Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

Carol Cox

It's time to escape the expert trap and become an in-demand speaker and thought leader through compelling and memorable business presentations, keynotes, workshops, and TEDx talks. If you want to LEVEL UP your public speaking to get MORE and BETTER, including PAID, speaking engagements, you've come to the right place! Thousands of entrepreneurs and leaders have learned from Speaking Your Brand and now you can too through our episodes that will help you with storytelling, audience engagement, building confidence, handling nerves, pitching to speak, getting paid, and more. Hosted by Carol Cox, entrepreneur, speaker, and TV political analyst. This is your place to learn how to persuasively communicate your message to your audience.

Episodes

Mentioned books

Oct 5, 2021 • 1h

241: The Expert Trap: What Holds Women Back from Thought Leadership with Carol Cox

You’re an expert in what you do: you have work experience, skills, knowledge, credentials, degrees. You’re well regarded as an expert in your field. You enjoy presenting and training in your area of expertise. Being an expert is great for attracting clients who need your specialized services and for doing workshops and conference breakout sessions. And it’s holding you back. It’s holding you back from thought leadership: making a bigger and bolder impact, integrating meaning and mission into your business, and delivering speeches that are transformational and game-changing. It’s holding you back from developing your full potential. I call this “The Expert Trap” and, as women, we face this trap because of the society in which we live and how we’ve adapted to make careers and livelihoods for ourselves. But, I believe we can do and be so much more - and we must if we want to make sure all of our rights are protected. In this episode, I talk about: What it means to be a thought leader Why you would want to be a thought leader as the next stage of your evolution as an entrepreneur and speaker What “the expert trap” is Why women in particular get stuck in the expert trap What you can do to start shifting from expert to thought leader About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/241 Apply to join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/. Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact. Connect on social: Carol on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Carol on Instagram= https://www.instagram.com/carolmorgancox SYB on YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7AtXV0f_HL09mepAON65w/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 232: Are You an Influencer, an Expert, or a Thought Leader? with Carol Cox Episode 233: 3 Types of Thought Leadership Models with Carol Cox

Aug 31, 2021 • 25min

240: My Realization of What's in MY Way to Thought Leadership with Carol Cox

Is there something holding you back from your thought leadership? If so, it just might be the way through. In the episode from 2 weeks ago with Betsy Jordyn, we talked about Betsy’s realization, which she shared in her Thought Leader Academy graduation speech, that “What I thought was *in my way* to my thought leadership was *the way* to my thought leadership.” The idea is that what holds us back, where we get stuck, what we’re putting off doing, what we’re afraid to talk about is precisely what we need to do. Our audiences will relate to our struggles and WE will grow by pushing past the doubts and fears. I’ve been reflecting about what holds me back - and it’s that I don’t like being in the spotlight. This seems counter-intuitive and ironic and ridiculous. After all, I’ve been speaking on stages of all sizes for years, have been on TV for the past 15 years, and have been doing this podcast for 4-½ years. And yet I’ve started to realize that my default behavior has become to say ‘no’ to opportunities and find someone else to put the spotlight on instead of myself. In this episode, I share how I came to this realization, the impact that a very hard professional experience had on me, and how I’m making progress. I also share with you questions I’ve been asking myself to get to the root of what may be holding you back that you can use too. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/240 My Summit Speech 2021: https://youtu.be/5H2FysOKvdw?t=1001 Download our FREE workbook on how to position yourself as a thought leader: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/. Join our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/. Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact. Connect on social: Carol on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Carol on Instagram= https://www.instagram.com/carolmorgancox SYB on YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7AtXV0f_HL09mepAON65w/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 185: My Journey as a Thought Leader and How We’re Evolving at Speaking Your Brand with Carol Cox Episode 232: Are You an Influencer, an Expert, or a Thought Leader? with Carol Cox Episode 233: 3 Types of Thought Leadership Models with Carol Cox Episode 238: What's IN Your Way IS Your Way to Your Thought Leadership with Betsy Jordyn

