Kind of a Big Deal

Building in Public: What It Takes to Show Up Before You Have It Figured Out

What does it actually look like to build something before anyone is paying attention? Molly started with a personal blog, written to process her own life. For months, nothing happened. No readers, no traction, just blind faith and a lot of content that never saw the light of day. Then one post went viral. An NBC reporter found a completely different post. And suddenly the Today Show came calling. What followed was years of quietly, intentionally building - through pivots, experiments, and a lot of showing up before she knew exactly where it was all going - into a thriving business. Molly is now an expert in all things LinkedIn, helping female coaches, consultants, and fractional professionals show up confidently on the platform in a way that feels real and actually doable. We talk about what it takes to build in public before you have it all figured out, why community is one of the most underrated tools for solopreneurs, and how to get out of your own way so the right people can actually find you. You'll Learn ⭐ How to show up publicly when you're still figuring it out ⭐ What women specifically struggle with on LinkedIn, and how to move through it ⭐ Why community needs change by season and what to look for ⭐ How strategic connections on LinkedIn matter more than follower count ⭐ What it means to choose your work every single day Key Insights Blind Faith Is a Strategy Months of content that no one read. No traction, no validation. And then one post changed everything. Molly credits the breakthrough entirely to just not stopping. You Have to Choose It Every Day Building a business, showing up on a platform, putting your voice out there - none of it just happens. It's an act of choice, every single day. LinkedIn Is More Intimidating Than Any Other Platform Only about 3% of LinkedIn users actually create content. That means the bar to stand out is lower than you think. You just have to be willing to show up. Community Needs Are Seasonal Sometimes you need a lot of support. Sometimes the group chat feels like noise. Both are valid. A good community makes room for both. Timestamps 02:00 How Molly and Kristin met - and why LinkedIn gets the credit 05:00 The sabbatical, the nursing school pivot, and how a blog started everything 09:00 The best and hardest parts of working for yourself 13:00 Six months of silence and the post that went viral 16:00 The Today Show call she thought was spam 19:00 On evolving publicly and the vulnerability of not having it figured out 22:00 The community she built for women creators on LinkedIn 26:00 What it actually means to be a content creator — and why it matters now 35:00 The LinkedIn algorithm, the ebbs, and how to work with it 42:00 Nervous system regulation and what it has to do with showing up 48:00 What shaped her as a leader that would never show up on a resume 51:00 Legacy: having people's backs, unconditionally Resources and Links Connect with Molly on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-godfrey/] Find host Kristin Belden on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinbelden/] or at BeldenStrategies.com [https://www.beldenstrategies.com/] Sign up for Kristin's newsletter Big Deal Energy: BeldenStrategies.com/newsletter [https://www.beldenstrategies.com/newsletter] If this conversation resonated, share it with someone who needed to hear it — and consider leaving a review. It helps more women find these conversations.

The Entrepreneur Who Never Defined Herself That Way

For 25 years, Tamika built something extraordinary. Eight years as lead nail tech at the iconic Claremont Hotel and Spa. Seventeen more running her own salon. Clean books, 45,000 manicures and pedicures by her own count, a product line with clients like Facebook and Amazon, and yes - even Steph Curry's very first manicure. And through all of it, she never once called herself an entrepreneur. It took a global pandemic, a grant application, and the word "entrepreneur" taped to her dashboard for any of it to click. In that moment - pulling together documents she already had, in order she already kept - she finally got to see what she'd actually built. Now she's stepping into something completely new: a vision for bringing cosmetology certifications to youth impacted by the justice system, creating pathways into a career that levels the playing field and opens doors that most systems keep firmly closed. This one is warm, grounded, and full of hard-won wisdom from someone who built everything the right way. You'll Learn ⭐ What it looks like to build a business with the end in mind  ⭐ Why being vocal about what you want matters more than most of us realize ⭐ What it takes to lead a team well, and what Tamika would do differently ⭐ Why the beauty industry might be the perfect vehicle for workforce transformation ⭐ How showing up with presence and intentionality is its own kind of leadership Key Insights You Might Already Be an Entrepreneur Tamika ran a successful business for over a decade before she ever used the word. The pandemic didn't create her business, it just finally let her see what she'd built. Be Vocal About What You Want One of her biggest lessons from trying to sell her salon: she kept it quiet. She'd tell anyone now: put it on LinkedIn, tell your clients, say the thing out loud. You never know who's listening. The Beauty Industry Levels the Playing Field In a salon, clients don't care about your background. They care about how you make them feel. That's exactly the kind of environment Tamika wants to create for young people who've never had someone believe in them. Keep Showing Up Sometimes the thing you're pursuing doesn't manifest. But when you're sowing seed, something will. When you're pursuing nothing, there will not be fruit. Timestamps 02:00 How Tamika and Kristin met and why she belongs on this show 05:00 The path she never planned: police officer, kindergarten teacher, nail tech 11:00 The pandemic moment that made her finally call herself an entrepreneur 17:00 How a TJ Maxx soap became a product line with Facebook and Amazon as clients 20:00 The vision: cosmetology certifications for youth in the justice system 31:00 What she hopes a graduate of her program will say five years from now 42:00 The near-sale that fell through two days before the pandemic shutdown 46:00 Why being vocal is the lesson she'd give every woman building something 57:00 Legacy: fulfilling the purpose that was meant for her Resources and Links  Connect with Tamika on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamika--miller/] Find host Kristin Belden on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinbelden/] or at BeldenStrategies.com [https://www.beldenstrategies.com/] Sign up for Kristin's newsletter Big Deal Energy: BeldenStrategies.com/newsletter [https://www.beldenstrategies.com/newsletter] If this conversation resonated, share it with someone who needed to hear it - and consider leaving a review. It helps more women find these conversations.

