Making It with Jess Ekstrom

We've all faced it before: the dreaded FOMO. Sometimes, it feels like a double-edged sword. You don't want to miss any chances, but saying yes for the sake of saying yes can lead to quick burnout. In this episode, Jess shares a mantra that helped silence her FOMO, and hopefully, it will do the same for you. ---- Rate Amplify on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review for Jess Ekstrom. Amplif...

Antonio Neves saw a problem: he couldn't find the right content for balancing personal growth and family relationships, especially as a man in today's society.  So he decided to do something about it by founding the Man Morning newsletter , a platform dedicated to inspiring men to start their day with purpose and intention.  Learn tips on self-improvement, on-stage speaking, stepping out of your c...

 Have you ever asked yourself, "Am I where I should be at this point in my life?" or "Am I "on time? " We all rave about the 30 under 30 lists, but did we ever stop to think that maybe it was easier for them because they didn't have anything to risk?  And maybe we're on the right track to success regardless of the time. ---- Rate Amplify on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review for Jess Ek...

Amy Porterfield really wanted freedom, flexibility, and autonomy in her career. She entered the digital course industry, which allowed her to work from home while still making money. Starting small, her first course made just $267, but she pulled in over $100 million in revenue through tweaks and relaunches. How did she do it?  How can you leverage digital courses to balance work and family life a...

Are you constantly chasing the next big thing, only to find that the satisfaction you hoped for remains just out of reach? Do you think, "Once I achieve this, I can finally enjoy that"? You’re not alone. Today, we tackle the pervasive issue of FOMO—fear of missing out—and how it leads to a cycle of delaying joy. Let's find out how to stop letting FOMO and unrealistic expectations control our lives...

Sprakkar: an ancient Icelandish word that means "extraordinary women". Our guest today is the First Lady of Iceland, Eliza Reid. Not only is she the best-selling author of Secrets of the Sprakkar, but also a passionate advocate for gender equality, utilizing her platform to organize significant events like a gender equality strike in Iceland, fighting wage disparities and gender-based violence. Bu...

Women’s voices have historically been suppressed, but just being aware of this can help them navigate today's gender landscape. Public speaking might be the most effective way to gain a voice, not only for yourself but also for future generations.  Learn how this sentiment inspired Jess to create a speaking course exclusively for women.  ---- Rate Amplify on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a...

Millennials and Gen Z are the most anxious generations in history. Let that sink in - the most anxious generations in history! Even though Gen X and baby boomers experienced some stressful situations, anxiety wasn't at the forefront of everyone's minds. So why is this happening to millennials in Gen Z, and what can we do about it? Dr. Lauren Cook is a clinical psychologist, speaker, and author of...

Sometimes, beating anxiety means stepping out of your comfort zone, and Jess has shared a personal experience of how she dealt with her own postpartum anxiety by signing up for a local stand-up comedy class. ---- Rate Amplify on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review for Jess Ekstrom. Amplify with Jess is produced by Earfluence , and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop .

When Corrie LoGuidice was juggling a high stress career as a Senior Vice President while being a single parent, she knew it was time for a change.  She saw an ad for Mic Drop Workshop, and decided to sign up. Shortly after, she was on the TEDx stage .  Today, Corrie talks about her Mic Drop experience and what she's accomplished since jumping off the corporate ladder. --- Rate Amplify on Spotify a...

Do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up?  Maybe you’re doing something close to what you wanted to do as a kid, or maybe you’re on a different planet than what you’d initially vision-boarded in the cafeteria with your milk carton dunking your dinosaur nuggets. Still, either way, your answer is telling. Why? Tune in to find out! Rate Amplify on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a...

Feedback and email capture are essential for speaker success, but they can also feel a bit self-serving. So, how can we collect these things effectively without the ickiness? Today, Jess is joined by Arel Moodie, who is revolutionizing the speaking industry with Talkadot, a tool for quickly getting feedback from the audience, collecting testimonials, and capturing people in the audience who want t...

Do you remember the last time you were bored? Like, truly bored? Nothing to read, nothing to scroll, nothing to listen to but your own thoughts. Sounds scary right? Except maybe boredom is the key to unlocking the next big idea. Rate Amplify on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review for Jess Ekstrom. Amplify with Jess is produced by Earfluence , and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop .

