Under Heaven Podcast: Debbie Chen - A Woman Who Changes the Room

Under Heaven Podcast Host, Trish, sits down with leadership coach and speaker Debbie Chen. Debbie shares about identity, authority, and what it means for women to “change the room.” 

Debbie shares her childhood story of rejecting limiting labels, the faith journey that shaped her Wake Up, Show Up, Step Up Method, and practical tools for showing up with presence in business and life. You’ll hear insights on storytelling, self‑governance, the Deborah anointing, and how to create unforgettable impact in the marketplace. Debbie also offers a complimentary connection call for listeners. 

Deborah: www.debbieleadershipcoach.com

 https://calendly.com/debbiehchen/30min

https://www.facebook.com/debbiehchen 

Trish: patricia@lookingup24.com

#FaithInBusiness #ChristianWomenLeaders #KingdomEntrepreneur #MarketplaceMinistry #WomenOfFaith #HeavenlyIdentity #BreakTheLabels  #DeborahAnointing #WakeUpShowUpStepUpMethod  #WomenInBusiness 

Under Heaven Podcast, Faith, Trish Hodges, Testimony, Christian Women, Encouragement, Testimony

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:03

Welcome to Under Heaven, the podcast where we glorify God and celebrate the beautiful stories of women whose lives have been transformed by his goodness and grace. I'm your host, Trish, and each week we share real conversations about faith, hope, and purpose. This is a place for encouragement and truth where every story matters and every listener is welcome. No matter where you are in your journey, let's grow together Under Heaven. Well, hello, and welcome to Under Heaven Podcast. I'm your host, Trish, and today I am thrilled to talk with my guest. Her name is Debbie Chen, and she is a business leadership coach. Oh, she's a powerhouse speaker, and she is the creator of the wake up, show up, and step up method. Oh, she'll have to tell us about that one. Debbie helps ambitious women stop second-guessing themselves and step into the kind of leadership that shifts atmospheres and transforms lives. She equips women to walk in confidence in their God-designed identity. And that's why I love talking with her because we work at the same heartbeat of helping to empower women. Different spheres, but the same mission. We are called to help you rise up and be the best that you can be.

unknown 1:38

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:39

So let's just dive right in, and she will tell us about getting the weeds out and to step into being that unforgettable person that you were created to be.

SPEAKER_00 1:50

Welcome, Debbie. I'm so glad you're here. Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I'm absolutely thrilled to be here with you and you all that are going to be watching this.

SPEAKER_01 2:04

Girl, you have quite a story, and I wanted you to just share something a little tidbit about. I like to ask my guests, what is something we probably don't know about you?

SPEAKER_00 2:19

Well, let's see. First thing is my one of my first jobs actually as a writer was I was writing the fortunes inside of custom fortune cookies.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

And did you you like encourage people even from the very beginning then?

SPEAKER_00 2:39

Right, absolutely. And I that I love to tell that because people, what never thought about who writes those things, but those are custom, like for parties and things, special parties and exactly or a wedding proposal or marriage proposals, those type of things. Yes. So that was a really fun way.

unknown 3:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Okay, absolutely amazing.

