Building a Bold Business Starts in the Ring
Listen to this episode on the Purpose + Profit Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or the podcast player of your choice.
I love a good podcast. Give me some grisly true crime that I can try to piece together, real talk among women, mindset and psychology, training for rock climbing and other fitness discussions, online marketing and business … you name it, I’m game to give it a shot. I know not all podcasts are equal, but regardless of the subject matter or recording quality, I usually walk away with at least one nugget.
So, when my husband told me about a podcast he follows, The Art of Manliness, I thought… okay, this is definitely a stretch. But as he started sharing the content of one of the episodes, I knew it was right up my alley. An episode (#524) I’ve listened to several times over the years is an interview with longtime boxing trainer, Teddy Atlas.
In the interview, Teddy talked about what it means to become a boxer, about the power of overcoming your fears, stepping into the ring, facing resistance, the way we make choices as either reasons or excuses, and best of all the power of regret. As he talked, I was struck by the parallels to building and growing a business, especially when you’re pursuing visibility and trying to share your big idea with the world. If you’ve been at this for a while, you know that having a business is one thing, but being visible with your message—your bold, original, loud, and tenacious (BOLT™) idea—is another.
Let’s dive in!
1. You have to step into the ring to call yourself a boxer.
It’s easy to start a business. A few clicks of the mouse, open a business bank account, register your name, and voila! You’ve got a business. But to really be in business? That takes more. It takes putting your ideas, your offers, and your voice out there. It means letting people see you and hear you—even when the environment around you feels noisy, uncertain, or even unkind.
Running a business means stepping into the discomfort of visibility. You have to say the thing that matters. Share your point of view. Stand up and be seen. It’s not always easy. In fact, sometimes it feels like getting in the ring and facing a flurry of punches. But here’s the kicker: you don’t become known for your big idea by watching from the sidelines. You become known by getting in the ring.
As Teddy talked, I kept thinking about the Theodore Roosevelt quote that Brené Brown often shares about the man in the arena. Stepping into business ownership is about the dust and the sweat and the blood, the getting up when you’ve been knocked down, the resilience it takes to say, "My voice matters. My message matters. And I’m not going to let fear win."
2. At every turn, you have choices—but if you want to make an impact, you must choose visibility.
Teddy said something that really stuck with me:
You either have reasons why you can or excuses why you can’t.
Yes, you always have choices. But let’s be honest: if you're building a purpose-driven, impact-focused business, at some point you have to choose to be seen and heard.
Choosing visibility means choosing to put your big idea out into the world even when it feels risky, even when it might challenge the status quo, and even when you know not everyone will agree with you. It means accepting the possibility of pushback and leaning into it anyway, because the alternative is staying silent—and silence doesn’t allow you to grow a business, generate revenue, or serve clients.
Silence won’t drive change.
You cannot lead a movement, inspire transformation, or build meaningful impact from the shadows. You have to step forward. You have to be willing to let your voice and message be bigger than your fear.
If you’re sitting on your big idea, perfecting it endlessly, or waiting for the "right time," that’s a choice too—but it won’t get you where you want to go. Choose visibility. Choose boldness. Choose to be in the ring.
3. It’s harder to quit than it is to fight.
Over the last few months, I’ve seen so many women with powerful, world-changing ideas hesitate. Up until now, they have been running successful businesses, creating real impact in the world. But as the events in the U.S. continue to worsen, those big ideas feel extra big, being visible can come with risk, and they - we - stop short of actually saying those ideas out loud.
Why?
Because visibility is vulnerable. Because having a big idea and actually standing behind it? That’s scary.
But that moment of fear is just that—a moment.
I know this feeling well. As I was preparing for my International Women’s Day keynote address, I was spiraling. I was all twisted up in having to do it in a specific way, uncertain about what I should and shouldn’t say, and mired down in my own self doubt about being the right person to do the job.
But here’s what I learned. That discomfort passes. When it comes to running a business, putting your big ideas out there, and showing up boldly, there are no rules. You get to decide what it all looks like. I chose to deliver the talk the way I like to speak, I said what I wanted to say - taking a stand without being divisive - and reminding myself that I have the lived, professional, and educational experiences and expertise to show up in integrity.
I’m grateful I didn’t give into that doubt. Regret is an ugly, ugly thing, and if I hadn’t done it on my terms, I would have felt so sick about it.
Here’s what you need to know: The world needs your big idea. I say this ALL.THE.TIME, but you need to know that you gave it a shot. Don’t let temporary discomfort steal your future impact.
Bonus Thought: Being in the ring isn’t just about you.
I tell my clients all the time: your big idea isn’t just about your business. It’s about your audience. Your community. Your movement. When you step into the ring with your message, you give others permission to do the same.
That’s why I do what I do. Every time I help a woman clarify her big idea and find the confidence to share it, to show up and be visible in ways that align with her larger mission, I feel like I’m in the ring with her. I’m walking beside her, cheering her on, helping her see her own strength.
You might not be working in a coaching capacity, but you still have that power. You still get to uplift and support other women who are doing brave things. And you get to show up as the kind of leader who doesn’t just talk about change—she lives it.
So what do you do with all this? Here are a few thoughts:
Step into the ring with your big idea. Don’t just talk about it in theory. Share it. Post about it. Speak it into rooms where it matters.
Choose action over excuses. Even when the world feels hard… Especially when the world feels hard.
Lean into the short moments of discomfort knowing you get the long-term rewards of growth, confidence, and impact.
Share your message consistently. Not just once. Not just when it’s easy. Train like an Olympic boxer. Show up again and again.
Uplift others. Collaborate. Connect. Celebrate other women’s bravery as much as your own. There is room for all of us at the table… and let’s be real, we need all of us right now!
It’s time to put on your gloves, cue the "Rocky" theme song, and step into the ring. Your big idea deserves a stage. And you’re the only one who can bring it to life.
And if you need help digging into what’s keeping you from going all in, grab my free guide: Why It’s Not Working! The 5 Hidden Reasons Smart, High-Level Women Stay Stuck.
Are you in the ring?
