How to Showcase Yours Expertise With Storytelling On LinkedIn and Elevate Your Authority With Jennifer Belmont Jennings

How do you balance posting on social media without feeling cringy and spammy?
And if you work in buttoned-up industries? Yes, it can be done! It's all about showcasing storytelling that shares a lesson, drives a point, and builds your authority.

Each episode of the Own Your Lane® Personal Branding Podcast highlights one of the four steps of the Own Your L.A.N.E. personal branding roadmap to help you gain clarity, confidence, and a clear path to growing your influence and impact.

L: Launch Your Vision – Lead with clear intention and purpose
A: Assert Your Difference – Define what uniquely sets you apart
N: Navigate Your Presence – Shape your personal brand foundation
E: Elevate Your Authority – Grow impact and influence with publicity

This week, we're detailing "N-Navigate Your Presence" with host Michelle B Griffin and expert guest Jennifer Belmont Jennings, a trust and estate attorney who has mastered the art of storytelling on LinkedIn and Instagram.

She has a gift for turning an often unrelated concept into a hilarious but essential lesson in tax and finance. Jennifer has a gift for turning an often unrelated concept into a hilarious but essential lesson in tax and finance.
She's here to share her story of putting herself out there, how to post content with the story, and her best tips to share your authority as a creator, author, and media expert source.

ABOUT JENNIFER BELMONT JENNINGS
Jennifer is an Estate Planning Attorney at MGD Law. Her practice includes estate and wealth planning for those looking to build and protect their legacies.

She has made several media appearances discussing estate planning and finances. She has been quoted in US News, Money, USA Today, ThinkAdvisor, AARP’s Senior Planet, and Town & Style Magazine. Jennifer is also the co-author of Women in Law: Discovering the True Meaning of Success.

As a committed community volunteer, she serves on the Board of Directors for several local nonprofits and was named a 40 Under 40 by the St. Louis Business Journal for 2020.

LINKS
Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn
Jennifer's Firm Website

Ready to Own Your Lane? - The Brand Leaders® Podcast

Michelle B. Griffin is a keynote speaker, personal brand and PR strategist, author, podcaster and LinkedIn® visibility expert who helps high-achieving professionals elevate their visibility and influence for business growth.

As the founder of Brand Leaders® Executive Branding and creator of the Own Your Lane® Recognition Roadmap, she helps B2B founders, leaders and industry experts position their personal brands and leverage LinkedIn + PR to grow influence, increase demand, and become top-of-mind authorities to accelerate business growth.

Book a chat with Michelle to discuss speaking, advising or workshops to scale visibility, influence, and business growth. MichelleBGriffin.com/chat

WEBSITE: MichelleBGriffin.com
EXECUTIVE BRANDING ADVISORY: Brand Leaders
READ: My Personal Branding Books
LISTEN: The LinkedIn Branding Show
CONNECT: With Me on LinkedIn

Transcript

Welcome! I'm your host, Michelle B. Griffin. As an author, speaker, and certified personal brand and PR strategist, I’m here to empower you to get visible, build your personal brand, and own your lane as a visible brand authority and thought leader in your space. I’m super excited you’re here. Now, let’s get going with today’s show.

Welcome, everybody, to this week’s episode! I’m your host, Michelle B. Griffin. I’m thrilled to welcome a friend and incredible guest to the show today. For those watching the live or the replay, you’ll notice we’re both wearing yellow blazers. We planned this! My guest today is going to share insights on something many of us struggle with—putting ourselves out there on social media.

Is it challenging to write on social media? Are you in a buttoned-up industry? Or maybe it’s just hard to share your expertise? Well, Jennifer Belmont Jennings is here to tell us how to use storytelling to share your expertise and build authority on social media. Welcome to the show, Jennifer!

Jennifer Belmont Jennings:
Thank you for having me, Michelle. And yes, we coordinated the yellow on purpose!

Michelle:
We sure did. And speaking of yellow, let’s jump right in. Jennifer, you’re an amazing trust and estates attorney, but what makes you stand out is how you show up on social media. You tell stories—fun, engaging, and relatable ones—that always tie back to your work. You’ve found a way to communicate what you do while building authority and driving business. For those listening who want to do the same, tell us: how did you get started, and where should they start?

Jennifer:
Like many people, I started during COVID. I was feeling powerless and stuck, like everyone else. Writing about dry, boring topics wasn’t appealing to me. I’ve always added a little humor and personality to my writing, but during that time, I decided to write something personal about how hard it was to parent, work, and homeschool all at once.

