Podcast
Built in Public
Hosted by Courtney Johnson · EN
Built in Public is a personal brand podcast hosted by Courtney Johnson.
Each week, Courtney sits down with founders, creators, and operators to unpack how they turn expertise into authority, visibility into opportunity, and content into long-term leverage.
We talk positioning, audience building, thought leadership, and what it actually takes to show up before you feel ready.
If you want to build it in public, this show is for you.
80episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Her Personal Brand Made Her a Sports Illustrated Model, with Gigi Robinson
2d ago00:59:56Summary readyShe became a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and a Penguin Random House author, and neither of those things came from a talent agent, a manager, or a plan. They came from a LinkedIn post and a cold DM.Gigi Robinson has been building her personal brand since she was 12 years old with a Squarespace portfolio and a competitive swimming injury. Now she's a speaker, a creator, a published author, and the founder of Hosts of Influence, and she's done all of it without a manager, without niching down, and without “waiting until she was ready” 😑!!In this episode, Gigi explains why niching down is destroying your brand, why you ARE the niche, why a talent manager might be costing you more than they're making you, and the exact way she pitches journalists to get featured in Forbes, DigiDay, and AdWeek. She also gets into why LinkedIn is the most untapped platform right now (if you are here is because you already heard this!!!), how she hit 100 million impressions in 2025 just by responding to trending news, and the LinkedIn banner strategy that makes people decide whether to trust you in under 3 SECONDS.Oh, and she also just casually tells us how she ended up shooting with the photographer who shoots Vogue covers, the same photographer she used as inspiration when she was a kid.📌 Get Gigi's children's book A Kid's Book About Chronic Illness on Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble, or wherever you get your books → gigirobinson.com📌 Want to learn more about Hosts of Influence, Gigi's platform for creators and professionals building real careers? → gigirobinson.com📘 Career Cheat Codes - IT'S OUT!!!My new book Career Cheat Codes is now available to order. It’s a practical guide to building career leverage, growing your visibility, and turning your expertise into real opportunities.Order yours → penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807588/career-cheat-codes-by-courtney-johnson/11:32 Why having a talent manager is probably not the business move you think it is 14:55 Why niching down is a trap, and what to do instead 17:44 You don't have a niche. You ARE the niche. 22:09 How she became a Penguin Random House author overnight, without a traditional book deal 27:33 She literally became a Sports Illustrated model from a LinkedIn post28:20 Why she posted herself in a bikini on LinkedIn and didn't think twice about it 13:11 Less than 2% of LinkedIn's 1.1 billion users post weekly. That's your opening. 16:49 How to get press: the exact stalking strategy she uses to get into Forbes and AdWeek 23:46 The LinkedIn news hack that got her 100 million impressions in 2025About Gigi RobinsonGigi Robinson is a speaker, creator, author, and founder of Hosts of Influence, a platform helping creators and professionals build personal brands that actually turn into careers. She's partnered with 100+ global brands, including Adobe, Spotify, Unilever, and LinkedIn, spoken on 100+ stages, and wrote A Kid's Book About Chronic Illness, a bestselling children's book published by Penguin Random House. She's been featured in Forbes, DigiDay, AdWeek, Business Insider, and the New York Post, and hit 100 million impressions on LinkedIn alone in 2025.Connect with Gigi👍 Instagram: @itsgigirobinson🎶 TikTok: @itsgigirobinson💼 LinkedIn: Gigi Robinson🌐 Website: gigirobinson.comStay connected with me📧 Contact: courtney@smoothmedia.co👍 Instagram: @builtinpublicpod👍 Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson💼 LinkedIn: Courtney Johnson🎶 TikTok: @courtney..johnson
SummaryBrian Luebben: Full Playbook on How He Quit His $252K Job and Made $100K in 48 Hours
