Shine Podcast with Shanna Star

From Self-Doubt To Real Confidence With Simone Knego

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We explore how real confidence is built through self-talk, daily action, and vulnerability, and how a single risk—climbing Kilimanjaro—reshaped Simone Knego’s life. We share tools to quiet the what-if whisperer and model healthier confidence for the people we love.

• defining confidence as being the same person everywhere
• vulnerability unlocking connection and support
• self-talk that passes the best-friend test
• control alt delete mindset reset explained
• modeling confidence for our kids and clients
• Kilimanjaro lessons on grit and goal setting
• responding to critics with questions not defenses
• the REAL method for building confidence
• choosing positivity without toxic positivity
• getting comfortable with discomfort through reps
• podcasting with her daughter and what they learn
• new book launch, speaking, and where to find Simone

Are you ready to streamline your business and elevate your client experience? Right now you can get 30% off with my discount code: https://share.honeybook.com/shannastar

You can try Pic Time for free with my code and get an extra free month when you upgrade to a paid plan: head to the notes and click the link to start your beautiful galleries today

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https://simoneknego.com/


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Keep Shining- Shanna Star

Shanna Star:

Well, hello, hello, hello to all of you fabulous people who shine. I'm your host, Shauna Star. This is the Shine Podcast. Today I have Simone Canego on the show. She is a best-selling author of the Extraordinary, Unordinary You, a two-time TED speaker and podcast host. And she also hosts that with her fabulous daughter. And she's dedicated to helping women and high achievers rewrite self-doubt into confidence. So that's what we're going to be speaking about today is confidence, what that looks like defining it and what we can do to work on it because it is, in fact, a skill to work on. She also is an amazing woman because she climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, along with so many other reasons why she is amazing. But I love that fact about her and we get to hear a little bit about her story. So let's get right to it. Oh, welcome, Simone, to the Shine Podcast. I'm so excited to have you here today.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you. I'm excited to be here.

Shanna Star:

So today we're gonna kind of get into confidence. I know that you get to speak about that with the books that you've written and one coming out soon, but also on your podcast that correct me if I'm wrong, that you do with your daughter. Is that right?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. So I have six children, but um that podcast is with my 22-year-old daughter, which is a blast.

Shanna Star:

I love that. Now tell me what that's called again. Did it change names kind of recently-ish?

SPEAKER_00:

So it's called Her Unshakable Confidence. It changed about a year ago. We decided to be more focused. It used to be called the Daughter Dearest podcast, like, you know, play on words from Mommy Dearest. Yes. Yeah. Uh, but we were like, you know, what are we talking about here? We're talking about helping her step into the woman that she wants to be. And it's for her, it was all about building confidence. And it's amazing how well it's worked.

Shanna Star:

Wonderful. I love that. Well, congratulations on all you've been doing. And I know we'll get into your book a little bit more that will be coming out. But I wanted to start with I know so many women struggle with confidence or feel like they're a fraud if they put that confident like jacket on for the day or that hat on for the day. So, what do you consider to be a definition of confidence and what that looks like?

SPEAKER_00:

For me, confidence is being who you are, where who that doesn't matter who you're with, doesn't matter where you are. So for years I put up this facade, pretended to be something that I wasn't, hoping that I'd fit in better that way, or I didn't want to rock the boat, or I never felt good about myself. I mean, that was the big thing is I struggled so much with self-doubt. And I don't wear that mask anymore. I show up as I am, and I figure if people don't like that, then that's okay. Right. And I've never had an issue, honestly. It's not like someone's been like, oh my gosh, you can't come in here because you're wearing jeans. No, it's never been an issue. But in my mind, for years, it was an issue. Like I told myself, oh my gosh, you have to do all these things because that's how it's supposed to work. Well, no, it's not.

Shanna Star:

Yeah. And so what changed that for you? What changed into thinking you had to put that on versus becoming the actual confident you?

