The Ripple Network with Gina – Branding, Confidence & Finding Your Voice

Well, good morning, Gina Dunn. How are you? Let's hope three times is a charm. We've tried this a couple of times, haven't we? These technical issues are incredible. So we'll it a go. No, it's not our friend. But let's see. We've all rebooted. We've restarted. And so let's hope that the recording works now. So I'm so pleased to be sitting with you today and talking about the Ripple Network and your part of that.

Well hello Sabine.

Yeah, yeah, it's not our friend today,

What you think about it, what your ideas are for the future. But I want to start with you, Miss Gina. And how, did you get to the space even? Because you are just for me this brand guru. And I think I said this to you a couple of days ago, that you also helped with the brand for all of this, the Ripple Network, and then also for my book. And I...

Okay.

have the sense that you see people and you see people and you're able to create a brand that is so impactful and so fitting to the individuals. And I would just like to talk a bit about that first, because how do you get that? What is your, like, how does that work for you?

That's a big question. For me, indeed. Yeah. Good morning. For me, I think one of the biggest things is that I've been doing this for 25 years and well more than 25. I won't say my age, but a long time. And it's really always been in my blood. There is something about being able to make connections where other people don't make those connections or to see a company or a person,

It's hard to say.

for who they are inside and out. And then to translate that in a way that really makes them shine or sparkle and brings that to the forefront in a natural way. And I also, what I see a lot with brands and I always have seen this with brands, especially when you're looking at a personal brand for an individual, oftentimes with company brands, we really tie it to a persona. If the brand were a person, who would it be? And with personal brands.

That's the part that I love so much about personal brands is actually the persona is you. The persona is the person and it's really hard to see you yourself.

Yeah.

Yeah, true.

Really hard. So for me, being able to make those connections where other people might not see them or you might not see them in yourself or I might not see them in myself as well, that's a beautiful thing. And it is what by far gets me up in the morning. It by far is in my heart. Like it's this innate, I don't know how else to explain it. It's a feeling that I get in the process that I walk through with a person or a company. It's a feeling. I've always felt like it is my calling.

It's what I've been drawn to.

Yeah, it's definitely your calling because you do it so well. And and again, I have this when I tell other people about the brand and how I got to where the brand is today. That's how I describe it. was like, Gina sees you. She she asks questions and she pulls pieces out that they were like undercover, like they're under a little little mound. And you are able to pull all that out and to.

Ha

and to expose it. And I just think that that's such an incredible thing. And it's very emotional, I think, for people too, isn't it? I can imagine. I know it was for me in my process. It felt very emotional as you read these ideas and this text and this brand, this persona of who you are. But to read it through the words and the images that you create are very emotional. So I can imagine you must be just hit with that regularly.

Yeah. Yeah.

For me too. I cry. Every one of the brands that they are so deeply connected to me too. And when you see that click, that connection happen with a client or with a person and I feel that same click and connection when I see that emotional response, like we share that together. Every time. I've cried.

Yeah, yeah. Well, it's really, yeah. Yeah, it can get emotional. It's like it gets to the core of who you are. that is, yeah, it's a really beautiful thing.

So hard for us to see that in ourselves. Because we are, as human nature, human beings, we're always thinking about, I did this or I did that, or what is the output or outcome of what I have done, but not about what really makes us tick and what do other people see us for. It was crazy. I remember this one time I did, I was in a workshop and one of the, it was a personal branding workshop that I was part of, I wasn't leading it.

Yeah, true.

Yep, true.

But one of the things that we sat down and did, and it was in person, we had a circle of people, none of us knew each other, 15 people, 20 people in Amsterdam. And the facilitator said to us, okay, everybody, you've got three minutes and a piece of paper. I want you to look at the person next to you, never seen them in your life, and write down one word after another of what you think that person's core is all about. And it was insane.

Mmm.

because the woman who did it with me, she had never seen me before. She had no idea who I was. She read it back to me and I just, I lost it, Sabine, because she said things about me that were so true and you don't see it in yourself, but somebody else could see it in you. I think it was so, so, I will never forget it. It was maybe 15 years ago, but that has always stuck with me. That moment, that person being able to feed back to me things that I went, my.