1w ago00:58:24Summary readyNobody quits a $252K job when they're the #8 sales rep out of 5,079. Brian Luebben did, driving through rural Georgia with a backseat full of Carhartt pants, realizing that a quarter million dollars a year still wasn't enough to make him stay.Four years later, he runs Action Academy, a mastermind community that went from $0 to $5 million with zero ads, built entirely on a $279 podcast mic and a $600 iPhone. This year, he's going for $12 million.In this episode, Brian gives us the EXACT playbook (not theory or how to do this sh*t but the actual steps) He saved $60K in cash before quitting, bought rental properties while still employed, and built a side hustle podcast interviewing millionaires at Atlanta real estate meetups before he ever left his job. Then he moved to Brazil, did 100 free 15-minute coaching calls on the beach, found out what people needed, and sent a Venmo link for a course that didn't exist yet, and made $100K in 48 hours.He also gets into the Minivan Theory and why your closest friends will be the last ones to support you, why a $200K employee can return $2 million while a $40K employee returns $40K, and why the only reason entrepreneurship beats employment is leverage.If you've been waiting for the right time to leave your job, this episode is the sign you've been looking for.📌 Want to join Action Academy? Head to actionacademy.com📘 Career Cheat Codes - IT'S OUT!!!My new book Career Cheat Codes is now available to order. It’s a practical guide to building career leverage, growing your visibility, and turning your expertise into real opportunities.Order yours → penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807588/career-cheat-codes-by-courtney-johnson/00:00 Brian opens reading Career Cheat Codes - no, really 03:25 Entrepreneurs aren't born, they're unlocked 05:03 The "selling pants" moment driving to Cedartown, Georgia 06:16 The 3 pillars Brian had before quitting: cash, assets, and a validated side hustle 13:08 Stop trying to be the most interesting. Be the most interested. 20:44 Why your friends and family aren't trying to derail you, they're scared for you 21:24 The Minivan Theory: front row, middle row, and back row friends27:17 The step-by-step from $0 to your first $100K 31:44 $100K in 48 hours with a Cash App link and a course that didn't exist yet 41:01 Why leverage is the only reason entrepreneurship beats a jobAbout Brian LuebbenBrian Luebben is the founder of Action Academy, a mastermind community that helps people leave corporate America to buy businesses and real estate. He left a $252K corporate sales job in March 2022, traveled the world for a year documenting the journey, and built a $5M/year business from scratch with zero ads. He hosts The Action Academy Podcast, one of the top entrepreneurship shows in the country with over 1 million downloads.Connect with Brian👍 Instagram: @brianluebben🎙️ Podcast: @actionacademypodcast 💼 LinkedIn: Brian Luebben🌐 Website: brianluebben.comStay connected with me📧 Contact: courtney@smoothmedia.co👍 Instagram: @builtinpublicpod👍 Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson💼 LinkedIn: Courtney Johnson🎶 TikTok: @courtney..johnson
SummaryHow Dan Martell Built a $100M Personal Brand: Sam Gaudet Exposes the Full Strategy
2w ago00:52:43Summary readyYou're overthinking your content. Meanwhile, a 16-year-old was editing videos under his desk in math class and accidentally stumbled into building one of the biggest personal brands in business.Sam Gaudet started working with Dan Martell's videographer at 16, joined Dan's team full-time at 18, and has spent the last eight years as the brain behind a content machine that now generates over 3 billion views and 200 million views per month across platforms. He watched Dan go from 500 views per video to the fastest-growing business influencer in the space. And he built the frameworks that made it happen.Now Sam is stepping out from behind the camera to build his own brand, using nothing but his iPhone, a 90-day challenge, and the same system he used to scale Dan's. In this episode, he breaks down the HEIT framework (Hook, Explain, Illustrate, Teach) that drives every piece of content they create, why picking the right topic matters more than your camera or your lighting, and why the biggest creators in the world talk about the fewest things.If you've been stalling because your setup isn't right, your hook isn't perfect, or you don't feel ready, Sam built a 3 billion view brand while getting caught editing videos in class. Your excuses don't stand a chance!!!Mentioned in this episode:🤖 Sam's Custom GPT for Content IdeasWant Sam's custom GPT that spits out 25 validated content topics using the HEIT framework? DM him the word "TOPIC Courtney" on Instagram and he'll send you the link for FREE! → Instagram: @sam.gaudet📘 Career Cheat Codes (IT'S OUT!!!) My new book Career Cheat Codes is now available to order. It’s a practical guide to building career leverage, growing your visibility, and turning your expertise into real opportunities.Order yours → penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807588/career-cheat-codes-by-courtney-johnson/02:06 Getting caught editing videos in math class (multiple times)05:04 The mindset shift that changed everything: if you can picture it, it's possible07:00 Why Sam started building his own brand now09:08 The HEIT framework: the system behind 3 