#162 | Building Your Brand Without the Cringe, with Amanda Blesing

Agile Ideas

Ever struggled to talk about your expertise without feeling like you're bragging? You’re not alone. In this empowering episode, we sit down with Amanda Blesing—former CEO turned executive coach and self-described “Fempreneur”—to unpack the art of authentic self-promotion that actually feels good.

Drawing from her time in the association sector, Amanda shares how a pattern of women holding back from opportunities sparked her mission to help professionals, especially women, step into visibility with clarity and confidence.

We explore:

1. Why personal branding exists whether we like it or not—and how to own yours
2. Amanda’s approach to self-promotion: take the self out and stay in service
3. A simple elevator pitch formula that works for any industry
4. Practical strategies to ease into networking and public speaking
5. Gendered feedback and why we need to shift the conversation
6. Why your career should be treated like a strategic project—with clear 1, 3, and 5-year goals

From LinkedIn tips to confidence-building moves, this episode is packed with wisdom to help you stop playing small and start showing up—on your terms.

"I've spent my whole career making others look good—now it’s time to do the same for myself." – Amanda Blesing

Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn (and mention this episode) or visit amandablesing.com to learn more about her coaching and speaking work.

In this episode, I cover:

9:25 Career Journey Through Association Sector
18:08 Tacking Imposter Syndrome Head-On
27:18 Personal Branding Without Self-Promotion Cringe
36:23 Mastering the Elevator Pitch
42:37 Gender Equity Challenges and Progress
48:14 Speaking Opportuities and Career Strategy
And more…
Have you built a PMO from the ground up—or thinking about it? Tune in to learn how to create a solid foundation that supports growth, governance, and agility. Then, share your PMO wins or challenges—I’d love to hear your Agile Ideas.

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Chapters

1. Introduction to Amanda Bleasing (00:00:00)

2. Career Journey Through Association Sector (00:09:25)

3. Tackling Imposter Syndrome Head-On (00:18:08)

4. Personal Branding Without Self-Promotion Cringe (00:27:18)

5. Mastering the Elevator Pitch Formula (00:36:23)

6. Gender Equity Challenges and Progress (00:42:37)

7. Speaking Opportunities and Career Strategy (00:48:14)