Crush the Rush™: The Female Entrepreneur Podcast for Sustainable Business Growth 602 - How Entrepreneurs Can Turn Speaking and Thought Leadership Into Income with Jess Ekstrom
If you’ve ever wondered whether speaking could actually turn into income—or questioned if your story is “big enough” to share—this episode will change the way you see your voice and your potential.
In this conversation, I sit down with bestselling author and keynote speaker Jess Ekstrom to talk about how entrepreneurs can use speaking and thought leadership to build confidence, visibility, and sustainable income. We discuss what it really looks like to grow a business while balancing family and travel, how to confidently charge for your expertise, and why speaking has become one of the most powerful authority-building tools in Jess’s business.
Jess also shares the mindset shift that helps entrepreneurs move past self-doubt, step into leadership, and turn their voice into an income stream—without burnout or chasing constant visibility.
If you’re an entrepreneur curious about speaking, personal branding, or building authority in a way that aligns with your life and values, this episode will help you see that you already have what it takes to get started.
Today you’ll hear:
- 03:35 – What a life-first business looks like for Jess in this season of motherhood
- 06:10 – How becoming a parent pushed her to finally charge her value as a speaker
- 07:10 – The “Gig Scorecard” she uses to decide which speaking opportunities are truly worth it
- 10:48 – Her process for uncovering the through-line in your story (even if you don’t think you have one)
- 12:56 – The vulnerable moment she started sharing on stage that changed the way audiences connected with her
- 14:48 – Why speaking becomes a launchpad for book deals, media opportunities, and new revenue
- 16:20 – The first step she recommends if you want to start speaking this year
- 19:00 – Her mantra before big events and the mindset shift from spotlight to lighthouse
- 26:11 – The advice she’d give her younger self about evolving, pivoting, and worrying less about what people think
CONNECT WITH JESS:
Website: www.jessekstrom.com
Instagram: @jess_ekstrom
January Speak on Stage Bootcamp: https://micdropworkshop.spiffy.co/a/bootcamp/5805
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