billion views17:55 Why the biggest creators in the world talk about the fewest things24:38 CCN fit: how to make every video appeal to your core, casual, and new audience35:57 Trust is more important than views right now.40:37 People aren't paying for information. They're paying for time acceleration.45:49 F*ck the norm. Go try something. About Sam Gaudet Sam Gaudet is a content strategist, media company builder, and the creative force behind Dan Martell's personal brand. He joined Dan's world at 16 as a videographer, went full-time at 18, and has spent the last eight years developing the content systems that have generated over 3 billion views and 200 million views per month. His frameworks, including the HEIT method and CCN fit, are used across Dan's entire content operation and a team of 15. He's now building his own personal brand from scratch using only his iPhone, documenting the journey from zero to 100K followers.Connect with Sam👍 Instagram: @sam.gaudet💼 LinkedIn: Sam GaudetStay connected with me📧 Contact: courtney@smoothmedia.co👍 Instagram: @builtinpublicpod👍 Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson💼 LinkedIn: Courtney Johnson🎶 TikTok: @courtney..johnson
SummaryHow Hala Taha Turned a Free Podcast into a Multi-Million Dollar Business
3w ago00:46:28Summary readyHer first client paid her $700. Her second paid her $30,000. She didn't even have a website.Hala Taha, aka 'The Podcast Princess', started her career as Angie Martinez's assistant at Hot 97, spent years trying to make it online before anyone used the word "influencer," and finally found her breakthrough on LinkedIn when everyone told her it wasn't the place for that kind of content. She launched Young and Profiting as a free podcast with a volunteer team of 10 in a Slack channel. Today she runs a 60-person company, the #1 self-improvement podcast network, and makes $1.5M a year in podcast sponsorships alone.In this episode, Hala breaks down exactly how she built it all. We get into why she turns podcast guests into paying clients, how she hired her first video editor by poaching them from the company that fired her, why trades and engagement pods were her secret growth weapons when she had zero budget, and why the last thing you should ever outsource is your original thinking.If you've been waiting until you have a website, a logo, a team, or a plan before you start… Hala had none of that. And she's making MILLIONS.📘 Career Cheat Codes (IT'S OUT!!!) My new book Career Cheat Codes is now available to order. It’s a practical guide to building career leverage, growing your visibility, and turning your expertise into real opportunities.Order yours → penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807588/career-cheat-codes-by-courtney-johnson/02:32 Hala's origin story: Hot 97, Angie Martinez, and trying to make it online since 1805:28 Why she never tried to do it alone and how she recruited her first volunteer team07:07 The spicy case for free internships and why her earliest interns are now business partners09:48 How trades and audience swaps grew her brand with zero budget11:50 Posting on LinkedIn when everyone said not to, and why that was her biggest break16:28 The first hire every creator should make and the last thing you should ever outsource20:51 You cannot scale to elite level without a team. Period.32:43 Your brand enables you to charge more: the power of social proof35:39 The best decision she ever made and why she's thankful she showed up every day brick by brick43:59 Why AI is coming for entry-level jobs and how personal brand is the way to future-proof yourselfAbout Hala TahaHala Taha, known as “The Podcast Princess,” is the host of Young and Profiting (YAP) Podcast, a #1 Entrepreneurship podcast with over 30 million downloads. A Top 100 podcast globally, YAP features star-studded guests like Matthew McConaughey, Gary Vee, Alex Hormozi, Deepak Chopra, Daymond John, Mel Robbins, and countless others. The show was recognized as a 2022 Webby Honoree, and Hala graced the cover of Podcast Magazine in January 2021.Hala is also the Founder and CEO of YAP Media, an award-winning, premier white-glove social media and podcast production agency for CEOs, celebrities, and top podcasters. With nearly 60 employees and a dozen high-profile clients, YAP Media was named the #1 LinkedIn Marketing Agency and voted Best Podcast Agency of 2022.In 2022, Hala launched the YAP Media Network, a podcast network that helps top podcasts land sponsorship deals with major brands like LinkedIn, Airbnb, and Shopify. YAP Media is pacing to hit 8-figures in 2025, and represents some of the most popular business podcasters in the world including Jenna Kutcher, Amy Porterfield, Tori Dunlap and John Lee Dumas. Connect with Hala👍 Instagram: @yapwithhala💼 LinkedIn: Hala Taha🎙️ Podcast: Young And Profiting🌐 youngandprofiting.com/Stay connected with me📧 Contact: courtney@smoothmedia.co👍 Instagram: @builtinpublicpod👍 Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson💼 LinkedIn: Courtney Johnson🎶 TikTok: @courtney..johnson
