IT´S IN YOU! Career & Leadership Coaching for Women

Raise Your Hand: Vision, Vulnerability & Becoming Your Future Self — with Blanca Meléndez del Castillo

Katharina Engelhardt Season 2 Episode 20

In this deeply inspiring episode of It’s In You, host Katharina Engelhardt sits down with Blanca Meléndez del Castillo — Personal Brand Strategist, TEDx Speaker, and creator of the S.H.I.N.E.™ Framework — for a conversation about vision, courage, and the power of seeing yourself before the world sees you.

Blanca shares the behind-the-scenes story of her recent TEDx Nuremberg talk:
 ✨ how she created a visual of herself on the TEDx stage a year before it happened,
 ✨ why embodying your future identity changes everything, and
 ✨ the childhood story of her mother raising her arm that still influences how she leads today.

Together, Katharina and Blanca explore the uncomfortable but transformative space of vulnerability, the resistance many women feel toward visibility, and why self-trust is the foundation of leadership.

This episode is for every woman who has ever waited to be chosen, doubted her own capability, or struggled to see the leader in the mirror — and is ready to step into her next chapter with intention and courage.

Key Takeaways

  • Vision is a strategy, not a dream. Seeing yourself in your future role helps you become it faster.
  • Most women underestimate themselves because they only see the “inside view” — their doubts, their limits, their morning self.
  • Vulnerability is not weakness — it’s connection. True human interaction requires being seen fully.
  • Raising your hand changes your life. Leadership visibility starts with daring to be chosen.
  • Your identity shifts when your visuals do. Embodiment isn’t performance — it is alignment.
  • Authenticity is not optional anymore. Women shouldn’t have to edit themselves to fit corporate expectations.
  • Self-trust is the foundation of impact. Everything you need is already in you.

🎧 Sound Bites

  • “You already have what it takes — you just don’t see it yet.”
  • “There is so much vulnerability in being seen.”
  • “If you’re an expert and people don’t know what you know… you have a problem.”
  • “Raise your hand, even when you don’t feel ready.”
  • “Authenticity is the moment you stop editing yourself.”

🔗 Connect with Blanca

Website: www.blancamelendez.com

LinkedIn: Blanca Meléndez del Castillo
Instagram: @blancamelendezbrand

Her offers, including the S.H.I.N.E.™ Framework, can be found on her website.

🔍 Episode Keywords (SEO)

women leadership, visibility, vulnerability, courage, identity, personal branding, future self, TEDx, authenticity, confidence, strategic communication, embodiment, self-trust, career growth, leadership development

📩 If this episode resonates with you, share it on LinkedIn and tag us!

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to IT`S IN YOU! so you never miss an update. For more leadership and career inspiration, follow Katharina on LinkedIn and visit her website for additional resources. Don’t forget to share the podcast with the women in your life who are ready to step into their leadership roles with confidence.

Contact: katharina@katharinaengelhardt.com