Aug 24, 2021 • 32min

239: Leadership is about the Heart as much as the Head with Emily Rogers

As a high-achieving woman and a left-brained/logical/analytical person, I've been perfectly comfortable living and working from my head. However, I’ve begun to realize over the past couple of years that leadership and coaching and, really, being human is about your heart. My guest is Emily Rogers, a high-achieving woman who has learned to tap into her somatic wisdom and helps her executive coaching clients with that as well. Emily had a very successful career as an executive in a high-profile role in a very male-dominated industry. And then one day her coach asked her, “What if you led with your heart?” Emily resisted that for a while, until she recognized what a benefit that would be for her team and for herself. Emily and I talk about: Her career and the burnout it caused Her passion for women in the workplace The importance of somatic wisdom How to get started listening to your body Finding spaciousness Why she decided to join our Thought Leader Academy and what she learned About My Guest: Emily Rogers is passionate about purposeful living, being in wide open spaces in nature, and mindful leading. As a business consultant, executive coach and retreat facilitator, Emily strategically advises and supports businesses, teams and individuals in growing and realizing their full potential in purposeful and balanced ways. Described by The Ledger as bringing a “fresh face to leadership”, Emily authors a monthly column intended to inspire leadership excellence. Prior to starting her business in 2013, as President & Chief Growth officer of IEG (a WPP company), she advised Fortune 100 brands, professional sports teams, entertainment properties and global nonprofits on how to form mutually beneficial strategic alliances. Emily is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council, International Coach Federation, Institute of Coaching, Lakeland Economic Development Council, Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, and the Central Florida Development Council. She and her husband live on their family ranch in Lakeland, Florida where they raise beef cattle and grow citrus. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/239 Emily’s website: https://emilyrogers.com Books mentioned: The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul Your Body Is Your Brain by Amanda Blake Finding the Space to Lead by Janice Marturano Join our Thought Leader Academy at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/. Download our FREE workbook on how to position yourself as a thought leader: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/. Schedule a consult call with us to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact. Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Emily Rogers = https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyhowellrogers/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 193: Five Kinds of Stories to Share in Your Thought Leadership Content Episode 214: Top Takeaways from Our Speaking Coaches

Aug 17, 2021 • 40min

238: What's IN Your Way IS Your Way to Your Thought Leadership with Betsy Jordyn

This is an incredibly powerful conversation about owning and telling our story and what it looks like to develop into a thought leader. My guest is Besty Jordyn, who is truly a brand whisperer. She has a magical ability to understand who her clients are at a deep level and help them position their business and marketing. Betsy went through our Thought Leader Academy earlier this year and on our final graduation call, Betsy shared her journey through the program. This part of her speech stopped me in my tracks: “What I thought was *in my way* to my thought leadership was *the way* to my thought leadership. What I felt crippled me actually qualifies me for the message that I want to deliver to others,” Betsy said. Betsy and I have had many conversations since then about what it means to be a thought leader, so I asked Betsy to come on the podcast to talk more about her own experiences and the insightful model she’s developed. As you listen to this episode, think for yourself if there’s something you have within yourself that could be the way to your thought leadership message, especially if it feels like right now it is what’s holding you back. Betsy and I talk about: What it means to find the right business for you What Betsy realized about her thought leadership message The surprising question Betsy asks her clients to discover what their natural passion is Normalizing our experiences and flaws and releasing shame around our story The feminist power of owning and telling our story The differences between the hero’s journey and the heroine’s journey Betsy’s 4 stages of adulthood maturity, including going through the dark night of the soul to let go of the false ego to reach stage 4 to be of authentic service to the world Examples of people who have reached stage 4, including Oprah, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Monica Lewinsky Thought leadership is about your lived experience, not just about what you know intellectually The role of loss, grief, and suffering in developing into an authentic thought leader (I share my own realization around this) Recognizing the narratives we tell ourselves and when they no longer serve us About My Guest: Betsy Jordyn is a business positioning strategist, keynote speaker, podcaster and prolific content creator. Her business development firm builds strong and powerful brands for remarkable consultants and coaches and their unique strengths. Simply put, her team designs credible online stores that position consultants and coaches as thought leaders and sought-after experts. She personally helps her clients find the words to describe the value of what they do and use them on their website and in their marketing. You can learn more about her mentoring and marketing agency services at https://www.betsyjordyn.com. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/238 Betsy’s website = https://www.betsyjordyn.com Betsy’s podcast “Enough Already” = https://www.betsyjordyn.com/podcasts/enough-already Download our FREE workbook on how to position yourself as a thought leader: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/. Get on the interest list for our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/. Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact. Connect on LinkedIn: Carol on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Carol on Instagram= https://www.instagram.com/carolmorgancox Betsy on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsy-jordyn/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 232: Are You an Influencer, an Expert, or a Thought Leader? with Carol Cox Episode 233: 3 Types of Thought Leadership Models with Carol Cox