SummaryHow Jasmine Star Built a 7-Figure Personal Brand Online (And Exactly How to Do It Too)
Apr 1400:56:47Summary readyThe personal brand space has sold you this idea that you need a website, a logo, a niche, and a strategy before you start. You don't. And Jasmine Star is proof.Jasmine Star dropped out of law school with no camera, no portfolio, no business cards, and no plan. Instead of waiting until she was ready, she started documenting. She rented gear she couldn't afford, shot 11-hour weddings for only $1,000, and built her brand through storytelling before anyone was calling it that.She went from a $197 digital course to over a million dollars in a year, to building a SaaS company, to launching a holding company with multiple 7-figure revenue streams, all under her own NAME, because she understood something most people still don't: nobody can out-be you.In this episode, Jasmine shares exactly how she thinks about personal brand, trust, and what it takes to build something that lasts. We get into why your brand is not your logo or your gear, it's the feeling people have about you when you leave the room. Why we're in a trust recession right now and what that means for anyone building online in 2026. And why the creators who will win are the ones who stop chasing trends and start owning their lane.If you've been waiting until you have it all together before you start, this is the episode that ends that excuse!Mentioned in this episode:📘 Career Cheat Codes (IT'S OUT!!!) My new book Career Cheat Codes is now available to order. It’s a practical guide to building career leverage, growing your visibility, and turning your expertise into real opportunities.Order yours → penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807588/career-cheat-codes-by-courtney-johnson/05:20 Why Jasmine dropped out of law school and picked up a camera with no experience08:15 The free blog that accidentally became her personal brand engine12:30 How to figure out what your personal brand should actually be about (3 questions)17:10 Personal brand vs. company brand, and why Jasmine always chose her name22:45 The $197 course that made over $1M in one year27:00 Why we're in a trust recession and what to do about it in 202629:30 The Instagram poll strategy that builds your offer before you launch it35:00 How to know when it's time to pivot, and the difference between a pivot and a quit39:15 Jasmine's 3 steps if she had to start from scratch today44:00 The cringe mountain, and why you have to climb it anywayAbout Jasmine StarJasmine Star is a world-class speaker, thought leader, podcast host, CEO, and entrepreneur dedicated to helping business owners grow with unrivaled marketing, powerful lead generation, and strategic sales.After dropping out of UCLA Law School on a full-ride scholarship, she set out to become a photographer without owning a camera. She rented gear, used a free blog to market her business, and built an internationally recognized, award-winning photography career from scratch. That blog attracted tens of thousands of readers daily and became her first path to a 7-figure revenue stream.In 2015, she created her first online course, earning $1M+ in under 10 months. She went on to launch a membership that welcomed 2,444 entrepreneurs in its first five days and has since served 40,000+ business owners. In 2021, she entered the tech world as a SaaS CEO, and by 2023, she and her husband launched a holding company where she now serves as advisor and investor.She believes impossibilities are simply opportunities in disguise.Connect with Jasmine👍 Instagram: @jasminestar💼 LinkedIn: Jasmine Star🎙️ Podcast: The Jasmine Star Show🌐 jasminestar.comStay connected with me📧 Contact: courtney@smoothmedia.co👍 Instagram: @builtinpublicpod👍 Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson💼 LinkedIn: Courtney Johnson🎶 TikTok: @courtney..johnson
SummaryTiger Sisters: From Stanford MBA & Goldman Sachs to a #1 Business Podcast in 18 Months
