The Speaker Lab Podcast

"If you can align your expertise with a specific industry and then really bring tremendous value with a clear ROI, you're always going to win the game."This week, Grant’s on the show with TSL legend Erick Rheam. We’re a little late to this year’s state of the speaking industry, but better late than never, right?"It's not necessarily that budgets are cut, but what I would tell you is that event planners, they tend to be intentional with the money that they're spending. Instead of saying "I've got a $100,000 budget for this event," it's "Yeah, I've got $100,000, but I need to see a return on that $100,000."In this episode, Grant and Erick get into:00:00 Current trends in the speaking industry06:06 Why do relationships matter more now than ever before?07:32 How do you focus on building relationships?11:20 The importance of offering a virtual service as part of your speaking business15:51 The key to growth right now, even in a tough economy 19:44 Why you should focus on relationships and providing long-term solutions for your clients21:50 How to leverage industry expertise to prove ROI26:35 What it looks like to tweak your message to withstand the test of time.28:00 The importance of iterating and meeting your client’s needs.31:11 How to balance other streams of income + being on stage35:28 How to get comfortable creating value for clients36:44 Reflections and wrap up"Something that is not attractive is desperation. And you could tell it, you could smell it from speakers — when they're just trying to get the gig, they're trying to get the money, as opposed to speakers who are like "Hey, I want to add value and I'm willing to go on a long term type of commitment with you."Episode Resources: Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"The hardest part is just getting started, actually, because a lot of people say, well, yeah, I've got to make it perfect. I've got to do all these slides and presentations, curriculum, all this documentation. The best thing to do is just get started."This week, Grant sat down with Michael Patellis, the cofounder of Copecart, to talk about developing a course as a speaker.“A lot of people, they require that discipline of being able to follow a script and follow a syllabus of, okay, I have to do this thing this week, next week, etc. And then there's others that their courses are almost independent study. So a lot of it depends on the market segment that you're in and how detailed your course is and what the skill set is.”This week, Grant and Michael get into:00:00 Why should speakers consider courses as part of their business?05:19 How to think about ROI on your course?08:29 What kind of structure should you put for your course? 10:40 What do you recommend in terms of how your course is laid out? 16:00 How do people usually market a course?19:05 What other marketing opportunities are there?20:12 What kind of payout are creators looking at? 24:51 What leads to a successful course?Episode Resources: Connect with MichaelCheck out CopecartGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"People buy from you when they feel understood, not when they understand you."This week, Grant’s sitting down with TSL alumna Missy West to talk about her unlikely journey to public speaking and how her speaking career has taken off over the last few years.If you're wondering if you can overcome your fear of being on stage and be successful as a brand new speaker, this episode is for you! “I made six figures in my first full year of speaking”In this episode, Grant and Missy get into: 03:18 How Missy overcame fear and seized opportunities through resilience.06:20 Why encouragement matters as you chase goals.12:01 Missy didn’t want to become a speaker, here’s why13:54 How to overcome self-doubt and criticism18:18 Why you need a resilience team19:54 What a resilience team does22:25 What happened once you started speaking27:35 How did you transition from hobby to potential career30:09 What came next in terms of pursuing this as a career34:13 What do you think is the difference between successful and unsuccessful speakers36:58 What’s a great example of networking as a speaker40:05 How do you invest in relationships to grow your business"My resilience team reminded me, no, this is just a different stage. And everything that you've accomplished happened because you leaned into those tough moments when you were scared and you showed up anyway."Episode Resources:Missy's WebsiteMissy's LinkedInOrca LeadershipGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Reframing my approach to public speaking was a game-changer once I recognized I was my own worst critic.”This week, Maryalice sat down with TSL coach Katherine Johnson to chat about all things authenticity on stage. If you think you’re being authentic on stage, this may be the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed! When it comes to presenting ourselves to an audience, we tend to think about the logistics, what we’re wearing, what we’re saying, etc., but we can forget about the intention and the science behind building trust and credibility with our audience. "If you think you have to prove you are, you're making it all about yourself, and that cuts connection. Like, if I could just say that you can feel that in your body, you have to find some ways to shift to connection."In this episode, Maryalice and Katherine get into: 03:50 Why actually connecting with the audience matters more than the words you say 08:49 Why aiming for connection will change the success you experience 12:19 How to set yourself up for success on the stage.15:34 What are a few ways we can improve connection and authenticity on stage?16:39 How does nervousness get in the way of our message?20:06 The impact of energy in our pre-stage routine. 25:43 How to overcome fear of criticism during talks.27:07 What it looks like to get comfortable with the fear and anxiety you might feel.33:14 How do you remove armor and promote connection?“Connection matters more than anything because you can actually say something. You could be a mediocre speaker. You could be an up-and-coming speaker. You can be pretty green. But if you know how to focus on connection with your audience, you're gonna do something special. You can continue to get better in terms of your content and some of your stagecraft, but if you know how to create that connection and be authentic from the stage, that does something powerful.”Episode Resources:Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“In some ways, my story is a detriment. There's a pro and a con to having overcoming extreme adversity, because people feel disconnected from it. I've had people tell me multiple times after speeches, man, if I went through what you went through, I'd be as happy as you are. And I'm like, no, man, you're missing the point. The principles I just taught you are what you need to pay attention to.”Grant’s sitting down with the creator of The Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod to talk about how he got into speaking, if and when you need a book to complement your speaking efforts, and how to know if you’re living into your true passions. “During that time, I was really thoughtful and strategic of, like, what do I want this book to do? And one thing I wanted it to do was to get me corporate speaking gigs. I wanted to raise my fee."In this episode, Grant and Hal get into: 00:00 Hal’s early experiences with overcoming hardships.05:33 Facing doubt early on as a speaker.07:06 Do you have to have a massive overcoming story to make an impact?11:31 How reframing challenges led to public speaking. 14:38 Hal’s experience finding his early gigs and getting booked as a speaker. 17:08 What it’s like to get your first paid gig. 20:35 When should you start flying first class?24:23 Do you need a book to launch your speaking career?26:55 How do you get started and build momentum?30:52 When did you know it was time to transition to the next thing? 33:01 How does a speaker know they have what it takes?  "I got $500, which was my first ever paid gig. I was on top of the world, and it went really, really well. They loved it. And so I was able to share my story, my cutco experience, and then the lessons drawn from both of those, and then that just gave me some confidence, like, oh, wow, I can speak to a corporate audience."Not sure if you’ll like this episode? Well, Hal’s got great advice on achieving our goals, too. ⬇️"If you have multiple goals, which a lot of us do, then what ends up happening is you just make a dent in each one, and you rarely accomplish any single one of them because you're always scattering your time."Episode Resources: HalElrod.comMiracleMorning.comConnect with Hal on FacebookGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 "The biggest mistake that I repeatedly see speakers make is procrastination, just waiting too long to actually start developing the content and too long to practice the delivery."This week, Grant sat down with Eva Daniel to talk about one of the most important parts of being an effective speaker — creating and delivering an engaging speech. Eva is a speaker, storytelling expert, and communications professional, and the founder of the Speak Shop, where she helps speakers produce better content. "I believe that every speech is alive in breathing and a work in progress. And so we're just always making sure that, like, is it in the best order? And do I enjoy giving it the way that it is? And is the audience responding well to it in the way that I would envision them to be responding?"This episode covers:00:00 Eva’s background04:40 How do you know when your speech is polished and done?06:24 What does it look like to iterate on your content? 11:46 How do you create a successful delivery of your speech?14:06 What kind of goals are you setting for your content?20:06 What is good practice when it comes to prepping for a keynote?25:19 How do you nail your timing? 27:23 What role should visuals have in your talk?31:12 How do you leverage the room to ensure your talk is still well received? 33:22 What does it look like to be prepared for all occasions? 36:53 How do you become a great speaker? 39:43 Eva’s contact info and resources"My biggest piece of advice though is your goal is to internalize your content for the big ideas, not to memorize it."Check out Eva’s episode now!  "Not all practice is created equal. Giving your content to your bathroom mirror on, you know, the Wednesday before the Thursday you speak is not going to be as effective as if the Friday before you'd run it through a group of three to five people."Episode Resources:The Speak ShopConnect with Eva on LinkedInGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're so excited to announce the launch of our new podcast, Talk Speaker To Me! Talk Speaker to Me will bring you 10-15 minute episodes every Thursday filled to the brim with super practical, actionable advice. If this sounds like what you're looking for, search for Talk Speaker To Me on Apple, Spotify, and subscribe for weekly updates!P.S. Have no fear, The Speaker Lab Podcast isn't going anywhere. This is just a new way to bring you more content to help you book more gigs and grow your speaking business. --Welcome to our first episode of Talk Speaker To Me! In this episode, TSL facilitator and Speaker Erick Rheam walks you through exactly what his daily power hour looks like to build a long-term sustainable speaking business."I didn't have anything but a dream and a desire to be a speaker. I just went out and started prospecting on a consistent basis, and I made over $36,000 with no assets whatsoever."Erick's covering: What is a prospectHow often should your prospectWhat does a "power hour" look likeHow should you set up your tech stackWhat is the ideal amount of time between emails, and when should you just let it go"The key, though, is if I do this every day on a consistent basis, then it's like a machine, it's a methodology, and it starts to bear fruit if I do it on a consistent basis."Ready to learn a thing or two about managing your pipeline? Let's go!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"I remember you kind of making this decision to turn The Speaker Lab into what it is today. You wanted to scale it, you wanted to grow it, make a bigger impact on people, and you really did, man." - Shane SamsToday we’re celebrating a massive milestone on The Speaker Lab Podcast, so, here’s the deal! We invited Grant's good friend Shane Sams to interview Grant about his speaking journey, how The Speaker Lab came into existence, and what it’s been like to podcast for oh, you know, almost a decade.As we celebrate this episode, we want to thank each and every one of you who have subscribed, listened to the show, and shared it with others over the years. We couldn't have published 500 episodes without your support. We're not going anywhere, either — stayed tuned for more exciting news ahead! In this conversation, you’ll get a peek behind the scenes as they discuss:00:00 What was your dream for this podcast when you started it? 05:36 Grant’s intro to podcasting and the start of the Speaker Lab dream.08:49 “But how do you actually book a gig?” 10:56 How Grant evaluated and then iterated his first course.13:34 Grant’s shift from speaker to teacher, to coach. 