Episode 305 is a brand new series focused on the power of the pipeline. Joining me as co-host for this series is Erick Rheam, our Director of Student Success here at The Speaker Lab. Today we are talking about the five stages of the pipeline, including an in-depth discussion on stage one from initiating contact with a lead, structuring your follow-ups and avoiding several common mistakes speakers make. Hear the details on all of that and more when you join us for episode 305 of The Speaker Lab. ...
Sep 01, 2020•37 min•Ep. 305
Have you ever wondered how to work with a speaking agent? Our guest, Li Hayes, has all the info you need to decide if an agent is right for you! Li runs a boutique speaker agency and works with a dozen different speakers. On today's The Speaker Lab, she tells us what her role is as their agent and what you need to do if you are looking for an agent. She shares her advice for emerging speakers and what you should and shouldn't be doing when working with event management. We wrap up with her tips ...
Aug 25, 2020•37 min•Ep. 304
Speaking part-time to grow your full-time business can be a surefire way to expand your reach, maximize your impact and your bottom line. Our guest is a living example of this and she joins us to share her journey. Liz Bohannon is a very successful keynote speaker but speaking itself is secondary to her full-time gig. Primarily, she is the founder and CEO of a lifestyle jewelry company called Sseko Designs. On today’s The Speaker Lab, she tells us how speaking moves the needle of her lifestyle b...
Aug 18, 2020•43 min•Ep. 303
Stories are one of the most important tools for any speaker. So how do you tell stories that stick long after you've finished speaking? Our guest has the answer. Kindra Hall is a renowned speaker and author who is here to talk all things storytelling. On today's episode of The Speaker Lab, Kindra and I talk about storytelling for speakers, whether to use first person or third person and how to ensure your stories are built around your audience. There's so much great content on this show so be su...
Aug 11, 2020•47 min•Ep. 302
Ryan Giffen is an agent at Premiere Speakers Bureau and he's here to give us an update on the current state of the speaking industry. He's been an agent for over a decade. While he's joined us in the past to talk about education and working in a speakers bureau, on today's show he's going to tell us what he's seeing on the front lines right now in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ryan works with speakers and event planners on a daily basis so he has his finger on the pulse of the industry. Li...
Aug 04, 2020•36 min•Ep. 301
Don't quit your day job to start a speaking career. Begin building your speaking business on the side. During this Speaking Workshop, We Cover: The 7 things you must clarify from the outset Where to spend your time and money as you get started (and where not to) The one thing you CANNOT do while trying to grow your speaking business Why not all full-time jobs are created equal Why your plan should take into consideration the type of boss you have The change levers you can pull to set yourself up...
Jul 30, 2020•1 hr 36 min
Three amazing students join us for this very special 300th episode of The Speaker Lab! All three of our guests today are students of The Speaker Lab and they crushing it. They are here to share their insights, wisdom and secrets to success. Going forward we're going to be sharing more students' stories on bonus episodes so be sure to join us for their stories. And we've got a huge giveaway in honor of episode 300 and to thank you for being a listener! The grand prize winner receives free enrollm...
Jul 28, 2020•39 min•Ep. 200
One area we haven't touched on is how to be a corporate trainer, my friend Michael Bungay Stanier is here to change that! Michael is a well-established keynote speaker and corporate trainer. On today's The Speaker Lab, we talk about what topics work in this industry, positioning yourself versus positioning a product/program, and who hires corporate trainers. We have a lot of fun during this informative and practical conversation with Michael, so please join us for episode 299 of The Speaker Lab!...
Jul 21, 2020•41 min•Ep. 299
We talk about relationships but what about building relationships through giving gifts? What are the dos and don'ts of successful gift-giving? Here to tell us is gifting expert, best-selling author and keynote speaker John Ruhlin. On today's episode of The Speaker Lab, John tells us who to give gifts to, when to give gifts, and how to reframe gift-giving as an investment versus just another line item expense. You'll hear those topics plus a few great gifting stories on this edition of The Speake...
Jul 14, 2020•37 min•Ep. 298
How to speak to the medical field is a question I get asked a lot, and today our guest is answering it. Nisha Mehta is a practicing physician, specifically a radiologist. She also speaks around the country to medical professionals on the topic of burnout. Today we talk about how she got started speaking, the different speaking opportunities in the medical industry, whether or not you need a background in medicine to speak to doctors and how to use media to position yourself as an expert. You'll ...