Apr 700:52:26Summary readyHollywood told them they were "respectfully, nobodies." So they sat down at a kitchen table and built one of the fastest-growing podcasts in the world.Cherie and Jean Luo come from the most traditional path you can imagine: Ivy League degrees, Goldman Sachs, Snapchat, Stanford MBA. Instead of keeping that knowledge locked inside boardrooms, they chose to share it publicly. Tiger Sisters launched as a fully bootstrapped, two-person operation with no outside investment, no team, and no playbook. Within two years, they hit #1 on the podcast charts.In this episode, we get into how they treat their podcast like a tech startup; running experiments, killing their ego, and letting their audience co-produce the show!! We talk about why the fear of looking cringe is the single biggest thing holding people back, why they intentionally delayed monetization for a full year, and why the information you think is obvious is exactly what someone else desperately needs to hear.If you've been sitting on an idea waiting for the perfect time, the perfect credentials, or the perfect setup... this conversation is going to wreck every excuse you have.Mentioned in this episode:📘 Career Cheat Codes (Pre-Order) My new book Career Cheat Codes is now available for pre-order. It’s a practical guide to building career leverage, growing your visibility, and turning your expertise into real opportunities.Pre-order → penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807588/career-cheat-codes-by-courtney-johnson/03:21 Coming from corporate and getting over the fear of looking cringe06:20 Jean's journey from extremely private to co-hosting a #1 podcast09:34 Cherie's first post and the TikTok video that changed everything13:41 How they treat Tiger Sisters like a tech startup15:22 Dropping the ego: why they A/B test everything and take nothing personally21:10 How they ran everything as a two-person team before hiring anyone24:05 The rejected reality TV show that became a #1 podcast27:02 Why more people from elite career paths are building personal brands37:42 Jean wasn't the most qualified on paper and it didn't matter39:10 Why they waited a full year before monetizing45:52 Information is power: the story that proves it48:26 The future of personal brand and the creator-corporation convergenceAbout Tiger Sisters Cherie and Jean Luo are the co-hosts of Tiger Sisters, a top business podcast built in under two years with zero outside funding. Cherie brings six years of content creation experience and a background in tech and product management. Jean left a 15-year corporate career spanning Goldman Sachs, Snapchat, and other major companies to go all in. Together, they're on a mission to empower 1 billion women by un-gatekeeping career, money, and mindset information that's traditionally been locked behind elite institutions. They approach everything with a startup mentality: experimental, ego-free, and community-driven.Connect with Tiger Sisters🎙️ Podcast: Tiger Sisters on Spotify & YouTube👍 Instagram: @tigersisterspodcast 👍 Cherie's Instagram: @cherie.brooke👍 Jean's Instagram: @jeanluo_💼 Cherie's LinkedIn: Cherie Brooke Luo💼 Jean's LinkedIn: Jean LuoStay connected with me📧 Contact: courtney@smoothmedia.co👍 Instagram: @builtinpublicpod👍 Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson💼 LinkedIn: Courtney Johnson🎶 TikTok: @courtney..johnson
SummaryThe 4-Part Framework Behind Long-Term Leverage as a Creator, with JT Barnett
Mar 3101:01:17Summary readyThe internet has sold you this idea that going viral is the goal. It's not. And it never was.JT Barnett left professional hockey with $0, no degree, and no plan. Instead of following the traditional path, he started posting, started failing in public, and started figuring out what makes people memorable online. He went from filming fitness content to growing a TikTok house from zero to a million followers in 60 days, to consulting for brands like Poppi, to building Core Access, a recruiting firm that places creators inside the brands they already love.In this week’s episode, JT breaks down the 4-part framework he uses to evaluate every creator he works with: Capacity, Identity, Execution, and Conversion. We get into why most people stall before they ever hit "post," why you don't need to be an expert to build an audience, and why the creators who will win in 2026 are the ones who stop chasing algorithms and start building real connections with a narrow, intentional audience. If you've been waiting to feel ready before you start creating, this is the episode that's going to change that!!!Mentioned in this episode:📘 Career Cheat Codes (Pre-Order) My new book Career Cheat Codes is now available for pre-order. It’s a practical guide to building career leverage, growing your visibility, and turning your expertise into real opportunities.Pre-order → penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807588/career-cheat-codes-by-courtney-johnson/05:20 How growing up in hockey and the internet shaped JT's view on personal brand08:20 Why so many people can't articulate who they are publicly10:09 The moment social media clicked as the ultimate leverage tool14:24 You DON’T need to be an expert to start building an audience15:14 The TikTok house that went from zero to a million followers in 60 days24:54 The four stages of personal brand: entry-level, mid-tier, elite, and world-renowned32:16 The 4-part framework: Capacity, Identity, Execution, and Conversion38:19 Reputation beats