Authenticity Amplified: Using Influencer Strategies Without Selling Your Soul
Jun 26, 2025
How Women Coaches & Therapists Can Build Authority, Audience, and Aligned Impact Online
The Word I Never Thought I’d Embrace
I’ll be honest… the word "influencer" used to make me cringe. It conjured up images of curated perfection, over-filtered selfies, and soulless product promos. It felt performative, disconnected, like a brand built for applause, not impact. And I’ve never been interested in that.
But then, something shifted. I started noticing something underneath all the flash and filter… the rise of what I now call the everyday influencer. These weren’t celebrities or salespeople. They were heart-led entrepreneurs: coaches, therapists, creatives – sharing their lives in service of connection. They were showing up vulnerably, consistently, and strategically. And the ripple effect they created was undeniable.
That’s when I started asking myself a question I never thought I would entertain: Could I adopt some of those strategies but do it my way?
Turns out, the answer was yes. But it required a complete redefinition of what it means to influence.
Visibility as a Form of Service
We’ve been sold a narrow, high-gloss version of influence. But real influence, the kind that moves people and drives change, looks nothing like that. It looks like a therapist sharing a story that makes someone feel less alone. A coach posting a reflection that helps her audience reframe their week. A woman building a brand rooted in something real, not algorithm bait.
That’s influence. And if you’re a service provider who leads with empathy and integrity, I’d bet you already have it. The key is recognizing it, nurturing it, and getting strategic about how you share it.
Strategy That Reflects Your Soul
The truth is, visibility without strategy is just noise. And strategy without soul is sterile. What your audience really wants – what they need – is to feel you. Your thought leadership, your personality, your values. Not just in what you say, but how you show up.
When I work with clients, we don’t just build a content plan. We craft a rhythm that honors their energy, their emotional bandwidth, their unique voice. That’s where true, sustainable visibility comes from. Not pushing through the hard days to meet an imaginary content quota but designing a system that flexes with your flow.
You Are Not a Content Machine
Because let’s be real: you are not a content machine. Some days, you’re a visionary on fire. Other days, you’re just trying to keep your head above water. That’s life. That’s entrepreneurship. And that’s okay.
This is why I don’t teach people to be "consistent" in the traditional sense. I teach them to be strategic with their capacity. To build systems that work when they’re energized and when they’re human. To trust that showing up imperfectly is still valuable and often, even more powerful.
When This Strategy Actually Makes Sense
That’s where the tactical side of this influencer-style strategy comes in. It’s not about becoming a full-time content creator. It’s about identifying when this approach makes sense for you, personally and professionally. If you're building a personal brand, standing out in a saturated market, or carrying the weight of your brand’s voice alone, then adding elements of this visibility model can make a huge difference.
Think spontaneous thought drops, story-driven reels, a behind-the-scenes perspective that brings your audience into your world – not just to watch, but to connect. And then repurposing that content intentionally across your ecosystem. That’s how you amplify your presence without adding a ton of pressure.
AI as an Amplifier, Not a Replacement
Of course, there’s a little secret weapon that’s made this all a lot more doable for me: AI.
Yep – this blog? Co-written with ChatGPT. But it’s still my voice. My thoughts. My lived experience. The AI just helps shape and polish what’s already within me. I use it to brainstorm when my brain’s foggy, to structure when I feel scattered, and to speed up execution so I can stay rooted in creativity and connection.
AI doesn’t replace human insight, it supports it. Especially when you understand how to use it without letting it steal the show.
The Vulnerability of Being Seen
But let’s not pretend this is all mechanics and tools. The emotional side of being visible is real. The vulnerability. The overthinking. The fear that you’re too much… or not enough. I know it well. I’ve danced with it more times than I can count.
And that’s why I believe we can’t separate visibility from healing. From mindset work. From the deep work of learning how to trust ourselves even when we feel exposed. Especially then.
A Hybrid Model That Actually Honors You
So this is the hybrid model I’ve built for myself – and now for my clients. A blend of strategy, storytelling, energy awareness, emotional intelligence, and modern tools. It’s influence reimagined. Rooted in values. Aligned with vision. Designed to sustain.
Because you don’t need to be more polished, more perfect, more performative. You just need to be amplified in a way that honors your truth.
If that’s what you’re craving, I’d love to support you. Whether it’s through coaching, consulting, done-for-you strategy, or simply tuning into the free content I create – I’m here.
Because the world doesn’t need more templated brands. It needs more of you.
With grounded fire,
Shauna Leigh Van Mourik
Founder of SLA Marketing Confidence
P.s. Take the time to check out some of these cool brand & marketing resources while you're here.
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