Episode 4

Ditching Performative Marketing & Getting Seen Your Way - With Gloria Chou

Published on: 27th January, 2026

What if the reason marketing feels exhausting isn’t because you’re bad at it—but because you’ve been trying to do it like everyone else?

In this episode, I’m dropping in on a real, grounded conversation with my co-host Gloria Chou, PR strategist and founder of Small Business PR, about visibility that actually feels good to sustain. No hustle, no gimmicks, and definitely no copy and paste “get seen” strategies that leave you burned out and resentful.

Gloria and I get honest about why traditional PR and marketing advice often feels wildly out of reach for thoughtful business owners—and how most people are being taught to perform instead of connect. We talk about what it really means to be visible when you don’t want to be loud, everywhere, or constantly selling yourself.

This is one of those conversations where you might find yourself thinking, oh wow… that explains why nothing else has worked.

If you’ve ever felt pressure to pitch harder, post more, or contort yourself into a brand persona that doesn’t actually sound like you—this episode will land.

What we cover in this episode:

Why “just be more visible” is lazy advice (and what to focus on instead)
The difference between performative marketing and grounded visibility
How PR can work for introverts, small audiences, and niche offers
Why credibility beats consistency every single time
How to get seen without burning your nervous system to the ground

Timestamps:

(0:00)Why this conversation about visibility matters right now
(3:12) Why “be more visible” advice feels misaligned for so many business owners
(6:10) The pressure to perform online & where it actually comes from
(8:47) What PR really looks like for small businesses (no agencies, no hype)
(12:05) Why being everywhere isn’t the same as being trusted
(15:30) The hidden cost of performative marketing on your energy & confidence
(18:40) How introverts & thoughtful leaders can still get powerful visibility
(22:10) Building authority without chasing platforms or trends
(25:55) Credibility vs consistency: what actually moves the needle
(29:40) Choosing visibility strategies you can genuinely sustain
(32:30) Letting your work speak without over-explaining or over-selling
(34:05) How credibility compounds over time when you stop forcing exposure
(37:15) What most people misunderstand about PR & media features
(39:20) Being seen without sacrificing boundaries or nervous system safety
(42:00) Long-term visibility vs short-term attention
(44:10) Final reflections on trust, timing, & doing visibility your way
(47:00) Episode wrap-up & where to connect next