Goodness, she sees that. She sees me. So cool.

Yeah. And that's the thing. We want to be seen, don't we? And I think that all of the things that we're doing, and I think the idea behind The Ripple Network is about being seen and being heard. And I think that that's what gets us kind of up in the morning excited and looking forward to where this is going to go. It's new. Because The Ripple Network and this whole concept and the platform is brand new.

heard. Yes.

Totally.

We're looking forward to getting people sign up and be part of it and to watch them be seen and to be heard.

Yeah. And develop, watch them grow, develop and, and being confident in being able to share their voices. I think, yeah, that is also something so amazing to see when you come into your own for it.

Yeah, definitely.

So true. So actually that is like a beautiful, wow, we didn't mean for that to happen, but what a great thing. But what a great thing. I'm really curious to hear also about like your profession and private, you know, what drives you to be excited and what gets you up in the morning around this space.

Yay. Look at that bridge.

around this space. Well, I don't know if I ever told you before, but I really do remember the first time that I stood on stage. I was terrified and I will, I was shaking, I was afraid, and I am very much an outgoing, like I don't have a problem talking, like have a problem staying quiet. But I was standing on that stage for the first time,

in front of an audience at a conference presenting something that I knew everything about inside and out.

Okay, so content was clear. You were very confident.

The content for me, yeah, I was confident. knew I was prepared. I had everything in my head. had rehearsed. But the second I stood up there, I remember my voice shaking. I was shaking and it was recorded. So I have proof of that experience, but it was really overwhelming for me. And this was 15, 18 years ago. And I didn't know where to go or what to turn to. And I took it in myself to do it. Right. And I think for me.

If I think back to that moment, and if I had the support and guidance that we're doing with The Ripple Network then, it would have been a completely different experience for me. So from my perspective, that's one of the reasons that I am so driven to help other women to find their voice and to own their space, but to have the confidence to stand up there and say, this is my voice, this is my space. And with their quirks,

because every one of us has that uniqueness about us and our brand, and not to be afraid to stand up there and actually use that to our advantage as part of our brand, and to feel that confidence. I have been doing this for so long, 25 years, and I think one of the things I've learned the most is that the most strongest and most important powerful brands are built on being authentic. And that's the thing that I feel, or at least I felt in the moment that I stood up there as an example, I felt I'd lost that.

Because if I had felt more comfortable standing on that stage at that moment, I would have done my normal, Gina personality, right? And who I am, been more bubbly and not so terrified. So I think if I, that's my perspective of why I'm so invested in this space is if we can help other women overcome that and have a completely different experience when they first step up there.

Imagine what that brings to the rest of the world and to the rest of all of us. All of us.

Yeah, you're right. It's really interesting to think about. We can know content. When we talk about it with each other and on an individual level, it's comfortable and it flows and it feels, you feel authentic. But somehow getting on a stage or being recorded, somehow that we alter ourselves. We maybe alter our voices. We change the way we stand, our body position, all of that.

Yeah.

Definitely.

either.

And that then has an impact around the authenticity of who we are because it's not really ourselves we're not being authentic because we have all of these things going on inside of us around the nervousness.

Yes.

Yeah. And the moment that you have that first, let's say a negative sort of experience for me, it left a lasting impression really to this day. And I do think about it often, even though I've done it way more times now and I can be in front of a camera and I don't have a problem speaking in public whatsoever. But sometimes there's always that little bit of fear that still creeps in from that first experience. And if we can help people overcome and not have as

as traumatic as the first experience. That's why I'm so invested in this because I think there's so much power in that. Yep. And I want to help others.

Yeah, there's an amazing amount of power in that. So true. Yeah, definitely. And it helps them in their career. It helps them in the jobs that they're in. It helps getting the message out. And I think that that's so important. When I, I've spoken to so many women, you know, cause I'm also writing the book Beyond the Ladder and I've done a lot of interviews in that. And these stories are just incredible. What people share about their journeys and what they've been on and, where.

Yeah.

Where there are areas that they would like to share in order to potentially help others maybe not have some of the same mistakes. We're all going to make mistakes, but maybe to not make the same ones that they did. So I think also sharing these stories is so amazing because there's so much we heard.

we are.