17:05 The early and long-standing speaking connections Grant made. 19:44 Grant reflects on the ripple effects of the impact speaking makes for people.23:55 How Grant transitioned from church work to Speaker Lab.28:04 The importance of creating deep relationships to grow your speaking career.31:41 Grant’s take on being genuine, helpful, and intentional when networking. 34:37 Shane’s personal experience with Grant’s above-average care for the people in his network. 36:32 A real story of learning from others and building great relationships that lead to growth.Episode Resources:Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're just one episode away from the big one — #500! As we wrap up this series, we're bringing in the best speakers we know to share their #1 piece of advice for speakers who want to get to the next level. These speakers are the best of the best — combined, they've booked thousands of gigs and made tens of millions of dollars in speaking fees. If you're serious about growing your speaking business, this is an episode you don't want to miss. In just 25 minutes, you'll learn:How to serve the people who hired you wellWhy you can make more money off the stage than on itWhy consistency matters more than you might thinkWhy you need to commit to coaching How to consistently over-communicateHow to harness the power of authenticityAnd much, much more!Get your notes app ready because this episode is full of advice you'll want to remember!In this episode, you’ll hear from: Chris Ducker - Chris Ducker is a serial entrepreneur and author of the bestselling books, Virtual Freedom and more recently, Rise of the Youpreneur.Based in Cambridgeshire, Chris owns and operates several businesses, including the VA recruiting hub, Virtual Staff Finder and the personal brand education company, Youpreneur®. He is regarded as one of the top experts in the world on the subjects of virtual staffing and scaling an expert business. Chris has been a trusted international business coach, keynote speaker and podcaster since 2010 and currently spends most of his time mentoring successful entrepreneurs, as well as investing in and advising startup companies.Erick Rheam - Erick Rheam is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. He spent five years as a Military Police Officer, nine years working for two municipally owned utilities, ten years in software efficiency sales, two years as the Director of Student Success for a professional speaking development company, and now he’s a full-time professional speaker and author. Erick travels the country helping men and women cut through the whirlwind, so they can rise above the chaos to discover their significance and live in peace.Jamie Nolan - Jaime serves as the CEO/President of the National Speakers Association, a membership-based not-for-profit focused on helping speakers, authors, trainers, coaches and consultants to Build a Better Business and Be a Better Speaker. Jaime has a Masters degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, and is also a 2015 graduate of the EO Global Entrepreneurial Master’s Program. She served as the President of the AMC Institute from 2012 – 2013, and was a member of the Board from 2005 – 2014. She also served on the Board of the Preeclampsia Foundation from 2016-2018. Jaime is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and Associations North.Jon Acuff - Jon Acuff is the New York Times bestselling author of nine books, including Soundtracks, Your New Playlist, All It Takes is a Goal, and the Wall Street Journal #1 bestseller Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done. When he's not writing or recording his popular podcast, All It Takes Is a Goal, Acuff can be found on a stage as one of INC's Top 100 Leadership Speakers. He's spoken to hundreds of thousands of people at conferences, colleges, and companies around the world, including FedEx, Range Rover, Microsoft, Nokia, and Comedy Central. He lives outside of Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife and two daughters.Matt Matkovich - Matt is an ultra-marathon running, College Board recognized school counselor with a master's degree in school guidance and counseling. Matt and Phil of M&P Presentations LLC are a nationally known motivational speaking duo who are high-energy experts in cultivating confidence and promoting positivity. Their mission is to further develop self-confidence in others, model a healthy lifestyle, and consistently promote positivity through high energy presentations, social media, and their #TrainofPositivity short films. Phil Januszewski - Phil is a tattooed covered, Netflix baking-show flopping, high school chemistry and physics teacher with a master's degree in teaching leadership and positive education certification. Matt and Phil of M&P Presentations LLC are a nationally known motivational speaking duo who are high-energy experts in cultivating confidence and promoting positivity. Their mission is to further develop self-confidence in others, model a healthy lifestyle, and consistently promote positivity through high energy presentations, social media, and their #TrainofPositivity short films. Shep Hyken - Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert and the Chief Amazement Officer of Shepard Presentations. He is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and has been inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement in the speaking profession. Shep works with companies and organizations who want to build loyal relationships with their customers and employees. His

This week on the podcast, we’re excited to share our best tips, tricks, and amazing speaking advice from our coaching/support team and our resident speakers here at The Speaker Lab. Our team has decades of combined experience both as speakers themselves and as coaches helping other speakers like you take things to the next level.This episode is full of quick, practical advice that you can apply in your speaking business RIGHT NOW and start finding more paid gigs and growing your business.As we count down to Episode #500 in just TWO WEEKS, we're excited to bring you this special episode that will help you level up your speaking business in a big way.Through this episode, you'll learn:How to find your confidence as a speakerHow to find your speaking community,Actionable steps to get booked & paid to speak®How to show up in a way that honors who you areHow to think about your branding as wholeAnd much, much moreIn this episode, you’ll hear from: Angie Besignano - Angie Besignano is a TSL Coach and is a Certified High-Performance Coach with 35 years of experience in Human Development. She's built her coaching practice with the help of her speaking career, and she works with our students to gain clarity and confidence to build a speaking business of their own.Dan Irvin - Dan Irvin is an Enrollment Advisor here at the Speaker Lab and also one of our Resident Speakers. Dan’s speaking business is centered around helping leaders remove distractions to lead better.Emily Arnold - Emily Arnold is our Elite Concierge & Community Manager here at TSL. She’s a curious, creative, color-loving extrovert who aims to cultivate delight in the everyday.Eve DeVault Gilmore - Eve DeVault Gilmore is our Elite Concierge and Lead Manager at TSL. Her love for customer service has brought her to TSL, where she gets to provide one-on-one care to students every day.Jeremy Rochford - Jeremy Rochford is a TSL Coach and has a BA in Public Relations and over 20 years of stage experience, so he is no stranger to the art of performance-based communication.John Ball - John Ball is a TSL Coach and a familiar face/voice in the podcasting world and has been delivering virtual talks and workshops for over 12 years. John works internationally with coaches & speakers on personal presentation and performance skills.Katherine Johnson - Katherine Johnson is a TSL Coach and has helped speakers for over 8 years amplify their message and stand out for the right reasons. She teaches speakers how to effectively use their authentic presence and personal brand to position themselves and go from ordinary to outstanding.Katie Cambell - Katie Campbell is a certified coach and our Lead Concierge. Prior to her own speaking and coaching practice, she worked in the corporate marketing world.Nanette Hitchcock - Nanette Hitchcock is a Coach here at The Speaker Lab and has been an Executive Leadership Coach across multiple industries for 10+ years. She’s also been a leadership speaker for many more.Reggie Wright - Reggie Wright is an Enrollment Advisor here at TSL and a youth speaker. Reggie focuses his time on investing in future generations to cultivate a life that breeds intention and fulfilment.Rick Clemons - Rick Clemons is the Lead Coach here at the Speaker Lab and is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) specializing in marketing/branding, story creation, stagecraft, web design, biz strategy, copywriting, and systems design.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re back and one episode closer to 500!This week, we brought in the Leadership Team here at the Speaker Lab to help us learn about managing a speaking business from their areas of expertise. It's a shorter episode than usual, but it's full of tips and practical advice to help you level up your speaking business right now.Through this episode, you’ll learn:How to avoid the most common pitfalls for speakersWhere to position your sales and marketing effortsHow to build confidence on a sales callWhat you need to set up your business from a financial perspectiveHow to organize yourself for successAnd more!In this episode, you’ll hear from:Maryalice Goldsmith - Director of Student SuccessChris Seo - Director of MarketingSam Hill - Director of SalesAndrew Davis - Chief Financial OfficerDan Alia - Chief Operating OfficerSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We are just a few episodes away from 500, and we wanted to make our countdown to this celebration something special! Today, you’ll be hearing from not one, not two, but SEVEN amazing women in speaking. They are sharing their tips, tricks, and advice to help you launch a speaking career.Throughout this episode, you’ll learn about how to show up on stage, why you need strong processes for success, and what it means to stick to the process when the going gets tough. Let’s get into it! In this episode, you’ll hear from: Brittany Richmond - Brittany is an emotionally dynamic, impactfully vibrant, high-demand teen mental health speaker and one of the few active women speakers in the youth market today! She has spoken on some of the largest and most prestigious youth leadership stages and has served thousands of students all over the country with her message: Become an Overcomer.Dr. India White - Dr India helps teachers and principals cultivate grit on campus to assist in closing the achievement gap for every learner. Lisa Perez - Lisa is on the mission of Transforming the Human in Human Resources. She speaks to organizations and associations about the critical soft skills required to reduce the statistics that indicate 60% of employees say that managers are the reason they left their company.Michelle Onourah - Michelle is a bestselling author, speaker, and spiritual direction teacher who created the Prophetic Listening Method™.Sara Murray - Sara is a life-long sales fanatic who specializes in teaching teams how to create transformational sales experiences. Stephanie Duguid - Dr Stephanie has focused her energy on helping to empower women in educational leadership to become transformational and positive leaders in education.Dr. Sue Ettinger - Dr Sue is a board-certified veterinary cancer specialist, book author & international speaker dedicated to increasing cancer awareness and early detection.Episode ResourcesGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“We can serve everybody, but that's being selfish, because it is impossible to give deep impactful, valuable change in a certain demographic if you are serving everyone in the world."This week, Brittany Richmond and Erin Pompa sat down to talk about all things speaking. Erin’s been a youth speaker for years and has had just about every experience you can have while building a speaking career. In this episode, Brittany and Erin get into the good, the bad, and the ugly as you balance your impact and your opposition."And I had to learn how to release that pressure that I was putting on myself to be perfect."During this conversation, they cover:05:07 Let’s meet Erin Pompa.07:11 What was your journey to becoming a speaker? 10:43 How did you get started when you decided to become a speaker? 15:06 Erin’s journey to finding her voice and message as a speaker.19:33 Tips for working a room while you’re speaking.22:59 The reality of getting negative feedback.25:08 What does it mean to be a speaker and put yourself on stage. 