The Influence Economy Podcast with Shayna Davis

Shayna Rattler Davis
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Where modern leaders and organizations master the signals that shape trust, visibility, and reputation in the outside world.

  1. 2D AGO

    What Leaders Get Wrong About External Influence w/ Carlee Wolfe

    You can be the most brilliant person in the room and still be invisible. Let’s fix that. In this episode, I sit down with Carlee Wolfe, a global talent and leadership executive who has spent her career at the intersection of leadership, influence, and the future of work. Carlee leads global integrated talent management at Hyatt Hotels Corporation and has held leadership roles with Under Armour and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. Her work focuses on how talent systems — performance, development, succession, and mobility — shape trust, credibility, and reputation in an AI-accelerated world. This conversation goes deep on what it actually takes to build external credibility as a leader, why most technical leaders are leaving influence on the table, and what Carlee has learned from her own journey of showing up publicly. Let’s keep it real: having the expertise is not enough. The leaders who get picked, promoted, and trusted externally are the ones who’ve figured out how to make their point of view visible. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why staying silent — even inside your own organization — can make you look like a doer instead of a strategist, and how to change that The difference between being a corporate branded parrot and showing up as a leader with a real point of view How to start building your external presence in 30 days, even if you have no idea where to begin What unintentional behaviors are quietly eroding trust in your external moments — and how to recover when things go wrong Resources Mentioned: Connect with Carlee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carleeawolfe/ Your Next Steps: Access the white paper: External Influence: The Currency Every Leader Must Carry. https://externalinfluence.us Follow Shayna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaynarattler/ Visit our website: https://executivesignalsgroup.com

    32 min

  2. APR 5

    The Real Reason Deals Stall

    Let’s just say the quiet part out loud: your sales cycle isn’t long—you’re just asking people to trust you too late. And if that stings a little, good. Because this is where most leadership teams are getting it wrong. We’ve been conditioned to believe slow deals are just the nature of B2B—more stakeholders, more complexity, more time. But let’s keep it real: two companies with the same product, same pricing, and same market can close at completely different speeds. So what’s actually driving that gap? Trust. And more specifically—when that trust gets built. In this episode, I’m breaking down why sales velocity has less to do with your process and more to do with your presence before the first conversation ever happens. Because buyers aren’t deciding during your sales cycle—they’re confirming what they already believe. Let’s fix that. What you’ll learn: Why your sales cycle is actually a trust timeline—not a process problem The three leadership signals that either accelerate or stall your deals How external influence becomes a direct revenue lever What your buyers are deciding before they ever take your call Your Next Steps: Access the white paper: External Influence: The Currency Every Leader Must Carry. https://externalinfluence.us Follow Shayna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaynarattler/ Visit our website: https://executivesignalsgroup.com

    16 min

  3. MAR 31

    You’re Visible But Not Credible w/ Laura Camacho

    Let’s keep it real—visibility is already happening whether you’re intentional about it or not. The question is: are you sending the right signals, or are you leaving your credibility up to chance? In this episode, I sat down with executive communication strategist Laura Camacho to unpack one of the biggest blind spots in modern leadership. Too many leaders are still operating like visibility is optional—or worse, something reserved for influencers and entrepreneurs. Let’s fix that. Because in today’s environment, visibility isn’t about attention. It’s about trust, perception, and ultimately, performance. Laura and I go deep into what’s really holding leaders back, why being “great at your job” is no longer enough, and how to step into external visibility without becoming performative or fake. This is the conversation leaders need to hear before they get passed over, overlooked, or outpaced. What you’ll learn: Why visibility is already a KPI—even if it’s not on your performance review The real risk of staying invisible (and why it’s costing you opportunities) How to stop sounding like a “corporate-branded parrot” and develop a real point of view The first shift to make if you want to build credible external influence Resources: Connect with Laura on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauramcamacho/ Grab your Executive Presence Scorecard: Email hello@speakupwithlaura.com (Subject: “Score”) Your Next Steps: Access the white paper: External Influence: The Currency Every Leader Must Carry. https://externalinfluence.us Follow Shayna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaynarattler/ Visit our website: https://executivesignalsgroup.com

    31 min

  4. MAR 23

    Why PR Fails Tech Companies

    Let’s keep it real: a lot of leaders think PR is the fix when the real issue is message ownership. In this episode, I’m breaking down the difference between visibility and influence, and why more media, more stages, and more polished language will not help if leadership has no real point of view behind the message. I’m also getting honest about what happens when companies outsource the center of their voice. Because PR can amplify a message, but it cannot create conviction. If your public language sounds polished but forgettable, safe but empty, or strategic but disconnected from how leadership actually thinks, let’s fix that. This episode is about why leadership-owned messaging is now a trust issue, a credibility issue, and a business issue. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why PR cannot solve a leadership message problem The difference between exposure and actual influence How borrowed messaging falls apart under pressure What leadership-owned messaging really requires before PR ever enters the room Your Next Steps: Access the white paper: External Influence: The Currency Every Leader Must Carry. https://externalinfluence.us Follow Shayna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaynarattler/ Visit our website: https://executivesignalsgroup.com

