Hey Reader,

On Sunday, I officially turned 55. ❤️

We celebrated with brunch at RH Dallas Rooftop, making my own signature perfume, and a sweet ending with decadent desserts and a saxophone player working through some of our favorite tunes. My introvert soul loved that quiet, intimate ending.

I shared a recap on Instagram if you’d like a little peek at the birthday adventures:

​Here’s how the birthday went.​

Thank you to everyone who sent a birthday wish. You helped make it special.🌺

It was a week of firsts for me in more ways than one.

I also recorded the first guest interview for my Building Digital Authority podcast with my friend Nancy Marmolejo.

Nancy and I talked about what it means to make people feel heard. She shared three habits that help us do that: presence, patience, and phrasing.

Her point was simple. The quality of attention we give people shapes the trust they place in us.

​Watch or listen to my conversation with Nancy on Substack.​

That conversation was still on my mind when I came across a development in the AI world.

On September 8, Meta introduced Muse, a personal AI agent that Meta says can complete tasks and make purchases with a person’s approval.

You may hear this called “agentic payments,” which means AI completing a purchase on someone’s behalf.

If AI can help handle the transaction, what makes someone feel confident choosing you in the first place?

For those of us selling our knowledge and experience, I believe two things carry a lot of weight: clarity and trust.

Clarity helps people understand who you help, what working with you looks like, and what they can expect when they take the next step.

Trust grows when people feel understood.

Here’s a small thing you can try this week: read your offer page as if you’re meeting yourself for the first time.

Would the right person recognize themselves? Would they know what’s included? Have you answered the questions they are likely to have? Would they know how to get started?

We’re so close to our own work that it’s easy to leave something out without realizing it. Sometimes one thoughtful answer or one clearer sentence gives someone the confidence they need to move forward.

And if you’d like some help connecting your content, authority, and offers, I have an invitation for you.

Creator Commerce Live is this Thursday, September 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern. It’s free and online.

I’ll be on a panel with Cindy Bidar and ThriveCart CEO Ismael Wrixen about building a community people actually stay in. We’ll talk about attracting the right people, keeping them engaged, and creating an experience they want to return to.

There are also sessions to help you connect your content to sales:

• Liz Wilcox: Build an email list that turns trust into revenue.
• Liz Theresa: Help your sales page do more of the selling.
• Jamar Diggs: Turn YouTube videos into lasting business growth.
• Melissa Rodgers: Build authority through Instagram.
• Becky Beach: Use AI-powered systems to lighten your workload.

Plus sessions on ad funnels, Pinterest, and SEO, and a fireside chat with Ismael about what will sell in 2027, including agentic payments.

You don’t have to work on everything at once. Take a look at the lineup, choose what would help you most right now, and bring a question you’d love to have answered.

​Get your free ticket here.​

We’d love to have you join us.

To your abundant success,

Tanya Smith
The Digital Authority Strategist

P.S. If you’ve been meaning to register, consider this your friendly reminder. We’re live Thursday, and your ticket is free.