Playing it safe might be the very thing keeping you stuck.
Renee Hribar shares the story of a marketing professor turned entrepreneur who realized that following the same industry playbook only made her blend in. By daring to do things differently, tell her story, and align her offers with what felt true, she was able to step out of the shadows and build real momentum in her business.
This conversation is a reminder that safe rarely creates progress. Confidence comes from permission to do things your way, and that’s exactly what makes your expertise stand out.
Transcript
Are immune. So listen in. Let me tell you a little bit about one of my clients. You know that I love to tell you stories about the people I work with. I will never divulge their true name or identity, but I will say that these are real women that are going through real things, that have real lives and they have real big dreams.
she was, uh, teaching in the [:She also did marketing services for local businesses on the side. Everything from creating, publishing, creating social media, creating their videos, running meta and Google ads to making technical edits on their websites and their funnels. So as she was married with two grown kids outta the house, she was also though caring for her sister who was battling ms.
So she did not. Have extra time. And that is, it's, I think, again, people have asked me and they've, they've, they've written in via email. You know, you give so much detail about these people. Why do you give so much detail? And, and I feel like if I'm you, and I'm listening to this right now, I want details. I wanna know the context.
tell you this story about my [:Maybe this is for her because I, part of this, my initiative here with this podcast is to help other women not just learn how to sell their expertise. 'cause yes, you will hang out with me long enough. You will learn how to sell your expertise, but to also gain the. Confidence and often it's through other people's stories that we can aspire to live into.
gig introducing safe AI at a [:I mean, she. Was being recognized. She was really carving out a niche for herself, and she found me after I had spoken, at an event, and a good friend of hers, bought my book. So often when I speak, people will get my book. And so a good friend of hers gave her my book. As a birthday gift, and she told me that she sat down one Saturday morning with her coffee, started reading and thought, ah, finally someone who gets it.
So I'm, of course, you know, flattery will get you everywhere. No, I mean, I was very excited, but that's what I wrote it for. I, I designed it for that reason. So by the end of the weekend. She had already looked me up online. She had signed up for my emails, and a month later we were working together. So when we first connected, she shared something with me that she had always noticed and wanted my take on it.
g to the same safe playbook. [:Like playing it safe feels smart. Like, hey, these people did it and they're doing great. I should do it at that exact way. But here's the problem. If you do exactly what everyone else is doing, you blend in, you become invisible. So she made a decision instead of following the industry standard, she launched something.
hift that I want you to take [:It's about her belief and ultimately yours. She believed for years that she needed to launch just like Amy Porterfield or follow every marketing trend, to finally really grow on her side of the, quote unquote tinkering with the tech to make it a full-time marketing agency that she could lead. And I mean, you know, she had a built, built-in interns as well for a staff that she could immediately grow into an agency from, you know, her solo half solopreneur to.
Permission to do it her way. [:Told her whole story before, she had never shared why she got into tech or why she loved supporting local businesses with their automations and marketing. That alone made her stand out and it was what scared her the most, so. Who would care about this? She thought, you know the answer. Lots of people. and honestly, I mean, I've, I've had that conversation with so many women across the years that I've been supporting businesses and their growth.
Well, who would care that I did this or who would care that I did that? There are people out there that when. All things are equal. They want someone who they believe understands them, and that means they have common ground. So what I want you to take away from her story is that being different, more importantly, being yourself, your way is the point.
feels comfortable. It rarely [:They're looking for you, they just don't know where to find you or if it's really you or not. And that's it for today. All right, I'll see you later on this week. With what happened next, but hey, if you're not already on my email list, get on it, girl. I don't know what you're waiting for. You'll keep getting great messages and insights like these, and the best part you can hit reply to any email I ever I ever send you and ask me anything.
All right, have a great Monday.