unknown 3:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:07

So wonderful. So that was before I really, or that was as I was starting my that part of my life as a copywriter at some of the top ad agencies here in Southern California. And that's actually what I those are some of the school skills that I utilize with my clients currently as well, with writing their speeches, etc. But really at the core, my passion, um, kind of pivoting just a little bit, is really knowing what our identity is, right? Really knowing how God um He speaks over us, the names that He gives us, the labels that we can sloth off because those are not who we truly are, correct, right? And if I may tell a story, since you were mentioning about getting out of the weeds, and um I'll just jump right into it. Okay. Weeds, oh weeds, and I'm I'm sitting there on the fourth grade playground, wondering, like, who are they talking to? And I'm just holding on to that big red ball, and and I keep hearing weeds, yeah, weeds, we're calling you weeds, and I'm just like, what? Am I standing in weeds or I have weeds on me? And my heart just fell to my shoes. Anyone ever been there? Ever felt that way? And all of a sudden, then I heard some of the boys just yelling across the playground that hey, she's got hair in her armpits, and so we're gonna call her weeds. But I did, I was just frozen and I didn't run off the playground. I didn't run and hide, but in a moment, in a moment, I just decided to start laughing with them. Like, oh my gosh, that's really funny. Oh, that's oh that good on you. That was really funny. You should have seen those boys, their eyes were just wide as saucers, and they were quiet because they realized that this girl wasn't going to allow them to stick those labels, those names on me, those identities on me. They weren't gonna stick because I was taking them off. And in that moment, just decided, nope, that's not who I am. That's not who I was created to be. I'm not meant to run and hide. I'm not meant to take on these labels, these names that other people put on me. And maybe some of your viewers here have even felt that. Maybe it's been at home, maybe it's been at work, it could be even at church, where others want to label them and put an identity on them, right? That is not theirs to hold. And part of that, that experience that I went through really was a life changer. But then life kind of took over for a little bit, and I had kind of forgotten about my identity. I had allowed um different things to happen to label me, to hide, etc. And and I've seen how people also in business will do the same thing, that they allow their their self-sabotage, the way they speak to themselves, uh, the way they label themselves to also be plain small. But once I learned and did a good, let's say, brainwashing, we all need our brains washed a little bit, right? Good spring cleaning once in a while. And I did that, and what I really did was I soaked in knowing, well, wait a minute. Is this thing that someone says, this label, this identity, this name, even the things I might say over myself, in that moment I capture it, I learned to capture it and say, well, wait a minute, is that really true? Now, who does God say I am? Ah, okay. So therefore, we cut out that false label, that name, identity, like a disease, and we replace it with who God says I am. And that was a complete game changer. And and that's part of what I do now is like when you really, really know who you are, the authority that you carry, who you yeah, who you are, your skills, talents, and abilities that you have already been given, you show up differently. And and that's kind of why that I'm so passionate about women really waking up, showing up, stepping up into that authority that they have, that identity that they already carry. Because guess what? Then they become the women who change the room. Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:15

Oh, that's wonderful. So, so about how old were you when you realized this? When you finally got that that I am, I am who God made me.

SPEAKER_00 8:27

When did you realize that? Right, right. I would say it finally went from here to here, right? That what did they say? That's the longest distance in the world or something, right? From here to here, it really got seared into me, branded me in the best sort of way, um, just within the last five years or so. So later in life, and because there was a journey. And I, you know, I think that the way that we can bring transformation to other people, and I'm I'm sure I know you relate to this, that when we have gone on a transformation journey of our own, it's kind of like we're a tour guide and there's a suspension bridge, right? And you know, our people who want to go with us go, yeah, you know, I really do. I want to stop self-sabotaging, I want to step out, I want to be bold, I want to have authority, I want to turn tables in my industry, if you will. But I'm a little scared. That suspension bridge looks a little rickety, and it's it's about you know, 20 feet ahead and 20 feet down and two feet wide. And I don't know about this, but then as coaches, that we can say, you know what? I know, but guess what? I've been across that bridge. I'm gonna take your hand and we're doing this together, and we're gonna cross over this bridge. And you can trust in me because I've already been to the other side, and I think that's what's so important. Of we can look back and go, well, those experiences were really, really hard, right? But that's what brings us to that point where we can again help others have their own transformation.

SPEAKER_01 10:06

Yes, absolutely. That is that is the one that's one thing so wonderful about working with God is that he uses the talents he has given us, the giftings he's given us. And I mean, he's prepared us. And it's just so wonderful to walk with him when once we realize that identity that we have with him. And I think it's so uh wonderful that you are an example of realizing this after going through quite a journey. You know, you weren't like you, you know, you weren't 20 and going, you were a little more seasoned in life, and that was that's just amazing to me because that shows that God is continually working on us, He has a plan and He had your plan, and a time came when you blossomed with that realization, and uh that's just beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