And truth is, everyone has a story to share and a voice to use it. And there are tons of platforms out there to do it. As long as you can step into your own and feel okay to do it, then you learn along the way as well.

Yeah, so true. So when you think about the Ripple Network and what's the goals and what we want to do, if you were to pick, five words, what words would you use to describe it?

Yep. Yes.

Well, ripples, of course. think Ripples for me is the first word. That is the heart and soul of what The Ripple Network is all about. And that every person within the Ripple Network has the power to create ripples and has the power to make impact with those ripples that extend really far beyond their own personal impact that they make. Yeah, the ripples are such a strong, important piece. And the Ripple Talks, of course.

Second thing,

community, because The Ripple Network is that community I was missing when I had my first experience, really and truly is. If I had a place to practice that, if I had a supportive environment to, let's say, collaborate with others and test out and get that confidence feeling, I wouldn't have had that negative experience as my first experience. We will be able to grow together. So for me, community is a really important...

Mmm.

aspect that really doesn't exist anywhere else.

That would be my second one. 5, right? Okay, three. Three, I would say it's about the impact that we make with those ripples,

because every one of those ripples and every person is empowered to make a difference in some way, in their own way, how their own heart has that feeling to do it. And they can make a real difference in their communities or in the world or even something smaller within their families or within their companies. Everyone has the power to make that impact and that's one of the things that we with The Ripple Network really want to bring to the world, that impact. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, so true.

And maybe another one, it ties to actually all of them that I just said, would be their voices. Because every member has a voice that deserves to be said and used. And with that power, they can. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, that's really nice. And I think also the beauty of all of that is that I really like the community piece because I think that that is all true is that that is kind of the core is having that supportive network. What you mentioned before is to understand where other people struggle or to get feedback because I think feedback is just such an important piece. And we often don't get that.

So you're by yourself, you're practicing, you're saying, you're rehearsing your lines, you're standing, you're doing all of this, and it's often just by yourself. Obviously, our own worst critics or best critics, or we can do that so well with ourselves. And often our criticism is way too extreme. And if you were to get feedback from someone else.

Yeah, indeed.

We are.

They would potentially even suggest other areas that you haven't seen to improve on. And so that's why this community is just so important, I think, as part of this process.

Yeah.

Yeah, indeed. And during that practice with each other community piece, it's also for me, if somebody had said to me back then, you just said something that made so much sense and worked so well with me, I wouldn't know that. But that wouldn't help me to walk into that presentation and have stood at that conference and actually remembered that line so clearly because I know it made an impact. So having that positive feedback,

as well to help cut the noise from our brains will always have some sort of self-talk, especially when we're doing it for the first time. But if, little bit, but if I had known that I could have walked in there and started off without being terrified and shaking and voicing and my goodness, could you hear it on the video that my voice was shaking and that my mouth was dry? Like I could have stood there and done that,

I've got lot of self-talk going on. I guess we'll it at that.

thinking about that one positive piece that I knew was gonna come or could have started with it. It could have set the tone differently for me. I just really reflect on it now, this many years later, that that was a puzzle piece for me. Yeah. Yeah, totally.

And You're one of the partners also in The Ripple Network and the group. And I'm curious to hear, so was there a moment when you're like, yep, this is definitely something that I'm excited to be a part of?

Hmm.

Actually, Sabine, it was you. Yeah, it was your vision. It was all along hearing your Ripple Talk. Do you remember when you did your ripple Talk with me? With me and Oscar. And I had that moment of, my God, it really brought tears to my eyes. And your story and your passion for...

Yeah.

Yep. Yep. Yep.

being someone who really is an empowering person, right? You really do empower other women and you have such a beautiful big idea for that impact for what you can make here. And I think for me, that inspired me and was like, I have to do this. I have my own superpowers, right? We all have our own different superpowers. But then I thought, if I can help people there too, if I can help our women and our members and our community,

and I can be part of that change along with you and your really inspiring for me vision. Absolutely. Why would I not do that? Really? It was you. It was you.

