinating podcast episode.
Subscribe and share Inclusion Bites for more powerful conversations.
Key Learnings
Key Learning & Takeaway from “Proudly Authentic, Always Real” (IBS174):
The episode underscores the transformative power of authenticity—both personal and professional—as a catalyst for inclusion, meaningful connection, and success within business and community. Jodie Goodchild and Joanne Lockwood demonstrate how embracing one’s true self and sharing that journey, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn, not only nurtures belonging but also opens the door to opportunity, trust, and positive change. The episode reveals that visibility, vulnerability, and integrity aren’t simply aspirational values—they are strategic assets for both individuals and organisations seeking to thrive in a complex, evolving society.
Point #1: Authenticity Drives Connection and Opportunity
Being proudly authentic enables individuals to attract the right people, clients, and collaborators. The episode reveals how authenticity, especially in how one presents on social media, leads to genuine engagement, meaningful networking, and tangible opportunities for business growth. Rather than chasing approval, it’s about finding and nurturing your true audience.
Point #2: Overcoming Fear Unlocks Personal and Professional Growth
Both Jodie and Joanne share their experiences of “coming out”—not just in relation to sexuality or gender, but as business owners and thought leaders. They highlight that taking the first visible step, despite fear of judgement or rejection, is crucial. Once you do, you realise the chasm between “hiding” and “thriving” isn’t as wide as you thought.
Point #3: Inclusion Is Deliberate and Needs Safeguarding
True inclusion isn’t just open access; it requires conscious thought about language, community boundaries, and protecting psychological safety. The episode discusses the practicalities and challenges in maintaining inclusive spaces for marginalised and diverse groups, balancing openness with the need for safety and shared values.
Point #4: Visibility and Storytelling Trump Traditional Marketing
The conversation highlights that modern business success—especially for small businesses—relies far more on visibility, trust, and personal brand than on transactional, traditional sales tactics. Storytelling about everyday realities, successes, and even vulnerabilities, creates resonance and recall, making marketing spend less critical if authenticity shines through.
For more, listen to the episode at: Inclusion Bites Listen or connect with host Joanne Lockwood at jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk.
Maxims to live by…
Certainly! Here is a comprehensive set of maxims to live by, inspired by the powerful concepts explored throughout the discussion on authenticity, personal branding, inclusive communities, and embracing individuality:
Maxims to Live By: Authentic Inclusion and Purposeful Living
Embrace Your Authentic Self
Celebrate who you are, unapologetically. True fulfilment stems from living in alignment with your values and identity, not the expectations of others.Fear Is a Mirage—Step Through It
The barriers we feel are often self-imposed. What seems daunting from afar can become manageable once faced; take the leap.Visibility Precedes Opportunity
No matter your craft, if no one can see you, no one can benefit from what you offer. Make yourself visible and accessible.Be Marmite—Stand for Something
It is better to have strong convictions that spark thought and discussion than to blend into indifference. Let your voice have character, even if it polarises.Create Brave Spaces for Others
Foster environments—both online and offline—where people feel safe to be genuine and share their unique stories.Authenticity Over Perfection
You need not present a flawless façade. Speak as you would in person; let your professional and human sides coexist.People Buy from People
Relationships and trust are earned through genuine interactions. Showcase not just your products, but also your personality and journey.Educate, Engage, Then Convert
Focus on offering value and sparking engagement long before making an ask. Share insights and relatable stories; sales will follow naturally.Give Away Your Best Wisdom Generously
Share your knowledge and experience openly. Generosity builds reputation, trust, and a lasting legacy.Nurture Your Community Thoughtfully
Growth is wonderful, but the culture and safety of your community are paramount. Welcome difference, but also safeguard belonging and psychological safety.Balance Influence With Accessibility
If your brand grows, continue to connect with people at a personal level. Humility and approachability extend your impact.Celebrate Everyday Successes
Life is not only marked by major milestones. Savour ordinary moments, personal victories, and the journey itself.Inclusion Means Challenging Your Echo Chamber
Seek diverse perspectives and understand that everyone is shaped by their context. True inclusion is about holding space for difference—even when difficult.Broaden Your Appeal Without Diluting Your Values
Craft messages that are welcoming and relatable, but never compromise your core beliefs for popularity.Invest in Life–Work Balance
Remember why you chose your path. Prioritise rest, joy, and meaningful connections as much as professional achievement.Age Is Not a Limitation—It’s Perspective
Wisdom and vitality are not bound by years. Honour the lived experiences and voices of every age.Talk Openly About Taboo Topics
Whether it’s identity, mental health, or menopause, discussing the ‘untold’ paves the way for collective progress and support.Let Others Name Your Impact
Titles like ‘entrepreneur’, ‘influencer’, or ‘ally’ are best bestowed by others. Focus on your actions; the recognition will follow.It’s Not Just Who You Know, It’s Who Knows You
Cultivate a presence that leaves a mark, even in the absence of direct exchanges. Your reputation travels further than any business card.Generosity, Empathy, and Connection Are Non-Negotiable
Success is sweeter—and more sustainable—when built on kindness, empathy, and an openness to collaborate.
