331: Igniting Change by Using Your Voice: How One Instagram Post Turned into a Powerful Movement with Sharon McMahon

We are wrapping up our podcast series on Using Your Voice with a very special guest.

Sharon McMahon is a former high school government and law teacher whose Instagram went viral in 2020 (she now has over 1 million followers!) and who is the host of the podcast Here’s Where it Gets Interesting.

Sharon is “on a mission to combat political misinformation by sharing non-partisan facts about the US government and democracy.”

Our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz is a super fan of Sharon and has been following her since the 2020 election season.

Diane reached out to Sharon who graciously agreed to chat with Diane and share with us how she started using her voice where she was with what she knew.

In this episode, Sharon shares how her journey began with one small post on her Instagram about wanting to change one person’s life through a monetary donation and has since grown into 1 million followers on Instagram and a community of people, lovingly dubbed the Governerds, who’ve raised over $7 million for various causes.

Diane and Sharon talk about:

• How Sharon’s podcast was born out of her audience demanding more content than she could share on Instagram

• Why Sharon decided to write a book

• Why Sharon challenges the notion that small contributions are insignificant, especially for women

• How Sharon manages the haters and trolls that can come with using your voice to do meaningful work

• The importance of thinking beyond the present to understand the ripple effects of your voice and actions

• Why each of us should embrace the courage to speak up, even in the face of criticism

Sharon's belief that no one can do everything, but everyone can do something, emphasizes the power of small contributions.

Sharon's journey is a remarkable reminder that our voice has the potential to create lasting change. She believes we must shed the belief that our contributions are insignificant and instead embrace the power we hold to shape our world.

We hope you’ll feel inspired by Sharon to find your courage, use your voice, and engage in meaningful action so that you have a bigger impact in the world!

About Our Guest: Sharon McMahon is on a mission to curate facts, fun, and inspiration by educating Americans on democracy, politics, and history. After years of serving as a high school government and law teacher, Sharon took her passion for education to Instagram with a mission to combat political misinformation with non-partisan facts. Sharon has earned a reputation as “America’s Government Teacher'' and quickly amassed over a million social media followers, affectionately known as “Governerds.” Sharon is also the host of the top-rated podcast, Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, where each week she provides entertaining yet factual accounts of America’s most fascinating moments and people. In a time where flashy headlines and false information often takes the spotlight, Sharon is a reliable source for truth and logic. She has shared her knowledge with CNN, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and Good Morning America. In 2022, Sharon was the recipient of PRWeek’s Communicator of the Year Award as well as the the noteworthy Jefferson Award.

About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. This episode is hosted by our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/331

Sharon’s website: https://www.sharonmcmahon.com/

Sharon’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonsaysso/

Sharon’s podcast “Here’s Where It Gets Interesting”: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heres-where-it-gets-interesting/id1576266622

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 191: Women in Politics and the Public Sphere with Rep. Anna Eskamani
• Episode 253: TV Can Make You Famous – But Don’t Read the Comments with Dr. Christina Madison