Authority is Built, Not Given — Here’s How to Start

In this episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I’m joined by global brand strategist and creator Dain Walker to talk about building an authentic brand that actually connects — and why clarity, obsession, and personal responsibility are the real game-changers.

🎙️ In this episode, you’ll learn:

– Why “attention is currency” in today’s world

– The #1 mindset shift that unlocked Dain’s success

– How to grow without waiting for the perfect moment

– Tactical advice for finding your niche + standing out

– What it really means to take full agency over your life

💡 This episode will help you:

✓ Get clear on your message

✓ Build credibility without faking it

✓ Create content that feels real

✓ Turn your obsession into opportunity

✓ Stop waiting — and start leading

📚 Check out Dain's book The 90 Brand Plan on Amazon.

In this episode:

00:00 – Welcome

02:01 – How Dain Started His Brand Strategy Journey

04:45 – “Attention Is Currency” – Why Content Isn’t Enough

07:32 – Taking Full Agency Over Your Life and Success

11:09 – The Moment Dain Knew He Was Meant for More

13:20 – How to Turn Your Obsession Into a Scalable Brand

16:44 – Common Mistakes People Make With Their Brand

20:12 – The Power of Consistency and Repetition in Messaging

24:35 – Clarity Over Aesthetics: What Branding Really Means

28:10 – Why Confidence Comes from Reps, Not Followers

31:58 – Building a Personal Brand That Doesn’t Feel Fake

35:40 – The Myth of the “Right Time” to Start

38:23 – Tactical Advice: Find Your Niche and Solve a Problem

41:05 – The Brand-Builder’s Mindset: Focus, Value, Authenticity

44:18 – Final Thoughts: Creating a Brand That Reflects You

🔔 Subscribe for more weekly episodes that fuel growth, clarity, and leadership — from the inside out.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

🗓️ New episodes every Monday at 11 AM EST

📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @soniamartaauthor

🌍 Connect with Sonia: www.soniamarta.com

Follow Sonia’s journey & grow together:

• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠⁠Links⁠

What if the life you’re meant to live starts with being real?

Too many of us are stuck chasing perfection, people-pleasing, or performing our way through life. But what if the key to real resilience is… authenticity?

🎙️ In this empowering conversation, I sit down with Nathan Andres — globally recognized coach, LGBTQ+ advocate, and author of Your REAL Life — to talk about what it truly means to get real, resilient, and aligned with your purpose.

✨ In this episode, we explore:

– The REAL Life framework for authenticity and personal growth

– How to turn adversity into “advertenity”

– The connection between energy, identity, and fulfillment

– How to manage burnout while staying in your power

– Why the relationship you have with yourself is everything

– Creating boundaries without guilt

– The importance of being radically honest about your needs

💡 What you’ll learn:

✓ How to reconnect with your REAL self

✓ Practical tools to manage your energy and avoid burnout

✓ How to shift from adversity to opportunity

✓ Why resilience starts with self-awareness, not hustle

✓ The difference between surviving and truly thriving

✓ How to lead with your values in work and life

Nathan’s lived across continents, coached thousands, and finished four marathons 🏃‍♂️— but his biggest lesson? Authenticity is your greatest asset.

📚 Check out Nathan’s book Your REAL Life now available on Amazon.

In this episode:

00:00 Welcome

07:42 Introduction to Resilience and Well-Being

10:27 The Blueprint of Your Real Life

12:56 Understanding Reality and Acceptance

16:51 Harnessing Energy for Resilience

18:19 Authenticity: The Core of Self-Discovery

19:15 The Power of Love in Resilience

22:02 Facing Adversity: A Mindset Shift

27:18 Building Awareness and Self-Understanding

28:48 Advertenity: Finding Opportunity in Adversity

37:03 Types of Adversity and Their Impact

42:08 Taking Control of Financial Adversity

43:06 Understanding Personal Values and Identity

45:18 Regulating and Recovering Energy

55:07 Practical Tips for Energy Management

01:02:42 The Impact of Vulnerability on Leadership

01:09:50 Leading with Love and Self-Care

01:12:48 Transformative Reads for Personal Growth

SPONSOR: To grow your career and explore opportunities at Computer Generated Solutions (CGS) today, find out more details at www.romania.cgsinc.com.

🔔 Subscribe for more weekly episodes that fuel growth, clarity, and leadership — from the inside out.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

🗓️ New episodes every Monday at 11 AM EST

📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @soniamartaauthor

🌍 Connect with Sonia: www.soniamarta.com

Follow Sonia’s journey & grow together:

• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠⁠Links⁠

What if the purpose of life is… to change your mind?

