The Speaker Lab Podcast

"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: "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: 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: “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: “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: “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 goals Episode 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: “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 Chapters 00:02:13 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 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.

"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: “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 RyanConnect 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 Spotify See 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: good 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 Spotify Episode Chapters: 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: 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.

Establishing your niche is one of the most important tasks of building your speaking business. Like all important tasks, this isn’t a one-step process–it is a long journey of discovery and refinement. Because this is such a hot topic among our TSL students, our latest coaches’ corner podcast naturally focuses on finding your niche. In Episode 457 of The Speaker Lab Podcast, TSL coaches Maryalice Goldsmith and Katie Campbell discuss how to figure out what your niche really is. If your niche is an onion, this episode is peeling back the layers so you can hone in on your target audience and book the gigs that are best suited to your expertise. The more you narrow your niche, the more you attract the attention of the right people. That’s how successful speakers build momentum, as Katie and Maryalice explain on the show. No matter how broad you think your message is, you can amplify it best by finding the specific audience out there whose needs intersect perfectly with what you bring to the table. At the same time, finding your niche should not be a limiting experience. Many speakers mistakenly think they have to draw only from their on-paper experience to find a niche. But if your industry is over-saturated, there is probably a gap in the market where an unexpected audience really needs to hear what you have to say! Another limiting belief that many speakers unconsciously subscribe to is that your story determines your niche. Stories are a core part of who we are and any speaker’s personal brand. While your story informs your talk, it does not have to define your niche. Speaking at its core is about solving problems, not selling stories. If you feel stuck in your attempts to drill down in your niche, reconsider whether you have let your story eclipse the solutions you offer. Chances are, reorienting your speaker brand around solutions and transformation will give you a boost and help you reach the right people. That’s what Katie and Maryalice will walk you through in Episode 457! You’ll also learn all about: 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 not every day that a game show host comes onto The Speaker Lab podcast. But this is your lucky day! For this episode, Mike Montague joins Grant for an exciting conversation about how he balances podcasting, speaking, game show hosting, and his job for a prominent sales and leadership training company. While some might have a specific vision of what it means to be a speaker, for Mike it means any time he’s behind a microphone. He knows how to bring the party to whatever kind of event he’s leading, whether it’s a corporate seminar for a multinational company or a keynote where he’s throwing water balloons at the audience. Mike strikes an unusual balance for a speaker, as he has multiple ongoing employment contracts on top of his independent speaking business. As a result, this episode offers a great deal of insight into managing multiple streams of income. Most speakers scale and diversify their business at some point, so even if you’re not at that point yet, it can be really helpful to hear what that process is like for someone as multi-talented as Mike. Deciding whether to go all-in on entrepreneurship is a tough decision with many factors. Family, finances, and prior commitments can all impact the decision. Whether you like the stability of having one employer or you enjoy juggling multiple jobs at once, Mike’s story will certainly have some insights for you. You’ll also learn all about: EPISODE RESOURCES Visit Mike's WebsiteConnect with Mike on LinkedInCheck out Mike's Podcast - Playful HumansGet 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.

A lot of coaches become speakers, and a lot of speakers become coaches. It’s not a simple 2+2=4 formula, but there’s a few reasons why these professions complement each other so well! One of our recent program alumni, Kyle Cofer, came onto episode 455 of The Speaker Lab podcast to discuss her path from life coaching to speaking. In this student highlight, Kyla shares how our program helped her amplify her message about overcoming burnout. Going from aspiring to professional speaker requires tailored guidance and mentorship. As Kyla testifies, even an expert at coaching other people can have trouble overcoming a few nagging insecurities. Kyla and our director of student success Maryalice Goldsmith discuss the trickle down effect she experienced from her experienced TSL mentors and the breakthroughs she achieved using our five-module SPEAK framework. Kyla is more than an entrepreneur and speaker–she’s also a devoted homeschooling mom. Juggling motherhood and the fast-paced speaker life is no joke and requires a few iron-clad priorities balanced by flexible routines. When it comes to childcare and splitting parental responsibilities, Kyla offers some “real talk” and encouragement for any speaker trying to give their best self to their kids and their business. The truth is, nobody can be perfect to everybody all the time, and despite your best ambitions you will fall short at speaking, parenting, and everything in between! But like any good life coach, Kyla has words of wisdom for handling failure: it all comes down to gratitude and acknowledgement of what makes us human. If this episode doesn’t have you dying to hire Kyla as your life coach, it will definitely have you feeling better equipped to handle your flaws! You’ll also learn all about: EPISODE RESOURCES Kyla'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.

