Welcome to the New School of Faith-Driven LinkedIn Authority Figures
↓AUTHORITY (RE) DEFINED
I have one sole mission... to make faith-driven founders a force to be reckoned with on LinkedIn by using their stories and messaging to define their authority, an authority based on an undivided voice, an unmistakable presence, and unbound reach.
In 2022, I began to notice the authority gap among faith-driven founders on LinkedIn between being an authentic business owner wanting to use LinkedIn as a platform to serve people and not translating their excellence and passion into language that connects with their tribe.
This might be due to what I call a perfect storm of authority slayers: the pull towards sameness due to overused and outdated story and post templates, the AI generic outputs, and the fear of speaking about convictions and faith.
The cure? An authority that is built from Biblical influences and proven LinkedIn storytelling and messaging strategies to have ideal clients recognize you and self-select into your world.
After decades of storytelling, communication, and teaching experiences and a Ph.D. in linguistics, I share the storytelling and messaging strategies that today's business owners need to construct an authority that is built on servant leadership, stewardship, boldness, and simplicity.
The idea is to remove fragmentation so you can communicate faithfully and consistently from conviction.
Real authority doesn’t come from conventional power structures, but from being able to communicate what truly matters.
HI, I'M SUSANNE!
What I’ve Learned About Authority
I taught at universities in Colorado, Wyoming, and Germany.
I presented research internationally on storytelling, communication, and how people make meaning through language.
And over the course of more than 20 years in academia and business, I noticed something fascinating:
Some people had credentials, status, and influence… but very little clarity.
Others had almost no visible power at all, yet people naturally trusted them, listened to them, and remembered what they said.
I saw manipulation dressed up as leadership. Performance mistaken for authority.
And I also saw something very different:
The kind of grounded influence that happens when someone’s voice, message, and convictions are fully aligned.
I’ve even experienced first hand what happens when you climb quickly and successfully… only to realize later the ladder was leaning against the wrong building.
That changes the way you think about authority.
At some point, I stopped believing authority comes from titles, algorithms, or trying to sound impressive online.
I believe authority comes from communicating effectively.
It lies in what you say, how you say it, and why you say it.
Communicating with clarity, conviction, and consistency over time.
That’s the foundation of my work.
And over the years, I’ve come to see authority grow in three stages:
1. Undivided
Everything starts here. A divided voice creates scattered messaging, inconsistent storytelling, and communication that never fully lands.
I see this constantly on LinkedIn, especially among faith-driven founders trying to balance professionalism, purpose, visibility, and conviction all at once. Eventually, the message becomes fragmented.
But an undivided voice changes everything. It brings clarity. Integrity. Focus. Your communication starts sounding like one coherent person instead of five competing versions of yourself.
As it says in Matthew 12:25:
“A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.”
That principle applies to communication too. The key is to use your set-apartness (Jeremy 15:1) to become a category-of-one authority.
People have to understand:
- what you stand for
- how you think
- and why your perspective matters
2. Unmistakable
Once your voice becomes clear, your message becomes recognizable. This is where consistency starts building trust. Your storytelling develops a clear through-line. Your message stops changing shape every week.
And over time, people begin to recognize your voice almost instantly. That’s what I mean by becoming unmistakable. Not louder. Clearer.
As Matthew 7:16 says:
“By their fruit you will recognize them.”
This is about stewardship.
3. Being Unbound
When your voice is grounded and your message becomes clear, something beautiful happens: You stop shrinking. You stop overthinking every word. You stop hiding behind performance, perfectionism, or fear of visibility
Your communication becomes freer, steadier, and more expansive. Because aligned things naturally multiply. A rooted message wants to move outward. To serve. To reach people. To create impact. That’s the heart behind UNBOUND.
“A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”
(Matthew 5:14)
Because authority was never meant to be performance. It was meant to be faithful and bold expression. And honestly, I think LinkedIn needs more of that.
The principal of the talents talks about it (Matthew 25:14–30). "God has not given us a spirit of fear…” (Timothy 1:7). “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).
Ready to embrace your authority?
YES! Get Me StartedAND IF YOU'RE WONDERING IF THIS SPACE IS FOR YOU...
You belong here if...
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You’re faith-driven, purpose-led, and ready to use your God-given authority to transform lives.
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You’re tired of noise and ready for clarity.
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You believe your story holds eternal weight.
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You want simple systems that actually serve your mission.
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You’re ready to build something that lasts — in meaning, in message, in impact.
If we haven't met yet, here are 10 things you probably didn't know about me...
I'm Coloradan hailing from a small town in Bavaria, Germany. I hope you find my accent (and my selfie failure) charming. Prost to a connection that's as enjoyable as a Bavarian beer festival! 🍻
When I came to the US, I transitioned from an Artistic Director at Vidal Sassoon to a linguistics Ph.D. scholar, and eventually to an online entrepreneur. My trading hair brushes for textbooks and then stuffy academic walls for the freedom of digital nomadism show that it's never too late to reinvent yourself. 🇺🇸✨🇩🇪
As a Christian, phrases like "Jesus take the wheel" and "God's got this" naturally find their way into my digital entrepreneur vocabulary when it comes to mastering yet another piece of tech. Can I get an Amen? 🙏
In my world, education is not confined to dullness and dryness. Instead, it's a colorful tapestry woven with threads of imagination, discovery, storytelling, and a little AI.
I could organize for days and LOVE decluttering. Systems, frameworks, simplifying things, and editing bring me joy. Thank you, Marie Kondo, for helping me with my closet! ❤️
I'm an absolute sucker for 80s pop music and been known to crank up the car speakers for a good sing-along and for helping my husband perfect the art of the eye-roll. 💃🏻
I take my coffee so seriously that I once contemplated giving it a spot on my emergency contact list. ☕️❤️☕️
I have quite the reputation as a chocolate supplier for friends and family on both sides of the Atlantic, flying a stash of Hershey's to Germany and returning with Milka and Kinder goodness. Spreading international chocolate love can be quite heavy on your back. 🍫
I’m all about the beach and pool, but the sun? Not so much. It's like a battle between my love for water adventures and my fear of turning into a lobster—sunscreen layers and all.🦞 Meanwhile, my husband just tans like it’s no big deal.