SPEAKER_00:

So two things. One, what two different events happened in my life. One was I was at this women's event. There were probably 600 women in the room. And for so long, I pretended that I was really strong. I never cried, like literally didn't cry for years. And I was sitting there with close friends, and I'd never told them the things that I had struggled with. I had an abusive boyfriend in high school that really kind of changed my path moving forward. And I sat at that event and they started playing Colby Calais's music video try, where it's like peeling back the layers and really showing your authentic self. And I just had this moment where I started crying. And my friends were like, Oh my gosh, what do we do with her? Because they weren't used to it. Like, that doesn't happen. She doesn't cry. And it was my moment where I told my truth, all the things that I was struggling with. And what was interesting is I always thought, you know, I looked at my friends and thought, oh my gosh, they have the most perfect life. Like they don't struggle at all. And it was so not true because as soon as I started opening up, they started opening up too. And I was like, oh wait, I am not alone. Right. And so that's one of the biggest lessons I've learned is that, you know, when you're struggling with something, don't hold it in. Like other people need you to say it so they can say it too.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

Shanna Star:

Something already interesting you said was that as soon as you started being vulnerable, they did too. Because I just did uh just a little speaking event not too long ago where you know Brene Brown talks about vulnerability and it's you know the very first thing we want to see in other people and the very last thing we want to show in ourselves. Um, but as a photographer full-time, it's kind of my job to pull that out of people. So I found just like you said, if I'm vulnerable first, even though it was scary the first few times, it gives permission for other people to be vulnerable too. And it's such a beautiful thing. Um, it builds friendships and that connection so much differently than holding it in, like you said. Except I'm a ball baby, I'm the opposite of what you said. And then I know I know for myself, and you said too, there was some action in that confidence. And I really think confidence comes from those actions, whether big or small. And I know you've had some big, bold actions and then some smaller ones too. So, what are some maybe small, more tactical steps or ways people can start building confidence if they're listening and they're like, okay, well, how do I start to get that confidence or start to just show who I am?

SPEAKER_00:

I think a big part of it is the way we talk to ourselves. I think that's step number one. We talk to ourselves in a way that we would never talk to our best friend, right? I mean, the things that we say to ourselves sometimes are so mean, but you wouldn't say that to someone you love. Well, hello, we need to love ourselves, right? We need to start right here and think about ourselves as our best friend. I mean, we're gonna be with us as long as we're alive. So why not wake up in the morning and treat ourselves with kindness? So I used to be someone who did say horrible things to myself, right? Oh my gosh, I can't believe you gained weight again. What's wrong with you? You're not pretty enough, right? And oh my gosh, I can't believe you can't figure this out. And there was a moment where my daughter, who I have the podcast with, when she was about 15, I was getting ready for an event and she walked in the room and I was saying mean things to myself in the mirror. And she said, Okay, first of all, you're beautiful. Second of all, you need to stop. You're giving me a complex. How do you expect me to love my body when you don't even like your own? And it was such a huge wake-up call for me because I can say all I want, right? I can say, Oh my gosh, you're so beautiful. And you know, you don't have to worry about that. But if I'm treating myself like crap, what do you think my kids are gonna do? Like modeling matters way more than managing. So the things that we say to ourselves, that's what our kids hear, and that's what they're gonna repeat to themselves. And so for me, that mindset shift of wow, uh, it's not just me that I'm affecting, I'm affecting the people around us. So, step number one, that was a long way of saying, step number one is think about the words that you say to yourself. And a lot of times people talk about the fake it till you make it. I believe in say it until you become it, right? So tell yourself that you're capable. Tell yourself that you're worthy because you are. And the more you do that, the more you become.

