“I was trying to figure out what’s my lane that I need to be saying yes to? And what are the things I would have to say no to so that I can say yes to the better things?” Kent Chevalier’s speaking journey is anything but conventional. In this week’s episode of The Speaker Lab podcast, Grant Baldwin sits down with Kent, a longtime pastor turned Pittsburgh Steelers chaplain—who’s built his career at the intersection of faith, leadership, and personal courage. Kent opens up about transitioning from...
Jul 15, 2025•45 min•Ep. 559
“I feel guilty to charge [money] for what I love to do…one woman said, ‘They should pay you because it’s your gift, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it.’” Few stories capture the grit and transformation behind a speaking business like Stephanie Dauphin’s journey. This week, Grant Baldwin chats with Stephanie on The Speaker Lab podcast about investing over a decade in her craft—often speaking for free, wrangling self-doubt, and struggling with the idea that meaningful, joyful work can (and should)...
Jul 08, 2025•36 min•Ep. 558
“When you are speaking and you’re in front of people and you give them the momentum to look at life from a different perspective or do something they don’t have the courage to do, you could help change people’s lives.” Podcasts are full of powerhouse moments, but few stories capture the grit, honesty, and resolve it takes to truly make an impact the way Stacey Chillemi’s does. On this episode of The Speaker Lab, Stacey sits down with Grant Baldwin and peels back the curtain on her journey—from o...
Jul 01, 2025•35 min•Ep. 557
“When you understand going into [speaking] that it’s going to suck for a while, it’s going to take longer than you think and it’s going to be harder than you think. When you know those things up front, when you meet them, you can anticipate it.” Stepping onto the stage as a speaker is about more than nailing your performance—it’s about persistence, honesty, and the courage to start before you feel ready. On this week’s The Speaker Lab episode, Chase Livingston opens up about his journey from the...
Jun 24, 2025•40 min•Ep. 556
“I got to the point where if I was going to [be a speaker] I have to be serious about it and I’m going to have to invest in myself. I had to get to the ‘I’m worth it’ mindset, and The Speaker Lab [helped me with that].” Making an impact as a speaker isn’t just about your time on stage—it’s about the courage to own your story and use it to help others. This week, teen resilience speaker, Kimberly Clark, shares her powerful journey from addiction and trauma to inspiring change in the lives of youn...
Jun 17, 2025•34 min•Ep. 555
“The hardest thing about building a community is making sure that you’ve tapped into a transition that people have and are navigating so that they actually want to build relationships with each other.” As a speaker, building your authority goes beyond what you say on stage, it’s all about how you connect with your audience afterward. This week, Gina Bianchini, founder and CEO of Mighty Networks, joins us to reveal why community-building is the next essential step in growing your influence and cr...
Jun 10, 2025•48 min•Ep. 554
“If you impact one leader and that leader shows up better, then that leader engages better with his or her team. And then if that’s a good experience and it’s consistent, then those teammates do the same for their team. And all of a sudden you’re cascading down.” One of the best things about being a speaker? You get to write your own story—and Daniel Harkavy’s is proof that the path isn’t always smooth, but it’s definitely worth it. In this episode, Daniel opens up about his rocky first speaking...
Jun 03, 2025•46 min•Ep. 553
“The goal is to become reassuringly expensive to some extent because what you’re able to charge as a speaker is directly correlated to the insurance policy that you can provide for that event.” One of the best parts about being a speaker is that you get to decide what your speaking career looks like. Your story is unique—and only you can deliver the kind of value your audience needs. This week, Clint Pulver joins the show to remind us that success on stage is about more than a great keynote. Cli...
May 27, 2025•48 min•Ep. 552
“What does it feel like to be a customer of your business? How are you treating your customers? How are you making them want to not just come back, but tell their friends?” Brittany Hodak’s story reminds us that a truly fulfilling speaking career comes from real clarity and intentionality, not chasing every gig or opportunity that comes along. She didn’t set out to become a speaker—her journey began with launching a marketing agency for some of music’s biggest names, which eventually led to medi...
May 20, 2025•44 min•Ep. 551
“One thing that will make you better suited towards being able to deal with that is if you have a resilient mindset to know that whatever you’re going through, what is the lesson I’m going to get out of it and how is it going to make me better? Where is the positive growth going to come from here?” Tiran Jackson’s story is a masterclass in turning heartbreak into hope and challenge into fuel. If you think a speaking career is about big breaks or spotlight moments, Tiran is living proof that the ...
