The Power of Owning Your Voice in a World That Wants You Silent
I almost didn’t write the post where I spoke out about being Jewish. Sharing my perspective about the fear, the hate, the microaggressions in a world growing with antisemitism, is scary. But after the two Israeli diplomats were murdered while attending a peace event, I sat with a deep, uneasy question: Could I be next?
It felt personal. And it IS! When I hit publish, I wondered what would happen. Would people look at me differently? Would clients pull away? Would I be safe openly calling out my heritage?
I wasn’t sure if I should write this post. It was only last week that Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim had spent the evening at an event dedicated to bringing together war-torn and politically divided regions of the world when a man killed the soon-to-be engaged Israeli Embassy staffers. Could I be next??
I’m deciding to use my voice because silence is not an option anymore. I was the first Jewish person many had met when I moved to Madison, Wisconsin. I’ve been asked if “I’m good with money,” if I “Celebrate real Christmas,” or if “Jews exist in Texas.” These are more than awkward comments; they’re microaggressions.
They’re reminders that antisemitism isn’t history. It’s here. Now. And it’s rising. That’s my community. My family. My daughter’s future. And I won’t stay quiet. Judaism is at the heart of my soul. I went to Hebrew school, had a bat mitzvah and love watching my daughter Ava and my stepchildren, carry our traditions forward.
We choose light over darkness. We choose love, even in the world shows you hate.
As someone who leads with heart, humanity, and hope, I believe deeply in the power of tradition, but also in the power of visibility. I know what it means to blend families and faiths. Our “Chrismukkah” is a celebration of both Hanukkah and Christmas, honoring both sides of our family. That’s love. That’s respect. That’s the kind of world I want Ava to grow up in.
We are not going away. We are innovators, creators, leaders, and lovers. We are tired, but we are not afraid. I stand for my people. I stand for humanity. I stand for a world where being Jewish isn’t something to whisper, but something to celebrate.
If you see hate, call it out. If you hear ignorance, educate with love. And if you’ve never celebrated Jewish Heritage Month before, start now. Because it matters. Because we matter. 💜 I am Rachel Braunstein Lee. Jewish. Proud. Unapologetically human.
What actually happened surprised me. My comments section and inbox were flooded with messages from people thanking me for speaking up. They shared their own stories of faith, identity, and fear. There were a couple rude comments about politics, but I wouldn’t expect anything less in today’s world. This is about more than just Judaism. It’s about me sharing my voice, unapologetically and standing for others who hold the same values.
We live in a world that is louder than ever and many feel silenced. We are afraid to be too bold, too real, too much or else you’ll be canceled. And if you’re a business professional… a woman… marginalized groups…YIKES for us. But our voice is not a liability. It’s the most powerful asset we have. If you’ve ever wondered how to stay visible without selling out who you are… If you’ve ever struggled to speak your truth when the stakes felt high… If you’ve ever suffered from impostor syndrome and questioned your ability and worth…
This is for you.
The world doesn’t need more noise. It needs real human connection and authenticity. And when you use your voice with intention, purpose, and clarity, people don’t just hear you. They stand there with their eyes wide open, swallowing every single word.
I love the lesson in The Little Mermaid about finding her authentic self after Ariel sacrificed herself by giving up her voice.
The Fear of Being Fully Seen
It’s scary to be seen for who YOU really are. Not the curated, perfectly put together version, but the raw, human, soul-centered version of you that’s made mistakes, who has strong values and who speaks from lived experiences. An authentic person like this simply can’t fit into someone else’s box. I totally get why speaking up today feels dangerous. We live in a hyper-polarized world, where nuance is lost and judgment is instant. If you show your faith, you’re “too much.” If you share your truth, someone will twist it. And if you speak from your heart, you risk being shut out.
This affects big celebs as well. In August 2016, Colin Kaepernick, then a high-profile NFL quarterback, began kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and systemic racism. He was clear: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” His act was met with fierce backlash: he was criticized as unpatriotic by fans and the media.
Colin Kaepernick – Image Credit – Brittanica
He received death threats and was ultimately excluded from the NFL after 2016. But he also sparked a movement: teammates, celebrities, and global brands rallied behind him. Nike launched an ad campaign featuring him, J. Cole and Cardi B publicly supported his stand, and tens of millions started essential conversations on race and justice. Kaepernick didn’t stay silent: he founded the Know Your Rights Camp, pledged $1 million to social justice organizations, and continues to advocate for equity, not just through slogans but through sustained action.
The world doesn’t just disagree anymore. It’s infested with cancel culture, hyper-reactive internet trolls, and keyboard warriors ready to jump at any tiny nuance. And so we shrink, blow out our candle, and choose quiet over conflict. It’s sooooo much simpler to blend in than to stand out.
And here’s what else I’ve come to realize, owning your voice isn’t just for entrepreneurs or business owners. One of the biggest shifts happening today is the ability to show up authentically, even when you work for someone else. That’s my ultimate message: You don’t need to quit your job to claim your voice. In fact, the most impactful thing you can do is learn how to embody your truth while being a high-performing team member, leader, or executive.
“The mirror can be both a friend and a foe, reflecting our insecurities but also our strengths.” — Michelle Obama
For years, I thrived as an employee at Microsoft, Gartner, and WI. I learned how to build global brands, lead high-performing teams, and refine my voice with strategic precision so that I could influence others to follow my marketing direction. As I grew, I realized there was a deeper layer of self-expression I hadn’t fully tapped into yet, one that blends intuition, femininity, and bold authenticity, which is why I chose to become an entrepreneur. This didn’t change who I was, it gave me permission to let every part of me show up.
