Proudly Authentic, Always Real

Joanne Lockwood is joined by Jodie Goodchild, an award-winning community creator and LinkedIn trainer, to explore what it looks like to be proudly authentic in business and in life. Jodie shares her journey of coming out as a lesbian, the fear and uncertainty that can come with naming your truth, and the freedom that can follow when you stop living for other people’s approval.

From there, the conversation moves into the practical realities of visibility: why posting and sharing your perspective can feel like a second “coming out” for small business owners, how imposter feelings keep people lurking, and what helps individuals find a voice that sounds like them rather than a corporate persona. Joanne and Jodie discuss polarisation, boundaries, and the difference between being authentic and being intentionally provocative.

They also unpack how community and trust are built through consistent, human content and real-world connection, including Jodie’s approach to creating brave, supportive spaces for business owners to learn, show up, and grow. Alongside reflections on inclusion and safety in groups, they touch on wellbeing pressures in entrepreneurship and the importance of protecting time to live, not just work.