Jul 07, 2020•33 min•Ep. 297
Today's conversation is a discussion on race and the speaking industry with my friend Nicole Walters. Nicole is an incredible speaker, amazing entrepreneur and phenomenal human being. On this episode of The Speaker Lab, we talk about the heavy but important topic of racism in the speaking world. We talk about what exists in the marketplace for her as a Black woman, how she sees things that I don't as a white male. She also gives advice for minority speakers and shares what the speaking community...
Jun 30, 2020•39 min•Ep. 296
How to embrace your fears is the subject that helped our guest today jumpstart a whole new career as an international speaker and author. Michelle Poler is here on The Speaker Lab to talk about how she embraced her fears through 100 fears in 100 days challenge, how that challenge culminated in a TEDx talk and how some of those fears even became things she now loves to do. We explore those topics plus specific steps she took along the way and how you can do the same. Join us to hear the scoop on ...
Jun 23, 2020•35 min•Ep. 295
How to pivot to speaking virtually may not have been something you thought of before the pandemic, but our guest today explains why he and a lot of other speakers are embracing it now. Jon Acuff is an entrepreneur and author. He is also one of the best speakers I've seen live: he takes this craft seriously and it shows. In our conversation on The Speaker Lab today, Jon explains the pivots he's made during the COVID-19 pandemic, including virtual speaking and utilizing YouTube to grow his client ...
Jun 16, 2020•39 min•Ep. 294
Knowing what meeting planners want from a speaker can be the difference between booking some gigs and being a full-time speaker. Our guest today has the inside scoop on this very topic and he's telling us the answers on episode 293 of The Speaker Lab! Jay Baer is an exceptionally successful speaker who has been in the industry for a long time and has accrued a wealth of knowledge along the way. Today on The Speaker Lab, we talk about Jay's recent research study that surveyed 150 event planners. ...
Jun 09, 2020•37 min•Ep. 293
Grant Baldwin and Erick Rheam hosted a Facebook Live to talk about one of the biggest challenges professional speakers face: getting consistent speaking gig leads and what to do with them. During the live stream, Grant and Erick discuss: Where many speakers get stuck Why you can’t afford to sit back and wait for the phone to ring How Erick falls back on principles he learned in the military What speakers can do to prepare for times of crisis How to handle stressful times without getting stressed...
Jun 08, 2020•21 min
How public relations helps speakers may not be something you've considered before, but after today's episode you will know how PR can make a difference in your speaking career. Chris Winfield joins us to talk about this topic. He teaches PR (public relations) and the art of relationships and connections. We dig into those three areas right out of the gate, and also talk about my skepticism of the value of public relations! We answer questions like how important is it to build long-term relations...
Jun 02, 2020•39 min•Ep. 292
You may see the value of writing, but do you know why writing matters for speakers? Our guest does and he's here to tell us on the 291st edition of The Speaker Lab! Hugh Culver is a repeat guest who is a successful speaker in his own right, and also works with other speakers and thought leaders on content, blogging, and writing. Today we'll talk about the process of writing for speakers, how it can actually help you become a better speaker, and a simple framework to help you approach writing new...
May 26, 2020•31 min•Ep. 291
Today's edition of The Speaker Lab is the final segment of our eight-part series on how to find your first paid speaking gig with Bryan Allain! If you missed the first seven episodes check them out here: part one, part two here , part three here, part four here , part five here, part six and part seven . A lot has happened in Bryan's life since our first show and we talk about it today, including some very vulnerable and personal sharing from Bryan himself. This is a compelling episode you won't...
May 19, 2020•44 min•Ep. 290
Welcome to part seven of how to find your first paid speaking gig with Bryan Allain. Missed the first six episodes? You can listen here to part one, part two here , part three here, part four here , part five here and part six . Today, you'll hear a two-part conversation: in the first part, we talk right before Bryan talks to a potential client he got a positive response from and in the second part, we recorded an update on how the call went and what his next steps are from there. Whether you're...
May 12, 2020•37 min•Ep. 289
Welcome to part six of how to find your first paid speaking gig with Bryan Allain! If you missed the first five episodes with Bryan you can listen to here to part one, part two here , part three here, part four here , and part five here . On these in-depth talks, we are diving into what it takes to become a speaker: step by step what he needs to do, what he needs to think through on his journey to becoming a speaker. You'll also hear some real-life examples of his inquiries and how he should phr...
