⭕️ 5 Steps to become a Leader of Today

Hey friend,

A couple of weeks ago, I was on a call with a client who had booked me for a talk. We were discussing the structure of my message, and they gave me feedback that stuck with me: "We love the message, but how do we make it more actionable?"

That question had been sitting with me for a while. I’ve spent years talking about leadership, impact, and growth, but I never had a simple framework that people could walk away with and immediately apply. Something memorable, practical, and universal—a model that doesn’t just inspire, but actually helps people take action.

So, after reflecting, breaking things down, and connecting the dots, I finally developed something that makes sense. It’s called the T.O.D.A.Y. Framework—five steps that embody what it means to be a Leader of Today. This is the system I wish I had years ago, the one that would have made my own journey clearer.

And today, I’m sharing it with you first. Because if you’re here, if you read this newsletter, I know you care about growth, impact, and becoming the best version of yourself. So let’s get into it.

read time: 6 mins

Opportunities This Week

If you’re looking for more opportunities, check out our living document of 25+ opportunities here

We plan to phase out this section by May 1 and move the opportunities section to an entirely separate newsletter on Thursday dedicated to opportunities. If you’d still like to receive opportunities, make sure you’re subscribed to that newsletter here.

The T.O.D.A.Y. Framework

At its core, this framework follows an infinite loop—because leadership isn’t a finish line, it’s a continuous cycle of learning, evolving, and stepping up. Every leader follows these steps, whether they realize it or not.

T – Take Initiative

I truly believe that everything great starts with action. But if we’re being honest, most people hesitate when it’s time to take that first step. They wait for permission. They overthink. They convince themselves they need more time, more experience, or more certainty before they begin.

But leaders? They don’t wait. They start.

I think back to when I started For The Menstruator. I had no clue what I was doing. No roadmap, no experience, no step-by-step guide. Just a problem that needed solving and a belief that I could do something about it. That’s all I had. And that was enough.

Most people never move because they think they need to have it all figured out. But the truth? You figure things out by starting.

So ask yourself: What is one thing you’ve been holding off on? Start before you're ready. You’ll learn more in one week of action than in a year of planning.

O – Own Your Story

Every leader has a story. But not everyone owns theirs.

For years, I downplayed my own experiences. I didn’t think my background, struggles, or journey were worth sharing. But the more I stepped into rooms with leaders, the more I realized that the people who truly inspired me weren’t necessarily the smartest or most successful—they were the ones who owned who they were without apology.

Your experiences, challenges, and values shape you. They give you a unique lens on the world. But if you’re too busy trying to fit into someone else’s version of success, you’ll never unlock your own potential.

Think about it—what if your struggles weren’t roadblocks, but the very thing that makes your voice powerful? What if the things you’ve overcome are actually the reasons you’re meant to lead?

Owning your story isn’t just about confidence. It’s about clarity. When you know who you are, you stop chasing every opportunity and start choosing the right ones.

So take a moment and ask yourself: What are the three defining moments that have shaped me?

Own them. They are your advantage.

D – Develop Systems for Growth

You can’t scale chaos.

The best leaders don’t just rely on motivation—they build systems that make success inevitable. They have structures in place that keep them growing, whether that’s in their career, their business, or their personal life.

For me, this lesson became painfully clear when For The Menstruator started to grow. What began as 25 people in my community turned into an initiative that impacted over 25,000 people around the world. That didn’t happen by accident.

We documented every step of the way—our process, our learnings, what worked and what didn’t. We built systems for training, for distribution, for scaling impact. And then, we shared those systems with other young people across the world so they could apply the same model in their communities.

That’s what systems do. They create sustainability. They turn a good idea into a lasting movement.

Think about it: The best athletes don’t just train when they feel like it. The best businesses don’t just work hard—they create repeatable processes that allow them to scale. And the best leaders? They don’t rely on willpower. They create habits and structures that force them to show up.

If you’re constantly feeling overwhelmed, like you’re “winging it,” ask yourself: What system can I put in place to make this easier?

Success isn’t about working harder—it’s about setting yourself up to win.

A – Amplify Through Community

No one changes the world alone.

I wouldn’t be here without the people who opened doors for me. The mentors who took a chance on me, the team of 150+ young people who built For The Menstruator alongside me, and even you—reading this, deciding to spend your time and energy supporting me. That’s what community is.

Real impact doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in collaboration.

I used to think I had to do everything myself. That if I wanted something to happen, I had to be the one leading every part of it. But that’s not leadership—that’s ego.

The best leaders bring others along. They build movements, not just careers. They amplify their impact by surrounding themselves with people who share their vision.

If you’re trying to do everything alone, ask yourself: Who can I collaborate with? Who can I support? Who can I learn from?

Because when you help others rise, you rise with them.

Y – Yes to Evolving

Leadership is an infinite loop. The second you think you’ve “made it,” you’ve already lost.

The best leaders? They never stop learning, growing, or adapting. They stay curious. They stay open to new challenges. They never let success make them stagnant.

If you’re not evolving, you’re falling behind.

So as you reach new milestones, ask yourself: What’s the next challenge I need to embrace? What’s the next skill I need to develop?

Saying yes to evolving means saying yes to discomfort. Because that’s where real growth happens.

And once you do? You loop back to the start.

Every breakthrough leads you back to T – Take Initiative. A new challenge, a new opportunity, a new leap of faith. This is what makes leadership a lifelong journey, not a destination.

Need Your Feedback

My Friend, I am sharing this framework with you because I value your opinion. My goal of this framework is to incorporate it in my keynotes and workshops, write a book, trademark it, create a course around it, etc. But before I do that, I want to know what you think:

• What stage are you on in the framework?

• Is it helpful for you?

• Are there certain parts that you resonate with more than others?

• Any other thoughts/ ideas

I really mean it when I say I value your opinion. It would mean the world to me if you took a couple seconds and have me your honest thoughts (even if it’s not positive, won’t catch feelings I promise)

Thank you for taking out the time,

Forwarded this email? Sign up here

Let’s connect on Linkedin and Instagram