And and I think something that's really important too, that I was just kind of thinking about was that it is it is a journey, right? It's just like with any relationship, though our relationship with the Lord is just so rich and deep and transforming, unlike other relationships, right? And especially when we're leaning more into Holy Spirit and really understanding, yes, God speaks to us through his word, absolutely, and he reveals things, but it is so true, and this is all this is what I learned more so later in life, where he speaks to us in the way that we love to be spoken to. So sometimes it can be through puns, yes, puns, because I'm a punny person, and and we just and he uh I and the Lord will laugh together, or we're out in his creation, right? And he'll alight my eyes on something and say, see, just like this butterfly, you are whatever, right? And I think more importantly, was really knowing, yes, God speaks to us, but God speaks with us. He we can hear his voice audibly through his word, through his nature, through his creation. That, and that's when we're really when we're really knowing how to recognize his voice. It can be through a pattern of numbers that oh, you keep bringing my attention, my alarm clock keeps going, or I keep waking up at you know, 655.

SPEAKER_01 12:38

333. Yes, yes, 333.

SPEAKER_00 12:42

And there you go, yeah, exactly, right? Or 828, Romans 8.28. God works everything, you know, to the good for those who love him. Odd and odd, and because I I think just like that suspension bridge analogy, is he wants to take us on a journey, right? Because that would you agree that it's like in that journey, we are falling in love with him more and more, which is also meaning we're trusting him more and more as he's revealing things and we're listening and allowing him to reveal things to us, right? Absolutely, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:19

And it it talks about in the word that we will, you know, through each of these, we're growing, our character is growing, and our perseverance is growing. All this is growing inside of us at that time, and we are becoming stronger, and like you said, trusting him. And it's like, you know, God and God in us, we are a majority. One of my pastors said was you and God are a majority, and um it's that way, he's so good for us, so good to us, which also makes me think, just like with um our spouses and so forth, that we can be more we're growing in intimacy while we're growing in trust, and we're growing in trust while we're growing in that intimacy, right?

SPEAKER_00 14:07

And it's that constant, ongoing growth that is so, and you know, and you try to describe it to um people who don't yet um know Jesus, and it's kind of like let me let me introduce you, you know what? Let me give you an example too that just come to came to mind. Okay, I was at a vendor event years ago, and unfortunately, there was a situation with a prominent Christian that went on family that went on at that time, and these were people um who were not um uh churchgoers or or lovers of Jesus that I knew of, but they were all kind of going, oh yeah, those people and those family, and yeah, those Christians, and you know, they were just kind of wagging their fingers and their tongues at the same time. And I wanted so badly on the inside to just jump and defend them. And I just felt like the Holy Spirit in that time just said, Wait, just stop. I want you to just listen, listen to what they're saying, listen to how the world can see you, right? Can misconstrue who you are, and just listen. And I was like, Oh, and it was so hard because inside I was like, Oh, I wanted to get up there and defend them, right? That no, no one's perfect, and we all you know have our falls and so forth. But then the Lord said reminded me, he said, Okay, so now I want you to make note of this that the next time this happens, you're in a conversation and someone starts slamming someone who's a believer or whatnot, just step in and say, gosh, you know what? I get it. Yeah, shoot, that was a really bad choice that they made. That was a really bad thing that happened. But can I introduce you to my father? Can I introduce you to who your heavenly father is instead of coming in and you know, of course, slamming the Bible over their heads or whatnot. Yeah, good because most people don't know God's character, they don't know who he is, and when you're sharing your experiences of, yeah, you know what, I went through this really hard time, and this is how he revealed himself, etc. And just really say, This is God's character. And I would say for nine out of ten people, that should pretty much blow them away, so to speak. Like, I've never heard that. What? And and I just like okay, all right, Lord, all right, I'm I'm carrying that, I'm I'm taking that.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

So that is so good. Oh my gosh, I love your heart. I just absolutely love your heart. Um, what do you well? You've got this um program. Um, you've got the step up and what is the name of it again?

