12. When Growth Doesn't Look The Way You Thought It Would

14. Authentic Storytelling and the Power of Being Seen

What if the story holding you back is also the one that is meant to set you free? In this episode of The Favourite Self Podcast, Carly dives into authentic storytelling, visibility, and why the stories we tell ourselves eventually become the stories we tell the world. She unpacks how the beliefs sitting beneath the surface, about not being enough, being too much, or needing more experience before being seen, can quietly shape the way we show up in business, branding, and content. Carly also breaks down what makes a signature story powerful, why transformation matters more than the event itself, and how to tell stories that actually connect. From understanding your brand as a mirror to learning the difference between sharing your wounds and sharing your wisdom, this episode is a reminder that people do not connect with perfection. They connect with truth, transformation, and the version of you that is willing to let them in. If this episode resonates, be sure to follow and subscribe to The Favourite Self Podcast, and share it with someone who needs this reminder. Key Takeaways: • The stories you tell yourself shape the way you show up in your brand, your business, and your visibility • Your signature story is not just a dramatic event. It is the transformation you have moved through • People connect more deeply with transformation than perfection • Vulnerability in storytelling is not about sharing everything. It is about sharing the wisdom that came from what you lived through • The most powerful stories follow a clear arc: situation, struggle, shift, and solution • Your audience does not need a guru who has it all figured out. They need a guide they can see themselves in • The stories that stick are the ones that act like mirrors and help people feel seen in their own experience The Favourite Self Retreat: https://www.carlyottaway.com/the-favourite-self-retreat Carly's Links Website: carlyottaway.com [https://www.carlyottaway.com/] / webofwords.ca [http://webofwords.ca] Instagram: @‌itscarlyottaway [https://www.instagram.com/itscarlyottaway] / @‌webofwords_ [https://www.instagram.com/webofwords_] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyottaway [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyottaway/] Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@favouriteselfpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@favouriteselfpodcast]

13. Renée Warren on Wanting More and How to Stop Apologizing for Success

What if the life and business you want are not built by waiting to feel fully ready, but by trusting yourself enough to go first? In this episode of The Favourite Self Podcast, Carly sits down with award winning entrepreneur, angel investor, and Into the Wild host Renée Warren for a bold and honest conversation about confidence, visibility, ambition, motherhood, and what it really takes to stop shrinking to make other people comfortable. Renée shares her powerful concept of confidence stacking and why confidence is never something you are born with or magically arrive at. It is built in the reps, in the evidence, and in the small brave steps you take before you feel ready. Together, Carly and Renée talk about success apology syndrome, doing it scared, building a business alongside a high speed entrepreneurial partner, and the emotional work of being seen in your truth. They also explore the stories women carry around worthiness, support, wealth, motherhood, and success, and why so many women are still minimizing themselves instead of fully owning what they want. This episode is such a powerful permission slip for the woman who knows she is meant for more and is ready to stop apologizing for that. If this episode resonates, be sure to follow and subscribe to The Favourite Self Podcast, and share it with someone who needs this conversation too. Key Takeaways: • Confidence is not something you wait for. It is built through action, repetition, and collecting evidence along the way • Doing it scared is often the path to becoming the version of yourself you are waiting for • Success apology syndrome can keep women downplaying their wins and shrinking so other people feel comfortable • The stories you tell yourself about worthiness, visibility, and success will shape what you allow yourself to receive • Ambition, motherhood, support, and wealth do not have to cancel each other out. You are allowed to want the life and business that truly fit you Renée's Intro: Renée Warren is an award winning entrepreneur, angel investor, and host of Into The Wild, a top rated podcast that empowers women to step into their greatness. She is the creator of The Pink Skirt Project, a sought after event where ambitious women gather to redefine success and rise together. Featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Entrepreneur, and more, Renée is known for her bold perspective on ambition, visibility, and building a life and business on your own terms. She is also a Canadian mom of two, married to a high speed entrepreneur, and deeply passionate about helping women own their success without apology. Renée's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warrenrenee/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/warrenrenee/]  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@renee_warren [https://www.youtube.com/@renee_warren] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renee_warren/ [https://www.instagram.com/renee_warren/]  Website: www.reneewarren.com [http://www.reneewarren.com/]  The Pink Skirt Project: https://www.thepinkskirtproject.com/summit2026 [https://www.thepinkskirtproject.com/summit2026]  Carly's Links Website: carlyottaway.com [https://www.carlyottaway.com/] / webofwords.ca [http://webofwords.ca] Instagram: @‌itscarlyottaway [https://www.instagram.com/itscarlyottaway] / @‌webofwords_ [https://www.instagram.com/webofwords_] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyottaway [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyottaway/] Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@favouriteselfpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@favouriteselfpodcast]

