841: Why Trust is the New Currency in 2025—and How Media Can Help You Build It

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2:01When we're in the media, not only do we win, I mean, of course we win because we tap into the audiences, but the audience wins because we're showing up in a generous way, not in like a quick 30 second way. We're sharing something useful. I'm Jenna Kutcher, your host of the Gold Digger podcast. I escaped the corporate world at the age of 23 with nothing more than a$300 camera from Craigslist and a dream. Now I'm running a seven-figure online business that feels even better than it looks, all from my house in small town Minnesota with my family. Here, we value time as our currency. We mix the woo and the work, and we are in the pursuit of building businesses that give us the freedom to live lives that we love.

2:45I've always loved turning big goals into reality, and I'm here to help you do the same. This isn't just a peek behind the curtain. Come along with me and my guests as we tear the whole curtain down. Every week we tackle practical, no-fluff marketing strategies and host honest discussions on what works and what doesn't. Join me and my expert guests for actionable insights to help you grow your dream business with confidence. Pull up a seat and get ready to be challenged, inspired, and empowered. This is the Gold Digger Podcast. In an era where AI is dominating the digital space and content creation has never been faster, the question isn't just how to get noticed, it's how to be trusted.

3:29As we head into 2025, where skepticism is rising and attention spans are shrinking, trust has become the new currency. And today's guest has a secret weapon in earning it. Today, I'm thrilled to sit down with someone who has mastered the art of using media coverage to build credibility, connection, and lasting authority. Susie Moore was on Gold Digger last year, but in case you're first meeting her today, she's a former Silicon Valley sales director turned into a life coach and advice columnist whose insights have been featured everywhere from the Today Show and CNN to Forbes and Marie Claire.

4:05Her work has not only been shared by industry icons like Ariana Huffington and Sarah Blakely, but also earned the trust of everyday entrepreneurs looking to create impact in their lives and in their businesses. Suzy is here and back to unpack why media is more relevant than ever in cutting through the noise, how it accelerates trust in a crowded world, and why intentional PR strategies should be at the top of your list for 2025. Whether you're aiming to launch a course, grow your brand, get more clients, or simply stand out in your niche, Suzy's strategies will give you the edge you need to become the go-to authority in your field.

4:42If you want to dive even deeper into this topic, head to jennacutcher.com forward slash rockstar and save your seat for her free class, Overnight Rockstar. In it, you're going to learn how to get noticed, skyrocket your reputation, and become your own publicist. She hosted this last year just for our audience. And I will tell you, it was one of your favorite trainings of the year. It was so powerful that I made my team watch it, take notes, and apply her strategy. And in this episode, I'm going to share what our results were. Again, that's jennacutcher.com forward slash rockstar. We'll also link it for you in the show notes.

5:16Get ready for today's conversation. We're going to shift how you see the media, how you tell your stories, and share the incredible power of trust in business. Suzy, welcome back to the Gold Digger Podcast. Growing a business isn't for the faint of heart. It's a whole lot of everything. Building an audience, nurturing leads, managing channels, tracking metrics, and juggling all the moving pieces of your strategy. And let's not forget those late nights, long days, and working weekends. Sound familiar? Sometimes it feels like you're wishing for just one thing to make it all a little bit easier. Well, meet Breeze, HubSpot's brand new collection of AI tools built specifically for marketers just like you.

5:57With Breeze, attracting the right audience, increasing leads, and turning those leads into loyal customers just got faster and, dare I say, easier than ever before. Imagine less stress and more success, more wins, and fewer all-nighters. With Breeze, you're not just keeping up, you're staying ahead. And pretty soon, your business is going to have a lot to celebrate. Check out Breeze at hubspot.com slash marketers to learn more. That's hubspot.com slash marketers. Susie, welcome back. I need a hot take. So we're going to dive in with a hot take. And I want to know that with AI making content creation faster and easier than ever, do you think it is helping entrepreneurs build trust or would you argue that it's eroding it?

6:45Oh, what a good question to kick off, Jenna Kutcher. My gosh. I will tell you, AI is a fantastic tool and it's only getting better and better. I think a lot of us know too, it's got a bit of a long way to go based on how you're working with it in content creation ways. But the way that I understand AI as it pertains to any type of content creator relating to their audience is that audiences are smart and they know what's real. In that place inside of us that just knows where truth resides. We know what a real person is, what a real story is. When a real sentence connects with us, when a sentiment just, we're able to relate to it, we know what that is and we know when we see it, when we hear it, when we read it.

