The day I almost got the starring role in Hamilton

A couple of weeks ago, I nearly landed myself a starring role in Hamilton.

Not because I’m secretly a Broadway-level singer or dancer - oh no! But because I took a very wrong turn…

It all started at the 71st FCEM World Congress in Sydney, where I’d just delivered my keynote.

Afterward, I was invited to a gala dinner (who says no to a gala?). My good friend Kelly Slessor and I got all glammed up, parked the car, and strolled toward the exit sign, deep in conversation, excited for a fabulous night out.

Then, I noticed a sign: “Pedestrians this way.” Without giving it much thought, we followed along, chatting away. Suddenly, Kelly veered toward a door and said, “Let’s go this way.” So, without much thought given we were deep in conversation, I followed.

Well, the door clicked shut behind us, and before we knew it, we were wandering the industrial maze of the Star Casino’s fire escape corridors.

Imagine: two women glammed up, heels clicking down endless concrete tunnels, surrounded by walls that seemed like they belonged to a Marvel supervillain’s lair.

Now, while Kelly was cool as a cucumber, confidently leading us through our accidental adventure, I was quietly panicking. Every door we tried was locked! With my recent binge-watch of The Penguin haunting me, I was half-expecting a gang of villains to jump out at any moment.

We finally decided we’d missed something - or everything - and backtracked, only to bang frantically on the nearest door. It flew open, and there we stood, staring out at Hamilton’s Lyric Theatre stage entrance.

Had we been thirty minutes later, we would’ve strutted right into the show mid-performance. And let’s just say I don’t think the cast was prepared for a duet experience from the two of us! Or the audience for that matter!

So, I hope this story gave you a laugh and reminded you of this:

...sometimes the spotlight finds you unexpectedly. But are you ready for it?

Whether it’s a chance to present your work, a TED Talk invite, or an unexpected opportunity to lead, would you step up confidently - or scramble back down the corridors?

As the Roman philosopher Seneca wisely said, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” Are you positioned for your moment?

Think about what you might do now to step into your next opportunity with confidence.

• Is it refining your message?
• Polishing your IP?
• Or finally narrowing down your niche?

I’ll leave you with some food for thought as we dive into the final stretch of the year - how prepared are you to own your spotlight in 2025?

Janine X

PS: On December 9th and 10th, my Elevate group will meet for the final time this year to set powerful visibility and growth strategies for 2025. These two days are designed to give you the clarity, confidence, and actionable strategies you need to make your business stand out, attract your ideal clients, and build a plan for consistent visibility in the new year.

No pitches, no fluff - just focused time to build a roadmap for stepping boldly into 2025. I have a limited number of guest passes remaining. If you are a female consultant, coach or advisor and ready to make 2025 your year of more success, reply with “GUEST,” and I’ll send you the details.

Let’s make 2025 the year you fully own your place in the spotlight.