12. When Growth Doesn't Look The Way You Thought It Would

What if feeling behind is not actually a sign that you are off track, but a sign that you have not paused long enough to recognize how much you have already grown? In this episode of The Favourite Self Podcast, Carly shares a personal mid-year reflection on the first six months of the year and the unexpected emotions that surfaced while looking back. What started as a simple monthly recap turned into a deeper check in on growth, restlessness, gratitude, and the quiet pressure of wondering whether she should be further along by now. Through five powerful lessons, Carly explores the difference between visibility and truly feeling seen, why confidence is created through action, how easily we normalize our own growth, and what it means to hold both deep gratitude and a desire for more at the same time. She also reflects on the tension between living in the gap and recognizing the gain, and why who you are becoming matters just as much as the milestones you have not reached yet. If this episode resonates, be sure to follow and subscribe to The Favourite Self Podcast, and share it with someone who needs this reminder. Key Takeaways: • Visibility and feeling seen are not the same thing, and external validation cannot replace internal validation • Confidence is not something you wait for before you begin, it is built through the very things you keep avoiding • We normalize our own growth so quickly that we often miss just how much has already changed • You can be deeply grateful for what is here while still desiring more for your life and business • Living in the gap will always make you feel behind, but looking at the gain helps you recognize how far you have actually come • Growth is not only measured by outcomes, but by the person you are becoming along the way Carly's Links Website: carlyottaway.com [https://www.carlyottaway.com/] / webofwords.ca [http://webofwords.ca] Instagram: @‌itscarlyottaway [https://www.instagram.com/itscarlyottaway] / @‌webofwords_ [https://www.instagram.com/webofwords_] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyottaway [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyottaway/] Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@favouriteselfpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@favouriteselfpodcast]

11. Anna Lozano on the Messy Middle, Raising Your Frequency, and Building a Business in Alignment

What does it actually take to build a business and a life that feel as good as they look on paper? In this episode of The Favourite Self Podcast, Carly sits down with serial entrepreneur, brand builder, and founder Anna Lozano for a powerful conversation about identity, alignment, intuition, strategy, and what it really looks like to grow through transition. With more than 16 years of entrepreneurial experience, Anna brings such an honest perspective on building purpose driven businesses, navigating big pivots, and learning how to trust yourself more deeply through every season. Together, Carly and Anna explore what happens after major success, how motherhood can shift the way you lead, and why the messy middle is often where the biggest identity shifts are happening. This conversation is such a powerful reminder that true momentum does not just come from doing more. It comes from building in a way that feels aligned, sustainable, and deeply rooted in who you are becoming. If this episode resonates, be sure to follow and subscribe to The Favourite Self Podcast, and share it with someone who needs this conversation too. Key Takeaways: • Building a business in alignment requires both strategy and self trust • Big success moments do not always bring instant clarity and often lead to new identity shifts • The messy middle can hold some of your deepest growth, even when it feels unclear • Motherhood can completely reshape the way you lead, work, and define success • Real momentum comes from creating a business that feels good to hold, not just good to achieve Anna’s Bio: Anna Lozano is a serial entrepreneur and brand builder with over 16 years of experience launching, scaling, and exiting purpose driven companies. She is the founder of MAYA Pickleball, host of the top ranked podcast The Prosperity Playground, and curator of immersive female founder retreats in Mexico. Formerly the co-founder of Love Powered Co., which exited in 2022, Anna now focuses on building culture forward brands and experiences at the intersection of leadership, lifestyle, and legacy. Anna’s Links: Website: annalozano.com [https://annalozano.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorURcbaH--GOaug7TLf_Fl0v2T9wrgHYta78-fTvY7ZezT8181b] Instagram: instagram.com/_annalozano [https://www.instagram.com/_annalozano?igsh=OHZtbmdkOXpndDdo] (Episode 4) The Visibility Stretch: What Publishing My Book Taught Me About Being Seen: https://youtu.be/4868HjQOBBg [https://youtu.be/4868HjQOBBg]  Carly's Links Website: carlyottaway.com [https://www.carlyottaway.com/] / webofwords.ca [http://webofwords.ca] Instagram: @‌itscarlyottaway [https://www.instagram.com/itscarlyottaway] / @‌webofwords_ [https://www.instagram.com/webofwords_] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyottaway [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyottaway/] Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@favouriteselfpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@favouriteselfpodcast]

10. Why Visibility Feels Unsafe and How to Move Through It

What if the reason showing up online feels so hard has less to do with strategy and more to do with safety? In this episode of The Favourite Self Podcast, Carly unpacks what is really happening beneath the surface when entrepreneurs struggle to post consistently, share their story, or fully show up online. She reflects on the overwhelm that comes from conflicting social media advice and explains why the real block is often not a lack of strategy, but a nervous system response to visibility, vulnerability, and being seen. Carly breaks down the different protective responses that can show up in your content, from over-explaining and overworking to freezing, hiding, or watering down your message. She also shares why done-for-you marketing can only go so far if you are not fully embodying your message, your authority, and the version of yourself your brand is asking you to become. This episode is a powerful reminder that the goal is not to force yourself to be visible, but to create enough safety in your body that visibility no longer feels like a threat. If this episode resonates, be sure to follow and subscribe to The Favourite Self Podcast, and share it with someone who needs this reminder. Key Takeaways: • Content resistance is often a nervous system response, not a strategy problem • The fear of showing up online is usually rooted in what visibility represents, not the post itself • Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses can all shape the way you create and share content • Your brand can only reflect what you are willing to embody and believe about yourself • The most magnetic content comes from safety, self trust, and embodiment, not performance • Done-for-you marketing works best when it supports your voice, not replaces it • Real visibility starts when you stop treating your resistance like failure and start seeing it as information Carly's Links Website: carlyottaway.com [https://www.carlyottaway.com/] / webofwords.ca [http://webofwords.ca] Instagram: @‌itscarlyottaway [https://www.instagram.com/itscarlyottaway] / @‌webofwords_ [https://www.instagram.com/webofwords_] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyottaway [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyottaway/] Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@favouriteselfpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@favouriteselfpodcast]