The Speaker Lab Podcast

Jake Thompson shares insights on scaling a speaking business, focusing on outperforming others with experience. Discussed topics include finding mentors, building community, raising prices confidently, and preparing better than influencers in the industry.

“I think the potential disadvantage with the bureau is you might have this idea, like, if I'm on a bureau's website and they booked me once, that could really turn into something big. And that's really not the reality."Grant sat down with Brandon Edmondson, VP of Sales at Premiere Speaker Bureau, to dig into the current state of the speaking industry, things to think about as you price yourself, and if you need a speakers bureau to be successful. "We know we probably represent less than 10% of the billion dollar industry of the speaking pie, right? So that means Coca Cola, all these companies on the outside of that piece, they're just connecting directly with speakers. So the pie is huge."In this episode, they dig into:00:00 Brandon’s background and credibility 06:04 How COVID changed the speaking world.06:52 What’s shifted since then? 12:02 Let’s talk about the percentage of gigs agents are booking. 13:04 Is the world saturated with speakers?16:57 Advice for raising speaker fees for all.22:42 Why it’s important to track your own data.23:42 Sectors that are currently thriving. 28:55 What it means to be a non-exclusive speaker.32:16 How I think about pitching speakers and what your agent-speaker relationship could be. 33:28 Advice for aspiring professional speakers in demand.37:24 The number key for success as a speaker.Episode Resources: Check out Premiere SpeakersConnect with Brandon on LinkedInGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"The goal is to look at the science because there is a step by step metric to keep tabs on your career so that you know without a doubt, is this or is this not the right time to go full time?"This week, Maryalice Goldsmith is joined on the podcast by Jeremy Rochford to talk about when it’s time to go full-time with your speaking. Jeremy has a 7-step framework to make sure your transition from part-time to full-time speaker is seamless. If you’re on the fence or wondering when is the right time, this episode is for you! "There are two things that most people will say are the most valuable things in life. One, time, two, money."In this episode, Jeremy and Maryalice discuss. 01:00 Separating emotion from science in career decisions.04:37 Why timing matters.07:23 How to evaluate your readiness for a full-time speaking career. 10:16 What does this process of assessment look like in practice? 16:19 Where to grow and focus your efforts. 20:38 Reflect on the impact this will have on your routines.21:53 Discuss caregiving outcomes and implications for the people you leave behind. 25:50 Why do we recommend bouncing this off a coach? 31:00 Get serious about speaking, visit thespeakerlab.com.Episode Resources: Get Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former teacher turned full-time speaker Amy shares her journey of transitioning from motivational speaking to corporate training, leveraging both areas. She discusses the desires that unite people, fostering connections in workshops, and her plans for growing her business. The episode also touches on strategies for maintaining company reputation, benefits of a speaker program, and the importance of taking action and hard work in achieving success.

Discover how workshops can propel your speaking business to new heights with real-life success stories and practical strategies. Learn how Erick Rheam scaled his business using a 4-step system, unlocked revenue growth, and maximized impact through workshops. Explore the keys to developing engaging workshops, efficient lead generation, and converting attendees into future speaking engagements.

In this engaging discussion, Angie Besignano, a seasoned coach from The Speaker Lab, dives into the nitty-gritty of charging your worth as a speaker. She emphasizes the importance of understanding your money mindset and the need for realistic financial expectations. Angie shares strategies for setting speaking fees that reflect your expertise, navigating confidence to raise your rates, and the power of market research. Listeners will discover how to overcome self-doubt and establish boundaries to elevate their speaking careers!

Learn how to craft compelling stories that evoke emotion and shift perspectives with Ravi Rajani on this engaging podcast. Discover the power of first-person stories, the difference between mediocre and great stories, and valuable insights on mastering storytelling for B2B sales.

Rory Vaden, a personal branding expert and former door-to-door sales prodigy, shares insights on overcoming obstacles to success. He emphasizes the power of mentorship and community support in identifying one's unique strengths. Vaden discusses his transformative journey in public speaking and the importance of finding a niche. He also offers strategies for building a personal brand that stands out, encouraging listeners to view their past challenges as stepping stones to discovering their unique contributions.

Expert event planner Eve Gilmore discusses why there's a 95% chance of not getting hired and how to find better leads. They emphasize the importance of knowing your audience and niche, using clear and specific language, and being specific when identifying your target audience. They also talk about finding speaking gigs in different industries and express gratitude for the lead system at the speaker lab.

“I spoke in a literal barn last year…So for all the speakers listening, you're never too big time. You're never on a big enough stage to go speak at a barn. It kind of humbles you a little.” In this week's episode, Brittany Richmond sits down with the CEO of Streamline Books, Alex Demczak, to chat about his speaking career and how Streamline Books is helping speakers level up their businesses. "When you make a jump of any kind in your career, imagine it like this. You're in one boat, right, and you're leaping to this other boat, and you need to make sure that your boats are aligned so that when you make that jump, there's not a huge splash in the water, right. You need to make sure you go from one boat to the other. And so my mentor, they told me, they said, look, your boats with corporate America and speaking are actually, they're so close that they're actually restricting each other. They're, like, causing friction."In this episode, Brittany and Alex dig into: When Alex realized he wanted to speak Alex's origins of working for free Going pro in your speaking The credibility a book brings to your speaking business Leaving corporate America to pursue speaking full-time Streamline books, what they do, and how they help people become authors How to leverage your book as a speaker Ideas to help you negotiate better speaking contracts with your book And more! "Hey, I'm going to make an impact on one person today. I'm here for one person. I don't know who you and I both know we're probably going to make an impact on a lot more than that. But I think if you have that mentality, it's what drives you."Episode Chapters:04:12 Alex’s first experience with professional speaking and pursuing Jon Gordon to do what he does. 05:37 The moment Alex realized speaking was going to be his calling and how he got started speaking in corporate America 09:16 Overcoming rejection and sticking with the hard seasons to make an impact in the world. 13:47 What do you do when only one person shows up?! How to redirect your focus on the greater impact. 20:17 Let’s talk about the audience Alex serves every day with his message and his book22:41 Alex’s top piece of advice for growing his speaking business and how he thinks through scoping up gigs to maximize his impact 26:05 Why Alex focuses on being a value add to the people he serves and how that’s grown his business and his reputation30:57 Streamline Books deal for The Speaker Lab Podcast listeners “When you bring a team around your dream, it helps you actually get the book done.” Episode Resources: Learn more about Streamline BooksConnect with Alex on LinkedInAlex's Speaking WebsiteGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.