E7: The Many Faces of Confidence with Startup Founder Danielle Letayf

“Are we born with it? Do we develop it? Is it a choice? Is it the result?” Zovig Garboushian ponders the essence of confidence. “And I say, yes, it's all of those things. And by the way, it looks different on everyone,” she asserts. In this episode, Zovig sits down with Danielle Letayf, CEO and founder of Badassery, to explore the multifaceted nature of confidence and uncover the layers that elude even the most outwardly successful individuals.

 

Danielle shares her journey to founding Badassery, driven by a desire to amplify diverse voices and narratives in sectors where they are often marginalized. She discusses the necessity of confidence in her role as a startup CEO, even when it feels forced. Her story exemplifies the power of representation in one’s field and the importance of creating spaces where others can also thrive.

 

Zovig and Danielle tackle common misconceptions about confidence, revealing that it is not a monolith but a varied and dynamic trait. They discuss how confidence can be quietly powerful and does not need to conform to extroverted or traditionally assertive molds. This redefinition is crucial for leaders to understand, as it broadens the scope of what effective leadership can look like. Addressing the personal challenges of the imposter experience, both women share intimate details of their struggles with self-doubt. They explore practical strategies for overcoming these hurdles, such as taking risks in small steps, keeping track of accomplishments, and seeking honest conversations with peers and mentors.

 

This episode leaves listeners with a piece of advice: pursue your calling thoughtfully and at your own pace. This guidance resonates as an encouragement to embrace one's unique journey towards confidence and leadership.

 

Quotes

• “It has been really difficult, but I found myself that when I got into that flow, of that kind of trust in myself and my team, I naturally felt more at ease. I felt it's much easier to have that clarity, to have that peace. And to me, that means confidence, because it means you're calm, cool, collected in some ways and you're firm on your beliefs. And then I think the second piece of it to me was the word ‘necessary.’ I sometimes don't feel like I have a choice. If I cannot really be unwavering, I can in some situations. I allow myself that flexibility. Obviously, I'm not like every morning waking up like, ‘Danielle, do this. You have to do that.’ I don't ignore those things. But I do think the nature of this job or of founding a company, there's a necessity to have some semblance of confidence, even if you don't want it to be.” (06:18 | Danielle Letayf) 
• “It's kind of often what we're rewarded with is sort of being like this very outwardly spoken person who people listen to, who takes up the space. And that's just not me. And I don't think that's many people. And I realized over time that it's okay. And I truly value substance.” (17:40 | Danielle Letayf)
• “I think it's up to us as leaders and individuals to understand what it takes for each person to be confident because people just have different personalities, different ways of communicating, different ways of showing up.” (19:42  | Danielle Letayf) 
• “Taking a risk doesn't have to be something that is as huge as we feel it is. The way that I approach risk—and I get asked this question a lot around risk and calling—is actually with baby steps. I think oftentimes we think where we see the stories of jumping off the deep end and just doing it. It's not realistic.” (28:51  | Danielle Letayf)

 

Links

Connect with Danielle Letayf:

Danielle's Bio: https://speak.badassery-hq.com/speaker_public/danielle-letayf

Badassery Website: www.badassery-hq.com

Danielle's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielleletayf/

 

Connect with Zovig Garboushian:

Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com

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