Amplify with Jess Ekstrom Podcast By Jess Ekstrom cover art

Amplify with Jess Ekstrom

Amplify with Jess Ekstrom

By: Jess Ekstrom
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Amplify with Jess Ekstrom is a top rated business podcast designed to help you amplify your ideas, influence and income. We have a special focus on amplifying women's voices, but this show is open to everyone. Tune in every other Tuesday to hear from Forbes Top Rated Speaker, Jess Ekstrom as she talks to speakers, authors and entrepreneurs who are crushing it in their own way.Jess Ekstrom Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Saying Yes Too Often? Here’s How to Set Boundaries with Kwame Christian
    Jul 8 2025

    Are you tired of feeling like you have to be inauthentic to be liked? Do you struggle with setting boundaries and advocating for yourself, fearing it might damage your relationships?

    This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with her dear friend, Kwame Christian, a top-booked negotiation keynote speaker and host of the #1 podcast, Negotiate Anything.

    Kwame shares a deeply personal and formative childhood story that shaped his journey from people-pleaser to negotiation expert, revealing how his early experiences led him to compromise himself for the sake of being liked. He explains how this common "people-pleasing pressure" can actually damage the very relationships we're trying to protect.

    You'll discover:

    • The surprising link between childhood experiences and our adult people-pleasing tendencies.
    • How the "big five personality traits" (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability) influence our negotiation style.
    • Why being overly agreeable can lead to an "emotional hangover" and resentment.
    • The profound impact of unspoken boundaries on relationships, both personal and professional.
    • Kwame's simple "yes-no-yes" framework for setting and maintaining effective boundaries.
    • Why the definition of negotiation is often warped, and how redefining it can empower you in daily life.
    • The concept that "assertiveness is teaching the person how to treat you."
    • How to navigate the "assertiveness penalty" that women (and other groups) often face in professional settings.
    • Why overthinking is your "kryptonite," and how a "shot clock" can help you make better decisions faster.
    • The psychological insight that you'll never truly "get over" stage fright, and why that's a good thing.
    • How Kwame uses AI daily to amplify his humanity, manage emotions, identify blind spots, and create cohesive negotiation strategies.
    • The power of mirror neurons and how our tone and attitude can unconsciously impact others.

    About Kwame Christian
    Kwame Christian, Esq., M.A. is the CEO of the American Negotiation Institute (ANI) and a leading voice in the field of negotiation. He hosts the #1 negotiation podcast, Negotiate Anything, and his TED Talk has garnered over 600,000 views. He is also a LinkedIn Top Voice and the author of Finding Confidence in Conflict and How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race. Kwame's mission is to make the world a better place, one difficult conversation at a time.

    Resources & Links:

    • American Negotiation Institute: americnnegotiationinstitute.com
    • Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwamechristian/
    • Listen to the Negotiate Anything podcast: https://negotiateanything.com/
    • Finding Confidence in Conflict by Kwame Christian: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Confidence-Conflict-Negotiate-Anything/dp/0578413736
    • How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race by Kwame Christian: https://www.amazon.com/Have-Difficult-Conversations-About-Race/dp/1637741308
    • TEDx, Finding Confidence in Conflict: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6Zg65eK9XU

    Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

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    34 mins
  • My TEDx Talk | The Secret to Great Public Speaking (No, It's Not Confidence)
    Jun 30 2025

    I recently had the opportunity to step onto the red dot at TEDx Sugar Creek Women, and I was surrounded by so many amazing speakers.

    For eight years, I've been refining my thoughts on public speaking, and it really just all culminated in this eight minute talk - The Secret to Great Public Speaking (No, It's Not Confidence).

    Here's a sneak peek, and for the full video, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT2q1YKZQPE. And of course I'd love it if you left a review and comment!

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    4 mins
  • Is Cancel Culture Actually Working?
    Jun 24 2025

    Are you struggling to maintain relationships with people you love, even when you disagree on fundamental issues?

    This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with her good friend, Brit Barron, a speaker, DEI consultant, and author of Do You Still Talk to Grandma?

    Brit's work offers a much-needed guide for navigating the increasingly polarized world we live in, helping us find common ground and connection even when perspectives diverge.

    Brit and Jess discuss our divided society, examining why it feels harder than ever to see eye to eye. They challenge the tendency to categorize people into "good" or "bad" boxes and instead champion the power of nuance, where love and disagreement can coexist.


    We also explore:

    • The difficulty of separating institutions from individuals in our current polarized climate.
    • Why Brit's work focuses on the people already in our lives, not strangers.
    • The concept of "progressive amnesia" and its impact on our interactions with others.
    • The power of asking "Help me understand" in difficult conversations, especially in the workplace.
    • How to be a better ally without falling into the "hero" trap.
    • The "take the meat and leave the bones" metaphor for consuming information.
    • The crucial "both/and" philosophy: how to hold deep love and deep disappointment in the same relationship.

    About Brit Barron:
    Brit Barron is a speaker, DEI consultant, and author of the book Do You Still Talk to Grandma?, which offers a compassionate framework for navigating difficult conversations and maintaining relationships across differences. Her work encourages empathy, nuance, and genuine connection in an increasingly divided world.

    Resources & Links:

    • Do You Still Talk to Grandma? by Brit Barron: https://www.amazon.com/You-Still-Talk-Grandma-Problematic/dp/0593594347/
    • Find Brit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barronbrit/
    • Find Brit on the web: https://britbarron.com/
    • Find Brit on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/britbarron/

    Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.

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    37 mins
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I discovered you this year, I’m on your subscription of Mic Drop and really loving all what you have to offer Jess, really thanks for what you do 🙌🏽🙌🏽

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