29:05 How to reach your audience before you give your talk.Episode Resources:Erin's WebsiteErin's InstagramErin's YoutubeGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"And what I found out, Grant, that I was building a level of success financially, but I was doing it from a huge relationship deficit. And I didn't know my daughters like I should, and I didn't know my wife like I should."This week, Grant sat down with Aaron Walker, aka Big A, to talk about how to build a life of significance outside of what you do. Grant often says, “who you are is more important than what you do,” and this episode really hits on that. As driven people, it’s easy to get caught up in the outcomes, the money, and the success, but it’s important to be intentional about curating relationships that will enrich your life and make it mean more. "Do an evaluation, like, what gives me energy? What are the things that only I can do? Because when they are taking energy, you've only got so much bandwidth, there's only so much determination you can pull from, and you're going to crash and hit the wall, which I've done a couple of times I'm not proud of, but I had to take months off for a period of time because I'm such a hard charger and I want to accomplish, I want to go, but I'm like, you know what? I can't do that. So now what we've done is devised a plan and a strategy. I'm going to work within this framework. I'm going to work this many hours, and whatever I can get done, I'm going to get done.”In this episode, Grant and Big A talk about: 00:00 Who Big A is and his story. 05:45 Success is fantastic, but how do you balance it with significance? 08:04 Why boundaries and accountability are important. 09:55 The importance of delegation.14:43 Optimizing for success at work and at home. 16:44 How to develop better relationships with the people that matter. 22:41 What does it look like to create boundaries when delegation isn’t possible?25:23 Embracing commitment to your people before your work. 26:37 How speaking fits into Big A’s life and time commitments.31:43 Big A’s mastermind group 34:07 How to find quality accountability partners for your life.Episode Resources: Download Big A's ResourcesGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"I've always, always had the mentality, that I'm going to out-prepare and outperform you. I just want the audience to leave, thinking "Yeah, we had that person who was an Olympic athlete or a pro athlete, but this guy over here who was like, working at a gas station selling t-shirts, that guy put on a show. And so I've always had the mentality to let the experience outweigh some of the credentials backing it up with statistics and data and things like that."This week, Grant sat down with Jake Thompson, a speaker, author, and one of our amazing facilitators here at TSL, to dig into how he’s scaled his business and his income. Jake’s been on a few other episodes, so check out episodes 205 and 412 and then tune back in here."Throw out the hundreds and throw out the zeros and look at the medium. What did the person who booked you say, and are they willing to put their reputation on the line and do a testimonial referral? Because if they are, then you delivered, but if you didn't, you're probably going to get crickets from them, even if the "audience" loved you."In this episode, Grant and Jake dig into: 00:00 Jake’s background and story to here. 06:19 How to find your mentors. 09:30 Building community for growth. 11:29 Focus areas to allow you to win as a speaker. 14:41 Why following up and following through will set you apart. 18:38 Finding the confidence to raise prices. 21:20 Jake’s mindset on pricing and fees. 24:19 Preparing to show up better than influencers in the space. 26:58 What questions should you ask to guide your business? 31:10 Jake’s next phase in business. 34:25 Why it’s important to sell and outcome, not a package.Episode Resources:Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“I think the potential disadvantage with the bureau is you might have this idea, like, if I'm on a bureau's website and they booked me once, that could really turn into something big. And that's really not the reality."Grant sat down with Brandon Edmondson, VP of Sales at Premiere Speaker Bureau, to dig into the current state of the speaking industry, things to think about as you price yourself, and if you need a speakers bureau to be successful. "We know we probably represent less than 10% of the billion dollar industry of the speaking pie, right? So that means Coca Cola, all these companies on the outside of that piece, they're just connecting directly with speakers. So the pie is huge."In this episode, they dig into:00:00 Brandon’s background and credibility 06:04 How COVID changed the speaking world.06:52 What’s shifted since then? 12:02 Let’s talk about the percentage of gigs agents are booking. 13:04 Is the world saturated with speakers?16:57 Advice for raising speaker fees for all.22:42 Why it’s important to track your own data.23:42 Sectors that are currently thriving. 28:55 What it means to be a non-exclusive speaker.32:16 How I think about pitching speakers and what your agent-speaker relationship could be. 33:28 Advice for aspiring professional speakers in demand.37:24 The number key for success as a speaker.Episode Resources: Check out Premiere SpeakersConnect with Brandon on LinkedInGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"The goal is to look at the science because there is a step by step metric to keep tabs on your career so that you know without a doubt, is this or is this not the right time to go full time?"This week, Maryalice Goldsmith is joined on the podcast by Jeremy Rochford to talk about when it’s time to go full-time with your speaking. Jeremy has a 7-step framework to make sure your transition from part-time to full-time speaker is seamless. If you’re on the fence or wondering when is the right time, this episode is for you! "There are two things that most people will say are the most valuable things in life. One, time, two, money."In this episode, Jeremy and Maryalice discuss. 01:00 Separating emotion from science in career decisions.04:37 Why timing matters.07:23 How to evaluate your readiness for a full-time speaking career. 10:16 What does this process of assessment look like in practice? 16:19 Where to grow and focus your efforts. 20:38 Reflect on the impact this will have on your routines.21:53 Discuss caregiving outcomes and implications for the people you leave behind. 25:50 Why do we recommend bouncing this off a coach? 31:00 Get serious about speaking, visit thespeakerlab.com.Episode Resources: Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"I did not see this being a full time gig at the time. I just thought I was going to be speaking, like, at churches or something, right? So I thought I was speaking at women events, women's conferences and things like that while doing my nine to five, maybe on the weekends."This week, Grant Baldwin sat down with former TSL Student, Amy Pechacek, to dig into her speaking journey, how she’s “planned to win”, what her business looks like today, and the advice she would give other speakers looking to get to the next level."I came into this process thinking I was going to be an inspirational speaker...But people were coming to me, asking me to speak to their teams, and I thought, well, if people trust me in the realm of corporate american leadership and business development and sales and things like that, then I am a firm believer of people seeing you sometimes what you don't see in yourself."In this episode, Amy and Grant get into:05:18 How Amy transitioned from part-time to full-time as a speaker07:20 Amy’s journey to exploring how to make speaking a business.10:13 How Amy transitioned from motivational speaking to corporate training.13:44 Leveraging both corporate training and inspirational speaking.19:27 Amy’s take on the desires that unite people and create passion and meaning in our lives.21:22 How Amy fosters connection with people in workshops.24:21 Amy’s next steps for growing her business.26:50 How Amy’s thought about narrowing direction in her business.31:12 Amy’s take on The Speaker Lab program.Episode Resources:Connect with Amy on LinkedInVisit Amy's websiteGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"And what better way than to expand your reach than to do workshops where you can really make an impact?"This week, TSL Facilator and full-time speaker, Erick Rheam is on the podcast talking about how he’s personal scaled his business through workshops. Erick has a 4 step system for breaking into the workshop world to help unlock your income and your impact as a speaker. "And so that's what I did, is I started thinking, okay, this is my keynote. Now, if I were to actually go to an organization and spend 90 minutes or longer with them, what would that look like? What kind of value would I bring? What would be the call to actions? What would be the action items?"If you’re interested in learning more about how to use workshops to grow your business, this episode is for you! 01:07 What Erick’s been up to lately03:16 Erick’s business growth (with real numbers!) since he started speaking07:16 How workshops unlocked growth for Erick’s revenue 10:01 Leveraging workshops as a way to make a bigger impact with your story and skills14:36 When you keynote there’s a lot of opportunities, but they are 3-5 years a part as conferences and businesses often change keynote speakers. Workshops give you an opportunity to do work outside of classic events.16:11 What goes into creating a workshop? Well, here’s where you start. 23:24 When you capture contact info, be sure you deliver the value you promise and more! 25:50 Ideas to help with lead capture.29:54 How to outline your workshop. 32:10 Make an educated guess, but be open to iterating when you start getting data. 35:57 How Erick helps people supercharge their workshops.39:12 Why networking is worth it. 43:24 What kind of income can someone make from workshops?46:39 About the Speaker Lab’s new workshop mastery program.Episode Resources: Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"It's really about differentiating between the reality and the necessity. How much do I need to make? How much will the market bear? And can I find that in between space where it actually makes sense?"This week, Maryalice Goldsmith sat down with Angie Besignano to chat about how to charge your worth as a speaker just getting started. If you’re new to speaking and looking to break into the industry, this is how to think about initial pricing, when to give yourself a raise, and how to go about finding your value in the market. "There were definitely cues that I was receiving from the market that were kind of telling me, maybe it is time, right? Maybe it is time for me to go from $1,000 to $1,500 to $2,000 and make those incremental jumps."During this episode, Maryalice and Angie discuss: 05:59 Why you have to understand your money mindset and how to change your relationship with money. 08:44 How to set realistic expectations around your financial expectations. 11:13 What goes into developing a well rounded fee.14:34 How to assess your value based on expertise, not time.16:58 Developing your confidence as a speaker through your fees.23:09 Why you need to gut check when you’re quoting prices.26:46 Elevate your pricing through market testing. 29:44 Using boundaries and confidence to set fair fees. 31:06 Understand the market, your money mindset, and your goals for true success in the speaking industry.Episode Resources: Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“If you tell a story, it should evoke an emotion, and then that emotion can lead to a thought which shifts somebody's perspective."If you want to learn how to tell better stories, this week's podcast episode is a must-listen! Ravi Rajani joined Grant on the podcast this week to dig into all things storytelling. Ravi’s a TSL facilitator and also a professional speaker who teaches B2B sales teams to embrace storytelling and stories in their work so they can sell better. "What emotion am I trying to elicit? What perspective do they have right now that isn't serving them? And what perspective do I want to give them and how can I support them in creating change?"We all know that stories are important, but where do you begin? How do you source stories, what does it mean to workshop a story, how do you create compelling stories? Ravi and Grant share valuable expertise on sharing stories to connect with your audience. “They all have one thing in common when telling a story and showing up in whatever medium they are. One, unapologetically self expressed. Two, they own their values, and three, they own their imperfections. And I think there's nothing more charismatic and magnetic as to when somebody can do that.”In this episode they share: 00:57 Ravi’s speaking journey and background06:58 First person or third person stories? Which are better for you to use? 10:35 What’s the difference between a mediocre story and a great story?12:50 Storytelling experts that Ravi looks to for advice14:34 Story structure for maximize impact 20:16 How do humor and stories work together to create a great end product?23:04 What does it look like to tailor your stories to the audience?25:59 What is a storybank?28:42 How do you build a story bank?32:21 What is a “new two” and how can you leverage that to test stories?34:25 How do you script and practice stories so they don’t feel overly rehearsed?40:29 Where do you go from here? How do you put these things into practice?Episode Resources: Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"If you have diluted focus, you get diluted results."When it comes to building your brand, Rory Vaden is the expert you want in your corner. He’s committed to helping others identify the problem they solve and build a strategy for lasting success."You're most specifically equipped to help someone get through a problem that you have already walked past. That's the greatest shortcut."Rory has a unique story of how he came to be