Virality and where the creator economy is headed41:50 The posts that perform vs. the ones that just get views54:01 How to start hosting micro-community events today with zero budget About JT JT Barnett is a former professional hockey player, organic social strategist, and the founder of Core Access. After retiring from hockey with nothing lined up, he built his career entirely through social media, going from fitness content to organic social consulting for brands like Poppi to building a recruiting firm that places creators inside the brands they love. His 4-part framework, Capacity, Identity, Execution, and Conversion, is the foundation of how he coaches creators at every level. He's now building Core into a full performance center for creators who want to build reputation, not just reach.Connect with JT👍 Instagram: @jtbarnett💼 LinkedIn: jtbarnett🎶 TikTok: @jtbarnettStay connected with me📧 Contact: courtney@smoothmedia.co👍 Instagram: @builtinpublicpod👍 Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson💼 LinkedIn: Courtney Johnson🎶 TikTok: @courtney..johnson
SummaryThe Exact LinkedIn Strategy That Grew 50K Followers in 12 Months, with Mischa Collins
Mar 2400:58:03Summary readyMost people treat LinkedIn like a job board. Mischa Collins treats it like the most powerful business development tool on the planet, and she has the receipts to prove it. After being laid off in 2024, Mischa didn't scramble for her next role. She built in public (literally). Within 12 months, she grew her LinkedIn audience to over 50,000 followers, signed clients through inbound DMs alone, and turned a platform most people sleep on into a fully functioning business, one that's now taken her from the UK all the way to LA. In this episode, we get into the strategy behind that growth. Mischa breaks down why posting without a mission is just noise, how to build authority on LinkedIn even when self-promotion makes you want to crawl out of your skin, and why the content you think is repetitive is actually the content that makes you unforgettable. If you've been meaning to get serious about LinkedIn, this is the episode that's going to make you open the app before it's even done playing.Mentioned in this episode:📘 Career Cheat Codes (Pre-Order) My new book Career Cheat Codes is now available for pre-order. It’s a practical guide to building career leverage, growing your visibility, and turning your expertise into real opportunities.Pre-order → penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807588/career-cheat-codes-by-courtney-johnson/👩💻 Holly Maglin — Early Career Recruiting StrategyIf you're a founder or startup team hiring Gen Z talent, check out Holly Madeline. She helps companies modernize how they recruit early-career candidates.Connect on LinkedIn → Holly Maglin03:28 Getting laid off and deciding to build instead of job hunt08:18 The moment she went all in12:11 The scheduling trick that kills the fear of posting15:21 Why LinkedIn is genuinely having its moment in 202623:44 Profile optimization and why your network is already full of opportunity27:42 Every opportunity Mischa has landed through inbound LinkedIn DMs35:00 Engagement strategy: why commenting might matter more than posting41:00 How to use AI without sounding like AI51:00 The MAP framework: Mission, Authority, Pillars54:00 Mischa's next chapter: expanding beyond LinkedInAbout Mischa Mischa Collins is a LinkedIn branding expert who helps entrepreneurs, coaches, and professionals establish authority, grow their audience, and monetize their expertise. With a proven track record of transforming LinkedIn profiles into powerful business assets, she shares actionable strategies to build influence and attract high-value opportunities.Connect with Mischa💼 LinkedIn: Mischa CollinsStay connected with me📧 Contact: courtney@smoothmedia.co👍 Instagram: @builtinpublicpod👍 Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson💼 LinkedIn: Courtney Johnson🎶 TikTok: @courtney..johnson
SummaryHow to Build the "It Factor": Confidence, Visibility & Personal Brand with Whitney Uland
Mar 1700:52:59Summary readyThere's a reason some people walk into a room and everyone notices. It's not luck. It's not looks. And it's not something you either have or you don't.Today I'm sitting down with Whitney Uland, founder of How to Be Famous, to talk about the one thing most people building a personal brand are missing: the it factor. And no, you're not born with it. You build it.Whitney spent over a decade in the entertainment industry, acting, writing, navigating rejection, until someone told her she didn't have what it takes. Instead of accepting that, she became obsessed with understanding what magnetism is, where it comes from, and how anyone can develop it. Now she helps creatives, founders, and entrepreneurs step into what she calls their celebrity