Let these maxims serve as guiding principles, fostering not only authenticity and inclusion in your personal and professional worlds, but also the courage to live and lead boldly, always real and proudly yourself.
Extended YouTube Description
Proudly Authentic, Always Real | Building Inclusive Communities & Authentic Brands | Inclusion Bites Podcast IBS174
Unlock the power of authenticity and inclusion in Episode 174 of the Inclusion Bites Podcast with host Joanne Lockwood and special guest, Jodie Goodchild. Dive into a raw, inspiring conversation about creating brave spaces, nurturing belonging, and building impactful personal brands—especially within the small business community.
⏰ Timestamps for Easy Navigation:
00:00 - Welcome & Introduction
02:18 - Portsmouth Connections & Shared History
03:20 - Embracing Authenticity: Jodie's Story
06:13 - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome & LinkedIn Bravery
08:16 - Standing for Something: The Power of Polarisation
10:50 - The Value of LGBTQ+ Resilience
12:36 - The Power of Community Example
15:12 - Authenticity vs. Professional Persona Online
17:11 - Humanising Your Brand: Content & Cadence
18:19 - Educate, Engage, Convert: A Social Selling Formula
20:00 - From Lurker to Thought Leader on LinkedIn
23:29 - The True Value of Personal Branding
25:11 - Building Inclusive & Supportive Business Communities
29:59 - Visibility, Not Just Lead Generation
31:23 - Exposure Is Everything: The Importance of Being Seen
33:28 - Social Proofing and Client Advocacy
35:09 - Staying Grounded Amidst Personal Brand Growth
47:35 - The Journey Ahead: Balancing Business & Wellbeing
54:00 - Empowering Age Diversity & Women Entrepreneurs
58:10 - Spotlight on Menopause Awareness
1:01:08 - Connect with Jodie Goodchild
🎯 About This Episode:
Ready to grow your small business, foster real inclusion, and amplify your authentic voice? In this standout episode, Joanne Lockwood (SEE Change Happen) converses with Jodie Goodchild: a multi-award-winning community builder, author, and acclaimed LinkedIn trainer. Jodie reveals how embracing her authentic self as an LGBTQ+ entrepreneur catalysed not only her personal fulfilment but also business success, and explores how vulnerability, visibility, and genuine connection drive modern personal and business brands.
Key topics include:
Building brave, inclusive communities where everyone thrives
Overcoming imposter syndrome and finding your voice online
Transforming LinkedIn from a corporate echo chamber into a space for thought leadership and real conversations
Educate-Engage-Convert: A practical, human-centred content strategy for social media growth
Harnessing personal branding for genuine impact and emotional resonance
The challenges and victories of coming out, both as LGBTQ+ and as small business owners
Promoting age diversity, women’s entrepreneurship, and menopause awareness in business spaces
Practical, actionable steps for SMEs to broaden market appeal and stimulate inclusive growth
Whether you’re a diversity and inclusion champion, small business leader, HR professional, or simply seeking practical strategies to boost visibility and engagement, this episode equips you with relatable stories, tools, and motivation to turn authenticity into your best asset.
🚀 Ready to Dive Deeper?
Subscribe to Inclusion Bites for more expert insights into inclusive cultures, belonging, and socially impactful business!
Visit seechangehappen.co.uk/inclusion-bites-listen for further resources and episode archives.
Comment below: What does authenticity mean to you? How do you nurture inclusion in your daily work?
Share this episode to amplify authentic voices in business!