an entrepreneur, found his place on the stage, and embraced the wisdom and insight of others so he could keep growing. As a college student, he found his niche in door-to-door sales. With a knack for developing principles of personal success and development, he soon found himself on the speaking stage and rubbing shoulders with mentors who would change the trajectory of his future."There's so few people who have walked the exact path that you have walked that have overcome the problems that you have overcome. And so there is somebody out there right now who is looking for questions to answers that, you know off the top of your head, they're trying to find a path that you already walked 100 times.”His mindset, experience, and intentionality have set Rory apart in the industry. If you want to learn how to build a brand that will set you apart, this episode is for you!Here’s what you’ll learn from this episode:02:00 How did your background play into your preparation for your career?04:56 Rory’s early mentor and how he got connected06:40 The difference between a good speaker and a great speaker08:51 How to get enough stage time to build your stage confidence and polish your talks14:00 The turning point for Rory’s career and his first business16:55 Helping people level up and teaching the art of speaking/branding to clients  20:47 How to break through the wall 25:38 What it means to develop a brand that people will always pay for34:03 How to go about finding your uniqueness 36:03 Overcoming the fear of your callingEpisode Resources:Rory’s WebsiteGet a Free CallGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Think about: Who is the person that I want to impact? Not so much how many people do I want to impact? Or what area of my area of expertise do I want to impact? But who is the exact person that I want to leave my message with and know that they're going to go and step out and make an impact with it?"This week, Maryalice Goldsmith and Eve Gilmore are on the podcast talking about how to find better leads! Sure, Rick’s episode from a couple of weeks ago was great, but you can’t work leads well if you aren’t even trying to get to know the right people! "When I am creating a lead list for a student, I can really tell the difference between a student who knows their audience and knows their voice versus a student that doesn't, because everyone wants to get booked by an event planner or a conference manager."We brought in our Lead Manager, Eve, to talk about how she helps students dig into their expert positioning statements to find the best leads possible. “In particular, we ask our students, hey, provide your expert positioning statement when they submit for leads, and the difference it makes when a student really has a clear vision and a really clarified voice in their expert positioning statement…It's the difference between someone saying, I cultivate leaders in the corporate world. That's a great expert positioning statement. But what a great expert positioning statement would look like to pull leads for is I cultivate leadership in HR directors at marketing firms in order to cultivate a greater work environment that gives you way more information because anyone can speak in leadership but what kind of leadership and who are you wanting to influence with that leadership? So I would say it makes such a huge difference. The more specific the better, especially when it comes to something as broad as leadership or confidence or resilience.”Eve and Maryalice dig into: 03:22 Why you have to understand the nuance in your target marketing and the importance of having specific audience examples before you start finding contacts and trying to book gigs. 07:40 Reframing your focus from how many people you want to impact to thinking about WHO the specific person is that your story/message will resonate with to solve a problem or create a transformation. 10:30 How to walk through the mindset exercise of understanding the clarity that comes with a defined audience verses using broad terms to describe your people. 13:05 People often want leads across all industries, but here’s why that doesn’t work.16:17 Expanding your ideas and options past event planners and yearly conferences can help you book steady gigs in other industries that have more money to spend on bringing in speakers. Let’s get creative! 20:07 Getting scrappy with Google to find unique titles for people booking speakers in unconventional places, ie, business retreats, schools, etc. 24:50 How to embrace the “no”s so you can find a yes. Tips and tricks for being approachable and sticking with the process when it’s discouraging. 28:25 Practical questions you can reflect on to find clarity in who your leads are and what kind of impact you’re making before you go out there and start spamming inboxes! 29:50 A pep talk for consistency and approaching your prospecting with tenacity.Episode Resources:Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“I spoke in a literal barn last year…So for all the speakers listening, you're never too big time. You're never on a big enough stage to go speak at a barn. It kind of humbles you a little.” In this week's episode, Brittany Richmond sits down with the CEO of Streamline Books, Alex Demczak, to chat about his speaking career and how Streamline Books is helping speakers level up their businesses. "When you make a jump of any kind in your career, imagine it like this. You're in one boat, right, and you're leaping to this other boat, and you need to make sure that your boats are aligned so that when you make that jump, there's not a huge splash in the water, right. You need to make sure you go from one boat to the other. And so my mentor, they told me, they said, look, your boats with corporate America and speaking are actually, they're so close that they're actually restricting each other. They're, like, causing friction."In this episode, Brittany and Alex dig into: When Alex realized he wanted to speak Alex's origins of working for free Going pro in your speaking The credibility a book brings to your speaking business Leaving corporate America to pursue speaking full-time Streamline books, what they do, and how they help people become authors How to leverage your book as a speaker Ideas to help you negotiate better speaking contracts with your book And more! "Hey, I'm going to make an impact on one person today. I'm here for one person. I don't know who you and I both know we're probably going to make an impact on a lot more than that. But I think if you have that mentality, it's what drives you."Episode Chapters:04:12 Alex’s first experience with professional speaking and pursuing Jon Gordon to do what he does. 05:37 The moment Alex realized speaking was going to be his calling and how he got started speaking in corporate America 09:16 Overcoming rejection and sticking with the hard seasons to make an impact in the world. 13:47 What do you do when only one person shows up?! How to redirect your focus on the greater impact. 20:17 Let’s talk about the audience Alex serves every day with his message and his book22:41 Alex’s top piece of advice for growing his speaking business and how he thinks through scoping up gigs to maximize his impact 26:05 Why Alex focuses on being a value add to the people he serves and how that’s grown his business and his reputation30:57 Streamline Books deal for The Speaker Lab Podcast listeners “When you bring a team around your dream, it helps you actually get the book done.” Episode Resources: Learn more about Streamline BooksConnect with Alex on LinkedInAlex's Speaking WebsiteGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Be the steakhouse, not the buffet.” “Have a take.” “View it as a business not a hobby.” We asked the TSL team to tell us their #1 piece of advice for speakers, and they delivered. This episode contains hot takes, practical advice, and key speaking tips from industry experts and leaders. If you want to go from casual speaker to pro in 2024, this episode will help you find a few focus areas, give you some inspiration, and help you take action to create your dreams.The team covers:Advice on niching downHow to go from hobbyist to a professional speakerDaily habits to create successBranding advice to help you level upWhy processes, systems, and execution matterand so much more.Episode ResourcesGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Look for inspiration, not comparison.” Brittany Richmond sat down with Dean Heffta today to talk about his speaking journey, the National Speaker Association, and how he built a business to get him booked and paid consistently. Get back to the basics. Keep it simple. And remember, you don't have to build somebody else's business; you have to build YOUR own business.In this episode, Brittany and Dean talk through:Dean’s experience getting starting as a speakerWhen to donate your time and other ways to get paid Embracing the mindset of the marathon not the sprintWhat it looks like to provide services people rave about Dean’s new book and what having a book signals What are the perks of being in the National Speaker Association Developing the craft of speaking "And to sustain innovation and to sustain the hard times and the uncertainties and the ups and the downs, I believe you need a community. Your friend group and your family group will smile and nod as you're sharing things they don't really understand or they can't offer maybe the insights that the people in the speaking community can."Episode Chapters:00:54 Dean’s background as a speaker 04:25 What does Dean currently speak on and what do his speaking engagements look like?10:05 When to think about donating your time.12:46 Dean’s take on a marathon not a sprint17:33 How to grow your business by developing referrals19:20 An overview of Dean’s book + the process of writing it24:17 What is the National Speakers Association?28:42 You get what you put into, here’s what that means for you as a speaker.31:19 Why communities matter and how to lean into the speaker community33:12 How to develop great relationships in this business38:32 How to build your personal brand while overcoming tech issues40:31 What it looks like to gracefully overcome adversity on the stage 43:19 Dean’s favorite thing about begin a speaker2024 Podcast Listener Survey:Will you take 3 minutes and tell us what you love and hate about The Speaker Lab Podcast? We want to make this podcast better as we work to serve speakers — but we can't do that without your feedback. Click here or go to thespeakerlab.com/survey — we'll send you a Starbucks gift card as a thank you for your time! Episode Resources:Connect with Dean on LinkedInExplore Dean's Website Take the 2024 Speaker Lab Listener SurveyGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"Just because you get a speaking gig doesn't mean, oh, cool, I got the deposit check. Let's go spend it. You don't actually "realize" that entire piece of income until you walk off that stage and it's done. But if you're listening to how I'm talking about this, this is how a business owner thinks. This is not how a hobbyist thinks."We’re back with another edition of our Coaches Corner series! This week, Maryalice Goldsmith sat down with Rick Clemons to dig into Lead Management and how to think like a business owner in this relationship business.“The more you can sell the solution that you provide, not you. Yes, quote, I am the solution, so to speak. But the solution I'm going to offer to them to fix their problem, the sooner you're going to start getting the buy signals and the sooner you'll start moving that through the selling pipeline and filling your pipeline through the process."In this episode Rick and Maryalice cover: The difference between warm and cold leads What it means to think like a business owner vs a hobbyist How many touchpoints a prospect needs to become a lead Buyers mindsets around investment decisions How to research the heck out a prospect so they become a lead Practical examples of what consistently looks like in the lead generation process"You have to find where you can get in the door. And one of the things I learned when I was doing this is I could offer a college or university something. Sometimes there was some pushback, but the moment I said, and here's what else I'll do, as soon as I offered the what else I'll do, which was either a quick little webinar...or a recorded thing that I could do… I could get in the door."Episode Chapters:01:00 What are common pain points in lead generation?06:39 When do I consider it a lead?08:52 Should this be part of your daily routine?12:12 How can prospecting be done effectively?14:57 How can you leverage your warm network?19:46 What differentiates the mindset of a business owner?25:58 Do you understand the importance of relationships in this field?27:03 How does persistence benefit you as a speaker hoping to achieve business growth?33:12 Do you set clear goals for tasks?36:40 Could a webinar-driven low-end product work?37:35 How can you find opportunities to offer value? 