Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos

Who are you? It’s not a question we think about a lot, but we’re always creating our brand based on how we’re coming across in the world. Do you know what your brand is? Are you clear on your why, your values, and your point of differentiation? How do you want people to experience you? Listen to learn the three most important elements of your brand: 1. Knowing yourself, 2. Knowing how you affect o...

We’ve all experienced bad presenters and it’s sometimes impossible to sit through those talks. We never want to BE that person, and I want to help you and everyone from presenting poorly! It’s a simple shift IF you know what to do. In this episode, I share 7 mistakes even the most experienced presenters make, and most importantly: what to do instead. Some of them may surprise you!  If you’re a wom...

In this episode, Karen Laos dives into essential strategies for increasing your visibility at work. Through engaging anecdotes and insightful advice, she reveals how to make a memorable impression and advance your career. Discover the key actions that can set you apart in your professional environment! If you’re a woman who wants to advance your career by ditching doubt and upleveling in your comm...

The secrets are finally revealed, directly by yours truly, a TEDx talk speaker coach! We are uncovering 7 essential strategies to help you land a coveted TEDx talk. Through personal anecdotes and practical tips, I guide you on how to make your idea stand out and resonate with the TEDx community. Discover the key elements that can turn your speaking dream into reality! Listen for… How I became a TE...

I know it sounds crazy...but just using these phrases (even by accident) can be undermining your credibility, making people second-guess you and your authority! Thankfully, there is a quick fix! In this video, Karen Laos highlights several common expressions that can negatively impact how others perceive your confidence and authority. By providing real-life examples and suggesting alternative phra...

Tangible Takeaways: Pay attention to the experiences you create for others, whether it's in person, over the phone, or via email. Consider how you want people to feel in your presence and make those experiences positive and warm. Write your eulogy. This exercise can provide clarity on the qualities, actions, or values you want to be evident in your life. Use this reflection to guide your actions i...

Tangible Takeaways: Recognize what you can control and that you can’t control the actions or health of other people. Especially those suffering from chronic pain or disease. Instead of fixing it, ask what is needed. Establish clear boundaries for yourself to prevent burnout. Prioritize self-care and ensure you're taking care of your physical and emotional well-being. Ask for what you need! Communi...

Tangible Takeaways: Try implementing "20 seconds of courage." For 20 seconds take those initial steps, whether it's asking for a raise, starting a conversation, or making a significant change. It only takes 20 seconds to get started! Write down your achievements. Keeping a record can boost confidence and provide a visual representation of your progress over time. (This is also handy when asking fo...

Tangible Takeaways: Actively engage in conversations by asking open-ended questions and pausing to listen attentively. Imagine that everyone has a sign above their head that says, "Make me feel important." Use this perspective to show genuine interest in others. Start and end your sentences with confidence and clear articulation to engage your audience. Pay attention to your facial expressions, an...

Tangible Takeaways: Look at all the rules that you’ve been handed, and ask: which of these do I want to keep carrying with me and which ones do I want to break? Your worth is not connected to achievement, success, or how your body looks. These rules create shame or make you feel “too much: A part of creating change and understanding the rules is calling them out, and then purposely start to break...

Tangible Takeaways: Communicating with clarity takes intention! Your audiences need structure to know where you're headed and what you're doing. Otherwise, they're going to get lost and tune out. When you start any message, whether it's a voice message, voicemail, or voice memo- front load it with why you're sharing it or what you want from the conversation. If you notice yourself rambling, stop,...

Tangible Takeaways: You’re a spiritual being on a human journey, and that intersection between the two requires emotional learning. It's learning how to integrate, like balancing a bike. It’s important to listen to your body and listen to your emotions. When struggling with a frustrating event, separate yourself from the story and avoid the blame and judgment. Focus inward on what emotions you fee...

Tangible Takeaways: Remember: people want to be pursued! Follow up beyond your comfort level. With high ticket offers, you need to follow up a minimum of nine times, and it could even be years before they are ready to buy. It is tempting to ask passively because it feels more comfortable, but resist this urge and ask with clarity. Anticipate the next step and make the process easy. Schedule your n...