Aug 10, 2021 • 40min

237: The Power of Being Vulnerable with Your Personal Story with Cyndi Shifrel

I know from first-hand experience how hard and scary it can be to be vulnerable sharing a deeply personal story that reveals something that shows you’re not perfect. And I also know how incredibly powerful doing so can be. Not only for those who hear it, but for yourself. This is the journey that our guest Cyndi Shifrel has gone through during the past year, as COVID dramatically impacted her events businesses. As the CEO of two businesses (with nearly 40 employees) and a leader in her community, it wasn’t easy for Cyndi to decide to share what she went through, both from a business perspective and also her own personal struggles. And yet doing so has helped others and has shaped her thought leadership message. Cyndi is currently in our Thought Leader Academy and has been working one-on-one with our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz, so I asked Diane to interview Cyndi about her journey. Diane and Cyndi talk about: How Cyndi’s thought leadership message emerged from the dramatic impact COVID had on her events businesses The fears of being vulnerable and sharing your personal story when you’re a CEO and leader in your community On the flip side, the benefits of being vulnerable and sharing your personal story The work Diane and Cyndi are doing on her keynote signature talk What Cyndi has most appreciated about being in our Thought Leader Academy Enrollment for our Thought Leader Academy is opening again in September! Get the details and join our interest list at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/. About Our Guest: With over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience, Cyndi Shifrel is the President and CEO of Orlando Wedding & Party Rentals, a full service luxury event and party rental company that specializes in upscale, tailored event rentals. She is also the President and CEO of Central Florida Luxury Restroom Trailers, a company that provides luxury restroom trailers for events. Cyndi has helped to grow her award winning company to a staff of more than 40 employees and is considered to be a leader in the event rental industry. Her company was fortunate to make it on Orlando Business Journal's Fastest 50 growing companies in Central Florida for the past several years. Most recently she started her own brand, The Gingerpreneur, a podcast that provides insight, tactics and advice on the daily challenges and success stories from women making a difference in the hospitality industry. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. This episode is hosted by our lead speaking coach, Diane Diaz. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/237 Cyndi’s websites: https://thegingerpreneur.com/ and https://orlandoweddingandpartyrentals.com/ Download our FREE workbook on how to position yourself as a thought leader: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/. Get on the interest list for our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ Schedule a consult call with us to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact. Connect on social: Diane on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz Cyndi on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyndishifrel/ Cyndi on FB = https://www.facebook.com/thegingerpreneur/?ref=pages_you_manage Cyndi on Instagram = http://instagram.com/the_gingerpreneur Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 185: My Journey as a Thought Leader and How We’re Evolving at Speaking Your Brand with Carol Cox [Thought Leadership Series] Episode 213: The V.O.I.C.E. of Thought Leaders with Carol Cox [Big Ideas Series]

Aug 3, 2021 • 41min

236: Using One Story with Different Angles for Different Audiences with Chanta Wilkinson

You know that including stories, especially personal stories, in your presentations is important to connect with and engage the audience. This is true whether you’re giving a keynote, a business presentation, or a training. Along with integrating various stories and examples throughout your presentations, you can also have one core story that illustrates your topic and why it’s important. This is what my guest Chanta Wilkinson and I have been working on during our coaching sessions as part of our Thought Leader Academy. Chanta provides trainings and workshops for organizations around diversity, equity, and inclusion, so we identified a story going back to when she was a young girl that perfectly illustrates why she has gravitated to this work and why DEI is so important. Even better, we’ve identified different angles she can use from this one core story, depending on who’s in the audience and what she wants to emphasize. You are going to love Chanta’s energy and passion for what she does! Enrollment for our Thought Leader Academy is opening again in September! Get the details and join our interest list at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/. About My Guest: Chanta Howard Wilkinson is the founder of Chanta Wilkinson Consulting, LLC, where she provides diversity, equity and inclusion consulting and assistance to organizations implementing diversity, equity and inclusion strategies and best practices. Chanta previously served as a Human Resources Consultant for small to mid-size businesses in Delaware and New York City. Prior to that, she served as the Associate Director of EEO/AA for Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. In addition, she also served as a Deputy Attorney General and an EEO/Affirmative Action Coordinator for the New Jersey Office of Attorney General and an Associate at a large New Jersey law firm. Chanta holds a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law, a BA from Rutgers College, and a Diversity & Inclusion for HR Certificate from Cornell University. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/236 Chanta’s website: https://www.chantawilkinsonconsultingllc.com/ Download our FREE workbook on how to position yourself as a thought leader: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/guide/. Get on the interest list for our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ Schedule a consult call to talk about creating your signature talk and thought leadership platform: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact. Connect on LinkedIn: Carol on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Carol on Instagram= https://www.instagram.com/carolmorgancox SYB on YouTube = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS7AtXV0f_HL09mepAON65w Chanta on LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/chanta-howard-wilkinson-547ab8a0/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 137: The Missing Ingredients in Your Stories with Carol Cox Episode 193: Five Kinds of Stories to Share in Your Thought Leadership Content with Carol Cox Episode 232: Are You an Influencer, an Expert, or a Thought Leader? with Carol Cox Episode 233: 3 Types of Thought Leadership Models with Carol Cox

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!

Get the app