SPEAKER_00 16:52

I'm sorry I've got it written down. That's okay. I'm sorry, it's that's okay. So, so my method that I use as a framework for my clients, it's called Wake Up, Show Up, and Step Up. And um I work with both Faith Forward as well as universal audiences, where we really, it's that time, first of all, of waking up. And especially for my believing audiences, that again, like what we're just talking about. Well, okay, let's really go to into what your identity is. Let's listen, let's tune in, let's tune our ears to really hearing what does God say about you? Who does he call you? What are your heavenly names? It you know, also known as your what is your identity? How does heaven see you? Okay, let's let's start there, right? And then once you're knowing that, it's like, what? What he calls me a warrior. What what he calls me his sunflower, what but it and all of a sudden, it's just like you're you right, it's when your parents have those pet names for you, and you're just like, Yep, no one else in the world has that name. That's my name, right? That's my identity. Right. So so we start with that, and then we where we are uh showing up is really learning about presence. And this is part of my passion to move forward with the Deborah anointing, and I believe everyone has every woman has that, especially who's in business, an entrepreneur, businesswoman, is is that time to really be showing up fully. And what does that mean? Being the woman who changes the room. What does that mean? Just like uh the Lord just gave me that picture of when Jesus was turning the tables, that we can be turning the tables in our industry, whether it's direct marketing, retail, brick and mortar, that we don't have to be status quo. Because here's the thing would you agree that most people don't want to go to church? I would tend to agree. Most churches, I if I were not a believer already, I mean, would you right? Not very attractive to it, and I totally get that. However, the marketplace, people are in the marketplace, and that's where we can show up as definitely being the hands and feet of Jesus, but we can be doing things differently. So when we're showing up and we're stepping up, especially in our businesses, because that's who I mainly work with, is what does that mean? When you are creating more visibility for your presence, you're walking in an heavenly authority, you're walking in a different authority, you're showing up in a room, and people say, There's something different about this woman. She's not desperate, she's not handing out business cards like you know, those Pokemon card collectors, right? Have you been to a networking event where they're just handing them out and you're just like, oh my gosh, here we go again? Versus the person who's standing, who's listening, who's asking questions, who's curious, who genuinely wants to know where they can bring a solution to a problem. And side note, if anyone wants to get into a room with millionaires and billionaires, come with solutions. Be a solution bringer, when if you will. I don't think that I don't know if that's a word, but that's the word I use. So if you're bringing solutions in, which we know is Holy Spirit inspired, because the package, the the magnificent package that you are that you come in, you will get the ears of those who influence, so that you can be an influencer of the influencer, influencer of the influencers, right? Yes, and yes, that's so that's that is part of it, and just in very practical terms, what I found is more so my clients say, you know what? I know I have to be more the face of my business, and I just don't really want to, but I know I have to help me, and so we work on practical skills of presence, how to network, how to network in a room virtually or in person, as well as I actually, this is coming back to that copywriting experience, that I actually write with them their one-minute, three-minute, and 10-minute speeches. So they are ready at any point in time to express what they do in a way that is magnetic, unforgettable, and different from everyone else, right?

SPEAKER_01 21:36

So yes, yes, that that is one thing in this day of digit of the digital age and internet, all that. We have to realize that God has made us unique, and that's what needs to be presented. What God has created us to be unique as.