    21 min

  5. MAR 16

    Why Great Talent Chooses Certain Companies w/ EA Clarke

    Most leaders think attracting top talent is about compensation, benefits, or the size of the opportunity. Let’s keep it real—that’s not what makes high performers choose you. The companies that consistently attract the right people are the ones that know how to tell a story. Not a marketing story. Not a polished brand narrative. The real story behind why the company exists and what kind of people belong inside it. In this episode, I sit down with recruitment strategist EA Clarke, founder of Pivot and Edge, to talk about why employer branding is becoming one of the most overlooked leadership responsibilities in today’s war for talent. EA has spent more than 30 years in recruitment and startup leadership, helping companies scale their teams and raise capital. What he’s learned along the way is simple: the best hires aren’t just looking for a job—they’re looking for a mission they believe in. And if leaders can’t clearly communicate that mission? Let’s fix that. In this conversation, we unpack why storytelling is actually a talent strategy, how leaders accidentally repel the best candidates, and why every executive—not just HR—has a role in shaping the signals your company sends to the outside world. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why employer branding is not the same thing as company branding—and why the difference matters How storytelling helps startups attract the right talent instead of just more candidates What high-performing candidates are actually listening for when evaluating your company Why every executive’s LinkedIn presence is part of your hiring strategy Mentioned Resources: Pivot and Edge: https://pivotandedge.com Connect with EA Clarke on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eaclarke Email EA Clark: eaclarke@pivotandedge.com Your Next Steps: Access the white paper: External Influence: The Currency Every Leader Must Carry. https://externalinfluence.us Follow Shayna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaynarattler/ Visit our website: https://executivesignalsgroup.com

    33 min

  6. MAR 8

    Why Your Technical Leaders Matter More

    For decades, companies relied on one voice to carry credibility: the CEO. But something is changing in the market—and if you work in technology, innovation, or any industry powered by complex systems, you’ve probably felt it already. The people audiences trust the most are no longer just the executives telling the story. Increasingly, it’s the people who actually understand how the systems work. The engineers. The architects. The CTOs. The builders. Technical credibility is quietly becoming leadership currency—and most organizations haven’t adjusted to this shift yet. Let’s keep it real: when audiences hear directly from the people who built the thing, something different happens. The message feels less polished, more grounded, and infinitely more credible. In this episode, I’m unpacking why technical leaders are becoming some of the most powerful trust signals a company can have—and what smart organizations are starting to do differently because of it. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why technical credibility is becoming one of the strongest trust signals in modern leadership The hidden credibility gap most organizations are creating without realizing it Why communication training alone won’t unlock technical leaders’ influence How companies can turn technical expertise into market trust, talent attraction, and investor confidence Your Next Steps: Access the white paper: External Influence: The Currency Every Leader Must Carry. https://externalinfluence.us Follow Shayna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaynarattler/ Visit our website: https://executivesignalsgroup.com

    14 min

  7. MAR 2

    Communication and Media Training Is Not Enough

    If you’ve ever sent a leader to communication training and thought, “Why didn’t that land the way I expected?” — let’s keep it real. It’s not because they need better slides. It’s because they don’t have a defined leadership identity. In this episode, I’m saying something that might irritate a few executive programs: communication training is not the first step. Leadership identity is. Because if you don’t know what you stand for, no amount of media coaching or executive presence polish will make you magnetic. It will just make you polished… and generic. And generic is invisible in today’s Influence Economy. I share a story from a recent panel where one leader stood out — not because he was louder or more charismatic — but because he was defined. He wasn’t hiding behind the company. He was representing it. And that difference is everything. If you’re serious about building external credibility, attracting top talent, and strengthening market trust, this is where the real work starts. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why communication training without identity clarity makes leaders more replaceable The three components of true leadership identity and how to define yours How the war for talent, trust gaps, and tech disruption are reshaping executive evaluation Five powerful questions to clarify what you actually stand for Your Next Steps: Access the white paper: External Influence: The Currency Every Leader Must Carry. https://externalinfluence.us Follow Shayna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaynarattler/ Visit our website: https://executivesignalsgroup.com

    18 min

  8. FEB 23

    Why Your Company Name Isn’t Enough w/ Nathaniel Schooler

    If you think your title is your brand, let’s fix that. Too many corporate leaders hide behind their company logo. They believe their credibility comes from the organization they work for, not from the signals they send personally. Let’s keep it real. In today’s war for talent, widening trust gap, and relentless tech disruption, that mindset is dangerous. In this episode, I sit down with personal branding expert and podcast host Nathaniel Schooler to talk about why leaders must stop seeing themselves as “just a representative of the company” and start recognizing that they are a brand — whether they like it or not. We break down what a personal brand actually is (hint: it’s not a logo), why AI won’t save you from being invisible, and how leaders who ignore their external presence risk getting passed over, replaced, or forgotten. If you want to get picked, paid, and promoted — and become an asset your company can’t afford to lose — this conversation is your wake-up call. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why seeing yourself only as your job title is costing you influence The real definition of personal brand (and why most leaders get it wrong) The foundational document every leader needs before building visibility How LinkedIn, external presence, and thought leadership protect your career Resources Follow Nathaniel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanielschooler/ Learn about Monday Influencer: http://www.mondayinfluencer.com/ Your Next Steps: Access the white paper: External Influence: The Currency Every Leader Must Carry. https://externalinfluence.us Follow Shayna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaynarattler/ Visit our website: https://executivesignalsgroup.com

    36 min
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Where modern leaders and organizations master the signals that shape trust, visibility, and reputation in the outside world.

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