45:35 Examples of how Rick approaches finding places to offer value47:26 Why is tapping into the community important?Episode Resources:Get Rick's Lead Mastery PDFGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"I want to get in the heads and the hearts of the people in the room. If I'm not in their heads and hearts, I don't know how I can connect."This week, Molly Fletcher joined Grant to discuss her experience transitioning from a sports agent into a speaker. For Molly, becoming a speaker was less about a dream to be on stage and more about a logistically practical way to share the knowledge she was giving out 1-on-1 to people she was mentoring. When Molly started speaking, she focused on industries that required the same kind of trust and relationship building that was normal to her as a sports agent. From there, she started branching out into women’s leadership and general empowerment to encourage people to get out there and change the world. "One of the number one reasons women are coming out of the workforce and hitting a jack is because they don't see other women doing what they want to do. So I think for strong women to be in the front of the room and tell their story, we need more of that, for sure."Grant and Molly dig into: How Molly got into speaking Her journey to authorship If you need a book to be a great speakerWhat it’s like being a female speaker in a male-dominated field Molly’s mindset and process to prepping for a gigHow Molly thinks about breaking the ice on stage and what it takes to connect with your audience "I self deprecate immediately with a story that I tell because I think you've got to get down so that they feel connected to you because you're literally physically, they've just heard all these things they've seen."Episode Chapters:01:20 Who is Molly and what's her speaking business look like?06:58 Molly's turning point for moving into speaking09:34 How to build early momentum as a speaker14:10 Molly's take on her pre-gig prep to deliver a great talk16:12 How do you think about the appropriate level of customization vs having a signature keynote19:12 Molly's #1 tip to connecting with the audience21:40 How to find the right balance of humor for your talk26:19 What plays into how you think about fees and the value you bring as a speaker28:40 How would you encourage other females who want to speak32:11 Why you need good mentorsEpisode Resources:Visit Molly’s websiteFollow Molly on LinkedInFollow Molly on InstagramGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"We're more willing to be our genuine organic selves, which is going to attract other like minded people, that we can find our group, find our people, and take over the world in a positive way."Today, Brittany Richmond sat down on the podcast with her speaker friends Matt Matkovich and Phil Januszewski to talk about what it’s like being a speaking duo! Matt and Phil have been speaking together for over a decade now, and they joined us to share more about what it’s like sharing the stage and what they have learned over the past 10 years. "We are two ordinary guys who turned out doing extraordinary things to audiences around the country. And we're living proof to people that if you stick with something, if you're natural, genuine, and organic about your message, the sky is the limit, and you could turn an ordinary idea into something truly extraordinary."In this episode, Matt, Phil, and Brittany cover: What it’s like being a speaking duo The importance of honoring your niche How to get over failure as a speaker The balancing act of having full-time jobs and speaking 20-30 gigs a year What they think are the most important traits for speakers to embody Funny speaking stories and memories How to partner with AV to overcome tech issues "We didn't want to leave the education profession. We appreciated and enjoyed it too much, so we knew that as part of our speaking plan, that. All right, well, that's it then. We just have to accept the fact that we'll be limited to the amount of gigs we can take."Episode Chapters:05:19 Who are you guys and what do you speak on?08:57 How did we get connected and start speaking together?12:46 Why does your message resonate with you guys?15:50 We focus on chasing our why nots in life and that’s what we push from the stage. 20:24 With limited time, how does your schedule work?22:08 What’s your process when people want to book you?26:30 How do you make it easier on the decision maker to work with you?28:42 Why we priortize being easy to work with.32:18 Tell us about a time when you guys had a gig go wrong37:13 How do you react when tech issues come up?39:03 Tech ideas to help you recover from issues and adlib if you have to! 42:23 Why it’s important to stay audience focused Episode Resources:Visit the M&P Presentations WebsiteFollow Matt & Phil on InstagramFollow Matt & Phil on LinkedInGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"Just because you land a gig, it doesn't stop there. How can you parlay that into more gigs?"Erick Rheam is back on the podcast today to educate us on the power of geographical prospecting. If you’ve listened to the podcast for any time, you’ve heard us talk about daily prospecting and the growth that goes into building momentum for your speaking business. Today, we will dig into what it looks like to take that effort and work smarter, not harder. "You got to look at this as opportunities to create more business. So we don't want to be so focused that when you go do a gig, Grant, that you're going there. You're there to do the gig, you're going to knock it out of the park, you're going to collect your paycheck, you're going to move on. You got to think bigger than that, and you got to start thinking about, well, maybe this is an area where I can expand my message and do it with folks that are in the proximity of where I'm going to be."In this episode, Grant and Erick cover: What is geographical prospecting?The 4 pillars of geographical prospecting What you need to know about putting this into practice in your business Case studies of this actually working (From Grant & Erick!) Practical tips to help you get startedBest practices on investing in these relationships "Once you land a gig, look for prospects within a 50 miles radius. The key is just get the process started, and then once you get them on the phone, just explore opportunities with them."Episode Chapters:04:47 What is geographical prospecting?07:10 Why should you focus on building great relationships?10:18 Who do you reach out to?15:12 What does it mean to be easy to work with?18:40 How did Grant use Geographical Prospecting?22:09 What does it look like to turn an event into a networking event?23:07 How do you mitigate risk for the event planners? 26:51 What creative ways can you leverage geographical prospecting?Episode Resources:Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"The two most important qualities to come across as a speaker probably, and it's on podcast as well, is to get across a sense of warmth and competence and if you can be in that energy, you can be more trusted as a voice."We're back with another edition of our Coaches Corner series. This week, Maryalice is joined by John Ball, TSL coach and a veteran Podcaster, to investigate whether podcasting is a channel worth pursuing as you build your speaking business. "If you're in your earlier stages of building a speaking career, then Guesting is much more a place to start because otherwise having your own show, the amount of work that does really need to go into that is going to be one more thing that may slow down your progress in building up your speaking business and your speaker pipeline."In this episode, John and Maryalice cover: The pros and cons of podcasting How to use podcasting to grow your audience and share your messageWhat makes a good podcast Practical advice for you to get started Tips on podcast pitching and getting onto guest shows Why podcast may not be a great fit for you "Like consistency is king, right? So if you're promising a podcast drop every Thursday, and for three months you do it and then all of a sudden, third month you go away and then six weeks later you're like, oh, I'm back, I'm so sorry, we've all experienced that. On the other side, don't be that person. So if you can't be consistent, I would say don't start it."Episode Chapters: 05:10 Start with guesting before launching your show.09:42 Podcasting helps you improve speaking skills that are applicable on stage.12:12 What to consider when thinking about starting a podcast.15:13 Examples of what being a great guest looks like.22:02 The importance of consistency.25:34 What you need to launch a great podcast.31:33 How to plan for longterm success.32:38 Ways to monetize your podcast.38:08 Get to know John.Episode Resources:Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"If we can remind ourselves that we're in service of our audience, we have value to bring as a professional speaker, somebody determined that you have something of value to say to this audience, and if you remind yourself of that, it will turn down all of that negative self talk and really help you focus in the moment."Matt Abrahams has made a life teaching people how to become great communicators, and today, he's sharing his expertise with us. Grant and Matt sit down to dig into what Matt teaches daily to coach speakers, sales teams, entrepreneurs, and more. If you want to become a better speaker with strategic growth efforts, Matt's advice will help you craft a killer keynote to build your confidence and deeply reach the audiences you're engaging with; this episode is for you. "So if you can remind yourself of the things that get you excited about what you're speaking on, and if you can remind yourself of the potential value that the audience has to take from what you're saying, those are things that can get you excited."In this episode, Matt and Grant cover: How to read the audience for patterns to inform your content The levels of engagement to create buy-in from your audience How to bio-hack your speaking confidence What it looks like to get comfortable handling hecklersHow to facilitate an engaging and beneficial QA session Pro tips to focus on connection vs perfection to better reach your audience "And minimally viable product design says that when you want to create a new product or service, the very first thing you do is you go out and you talk to your users and understand what are their pain points, what are their issues, what are their challenges, and then you build frameworks to test it. So you get out and you're rapidly prototyping ideas. You're taking feedback, you're iterating."Episode Chapters: 05:58 Can you get the same results testing on social media as you get live?10:15 What is the right balance to enngaging an audience?13:41 Let’s talk about preparing to be on stage…what does that look like?16:05 How to create talks that engage with the audience on 3 levels.19:54 Tips to combat anxiety.27:58 How to run a great QA session.30:43 What you can do to mitigate and handle tricky situations in a QA session.35:03 Tips for interacting with the audience after your talk.Episode Resources: Connect with MattGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"You need to believe in yourself and you need to understand that you are validated in what you're wanting to charge."In this edition of our Student Highlight series, Brittany Richmond sat down with TedX speaker and education thought leader Dr. India White to talk about what it takes to build a speaking business and the tangible, practical things Dr. White did to take hers to the next level. "Work with them through that process until they say, okay, now let's get the contract going. Are you going to send it? Do you want mine? What do you want? Right. And then you go from there."This episode is filled with: Hard truths about building a speaking business Practical knowledge and problem-solving to help you work through the hard things Implementable changes to help you level up Expert advice from people a few steps ahead of you to achieve your dreams Tips on negotiating contractsGuidance on building solid relationships both with the audience and the event decision-makers "At the end of my conferences, I always have a QR code where I gather the people's name information and I ask, how did you like this? What did you want to learn from this? Is there anything you can add to this?"Episode Chapters: 05:16 How to align with your purpose and do work that changes lives09:16 Why TSL and what was your hope when you made this investment?14:25 What was your purpose in stepping into this space?17:33 The best part about being a speaker18:59 Underrated speaking advice to help you grow faster25:25 Negotiating tips to help you get better contracts28:17 How to capture post event feedback from attendees and build a relationship with event planners 31:32 Why brand building matters and how it shows up in other places off the stage 35:26 Tweaking your talk when the event timeline is thrown offEpisode Resources:Dr. India's WebsiteConnect with Dr. India on LinkedInWatch her TedX Talk on GritGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“If something scares you, you should probably do it."Grant sits down with Dave Allred to talk about how speaking can help you expand your comfort zone, create opportunities, and unlock potential in your life to achieve your goals. If you have thought about using speaking as a means to magnify and expand the impact of your legacy, this episode is for you. “My primary goal, Grant, when I get on stage, I always try to ask myself this question over and over as I'm preparing as well as when I walk on the stage, is just how can I create maximum value for the audience? That's where I found the best success, man, because you're really focusing on how you can create and serve the audience, and it's always going to come back full circle to you."In this episode Grant and Dave cover: Dave’s story and how he got into speaking How to stay top of mind and build a reputation as a speaker Practical tips for bridging the gap between relationship building and pitching What it looks like to bet on yourself and achieve big goals How to get started when something is new and/or intimidatingAnd more! “My advice would be, is to just dive in headfirst and again, take every single speaking opportunity that you can, even if it's for free, even if you have to pay for the flight or the hotel and whatnot, just go and do it.”Episode Chapters: 02:20 Tell us about who you are and what you want in life06:26 What’s your backstory look like and how did you find speaking11:05 Speaking was a tool that allowed you to attract capital. What did that look like?14:51 What kind of results do you expect from speaking gigs?18:15 Being active on social media is an important part of brand building and creating opportunities21:30 The criteria Dave uses to asses if gigs are worth it24:45 Using speaking to build strong relationships and create value for people who matter as a way to measure impact 27:24 What do you do it capture the leads in a room to keep a conversation going?31:24 How should someone get into speaking?