In this episode of the Style & Strategy Podcast, Sonya sits down with brand and leadership coach Nimarta Verma to explore the transformative power of story sharing—a refined approach to storytelling designed to build trust, connection, and empathy in leadership.

Nimarta reveals why storytelling alone isn’t always enough and how personal stories—shared with intention—can amplify leadership presence, strengthen professional relationships, and leave a lasting impact. You’ll learn how to mine your own life moments for powerful stories, map them to your leadership message, and share them in a way that is both authentic and impactful.

From actionable frameworks like Story Mining and Story Mapping to tips for overcoming fear and judgment when sharing personal experiences, Nimarta breaks down the art and science of story sharing so you can communicate with confidence, presence, and authenticity.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why “storytelling” is too broad—and how story sharing builds deeper trust.

• How personal stories create empathy and connection in leadership.

• Story Mining: prompts to uncover moments worth sharing.

• Story Mapping: aligning stories with your message and audience needs.

• The structure of a powerful, concise story (in under two minutes).

• Overcoming fear and judgment when sharing personal experiences.

• How reliving your story enhances delivery and memorability.

• Why every meeting, stage, or conversation is an opportunity to build trust.

Resources & Links:
Connect with Nimarta on LinkedIn: Nimarta Verma

Download Nimarta’s free Story Sharing Guide & resources on LinkedIn.

➡ A 4 part private podcast to help you reconnect with how you want to be seen—so your leadership presence reflects who you are, not just what you do.

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➡ Download the Wardrobe Checklist for Professional Career Women – Get a curated list of must-have wardrobe staples that blend versatility, style, and impact:
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In this insider masterclass clip, Sonya guides you through a five-step exercise to diagnose your current style, identify gaps, and craft a clear vision for your signature wardrobe. Learn how to articulate how you want to feel in your clothes, pinpoint outfits you love (and why), uncover unworn pieces, and map the gap between your present and desired style identity. Clips from Presentation…

Key Takeaways:

1. Define Your Aspiration: Choose 2–3 words that describe how you want to feel in your personal style.

2. Audit Your Reality: List 2–3 outfits you love (and why) versus 2–3 you never wear—and explore the reasons behind each.

3. Spot the Disconnect: Compare your aspirational words with your audit to reveal themes—identifying what’s missing and what’s obsolete.

4. Measure the Gap: Determine how far you are from your ideal style identity to plan strategic refinements.

5. Maximise Your Wardrobe: Use this clarity to mix, match, and reinvent pieces you already own—no full overhaul required.
   
   

LINKS & RESOURCES

➡ A 4 part private podcast to help you reconnect with how you want to be seen—so your leadership presence reflects who you are, not just what you do.

Own The Room

➡ Download the Wardrobe Checklist for Professional Career Women – Get a curated list of must-have wardrobe staples that blend versatility, style, and impact:
Checklist

➡ Book Your Strategy Call

➡ Find out more about programs and services

➡ Connect with me on social media

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In Part 2 of our masterclass series, Sonya reveals the science of enclothed cognition and shows how strategic style choices become a powerful nonverbal branding tool. Discover why what you wear changes how you think, feel, and perform—and learn three practical ways to dress for authority, creativity, and unstoppable confidence. Clips from Presentation…

Key Takeaways:

1. Enclothed Cognition: Clothing shapes mindset and behavior; comfort versus performance attire shifts your energy drivers. Clips from Presentation…

2. Dress for Your Desired State: Identify outfits that make you feel authoritative, creative, or confident—and wear them more often. Clips from Presentation…

3. Translate Brand Energy into Style: Anchor your three brand-energy words into fabrics, cuts, and colors that reinforce warmth, trust, or power. Clips from Presentation…

4. Style as Strategy: Leverage silhouettes (flowing vs. structured), prints, and signature accents to align every outfit with your personal brand message. Clips from Presentation…

5. Virtual Style Best Practices: Own your on-screen presence with intentional lighting, camera angle, and signature pieces that translate beyond the physical room.

LINKS & RESOURCES

➡ A 4 part private podcast to help you reconnect with how you want to be seen—so your leadership presence reflects who you are, not just what you do.

Own The Room

➡ Download the Wardrobe Checklist for Professional Career Women – Get a curated list of must-have wardrobe staples that blend versatility, style, and impact:
Checklist

➡ Book Your Strategy Call

➡ Find out more about programs and services

➡ Connect with me on social media

• Instagram
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In this behind-the-scenes masterclass clip, Sonya shares why expertise alone won’t get you noticed—and how strategic personal branding turns “invisible” into “in-demand.” Learn what personal branding really means, why positioning yourself is nonnegotiable, and how to become a magnetic presence in any room. Clips from Presentation…

Key Takeaways:

1. Branding = Positioning: If you don’t define your story, the world will—and you risk being overlooked.

2. Magnetism > Expertise: Two equally skilled professionals can experience vastly different opportunities based on how they own their presence.

3. Branding Myths Debunked: Personal branding is for every professional—not just influencers—and it’s far more than visuals.

4. Referral Roots Meet Digital World: In an AI-driven, saturated market, referrals and trust still reign—but now they start with your online brand clarity.

5. Lighthouse vs. Torch Framework: Stop chasing opportunities; become the “lighthouse” that attracts the right clients through consistent, authentic visibility.

