#GivetoGain: The Hype-Yourself Handbook

Stine Holmgaard, Chief Growth Officer at the Native Advertising Institute put it perfectly: “Growth doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in community.” 

And that’s exactly what International Women’s Day is all about. 

The Native Advertising Institute’s #GiveToGain breakfast last Friday, hosted at Jellyfish’s HQ brought together 100+ people from across the industry to learn how to truly hype themselves and others, celebrating the launch of their Significant Women in Branded Content platfrom - check it out here.

With keynote speaker Kay Munday setting the tone, four expert “hype agents” – Suzanna Chaplin, Rhiannon Davies, Megan Gilbert and Raquel Bubar – joined Julia Linehan, Stephanie Parry and Camealia Xavier‑Chihota on stage to share their most powerful hype‑yourself insights.

The ripple effect of self-belief

From all the advice shared throughout the morning one quote rang true:

“A woman who knows her worth is a woman who can effectively demand justice,” said Jellyfish’s Stephanie Parry. “Learning to hype ourselves will allow us to create a ripple effect of change starting in this room today.”

Hyping yourself is hard. So, having leading industry voices peel back the curtain on their own struggles and how they’ve learnt to hype themselves throughout their career was truly valuable. 

Empowerment is a continuous practice of visibility and support, so events that can share the tools, tips and tricks to do it yourself is a great starting point. 

Communication is a superpower

Kay Munday, Creative Business Lead at Google, reminded us that communication is a leadership superpower, so it’s worth harnessing.

Her message was clear:

• 80% of employers want strong communication skills.
• The first 2-3 seconds of an interaction is what makes the lasting impression.
• 93% of communication is non-verbal.

The attention economy and AI have made connection both harder and more vital. “The definition of a smart person is changing,” Kay shared, “it’s now becoming someone with human empathy.”

Top tip:  The best communicators don’t just speak, they connect with others. So, pull on your personal experiences and lead with authenticity.

Be your own cheerleader

“If you’re naturally being yourself it’s easy to feel confident.” - Rhiannon Davies, VP, Creative Strategy at Jellyfish

To truly hype yourself and show up how you want, the work all starts from within. 

Rhiannon drew on her own journey with this, speaking on the importance of taking the time to build your relationship with yourself to truly trust in your own abilities. 

The hype-agents shared what they do to empower self-belief: 

• Wear something that makes you feel good: physical comfort is often the first step to mental comfort
• Learn relaxation techniques: you can train your brain into feeling calm in nerve-wracking situations. Kay Munday spoke on drawing on the things that bring you zen before a big meeting or public speaking and tapping into that. 
• Practice makes perfect: for Julia Linehan, the art of looking natural comes down to practice, even if it starts with smiling at yourself in the mirror.
• Find your power pose: confident body language can influence how you feel, so stand confidently and let it reflect out of you.
• Speak it to believe it: Megan Gilbert, VP Fortune Brands Studio, shared her self-belief mantra: “Believe in yourself and others will believe in you.”

Finding the ultimate hype woman (or man!)

Rhiannon reminded us that confidence sometimes begins with someone else believing in you first. 

Having mentors as “air cover,” as she called them, matters. 

Whether it’s a manager or colleague who ensures your voice is heard, it’s important to surround yourself with people who will advocate for you, and be honest enough to help guide you to your true potential.

Women showing up as their full selves gives others permission to do the same. And as Raquel Bubar, Managing Director, T Brand Studio International at The New York Times shared, pride in your work is not arrogance, it’s fuel: “Sit at the table. Take up space. If you’re invited, you’re meant to be there.”

Top tip: Get yourself in the rooms, surround yourself with people who want to see you win and make sure your voice gets heard the way it’s intended. 

No one cares! 

A lot of the fear around hyping yourself comes from the judgement of others. 

Our experts shared a truth that makes hyping yourself a lot less intimidating: NO ONE CARES!

As Suzanna Chaplin, CEO and Founder at esbconnect put it:“No one actually cares about what you’re doing as much as you do. So just do it.” The fear of what others will think is holding you back from doing the things you want to do. 

Suzanna spoke on the importance of self belief and not worrying about the judgement of others, drawing on her personal experience of suffering with a neurological disorder due to stress.

It got to the point where she could hardly walk at times. But there was always one thing she could do…swim.

She remembers hobbling to the pool while people watched as she made her way over. She knew that this would be a passing moment for those around her but for her, getting in that pool would have a huge positive impact on how she was feeling. So she did it.

Now, every time she doubts herself or worries that others are judging her, she draws on that experience and remembers:“anyone who says I can’t do anything, I can.”

Top tip:  Everyone is too busy worrying about themselves. So do things for you, not for their approval.

If the morning proved anything, it’s that confidence isn’t something you either have or don’t have, it’s something you practice. When women hype themselves and each other, that confidence spreads far beyond the room. And that’s what Give to Gain is all about.