January 2026
Editor's Note:
Influence Is Power - But At What Cost?
We are living in the most influence-saturated period that business has ever known.
Influence used to be earned slowly through expertise, proximity, credibility, and results.
Now it’s accumulated fast - through visibility, repetition, and emotional pull.
And business is quietly reorganizing itself around who holds attention, not always who holds insight.
Here’s what the data tells us:
The global influencer economy is now worth over $20 billion, and brands increasingly trust creators more than institutions.
92% of consumers say they trust individuals over brands - relatability has officially overtaken authority.
Women dominate influence by volume - especially in wellness, lifestyle, and social impact - while men still dominate influence by perceived authority. Particularly in finance, tech, and leadership commentary.
That distinction matters.
Women are often rewarded for being relatable, vulnerable, and emotionally intelligent, while men are rewarded for certainty, confidence, and conviction, even when nuance is missing.
Women are heard.
Men are believed.
And belief is where power compounds.
But the real story isn’t just who we follow - it’s why we follow.
Influence works because it gives our brains a break. It offers cognitive ease in complex times. It creates belonging. It reassures us that someone else has already done the thinking.
Algorithms love this. They reward simplicity over complexity, certainty over curiosity, and familiar voices over emerging ones. What looks like choice is often just repetition dressed up as preference.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
The more passively we consume influence, the more we outsource independent judgment.
When the same voices dominate our feeds, our meetings, and our thinking, creativity narrows. Risk-taking declines. Original ideas get crowded out by “proven frameworks” and recycled wisdom.
Innovation doesn’t come from consensus.
It comes from friction, dissent, and brave, inconvenient thinking.
Influence itself isn’t the problem.
Unexamined influence is.
So here’s the real Power Play:
Before you follow, repost, or defer - ask yourself:
Is this expanding my thinking… or saving me from it?
Because in business - and leadership - the most valuable asset you can protect isn’t your visibility.
It’s your ability to think for yourself.
Lynn x
This month’s highlights
Ask Lynn
Any questions you have, career-led, life choices or situations you need help navigating - I will answer. This month I talk through questions such as:
1. I have always felt like I wanted a ‘big life’. I used to feel like this meant career and money. Now, I’m getting older and I feel like my idea of ‘big’ has changed, but I’m struggling to let go of this idea of traditional success. Do you have any tips? - Alice, Medicine
2. I’ve been at my current company for two years and I feel like I’m getting stagnant. What should I look for in a new job to keep moving and growing? I want to change industries, but I’m worried about starting again. How do I balance my ambition and my knowledge levels? - Becca, Marketing
3. I’m 55 now and want to step into a leadership position after a career break to raise my kids. I’ve been back at work for 7 years, and I’m ready to step up. How do I approach this? - Bonnie, Insurance
4. I’ve always been super ambitious, and I’m finding it hard to let go of that and settle in my current space because I’m always on the lookout for better roles that might pay more. Is it wrong to be doing that? I feel like it’s taking up headspace, but I don’t want to miss out. For context, I come from a first-generation immigrant family, so I feel like there is a lot of pressure on my choices. - Zainab, Tech
Episode VII: She Means Business - Annalie Howling
In a world where so many women are carrying invisible wounds while still showing up at full tilt, Annalie Howling has become the voice - and the force - that reminds us healing and high performance can coexist. A globally sought-after trauma specialist, high-performance coach and author of Unapologetic: Unshackle Your Shame, Reclaim Your Power, Annalie has spent over two decades guiding people through some of the most defining moments of their lives - heartbreak, betrayal, toxic relationships, grief, loss, and the quiet shame that often sits beneath success.
Her approach is uncompromisingly direct, deeply compassionate and grounded in both mastery and lived experience. She works with everyone from Hollywood actors and elite athletes to corporate leaders and special forces, helping them rebuild confidence, restore self-worth and step back into their power.
Today, we go deeper. Annalie joins me for a real conversation about resilience, healing, ambition - and what it truly means to rise.
Power Play Picks
We love.
Neom Wellpod Mini
Nothing soothes our nerves like a fabulous scent. Neom Wellpod Mini: Great well-being vibes. Stylish, compact and a genuinely portable aromatherapy diffuser that quickly scents small spaces without water and is easy to use on the go.
The Phillips 5000 Series
We hate Ironing, so anything that makes us wrinkle-free quickly, we’re all for it! The Phillips 5000 Series is lightweight, compact and simple to use on hangers or flat surfaces - great for travel or quick outfit fixes.
Lisou pieces
Invest in your wardrobe. Lisou, founded by the fabulous René Moshi Macdonald, is all about joyful confidence - think luxurious silks, hand-drawn prints and bold colour done with real intention.
Each piece instantly elevates your wardrobe, balancing playfulness with polish in a way that feels timeless, not trendy.
Every woman should own one Lisou piece because it doesn’t just change your outfit - it changes how you show up.