LINKS & RESOURCES

➡ A 4 part private podcast to help you reconnect with how you want to be seen—so your leadership presence reflects who you are, not just what you do.

Own The Room

➡ Download the Wardrobe Checklist for Professional Career Women – Get a curated list of must-have wardrobe staples that blend versatility, style, and impact:
Checklist

➡ Book Your Strategy Call

➡ Find out more about programs and services

➡ Connect with me on social media

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• Facebook

In this Office Hours episode, Sonya dives into the lifelong journey of dressing for your evolving body. From honouring changes—pregnancy, weight shifts, menopause—to mastering silhouette, proportions, and fabric choices, learn the core style strategies that turn overwhelm into confidence.

Key Takeaways:

1. Body Shape Acceptance: Acknowledge and appreciate the unique journey your body has taken.
   
2. Fit over Size: Size numbers vary by brand—focus on how clothes hug, skim, or drape your shape.
   
3. Silhouette & Proportions: Use the rule of thirds and play with separates vs. one-pieces to highlight your best features.
   
4. Fabric & Structure: Choose fabrics and cuts (high-waist, stretchy, pleat-free) that support comfort and desired focus areas.
   
5. Practice & Feedback: Experiment with different styles, then lean on a trusted second opinion or a style coach to fine-tune.

LINKS & RESOURCES

➡ A 4 part private podcast to help you reconnect with how you want to be seen—so your leadership presence reflects who you are, not just what you do.

Own The Room

➡ Download the Wardrobe Checklist for Professional Career Women – Get a curated list of must-have wardrobe staples that blend versatility, style, and impact:
Checklist

➡ Book Your Strategy Call

➡ Find out more about programs and services

➡ Connect with me on social media

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Facebook

We’re halfway through the year—and that midpoint check-in isn’t just for goals and KPIs. In this episode, Sonya shows high-performing women how to reset their personal brand and style for the next six months. Learn the three checkpoints that reveal where your wardrobe, digital visibility, and daily decisions might be holding you back—and simple shifts to realign your presence with who you’ve become.

Key Takeaways:

1. Wardrobe & Energy Check: Does what you wear support how you want to feel and lead?
   
2. Digital Visibility Audit: Are your online profiles and photos keeping pace with your evolution?
   
3. Decision-Making Friction: How to spot when outfit and brand mismatches are draining your confidence.
   
4. Reset ≠ Restart: Small tweaks (a refreshed bio, a few key pieces, a new headshot) create big shifts.
5. Feedback, Not Failure: Use mid-year misalignments to inform intentional change, not self-judgment.

LINKS & RESOURCES

➡ A 4 part private podcast to help you reconnect with how you want to be seen—so your leadership presence reflects who you are, not just what you do.

Own The Room

➡ Download the Wardrobe Checklist for Professional Career Women – Get a curated list of must-have wardrobe staples that blend versatility, style, and impact:
Checklist

➡ Book Your Strategy Call

➡ Find out more about programs and services

➡ Connect with me on social media

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Facebook

In this deeply personal episode, Sonya shares a raw and powerful reflection on what it means to show up when life is anything but polished. After navigating her husband's unexpected AML diagnosis, she redefines presence—not as performance, but as grounded resilience. If you’re in a season where life feels heavy, this conversation will remind you that your quiet strength still leads.

Key Takeaways:

• The overlooked kind of presence that matters most
  
• Why emotional endurance is leadership
  
• How to dress when you're carrying an invisible load
  
• The role of simplicity, comfort, and intention in style during hard seasons
  

You can lead and still be real—no mask required.

LINKS & RESOURCES

➡ A 4 part private podcast to help you reconnect with how you want to be seen—so your leadership presence reflects who you are, not just what you do.

Own The Room

➡ Download the Wardrobe Checklist for Professional Career Women – Get a curated list of must-have wardrobe staples that blend versatility, style, and impact:
Checklist

➡ Book Your Strategy Call

➡ Find out more about programs and services

➡ Connect with me on social media

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Facebook

Are you standing in front of your closet thinking, "I’ve changed, but my wardrobe hasn’t caught up?"

You’re not alone. In this episode, Sonya takes you behind the scenes of a real-life leadership style transformation, sharing what high-achieving women need to know when their presence and wardrobe no longer reflect who they’ve become.
This isn’t about trends. It’s about alignment. You'll discover how styling becomes the final step—not the first—and why your wardrobe should reinforce your leadership identity, not confuse it.

🔑 Key Learnings & Timestamps
[00:00:00] Why more clothes won’t solve a deeper misalignment
[00:02:00] A behind-the-scenes look at Sonya’s VIP style transformation day
[00:03:00] The strategy work that must come before shopping
[00:04:00] When style feels off—it’s rarely about the outfit
[00:05:00] 3 mindset shifts to move from tweaking to transforming
[00:07:00] Why structure in your wardrobe frees your mind
[00:08:00] Style as a leadership tool, not a daily stressor

LINKS & RESOURCES

➡ A 4 part private podcast to help you reconnect with how you want to be seen—so your leadership presence reflects who you are, not just what you do.

Own The Room

➡ Download the Wardrobe Checklist for Professional Career Women – Get a curated list of must-have wardrobe staples that blend versatility, style, and impact:
Checklist

➡ Book Your Strategy Call

➡ Find out more about programs and services

➡ Connect with me on social media

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Facebook