In this episode of The Journey: In Conversation, I sat down with Janna Landry — founder of Align, communications coach, and co-host of the Pull the Shoot podcast — to unpack what truly makes someone compelling when they speak.
Janna’s origin story starts in a world most business leaders never experience: performance. She grew up on stage and in recording studios, learning how professional performers create immediate emotional engagement. But the big idea she brought into her adult career is simple: those “showbiz secrets” aren’t exclusive to entertainment. They translate directly into business.
We get into the core of her coaching approach, starting with a question most people skip: what kind of communicator are you? Janna frames three broad styles — visual communicators, “feely”/kinesthetic communicators, and analytical communicators — and argues you shouldn’t fight your wiring. The goal isn’t to manufacture a persona. It’s to lean into what’s already true about how you naturally connect.
From there, the conversation moves into audience fit and credibility. Janna’s point is blunt: if you’re operating in a role you don’t actually want (or don’t believe in), people will feel it. Humans have a finely tuned detector for inauthenticity, and it shows up through pacing, tone, and tension — even when the words are “right.”
We also talk about why humour and imperfection build trust faster than polish. She argues that audiences don’t want perfection; they want a real human. Small, relatable stories — family dynamics, food mishaps, pets, everyday life — give listeners permission to relax, lower their guard, and actually absorb the message.
One of the most tactical segments is her “beginning, middle, end” structure: earn trust first, deliver the organized “guts and glory” in the middle, then land the “button” — the memorable closing that brings the audience back to the person behind the message. We even connect this to classic keynote moments like Steve Jobs’ “one more thing.”
Finally, Janna shares grounded advice for solopreneurs and coaches: keep learning, volunteer and build relationships through contribution, join professional communities, and remember that navigating change and failure starts with stepping back and reframing the situation from 30,000 feet.
Read the full post or listen to the podcast edition here : https://6catalysts.substack.com/p/in-conversation-with-janna-landry
