š“ 158. The recognition effect feat. Sarah McVanel (Weekend Rewind)


We all know that relationshipsābusiness, personal, professionalārequire maintenance. Itās not set-and-forget. Thatās why Iām bringing back this amazing conversation with recognition rockstar Sarah McVanel. Sheās someone who deeply understands how small, thoughtful gestures can lead to massive business results.
Sarah helps individuals and organizations leverage the power of recognition to retain top talent, fuel healthy teams, and build sustainable businesses. Sheās a certified senior OD professional, PCC coach, HR leader, and one of only 1,500 Certified Speaking Professionals (CSPs) in the world. š„
In this episode, we talk about:
- How Sarah used the pandemic to redesign her business and keynotes for impact
- The creation of a virtual Nurses Week for 26,000 nurses across North America (!!!)
- Why recognition isnāt just for employeesāitās a retention strategy for clients too
- The low-friction ways to start creating content (even if youāre ānot a marketerā)
- Building a business based on relationships, reciprocity, and consistent visibility
- What we both did when all our live events vanished overnight
Sarahās insight is practical, heartfelt, and totally energizing. If you're building a facilitation business, struggling with marketing, or wondering how to stay top of mind with clientsāthis oneās for you.
š Resources mentioned:
- Sarahās website: https://greatnessmagnified.com
- SendOut Cards: Check them out here (Sarah-inspired!)
- Trello for content tracking
- ActiveCampaign (Sarah) and ConvertKit (me!) for email marketing
- Sarahās free ebook Rockstar: Magnify Your Greatness in Times of Change
⨠Your next move?
Pick one person whoās hired you before and recognize them this week. No pitch. Just appreciation. You never know what it could lead to.
*New* You're invited to join Leanne's free community, Work Fame.
Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.com
P.S. Ready to take things up a level? Here are three ways I can help:
- Watch My 2025 Speaker Reel : Let's energise your next event.
- Get My Book : Design your workshops fast using The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint .
- Red Carpet Campout : Inspire, Indulge, Invent. Letās take your ideas outside in June 2025.
Let's connect on all the channels:
Visit my website: leannehughes.com
Email me: hello@leannehughes.com
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