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Transparency & boundaries. Don’t those two things sound like opposites? 

When you think of transparency, do you think of being clear? Being open?  I mean - transparency is being able to see through.

So when you think of boundaries - maybe you think of being closed. Putting up a wall. NOT being able to get through.

Today on Content Creation made easy, I want to talk with you about how these two seemingly different ideas - transparency & boundaries - are BOTH important when it comes to making marketing more sustainable, easier, & pleasant for you!

Welcome to episode 160! I’m your host, Jen Liddy, and let’s start today with a story of me, standing in front of a classroom filled with 9th graders, BLEEDING.

Molly, a sweet 9th grader, timidly raises her hand with this news that “Ummm. Miss Grimm? You’re. Like. Bleeding.”

This is my first day EVER of teaching in my own classroom, and I’m bleeding through my off-white pantyhose

(Are you wondering what the hell year it it must be if I’m wearing OFF WHITE PANTYHOSE? Was it, like, the 80s? Nah. This is January 2000.)

What had happened was in my effort to be all professional & shit, I’d shaved my legs that morning and apparently nicked myself.

(Damn those cheap pink lady razors. Gah!)

So here I am, first day of teaching, watching blood trickle down my shin as twenty-seven 9th graders who’ve never met me watch in amusement.

In case you’ve forgotten: here’s a thing you should know:

14-year-olds smell your unspoken fears and with one casually RUTHLESS offhand comment simply gut you for the rest of the year.

This is why what happened next was a surprise to me: I laughed & said, “Well, this is embarrassing!”

I gave the kids an explanation and asked about the closest bathroom.

I told them to give me a minute - and when I came back, we laughed together, HARD.

Something unexpected had happened to seal the deal on our relationship the rest of the year: 

We fell in LIKE with each other. 

Turns out the girls respected me for talking about this “woman thing”,

while the boys were simply FASCINATED.

Later, they’d say they felt like “regular people” in our classroom because I “acted like a real person”. 

Believe me: I was strict. They complained when I gave too much homework and bitched because I rarely gave deadline extensions…

But I used both transparency & boundaries as my go-to tool to earn students’ respect & get them to connect with me every single year I was a teacher. 

Was I always successful? Uhhh - here’s a DISCLAIMER, lest I sound too pious: 

Puh-lennnnn-ty of kids thought I was a giant pain in the ass & didn’t like me.

Why am I telling you this?

• First, let’s talk transparency.

It’s not necessary to bleed all over the internet to connect with your audience!

No need for an epic story, rags to riches saga, or bleeding wounds to bind you to them.

Help them fall in LIKE with you by being transparently YOU.

Have you found your voice yet? Do you know how to do that?

**Most people haven’t. They think they’re supposed to sound like the Internet Famous Gurus, all polished & “professional.” 

What does “professional” even mean anymore? 

Come on - we’re redefining this every single day.

When you think of transparency, I want you to think NOT of the gut-wrenching conversations you have during the dark times with your partner, spouse, best friend, or siblings.

But think of the things that you want to say - in YOUR WAY.

What are the words you’d love to start using in your content - that feel like you?

Remember, transparency doesn’t mean bleeding all over everyone and letting people into every part of you.

It means telling the truth about things using your YOU - isms.

2. Let’s talk about boundaries. Because boundaries can sound like the opposite of transparency, but they actually go hand & in hand and will help your audience respect you.  And trust you. 

Boundaries in your content is a HARD YES.

I know it feels like every creator invites you into their bathroom, shows off their flawless vacations, or brings you into the doctor’s office while sitting in their little napkin robe.

Is that transparency? Ugggg! I hope not, because that’s just downright scary for us regular humans who WANT TO HAVE A LIFE that doesn’t always include our clients or audience.

Privacy matters!

Have you created content pillars so you never have to wonder, “Is this on brand for me to talk about?” 

Do you know what your audience needs to hear - and what is none of their business?

Do you have a line that feels right for YOU - of what you will & won’t talk about?

Yes, audiences need to get to know some of who we are, but they don’t deserve a front-row seat to everything!

When we believe we have to expose ourselves in order to be liked, it’s incredibly harmful for us.

Privacy matters. Boundaries are important. 

And yes - creating content is part of our business landscape, but we’ve got to do it in a way that feels aligned with who we are & who we want to be. 

If we’re trying to be everywhere and everything to everyone while exposing all the things - that can either burn us out or make us hide.

Do you know how to cultivate your own voice? Use your content pillars? 

Create content in a way that feels transparent enough to garner trust and boundaried enough to help you not feel trampled by it. 

Doing this work is complicated and you can feel a little lost. You might need higher level support to help you bring your content to life - 

It’s been a long time since I’ve opened up any private or small group coaching spots, but starting in May, I’m opening another cohort of my Content Creator’s Mastermind. 

It’s a very small container of 4 people to teach you all the HOWs about content in a way that is designed personally for you!

This small group coaching program to help you:

Know WHAT to say…with transparency & boundaries…

WHO to talk to - and cultivate your own little community of fans, without feeling wiped out…

& HOW to do it - without the swirl, chaos, confusion, or overwhelm. 

Curious? Check out the program outline. It s a very non-fussy Google doc you can find here.

In 3 months, we cross that one big thing off your list & do it in a way that FEELS GOOD FOR YOU.

I have room for 3 people starting in May, but I’m filling it now. If you join now, you’ll get 5 months free in the Content Creator’s Studio, too!

Want in? Go check it out here and get on my calendar. I’d love to talk about whether it’s a good fit for YOU.

Bottom line - remember: you get to be YOU in your content - whatever that means.

You need to be transparent, so your audience can learn to trust you.

And you get to have boundaries because YOU are NOT your business and your content! 

Transparency & boundaries CAN live together…and when you make that a priority in your marketing, you’ll breathe easier, stop feeling like you have to hide from it, and connect with your audience more effectively!