Connect with Jodie on LinkedIn: Search for "Jodie Goodchild" and check out her powerful content.
✨ Relevant Keywords for Discoverability:
inclusion, authenticity, personal branding, small business growth, LinkedIn strategy, LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship, community building, overcoming imposter syndrome, women in business, age diversity, menopause at work, business resilience, employee belonging, social media for SMEs
📢 Hashtags for Maximum Reach:
#InclusionBites #AuthenticityAtWork #DiversityAndInclusion #PersonalBranding #LGBTQLeadership #WomenInBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth #LinkedInTips #CommunityBuilding #Belonging #BusinessStorytelling
Transform the way you approach business, brand, and inclusion—with actionable insights from leaders who walk the talk. Press play and prepare to join a movement where everyone can show up proudly authentic and always real.
Substack Post
Proudly Authentic, Always Real: Embracing Bravery and Belonging in Business
Have you ever wondered what it truly means to “bring your whole self to work”—and what holds us back from doing so? For those of us striving to foster inclusive cultures and nurture authentic belonging, it’s a question that never quite goes away. Perhaps the greatest barrier to inclusion isn’t a lack of good intentions, but the quiet struggle to be seen—for real, as we are, not merely as we think we should be.
This week, I’m delighted to introduce Inclusion Bites episode 174, “Proudly Authentic, Always Real,” where I sit down with one of Portsmouth’s brightest changemakers, Jodie Goodchild. If you’re an HR professional, D&I leader, Talent Partner, L&D specialist—or anyone who believes that business can (and should) feel like belonging—this conversation holds a beacon of insight.
From Hiding to Thriving: The Journey Towards Authenticity
In this episode, I’m joined by Jodie Goodchild—community builder, author, LinkedIn trainer, and recent recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year award. Our conversation stretches from childhood anxieties and the challenges of coming out, through the daunting transition to entrepreneurship, to the very real impact of authentic presence on business growth.
Jodie shares her deeply personal journey, highlighting the emotional resilience forged not just by coming out as an out and proud lesbian woman, but also by resisting the pressure to “polish” one’s persona for LinkedIn or the workplace. We explore what happens when we shift the focus from fancy language and borrowed voices to human stories, local connection, and visible vulnerability. Along the way, we delve into the practical business value of visibility—as Jodie puts it, “If nobody can see you, they can’t buy from you. It’s not a lead generation problem; it’s a visibility problem.”
Our conversation cracks open those everyday moments—posting for the first time on LinkedIn, speaking up about your lived truth, building relationships that outlast the sales pitch—that so often hold the secret to inclusive, equitable, and thriving businesses.
What Lies Beneath the Surface: Why You Should Listen
Here’s why this episode matters, especially for those holding responsibility for workplace culture and talent:
Relatability Over Perfection: We’re all used to the “highlight reel” on social media and in traditional business spaces. Jodie’s story disrupts this narrative, demonstrating why imperfect, honest communication—complete with coffee cups, client wins, and pyjama mornings—builds trust and attracts opportunity.
Portsmouth as Case Study: With over 900 small businesses folding in Portsmouth each year, Jodie’s community approach tackles the stark reality that “marketing without money” means getting creative, leaning on authenticity, and supporting one another.
Psychological Safety in Practice: Beyond the theory, we discuss the emotional journey of coming out, both as LGBTQ+ and as a business owner “coming out” with their own story and ideas. The message is clear: brave spaces don’t just happen—they’re crafted with intention, education, and vulnerability.
Jodie’s approach is a masterclass in making DEI work at street level: no jargon, no facades, just real stories and tangible strategies.
Everyday Wisdom to Take Forward
Reflecting on this lively and heartfelt exchange, here are some practical pearls I encourage you to bring to your own workplace and professional life:
Show Up as Yourself—Consistently
The first hurdle is almost always self-doubt: “Will anyone care what I have to say?” Take a lesson from Jodie: step forward, however imperfectly, and share your reality. Not only are you giving others permission to do the same, but you’re also magnetising those who genuinely value what you offer.Balance Vulnerability and Professionalism
Authenticity isn’t the same as oversharing or being “obnoxiously” yourself. Consider how you’d speak to a colleague over coffee—aim for warmth and honesty, without crossing lines that make others uncomfortable. If you wouldn’t announce it in the staffroom, think twice before posting!Make Social Proof Work for You
In the social age, credibility is in the collective. Invite your happy clients to comment, share case studies, and tag partners in your successes—this turns positive experiences into authentic marketing.Foster “Brave Spaces” in Your Network
Whether you lead a team or run a local business community, invest in environments where difference can be held safely. This means setting boundaries (against overt prejudice or “hard sell” tactics), but also facilitating education and gentle curiosity about one another’s experiences.Remember: Visibility Equals Opportunity
People buy from people. If your network can’t see or hear you, your biggest obstacle isn’t lack of qualifications but lack of exposure. Invest in regular, genuine, and relevant communication—not perfection.