The moment I stopped hiding behind a brand and became the brand, everything changed. I found my power in being visible, not perfect. And I used that to grow a company (and team) that aligns with my values and is rooted in genuine connection, not manufactured influence. Because people crave real and want to follow leaders who have a clear voice and a clear vision.
If you told me 5 years ago that I would be speaking at The Women in Tech Network’s International Women’s Day event on the MAIN STAGE, I would never have believed you. But it happened because I stayed true to myself.
Why Your Voice is the Foundation of Your Personal Brand
If your story is the soul of your personal brand, your voice is the marketing strategy. It’s the delivery system for everything you stand for, including your values, your expertise, and your leadership style. The most powerful leaders I’ve ever worked with didn’t rely on their ‘job title’ to craft their career. They communicated with intention, consistency, and heart every day on the job, with their families, and online. Whether I was managing a brand at Microsoft or building StandOut Authority alongside Joshua B. Lee, I saw this pattern over and over again:
The leaders who make the biggest impact are clear, consistent and bold.
They know exactly what they stood for and express it in ways people feel, remember, and act on. And in a world where people are exposed to over 10,000 brand messages a day, clarity isn’t just kind. It’s strategic.
How to Craft a Voice When the World Wants You Quiet
If your story is the soul of your personal brand, your voice is the strategy. It’s how people experience your leadership, your values, and your presence, both online and off. But using your voice today comes with real tension. The louder you speak, the more visible you become, and visibility often invites resistance. Not because people always hate what you say, but because they’re uncomfortable with your clarity, your courage, your willingness to stand firm.
And that’s exactly why voice matters now more than ever. Here’s how to craft and use your voice intentionally and powerfully, even when it feels safer to stay quiet.
🟣1. Clarify Your WHY
Your voice should always be rooted in purpose, not performance. When you know your “why,” the fear of speaking up starts to fade. For me, my why has always been service. Not just growing a business, but helping others find their voice so they can lead with confidence and clarity. That intention is what gives my message weight. It’s what drives me to speak as a Jewish woman, a mother, a leader, and a human, fully, unapologetically.
Purpose isn’t about self-promotion. It’s about positive impact. And when your voice is grounded in that truth, you become impossible to ignore.
🟣2. Align Your Voice with Your Values
Alignment is the currency of trust. People are looking for consistency between what you say, how you act, and what you stand for. If you preach humanity but never show vulnerability… if you advocate for inclusion but avoid conflict when it counts… people feel that disconnect.
When I started leading with my whole identity, sharing not just what I do but who I am, I stopped attracting the wrong clients and started building lasting relationships rooted in alignment. That’s not coincidence. That’s clarity.
🟣3. Decide What You’re Willing to Stand For or Against
Every powerful voice draws a line in the sand. The leaders who make an impact aren’t trying to please everyone, they’re grounded in what they believe, and they express it with intention.
This doesn’t mean being provocative for attention. It means choosing to speak up when it counts, even if it’s uncomfortable. It means owning your story, your values, and your truth, even when it doesn’t fit the algorithm. The moment I stopped trying to be universally liked and started focusing on being deeply aligned, everything shifted. The right people found me. The right opportunities followed.
🟣4. Simplify Your Message and Deliver It Consistently
Your message should be clear, not cryptic. If your audience needs to decode your content, you’ve already lost them. The most effective leaders I’ve worked with, from Microsoft execs to entrepreneurs, aren’t loud, they’re clear. They communicate in ways that people can feel, remember, and act on.
Ask yourself: What do I want my audience to think, feel, and do?
That’s where your message starts. And then you repeat it. Not because you’re out of ideas, but because repetition builds resonance. Whether you’re posting on LinkedIn, leading a team meeting, or speaking on a stage, clarity and consistency are what drive long-term impact.
When I think about why I speak up, I think about my daughter. I think about the world I want her to grow up in. A world where she doesn’t feel like she has to shrink, edit, or hide who she is to be accepted.
I think about the traditions we hold as a blended family, the love we pour into our lives, and the values we pass on: faith, strength, and visibility.
This is bigger than content. We are not our titles or followers. We are stories. If anything in this message stirred something in you, I want to hear from you.
🟣 How have you found the courage to use your voice?
🟣 When have you felt silenced, and how did you move through it?
Hit reply or DM me.
And if you’re ready to go deeper, to build a personal brand that reflects your truth and builds real impact, I’m opening space for a new 1:1 Brand offer. Together, we’ll uncover your voice, clarify your message, and build the foundation for a brand that is fully you, online and offline. BONUS 1-day photoshoot (in your city) included (worth $1500 alone).
👉 DM me the word “VOICE” to get started.
💜ICYMI: What it really means to redefine success on your own terms
If you’ve ever looked around at your life, your career, your family, your achievements and still felt… off, you’re not alone. Too many of us are chasing a version of success someone else defined for us. The milestones, the hustle, the pressure to always be “on”, it’s exhausting.
Say hello to Amanda Cahill, EVP of Sales at Branch Communications, author of Redefining You: The 4-Step Process to Find Confidence, Clarity and Purpose as a Woman, podcast host of Redefining You, and unapologetic champion for ambitious women, we went deep into what it really means to redefine success on your own terms.
We dig into:
💜 Why “having it all” might actually be holding you back
💜 How to realign your ambition without losing your edge
💜 The truth about burnout, identity shifts, and the courage to pause
This isn’t fluff. It’s real, raw, and radically empowering, especially if you’ve been running on empty but can’t figure out ho to slow down without guilt. Whether you’re leading a team, growing a business, or navigating your next chapter, this conversation will meet you where you are.
Say hello if you are watching the replay and tag a fellow powerhouse woman who needs this energy.