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"I think it's important for speakers to be aware of it, to understand it, not be the type of speaker who's yelling at clouds like, no, I'm going to avoid this. When used in appropriate context, it can make so many things so much easier. But the challenge, like with any new technology, is really understanding what appropriate means and really understanding the boundaries of how it can help you, but then also being self aware enough to go, maybe this is where it doesn't help me."In this edition of Coaches Corner, we're digging into AI with Maryalice Goldsmith and Jeremy Rochford. This episode is a great addition to the show because they dig into leveraging AI to help you create great content. "ChatGPT can start the conversation, but we, as the creators, need to end the conversation. We need to take, if we're using ChatGPT, whatever it gives us, and then go, how would I say this to my tribe? How would I say this to my people?"In this episode, Jeremy and Maryalice cover: How to think about using AI to develop your content as a speakerPractical tips for using AI to create great content Patterns we see in our students who have heavily relied on AI to write their talks The pros and cons of using AI tools as a speakerThings to watch out for using ChatGPT and other AI toolsBest practices for using AI as a piece of the creative process "I feel like this AI is the industrial revolution for entrepreneurs. I feel like we'll look back 25 years from now and we'll go, this is where so much of this was made possible."Episode Chapters: 02:20 What is ChatGPT?09:15 Why are we talking about ChatGPT on the podcast?12:40 Why Chat GPT can start the conversation and help you develop it, but can’t do everything22:23 Why you should choose your language carefully so it deeply resonates with your audience.28:22 Other uses for Chat GPT29:18 Final thoughts on how to leverage it as a tool, not a done for you service.33:38 Why you have to build your talk on your own terms for it to work for youEpisode Resources:Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifyEditor's Note: This episode was recorded several weeks ago before recent events involving OpenAI had taken place.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"Speaking is a platform to share a message and a story that could transform somebody's life."This week, Grant is joined by Dan Martell to talk about how to create a nontraditional speaking career. For Dan, speaking isn’t about the money. It’s a way to spread his message and impact lives. Want to leverage your speaking to create long-term value and develop strong relationships? This is the episode for you."If you ever have the opportunity to get on a stage to communicate to other people, you better bring your A game. Because he said that is the highest honor ever."In this episode, Grant and Dan cover how to: Leverage platforms to share your message Create a speaking career that isn’t your sole income Use speaking for brand building Find your niche and speak for impact to the audiences you resonate with the most Get better at speaking with repetitionPlay to your strengths as a speaker Assess the intangible benefits of a speaking career "I you have the honor and the privilege of getting on a stage, you should decide to be world class at that craft, and doing the reps is part of it."Episode Chapters:[00:03:59] When did Dan start coding and why?[00:05:22] What mindset do you bring to the speaking events you take?[00:07:45] How to build your confidence as a speaker.[00:13:57] Dan’s thoughts on structuring a talk. [00:19:38] Using speaking to build a brand vs it being the “product” you sell. [00:21:47] Creating content for the brand through your daily actions. [00:24:02] What it looks like to use your empire to change lives.[00:30:16] The importance of testing content and staying agile.[00:31:05] How to play bigger in the marketing/branding space [00:35:11] Balancing Dan’s schedule and buying back his time. Episode Resources:Connect with Dan on his website Follow Dan on Instagram Watch Dan’s Youtube channel Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“So I just cracked six figures in seven months? In seven months.”Grant is joined on the podcast this week by Dr Reggie Wright to talk about how he scaled his speaking business in 7 months. Reggie shares his background and his story, but more important digs into what really allowed him to step into this calling as a speaker with confidence.“Preparation breeds confidence. I just want to be prepared. And I just thought about it, like, as an athlete, right. I just want to go into the game being prepared for the game. Let the chips fall where they may. So that's what I did.”In this episode, Grant and Reggie dig into: How to leverage your story to connect with audiences What it looks like to put in the work to chase your dreams A detailed look at Reggie’s schedule while he launched his business What it looks like to commit to making an impact on the world around you How to use your message to drive your focus when the path is unclear Why it’s important to be prepared even if you’re not in the game yet “I was confident in my ability to speak in terms of being on a stage. I knew that I still had a lot of work to do in terms of crafting my speech, in terms of the intro and the transitioning and all that kind of stuff. But in terms of the business side of it, combining both of them together, I just looked at it like going to school. I need to start playing a sport. I need to start up the basics. Let me learn how to dribble with my right hand. Let me learn how to drill my left hand.”Episode Chapters: [00:00:44] What do you speak on?[00:03:57] What’s your background?[00:08:07] You happened upon a keynote opportunity, tell us how that happened. [00:10:40] How did that keynote go and what were you feeling after it? [00:15:58] What was on your mind when it came to building a speaking business? [00:17:44] You started this journey with self education, what did you learn in this phase? [00:19:45] What was the learning curve like for you to step into this world? [00:24:30] What kind of impact are you hoping to leave on the world? [00:29:00] What are your biggest lessons learned in pursuing this journey? [00:31:51] How did you set your expectations to create a success story in your life? [00:34:26] Our biggest pet peeve when it comes to new speakers.Episode Resources: Connect with Reggie on LinkedInVisit Reggie’s Website Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"History doesn't repeat itself. It's just that humans tend to do the same thing in patterns even if 20 or 40 or 50 years ago they did the exact same thing when faced with the same inputs."This week on the podcast, Grant sat down with Dominique Luster, a TSL alum and a professional speaker in the DEI space. Dominique’s speaking career started somewhat naturally as she was on a mission to share the history of minorities through working in the museum/education space for years before she was asked to do a TED talk. “Any project or organization that comes to the table with the same feelings and beliefs that history is not passive and that African American history matters and should be uplifted and shared and preserved and told just like anything else."In this episode, Dominique and Grant dig into: How Dominique got into speaking Figuring out what makes you unique and what your niche can be in the speaking world How to find DEI gigs and leverage your network What it looks like to get creative and find places to share your message Learning how to leverage her impact when it comes to seeking out gigs The ongoing symbiotic relationship of her speaking and consulting businesses growing together What Dominique thinks the future of the DEI space holds for speakers and thought leaders "I think the future of DEI is just becoming a part of what we do, a part of being a better world, about being a more mindful and care giving world, is just expanding it out so that it isn't so separate all the time."Episode Chapters:[00:03:07] Dominique’s background from Theather to Archival work and beyond[00:06:37] Speaking for work all the time and being asked to present a TEDx Talk[00:10:47] Are the opportunities in the DEI field limited?[00:13:32] How Dominique got into speaking in the university space[00:17:15] Who to approach when trying to get booked as a DEI speaker [00:21:54] How the DEI space is continuously growing and changing[00:27:27] What does the future of the DEI space hold?[00:29:46] Where can you find new opportunities and connections[00:32:31] Places to connect with Dominique onlineEpisode Resources:Connect with Dominique on LinkedInLearn more about Dominique’s workGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"And it's interesting because our self talk starts at the very beginning of our day. So the minute you become conscious before, sometimes you even open your eyes, what's your first thought? Right? Is it something positive? Or is it like, oh, my back is killing me. Well, guess what? That is the underlying tone and theme for the rest of your day."Maryalice is back on the podcast with another one of our awesome coaches. This week, we’re welcoming Angie Besignano for her first time on the podcast. Maryalice and Angie run through her background and then dig into one of Angie’s areas of expertise, energy management. "We need to treat our energy and our energetic goals as intentionally as we do our business goals."If you’re unsure what energy management is or how to regulate and audit the amount of energy you need to create success. In this episode, Maryalice and Angie talk about:The 4 types of energy How the energy types are connected and they work together to impact your lifeRegulating and auditing your energy What goes into protecting your energy and your priorities How to develop better habits regarding your energy Why protecting your energy leads to more success Maintain a steady energy level when good and bad things happen "Do it, do it for 14 days and then tell me how do you feel then and now? And hands down, it's like, I can't believe this being big miracle happened. Like, I can't believe I feel so much better."Episode Chapters: [00:03:48] Why is energy is fundamental to a balanced life.[00:09:41] How the 4 energies are connected. [00:12:52] How to approach balancing your energy. [00:14:14] What to look for and prioritize when you get busy. [00:19:40] How to begin regulating your energy.[00:23:51] What it looks like to create compounding habits for energy success.[00:26:09] Developing awareness to the interconnectedness of the 4 energies. [00:29:31] Use the tools you have to leverage your power.[00:34:42] Delegate energy-draining tasks to protect growth.[00:38:22] Learn how to prioritze selfcare.[00:40:03] Your energy compounds, positively or negatively, you get to decide.Episode Resources:Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"The key to a great demo video is showcasing your best work and highlighting your strengths. It should effectively demonstrate your skills, talent, and unique qualities in a concise and captivating manner."Demo videos are mission-critical to getting booked and paid as a professional speaker. Today, Grant sat down with Shawn Hanks. Shawn is the CEO of the Premiere Speakers Bureau, and he knows a few things about speaker marketing, demo videos, and how to create a stand-out product. “A demo video helps to mitigate and reduce that risk for an event planner to say, no, I feel comfortable and confident hiring this speaker and putting them on stage, putting my reputation on the line as the event planner to report to my committee or board or boss or whoever it may be."Grant and Shawn dig into:Why you need a strong demo video How to create a GREAT demo video The key idea and formula that something memorable What you should be spending on your demo video The perceptions that go into the setting/image of your video What NOT to do in a demo video The ideal length of a sizzle reel What makes a sizzle reel and a demo video different Episode Chapters: [00:02:19] Why a demo video essential for booking paid speaking gigs[00:04:42] How to make your video stand out by including powerful moments and crowd response[00:09:29] Why short, impactful videos capture audience attention best.