Episodes
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"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.
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"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.
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Missing episodes?
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“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.
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"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.
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"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.
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"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.
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"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.
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“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.
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"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.
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“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.
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“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.
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“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 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.
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“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.
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"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 value
47:26 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.
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"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.
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"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 focusedEpisode 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.
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"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.
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"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.
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"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.
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"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.
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