Own Your Lane™ - The Thought Leadership Branding Podcast
For trusted experts ready to build visibility, grow influence, and lead with authority in their field.
Are you a professional services expert, consultant, advisor, founder, or speaker whose brilliance is hidden behind the scenes? You know you deliver real value, but your visibility, LinkedIn presence, and brand positioning don’t reflect the true level of authority you bring.
This podcast is here to change that.
Own Your Lane™ - The Thought Leadership Branding Podcast is the show for credible experts ready to build their personal brands, grow visibility and lead with thought leadership on LinkedIn, on stage and in the media.
Hosted by Michelle B. Griffin, TEDx & keynote speaker, advisor, author, and founder of Brand Leaders, this show offers actionable insight for building your personal brand, positioning your thought leadership, and becoming the go-to voice in your industry.
Each episode aligns with Michelle’s proprietary Own Your L.A.N.E.® Recognition Roadmap, her 4-part thought leadership brand positioning system designed to turn hidden experts into in-demand authorities
🎙️ In this podcast, you’ll learn how to:
- Clarify and position your message for greater visibility and recognition
- Grow a trusted presence on LinkedIn and across your digital footprint
- Step confidently into thought leadership with speaking, media, and books
- Build a platform that attracts ideal clients and career opportunities
With real conversations, solo insights, and practical strategies, this podcast helps you move from hidden expert to visible authority—one bold step at a time.
It’s time to Own Your Lane™ and lead with visible authority.
About Michelle B. Griffin
TEDx speaker (TEDxFSU – April 15, 2025), 2x author (Position Yourself, The LinkedIn® Branding Book), and host of two top-ranked personal branding podcasts.
Featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc., and Authority Magazine, Michelle advises, speaks, and trains professional services leaders to build personal brands that drive visibility, trust, and business results.
When she’s not helping others own their lane, Michelle’s walking outdoors in sunny Florida, listening to ’80s tunes, and making meaningful connections.
Ready to Own Your Lane & Lead With Authority?
Book a clarity chat or invite Michelle to speak/train: MichelleBGriffin.com/chat
Own Your Lane™ - The Thought Leadership Branding Podcast
How to Confidently Pitch (and Get Accepted) On Podcasts: The Step-By-Step Process With Podcast Publicity Expert Alice Draper
Ready for PR to raise your visibility and authority in your field? Podcasts are one of the best ways to get in front of other audiences to share your message and expertise.
If you're new to podcast publicity, this episode will share the exact process for getting your pitches accepted. Podcast publicity expert Alice Draper, founder of Hustinling Writers, details her best tips and brilliant ideas for handling rejection and follow-ups.
Plus, get her strategies to find the perfect-fit podcasts to start pitching.
LINKS
Connect with Alice Draper on LinkedIn
HustlingWriters
Ready to Own Your Lane? - The Brand Leaders® Podcast
Michelle B. Griffin is a keynote speaker, personal brand and PR strategist, author, podcaster and LinkedIn® visibility expert who helps high-achieving professionals elevate their visibility and influence for business growth.
As the founder of Brand Leaders® Executive Branding and creator of the Own Your Lane® Recognition Roadmap, she helps B2B founders, leaders and industry experts position their personal brands and leverage LinkedIn + PR to grow influence, increase demand, and become top-of-mind authorities to accelerate business growth.
Book a chat with Michelle to discuss speaking, advising or workshops to scale visibility, influence, and business growth. MichelleBGriffin.com/chat
WEBSITE: MichelleBGriffin.com
EXECUTIVE BRANDING ADVISORY: Brand Leaders
READ: My Personal Branding Books
LISTEN: The LinkedIn Branding Show
CONNECT: With Me on LinkedIn
Podcast Transcript
Michelle B. Griffin: Welcome back, everybody, to this week's episode. I'm your host, Michelle B. Griffin. Today, we're diving into a topic close to my heart—visibility. I'm thrilled to introduce Alice Draper, a champion for underserved entrepreneurs and experts in the PR realm. Alice, welcome to the show!
Alice Draper: Thank you, Michelle! I'm really excited to be here. Thanks for having me, especially so late on my side of the world!
Michelle B. Griffin: We appreciate your time and expertise, Alice. For those new to you, could you share a bit about what you do and what Hustling Writers is all about?
Alice Draper: Absolutely. I pivoted from journalism to PR four years ago, after realizing I could leverage my pitching skills to help entrepreneurs gain visibility. At Hustling Writers, we're on a mission to make publicity accessible for underrecognized entrepreneurs. I've helped clients appear on over 500 top podcasts and written for major outlets like Vice and HuffPost. The connections made through podcasts, whether big or niche, often bring the right audience and potential collaborative opportunities, which I love.
Michelle B. Griffin: That's fascinating. Speaking of getting on podcasts, it often starts with a pitch. I've been fortunate to be invited to many, but with my book coming out, I’m gearing up for a pitching campaign. I know you're a pro at crafting effective pitches. Could you share some insights on starting a pitch and handling rejection?
Alice Draper: Starting with a template is fine, Michelle. The key elements include showing familiarity with the podcast, presenting a compelling story relevant to the audience, and introducing yourself credibly. Include links to past work for easy access. Rejection, though inevitable, shouldn't deter you. It's often not about you but factors like timing or topic overlap. Developing a rejection resilience muscle is crucial in business and life.
Michelle B. Griffin: That's a powerful mindset. Tell us more about handling rejections.
Alice Draper: Embracing rejections can be transformative. I learned this from a Facebook group of writers who celebrated rejections as milestones. This mindset shift helps focus on the process over perfection, improving your pitching skills and opening unexpected opportunities.
Michelle B. Griffin: Incredible perspective. Now, for those ready to start pitching, what’s the process you recommend for getting those initial 'yeses'?
Alice Draper: Start small. If you lack social proof, pitch to smaller podcasts to build a portfolio of interviews. This scaffolding technique helps build credibility. Also, consider platforms like LinkedIn Live for real-time interviews, adding to your proof of capability.
Michelle B. Griffin: Once someone has some experience, how should they find the right podcasts that fit their expertise?
Alice Draper: Research industry peers who are steps ahead but not too far out of reach. Use tools like Apple Podcasts or Spotify to discover where they've appeared and target similar podcasts. This focused approach helps find shows that match your audience and expertise.
Michelle B. Griffin: And once you've identified potential podcasts, what’s next?
Alice Draper: It’s crucial to follow up effectively. Send a gentle reminder a week after your initial pitch, then another a week later if needed. Most positive responses come from follow-ups. It’s about persistence without being pushy.
Michelle B. Griffin: Alice, this has been immensely helpful. Before we wrap up, could you share one actionable tip for our listeners to start putting themselves out there with podcast pitching?
Alice Draper: Start with a spreadsheet to track your pitches. This helps you stay organized and focused, ensuring you follow through on each opportunity. Whether it’s pitching podcasts or any other endeavor, keeping track of your actions can significantly increase your chances of success.
Michelle B. Griffin: Thank you, Alice, for sharing your expertise and for your commitment to helping underrepresented entrepreneurs. It's been enlightening!
Alice Draper: Thank you for having me, Michelle. It’s been a pleasure!
Michelle B. Griffin: Alright, everybody. Keep putting yourself out there. You have a brand to build, a message to share, and people to impact. Catch you next week. Take care!