energy.In this episode, we get into why your personal brand is 90% subconscious, what's blocking you from showing up online even if you've performed in front of thousands of people, and why following trends will always keep you chasing instead of leading.Mentioned in this episode:📘 Career Cheat Codes (Pre-Order) My new book Career Cheat Codes is now available for pre-order. It’s a practical guide to building career leverage, growing your visibility, and turning your expertise into real opportunities.Pre-order → penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807588/career-cheat-codes-by-courtney-johnson/👩💻 Holly Maglin — Early Career Recruiting StrategyIf you're a founder or startup team hiring Gen Z talent, check out Holly Madeline. She helps companies modernize how they recruit early-career candidates.Connect on LinkedIn → Holly Maglin03:00 What the ‘It Factor’ is 08:02 Why your personal brand is 90% subconscious 09:04 Why "personal brand" feels icky20:27 How to build magnetism from scratch 24:04 Why visibility shuts people down (and how to fix it)27:15 Why performers still struggle on camera38:00 How to stop chasing trends and start creating them 44:00 Fame, ego, and why hiding is the more egoic move 51:00 How boundaries grow as your brand grows About Whitney Whitney Uland is the founder of How to Be Famous, a framework and community built around the idea that magnetism, visibility, and presence are learnable skills — not personality traits you're either born with or not. Before building her personal brand, Whitney spent over a decade in the entertainment industry as an actor and writer. She now works with founders, creatives, and entrepreneurs to help them own their spotlight on their own terms.Connect with Whitney📲 Instagram: @whitneyuland🎶 TikTok: whitneyuland🎙️ Podcast: How to Be FamousStay connected with me📧 Contact: courtney@smoothmedia.co👍 Instagram: @builtinpublicpod👍 Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson💼 LinkedIn: Courtney Johnson🎶 TikTok: @courtney..johnson
SummaryWhy Personal Brands Are the Ultimate Career Leverage, with Danielle Canty
Mar 1000:59:13Summary readyIf you’ve ever thought, “I don’t really know what a personal brand is” or “how do I even start a personal brand???”, this episode is for you.Today I’m joined by Danielle Canty, former co-founder of Bossbabe, to break down one of the biggest misconceptions about personal branding:You don’t start a personal brand. You ALREADY have one.Danielle shares how she went from working in the medical field to co-founding BossBabe, one of the most recognizable online business brands of the last decade, and how she now thinks about personal brands as leverage. Not the business itself, but the thing that opens doors, builds trust, and compounds opportunities over time.We also talk about the mindset blocks that stop people from showing up online, why perfect content actually hurts engagement, and how building community matters far more than going viral.Mentioned in this episode:📘 Career Cheat Codes (Pre-Order) My new book Career Cheat Codes is now available for pre-order. It’s a practical guide to building career leverage, growing your visibility, and turning your expertise into real opportunities.Pre-order → penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807588/career-cheat-codes-by-courtney-johnson/👩💻 Holly Maglin — Early Career Recruiting StrategyIf you're a founder or startup team hiring Gen Z talent, check out Holly Madeline. She helps companies modernize how they recruit early-career candidates.Connect on LinkedIn → Holly Maglin02:30 You already have a personal brand09:34 The truth about reputation and online presence13:31 Why personal brands create leverage16:41 The cultural excuses people make about showing up online17:17 “You are what you say you are”19:41 How mindset shapes growth and motivation36:05 Perfect content hurts engagement37:45 The power of imperfection in building trustAbout Danielle Danielle Canty is an entrepreneur and the former co-founder of BossBabe, the online education brand that grew into an eight-figure business supporting hundreds of thousands of women entrepreneurs worldwide.Since exiting the company in 2023, Danielle focuses on helping founders turn ideas into scalable businesses through clear systems, predictable revenue, and strategic simplicity.She has generated $35M+ in online revenue, built multiple seven-figure businesses, and her work has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Elle, and Success Magazine.Connect with Danielle📲 Instagram: @daniellecanty💼 LinkedIn: Danielle Canty🔗 Website: danielle-canty.com/Stay connected with me📧 Contact: courtney@smoothmedia.co👍 Instagram: @builtinpublicpod👍 Instagram: @courtlynnjohnson💼 LinkedIn: Courtney Johnson🎶 TikTok: @courtney..johnson
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