The Power of One Sentence

Finding the Words That Make People Lean In

I always knew I was great at helping founders articulate their brilliance, but I never fully owned it. Then, a single conversation changed everything.

In just a few minutes, I helped two women land on the words that made people instantly lean in...and watching what happened next was the proof I didn’t even know I needed.

A Moment of Clarity at MMT

Last week, I was in San Diego at MMT (Mastermind Talks), surrounded by some of the most brilliant entrepreneurs I’ve ever met. The conversations were deep, the learning was rich, and the experiences were unforgettable.

And the fun? Well, I went sea kayaking and saw a baby dolphin swimming with its parents. I dressed up for a prom-themed party and danced the night away in my 90s ensemble, went on a breathtaking hike, did archery and even learned how to take better iPhone photos.

Now, imposter syndrome is real, especially in a room full of people doing massive, world-changing things. But here’s what I realized: I don’t have to build a billion-dollar company to make an impact.

My gift is taking the chaos of your ideas and distilling it into a few powerful words…words that make people lean in.

That became crystal clear one evening at dinner.

The Power of Just a Few Words

After dinner, two women sat across from me, sharing their frustration. They were successful, smart, and passionate, yet struggled to put into words what they actually do.

So I told them, “just word vomit at me.”

One of them, Katie, talked about her work in leadership development. She trains teams, facilitates offsites, and helps organizations build healthier cultures. It was all important, but it wasn’t clear or distinct from anyone else in her industry.

I pulled on a thread she mentioned in passing and finally said:

“You help leaders stop being nice.”

She gasped. Then nodded. That’s it.

She’s not just another leadership coach. She helps leaders move past performative “niceness” and develop the courage to have the tough, necessary conversations that actually create change.

With that one sentence, she changed her LinkedIn bio, tweaked her website, and wrote a post about why being nice is not a leadership strategy.

It got more engagement than she’s ever had before. Then she sent it out as a newsletter and immediately had two people reply asking how they could work with her.

All from one sentence that made people lean in.

What Do You Want to Be Known For?

The second woman, Lisa, has a successful business in the education and mental health space. But she was wrestling with a bigger question:

Who am I beyond my business? What do I want to be known for?

I asked her the same thing, and she started talking about how people label kids, families, and school systems as dysfunctional. It clearly bothered her deeply.

So I asked, what if you made it your mission to remove the word dysfunctional from our vocabulary?

She sat with that for a moment.

Yup, that’s it.

She didn’t have all the answers yet, and she didn’t need to. Figuring out the one thing you want to be known for is step one. The how comes later.

Testing It in the Real World

I gave them both a challenge: Go around the event, say this one simple sentence to people, and then stop talking.

They did, and the reactions were exactly what I predicted.

Every single time, people leaned in. They paused, intrigued, and said a variation of:

“Ooooh… tell me more!”

Their old explanations had been overwhelming, vague, or forgettable. But this new clarity made people instantly curious. And curiosity is what sparks connection, conversation, and opportunities.

My Zone of Genius = Helping You Find Yours

These conversations lit me up. I was on fire. I could have done it all night.

And then it hit me. This is what I was born to do.

I help people own their brilliance and give it the right words. Whether it’s a founder crafting a personal brand, an entrepreneur preparing to sell their business, or a leader stepping into a new chapter, the words you use can change everything.

So, I’m testing something new…

I want to bring this process live to my podcast. So if you’re struggling to put what do you do it into words in a way that makes people lean in…I want to help.

The only catch? You have to be willing to share the process publicly. But if you’re open to it, I know it will be powerful.

This is an experiment, but I know it will be powerful. If you’re interested, send me an email and we’ll set it up.

Let’s find the words that make people lean in.