Shanna Star:

Yeah. I love what you said too, because again, as a photographer full-time, I see so many women. I'll ask them, like, okay, what do you love about yourself? So I can bring that out. And very often they'll immediately say, Well, I hate, and they'll point out the things that they hate, which we all have things that we don't love, and that's okay. It's okay to admit that. Um, but I see a lot of um moms calling out things they don't like about themselves in front of their daughters. And I don't have children, so I know I'm coming from a place of ignorance on that part, but I'm always like, as a daughter, my mom didn't say anything negative about herself in front of me. And it was something that I know really had an impact on me. Of course, I had my own experiences that, you know, damage parts of my confidence later in life. But I always say, like, like you said, it's so important, especially for moms, to model that because they see what a woman looks like, uh, whether that's taking time for yourself or just how you speak to yourself. So I'm so glad that you touched on that as well.

SPEAKER_00:

And there's so many different things we can do. So I have a little, you know, we all have that voice inside our head, right? That likes to sabotage things, that likes to tell us we're not good enough. Um, I call it the what if whisperer. And I named her. That way I can separate her. So her name is Sally Fine, which stands for freaked out, insecure, neurotic, and emotional. And uh, and so for me, understanding when that voice comes in my head that I yes, I'm we're all gonna have negative thoughts. I mean, that's just how it works, but it's what you do with them. So my little mindset hack is called control alt-delete. Back in the day, that's how we would reset a frozen computer. Now it brings up task manager. But, you know, sometimes our minds freeze too, right? We get stuck in that comparison game, we spiral in self-doubt, we constantly apologize for things that we should not be apologizing for. So control is about awareness. Okay, the thought that's running your day, is it real? Is it valid? Like, is it is it helpful? Most of the answer, it's not. Most of the answer, it's a story that you're telling yourself, a negative story. Alt is about alternative. Tell yourself a better story, right? Instead of I can't, I can, or what if I fail? How about when I succeed? It really does make a difference. And the last part is delete. Delete the habits and beliefs that don't serve you. Delete the comparison game, um, delete the belief that you're not enough because it is not true, right? So anytime I have those thoughts come in that said, oh no, you don't, you don't belong here, control delete. It's like, yes, I do. Yes, I do. Stop trying to tell me that, Sally.

Shanna Star:

And I think it's important too that you said like you still practice that even after years of practicing it. It doesn't necessarily go away. It might show up less or in a different way, but it's something to consistently work on. So having that habit in your head of, okay, you know, turning that around, that control and that alternative is so important because I think so many women go, oh, well, if you're confident, then you're just always confident. And that's not the case. You still have to argue the little voices, like you said, in your head. So I think that's important too.

SPEAKER_00:

Confidence is a skill. It's a skill that you build. And if if you think about it similar to working out or what you eat or learning another language, you don't do it one time and whoa, it's there, right? You don't go to the one, the gym one time and become super fit. You don't take one Spanish lesson and become, yeah, I know, right? Like that would be amazing. Or you don't take one Spanish lesson and become fluent. Like it is constantly a practice. So why would building confidence or mind changes in mindset be any different, right? It's something you have to work on all the time. But I think people have this idea in their head, you're either confident or you're not, but it really doesn't work that way. And that's, you know, the science behind it is you have to work on these things and not just think that it's for somebody else and it's not for you.

Shanna Star:

Yeah. You have had a significant, I would say, maybe not, well, risk, yes, out of your comfort zone with an amazing climb that you did. And I'm sure there were moments that you didn't feel 100% confident in that. Will you talk about that and what the outcome was with your confidence through that whole journey and that climb?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. So that was this was actually the second part to when we were talking about the event where I broke down crying. The thing that really like that was kind of the beginning of my transformation. And the next big step was climbing Kilimanjaro. And I did that in 2015. I am not a climber. I live in Florida. I have 16 steps in my house. I've gone camping twice. Like that, so it's completely out of my comfort zone. And a lot of people ask me, like, why would you do something like that? And I kind of have two answers for it. Well, maybe three. I have no idea, would be number one. Um, number two was I was so used to being a people pleaser that I, if I said no to something, I thought it was disappointing somebody. And then the final part, which is really the most important part, was that I knew that I was struggling and I knew that I need to really get out of my comfort, comfort zone and do something different. Uh, climbing a mountain was a lot different, but a friend of ours asked, he had climbed it the year before. He asked my husband if he was interested. And my husband said, No, thank you. Uh, call Simone. And so he did. And I said yes. And I I trained for six months and got myself into the best shape of my life. Now I'm I had shoulder surgery, so I'm probably in one of the worst, you know, in terms of like, I was like, Oh, that was hard walking down the street. So now it's like getting myself back back there again. But again, you have to build it, right? You have to keep working on things. As soon as you stop, it doesn't work. And so Kilmanjar was, there were 16 of us. I didn't know anybody on the team. We were raising money for the Live Strong Foundation, and the people were amazing, right? It was leadership in motion. You know, you talk about leadership, leadership on a mountain is a whole different ballgame, right? Seeing if someone's struggling, does everybody stay back? Or how do we deal with certain issues? And, you know, if someone's complaining, how do we bring them back into the moment to help them realize what they're capable of right now? And it was really powerful. And for me, reaching the summit, it wasn't yes, it was really important, but it was the start. It was the action of actually doing it, showing up there by myself, right? And doing something so different for me, that was really the biggest confidence builder. And what I realized on that trip is that I don't need to worry about what anybody else is thinking. You know, I need to set a goal and put in the work. I think so often we set a goal, but we don't put in the work. So it's the work part that that really matters.

Shanna Star:

Yeah, absolutely. There's two kind of questions I had from that. And one was were there moments while you were doing the climb and while you were hiking that you felt like your body was telling you no? And then that shift for your mind had to take over because it's always, I can't remember the statistic, but it's like when you think you're done, when your body thinks you're done, you're only like 40% done or something like that. So I'd love to hear about that. But then also when you got to the summit, or maybe when you got back down, what did you then start shifting into? Okay, here's what I know that I can do and I want to do something new next. And what did that look like?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. So I mean, I definitely had a lot, a lot of moments that I was like, oh my gosh, what did I get myself into? What am I doing? It's freezing, everything hurts. I'd had two previous knee surgeries, so my knee was like a balloon, didn't matter like that I was wearing a brace or not. So yeah, there was a lot of, you know, Sally was very active on that trip. She was telling me all the things. And I mean, I kept saying to myself, one more step, right? One more step, you've got this. And that was such a big mindset shift for me, instead of saying, Oh no, you you you're not capable of this. It was like, oh yeah, you've got this, one more step. And when we got to the summit, that and and actually coming down the mountain, that realization of okay, what do I really want? Instead of so much of my life, and I trust me, I love my life. I've been married to my husband for 32 years. We have six kids, like it's amazing. But what do I want for me? Because my whole life had been built about what I wanted for everybody else. And so that's when I started speaking, that's when I started writing, and I have a completely different life than I would have if I wouldn't have taken this one risk. And um, yeah, there were people that would say to me, Oh, you really think you're gonna make it to the top? No, I think I'm gonna make it halfway, that's why I'm doing it. Or isn't it really selfish for you to leave six kids at home uh while you go climb a mountain? I mean you're not a climber. Like, what if something happens? Okay. Well, first of all, self-care is never selfish. And I think the the funniest part of the of that one was that I got a lot of, oh my gosh, your husband is so amazing. He's gonna take care of your kids while you're gone for two weeks climbing a mountain, and he has to work too. And I was like, they're his kids, they're his kids too, right? I mean, he's completely supportive, but you have it in your head that like I was like, and I take care of them every day, right? So, but it was just it was really interesting to hear other people's thoughts on it. And that was really a turning point for me to say that you don't have to listen to this. A lot of times when people are saying negative things to you, it's because of how they feel about themselves.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And and not how they feel about you. But we take it so personally that it does affect our confidence because we're like, oh, wait, you don't think I can do this? Oh, maybe I can't do this. No, that's not true. We we don't need to listen to that at all. And yeah, so from there I, you know, now I'm speaking and writing and have this podcast with my daughter, which the more I talk to people, the more they're like, that is just so unusual. The fact that your 22-year-old daughter actually wants to talk to you on a show, like that's pretty cool.