7:30So AI has an incredible place and it can help source ideas, but it can't replace a human being telling their stories, sharing their wisdom, sharing their knowledge. That has to come from us. And with lots of people taking the AI shortcuts these days, amazing for us who are willing to step up, share our stories, fertility stories, getting out of debt stories, fitness stories. Those of us who are willing to tell the truth and remain ourselves from ourselves, we're the ones you get to stand out. Okay, this is so good. So I always do like fun trend predictions of like the new year. And I really think that for 2025, trust is the new currency.

8:13And I think that, you know, I love AI. I leverage it in many different ways. But I feel like that piece that you just spoke on of like people know what's real and what's authentic. I think that trust is really going to be the currency for 2025. And you have a really interesting way of building trust. Let's talk about like how can media coverage, which is what you specialize in, serve as a way to help build trust and maybe even like a shortcut to building trust with our audiences. Oh my gosh. I don't know what better shortcut to building trust than being in credible media sources. So for example, I'm featured quite regularly in Katie Couric media.

8:59I love Katie. I love her audience. And I think to myself, if someone trusts Katie and her 40 plus year career, and I'm featured on her platform, what that means to us consciously or unconsciously is Katie trusts her. Oh, I can trust her. And what I've seen over the years again and again and again is when someone comes into my world via a media source, so like a media outlet, maybe it's Forbes, Katie Couric, Business Insider, Cosmo, that media brand has built trust in some cases over 100 years, spending millions and millions of dollars building their brand, creating content, being established. And you just get to swoop right on in to those huge engaged audiences that have taken so much time to be built.

9:44And in an instant, you land that credibility. So when I notice people coming into my world from media features, organic leads fresh fresh people coming in eager for what we've got to sell here i know that the the buy cycle is shortened because the trust is established immediately and look any way a lead finds you a person finds you is great an ad an affiliate promotion a social media it's any way your founder's wonderful visibility is number one number one fan here but i find that you know maybe jenna just say you've been reading good housekeeping for years and so is your mom and so is your grandma and then you're featured in good housekeeping ah the people who are just like you you are good housekeeping yeah to that reader to that person so what a what if anything like me you love a shortcut so why not go to the source of where the trust already is and just appear they don't have to build anything it already exists you just tap right on in okay I love this I also love good housekeeping and you know it's so funny another publication I love country living Oh, I love that too.

10:44I love like we have like the subscription and Drew is like, okay, our house is the exact opposite of country living. I'm like, but we live in the country. But it's something that like my mom, my grandma, like it was just a staple in our lives. But anyway, that was a tangent. But what I think is so powerful about what you said is that I think so many people are struggling to grow their platforms and to build that trust authentically and organically on their own. It takes a lot of work and a lot of time. And I feel like people are looking for shortcuts. And this is one of the easiest shortcuts. And it allows you to leverage platforms that have already been built.

11:23So you like you said, you almost just get to swoop in and like reap the rewards of what other people have spent years and probably millions of dollars to make. Yes. Talk about letting it be easy. I know you're a huge proponent of ease doing what works. You know, Jenna, one thing I repeat again and again and again is working on the right thing is more important than working hard. You can spend three or four weeks or years building something and look, throw everything at your success, do the things. But I find media is like, it really is that instant access. And I've seen it again and again. And why wouldn't you do it?

11:57Why wouldn't you give yourself that advantage? I joke that the only reason you wouldn't want to do it is if you were in like, maybe a witness protection and you legally had to hide. There are some things we need to hide like our hair extensions and other bits and bobs, but not our businesses. This, I mean, we have to talk about them and we have to let people know how we can help. This podcast is brought to you by Mercury, banking that helps entrepreneurs do more with their money. Okay. I remember in the early days of my entrepreneurship journey, clients would literally mail me checks and then I would have to drive all the way to the bank to deposit them.

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14:27Oh my gosh. I love that. That is amazing. Okay. One thing that I'm curious about because you are so engrossed in this world is that obviously people are busy. I feel like attention spans are getting like shorter and smaller. And so how do you see press as something that kind of cuts through the noise and can become this key driver for meaningful connections? I talk a lot about the power of context with which someone is found. So again, and however you found is wonderful if you if you meet somebody who can who can partner with you in an elevator i mean that's wonderful there are no you know there are no wrong ways but i think to myself if if you even look at you know perhaps a bottle of water right say it's the same evian or fiji bottle of water if that's found in a costco it's one price right maybe i don't know one or two dollars if it's at a gym i'm guessing what for i don't go to the gym but i'm guessing it's more like four or five dollars if you go to the airport it's x if you go to a five-star hotel like wherever it is that the water doesn't change but where it's found or where it's purchased it makes a big difference to how it's perceived and how much we value it and so in an age of so much overload and so many videos and so many shorts and so much happening if you're appearing in the right context where someone is already showing up willingly wanting information needing advice needing stories.