SPEAKER_00 21:56

That's awesome. Because do you find too that? That a lot of people you may know can tend to almost entrap themselves, saying, Well, you know what? I need to have the the following of the Kardashians, though don't say you know, and I need to I need to look like so and so, and I need to sound like so and so. And I get it, yeah. You want to emulate some of the good things, like a less brown, how to tell a story. By the way, that is super powerful. That is something um I'm adding more and more to my programs, is really helping people tell stories because just like Jesus, those parables, how many of us remember those? We might not always understand them, right? But um, you know, if he's he's revealing more and more as you know, we go on our journey. But he told stories too, because that's what sticks, that's what people remember. And if I may just go down a little rabbit hole for a second, is part of my three-pronged program is actually based on a passage um in Timothy about God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, of power and authority, and self-governance or self-control, you know, whatever translation you use. And and part of that is really knowing again um how to serve best, right? How to because service with heart or love in our businesses is the best business strategy. And number two is walk in that author, walk in the authority that you have been given. And three, that um self-governance, self-control uh is equal to sustainable success in your businesses. And again, um, I just I I read a lot of bios and so forth on millionaires and billionaires because they are the influencers, influencers. And what is the number one thing across the board that they all will attribute to their success is self-governance, self-control, self-discipline. Which was like, I'm I'm still working on it, right? That's the that's what we want to aspire to. So that also will help us show up differently, like you said, to be different, be the table turners, the disruptors in our industry. And I know we can probably think of a lot of examples of that. What would that look like? But it could be simple as oh my goodness, follow up, follow up with your people, right? With your clients, or show up differently with them, give them value beyond their wildest dreams, and they go, whoa, wait a minute. She's not just offering me this product or service, but she's going above and beyond. And that's also what sets us apart as kingdom people, right? Yes, above and oh, you know what? I gotta share a story too. That so about an hour or so from here, there is this charming little tea house. And I don't know if do you love to go for and have tea? Well, coffee shops are more my parties, yeah, right? Just something that's different. And so I found out about this place, and it's a charming cottage and it has cute flowers, and so I was expecting all the charmingness and and so forth, and a nice cup of tea. Well, I didn't, I really didn't know what to expect, and I was absolutely surprised. The the every need was anticipated, didn't have to ask for anything, nothing was inconvenient, I didn't see any eyes rolling or anything like that from the servers. And I was like, this is uh and everything was above and beyond the the quality, the value, the the whole experience. You felt like you were invited into someone's home. And I thought, this is really, really different. And so just I found out from one of the managers as I cultivated a relationship with them that they said that you know what our motto is everyone leaves with a full cup. Everyone leaves with a full cup. And I thought, wow, if more of us would show up like that and step up our businesses to provide that kind of service, do you think we we would be creating creating some raving fan customers? Absolutely, right? And I just referred them again. I don't know how many hundreds of times that I've referred them because they are they're so unique in what they do. And and one another uh another part of that is this manager was explaining that everyone is so well, has the right mindset and is so well trained, especially in the servers, from any level from top to bottom, to give the best customer service possible because they realize even if just one server of that whole team, for example, has a bad day, rolls their eyes, you know, gives you attitude, that doesn't just affect that server's tip, it affects the entire business, right? Because that customer is gonna go, I don't really I don't recommend that place. So it affects the bottom line of everyone and the paychecks. And I was like, wow, that mentality versus doing just what's convenient, right? Um, I'm like we all have those days where it's like I just don't feel like making those calls, right? I just don't feel like writing that email. But this is that part of service with heart is the best business strategy, and and that's just that's kind of that is part of the the three-prong program um that I you know do with my clients, uh, in addition to everything else. But it it is it's really again, it's if we are to be a Deborah, and who was Deborah? She was a judge, okay. Nowadays we think, okay, that's cool. She was a judge in biblical times, right? I was really yeah, and I a female, what? And I just was really leaning into that, like, Lord, I need to do more, and actually I'm I'm in the process of digging up more about her background, but that already is a table turner. She's a table turner just doing that, and but up to the point that they, you know, they won in battle, was she was doing the preparation that was necessary at that point in time to be ready to be. She's she was waking up into her role, she was showing up, um, even though it might have been a little challenging, and then she was stepping up and stepping into helping them win a battle. And but it was all that preparation time, and she knew what her identity was, and she was walking in that, and and that's that Deborah anointing, um, that stepping into that authority that God's already given us. That's my my passion for women, because if you agree that we need we need women to be like that more so than ever.

SPEAKER_01 29:21

Yes, yes. And I love that. And I love what you were as you were talking about the the servers, the that were, you know, customer service is their number one. Everybody leaves with the full cup. I was in customer service a lot of my life, and and I that's kind of how I functioned, you know. And when I see today some of the people who are not not, they could really care less, it seems sometimes. But you know what? When you said that, it made me think of the church, how you were talking a little bit ago about the church. How you know, do we really want to go to that church? Well, yeah, do they preach, do they actually speak the word? Do they believe what they're speaking? And we are those servers to the world. We take that, we take the love of God, the the wisdom of God to the world, and it it's gonna depend, you know, their view of God is gonna depend on how we serve with his love and his heart. Right, right.

