Episode 221: Being Seen - Women, Leadership & Visibility at Work with Antonia Taylor
In this week’s episode of the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast, I talked to Antonia Taylor, a PR, communications and content strategist with over 25 years’ experience specialising in thought leadership and women’s professional visibility. Antonia is the author of the powerful new report ‘Being Seen: Women, Leadership & Visibility at Work’ – a research-led exploration of how female leaders navigate professional visibility while driving systemic, sustainable change.
This is our very first International Women’s Day episode, and I couldn’t think of a better conversation to mark the occasion. If you’re a B2B consultant who knows you’re ready for a bigger platform but something keeps pulling you back, this episode is for you.
We get into why visibility feels so risky for high-achieving women, why the systems around us are broken (not us), and what it actually looks like to step into the authority and recognition you’ve already earned.
In This Episode:
[00:00] Why Antonia wrote Being Seen and what sparked the urgency behind it
[04:00] How the pandemic disproportionately disadvantaged women and what the rollback of hybrid working means for consultants today
[07:00] The ‘visibility paradox’ – why women are penalised both for keeping their heads down and for stepping into the spotlight
[14:00] How Antonia gathered insights from eight senior women leaders and what the research revealed about safety, identity and nervous system responses to visibility
[26:00] The reception since launch, the business impact of thought leadership, and why Antonia’s white paper has opened doors she didn’t anticipate
[29:00] Practical steps for building a sustainable visibility practice – starting small, finding your place of power, and updating your professional identity to reflect who you are now
[34:00] How collaboration, allyship and celebrating other women is one of the most powerful (and underused) strategic tools we have
Key Takeaways:
- You don’t need to be everywhere – you need to be visible in the right place: Antonia’s advice isn’t to post on LinkedIn twice a day. It’s to find your place of power – whether that’s a podcast, a newsletter, or a well-placed speaking engagement – and show up there consistently and authentically. Sustainable visibility beats performative visibility every time. This is smart leverage, not hustle.
- Visibility starts on the inside: Before you can be seen by the right corporate buyers, you have to update how you see yourself. Many consultants are still showing up online as the version of themselves from five years ago. Closing that identity gap – between who you were and the strategic authority you are now – is the real work. Your external brand should reflect your current level, not your starting point.
- Thought leadership is a business asset, not a vanity project: Antonia’s Being Seen report directly changed the trajectory of her consulting business, generating speaking invitations, corporate partnerships, and expanded visibility with senior decision-makers. Getting paid for your brain starts with demonstrating what your brain can do. A well-crafted piece of thought leadership positions you as the trusted strategic advisor, not just another service provider.
Quotes:
“Find your place of power. If you like speaking, if that’s your podcast, great. If you’re a great writer, if it’s your Substack – find your place of power where you can show up authentically and sustainably.” – Antonia Taylor
“I think that’s why it’s probably been quite successful because it’s always been bigger than me. This has always had that mission of, you know, working towards creating cultures where women’s visibilities and women’s experiences, women’s stories, are celebrated and they’re supported and they’re importantly safe as well.” – Antonia Taylor
“I have been able to remove a lot of the barriers that used to be in my way through doing my business… I’ve reached that tipping point where people tend to take me seriously more than they tend to dismiss me. It’s the authority you build.” – Jessica Fearnley
Useful Links
Antonia:
Antonia’s Website: antoniataylorpr.com
Download Antonia’s report, ‘Being Seen: Women, Leadership & Visibility at Work’
Jessica:
Buy Jessica’s book, Too Much, on Amazon
Get in touch with Jessica to discuss your consulting business
Leave a rating and review for the Seven Figure Consultant Podcast
Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn
Guest Bio
Antonia Taylor is a PR, communications and content strategist specialising in thought leadership and women’s workplace visibility. With over 25 years’ experience leading award-winning B2B communications programmes, she helps organisations amplify women’s voices and create cultures where female leadership thrives. She is author of the new report, “Being Seen: Women, Leadership & Visibility at Work,” which explores how female leaders navigate professional visibility while driving systemic, sustainable change.