"Every time we see somebody accomplish anything, it should always be a reminder to us that we can accomplish anything." - Saul Blinkoff Saul has turned his dreams into reality. He's worked at some of the biggest names in the animation industry, including Disney Studios, MTV, ABC, Netflix, Mattel, and DreamWorks. But that's not all. He's also a life coach, a speaker, and a podcaster, helping others...

When Jess worked at Disney World, she saw the same two custodians every day—one who despised the job and the other who loved every minute of it. She wondered what separated the two in how they liked their jobs. A Yale study might hold the answer and help transform her mindset. Rate Amplify on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review for Jess Ekstrom. Amplify with Jess is produced by Earfluenc...

Is balancing a successful business with family life, self-care, friends, and sleep achievable? Our guest, Kate Rosenow, is a business systems strategist and the owner of "Work Well with Kate." She's an expert in helping service-based business owners scale without overwhelming (and understands this challenge firsthand as a mother!). She advocates for robust systems and clear boundaries in work and...

When Jess took her daughter Ellie on her first flight, she survived two meltdowns—and only one of them was from Ellie. As they walked up and down the plane aisle, trying to soothe each other (along with some passengers giving her side eye), Jess realized that she had changed her thoughts about other people's perspectives. Rate Amplify on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review for Jess Ekstr...

How do you juggle being an entrepreneur, mom, and keynote speaker? Meet Megan Reilly, the founder behind Tippi Toes's children's dance company, who was featured on a little-known show called Shark Tank. (You may have heard of it.)  She and Jess discuss balancing motherhood with career aspirations and embracing both simultaneously. --- Megan Reilly is a keynote speaker, COO of Tippi Toes , and host...

A major hurdle we face as achievers is the "Wanting Mind." This mindset is consistently dissatisfied, hindering our ability to remain present. Instead of enjoying the journey, we're constantly seeking the next destination, like a child repeatedly asking, "Are we there yet?" Rate Amplify on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review for Jess Ekstrom. Amplify with Jess is produced by Earfluence ,...

As the VP of a marketing agency in 2019, Melanie Borden had zero digital footprint.  But she decided it was time to step it up, and today, as we publish this episode, she has over 181,000 followers on LinkedIn! How did she do it? And how can you step up your LinkedIn presence to increase demand for your speaking? Let's find out! --- Melanie Borden is the Founder and CEO of The Borden Group , which...

Jess has a personal Aesop tale that shifted her views on positive and negative thoughts, luck, and she's sharing the story today to explain how it transformed her Zen energy. Rate Amplify on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review for Jess Ekstrom. Amplify with Jess is produced by Earfluence , and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop .

Lindsay Boccardo is no stranger to making mistakes. One of the biggest mistakes she made was walking down the aisle to marry a man while trying to convince herself she wasn't gay!  However, once she became comfortable with her authentic self, she made a career out of speaking and training organizations on how to support their team members to be themselves. Today, Lindsay talks about mistakes, brin...

One of the lessons the Mic Drop Workshop team teaches is Moment to Meaning. If you can look at your day like a film strip and place your finger on a moment—big or small—what would the greater meaning of that moment be? Today, Jess unpacks Moment to Meaning and shares how it applies to becoming a more powerful, more memorable speaker. Rate Amplify on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review fo...

Where does that inner critic of yours pop up from, and how can we handle it? Jess is joined by Britt Frank, a clinician, trauma specialist, and author of The Science of Stuck. Learn tips Britt has on calming nerves, changing self-talk, and staying true to yourself in creative endeavors. --- Britt Frank , LSCSW, SEP is a human behavior expert, licensed neuropsychotherapist and author of The Science...

A few years ago, Jess was on a retreat for "high-achievement women."  Everyone was in their 20s-40s, except for a woman who was probably in her mid-70s.  When Jess struck up a conversation with her, she asked if she got uncomfortable standing out at events like this. And the two words the woman taught her completely changed Jess's perspective on overthinking and creativity. Rate Amplify on Spotify...