15:51You know, I say, Jenna, often when we're in the media, not only do we win, I mean, of course we win because we tap into the audiences, but the audience wins because we're showing up in a generous way, not in like a quick 30 second way. We're sharing something useful and the media too wins because they need content. If the media don't have content, they won't last 24 hours. So everyone wins. The perception of your value is higher. And if someone is seeking out a media outlet that they love and often they do every single day refresh check here check there then they are actually actively looking for you it's not some algorithm manipulation it's here you are in a place that's trusted that's credible where they feel a connection and you're sharing something useful and that is something that just oh it it lasts it's i always find that my my best quality leads the people who find me are through the work where i've put some effort into sharing something that's valuable in a context that's powerful.

16:52And so I don't even think about attention spans. I mean, I just think if you focus on that, if you focus on sharing something valuable in the right place, it pays off. Yes. Oh my gosh. Okay. So we've talked about the what, which is media and press coverage. We've talked about the why, because it builds trust. Let's dive into the how. How do we get our name? How do we get our businesses out there? How do we get our ideas, our strategies, our thoughts, our stories? How? I would say the first thing is realizing that this is possible for you no matter your stage. So I started getting media coverage before I had a website when I was working in a full-time tech career.

17:33And I was like, oh, I want life coaching clients. How am I going to do it? And I didn't know. Like I didn't know. I mean, who does know in the beginning, it could be a bit overwhelming and confusing. So I think the first is understanding that this is available to you no matter what. I speak all the time about how I have zero formal qualifications. You'll hear me say often, your life is your cred. What you've lived, what you've learned, what you know, people need to know. If there's something that you can share that can help anyone a little further along, Martha Beck says it's our moral obligation to share it.

18:08And don't just share it in a small way, share it in a way where as many people can benefit as possible. And so people say to me, Jenna, you know, oh, don't you have to be chosen? Don't you have to be, aren't the people who are appearing in these places like special or more experienced, or I don't know, don't they have connections? This is, oh my gosh, my favorite thing to talk about. There is no, I'm telling you, there is nothing special. There is, there's nothing they have and you don't have apart from a pitching technique, apart from the willingness to go for it, to raise their hand, say their own name and say, I can help.

18:43I can join that conversation. I have something to add here. You don't have to be some fancy expert. You don't need X amount of years in business. You don't need specific certifications or qualifications. You can absolutely use them if you have them. What a blessing. But I think the first part is understanding that you're ready. If you're even curious about it, you're ready. The earlier, the better, because you get this leg up from the very beginning. So I think the first is moving through that hurdle of can I, you know, don't I have to be X, Y, Z? A human being with life experience is enough. Then the other moving parts essentially are understanding what it is you want to share.

19:22You know, I call it your celebrity identity. And it can shift to with time naturally, it will. is it do you want to speak about law do you want to speak about real estate do you want to speak about life coaching do you want to speak about yoga poses for back pain I mean whatever it is that your specialty is or what you love to help others with you just start there and then you identify where those people are likely to be and often even just a great kickoff is probably where you are so if if you're passionate about country living if you're passionate about homes if you're passionate about gaming, right?

19:54I mean, they're really hard. If you're passionate about horses, I mean, there are no niches that aren't media friendly, then you want to understand, you know, what is it that I can contribute to this that could be helpful, useful, entertaining, informative? And where might the people be that could benefit from what it is I have to share? And then it's just a matter of presenting your idea in a sharp way, making it timely. I mean, that's even a bonus brownie point and then having the willingness to go for it. Okay, Susie, give us some examples of stories that you've gotten featured just so people can like understand like what that could even look like because I love some of your features.

20:33Oh, oh my gosh. Okay. So I'll talk about some recent ones. In Business Insider recently, I spoke about how emotional regulation is the most underrated business hack. So I mean, you know, Janet, there are a million strategies, pieces of advice. And they're all, I mean, they're all valuable based on who they're reaching. And I love listening to all the tips, but I simply shared from a life coaching perspective that the best skill that I have is I manage my disappointment really well. I don't have too high highs, too low lows, whatever happens. I just, I know that I can handle it. I don't panic. And so in the face of, you know, the market going up and down or people leaving or people criticizing you online, which as you know, look, it happens no matter what your stage or stage of business.