In this episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with Case Kenny — bestselling author of ‘That’s Bold of You’ and host of the top 25 podcast New Mindset, Who Dis? — to talk about self-love, internal dialogue, and the real meaning of settling up vs. settling down.

→ This conversation will challenge you to rethink your relationships, rewrite your labels, and remind you that you’re allowed to define your own path.

→ It’s honest. It’s hopeful. It’s the reminder you didn’t know you needed.

💬 What We Talk About:

– The true definition of optimism

– Why labels limit your growth

– How vulnerability filters in the right people

– Visualizing vs Vocalizing to yourself: the mindfulness gap

– Visualizing success without bypassing your truth

– Breaking free from people breadcrumbing you + relationship imbalances

– Self-love before love: how to build your life first

– Creating your own version of success and joy

✨ What You’ll Learn:

✓ How to build confidence by pushing your comfort zone

✓ Why your internal dialogue shapes your emotional reality

✓ The difference between settling up and settling down for someone

✓ How to support others through trauma with compassion

✓ Why resistance is often a sign of progress

✓ How to stop rushing — and start trusting your pace

Case’s message is clear: the more honest you are with yourself, the less regret you’ll carry. And that’s where the real peace begins.

📚 Pre-order Case’s upcoming book The Opposite of Settling

📖 Get your copy of ‘That’s Bold of You’ here.

🖍️ & follow his signature red-pen reflections on Instagram at @case.kenny.

In this episode:

00:00 Welcome

03:33 Introduction to Case Kenny's Journey

05:42 Embracing Change and Optimism

10:00 The Power of Labels and Reinvention

14:05 Challenging Societal Norms

18:33 The Importance of Honesty and Vulnerability

23:47 Mindfulness and Visualization Techniques

26:03 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

30:18 Understanding Breadcrumbing in Relationships

34:11 The Importance of Choosing Yourself

40:18 Promoting Self-Love and Building a Life You Love

44:36 Cultivating a Trauma-Informed Mindset

46:44 Defining Your Own Path to Happiness

SPONSOR: To grow your career and explore opportunities at Computer Generated Solutions (CGS) today, find out more details at www.romania.cgsinc.com.

🔔 Subscribe for more weekly episodes that fuel growth, clarity, and leadership — from the inside out.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

🗓️ New episodes every Monday at 11 AM EST

📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @soniamartaauthor

🌍 Connect with Sonia: www.soniamarta.com

Follow Sonia’s journey & grow together:

• ⁠Instagram⁠
• Links⁠

If you’re ready to lead with more empathy, courage, and clarity — this is your episode. 💡

In this conversation, we talk about:

– Navigating the legal system with compassion

– Why trauma-informed leadership matters

– Self-care as a radical act for survivors

– How to turn pain into purpose

– Entrepreneurship as a tool for advocacy

– And what it means to lead with values — even when it’s hard

💌 This episode is for you if you’re:

– Ready to grow through what you’ve gone through

– Looking to serve your community in a bigger way

– Curious about how trauma shapes leadership

– Searching for clarity, healing, or your next step

🎧 You’ll walk away with:

✓ A deeper understanding of how trauma shows up in life + work

✓ Empowering tools for leading with empathy

✓ A new perspective on consent, boundaries, and self-respect

✓ Micha’s top 2 life-changing reads — The Body Keeps the Score + Sapiens

✓ The reminder you didn’t know you needed: you can trust yourself

⸻

Micha Star Liberty is a nationally recognized trial lawyer, trauma-informed leader, and the founder of Liberty Law. She’s a fierce advocate for survivors, a voice for justice in the courtroom, and a mentor for the next generation of impact-driven women. ⚖️

But beyond her resume, Micha is real, grounded, and speaks truth with the kind of wisdom that sticks with you.

📚 Explore Micha’s book, Evolutionista

Find it now on Amazon → https://a.co/d/5FtUV8T

Follow Micha Star Liberty on LinkedIn here.

The 2 books Micha described as life-changing:

1. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk
2. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

⸻

In this episode:

00:00 – Intro to Micha Star Liberty

13:50 – Empowerment Through Advocacy

16:40 – Understanding Toxic Environments

19:29 – The Mind-Body Connection and Trauma

22:29 – Trauma-Informed Leadership

25:44 – Navigating the Legal System

28:45 – Entrepreneurship and Advocacy

31:40 – The Importance of Community

34:42 – Reality-Based Optimism in Healing

37:28 – Consent in the Digital Age

40:54 – Literature’s Impact on Growth

43:26 – Final Thoughts + Life Advice

59:45 – Books That Changed Micha’s Life

⸻

🗓️ New episodes every Monday at 11 AM EST

📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @soniamartaauthor

🌍 Connect with Sonia: www.soniamarta.com

Follow Sonia’s journey & grow together:

• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠Website⁠
• ⁠Links⁠

Credibility is the foundation of leadership. You can’t be a leader without a follower.