For Talent professionals, HR leaders and those involved in L&D, these lessons apply just as strongly: encourage staff (and yourself) to “come out” with their ideas, nurture peer-to-peer learning and coaching, and never underestimate the ripple effect of one person’s courage to speak up.
In the Spotlight: Watch the Audiogram
Curious about just how transformative being “proudly authentic” can be? I’ve picked a 60-second audiogram from my conversation with Jodie that encapsulates the vulnerability and practical wisdom at the heart of this episode.
Watch the sneak peek now—you’ll see why the challenge to “stick your middle finger up at your inner critic” landed so powerfully in our discussion!
Explore Further: Episode Link and More
To experience the full richness of this conversation, I invite you to listen to the complete episode right here: https://url.seech.uk/ibs174
As ever, I’d be honoured if you shared this episode with colleagues, line managers, D&I enthusiasts, and business owners in your network. These are the conversations that nudge the world forward—one honest voice at a time.
Let’s keep the momentum going: use this episode as a conversation starter in your next team catch-up, or circulate it through your company’s learning platform to spark dialogue about visibility, psychological safety, and everyday inclusion.
What’s Your Next Bold Move?
So, here’s what I leave you with: If business as usual means hiding the best parts of ourselves, what might become possible if we all chose to be “proudly authentic, always real” for just one day—let alone a lifetime? How might your team, workplace, or community transform if visibility wasn’t a risk, but the very foundation of trust, learning, and growth?
Let’s not just talk inclusion: let’s live it, out loud and on purpose.
Until next time,
Joanne Lockwood
Host of the Inclusion Bites Podcast
The Inclusive Culture Expert at SEE Change Happen
Feel free to connect and explore more:
LinkedIn – My space for regular dialogue and insight
Website – Resources, blogs, and all previous episodes
YouTube – Episode highlights and more
Let’s make inclusion the new normal—one honest conversation at a time.
1st Person Narrative Content
Proudly Authentic, Always Real: A Journey Into Brave Spaces, Business, and Belonging
"There was a time I truly believed there wasn’t life on the other side of coming out.”
If you had told me years ago that the platform I now stand on—winning awards, nurturing a community of bold business owners, and being unapologetically myself—would all be built on the very authenticity I once tried to hide, I would have struggled to believe it. Yet, every story I share and every person I empower has become both my revolution and my reward. Owning exactly who you are is, in my experience, the single greatest lever for personal and professional change you’ll ever pull.
Context: Why This Conversation Matters
For those of us who have spent years suppressing their true selves—whether to fit inside corporate boxes, family expectations, or a society that prefers conformity over candour—the idea of “authenticity” is not mere rhetoric. It’s oxygen. Authenticity set me free, and the ripple effect has transformed every client, every follower, every community member I’ve touched.
But embracing authenticity isn’t simply a personal milestone; it’s a powerful act of leadership. When others see what becomes possible once you break through fear, they start to imagine a future less defined by old constraints. This matters—whether you’re at the start of your career, leading a company, or simply longing to make your small business visible and beloved in a noisy world.
Recently, I had the opportunity to articulate these insights (and much more) in a conversation with Joanne Lockwood, host of Inclusion Bites, where we dug beneath surface-level platitudes about inclusion and belonging. This wasn’t a polished PR piece. As always, I spoke the difficult truths and shared the stories that matter most.
Podcast + Host Overview
Inclusion Bites—helmed by Joanne Lockwood of SEE Change Happen—is not your clichéd “diversity and inclusion” interview. Joanne is a renowned speaker, consultant, and trailblazer who lives her values of inclusion every day, both in business and personal life. Her sharp, lived experience and relentless pursuit to create spaces where “everyone not only belongs, but thrives” means guests know this isn’t the place for half-hearted answers. Vulnerability is required.