May 05, 2020•47 min•Ep. 288
Welcome to part five of how to find your first paid speaking gig with Bryan Allain! If you missed the first three episodes with Bryan you can listen to here to part one, part two here , part three here and part four here . On this fifth episode, you'll hear about Bryan's progress as well as the work he still has to do. You'll also hear about a slight delay he had and what that sidetrack was all about and how he can get back on track. Get ready to listen in to all of those experiences and more wi...
Apr 28, 2020•47 min•Ep. 287
Grant Baldwin and Erick Rheam hosted a Facebook Live to talk about how speakers are still getting booked and paid to speak even in the midst of the pandemic. During the live stream, Grant and Erick discuss: The state of the speaking industry Dealing with ambiguity and anxiety Long-term ramifications of social distancing How some speakers are still getting booked and paid to speak Reaching the point of turning down new opportunities When to say no if a gig is outside your brand/industry Thinking ...
Apr 27, 2020•26 min
Grant Baldwin and Michael Port hosted a Facebook Live to talk about what speakers can do to take advantage of the extra time during quarantine to improve their value as a performer. During the live stream, Grant and Mike discuss: This is the time to be working on your talk “Either it will pass or I will pass." Best practices for wearing glasses on camera Surviving as a speaker in the midst of a crisis Why speakers can’t afford to be average Everything you do as a performer must be transformation...
Apr 24, 2020•34 min
Grant Baldwin and Clint Pulver hosted a live stream to talk about how speakers can change and adapt to a new “normal”. During the interview, Grant and Clint discuss: Developing a virtual demo video Taking one day at a time on the rollercoaster Live events that convert to digital and ask for virtual keynotes Binge-watching the Imagineers documentary on Disney+ Creating a virtual studio at home 5 things that clients are asking virtual speakers for Using a moderator to enhance the virtual experienc...
Apr 22, 2020•35 min
Welcome to how to find your first paid speaking gig with Bryan Allain - part four. If you missed the first three episodes with Bryan you can listen to here to part one, part two here and part three here . In this show, Bryan is establishing himself as the expert through his web site and his demo video. You'll also hear how to deal with the impostor syndrome, something he talks about today. We even discuss whether or not he should quit! To hear all of this as it unfolds join us for episode 286 wi...
Apr 21, 2020•58 min•Ep. 286
Grant Baldwin and Nisha Mehta hosted a Facebook Live to talk about a physician's perspective on the speaking industry during turbulent times. During the live stream, Grant and Nisha discuss: Balancing a professional career as a radiologist while speaking internationally Building large online communities among certified physicians Maintaining social distancing to flatten the curve Insights on the pandemic from behind the scenes Making tough choices to opt-out of live events before “shelter-in-pla...
Apr 17, 2020•27 min
Grant Baldwin and Scott Stratten hosted a Facebook Live to talk about the future of the speaking industry after a pandemic. During the live stream, Grant and Scott discuss: The long-term impacts the coronavirus will have on the speaking industry Experimenting with style and facial hair while social distancing Why “speaking” isn’t really your true profession Understanding the gig is the payoff for building your platform and being an expert Dealing with feeling like you’ve lost part of your identi...
Apr 15, 2020•37 min
Welcome! This is part three of our how to find your first paid speaking gig series with Bryan Allain. If you missed part one and part two you can listen to here to part one and part two here . In those episodes you heard Bryan's background: he has done some speaking but is struggling with where to start. This week on The Speaker Lab, you'll find out who Bryan has chosen to speak to, what problem he's going to solve for them and the pros and cons to his decision. We will wrap up with a chat about...
Apr 14, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 285
Grant Baldwin and Mike Pacchione hosted a Facebook Live to talk about how to work on your speech and hone your craft during the quarantine. During the live stream, Grant and Mike discuss: Tips and tricks for virtual speaking Enjoying becoming a first-time dad Helping speakers deliver the best talk of their lives How to prepare for your next live gig while social distancing Getting feedback on your talk using a recording A simple survey to send to friends and colleagues to obtain actionable feedb...
Apr 13, 2020•24 min
Grant Baldwin and Josh Bauerle hosted a Q&A on Facebook Live to talk about how speakers can benefit from the stimulus and address your questions about the stimulus check, unemployment, EIDL, and PPP. DISCLAIMER: We are not finance or tax experts. Please contact your financial planner or local financial institution for professional advice. EIDL - Economic Injury Disaster Loan PPP - Payroll Protection Program During the live stream, Grant and Josh discuss: Unemployment being extended to busine...
Apr 10, 2020•1 hr 1 min