May 13, 2025•47 min•Ep. 550
“Client communication just doesn’t cut it anymore. In 2025 we have so many generations working together, we want to rush right to the product, but we have to learn how to use these people first communication skills.” Jason Raitz is proof that success as a speaker isn’t about overnight wins or waiting for an opportunity to knock—it’s about grit, clarity, and a relentless focus on serving others. Starting from a childhood love of the stage (and a knack for bribing friends with cookies), Jason spen...
May 06, 2025•42 min•Ep. 549
“Ultimately, you don’t need to have any certification. You need to have some level of experience where you can speak authentically and congruent. It’s gotta be congruent with how you feel about your knowledge.” Clinton Young knows what it’s like to hit rock bottom—and how to turn that experience into fuel for an inspiring speaking career. After losing his business and confidence during the 2008 financial crisis, everything shifted thanks to a tough-love moment at a seminar and a game-changing po...
Apr 29, 2025•40 min•Ep. 548
“When we’re intentional about pursuing our dreams, that’s when we can see things more clearly. Because most of the time we get so busy in the everyday that we don’t take time for those things. And those things are not just going to happen, right?” Amy Burton, a once-high school Spanish and theater teacher turned powerhouse speaker, is redefining the classroom experience for educators everywhere. Broadcasting from the chilly terrains of Alaska, Amy is here to offer her inspirational journey from ...
Apr 22, 2025•36 min•Ep. 547
Travel Hacks Every Speaker Should Know with Chris Hutchins “If you don’t want to play the sign up bonus game, optimize where you’re spending but always be getting more than 2x on everything.” Navigating the world of travel optimization can feel overwhelming, but our guest this week, Chris Hutchins, is here to break it all down. Chris, host of the All the Hacks podcast, is a master of the travel hacking world and joins us to share his insights on making the most of your travel experiences, especi...
Apr 15, 2025•53 min•Ep. 546
“Knowing who you are as an individual on the spiritual side of life helps guide you to who you are created to be.” One of the coolest parts of TSL is watching our coaches work 1:1 with students and helping them find the clarity and confidence they need to take their speaking businesses to the next level. And today, you’re going to get to see that process in action. We're back with another live coaching episode with Erick Rheam! This week, Erick is helping two former TSL students, Bryan Marvel an...
Apr 08, 2025•31 min•Ep. 545
“The speaking industry is one that has been around for generations…And it has survived wars, depressions, recessions, 9/11, pandemics, and it’s not going anywhere.” Navigating the speaking industry can seem daunting with its ever-shifting trends and economic uncertainties. So this week, drawing from his extensive experience in the field, Shawn Hanks offers his seasoned perspective on how speakers can thrive amidst these changes. Shawn discusses the current optimism in the event market despite pa...
Apr 01, 2025•42 min•Ep. 544
“If you are thinking about doing something long term, test it internally, be an intrapreneur, right? Go create something amazing for your company and see if you enjoy doing it.” Jenny Wood's transition from a high-flying Google executive to an influential public speaker is nothing short of inspiring. After spending eighteen years at Google, Jenny chose to follow her passion for public speaking, resulting in a story of passion, relentless improvement, and the power of authenticity. She joins us t...
Mar 25, 2025•43 min•Ep. 543
“We use visual tools and common language, so we share tools as if they’re mirrors so that the mirror does the heavy lifting and you get self awareness through looking at the mirror.” Navigating the world of speaking and building a unique brand can be daunting in the early stages of your career. So this week on The Speaker Lab Podcast , Jeremie Kubicek joins Grant Baldwin to shed light on the strategic integration of speaking into a broader mission. Jeremie's journey into the content space began ...
Mar 18, 2025•42 min•Ep. 542
“I knew it was important for me as I built my business to develop markers of credibility, and that would make everything easier. Like the wind is at your back when you have enough credentials that people can say, ‘I'll listen to her.’” In this episode of The Speaker Lab Podcast, host Grant Baldwin is joined by Dorie Clark to talk about an important topic for every speaker — establishing yourself as a thought leader. Dorie breaks down how she manages the tension between choosing a niche and maint...
Mar 11, 2025•43 min•Ep. 541
“You have to regularly find things where the challenge exceeds the skill set." In this week’s episode of The Speaker Lab Podcast , speaker and author Jon Acuff joins Grant to talk about the challenge of maintaining excellence as a speaker and the importance of continually pushing yourself beyond your comfort zones. Jon also took the time to break down his successful speaking model, primarily focusing on keynotes and the occasional longer training engagements. There are pros and cons to every spe...