More than [INSERT_VIEW_COUNT] people have already watched our interview on YouTube, with many more tuning in via Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
If this conversation sparks something for you—be it tough questions, fresh energy, friction, or joy—I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I read every one.
Foundations of Authentic Bravery
Real authenticity rarely begins with confidence. It’s often born out of necessity—a moment when you must decide whether to keep shrinking or take that terrifying first step towards your own truth. For me, and for so many in the LGBTQ+ community, the fear was not abstract: would speaking my truth mean losing my family, my safety, my future?
I remember, vividly, those claustrophobic years of self-doubt before coming out. No education, no visible role models I could point to and say, “She’s like me, and she’s thriving.” For a long time, my life felt on hold, as if I was outside peering in.
During our conversation, Joanne—herself a trans woman who’s navigated these waters—reflected on the chasm we imagine sits between “who I am” and “who I show the world.” She nailed it: “When you step off that supposed cliff edge, you realise it’s only an inch high. The people who love you, love you. The rest simply drift away.”
My own journey accelerated during the Covid years, a period that forced stark self-evaluation. When you’re confronted with mortality, you ask very different questions. My epiphany: if my time was up, what would I regret? My answer was immediate—I’d regret never having truly lived.
Since then, authenticity isn’t just a value; it’s been the cornerstone of a community and business that now empowers others to claim their brave spaces. Last night, standing on stage as an out, proud lesbian, I collected an “Entrepreneur of the Year” award—not for blending in, but for teaching authenticity-as-advantage. Old fears have melted away, replaced by conviction: authenticity is my best business asset. And it’s yours, too.
The Business of Belonging: From Lurker to Leader
Leaving corporate life for entrepreneurship—or simply stepping out from behind the veil on LinkedIn—demands its own coming out story. So many people ask, “What can I possibly say that matters? Who am I to post, to lead, to disrupt?” Joanne and I joked that LinkedIn is filled with lurkers, yet the very act of publicly owning your expertise, your story, your opinion—especially as someone who once had to hide—releases extraordinary power.
I’ve seen it dozens of times in my community. The first post is an act of vulnerability. The hundredth can be an act of leadership. My mission now is creating brave spaces where others can experience that journey safely and with support.
For small businesses especially, the opportunity is colossal. While the marketing world promises you need huge budgets to be visible, LinkedIn flips the script. Out of over a billion users, only a sliver are actively posting. If you show up with integrity and value—not corporate-speak, but real stories and useful insights—you magnetise the right people to your business.
Joanne and I both agreed: if you’re not polarising a little, you’re probably not standing for anything meaningful. “You’ve got to be Marmite,” as she put it. Half will love you, half might not, but what matters is you’re seen for what you actually stand for.
The advice I give my community: post as you would speak to your closest peers. Drop the mask. Don’t wait for perfection. If you can speak it in a networking room, you can post it online. Build momentum, not just visibility.
Practical Authenticity: Walking the Line Without Losing Yourself
Of course, authenticity can be misused. Some hear “be yourself” and interpret it as licence to offload every raw emotion or controversial opinion. There’s a necessary counterbalance: you still need to be socially conscious and respectful—don’t confuse authenticity with abrasiveness.
As I tell my community, if you wouldn’t say it in the office, don’t say it online. Most of the power comes from just speaking plainly, with humanity. Use your natural voice, not generic corporate jargon. The world doesn’t need 10,000 more “Exciting Announcement Alert” posts. People crave genuine engagement.
A story from my own practice: one client confessed that she’d been crafting ultra-corporate posts online, but when people met her face-to-face, she was nothing like her LinkedIn persona. Once she dropped the act and communicated honestly, her engagement—and opportunities—skyrocketed.
Joanne and I align on the same cadence: mix the authoritative and the personal. Don’t be afraid to occasionally drop a “truth bomb” about a tough day or a surprise insight. The right balance humanises you, while still establishing expertise. Stories about daily triumphs, challenges, and lessons resonate more than any sales pitch ever could.
Visibility Is Not Vanity—It’s Survival
The biggest hurdle most small businesses face isn’t a lack of skill or product quality. It’s invisibility. You can be the best at what you do, but if nobody knows you exist, your business will wither. The notion that “if you build it, they will come” is, in today’s crowded market, a fantasy.