Shanna Star:

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SPEAKER_00:

It's so funny. I love that you said that about your mom because uh my daughter and I were recording an episode a few weeks ago, and someone asked her, So, what's the most interesting thing that you've learned about your mom? And she goes, Uh, that she's human, right? I mean, she said for so long I thought of her as mom, like she's the one who fixes everything, she's the one who does everything for us. And seeing that different side of that, she has a life as well beyond us, which as a kid, when you were younger, you didn't see that. You were like, Oh, this is what she does. She does all the things for us, and that's what she does. So, um, same kind of realization, which I think is really cool.

Shanna Star:

Yeah, and so I guess you already answered some of this, but now that you've moved through some of those, that criticism, how have you handled criticism and setbacks now when you hear it from other people? Or not maybe a fail, but it didn't go as you planned. Like, how have you learned to change that mindset now and learn from those experiences?

SPEAKER_00:

So that's actually all part of what I call my real method, which is respect yourself, embrace your failures, ask yourself what you want and live without limits. So the embracing your failures, I think, is is a it's such an important piece. For so long, if I failed at something, I'd be like, well, not doing that again. Instead of what did I learn from that? And that's really what I take away now is what did I learn from that and how can I do it better next time, instead of saying, ooh, no, that's way too scary to ever try again. And that was a big turning, and that whole method came out of Kilmanjaro, like seeing from you know, seeing my transformation that I had in terms of really not worrying about what other people think. And, you know, when I have people say things to me now, um, I actually respond with a question. What, oh, why why would you ask that? You know, or why would you say that? Like, what is your thought process behind that? Instead of getting defensive right away, a lot of times people don't know what to say to that because they're like, wait, wait, what did I just say to her? And now she's asking me a question about that. But I think it's important for me not to get like upset about what anybody else thinks, you know, they're thinking that for a reason. So let me ask them why. Why would you think that? Or why would you say that? And it usually catches people off guard and they're like, Oh, well, well, I didn't really mean it like that. Okay, well, what'd you mean? You know, talk it through. And it's uncomfortable, but I think it's important because a lot of times I think people don't realize that they're being negative because it's just they've done it for so long. And so if if I can help them, one person get out of that mindset of you know, you you can't do that, yes, you can. So I think it's so important for me.

Shanna Star:

Yeah, and what you said about failing, I feel like often, uh probably men too, but women for sure, when they uh quote, fail or it doesn't go their way, they feel that is a sign that they shouldn't be doing it. When they think they should be, you tried it once, you failed at it that one time, therefore it's the sign not to do it. And I completely disagree. Of course, it's it's challenges and it's and it's confidence building, and it's almost the world letting you know like, do you want this? You gotta keep going, you gotta try again. Um and there might be a time where there's some things we shouldn't be doing. I'm not saying that, but I we just so often see one failure as uh permission to quit. And I and I love that you did something so challenging because you weren't going to quit, even though people had already put that in your head. So that's incredible. Um what maybe would be a piece of advice then to a friend who is struggling with their self-esteem and how to start doing that control all delete or just to even a simple habit per day to just shift into some self-love that way or self-esteem.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I there well, I got lots of answers, but um one big one is do the things you think you can't, you know. You tell yourself all the time that you you can't do something. Why why can't you? Right. So as simple as, oh, I can't do that today because, right? Okay, yes, you can, right? I and I see this with my kids too. They're like, oh no, I'm too busy to do that. And then I'm like, you're strolling, you're scrolling on your phone for like an hour. You could have done that 10 times over.

SPEAKER_01:

Right.