21:23I know how to regulate how I feel. And that allows me to be calm, make good decisions and forge ahead and not panic. And I'm saying, you know, I've observed people make panic buying decisions or panic selling decisions or, you know, the emotional state of the human being is tricky sometimes. And so I just spoke about managing my mood. And that was, I was surprised at how much that connected with people. Because, you know, we're scared of rejection. We're scared of being let down. We're scared of losing customers. We're scared of people talking badly about us online. And so I just said, you know, how I manage my emotions is my secret weapon.

21:57And that's where I maintain most of my energy and can remain pretty upbeat and focus on what matters. Another piece I created was around toxic gratitude, around Thanksgiving, and how we don't always just have to feel thankful all the time. We can also deal with the emotions that don't feel so good, have conversations that maybe aren't so comfortable in order for our energy and happiness boost in the longer term versus just in the current moment. Another piece I created was about how I didn't grow up in a home that had much. And so we never really had friends over because there wasn't so much to go around.

22:34And I was I've always felt insecure about hosting people because I don't no one taught me. and how this year I've been hosting more and more people and how that's really healing and interesting part of me saying, you know, essentially I can give myself, I can give this to myself. Maybe it wasn't available once, but it's certainly available now. And it's essentially me talking about making burgers to my friends, nothing glamorous about it, but it's just my own insight. And it actually just came up from talking to a friend about it, going, hey, you know, this thing that I'm doing, having people over, it just feels good.

23:07And I tell you, Jenna, more and more, every single time I hear someone sharing something useful, I'm just like, that's an article. That's a story. Share it. Go, go, go. Don't hold back. Yes. Oh, my gosh. Okay. I love these examples. And I love because what it reminds me of, Susie, is like that is often how I approach this podcast and even thinking of content. And I think so many people that are listening to this are constantly thinking of stories and content and angles and things. they're just not applying it to the realm of media and press, right? They're applying it to the audiences that are already there, which is amazing.

23:43But what about reaching new audiences with that same message that's resonating with your current audience? And that's so powerful because I do believe people are intrinsically already doing these exercises or having these thoughts or paying attention to the story that lands really well at girls night or things like that. And so this is just like taking that the next step into a different world, into a different realm that will actually generate results for you. Oh my gosh. And I mean, you have, I mean, think about if you even reviewed some of your most popular podcast episodes, I would actually use those actively include them in pitching.

24:21I mean, also how you speak about being alcohol free. I mean, this is all stuff the media eats up. I mean, and there's no wrong time to do it. There is no I mean there are some you know there is a certain way to make it land so that you're you're far more likely to succeed but if you've got whatever you're already sharing why not just go bigger I say it's being more generous yeah giving your story your piece of you know whatever is landing on girls night oh my gosh is that what you say in that situation no way oh my god that's how you handled that mother-in-law oh that's how you got it's like oh don't hold back baby like give it a mic like let's tell the people yes let's grow bigger oh my gosh so how did you come up with like a strategy or framework that doesn't just work for you but it works for other people in getting featured in the press like how did that come to be it started uh by accident you know a lot of people started saying oh well how did you get in Marie Claire how did you get in MindBodyGreen how did you get in Inc how did you get in Fasco and I was like why do I just um well Well, I just share stories.

25:28Like I just share stories. And then from, I think, receiving a lot of questions over the years, I've come to understand 10 years now doing this, that it's all the same, essentially. I mean, of course, your story is different. The media outlets, they're different. Their audiences are different. The timeliness on occasion is going to be different. But if you have something to say that is of value to one person, then it's extremely likely it's valuable to 100, 1 ,000, 100 ,000, a million people. And it's just up to us to connect those dots. And if you know how to find the people, you know where the people are, and you know how to convey an idea in a way that's compelling, then there you go.

26:11I mean, that's essentially all you need. I noticed too, a lot of high achieving women most commonly overcomplicate a lot of things, right? We think there have to be so many ducks in a row there, you know, it feels like I'll have a plan for this. You don't, you really don't need that much. You just need, you know, sometimes you have that feeling, I want more people to know about this diet, or I want more people to know that if you just drop that morning routine, or if you just spoke to your kids in this way about X, anytime you have that instinct to even share something on social media, great, do it.

26:42and don't stop there think maybe we could think a little bigger like why not we're only gonna be on planet earth for a limited time and we go into business to make an impact right we we're content creators for a reason so if i'm gonna share something that can help two or three people or you know 100 people why stop that like why why stop because people everywhere they're the same people human beings are human beings and we need the advice that you have yes okay i'm gonna play devil's advocate here because somebody listening to this is like, dude, why am I not doing this? Like what? This is genius.