Corporate gives you an easy identity: your title, your company, your lane. But once you start building something outside corporate—consulting, fractional, content, a book, a business—that identity disappears fast. And that’s where most people get stuck.

In this episode, Brett sits down with Catherine Jelinek, founder of The Skinny Platform, to talk about the shift from being “defined by your role” to being known for your thinking, your story, and the outcomes you create.

Catherine shares why so many high-performing corporate pros struggle in the “formless” world outside corporate, how to create structure without recreating corporate, and why the fastest way to clarify your thought leadership is often talking it out—not trying to write it alone. They also get into “skinny books” (short, high-impact nonfiction) and how to use AI and conversation-based drafts to accelerate publishing and content creation.

What You’ll Learn

• Why corporate identity feels safe—even when corporate is miserable

• How to replace “job title identity” with outcome-based positioning

• Catherine’s framework for navigating change: Forming → Storming → Norming → Performing

• How Brett created structure outside corporate (without turning life into a calendar prison)

• Why most people can’t “see” their own differentiators—and how a mirror helps

• Why conversation + transcripts can be the fastest path to content (and even a book)

• The “skinny book” approach: short, readable, practical nonfiction that people actually finish

• How to use AI to generate multiple story arcs and content angles—without losing your voice

Key Takeaways

• You don’t need to reinvent yourself. You need to reframe yourself.

• Progress outside corporate isn’t linear—so you need your own way to measure wins.

• If you want thought leadership, stop trying to “perfect-write” it. Talk it out first.

• Your story isn’t just for a book. It can power your LinkedIn, website, offers, and messaging.

About Catherine Jelinek

Catherine is the founder of The Skinny Platform, an alternative to ghostwriting for entrepreneurs and thought leaders. The Skinny Platform helps people clarify their story, shape it into a compelling narrative, and turn it into a short, high-impact book—faster than the traditional publishing process.

Connect with Catherine

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjelinek/

• Email: catherine@theskinnyplatform.com

• Websites: theskinnyplatform.com