Finding Your Message and Your Why with Marcy Grossman

Nov 25, 2025

In this engaging conversation, Marcy Grossman, a former criminal psychologist and Canadian ambassador turned professional speaker, shares her transformative journey. She discusses overcoming the 'dark valley of despair' and how vital it is to differentiate nerves from anxiety when stepping on stage. Marcy reveals how she built her speaking brand, faced setbacks, and the importance of finding support systems like The Speaker Lab. Her insights into evolving into consulting and overcoming self-doubt will resonate with aspiring speakers.

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ANECDOTE

Three-Career Metamorphosis

Marcy Grossman describes three career chapters: criminal psychologist, diplomat, then professional speaker.
She left 32 years of public life after hearing a persistent calling to get back on stage and share her stories.

ANECDOTE

From Paralyzing Fear To Stage Buzz

Early in corrections Marcy was petrified of public speaking and even wished to avoid gigs by faking accidents.
Over years in diplomacy she did many reps, gained confidence, and began to enjoy performing on stage.

ADVICE

Reframe Nerves Into Performance Energy

Reframe nervous energy as excitement to convert bad nerves into good performance adrenaline.
Use an opening joke or brief moment to release excess energy and compose yourself before diving in.

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“I’ve been a caterpillar. You know, what do caterpillars do? They collect, they eat, they stock up, they build up until they get a calling that says build yourself a chrysalis. And that [chrysalis], for me, was leaving public service.”

Welcome back to The Speaker Lab podcast! Today’s episode features Marcy Grossman, whose career path took her from criminal psychologist, working in federal prisons, to Canadian ambassador in the United Arab Emirates, and now to the world of professional speaking. Host Grant Baldwin guides us through Marcy Grossman’s candid journey, revealing the authentic highs and lows behind building a business as a speaker.

Less than a year ago, Marcy found herself in what she describes as the “dark valley of despair”—overwhelmed by anxiety, negative self-talk, and the fear that her stories wouldn’t matter. But instead of giving up, Marcy turned to The Speaker Lab podcast and program, discovering a supportive community, actionable frameworks, and the structure she needed to move forward. Grant and Marcy dig deep into what it really takes to pivot into the speaking industry. You’ll hear how Marcy leveraged her hard-earned experience, learned to embrace the nerves and adrenaline of being on stage, and realized the key to success is trusting the process.

Additionally, the episode covers how speaking can fit into a broader consulting or coaching business, the challenges behind the scenes that most speakers face, and practical tips for building momentum, managing self-doubt, and packaging your unique story. If you’re a speaker in the making, this conversation will remind you that setbacks are part of the journey, and that the stage can be a place for anyone willing to put in the work!

You’ll learn:

About Marcy’s career as a criminal psychologist
Gaining confidence through repeated experience
How to cope with self-doubt and feelings of failure
To reframe setbacks and regain momentum
Learning and implementing a booking pipeline
How speaking is largely driven by business process
Expanding your offerings beyond just speaking
And much, much more!

“Many of the speakers I have met are people that have messages in their heart, and that’s why they’re unstoppable.”

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