Accelerator Spotlight: Diann Wingert

One of my favorite things to do is to celebrate other women who are making big waves in the world... and then my second favorite thing to do is to connect them with other people who NEED TO KNOW these women! 

Hence, this monthly blog post and shout-out sharing a woman in my community you need to know! 

Diann Wingert and I have been circling the online and podcasting world for a hot minute -- and even before I knew her personally, I liked her. I admired her presence. Then, when we finally connected to have a 'get to know you' chat on zoom, I fell madly in love with her vibe -- she is someone who says what she thinks, and commands your attention when she speaks. Go listen to one of her Driven Woman podcast episodes and you'll see what I mean. 

So it's with great pleasure to have Diann in our VIP Community and to showcase her here this month for our Accelerator Spotlight. Keep reading, and I double-dog-dare you to connect with her and follow her as fast as you can. This lady is legit badass.
 

APRIL: Let's start with a little introduction. Tell everyone a bit more about you & share a piece of your journey.

DIANN: As a former psychotherapist, I am no stranger to the fact that most people hate change and will tolerate considerable discomfort in order to avoid it, but a few years ago, I'd reached a point where I was starting to feel stagnant in my career. I didn't want to make a mistake, experience loss or fall on my face, but eventually, it was time for action. I closed my successful practice, invested in coach training, became a business mindset coach for female solopreneurs, immersed myself in learning online marketing, content creation and social media. During the pandemic, I decided to launch a podcast, with over 100 weekly episodes and I continue to learn new skills every day. Transforming my relationship with fear, uncertainty and doubt and learning how to be visible, vulnerable and create value online has completely changed my life and turbo-charged my confidence and resiliency. Stretching our comfort zone + taking action is the ultimate personal growth path. My husband changed careers in 2019 and now that we both work remotely, we decided to try a new city & state. After 3 years, we knew it was not our forever home, so we just relocated again, in May!  

APRIL: How has 'storytelling' influenced you and/or your business?

DIANN: I have come to appreciate the importance of storytelling as a business owner, because all human beings tell stories and respond to stories. When I think about which businesses I buy from and why, I realize how often I make the decision based on some aspect of their story that resonates with me. As a psychotherapist, most of my clients came from referrals, so someone else told the story about who I am, and how I help. Once I became a coach, I needed to start marketing myself, which meant I needed to learn how to tell my own story. This became even more important when I became a podcaster, especially for my solo episodes and when I am being interviewed as a guest on other shows.

APRIL: What does being a LIGHTbeamer mean to you?

DIANN: My niece gave me a wonderful compliment, after listening to a few episodes of my podcast, saying "some people talk a lot, but you have a lot to say." I love this distinction, because the internet and social media and crowded and noisy and it can be challenging to find the value. Being a LIGHTbeamer to me, means having something to say to the people who need and want to hear it, from me in particular and for that something to elevate, enrich or empower them in some way. I don't want to just talk a lot. That is not beaming a light, that is just attracting attention without offering value in exchange. My coaching clients have been successful in their corporate, nonprofit or academic career, but are struggling as solopreneurs because the rules are different and they have unconscious beliefs and behaviors that hold them back. I love shining a light for them, so they can eliminate those obstacles and truly shine.

APRIL: What have you learned or discovered the most about storytelling and your story?

DIANN: When I started my coaching business, I hesitated to tell my own story and was uncertain about how to do so in a skillful way. Part of the reason is that my professional training as a psychotherapist labeled any kind of self disclosure as "unprofessional" and emphasizes that the focus must always be on the client. This is one of the reasons I outgrew the role of therapist, because I have had countless experiences that have enlarged my perspective, helped me grow and made me a wiser, braver, more compassionate and insightful person, and not being able to share them came to feel like an unnecessary constraint. I didn't want to just open the floodgates and just "wing it" so one of the reasons I joined this group was to learn how to use story and storytelling in a strategic way in and for, my business. I am much more aware of storytelling now, especially at social gatherings in our new neighborhood. Whenever I meet someone who is especially good at telling or sharing stories, I tell them so!

APRIL: What's been the hardest part about learning how to share your story?

DIANN: Rejection sensitivity and worrying about what others will think, feel and say in response to what I share. In 'real life" with people that know me, I am direct, outspoken and opinionated and don't hesitate to share my unpopular opinions or even be a little confrontational. I believe that I will stand out more if I lean into that more in my content and marketing but still feel afraid to do so.

APRIL: What is one piece of advice you'd give to another woman about using her voice and sharing her story?

DIANN: Show up, stand up and speak up. Be raw, be real, be as honest and vulnerable as you dare. Nothing is more powerful than this.

APRIL: What do you love most about your work?

DIANN: The ability to shave decades off the learning curve for my clients, so they can get much further, much faster.

APRIL: What are you busy creating now?

DIANN: I just finished developing my signature framework The Boss Up System and will be spending the summer creating my content and preparing to launch my group program in the fall.

APRIL: How do you relax after a busy week?

DIANN: Plenty of cuddle time with the pups, catching up on my reading and an afternoon nap is a must. I am also a fan of Chinese foot massage. Because we just relocated to a city where we don't know anyone (yet) we are exploring by checking out museums, parks, art galleries, restaurants and taking our two senior chihuahuas for walks to meet other dog owners in the area. I just got the Ray Ban Stories sunglasses, so I want to learn how to take photos and videos on the go with them.

APRIL: What kind of things do you like doing outside of work?

DIANN: I love traveling to explore different cultures. Going to see community theater, stand up comedy and improv. Small dinner parties with friends. Bingeing shows like Ozark, Stranger Things and Inventing Anna on Netflix. The highlight of my week is my 2-hour Zoom call with my three adult kids on Tuesday nights. We have kept it going for three years so far.

APRIL: How have you benefited the most by being a member of our VIP Membership, The Visibility Accelerator?

DIANN: The Visibility Accelerator is a judgment free, shame free and very safe space where I show up with my "dumb" questions, inconsistency, feeling bold and brilliant one week, then scared and silent the next. The membership is an important reminder to me that I am committed to being visible, to keep it simple and keep it fun and that I will win, as long as I keep going. Also, April is a super-connector and really makes an effort to bring people together who might not make it happen on their own.

APRIL: What sort of special achievements or accolades are you most proud of?

DIANN: According to Listen Notes, The Driven Woman Podcast is in the top 2.5% of podcasts, globally!

APRIL: What are the best channels for others to follow you?

DIANN: Here are the best ways for you to reach me:

WEBSITE: https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com/
PODCAST: The Driven Woman Podcast with Diann Wingert
FB GROUP: The Driven Woman 
IG: https://www.instagram.com/coachdiannwingert/
LINKED IN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannwingertcoaching/ 

Diann is a member of the Visibility Accelerator -- my VIP membership that helps ramp up your Visibility, uplevel your Online game, and really master the Art of Storytelling to build an engaged audience. To find out more and join the Visibility Accelerator, click here.