Nice. Well, I'm glad. know I had the position And I could have never done it with, yeah, because I had the idea, but where to begin? I was like deer in headlights. idea, Okay. Yeah, I had no idea. you were, and it's an interesting process with us because you helped with the command and you helped build it and get the ideas moving forward. But it was never

You

You got, I love your ideas.

automatic that you, this whole partner idea and that you would be a part of that. So it, it was an evolution and it's, and yeah, it's interesting to hear why and, and when you wanted to be a part of that.

No. Yeah.

Yeah.

And how could I not say no at that point? It's something that has so much power and potential impacts to make other women not feel the way I did. You And then you did your Ripple Talk with us and it was so beautiful. It was so touching. It was so inspiring and it was, even I would aspire to be able to deliver it in the way that you did. Right? And yeah, for me, it's not every day that you really get to be part of something like this. And

if it has this connection to what's in my blood as well, absolutely, 100%. That was my moment.

Thanks, it's interesting to hear. I'm asking first on that too, so it's really interesting to hear where and when that, okay, yeah, I'm happy to be a part of this. And you mentioned your superpowers. So each of the partners definitely brings their own superpowers, their own skills to the Ripple Network as a partner and offering courses and offering feedback.

Yeah. See you did it.

You

Yeah.

as a part.

As an expert also on the platform. So if you were to describe your own unique skills that you bring to the members, what would they be?

For me, it would really be about the sixth sense that I have. I can, like, the sixth sense, right? Or I can really help women, well, I can help people to recognize, to embrace, and to articulate to the outside world, and sometimes to themselves, their self-talk, what they're all about. What is their personal brand all about? And why is that their personal brand?

That I can really help people to see. And if you embrace that unique, those unique qualities of yourself and you bring them in to what you're doing when you're using your voice on stage or using your voice in a video or in a podcast or in a webinar, anything, or at a presentation at work, if you're able to be authentic, you will completely captivate people in a very different way. So that's for me, if I can really help people to connect with their authentic selves and bring that forward,

and be confident and shine brightly. That's what I bring. That ability to unlock that, see themselves.

Yeah. Yeah. Deceit themselves. And it's also very interesting because I think we often think we don't need a brand or brand isn't important, but it's actually it actually is quite important because it helps again, I think to articulate and to to feel confident in what you say and how you say it because you can have that brand behind you. And it doesn't mean that you go off and you start not everyone has to start a company or has to

create a podcast or do whatever you traditionally think of when you create a brand, but you can also use it for you and how you show up every day as well.

Exactly. And it will evolve. Your brand is a personal brand. It's a living, breathing thing, just like you are. And it will evolve over time, but it's about having a foundation and making that foundation really, truly, innately connect with you, that you can easier go out there to the outside world to use your voice and have other people see you for who you are.

Yeah. We talked about a couple of the things about what the network and what we really see as value. But if you had to maybe pick one, two things, what do you think is really the most valuable part of being a member of the network?

Community. For me, it's 100 % the community aspect. That is the piece that I felt missing in my past experience too. whether it's, it can be anything around the community, but the ecosystem was built around that for the Ripple Network. The partners are the experts, are part of the community as well. The members are part of the community as well, and you are part of the community. Like everyone...

Okay.

we are all connected into the community aspect. And if somebody watches one of the expert courses, for example, that we're offering within the platform, they can connect with the experts, there is a full circle that there's always that connection to being able to contact each other. We've got the forums, there are all elements to make the community be able to function better. So for me, that's the most powerful piece of the ecosystem.

And would you say that if you look at really kind of the capabilities, like the tech, like how the platform works, would you say that that is also the best or one of the most valuable things is that community aspect? Or do you think that there's something?

I think it's really extremely valuable because you can direct connect with people. You can speak with people. You can chat with people. You can group chat. You can forum chat. All of that functionality is built in. You can upload your videos for your yourself doing your first talk, terrified, shaking and it's totally cool because you've got members there in a very safe, private space to be able to help you with that and help you work through that.

Of course, the courses and the LMS, the built-in e-learning system in there is also really important and a really good tool because anyone can pick and choose what you want to learn. Whether it's from me or if it's from you or if it's from any of the partners, you've got people there to lean on and to learn from and then dip back into the community and test your skills out that you're learning. So they all really do connect with each other for me. But those would be the big ones. No, no, it's okay.