SPEAKER_00:

Um, but they're afraid to to do something different. And so it, I mean, it's uh asking yourself that question, why can't I? instead of saying, Oh no, I can't. And really, I would say tomorrow morning when you wake up, you have a choice every morning. You have a choice to be happy, you have a choice to be miserable. Yes, there are external factors, but it's how we know how we respond to those. So, do you really want to wake up in the morning and say, Well, this is gonna be the crappiest day ever, right? No, who wants to do that? So it really is about how you approach the way you talk to yourself, the way you see yourself. And, you know, I'm a big believer in that. We don't need to change who we are, we need to change the way we see ourselves. So when we wake up in the morning, you're not gonna love everything you see in the mirror. Nobody ever will, right? But there are things about yourself that you will and start with those. It's not toxic positivity, it's starting with, you know, this connection to yourself that only you can have. And do you want it to be bad or do you want it to be good? Like ask yourself that simple question. I mean, I want to show up as the best person I can every day. I want to show up happy. I don't want to get out of bed and say, well, yeah, this is how I'm this is how I'm gonna be today because this is just awful. Okay, no, I don't want to do that.

Shanna Star:

Yeah. And I think that's important to say too, because there are people who tend to be negative that because they wake up negative, they tend to see the negative. So it looks like they just are surrounded by negativity, but it's because they they see it, they choose to see it. Of course, we all have negative things that are happening in our lives, but you're right to choose the things that are good or that we feel confident in. Uh, and I think another piece of that is also starting to put yourself in places that are uncomfortable, trying to be comfortable in uncomfortability, which is very scary. Uh, and it doesn't have to start by you climbing an amazing mountain, which I think it's incredible, but it can start just by going in a room networking where you're not comfortable, um, or traveling to a place that you might not have traveled before. Um, so I love that as well. And just stepping into that.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, I would say that's something that I do a lot more of now, which I never used to do because I I am an introvert. I am a and people would say, No, you're not. Yeah, I am. I'm an extroverted introvert. I'm an introverted extrovert. Yeah, because I I I have to, I have to put myself out there. But would I prefer to just sit at home on the couch and watch TV? Yeah, but no, that's not like the way I want to live my life. So I push myself to get out there. And every time I do, I meet amazing people. I learn something new, right? And I think if we go into it with that mindset, not like, oh my gosh, I have to do this. I can't believe I have to do this. It's more like, oh my gosh, what am I gonna come away with from this? And it's exactly that. Every time I go on a podcast, like I meet an amazing human, right? I mean, what if you would have asked me, I don't know when I first started doing podcasts, but I don't know, less than 10 years ago, would I ever be talking to people I don't know on a podcast? No way. Right. Would I have a podcast, invite people on? No way. But it's this incredible learning process and you see the world so differently when you when you get uncomfortable, when you start putting yourself out there. And actually, when I look back at things now, I think it's more uncomfortable to not do those things, right? You're like sitting in a place of like you don't feel good because you're not challenging yourself, right? If you don't try, you'll never know.

Shanna Star:

Yeah. I feel the same way about podcasting. It's so interesting because we we do this for our for people listening. We want to connect with people and help people and encourage them. And it's interesting because there's times where I'll leave the the interview and I'll be like, oh, I feel so selfish because I feel like I got so much from it. Which it's not selfish. Of course, we're gonna get something from learning from another amazing human. Um, but but I agree, podcasting has been wonderful and meeting people that you would have never have met or maybe come across ever. Uh so it's such a great platform to be able to have that. And it just it's been wonderful. So and how long have you been doing your podcast with your daughter as well?

SPEAKER_00:

So uh a little bit over two years, a little bit over two years, and yeah, again, we we we started at first like kind of like uh a little bit here and there, and then I was like, okay, we either stop or we get serious. Yeah, and we're like, okay, let's get serious. So we have an episode every Tuesday. Uh we recorded one this morning, and you know, she's in law school, so it has to work around her schedule, so it makes it a little bit more complicated, but it works. And what we realize every time, exactly what you said about what we take away each time. Like today, we were recording with a woman who her whole thing is about communication. And you know, one of the things we're talking about is for me, when the kids eat something and they put their dish in the sink, I'm like, the dishwasher is like a foot away. What is so hard about that? You know, but instead of going in there and like attacking, there's a better way to do it and saying like what your needs are instead of saying, like, can't believe you don't do this. Because that's my instant response was like, What is wrong with you? Like, put it in the dishwasher, right? So, you know, definitely took away something. This morning, about better ways to communicate, which until you hear someone say it, you're like, Oh, yeah, that makes a lot of sense, right?

