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What to do when your expertise isn’t respected—and how to stop making it mean something about you.

📘 Episode Summary

What happens when you bring solid fundraising expertise—and someone with less experience dismisses it? In this episode, Erin explores a common but rarely discussed dynamic: being treated like “the help” instead of a strategic professional.

She shares a personal story about having her work overruled, the emotional spiral that followed, and the deeper pattern underneath it. You’ll learn how early messages about money and worth can shape your reactions at work, why certain comments sting more than others, and how to stop letting others’ opinions define your value.

If you’ve ever felt dismissed, underestimated, or sidelined as a fundraiser, this episode will show you how to reclaim your power and stop shrinking in the face of pushback.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Someone else’s inability to value your expertise says more about their patterns than your worth.
• Your worthiness is innate—not determined by which ideas leadership approves.
• The part that gets hurt is often the part that already believes a version of the painful story.
• Your idea is not you; separation creates freedom.
• Try on the energy of the fundraiser who knows they’re worthy—who bends but doesn’t break.

📝 Journal Prompt

How would you stand, speak, and decide if you deeply believed your worthiness wasn’t up for grabs?

Book your 1:1 Brave and Balanced Breakthrough Coaching Session here: https://calendly.com/vitalistcoaching/brave-balanced-breakthrough

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VitalistCoaching.com

Connect on Instagram:
@erinmcquadewright