What Happens When You Never Stop Betting on Yourself: Resilience, Reinvention, and a Whole Lot of Heart

Some people's stories stop you in your tracks. Gina's is one of them. She came to the US at 18 from Venezuela with $300 in her pocket, a toddler by her side, not a word of English. She built a career in retail from the ground up, eventually leading a team of 600 at Victoria's Secret in New York City. She navigated breast cancer. She became an executive coach and keynote speaker. And now she's launching On Your Next, a free coaching program helping women rebuild their identity and confidence after cancer treatment ends. She is also my former coach. And my life is genuinely better for it. In this conversation we talk about what it means to follow your intuition even when it asks everything of you, why so many women hit a ceiling and don't know how to break through it, and what it looks like to keep saying yes to your own life - across every reinvention, every setback, every new beginning. You'll Learn  ⭐ What it takes to start completely over, with nothing but conviction  ⭐ How intuition shows up as a leadership skill and how to reconnect with it  ⭐ Why the feedback women get at work often isn't the feedback they actually need  ⭐ What shifts when you go from being a doer to leading large teams  ⭐ Why the period after cancer treatment ends is one of the most underserved moments in a woman's life  ⭐ What executive coaching actually is ⭐ How to keep betting on yourself when life keeps raising the stakes Key Insights The Statistics Don't Have to Apply to You Sitting alone in a parking lot after her diagnosis, Gina made a decision: "Not because it happened to them means it has to happen to me." That choice is the through line of her entire life. Resilience Is a Muscle You Don't Know You Have Until You Need It Gina knew she was resilient. She didn't know how deep it went until she was showing up to chemo bald, happy, and saying good morning to everyone in the room. You Always Have the Power to Choose Positivity isn't about smiling through everything. It's about deciding how you want to react, and having the courage to remove people and situations that don't serve you. Timestamps  02:00 Growing up in Venezuela: straight As, Lego sets, and a hardworking mom 08:00 Having a baby at 14 and refusing to leave her daughter behind  11:00 Arriving in the US at 18 with $300 and no English  13:00 On intuition: losing the frequency and how to find it again  20:00 Tupperware, direct sales, and learning to build a business  28:00 Victoria's Secret and the university of retail  37:00 What happens when you go from managing 25 people to 600  40:00 Why women hit a glass ceiling, and why the feedback rarely helps  50:00 Turning 40, caring less, and finally feeling like yourself  54:00 The cancer journey and what nobody prepares you for  01:03:00 Own Your Next: the nonprofit for breast cancer survivors  01:09:00 AI, identity, and why now is the time to invest in yourself  01:12:00 Legacy: it's not about what you leave behind Resources and Links Connect with Gina on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachginamartin/] Learn more about Own Your Next [https://bit.ly/4dhZEPY] Find host Kristin Belden on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinbelden/] or at BeldenStrategies.com [https://www.beldenstrategies.com/] Sign up for Kristin's newsletter Big Deal Energy: BeldenStrategies.com/newsletter [https://www.beldenstrategies.com/newsletter] If this conversation resonated, share it with someone who needed to hear it - and consider leaving a review. It helps more women find these conversations.

