Speak Up Without Blowing Up the Room

(New Free Guide Inside)

Most of the women I coach don’t struggle with leadership. They struggle with what leadership costs them.

• Peace, if they speak up.

• Integrity, if they don’t.

They’re smart. Compassionate. High-capacity.

They’re not afraid of work.

But they’re damn tired of the tightrope.

“If I say something, will I be seen as difficult?”

“If I stay quiet, am I abandoning what I believe?”

“If I get emotional, will I be dismissed?”

“If I speak too directly, will I be punished?”

That tension — between clarity and consequence — is the invisible tax on women’s leadership.

Especially for white women raised to be agreeable.

Especially in workplaces where silence is rewarded.

Especially when the topic is equity, justice, or real accountability.

💥 So what do we do?

We code-switch. We dilute. We smile through the discomfort.

We rehearse what we want to say 47 times…and then don’t say it.

Or we say it — but later. Softer. Safer.

Or to someone else entirely.

It’s exhausting. And it’s common. But it’s not leadership.

🛠️ That’s why I created the 

Speak Up Starter Pack.

Not a webinar. Not a worksheet to collect dust.

A guide. A tool. A simple path forward.

Because speaking up doesn’t have to mean blowing up the room —

or blowing out your nervous system.

Inside the Speak Up Starter Pack, you’ll find:

• The 5 Permission Slips you were never given (but desperately need)

• The Speak Up Framework — a 3-step method for honest, grounded conversations

• Simple scripts & phrases for when the stakes feel high

• Nervous system tools to help you stay steady while you speak

• A reflection worksheet to help you track where your voice has gone quiet — and where you’re ready to claim it back

📥 Get the free download here → 

https://onevoiceevolving.com/free-resource

(or drop your email below and I’ll send it to you instantly)

✨ One more thing:

This isn’t about being louder.

It’s about being truer.

You don’t need to perform bravery.

You don’t need to be perfect.

You just need to be willing.

Because your voice?

It was never meant to stay small.

With you,

-Kim

🎧 New on the Podcast: Reimagining Your Narrative with Michele Barard (S3 E3)

If you’ve been sitting with the tension of wanting to speak up—whether in a boardroom, on a page, or in your own mind—this week’s podcast episode is a powerful companion to the Speak Up Starter Pack.

I sit down with Michele Barard, founder of Urban Book Editor and a longtime advocate for women, especially women of color, using storytelling as a tool for healing, clarity, and empowerment.

Together, we explore:

• The stories we tell ourselves—and how they shape our reality

• Why midlife can be a sacred turning point for rediscovery

• How sharing your story can open the door for someone else’s voice

• The real cost of silence, and the liberation in naming your truth

Whether you’re navigating a career pivot, a personal reckoning, or just trying to remember who you are—Michele’s wisdom will meet you there.

→ Listen to the episode:

Because your voice?
It was never meant to stay small.