SPEAKER_01:

Right.

SPEAKER_00:

Um but and then having with Olivia, you know, she's always there's so much stress with her school and having her leave an episode and say, I really needed this today. Like I really feel so different about myself right now because of having this experience. So I mean, which has been amazing.

Shanna Star:

So what is maybe a few things on the horizon for you, things that you have upcoming that you're excited about? Tell us a little about your book that's coming out soon, all the good books.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. So um, speaking, I mean, I have more speaking gigs coming up, which I love. I talk obviously, I talk about helping women build real confidence. Um, I also talk about uh the idea of kitchen table leadership. So I feel like we've been sold this very narrow view of what leadership is. It's the the title, it's the boardroom, it's the corner office. But leadership, it's the things we do every day, like the decisions that we make, the things behind the scene, and so many of our decisions start and happen around the kitchen table. So that that's a big part of my speaking as well. And the thing I'm most excited about is my new book, uh Real Confidence, a simple guide to go from unsure to unshakable, comes out on February 17th. That has been a much longer process. My first book came out in 2020, and that one was called The Extraordinary, Unordinary You. It was perfect timing, 2020.

SPEAKER_01:

That's amazing.

SPEAKER_00:

Um but I've learned a lot, right? I've it's interesting when I wrote the first book. I thought, oh, if you write it, they will come. No, they won't. They don't know you exist, right? So um really trying to do better with the marketing side. It it's funny as an entrepreneur, you have to do so many different things, right? So if I'm speaking and I'm writing and I'm podcasting, but I also have to be the salesperson, I also have to be the marketing person, and so many different sides that I never thought I would have to do, but um, I'm learning every single day, and I think that's the most and most important part.

Shanna Star:

So I think that's part of confidence too, is just following through. Like you give yourself a task, you follow through. It's like, woohoo, I did it. So I can keep doing it, just like you said. So yeah, that's wonderful. And how can we find you, follow you, get your book soon, and and work with you or see you speak?

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. So my website is the best place to find me, Simone Kenego.com, which is S-I-M-O-N-E-K-N-E-G-O. And you can find my new book at realconfidencebook.com, which there's a bunch of bonuses on there if you pre-order it, and then I'm on social media pretty much everywhere under Simone Canego. I I think Facebook, I'm speaker Simone Canego, but I'm the only Simone Canego in the world. So if you've written Simone Canego, you will find me. I love what happens when you have like the name Simone and then you married someone with a funky last name Kanago.

Shanna Star:

So you know and that'll all be in the notes too, just in case they can't quick type that in so that everyone can find you, follow you, and get your book so that they can pre-order too. That's so exciting. Well, I appreciate you coming on the Shine podcast today and speaking about confidence and just being a confident woman who works on that daily and continues to do that. So thank you so much. I appreciate you. Thank you for having me. Are you a photography business owner looking to elevate your business? I started using PickTime and am absolutely in love. I have been looking for a different solution, and this has been it. It is the ultimate streamline for workflow and enhancing client experience. It has beautiful galleries and it's easy for clients to navigate, download with all of images, or you can select how many images they download, which is incredible for my business. I also love the AI integration, which means if you have more than six people in the gallery, they can just simply click on their face and look for them and download those photos. I love it. It has a built-in e-commerce capabilities, making it simple to sell those digital downloads, prints and merchandise, all in one place. Now you can join the thousands of photographers who trust PickTime and me not to just store your work but grow your business. You can try it for free with my code and get also an extra free month when you upgrade to a paid plan. Link is going to be in the notes, or you can head to divistaphotography.pick time.com slash referral. You can head right to the notes and click on the link so you can start your beautiful galleries today.