Yeah, true. Sorry, didn't interrupt. Yeah, and you talked about a talk, but I think what's also interesting is that people can also look at how to introduce themselves. That's also something to work on. So something so simple that, yeah, that you think that you just do off the cuff, but sometimes it's actually pretty interesting to work on what's your introduction? What's your introduction?

When you started a new company, what's your introduction if you're at a networking event? What about when you start a meeting? So there are different ways actually to introduce yourself, and sometimes it's interesting to like think out of the box and do something different there as well. Yeah. And there, and this is exactly what's True. Yeah. Yeah.

And test it, huh? Test it out. It's like your sandbox. what a cool, I never thought of that word for this, but it really is. It's the sandbox with the community around to help you evolve and grow.

Yeah, we're the sandbox. I love that.

Yeah, we're a sandbox. Private sandbox, private. You know, we all have the ability to, I don't know, if we want to test it out ourselves and put it on our LinkedIn profile and go, Hey, everybody think of my talk. Yeah. Or this is my, are you going to do that? Are you going to put that in your LinkedIn profile? I'm not, I'm not going to go do my elevator pitch and drop it on my LinkedIn profile and be like, Hey everybody, I'm Gina. is what I do. And like, and then have a panic attack.

But this gives us a place to be able to do that before, and, and even if you're not going out there and doing a talk at a conference or giving a big presentation at the office, maybe you actually want to work on your personal brand and you want to start publishing live videos to promote yourself. Maybe you're working on thought leadership and think you have a, personal brand strategy or a thought leadership strategy that you want to implement, but you're not comfortable putting videos on,

Mm.

of yourself up there. This is a place also to get more comfort and skills there to be able to go out and make a series of videos that you maybe have always wanted to do. It can be, it can be translated in that way too. It doesn't have to be, I want to go stand on stage. Yeah. Yeah.

True.

Yeah, no, it doesn't have to be that that's true. And I think also because you mentioned posting things on LinkedIn about yourself, I think that that's also sometimes feels awkward. Like, for instance, if I were reflect on myself, you know, I've done my Ripple Talk. I don't feel it's appropriate for me to like post that on LinkedIn, that's, everybody, look at this talk that I've done. But using the Ripple Network platform,

Yeah.

Yeah, but.

And that social media, that feels different. It's a place to actually be able to post and to share your stories. And it's like someone else doing it and it's not you. You can, yeah, you're promoting yourself, but in a different way, feels a bit, yeah, it just feels a bit more comfortable. true.

Right, you're not promoting yourself.

This gives you a new channel as well. well. And the podcast channel as well, being able to inspire people within the network and then get the confidence to be able to maybe want to share it yourself after that. These are all stepping stones. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, true. Nice. So if we think about individuals, if we think, because with the Ripple Network, we're talking a lot about, you're talking about yourself. We're thinking about what talks that we do and members and how do we learn to improve ourselves. But there's also, I think, a broader impact, right? With not, your, you use an individual, but also potentially a company. So what

Yeah, members.

what are your ideas around that or how do you see this broader impact?

Yeah. I think if we were able to bring the Ripple Network into companies and help teams of women to elevate themselves, raise their voices and to be heard and to be seen in a different way. We always talk about the glass ceiling and everything around women empowerment in that sense. But being able to help an organization, I think the ripples,

individual level are huge, but the ripple levels of the company level to be able to bring entire companies elevate their women and their own leaders is massive. It's a whole other level of perspective when they're able to really contribute in a different way and impact there. So when companies really embrace it, they also become part of the ripple effect. It helps them too. So you've got this like...

Yeah. Yeah, that is ripples.

fostering cultures of inclusivity, driving change. You can drive change within the organization. If the people who are leading the organization feel more confident in their own voice and their own power and sharing the stories of the organization. And then you could even, my brand brain, you, this could even translate to helping these companies building their brands because they are known for at that point, also helping women to rise.

And I think that that's actually really interesting point too, because so times are changing. Individuals want to work for companies that do that and that have that uniqueness and those special opportunities that they offer.