How Showing Up Fully in Leadership Becomes Its Own Definition of Success

Some people move through their careers searching for the thread that connects it all. Genevieve Levy found hers - two weeks before we sat down to record. I've known Genevieve for a decade. We met through our kids, - sidelines, carpool, the general beautiful chaos of raising children in a community you love. She's been Coach G to my daughter for years, and watching her show up in that role - fully present, fully herself, all in - is exactly what this conversation is about. It turns out the listserv she built in a community computer lab at 22, the refugee resettlement programs she grew from scratch, the coalition she facilitates today — it was always the same work. The tools just grew up with her. Genevieve has spent over 20 years at the intersection of community, service, and social impact. She's also a former D1 rugby player and someone in the middle of a season where success looks completely different than it used to. And she's really good with that. What strikes me most is that she has never once shown up as anything other than fully herself. In every room, every role, every season. That's not as common as it sounds. We talk about what it takes to build trust across agencies, what Sacramento gets quietly right about welcoming newcomers, how sports shaped her in ways that still show up in her leadership today, and why she's finally stopped putting the word "just" in front of how she describes her work. You'll Learn  ⭐ What it looks like when a 20-year career suddenly makes complete sense   ⭐ Why Sacramento is one of the most remarkable welcoming communities in the country  ⭐ What sports build in you that shows up in leadership decades later  ⭐ How to stop qualifying the season you're in  ⭐ What it means to bring your full self everywhere you go Key Insights Showing Up Fully Is a Choice You Make Every Day Not a personality trait. Not a gift. A decision - to be 100% in every room, every role, every season, even when the season looks nothing like what you planned. Drop the Word "Just" Working part-time? Leading differently than before? Stop qualifying it. The season you're in doesn't need a disclaimer. Because I Can, I Will If you have something to give, give it. Fully. Right now. Because some of these things only exist in this moment. Timestamps  02:00 From veterinarian dreams to international relations to AmeriCorps  05:00 The through line she only saw two weeks ago  07:00 Building the North Area Collaborative and the Sacramento Region Refugee Coalition  12:00 How refugee resettlement work started  15:00 From district director to United Way to where she is now  18:00 Sacramento as a welcoming community - and what's at stake  23:00 Protecting your own peace in emotionally demanding work  26:00 What shaped her as a leader that would never show up on a resume  30:00 What sports gave her: discipline, resilience, and showing up ready  37:00 Redefining success and dropping the word "just"  40:00 Recommitting to this season and letting it settle  43:00 Legacy: bringing your full self, because you can Resources and Links  Connect with Genevieve on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevieve-levy-0912/]  Find host Kristin Belden on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinbelden/] or at BeldenStrategies.com  [https://www.beldenstrategies.com/] Sign up for Kristin's newsletter Big Deal Energy: BeldenStrategies.com/newsletter [https://www.beldenstrategies.com/newsletter] If this conversation resonated, share it with someone who needed to hear it - and consider leaving a review. It helps more women find these con

When the Work You Love Disappears: Grief, Reinvention, and Learning to Build a Life on Your Terms

What do you do when the organization you've given everything to - the one you helped build from the inside out - is suddenly gone? Nurit Siegel Smith spent 25 years building a career at the intersection of arts, culture, and social impact. As Executive Director of Music Forward Foundation, she helped 20,000 young people across the country find pathways into the music industry, including building the first federally recognized apprenticeships in music and live entertainment in the United States. Then, in early 2025, the organization was sunset. And Nurit was the one who had to see it through. What followed was a year she'll tell you herself took six months just to breathe through. We talk about what it looks like to grieve meaningful work, how to stop chasing the next goal and start building the context of the life you want, and why being an artist and being an entrepreneur might be the same act - just with different tools. You'll Learn  ⭐ What it looks like to stop goal-chasing and start context-building  ⭐ How to rebuild your sense of purpose when your identity was tied to your work ⭐ Why presence and joy don't actually require financial security  Key Insights Either You Take the Pause, Or It's Taken from You Nurit didn't choose to stop. The work she loved was taken away. But what she found in the stillness changed everything. Stop Chasing the Goal. Instead of asking "what's my next role?", Nurit flipped the question: what does the life I want to be living actually look like?  Purpose and Paycheck Don't Have to Be the Same Thing One of the most freeing realizations of Nurit's transition: she didn't have to find one role that held all of it. She could serve on boards, volunteer, be present for her family - and make money somewhere else. Timestamps  04:00 Planting seeds: on cold outreach and the slow burn of relationships  06:00 The next generation and instant gratification in the workplace  08:00 Navigating liminal space  09:00 Nurit's path: from gymnast and dancer to nonprofit leader  11:00 Discovering the many career pathways in arts and culture  13:00 Music Forward Foundation and building apprenticeships in the music industry  16:00 Sunsetting an organization you love - and surviving it  21:00 Redefining what it means to be a creative person  23:00 Bundu bashing: what creative careers and entrepreneurship have in common  26:00 The year after: six months just to breathe  29:00 Hibernating, licking wounds, and slowly coming back to life  31:00 Redefining success and flipping the goal framework  33:00 When purpose and paycheck don't have to be the same thing  35:00 What financial insecurity taught both women about baseline joy  40:00 Building vs. reacting: staying grounded  42:00 Women founders, corporate boards, and the environment that needs to change  48:00 What's calling to Nurit now  Resources and Links  Connect with Nurit on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nuritsmith/]  Find host Kristin Belden on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinbelden/] or at BeldenStrategies.com  [https://www.beldenstrategies.com/] Sign up for Kristin's newsletter Big Deal Energy: BeldenStrategies.com/newsletter [https://www.beldenstrategies.com/newsletter] If this conversation resonated, share it with someone who needed to hear it — and consider leaving a review. It helps more women find these conversations.