In today’s episode, learn the 5 practices to becoming an exemplary leader:

1. Model The Way - do what you say you will do
2. Inspire a Shared Vision - see and share exciting possibilities for the future
3. Challenge the Process - empower others to take initiative and experiment
4. Enable Others to Act - foster collaboration and build up others

5. Encourage the Heart - celebrate others by showing gratitude

Follow Barry Posner on LinkedIn here.

SPONSOR: To grow your career and explore opportunities at Computer Generated Solutions (CGS) today, find out more details at www.romania.cgsinc.com.

Barry is the Accolti Professor of Leadership at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University, right in the heart of Silicon Valley. He’s an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and scholar, and has been named one of the Top 50 leadership coaches in America and one of the 10 Most Influential HR thinkers in the world by HR magazine.

Barry is best known as the co-author of the best-selling The Leadership Challenge series, a groundbreaking set of books that have sold over 3 million copies and been translated into more than 20 languages. These books, co-written with Jim Kouzes, provide practical, research-backed insights on why leadership is everyone’s business — helping leaders at all levels become their best selves.

In addition to his writing, Barry has worked with some of the world’s most impactful companies — from Apple and Hewlett-Packard to Trader Joe’s and Kaiser Permanente — and has guided leadership development efforts on over 50 college campuses. His work blends research with real-world application, making his advice both insightful and actionable.

Connect with Sonia:

• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠Website⁠
• ⁠Links⁠

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Leadership Excellence

16:28 The Five Exemplary Practices of Leadership

25:12 Personal Stories of Leadership Impact

34:02 Building Competence and Confidence in Young Leaders

35:48 Embracing Failure as a Path to Success

40:38 Building Resilience and Confidence in Leadership

48:49 Applying Leadership Skills Beyond School

54:06 The Power of Passion in Leadership

01:01:19 Introduction to Leadership Insights

01:02:23 Key Traits of Effective Leaders

01:04:08 The Impact of The Leadership Challenge

01:04:58 Personal Reflections and Conclusion

These are 3 insights that will help you thrive as a student in the fashion industry:

1. Resilience and adaptability are crucial for success in fashion.
2. Networking is essential for building relationships in the industry.
3. Adaptability is key during high-pressure situations in fashion.

The fashion education area is becoming more saturated with programs by the day. As a student searching for valuable should seek hands-on experiences over lectures

Get a copy of Ilyssa’s personal favorite books that changed her life:

• The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness by Morgan Housel
• The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries

Follow Ilyssa Wexler on LinkedIn here.

SPONSOR: To grow your career and explore opportunities at Computer Generated Solutions (CGS) today, find out more details at www.romania.cgsinc.com.

With over two decades of entrepreneurial success and a strong background in Wall Street as a top sales leader, Ilyssa Wexler brings a rare combination of business expertise and creative passion to the fashion industry. Since founding Fashion for Futures in 2016, she has empowered countless students by providing them with the essential tools to build professional portfolios, develop business strategies, and launch their own fashion careers or brands.

Ilyssa is a professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in Florence and has taught at prestigious institutions like Columbia University's pre-college program.

Under her guidance, students gain real-world insights, preparing them for success at top fashion houses or as independent designers. Ilyssa’s focus on entrepreneurship and portfolio development ensures her students are not only talented but business-savvy, ready to make their mark in the competitive fashion landscape.

Connect with Sonia:

• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠Website⁠
• ⁠Links⁠

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Ilyssa Wexler

00:45 Key Lessons for Thriving in Fashion

02:57 The Role of Networking in Fashion

04:47 Values of Fashion for Futures

07:14 Founding Fashion for Futures

09:40 Daily Operations and Student Engagement

10:53 Highlights from Paris Fashion Week

13:10 Characteristics of Successful Students

15:44 Impact of Immersive Learning

17:48 Business Expertise in Fashion Education

21:43 Crafting a Standout Fashion Portfolio

23:30 Evolution of Fashion Education

26:48 Choosing the Right Summer Programs

31:37 Building Meaningful Connections

37:12 Book Recommendations for Aspiring Fashion Leaders

40:46 Advice for Leaders in the Fashion Industry

43:17 Final Thoughts on Persistence

Fun can reduce stress and improve work performance. Making choices based on fun leads to a more fulfilling life.