SPEAKER_00 30:30

Reflecting his character, yeah, it is so true. And can it can it seem daunting? Sure, but we're we're also in process too, especially you know when it comes to self-governance. I'm you know, I struggle with that too, right? I like I need to get up earlier, I need to walk the dog more, whatever. Those are those are important things, and but especially like you said with the church, because people understandably might not want to step into a church, but they are in the marketplace, and the opportunities there are amazing, and it doesn't matter whether someone again has a network marketing business, retail, brick and mortar, when we show up differently, that that's what creates visibility.

SPEAKER_01 31:17

Yes. Oh, that's wonderful. Well, it has been so awesome to speak with you today, Debbie. And I I thank you so much for getting up early because I know you're on the West Coast, so it's early morning there for you. But um, I am just so thankful for you, and I I'm thankful for your truth, your wisdom, what you've poured into us today. And I know that these women have received today from you. I know um that there are women out there who say, Yes, why am I allowing this label to keep me from doing what I I want to do or what I know I'm supposed to do? Um oh, the the what you received on that playground as a child, how that could be absolutely devastating to someone. But I am so thankful that God rose up inside of you and showed you, oh, Debbie, you're special. You're special, you can laugh it off. And I'm just so thankful he did that for you. And he's here to do that for every woman, every woman who may have gone through something like that. He's there and he will help you to laugh it off, maybe, at least to be able to overcome it, because Jesus Christ said in this world you're gonna have tribulation, but know that I have overcome the world, and he will help. And like you said, the marketplace right now, it's ripe. I see businesses and people open to God right now, like I have not seen for decades. And it is exciting, exciting what you do, that the method you have, the wake up, step up, boy, wait, wake up, show up, step up method. And I just think that is absolutely amazing that you have that to walk uh women through to reach their potential. So today I'm just gonna ask our listeners if you have been touched by Deborah today. Uh Deborah, see, I I'm calling you Deborah girl. You got that Deborah anointing. If you've been touched by what Debbie has said today, please contact her. Would you please give us your information, how they can contact you, Debbie?

SPEAKER_00 33:40

Yes, absolutely. In fact, I'm going to grab it here in just a moment. And yeah, what I offer, oopsie, what I offer here, I'm just gonna grab the link, is if anyone wants to connect, just we can do a connection call. They can just reach me at my calendarly link and just an opportunity again to connect. Um, and if someone is more specifically saying, I just need a little bit more help, at least just to, you know, a step in the right direction, that they are welcome to. I'm just gonna put the information here. Let me just grab that. And I will put it in the notes as well. There you go. Okay, okay. Yeah, there we go. I will put it in notes. Yeah, so basically, if they want to just rewire that hesitation, that self-doubt that they that's been lying to them, um, that they you can step up into the unforgettable, highly profitable leader that you're meant to be. It's a complimentary, unforgettable impact call because that's that's what I really want women to know who are they feel like they're stuck and they don't know their identity, but they and I want to pour that into them that they can be and sh and rightfully so should be unforgettable and to become the woman who changes the room. So we can you know just chat.

SPEAKER_01 35:02

Yes, yes, and I do encourage you to give her a call because I I know when I first met you, I knew there was just something different, and then as we talked, I realized that you didn't know the Lord, and it's like that's that difference, that's that little spark that you have there, it's the Holy Spirit. So, and I know that the women will be blessed. And do you work with men too, or just women?

SPEAKER_00 35:28

Yeah, I I I prefer to work with women, yes.

SPEAKER_01 35:31

Yeah, that's that's me too. And um, so you know, I know that there's women out there that will reach out to you because it's time, it's time for us to each rise up and be who we've been called to be. So thank you, Debbie. And yes, and I want to thank my listeners today, and remember that you need to speak life and you will want to choose hope, and always remember that you are loved. So thank you again, and bye-bye, Debbie, and goodbye, everybody. Have a great day. Bye-bye, everyone. Thank you for being with us today on Under Heaven. I trust this conversation encouraged your heart and reminded you of God's faithfulness. If today's episode blessed you, please click like, subscribe, and share the hope with others. Until next time, blessings.