Dan Irvin was laid off of his C-suite position just as COVID started taking off. He took it as a sign to start the speaking career he had long been considering. Between pandemic-induced chaos and his own inexperience with the speaking industry, his first efforts were, in his own words, “dismal.” Fortunately, he discovered The Speaker Lab, which helped him systematize his business to the point where he is now speaking over 50 times a year on top of working as a member of the TSL team. Dan joined us for episode 454 of the TSL podcast to discuss the step-by-step processes that help him succeed. To really succeed as a speaker, you need a plan. Having a plan will get your family and friends in your corner when you first launch your business as well as showing future clients that you are serious about what you do. Dan has used careful strategy and repeatable systems to turn his speaking business into a well-oiled machine. From time management to email followups, putting systems in place will set you apart from the many wannabe speakers who are fueled by enthusiasm that lacks consistency. Furthermore, automated systems that work for you when you’re not even paying attention help you free up valuable time to spend with your loved ones. One of Dan’s systems that will interest many speakers is how he evaluates whether to take on unpaid gigs. Many clients with tight budgets can still offer value that can’t be quantified in monetary terms. At the same time, if you get a reputation for speaking for free, nobody will want to pay you! This is a question that boggles many speakers…after all, at the start of your career, you have very few options! Dan and Grant have all the answers for you on this episode, from how to decide if an audience is the perfect fit to tough conversations with clients who can’t pay you. You’ll also learn all about: EPISODE RESOURCES Dan Irvin's WebsiteDan's Email TemplatesGet 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.

Brittany Richmond is an experienced volleyball coach and counselor. She’s also an uplifting speaker and influencer who inspires teens to manage their anxiety and overcome stigma around mental illness. Our favorite part? She’s a coach for us here at The Speaker Lab. This week on Episode 453 of The Speaker Lab podcast, she shares how she speaks about incredibly vulnerable topics in a relatable and sensitive way. Brittany already had a lot of experience working with students, so her story offers great insight into knowing when you can make a more impact as a speaker than one-on-one. Her own experience as a youth with crippling anxiety that was invisible to even her closest loved ones informs her message about proactively evolving through mental illness to live a thriving and fulfilled life. While she normally shares her message with teens, today she’s sharing it with you too–if you’re an aspiring speaker who struggles with anxiety, Brittany’s story is sure to give you a confidence boost. Speaking to the youth market is a difficult task–making money, finding your niche, and marketing yourself all come with a special set of challenges. Brittany has really mastered the delicate balance of relatability and relevance. While she offers hope, she also offers tactical steps that leave her listeners feeling better equipped to deal with her struggles. On the show, you’ll hear how she keeps her niche narrow so she can better serve her audience. Perhaps most powerfully, Brittany explains why she tailors her message to the person she once was–the anxious teen who just needed to hear “you’re not alone.” You’ll also learn all about: EPISODE RESOURCES Brittany Richmond's WebsiteBrittany Richmond's 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.

Our system here at The Speaker Lab includes establishing non-negotiable elements of a successful speaking business early. Once you establish these fundamentals, you get to move on to the “fun” stuff like preparing your talk and creating snazzy marketing materials. While our coaches can only personally guide you through creating these steps in our coaching programs, they also come on the podcast to introduce some of the most important pieces of the great puzzle that is your speaking business. One of those fundamental pieces is your Expert Positioning Statement (EPS). This week, TSL coach Michelle Onuorah joined our director of student success Maryalice Goldsmith for Episode 452 of The Speaker Lab Podcast to dig into what an EPS is and why it’s so important. If your speaking business is a pyramid, your EPS is the foundation. If that sounds like a big deal, it is! At the core of every good speaking platform is solving a problem for a particular audience. In your EPS, the solutions you offer, the people you serve, and the transformation you hope to effect all come together into one statement. Discovering your EPS is all about getting clear on the vision toward which your entire speaking business is oriented. This process isn’t just helpful to building out your business strategy–it will also empower you to act more boldly in the speaker marketplace. Accurately communicating and the value you bring to the table helps you recognize your own worth and promote your business accordingly. Michelle and Maryalice share great tips for how your EPS keeps you on track by emphasizing what you’re best at. It reflects who you are and the types of people you want to attract. It acts as the compass for your personal branding journey so that your clients and audience know exactly what they’re getting when they hire you or see you walk on stage. While formulating your EPS can be an intimidating challenge, our coaches will walk you through how it’s actually an incredible opportunity to focus on yourself and your brand. You’ll also learn all about: EPISODE RESOURCES Our CoachesGet 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.