In today’s episode, learn the difference fun can have in your everyday life, using Joel’s “TA-DA” philosophy.

“The journey is as important as the destination in personal development.”

Follow Joel on LinkedIn here.

Get a copy of Joel’s personal favorite books that changed his life:

- Make The Right Choice: Lead with Passion, Elevate Your Team, and Unleash the Fun at Work

- The Catcher in the Rye By J.D. Sangler

This episode is sponsored by CGS. To grow your career and explore opportunities at CGS today, find out more details at www.romania.cgsinc.com.

Joel is a dynamic speaker, work culture expert, improvisational humorist, and author who has spent more than 25 years inspiring audiences with his unique blend of comedy and business insight.

As the author of Make the Right Choice, Joel teaches that success often hinges on the choices we make — choosing creativity, passion, and positivity in both our personal and professional lives. Through his engaging keynotes and interactive improvisation, he demonstrates how celebrating small wins can drive collaboration, innovation, and productivity.

Joel's journey has taken him from newspaper journalism and corporate communications to captivating audiences at over 2,500 events for companies like Wells Fargo, Samsung, and even the IRS. His infectious energy and hilarious on-stage moments remind us that success isn’t just about strategy — it’s about embracing fun and passion along the way.

Connect with Sonia:

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠Website⁠

⁠Links⁠

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Joel Zeff

03:40 Finding Passion and Happiness in Work

05:28 The Importance of Fun in the Workplace

12:23 Creating Opportunity and Positive Support

17:57 The TADA Mindset: Celebrating Small Wins

23:05 The Five Secrets of the TADA Mindset

26:25 The Role of Improv in Leadership

30:58 The Magic Harmonica and Embracing Change

36:11 Embracing Change and Confidence

40:09 The Power of Choice in Difficult Times

43:17 Improv as a Tool for Adaptability

47:28 Unlocking Creativity in Teams

49:58 Advice to My Younger Self

56:30 Books That Shaped My Journey

58:41 Breaking the Ice with Humor

01:02:56 Incorporating Creative Moments into Daily Life

“We live in an age where we want to be connected. Be online. Be engaged. Don’t be invisible. Share knowledge and other people’s work.”

In today’s episode, tune into this discussion on the importance of legacy, the climate crisis, and the empowering messages from leaders in various fields.

Sangeeta shares:

• her journey as an activist
• insights on building a personal brand as an author
• common mistakes to avoid as authors
• corporate social responsibility, the significance of transparency in business

Get a copy of Sangeeta’s personal favorite books that changed her life:

• Far From The Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Sangeeta is an award-winning Public Relations professional, ranked at number 25 in the top 100 of the PR Influencer Index, and the founder of Serendipity PR & Media, which she established in 2009. With a remarkable career that began writing speeches for a former UK Prime Minister and Ministers, Sangeeta has worked with some of the most powerful global brands and organizations, including The Economist Group, the Cabinet Office, WHO, UN, The Times, Mayor of London, and many more.

Sangeeta is also an accomplished author, with her first book, The PR Knowledge Book, published in 2019, and her latest work, Corporate Social Responsibility Is Not Public Relations, making waves in the world of business and sustainability. Today, we’ll be diving into her newest book, What Will Your Legacy Be? — a thought-provoking guide that explores how we can build meaningful legacies through our work, values, and everyday actions.

Beyond her professional achievements, Sangeeta is a firm believer in the power of serendipity — those unexpected moments that can shape careers and businesses. She regularly writes for international platforms about sustainable business practices and serves on various boards, including the UK Taskforce for Women in Enterprise.

Connect with Sonia:

• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠Website⁠
• ⁠Links⁠

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Key Takeaways

00:01 Inspiring Stories and Perspectives on Climate Change

13:31 Actionable Steps for Young People

18:15 Advice for the 17-Year-Old You

21:48 Finding Your Passion and Making a Difference

24:24 Marketing Strategies for Authors

27:14 Common Mistakes Authors Make

30:47 Building Community Support for New Authors

33:35 Working with Celebrities and Building a PR Agency

34:52 The Evolution of Celebrity Influence

37:10 Authenticity in Storytelling

39:47 Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

42:34 The Importance of Transparency in Business

45:04 The Power of Individual Choices

46:23 The Impact of Literature on Life Perspectives

54:11 Surprising Personal Insights

55:12 Empowering Change in Everyday Life

59:06 Outro