When I think about power, I think about confidence. I feel most confident when I’m standing in front of a room, helping people see what’s possible for themselves and their work.
But that confidence wasn’t instant. It was built rep by rep through years of leading, coaching others through hard seasons, and doing the inner work to become the woman I once needed.
Preparation is my confidence ritual. When I’ve done the work, I can walk into any room and own my voice. But I also know how easy it can be for women to dim that power. There is this quiet pressure to shrink. We soften our opinions. We wait to be chosen. We carry everyone else’s needs while shelving our own.
I’ve learned to push back by refusing to wait for permission. I say the thing in the meeting. I invest in myself without apology, whether that’s my health, my growth, or my rest. And I’m intentional about who gets a seat around me.
It’s why I created my Building Your Bench framework. Because who you choose to surround yourself with matters. The people who speak life into you, challenge you, and celebrate you can shape how high you rise.
So, to the person who may be doubting their voice or influence right now, I want you to remember this: Your voice was never the problem. The rooms that asked you to quiet it were.
Start where you are. Speak up once today, in one room, about one thing that matters.
Confidence isn’t the absence of doubt. It’s deciding your purpose is bigger than your fear.
And you’re not meant to do this alone. Lean on your circle.
We rise together.
With Power, Erinn Cottman Founder and Lead Consultant
🚨 EXCITING NEWS
POWER LOOKS DIFFERENT ON EVERY WOMAN.
MEET SOME OF THE WOMEN BRINGING THEIRS TO POW(H)ER.
The Pow(H)er Experience is taking shape, and it's going to be another year of conversations you’ll want to be in the room for.
We’re bringing together dynamic speakers, thought leaders, and experts for a full day of conversations designed to inform, challenge, connect, and empower you. From mental health and wellness to business, leadership, wealth, and what it takes to move boldly into your next chapter (as we always do), we’re creating a room filled with knowledge you can actually use.
Come for the conversations.
Stay for the connections.
Leave with something that moves you forward.
November 18, 2026 | Pow(H)er Experience November 19, 2026 | Pow(H)er Awards
Two incredible sessions down, and Session Three is happening today!
We’ve talked sisterhood with Modupé Rouse and found our voice with Lucinda Cross. Now, we’re learning how to make sure the right people hear it.
Tomorrow, Dr. Nikkia McClain takes us inside the world of DIY PR, sharing the strategies and tools to help you build visibility, tell your story, and get your brand in front of the right audiences.
If you have a business, brand, expertise, or story the world needs to know about, this is a room you want to be in.
In October, serial entrepreneur Shay Wood is joining us for Session Four: 2027 Starts Now
Before the holiday rush hits and January arrives, we’re creating space to get intentional about what comes next. Shay will help us look ahead, think bigger, and begin putting a plan behind the goals we want to bring to life in 2027.
October 23 | 2:00–3:30 PM | Virtual
Don't wait until January to decide what you want from 2027. We're starting now.
Girlfriends, we’re outside for a great cause! Join Nikkia and some of our Glossy Sisters at the SYG booth during Pink Party on the Plaza, a celebration bringing the community together in support of breast cancer awareness.
Come say hey, hang out with your Girlfriends, enjoy the festivities, and support an important cause while you’re there. We’d love to see you!
Saturday, October 10 | 11 AM–3 PM Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building | Harlem
📍GLOSSY NEWS
The DIY PR App Has Arrived
After more than 16 years of helping brands earn meaningful media coverage, our founder, Dr. Nikkia McClain, has officially launched the DIY PR App. Nikkia has always believed that public relations isn't luck. It's strategy. It's consistency. It's relationships. Inside the app, you'll learn how to build a media-ready brand, write compelling press releases, pitch journalists, build media lists, track your outreach, and become your own publicist.