Yeah. And then they get to make a difference to be in a company who wants to make a difference with our people and to raise the voices and elevate. It's a win-win across the board. And it elevates the company's profile as well. So yes, the ripple effect is not just for individuals for me. It translates to the companies and to the world and to groups and communities even. Yeah. It's endless.

it is.

A great way also to, if we think about sharing, are all kinds of fantastic nonprofits and all kinds of fantastic organizations that are out there. And this could potentially, actually this is also now my brain working. So yeah, I think about just offering a platform for people to share their stories around that. Also these types of communities. It's also really interesting.

Yay! Now they get to know and get to see how we work together too.

Yeah. Note.

Note, note to self. Gina, thanks. you know, we've listed, I think we've talked about a lot of things and we've talked a lot of things that about a lot of things that make The Ripple Network unique. The individuals, I think that that's a huge piece that makes it very unique is that this community that's come together. But is there anything else that you would like to share?

Makes it unique. I think, and I touched on this a bit before, but I think the holistic nature of it, that everything is truly connected to each other. All of the different features, all the different functionalities, how the podcast plays into it, how everyone is supporting and helping each other and has the e-learning. I think the biggest thing is that it is indeed a holistic approach.

That everything is indeed connected and it's more than just a community platform. It's more than a networking platform. It's more than one of those things by itself. It's a learning hub. It's a supportive community and it's a launch pad for creating real world impact. I think if I were to frame it, it's a launch pad for real world impact. And all of that works together in a holistic way.

Yeah.

You get the expert coaching, get expert feedback, you get resources, you get the community, you get the people, but it's all tied together. That's in a platform where the community can help and support each other to raise up, rise up.

Love that. We're all about rising up and we're all about supporting each other to rise up. I think it's fantastic.

Yeah. Yeah. Indeed. By women for women, Sabine. Definitely. Yeah, it's more of a movement, I guess.

Whew. Yeah, It feels a bit like that, doesn't it?

Yeah, Yay. Exciting.

Gina, thank you. Thanks for spending your morning with me, this cold, chilly, snowy morning. Thanks so much, and then I wish you a wonderful rest of the day, and we'll see each other soon. That was... Okay, I'm ready.

Always. Snowy. Yes. Thank you.

Before we wrap up, I have a question for you. You ready? I have a question for you. If you could give your younger self one single piece of advice about finding her voice and making a ripple, what would that advice be?

Hmm. See you.

Eh?

One piece. Sorry.

thing is Just to trust yourself and to use your voice. If I think back on my career and just in life, I've often been cautious with sharing ideas and sharing things that I think in new situations for me, fear is not the wrong, is not the best word, but this idea of like, what will others think?

Hmm.

Mm.

Maybe that's even the core of it is being less concerned about what others think and listening to myself and being using my own intuition and using my voice and not being so concerned what others think.

That is a good one. Really good. That's really good. If I reflect on myself a bit for my experience, that's probably one of the core drivers of why I felt like that standing on that stage.

Yeah, the key.

Yeah, what do others think? We're so, we get so enthralled in that in our brains, I was listening to, I think I was listening to another podcast or something else and it was about, you start to type words or you start to say things that are gonna go out into the world and you think, okay, wait a minute, if I say it this way, what will this, person think will this think? Or if I write this, ooh, that could have an impact on the way that this person thinks. We spend so much time.

Yeah, what are they thinking? Yeah.

You're right.

reflecting on what others think that we're, again, going back what we were talking about authenticity is that we start to, yeah, remove our own authenticity because we're so concerned what others think. Obviously, we all would be respectful, but we're here to share our voices and to spend a little bit less time thinking about what do others think if I say this.

Yeah, and then stepping into your own and using your voice. Just use your voice. You're right. That's a beautiful piece of advice. I love it. Yes.

Yeah.

Good question. Was it ready for that? I'm supposed to be asking the question.

Surprise! No, no, I like to flip the script. It's your turn.

All right, thanks so much. And it's a pleasure and I'll see you soon.

Thank you. Thank you so much for inviting me.

Yes, I'll see you later. Thank you.