[00:12:24] Why you should keep videos 8-10 minutes, highlight interesting content in first 30 seconds[00:17:03] How to use videos to showcase expertise, captivating stories, and positive testimonies [00:21:12] How impressive speaker videos have set new standards[00:23:08] Why your talking head footage needs to have punch[00:27:59] How to make sure your video progress reflects personal and professional growth[00:33:37] Why hard work pays off in a thriving events industryEpisode Resources:Connect with ShawnLearn more about Premire SpeakersGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"There were two modules that were particularly helpful for me...The module about preparing your talk was really helpful...It helped me fill in stories where I needed to fill in a story and applications for real-life examples...And then the other part was the last module, Know When to Scale...That last module helped me really make sense of it all."Dr. Peggy DeLong joins Maryalice Goldsmith on the podcast this week to talk about her journey to The Speaker Lab and what she’s accomplished since beginning her speaking career. Together, they dig into what Dr. Peggy speaks about, how she found her niche, and what pushed her to take the next step to grow her business. "Well, a couple of things came together at perfect timing. Actually three things. Two opportunities literally fell in my lap. I've been a speaker for 20 years, often speaking for free, lots of different reasons and not making much movement. And then all of a sudden, the largest audience opportunity came my way without pitching, and the largest fee came my way. So I thought I really better level up my game."In this episode, they talk about: The impact of gratitude on your bad days Gaining clarity through the programming and resources TSL has How Peggy structures her talks and her message The power of finding your niche When Peggy fits in her Daily Power HourLearning how to say no to things that are good not great How Peggy takes care of herself so she can take care of everyone else the way she does The ins and outs of Peggy’s Pre Talk routine "I teach methods like gratitude and other things that feel good while we're doing them. So it's not a chore. You can actually look forward to doing these things, and when you do them on a regular basis, you are setting yourself up for positive mental health in the future."Episode Chapters:[00:04:20] Where did you find Gratitude?[00:07:57] Brain psychology of habits and why changing your thoughts can change your life?[00:11:38] What aligned to make you take the jump?[00:15:55] What helped you grow the most in the program? [00:18:08] Where is your speaking business taking you?[00:21:03] What is your framework for mental health?[00:23:13] What do your talks center around?[00:28:25] What does your schedule look like to build your business every day?[00:30:29] What was your biggest lesson to learn in the program? [00:33:48] What is your pre-talk routine?Episode Resources: Connect with Peggy on LinkedinExplore Peggy’s WebsiteBuy Peggy’s Books Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"AI enhances my creativity and helps me explore new ideas. From AI-generated music and artwork to machine learning algorithms that assist in brainstorming and content creation, it has become an invaluable tool in my creative process."Today, Grant sat down with Lauren Teague to chat about her speaking business and how she uses AI as a work partner to maximize her time, increase her creative output, and scale the amount of work she’s putting in to create great pieces of content. "It's like the most valuable intern that you could hire in that most capable, but you have to be extremely specific and good at delegation in order to get the most out of it."In today’s episode, Grant and Lauren dig into: Lauren’s background in speaking Why content matters when you’re building a brand How to leverage AI to help you create more content What Lauren uses AI for in her everyday life How AI can help you scale the amount of content you ship What AI tools are currently on the market, and what they do The difference between queries and prompting What makes a strong prompt And more! "AI is both new and old. It's new in the sense that we're seeing advancements and applications that we couldn't have imagined even a few years ago. But it's also old because the concept of machines being able to mimic human intelligence has been around for decades. It's fascinating to see how far we've come, but also humbling to realize that we're still just scratching the surface of what AI can do."If you’ve been thinking about implementing AI into your business and your everyday life, this could be a great episode to help you unlock the potential and explore tactical use cases. "Technology doesn't take away the human element, it enhances it. And I think that's what I've experienced personally with using tools like PICTORY and Castmagic. It's not about replacing me as a speaker, it's about amplifying my message and reaching a wider audience."Episode Chapters:[00:01:41] Lauren’s speaking background.[00:04:48] AI is ubiquitous and revolutionizing technology.[00:09:27] AI predictions for the future.[00:13:28] What is AI, and how does it create content?[00:16:34] What different types of AI models are out there?[00:21:02] What is prompting, and what makes a good prompt? [00:26:37] Popular AI tools for video editing, writing, and imagery.[00:31:25] What is the future of AI and content in regard to how we consume it? [00:33:53] Other AI that are useful and exciting.Episode Resources: Lauren’s WebsiteConnect with Lauren on LinkedInLauren’s Podcast - Brand to FanLauren’s Brand - FanWagn Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"It's kind of like setting up a table for dinner. You don't want to just be scrambling and hustle to the table and be sweating and be like, I don't even know where the forks are. So I think it's like, no, let's have a nice clean table. Lay it all out before yourself so you can kind of settle into it and know exactly where everything is and know you've set yourself up for success."We’re back with another episode in our Coaching Corner series! Today, Maryalice and Emily Arnold sit down to talk about how you can best prep to make your time in the program count. Emily is one of our program concierges, and she’s been around the block a few times when it comes to helping students prep for success and take off running. "And as someone who works with all of you, I see that you do all genuinely care about people. And so I think it's so wonderful to work for a team of people that when I'm getting students on orientation, I know with confidence, I'm sending you off to the coaching team who genuinely cares about you."In this episode, Maryalice and Emily dig into: How to prep for the program What mindsets are helpful to embrace when getting started The richness of the TSL community What it looks like to embrace personal branding How to get over the fear of seeing yourself on a screen When to access the support this program has so you can succeed in the long term And more! "There's this beautiful thread between all of the speakers that come to us, which is typically a desire to help people ultimately. And so what a community to be a part of?"Episode Chapters: 00:02:02 Meet Emily, let’s get to know her! 00:08:38 Set intentions and tips to develop a mindset for success.00:09:45 Set up logistics and follow the checklist for successful orientation.00:12:00 How to get the most from the community. 00:16:38 Using module 3 to help you show your best qualities online. 00:18:20 The fear of personal branding and how to get comfortable with that.  00:24:00 What advice would you give to speakers for social media. 00:26:20 Find and hang out where your people are. 00:31:00 Share your knowledge as you’re learning it. Remember that social media aims to support personal connections. 00:33:30 People want to work with people they want to work with. 00:36:00 We want to challenge you to grow but can’t force you. 00:37:36 We genuinely care about helping and supporting you and welcome you into the community with open arms.Episode Resources:Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"I think speakers are being called to be even more dynamic, more impactful, and a greater return on investment if they're addressing someone or having the pleasure of addressing someone in person and live."Joey Coleman joined us on the podcast this week to chat with Grant Baldwin about his journey of building a speaking business, leveraging books to create credibility, and learning how to eb with the ebbs and flow with the flows as the speaking world grows and changes to accommodate virtual and in-person events. "Every presentation I give, I try to think about, what do each of those three separate groups want? What do they need, and how does my speech serve them? So what is the ROI for the check signer? It's going to be a much tighter dollar ROI than for the person sitting in the crowd. But for the person sitting in the crowd, it's going to be a behavioral ROI."In this episode, Grant and Joey dig into: Joey’s speaking history and expertise The shift in booking timelinesHow to engage crowds virtually What your marketing materials should target How to make sure everyone sees the ROI of you as a speaker Book publishing for your credibility How to run uber specific discovery calls for success “It's my personal belief in my worldview that humans are humans. Regardless of industry, customers have certain things that they're going to do. I don't care whether you're buying a loaf of bread or a tractor. You have certain desires, innate feelings as a human being, and the same holds true for employees. If you're a brand new employee, I don't care whether you're the CFO or the call center rep, you're going to have certain human desires that you want. What I try to do is have as the foundation for everything I do the commonality amongst humans.”Episode Chapters:[00:02:37] How has covid changed the state of the speaking industry?[00:04:45] What is the percentage of your in person vs online gigs?[00:09:48] How do you provide better solutions when what they ask for isn’t what they need?[00:14:13] What audiences do you need to impress with your content?[00:19:07] How to use common human desires to drive business outcomes?[00:22:12] What does it take to focus on customer and employee engagement?[00:27:37] How did you publish your books?[00:31:54] Why should we read your new book?Epsiode Resources: Connect with JoeyGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"If you go through adversity and you don't learn anything from it, that it's a lost opportunity"This episode of the Speaker Lab Podcast is another excellent episode of our Student Highlight Series. Maryalice Goldsmith, Director of Student Success, sat down with Bruce Wawrzyniak to talk about his speaking business, the career he’s building, and his experience here at the Speaker Lab. "So which ones are you going to choose? Are you going to choose the negative thoughts and dwell on those, or are you going to choose the positive, happy thoughts and really affect your whole day with the choices that you make just based on all the different thoughts that come in and out of your mind?"When it comes to developing a speaking career, Bruce reflected on finding his niche, developing confidence in his worth, and learning how to run this operation like a business vs. a hobby. Maryalice and Bruce also cover: Developing a strategy as a speaker The importance of happiness in our life Why you should invest in yourself How to prepare for success What it looks like to take action Why you have to solve a problem for your audiences And more! “Hope is not a strategy that will grow your business.” Episode Chapters:[00:03:33] Importance of happiness, solution-focused mindset, COVID's impact.[00:07:19] LinkedIn bio highlights being talkative and adversity.[00:10:49] Transitioning from unpaid speaking to professional excellence.[00:15:24] Speaker Lab changes speaker's approach to bookings.[00:19:57] Learning how to evaluate event opportunities strategically.[00:23:28] Choose one thing, be successful and prepared.[00:28:34] What do you need for a successful presentation?