When you work on your mindset, teach your children along the way! You can transform both your life and the lives of your children. Research shows eight out of 10 people have negative fear-based thinking, and this comes from childhood trauma. This is the reason why many are afraid to use their voice. Have the guts and the mindset to say yes to opportunities. The more you practice it, the more you b...

Tangible Takeaways: The goal is to project the image that you want to project. Have a point, and stick to it! You can do this by deciding your point in advance and sharing this upfront. People need to receive information with the point first, and details after, not the other way around. Avoid data dumping! We can think this boosts your credentials, but in reality, people can only take in so much i...

Tangible Takeaways: When fear starts to creep in, ask yourself. “what’s the worst that can happen?” Uncovering this helps you take a chance and lose that fear of failure. Seek to understand the root of your fear. Is it pride? Fear of failure? Worried about what others may think? Find your passion because there will be a lot of dark and challenging times. Your passion will help you ride the waves....

Tangible Takeaways: Often when we are stuck, it’s because we’re not making a decision. It is better to decide and move forward than stay stagnant!  If you make a wrong decision, it’s ok! You learned something. This will make you better at your next move.  We get burdened with the “how”, and we forget that there is a “why”. If you're on a path and what you're participating in always goes back to th...

TEDXMinneapolis will be on August 12, 2023. Click HERE to purchase your tickets! Tangible Takeaways: Remember the power of teachers and leaders - they have the opportunity to instill confidence in others. Be an opportunistic person! When you see an opportunity, lean into it. Even if it’s a long shot, you never know! Feedback can be a positive experience. Those who receive feedback with joy and gra...

Tangible Takeaways: Expect good things to happen! This has been the #1 contributor to my success, it transforms your posture and energy, and you see the opportunities for what they are. Be tenacious with purpose. Clarify your current goals so you're not being tenacious in everything but in the things that matter. You have to ask for the business - people want to be sold to! Reach out and follow up...

Tangible Takeaways: Resist the urge to give your power away. Step into your power. It can be common to fall into the trap of taking a backseat to stronger, louder, more experienced voices. There is a reason for this - women have been conditioned to do this! Whenever we take action or inaction, we’re impacting those around us. Be intentional about when you speak up and when you don’t. Your voice ma...

Tangible Takeaways: Think about expanding your presence. We’ve been culturally conditioned to make ourselves physically smaller, and this needs to stop. Shoulders back, hands to the sides or gesturing out, and firmly plant your feet shoulder-width apart. Incorporate these habits into your daily life so that when you need your body language to shine, it will be a habit, not a stressful performance....

Tangible Takeaways: See your brilliance and own it sooner. This does not mean you should be arrogant, but rather embrace your expertise now. Don’t wait. When creating your own business or venturing into a new field. Understanding your skillset and what problems you solve and diving into market research is important. Remember: people do business with people, big brands and all. Customer service is...

Tangible Takeaways: Women are culturally conditioned to apologize! Even though I teach this, I have to catch myself from apologizing, as well. Habits are hard to break, but you can do it! If you bump into someone at the grocery store, for example, instead of saying “I’m sorry” replace it with “excuse me”. If you're constantly saying, “I'm sorry”, the message that's coming across implies “I'm not w...

Tangible Takeaways: Women often don’t speak up because we think we need more experience, education, seniority, or fill-in-the-blank before we share our voice in the room. It’s a lie: speak up now! The men don’t wait. Why should you? When seeking to improve your confidence, copying another person’s style doesn’t work. It can make you feel awkward and inadequate. You need to find confidence from wit...

 Tangible Takeaways: Imagine people walking around with this sign on their forehead that says, “Make me feel important,” and you’ll find yourself naturally being an inclusive leader. Be self-aware! Be mindful of your intent and observe if it matches your impact. Ask for feedback and have a posture of receiving it well. Show that you care by first seeking to understand by asking questions and liste...