Social Media Decoded – Episode Summary

Podcast: Social Media Decoded
Host: Michelle Thames
Episode: The Visibility Shift That Changed Everything For Me
Date: November 19, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on host Michelle Thames’ deeply personal journey with “visibility”—how a life shake-up forced her to reexamine the meaning of being seen and showing up authentically online and offline. Michelle recounts the pivotal mindset and strategy shifts that enabled her to grow from feeling invisible to leading a multi six-figure brand, all without relying on traditional marketing “performances.” She shares key lessons that will resonate with entrepreneurs feeling stuck or overlooked, inviting listeners to embrace realness and alignment as the true engines of authority and impact.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “Rock Bottom” Catalyst

• Michelle recounts hitting her lowest point when she was fired from her government healthcare job with a new baby and no plan.
  • “I was fired from my cushy government healthcare job. I had a baby. I had no plan. I was confused. I felt invisible even in my own life. And that was the moment that forced me to rethink everything I knew about visibility, purpose and alignment.”
    (00:52)

2. Rethinking Visibility – Not Performance, But Authenticity

• Major realisation: Visibility is about being genuinely seen, not just being loud or producing perfect content.
  • “Visibility isn’t about being loud. Visibility is about being seen. Not for what you do, not for how much content you post, not for how perfect your strategy is, but for who you are.”
    (01:23)
• Shift from performance to truth: Michelle describes letting go of trying to perform or appear perfect, and embracing her full story.

3. Story as Strategy

• Transparency leads to connection and growth
  • Michelle shares how authenticity and telling her real story (from firing to motherhood to entrepreneurship) was the true catalyst for community growth, not fancy online tactics.
  • “Your story is your strategy. I didn’t grow my brand because of a fancy funnel. I didn’t grow because of paid ads. I didn’t grow because of a viral video. I grew because I told the truth.”
    (01:52)
  • “People don’t follow you because you’re perfect. They follow you because you’re real.”
    (01:45)
• Result: Once Michelle started sharing who she truly was—including her struggles and her evolution—people started to really see her.

4. Authority is Built Privately

• Behind-the-scenes decisions matter most:
  • “One of the biggest lies online is that authority is built publicly. Nope. Authority is built privately. In the decisions you make when nobody’s watching, in the boundaries you set, in the investments you’re scared to make, in the content you record when you don’t feel ready, in the room you walk into, even when you’re nervous, in the days you show up for you.”
    (02:44)
• Self-validation:
  • “Authority started for me the moment I stopped waiting for someone to validate me and I validated myself.”
    (03:15)

5. Treating Visibility as a Lifestyle

• Major breakthrough: Making visibility an integrated practice, not a daily task.
  • “Visibility isn’t a lifestyle, it’s not a post. And when I started treating visibility like a lifestyle, not a task, everything accelerated.”
    (03:38)
• Visibility in all areas: Michelle details how this shift affected all aspects of her life, including business, relationships, family, and self-care.

6. Inspiration for Struggling Listeners

• Message of encouragement:
  • “If you’ve been struggling with visibility, if you’ve been posting but not growing, if you’ve been trying so hard but not seeing the fruits, I want you to hear me. You are not behind, you are becoming. And your visibility shift is right on time.”
    (04:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On authenticity vs. perfection:

  • “People don’t follow you because you’re perfect. They follow you because you’re real.” — Michelle Thames (01:45)

• On storytelling:

  • “Your story is your strategy.” — Michelle Thames (01:52)

• On building authority:

  • “Authority is built privately...in the decisions you make when nobody’s watching.” — Michelle Thames (02:44)

• On transformation:

  • “You are not behind, you are becoming. And your visibility shift is right on time.” — Michelle Thames (04:55)

Calls to Action & Resources

• Michelle invites listeners to join her Elevate and Empower collective for community, support, and monthly mentorship, with a founders call on December 4th.
  • (05:20)
• She encourages connecting with her directly on Instagram: @Michelle L. Thames
• For deeper exploration of her story and strategies, she mentions her book: From Fire to Featured
  • (05:42)

Takeaways & Episode Essence

Michelle Thames’ heartfelt storytelling and actionable wisdom make this episode a must-listen for any entrepreneur or creator craving more meaningful, sustainable visibility. Her narrative redefines visibility as an inside-out process—rooted in authenticity, courage, and self-acceptance. Michelle’s journey is a testament to the power of showing up in truth, and her message is equal parts gentle encouragement and practical roadmap for anyone ready to make their own visibility shift.

Key Timestamps for Reference:

• [00:46] – Starting from rock bottom after job loss
• [01:23] – Redefining visibility beyond performance
• [01:45] – Why people follow real, not perfect
• [02:44] – Authority is built in private decisions
• [03:38] – Visibility as a lifestyle, not a post
• [04:55] – Encouragement and reframing “being behind”
• [05:20] – Invitation to her collective
• [05:42] – Book recommendation: From Fire to Featured

For more:

• Join Michelle’s collective (link in show notes)
• DM Michelle on Instagram (@Michelle L. Thames)
• Order Michelle’s book, From Fire to Featured (link in show notes)

“Thank you for being here, thank you for letting me share this, and thank you for allowing me to walk with you on your visibility journey. This is just the beginning.”
— Michelle Thames (06:19)