Mar 04, 2025•49 min•Ep. 540
“Most successful or thought leadership businesses are extremely simple. They sell one thing at the front end, maybe a couple things on the back end…but they’re experts in X, Y, and Z.” In this episode of The Speaker Lab podcast, we explore the importance of keeping things simple and intentional in the ever-changing world of speaking and entrepreneurship. Grant Baldwin sits down with Taylorr Payne, co-founder of SpeakerFlow, for an engaging discussion on building a thriving speaking business by f...
Feb 25, 2025•39 min•Ep. 539
“It’s your vision that influences which way you go. Because you’ve already thought about it ahead of time.” In this episode of The Speaker Lab podcast, Erick Rheam joins us to talk about what it takes to navigate the chaotic and often overwhelming journey of being a speaker and entrepreneur. You've probably heard Erick on the show before, but today he's sharing a different side of things with candid advice drawn from his own rock-bottom moment and the life-changing principles he discovered to ri...
Feb 18, 2025•56 min•Ep. 538
“[AI is] a really great way to flex your creative muscle, but also not have to stress if you’re not strong enough at certain things.” Being on stage is one of the most fun and most rewarding parts of being a professional, paid speaker — but as all experienced speakers know, what happens on stage is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to building a successful speaking business. This week on The Speaker Lab Podcast, Grant Baldwin chats with Brittany Richmond-Roberts about her journey as a te...
Feb 11, 2025•39 min•Ep. 537
“Speed in this game is so important. It is typically the first speaker to reach back out…you have a really good chance of winning that business if you are the first.” Navigating the intricate world of professional speaking requires not just talent but also a keen understanding of the business side of things. In this insightful episode, Grant Baldwin welcomes back his good friend Brandon Edmonson, Sales Director for Premier Speakers Bureau, for his fourth appearance on the podcast. Whether you're...
Feb 04, 2025•46 min•Ep. 536
“ The biggest mistake that I see speakers make is that they think that if you just go on stage, and you do a good job speaking, the spinoff business will magically present itself. ” Being on stage is pretty much always the most fun and most rewarding part of being a professional paid speaker — but as all experienced speakers know, what happens on stage is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to building a successful speaking business. This week, Arel Moodie joins the show to break down how ...
Jan 28, 2025•44 min•Ep. 535
“ The show must go on baby. You gotta keep going man. Never know what’s gonna happen when you’re doing it live with no net, you never know.” Being a professional speaker means navigating some of the craziest and most unpredictable moments imaginable. This week, Shane Sams joins Grant on the show to recount some of his funniest and most challenging moments on the speaking trail. You never know what you're going to encounter when you're walking into a speaking gig, but the best speakers know how t...
Jan 21, 2025•48 min•Ep. 534
“ Whenever someone comes up and says ‘Hey, why am I not getting booked to speak?’, my first question is 'how many professionals did you call today?'" One of the best parts about being a speaker is that YOU get to decide what your speaking career looks like. Your story is unique, and the value you bring to your audience is something only you can deliver. This week, Ryan Vet joins us on the show to talk about how he found his way to a speaking career that was perfect for his strengths and passions...
Jan 14, 2025•41 min•Ep. 533
“ All that matters is that you show up, and that you’re consistently doing it, because if you do it on a regular basis… you’re going to get better at it. ” "How do I find and book more paid speaking gigs quickly?" "I'm just starting out, what should I prioritize right now?" Here at TSL, we hear those two questions from speakers more than anything else. Whether you've never gotten paid to speak or you've been speaking for years, there's a good chance you're looking for more paid gigs. And if you'...
Jan 07, 2025•40 min•Ep. 532
“You can’t need to be liked if you’re in a leadership position, and I’d say the same if you’re in a speaking position, cause you will say things that people don’t agree with, and that’s okay.” As a speaker, very few things matter more than establishing your credibility and expertise. This week, communication expert Jenni Field joins us to talk about how to build your credibility and become a leader that people will follow. Jenni is a firm believer in the importance of establishing your expertise...
Dec 31, 2024•35 min•Ep. 531
“ When you have an idea, you should capture that idea and put it somewhere, because you’re basically training your brain that ideas are important and I value them.” Finding your own brand of creativity and being unique can feel like a struggle in the beginning stages of your career. This week, Kyle Scheele joins us to share some tips on that topic drawn from his own journey of using his crazy ideas to stand out. Kyle started his career early in life when he landed a t-shirt line through Urban Ou...
Dec 24, 2024•42 min•Ep. 530