In Portsmouth alone, 900 small businesses fold each year—not for lack of talent, but often because nobody sees them. That’s why I engineered my community to be ruthlessly focused on visibility: combining networking, education, and relentless encouragement to ‘show up’. Our internal data proved it—between six and eight posts is often what it takes for someone to generate real leads. Eight moments of genuine connection, not high-pressure sales tactics, builds trust that converts.
Some worry about boasting or oversharing. I counter that by teaching the PIE model (Product, Impact, Exposure): you can have the greatest product, but if you’re not exposed, no one will ever benefit from it. My own mantra? “Give away your best stuff for free.” Generosity is not just good karma; it’s an unbeatable marketing strategy.
This approach pays dividends. Just look at one of my community members, Bev, who transformed her “boring HR” expertise into over a million impressions on LinkedIn—by simply talking about her work as a human, not a faceless “professional.”
The Power and Pitfalls of Building Community
Scaling any community that is truly inclusive is more complex than it first appears. On one hand, the door must be open to different backgrounds, ideas, and needs—otherwise, you’re only replicating the same old silos from which you’re trying to escape. But openness must be balanced with safety. The wrong person—someone with a hidden agenda, or who brings a toxic attitude—can quickly erode what should be a brave space.
Here, Joanne and I dig deep: how do you curate a community that is fundamentally inclusive, yet fiercely protective of psychological safety? It’s not enough to avoid explicit discrimination; you have to build invisible guardrails that foster healthy, candid dialogue without allowing harmful behaviour.
Sustaining that environment means more than vetting members; it’s about constant vigilance, lived leadership, and clear standards. Everyone is someone else’s weirdo—the challenge is creating a space where difference isn’t merely tolerated, but valued, while always protecting against weaponised opinions or divisiveness.
We also touched upon the reality that scaling visibility and influence comes with risks of its own. When a personal brand grows, it can unintentionally create distance between leader and audience. I make a point of blending my online presence with real-world interactions, ensuring my community never feels I’m on some unreachable pedestal. Staying grounded, approachable, and human is how trust is kept alive.
Inclusion Across Generations: Why Age Still Matters
A key part of my approach to inclusion is broadening perspectives—ensuring we see value in people regardless of age, stage, or life circumstance. Joanne and I shared stories of women in their thirties, forties, and beyond, stepping into entrepreneurship after years of corporate toil. Often, it’s these individuals—with a wealth of lived experience but little formal platform—who create the deepest community and value.
Ageism, particularly as our workforce ages and traditional career paths fall away, is a frontier we can’t ignore. The real test of an inclusive business network is whether it welcomes the “classic workforce”—those who are re-entering work post-family, adapting to new tech, or finding meaning and flexibility in later life. Inclusion, for me, isn’t just about race, gender, or sexuality: it’s the capacity to meet every person where they are, and to challenge our own biases.
Caring for Yourself in the Midst of Impact
Building a business and a community has always been about impact for me, but I would be lying if I said it didn’t carry personal cost. Burnout is a constant threat for those of us whose work is an extension of our values. I’ve learned—sometimes the hard way—that time for reflection, genuine rest, and experiences outside work aren’t indulgences. They’re the foundation that enables sustained leadership. My priorities for the coming months: more holidays with my partner, more adventures, more living—because this work is about freedom, not just success.
Closing Reflection: Fear Is the Liar, Authenticity the Truth
If there’s a single thread running through my career, community, and personal journey, it’s this: most of the things we fear in our quest to be seen and heard have no real power once faced. Authenticity, applied with care and intention, is the one asset no competitor can replicate. It’s the engine for business, the foundation of trust, and the core of every brave space.
As I stood on stage last night, holding that award, I wasn’t just proud of what I’ve achieved; I was proud to have lived into what scared me most—being seen as I truly am. There is life on the other side of fear. There’s wild success, too. And, most importantly, there’s real belonging.
If you're standing, hesitating at the edge—of coming out, of sharing your work, of stepping into leadership—know this: the only way out is through, and the rewards are bigger, richer, and bolder than you ever imagined.
And if any of this sparks something for you, or challenges your own story, share it below. These conversations don’t end on a podcast or a stage—they begin there, and they continue with you.
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