In this episode, Fiorenza Rossini welcomes award-winning actress Hannah Douglas who decided to launch LoudHer Voice Coaching (a public speaking and voice coaching business) after becoming a mum.“After I became a mum, I was talking to so many mums who were feeling like weren’t heard properly at work or were nervous about going back to work or didn’t quite know what their voices were anymore. And I really felt that kind of sense of identity shift as well”, says Hannah.Hannah’s work use the breath as foundation and not only she gives us practical tips in this episode but she also guides us through a breathing exercise called the balloon breathing, which works great to instantly ground oneself before speaking or stepping into a room.Public speaking is a big topic in our working life, sometimes a past event is casting a shadow and holding us back, sometimes we fell in a perfectionism trap.What if we give ourselves permission and choice to be confident with our own voice?Tune in for the full conversation!Key topics we explored:* Hannah’s transition from acting to voice coaching driven by motherhood and personal experience (00:00 - 02:44)* The deep connection between breath and confidence (07:14 - 08:05)* Common challenges women face with their voice in professional and personal settings (09:54 - 10:53)* How societal expectations and internal permission influence speaking up (39:45 - 41:25)* Practice with us a breathing exercise, the balloon breathing to manage nerves (13:15 - 14:22)* The impact of motherhood on self-identity and confidence (32:58 - 39:45)* Navigating the acting industry’s approach to pregnancy and motherhood (17:43 - 21:36)* The importance of feeling safe and having permission to express oneself (41:25 - 42:16)* External vs internal permission and overcoming judgments (42:16 - 43:02)⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating & review and hit subscribe!Connect with Hannah Douglas🔗 LoudHer Voice Coaching 🔗 Hannah Douglas - LinkedIn 🔗Hannah Douglas - InstagramAbout your host Fiorenza RossiniFiorenza started building her coaching business in 2016 while still working in investment banking. When her first child was born in 2019, she knew something had to give. Like many parents, she realised she couldn’t keep growing her career in the same way while also being the parent she wanted to be. Her priorities became clearer, and she chose to leave corporate life to focus fully on her coaching work. Today, Fiorenza supports driven professionals & leaders who are also parents of young children, who find themselves to be at a pivot point - whether that’s returning to work, stepping into leadership, or rethinking what career growth now looks like.🔗 Fiorenza on Linkedin 🔗 Fiorenza on Instagram 🔗 More about Fiorenza’s work This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit belongingproject.substack.com