Bernie Madoff's niece on her mission to fight wage inequality

In this episode of Reclaim + Advance, we hear from Jess Ekstrom. Jess is the founder of Headbands of Hope and Mic Drop Workshop. She is also an investor in women-owned businesses, a two-time bestselling author, a high-profile speaker, and a new mother. Jess and her companies have been featured on Today, Good morning America, 17 Magazine, Vanity Fair, Forbes, Peopleand more importantly, they have helped millions of women and girls around the world.

For years, Jess Ekstrom avoided talking about a defining event in her family life – being scammed out of money by her uncle Bernie Madoff. But on the show, she explains what prompted her to talk about defining challenges and that true optimism is not naive.

In this episode you will hear:

• How Jess turned a family scandal into the impetus for her entrepreneurial journey.
• The shocking pay gap revelation that inspired Jess to champion female speakers.
• Why simplifying complex ideas is the key to connecting with your audience.
• How you can increase your impact as a speaker and leader by accepting your vulnerability.

Below I share some of my favorite quotes from my conversation with Jess:

About authentic expertise:

“Much [the] Over time, what you teach others is what doesn't come naturally to you. It's what you've had to teach and practice yourself.”

The power of simplicity:

“I like to simplify complex things for people. We overcomplicate things, whether it's entrepreneurship, speaking or writing. I want to make things feel attainable for someone.”

Accepting the struggle of storytelling:

“Nobody wants to learn from someone who is just naturally good at something. Sometimes the greatest lessons you can share with others come in your worst moments.”

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