Some entrepreneurs spend their whole lives hustling, allowing burnout to gradually erode their overall quality of life. Others prioritize work-life harmony early on, allowing them to pursue their passions, keep creating, and enjoy life. That’s what Tina Wells has done, with her signature “Elevation Approach,” a system for entrepreneurs which lies at the heart of her book, online course, and upcoming podcast. On Episode 451 of The Speaker Lab podcast, Tina shared the wisdom she has learned along a journey that has led her from market research, to brand strategy, to content and product creation. The core of her mission is helping other entrepreneurs put their energy into activities and initiatives that make the most sense for where they want to be in life. No more hustling and grinding just because everybody else is doing it–get ready to elevate your approach! Tina started her entrepreneurship journey at age 16 researching youth and fashion trends. Despite the many evolutions of her professional career, she hasn’t lost sight of the things that originally set her on fire! Today, you can find her snazzy collection of office supplies on the shelves at Target as well as her children’s series and her new book The Elevation Approach. This episode offers an incredibly refreshing perspective on maintaining your business momentum without sacrificing your quality of life. If you’re a multi-passionate creative, a mom balancing career, kids, and aging parents, or a marketer who wants to shift into the product space, there are special tips for you too. As speakers, choosing which channels to leverage for your personal brand and organic marketing can be quite overwhelming. Tina offers guidance for choosing the channel best suited to your target audience and adapting your message to different settings. You’ll also learn all about: EPISODE RESOURCES Tina Wells' 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.

You can’t solve all your audience’s problems with one short keynote — often, you barely scratch the surface. So how do you offer your audience the next steps toward solutions? That’s what our very own coaches Maryalice Goldsmith and Jeremy Rochford cover on Episode 450 of The Speaker Lab podcast. Building your talk out into a coaching program is an incredible way to add streams of income and diversify your speaking business. Our TSL coaches have helped thousands of speakers succeed in this venture without burning out or losing sight of their core message, and today they’re helping you do the same. On the show, Maryalice and Jeremy go through the process of adding a coaching branch to your business with copious examples to help you get started designing your very first coaching program. Your signature keynote probably leaves your audience inspired with solutions, but unsure how to implement them beyond the first few action items. A coaching program expands on the substance of your talk in a structured setting geared toward knowledge retention. Since most coaching programs are eight to twelve weeks long, you have ample room to amplify all your most important points and dig deeper with explanations that will have more staying power than an exhilarating but all-too-brief talk. And as our students in The Speaker Lab programs already know, there are many different formats and variations of content you can utilize to help pass along all that valuable knowledge. Once you’re really clear on the problem you solve and the audience you serve, it’s probably time to start building out other branches of your speaking business. Designing a coaching program is an incredible way to grow your fanbase and your income. As you’ll hear from Maryalice and Jeremy in this episode, you can scale a well-designed coaching program and take on even more clients by hiring certified coaches to follow your system. You’ll also learn all about: EPISODE RESOURCES Our CoachesGet 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.

Amy Porterfield describes herself as an “ex-corporate girl turned accidental entrepreneur.” It’s hard to believe it was an accident! Amy runs an incredibly successful business teaching other entrepreneurs how to grow their following online. She is an author, podcaster, and occasional speaker with a special knack for building email lists and creating online courses. With that in mind, her appearance on Episode 449 of The Speaker Lab podcast is full of tips for integrating lead magnets into your and other methods for springboarding off of your speaking engagements to maximize your personal brand. Whether you’re looking for your first gig or a seasoned speaker already, every potential gig is either an opportunity for furthering your mission or a waste of time. As she explains on the show, Amy doesn’t particularly enjoy speaking–even though it’s an important part of any online entrepreneur’s brand. With that in mind, she takes the process of deciding which gigs to take and which to pass up on very seriously. There is no worse feeling as a speaker than getting on stage and realizing you’re in front of the wrong audience! Even if you’re still in the stage where you take whatever gig you can for exposure, this process of discernment is worth your time and attention. Fortunately Amy has a whole toolkit of questions to ask, research to conduct, and red flags to look for so you end up in front of the right people at the right time. Amy’s shares her invaluable wealth of expertise about entrepreneurial audience-building in this episode. Her advice for leveraging course creation, email lists, and social media is sure to leave you ready to hit the ground running! You’ll also learn all about: EPISODE RESOURCES Amy Porterfield's WebsiteTwo Weeks Notice BookGet 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.