[00:29:47] Benefiting from adversity, helping and inspiring.Episode Resources:Connect with BruceGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Just because you’ve had success in other fields doesn’t mean that you get to skip rungs on the ladder.” Grant welcomes Jon Acuff back to the The Speaker Lab Podcast! Jon is a regular guest on our show, because he’s an active speaker, a well know New York Times bestselling author, and one of Grant’s good friends. "I think you could climb the ladder faster when you're an expert at something else already. Like, you and I have seen that, like, former athletes climb the ladder faster. People that have done other things climb the ladder faster. But I think it's about setting your expectations. I think it's about setting the reality. I think it's about putting in the work, about thinking about the client, like, outperforming what their expectations are."This week, they dig into Jon’s speaking journey what he’s learned through writing his latest book, All It Takes is a Goal, and how you apply these goal setting principles to your speaking business. This episode also covers: How to climb the speaking ladder What it looks like to set big goals that don’t set you up for failure Jon’s favorite goal setting framework How to embrace challenges and connect with the audience What it’s like always playing away games How to use books to grow your business What ghostwriting is and how to tell if it’s a good fit for you A little bit more about Jon’s new book “It's kind of like, an NFL player who sucks at announcing. They do it for like, three games and you never hear from them again. And you're like, But I thought he played in the NFL for ten years. He's a hall of famer. Yeah, it turns out performing in a game or commenting on a game are very different crafts. And he thought, Nah, dude, I throw touchdowns. I know how to break down a game and do color comment like, no, you don't. You have a chance to engage in that with humility and work on it and put in the reps and the effort, or it just falls apart. And so I remember so many times where I would go and again, it would be low fee, small audience, maybe new content, and I'd put together my own slides, and it was me learning how to do it. And you really have to look at, like, if there's five people in there or 500, I have to give my best.”Episode Chapters:[00:02:34] Start small, build up to guaranteed goals.[00:06:52] Frustration and joy in pursuing new ventures.[00:09:58] Always serve well. [00:14:54] Content creators need to accept the limitations of their celebrity status.[00:19:08] To become a keynote speaker you have to cater and serve corporate audiences, books are a great tool for that.[00:24:26] Test your content live before creating a book.[00:25:36] Continuing to use older content as it fits the audiences is a great way to use your books after you publish them. [00:31:22] Is ghostwriting the solution? [00:33:30] All about Jon’s Book: "All it Takes is a Goal" The author reflects on his college regrets, realizing his potential, and helping others. Study shows most people feel untapped potential. Book offers practical ways to reach goalsEpisode Resources:Connect with JonGet Jon's New Book: All It Takes Is A GoalGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"We absolutely have the ability to cultivate a growth mindset, which will put us it makes us more resilient. It gives us the ability to see opportunities and connect more easily with people. We move through the world very differently, and it gives you a different energy to go about the task of building a business."The Speaker Lab Coach, Katherine Johnson is back on the podcast this week sharing her expertise on reprogramming your mindset so it’s a helpful tool in building the speaking busines of your dreams. She sat down with Maryalice Goldsmith, to chat about changing your mindset, to ensure that you aren't creating a breeding ground for failure. "I'm always growing. I don't know how to do this piece. This may feel hard right now, but what I know is I can look back at my past life and be like, I can do hard things."Katherine and Maryalice dig into:Tips on how to build resilienceWhy you need disciplineHow to overcome failure What it looks like to transition to a growth mindset How to assess our experiences and the stories we tell ourselves for quality in the decision making process What metrics matter when you’re building a busienss Ways to recovery when you learn a hard or expensive lesson And more! “I think of resilience as coming from focusing more on the activities you're doing and their effectiveness over the long run instead of focusing on the results. Right. Because if we take that idea of, let's say bamboo, right? Bamboo. At first, there are certain kinds. You plant it, you water, water, water. You don't see anything. And then all of a sudden, you can get a foot of growth a day. Right? Well, we have to focus on what you're doing in your speaking business and as a speaker, looking at the activities, and that those compound and they stack. But if you take a snapshot in any moment and you are just like, well, this must mean X, Y or Z, and you walk away, you're doing a huge disservice to yourself.”Episode Chapters00:02:13 Mindset impacts everything. Positive mindset is crucial.00:06:52 Questions to focus on learning and reprograming thought processes.00:11:33 Embrace new opportunities and see what happens.00:15:28 Open to learning, failures lead to success.00:16:36 How to bounce back when things go wrong.00:22:39 Consistently prioritize key tasks to achieve success.00:24:41 Focus on growth mindset, set realistic expectations. Seek coaching for perspective and progress.Episode ResourcesGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"So there are definitely two main chapters to my life, and they both happened before age 22. So when I was very young, and they both involved aviation, and one was ultimately amazing, and one was obviously terrible.”Until age 22, Ryan’s life revolved around flying and aviation. Unfortunately, after an unexpected trip, he was put in a place where flying couldn’t be his #1 priority anymore. After some unexpected journeys as he was healing, he spent a lot of time reflecting on what he would do with his life. “I realized at that point that a lot of speakers are out there, like the prior version of Ryan. Who spoke on climbing a mountain, this incredible success that had its adversities along the way?But there was also a whole different group that spoke on the day that changed their life forever. And that was unrequested adversity. But very few had both. And I thought to myself, wait on, that's actually an opportunity to compare the two to see where we truly learn.”Ryan moved to the US to pursue his speaking career. In a way, the world forced him to change his plans and adapt to the industry as he settled down in the US just in time for COVID to hit. If you’re experiencing a season of turbulence in your life and are hoping to find inspiration to continue overcoming adversity, this episode is for you! Grant and Ryan dig into:How to handle adversity and become “turbulence tough”Following your intuition even when it’s hard. How to tell your stories so they resonate with your audience Engaging the audience so they never forget your messageDeveloping resiliency Learning how to handle the ebbs and flows “There are very few ways to do new ways to do old things, right? It's, finding a way to take a cliche or something that's worn out and present it back to an audience in a fun, unique, potentially viral, unforgettable way, and, That's what we've managed to do, which is really cool. So if you're out there and you don't have that wild story, don't worry about it.”Episode Chapters:[00:02:50] Prioritizing joy, mental health, resilience, hobbies[00:05:04] Aviation passion leads to incredible achievement.[00:08:43] Young flyer's journey from fame to tragedy.[00:11:51] From paraplegic to helicopter pilot to speaker.[00:15:30] Passion for mental health and resilience. Pink Cadillac led to prioritizing joy.[00:20:22] A masterclass in storytelling.[00:23:46] Finding joy and prioritizing happiness transformed me.[00:26:54] Communicate, learn, iterate, observe, and create memorable experiences.[00:29:53] Building a speaking business takes patience and resilience.[00:35:34] Be careful networking too far ahead.[00:37:49] Incredible lifestyle, money, time, work-life balance. Create your own brand and transform.“What if I merge these two worlds? What if every time I was struggling, I actually intentionally prioritized joy? What if I took this one thing that a lot of us consider selfish, and I made it essential? And it was an understanding of the benefits, a deep dive into that, that led to the permission to do something we often see as selfish.The permission led to prioritization, which led to positive change. So this one idea of ‘Hey, this stuff matters’ led me down a path that not only did this become one of the greatest benefits in my life to my mental health, especially since the accident, it actually became a question, what's your pink Cadillac? What's the one thing you do that makes you smile like a kid?”Episode Resources:Chat with Ryan Connect with Ryan on LinkedInGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Many speakers lean gradually into speaking. Still others stumble upon it unexpectedly. And still others find their passion and talent early on in life with the help of formative family members–like Shailesh Ghimire. Shailesh is our latest Student Highlight guest on The Speaker Lab podcast, and he shares his story on episode 459 with Maryalice Goldsmith, our director of student success. Today, Shailesh is a speaker, podcaster, and marketing expert with a background in physics. But years ago, he was a fourth grader preparing and delivering presentations for his dad, who loved and respected the fields of public speaking and debate. Thanks to those early years learning how to speak in front of an audience, Shailesh has never struggled with stage fright to this day.While Shailesh’s dad helped set him on the road to public speaking, it took him some time to move beyond treating speaking like a hobby on top of his successful marketing business. But ultimately, as he attests, everybody has the same 24 hours in a day–and he refocused his time to prioritize building a speaking business. That’s where The Speaker Lab comes in! Shailesh walks Maryalice through how our program offered him structure and consistency while leaving lots of room for independent initiative and creating your own systems. For example, unlike most speakers, Shailesh relies primarily on email for lead outreach rather than phone calls. This requires a unique set of systems for getting in touch with clients and following up, as you’ll learn on the show. Shailesh is full of enthusiasm and humor on air as well as on the stage–listen till the end to hear why he’s ready to write the “definitive book on women” after raising four daughters. He is currently working on expanding to new clientele and you’ll get to hear all about the additional hurdles and challenges that come with the scaling stage of running a speaking business.You’ll also learn all about: How being involved in theater helps prepare you for confidence as a speaker.Tips and tricks for balancing speaking and parenting. How to make traveling all the time more enjoyable. Why you shouldn’t overcomplicate the prospecting process.Why imposter syndrome is actually a good thing.How to maintain energy from one speaking engagement to the next.…and so much more!Episode Resources:Read Shailesh's Success StoryConnect with ShaileshGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifyEpisode Chapters: [00:01:51] Dad's influence at home to get public speaking practice.[00:04:02] Discovering speaking career leads to paid gigs.[00:09:40] Time is all about priorities and goals.[00:14:30] Be intentional, follow instructions, use email.[00:19:43] Surprise: Learning about presentation time requirements[00:22:12] Last-minute panic turns into successful presentation.[00:25:25] Big experience with dedicated, learning audience. Stay prepared.[00:29:11] How are you focused on expanding your speaking business?[00:33:41] Game-changing; juggling multiple businesses with purpose.[00:34:47] Believe in your message, forget self-doubt.[00:40:00] Legacy: emotional attachment to leaving a mark.[00:41:23] Grateful guest expresses appreciation for podcast appearance.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As a speaker, it’s often hard to find the balance between telling your story, building your personal brand, and serving your audience. No matter what your story is, you have to connect it to solving your audience’s problems. Otherwise, you’re just talking about yourself–and that’s a surefire strategy for failure if your goal is making an impact. On Episode 458 of The Speaker Lab podcast, Grant Baldwin invited Bruce Van Horn, a speaker with a pretty extraordinary story, to help you walk that very fine line. Before Bruce was a speaker, he was a creative writing major who pivoted to a successful career in the software business. If you’re struggling to connect the dots between what you studied, where you work, and what you want to speak about, his path will inspire you to think outside the box and buck expectations. Bucking expectations is a big part of Bruce’s mission. On top of being a speaker, he is also a life coach, author, and podcast host. Through his various efforts to promote positive change using words, he helps other people experience radical mindset shifts and get unstuck from negative patterns in their life. On the show, he shares some of those strategies and a sneak peek into what he calls his “victory routines.” His podcast, Life Is A Marathon, invokes a powerful experience of self-reflection and mindset shift he had while training for a marathon during a series of tragic life events.You’ll also learn all about: The drawbacks of basing your career choices entirely on money. How Zig Ziglar inspired Bruce to kick his victimhood mindset. What we can learn about from marathon training. How to leverage a podcast to get you more speaking gigs. The difference between passion and enthusiasm.How to pick the parts of your story that will connect with your audience. …and so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESConnect with BruceGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.