101: How to Stand Out on Instagram by Being Real, Not Perfect with Jenna Harding
Jenna Harding is a marketing coach, social media management agency owner and host of the Shiny New Clients podcast. Through her program Magic Marketing Machine, she helps service-based business owners use her proven marketing formula to look amazing on Instagram, run their accounts in 15 minutes a day and turn their followers into clients.
In this episode, Jenna shares her advice for showing up authentically on Instagram. She dives into the power of embracing your true self online and how letting go of perfection and overcoming mindset blocks like imposter syndrome can transform your content. Jenna explains how ditching the polished aesthetic and leaning into realness helped her connect more deeply with her audience and grow her brand. You’ll also walk away with practical tips for boosting engagement, growing organically, and building a community that actually cares.
Whether you’re just getting started or refreshing your strategy, this episode blends mindset shifts with actionable strategies to help you show up with more confidence and purpose.
Key Takeaways:
- (02:30) From social media manager to Instagram marketing expert
- (06:20) How Instagram strategies have evolved over the years
- (10:20) Tools that simplify content creation and why batching matters
- (13:10) Overcoming mindset barriers: imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and fear
- (17:40) Infusing personality into your brand and content
- (27:40) Tips for boosting engagement and organic growth
- (30:00) Giving yourself permission to pivot and evolve in business
Connect with with Jenna Harding:
Instagram: instagram.com/jennsapaige
Podcast: Shiny New Clients
How to get CLIENTS from Instagram without wasting hours glued to your phone
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Unlocking Instagram Success: Marketing, Mindset, and Business Tips with Jenna Harding
The myth: you need to look perfect or have a business degree to show up online. The reality: realness, personality, and lived experience win every time. Be yourself—your audience will connect with your authenticity.
In this episode, Heather sits down with Instagram marketing expert Jenna Harding to break down the real steps to visibility, engagement, and bringing your authentic self to the table.
Instagram: Lessons from the Trenches
Jenna Harding didn’t start out as a digital marketing expert. In fact, she stumbled into social media management almost by accident while working in bars and volunteering at a yoga studio.
Through managing an array of client accounts and industries, she rapidly built practical marketing know-how that transcended traditional business education.
The biggest game changers over the years? The evolution of both technology and workflow.
In the early days, creating a simple Instagram post meant graphic designers, manual posting, and endless hours crafting content. Now, tools like Canva and automation software have dramatically sped up creation and scheduling, allowing business owners to produce content quickly and efficiently.
But despite the tech advances, Jenna notes, the purpose of Instagram remains the same: connection and impact. “We’re business owners who want to leverage Instagram. And so we don’t have all day to be creating these posts,” she says.
Automation, batching, and intentional strategy free up valuable time so educators can focus on making a difference—without burning out.
Tackling Mindset Blocks: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
A barrier faced by almost every aspiring entrepreneur? Self-doubt and comparison. Heather and Jenna dive deep into the pervasive imposter syndrome that stops so many educators from putting themselves out there on social media.
From worrying about old high school classmates’ opinions to feeling like an amateur compared to polished influencers, these inner critics can be paralyzing. Jenna’s advice: unfollow (or mute) anyone who triggers comparison or self-doubt—even if it’s a “harmless” scroll.
Fill your feed instead with accounts that uplift and inspire you. “You don’t need to know what’s going on in the industry. The people who blow up are the ones that do something different,” Jenna insists.
Embrace imperfection and see the gift in being a beginner. As Jenna says, “If the post flops, nobody saw it. That is the good news about being a beginner—you have this space to test things without an audience behind it.”
Injecting Authenticity & Personality into Your Content
The secret ingredient for Instagram success? Authenticity.
Jenna shares her own shift away from “aesthetic” perfection—ditching blazers and marble countertops—and into messy, real-life content. By embracing her natural humor and quirks, she connected more deeply with her audience, and her business growth exploded.
It’s not about being funny or flawless; it’s about sharing what’s real. Whether it’s messy hair, a finger-painted backdrop, or a subtle musical theater reference, these little glimpses build instant connections.
“People just don’t see themselves…there’s something little about you that people want to see. So definitely include that,” Jenna stresses.
Engagement, Visibility, and the Power of Community
For educators hoping to sell digital products or courses, engagement is key. As Jenna explains, “The more engagement you get, the more views and eyeballs and people you have in your audience to sell to.”
Focusing on posts that spark conversation, save time, and encourage interaction pays off in both reach and relationships.
At the heart of it all is community—showing up for your audience just as you are, learning as you go, and knowing you’re allowed to change direction at any point.
Building a successful teacher biz isn’t about perfection or following a formula. It’s about blending your expertise with new marketing skills, embracing growth (and the occasional flop), and bravely showing up as your unique, imperfect self.
As Heather and Jenna model, the most rewarding businesses are built on real connection and joy—one meaningful post at a time.