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Some conversations are worth listening to more than once.

This is one of them.

In this rewind episode, I'm joined by leadership coach and former Wall Street tech executive Marisa Santoro to talk about something so many of us do without even realizing it: apologizing for taking up space.

Whether it's saying "I'm sorry" when you don't need to, hiding behind words like just, or softening your ideas before you've even shared them, these small habits can quietly chip away at your confidence and credibility.

Marisa shares practical tools to help you communicate with more intention, own your voice, and lead with confidence without pretending to be someone you're not.

If you've ever left a meeting wishing you'd spoken up, struggled to be heard, or wondered how to project more confidence at work, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Marisa's journey from a 20-year Wall Street tech career to becoming a leadership coach
• What the Gutsy Leadership System is and why leadership starts with trusting yourself
• Why fear, self-doubt, and the desire to be liked often hold leaders back
• What it really means to "speak without apology"
• How words like "just," "but," and unnecessary apologies can weaken your message
• The simple question that can completely change how you communicate: "How do I want to be perceived?"
• The Rule of Three and how it helps you communicate with more clarity and impact
• Practical ways to build executive presence in meetings, presentations, and everyday conversations
• How to adapt your communication for different audiences without losing your authenticity
• Why confidence isn't about being the loudest person in the room—it's about being intentional

Guest:
Marisa Santoro is a former tech executive turned leadership coach and founder of In Our Shoes, where she teaches the Gutsy Leadership System. She's also known for her talk "Speaking Without Apology," which started as a program for NYU and later became a TEDx talk.

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