People started responding. Clients were reaching out, saying they enjoyed what I wrote. Around the same time, I read a book called Networked by a group of women lawyers who got active on LinkedIn during COVID. That inspired me to start posting. I wasn’t sure how LinkedIn worked, but I gave it a shot. One day, I decided to post something funny about including pets in estate plans after my son’s fish died. That post got way more attention than I expected—400 views felt huge compared to the six I was used to!

From there, I learned to engage with others by commenting thoughtfully on their posts. I wasn’t hijacking their content but adding value. That helped me build relationships and expand my reach.

Michelle:
So many of us started exploring LinkedIn during COVID, but you’ve really made it work for you. A lot of people listening may feel hesitant, though. They might say, “I’m in a buttoned-up industry,” or, “I’m an introvert; I don’t want to be self-promotional.” What’s your advice for breaking through those barriers?

Jennifer:
First, remember that you’re not going to please everyone—and that’s okay. Focus on speaking to the people who need your expertise. I also try to connect my work to everyday life. For example, I’ve shared stories about my dog, Peter Jennings, or my succulent plants, and tied them back to estate planning lessons.

It helps that my brain is always making connections, but anyone can develop this skill. Pay attention to what’s happening around you. Jot down observations, and think about how they relate to your work. Not every post will go viral, but if you’re authentic and relatable, you’ll resonate with your audience.

Michelle:
You’ve summarized the essence of owning your lane: defining your difference, knowing who you’re for, and sticking to what you love. You’re a great example of that. You’ve found a way to make finance and estate planning accessible and engaging through storytelling.

Speaking of stories, before we went live, you mentioned being in Boston recently. Tell us about how you connected your trip to a social media post.

Jennifer:
We were on vacation in Cape Cod and spent a few days in Boston. At the Boston Tea Party Museum, I filmed myself throwing tea into the harbor, just like they did during the revolution. I connected that to a post about the importance of estate and income tax planning. It’s not the most exciting topic, but the video served as a hook to draw people in.

Michelle:
That’s brilliant. You’re so good at taking everyday moments and tying them back to the work you do. For those listening who want to get started, I recommend creating a “story bank.” Jot down life lessons or experiences, then look for ways to connect them to the problems you solve. It’s like building a muscle—you get better with practice.

Jennifer:
Absolutely. And don’t overthink it. Write like you talk. For me, I just start writing without worrying if it’s perfect. Once it’s on paper, I can refine it. Sometimes, the hardest part is just starting.

Michelle:
That’s such great advice. For anyone struggling, try using a tool like Otter.ai to dictate your thoughts. It captures your natural tone and helps you avoid the blank-slate paralysis.

Jennifer:
Exactly. Just get it down, even if it sounds rough. You can always edit later.

Michelle:
You’ve mastered storytelling on social, and it’s clearly working for you. Let’s shift gears to talk about building thought leadership. You’ve been quoted in the media, appeared on TV, and co-authored a book. How did those opportunities come about?

Jennifer:
It all started with putting myself out there and building relationships. Many of these opportunities came from connections I made on LinkedIn. When you show up consistently and add value, people notice. Over time, they’ll reach out for collaborations or interviews.

Michelle:
That’s so true. Thought leadership is a long game, not an overnight success. It’s about showing up, adding value, and staying consistent.

Jennifer:
Exactly. It’s about building a body of work that establishes your authority. Even if one opportunity doesn’t bring immediate results, it contributes to your credibility.

Michelle:
Jennifer, this has been such an insightful conversation. Before we wrap up, where can people connect with you and learn more about your work?

Jennifer:
You can find me on LinkedIn as Jennifer Belmont Jennings. I’m also on Twitter (or X, as my son reminds me), but I mostly follow the British Royal Family drama there. You can also visit my firm’s website at MGDLaw in St. Louis, Missouri.

Michelle:
Thank you, Jennifer. This was an absolute blast!

Jennifer:
Thank you for having me, Michelle.

Michelle:
And to everyone listening, if you’re ready to get visible and put yourself out there, head over to michellebgriffin.com and grab my free visibility masterclass. It’s designed to help you take that first step, just like Jennifer shared today.

Keep putting yourself out there—you have a brand to build, a message to share, and people to impact. I’ll catch you next time. Take care!