One of the best feelings as a coach at The Speaker Lab is seeing our students turn their visions into reality. In episode 448 of The Speaker Lab podcast, TSL director of Student Success Maryalice Goldsmith is joined by Sara Murray from our VIP cohort. Sara came into our program with a successful sales career under her belt and a vision for her platform: “prospecting on purpose.” Sara’s mission is to introduce salespeople to a mindset shift that helps them exude confidence and build authentic relationships with their prospects. All of this comes down to prioritizing human connection–something unfortunately lost to many sales teams today. Sara is an incredibly visionary person and as she entered the world of speaking and entrepreneurship, she knew she needed accountability to help her accomplish her big dreams. That’s why she came to The Speaker Lab, where as she shares with Maryalice, she found accountability for all areas of building her speaking business. She also shares the creative methods she discovered while she was a TSL student for collecting testimonials, video footage, and other fundamental assets for your speaking website. For anybody wondering about the experience of being part of our Booked & Paid to speak VIP cohort, Sara has the details you’ve been dying to hear! Something that many professionals with experience in the sales industry might struggle with is feeling defined by the income they bring. Sara addresses this challenge head on and discusses how to shift from an income to an impact mindset. This episode is full of professional development advice, whether you’re a sales professional like Sara or any aspiring speaker with big dreams. You’ll also learn all about: EPISODE RESOURCES Sara Murray'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.

Shane Sams is a man who has taken control of his life. After a scary experience with a supervisor that got in the way of caring for his family, he struck out into entrepreneurship with his wife so they could quit their 9-5s and be more fully present with their kids. The best part is, they have dedicated their lives to helping others do the same thing through their business, Flipped Lifestyle. While Shane started out with podcasting and online courses, his speaking business has gained a lot of momentum recently. Shane is a rare bird in the speaking industry–he delivers both multi-day workshops and 30 minute keynotes. That kind of flexibility requires an incredibly systematized process behind the scenes so In Episode 447 of The Speaker Lab podcast, Shane shares the systems that help him prepare incredible talks for any occasion. Before he became an entrepreneur Shane was a teacher, so he came on the show ready to educate. His framework for structuring the overarching story of your keynote will help you keep your audience engaged and anticipating the solutions you offer onstage. Once your structure is in place, you can insert humor, relatability, and “check-ins” with your audience that ensure you all stay on the same page. If you’re struggling with integrating any of those connection points, Shane is a veritable well of inspiration especially when it comes to humor. Shane has plenty of wisdom to offer on workshops and seminars too–including how to deal with the dreaded scenario where you finish your planned content with hours still to go. Whether you’re a keynote speaker, a workshop leader, or a mix of both, Shane has tips for how to make the most of any speaking opportunity. You’ll also learn all about: EPISODE RESOURCES Flipped LifestyleGet 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.

Speaking is full of surprises. Even if you’re equipped with the best business plan, vision, and work ethic, things don’t always go as planned. Knowing how to handle tricky situations is something that comes with experience, but there are many steps you can take to shore up your speaking business against pitfalls. While there’s no reason to dwell on worst case scenarios, it’s valuable to have a game plan or safety net when it comes to potential problems. Fortunately, our TSL coaches have guided thousands of speakers through these strategies. For episode 446 of The Speaker Lab podcast, our director of student success Maryalice Goldsmith and coach Rick Clemons share how to avert–or at least ameliorate–potential disasters in your speaking business. Clients are perhaps the most typical yet unpredictable source of tricky situations. Whether it’s a misunderstanding about the speaking topic, payment timeline, event schedule, or intellectual property, even the most well-meaning client can cause a miscommunication. Once you realize early on which events are a poor fit for your mission and recognize the red flags of a shady contract, you will save yourself and your clients time and energy. Doing your due diligence on potential clients–including reading all the fine print and reviewing your own contract terms–is essential. This can seem like a momentous task, but Rick and Maryalice break it down into manageable action items that you can start implementing today. From designing a contract, to consulting an attorney, to hiring your first employee, our coaches have every step of building your speaking business covered! As we reiterate time and time again, the key to getting this right is having systems in place. This coaches’ corner show is sure to get you thinking about how you can systematize your speaking business to keep it running smoothly for years and even decades down the line. You’ll also learn all about: 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.