A Blog By Speakers, For Speakers.
What Is Your Why?
By Shanita Baraka Akintonde, MBA, M.Ed, DTM | Growing up as a little Black girl on the vibrant south side of Chicago, I never imagined that my voice would one day carry across continents, resonating with audiences around the world. But from those humble beginnings emerged a dream – a dream to become a speaker,…
Elevate Your Stagecraft: Three Tips to Use Improv to Improve Your Speaking
By Candy Campbell, DNP, RN, CNL, CVP, CEP, LNC, FNAP | You’ve done the sound check. Gone to the bathroom. Drank some water. In a few seconds, you’ll step on the stage and deliver the message you’ve worked so hard to create. You’re excited, pumped…. but you also realize, you’re terrified! (Even seasoned speakers know…
Using Words That Embrace a Wider Audience
By Jess Pettitt, CSP | If I told you that a minimum of 10% of your audience would instantly feel more connected to you if you wore yellow on stage, how many of you would re-consider your wardrobe choices? Maybe a few of you are going, “WOW! That is why I get so many new…
Printing Money Legally | Licensing Your Intellectual Property to Corporations
By Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE | I have made millions of dollars licensing my intellectual property to corporations of all sizes, worldwide, and I’m telling you this in the hopes of inspiring you to do the same. Without question, licensing my intellectual property is one of the primary reasons I’ve been able to build and…
Revenue and Reputation from Research
By Wally Adamchik, CSP | One of the biggest challenges we face is finding and talking with qualified prospects. Nobody likes to be sold to, but many people like to talk. Research is your opportunity to get people talking. You gain access, establish credibility by asking good questions, and gather content to use in your…
Building a Speaking Business That Fills Your Soul! | Part Two
By Mike Domitrz, CSP, CPAE | Once I was focused on serving THROUGH my Zone of Genius, nothing could stop me . . . until I had a moment to pause when there was a small break in my busy speaking schedule. And without realizing it, suddenly I was falling back into the mindset of,…
Building a Speaking Business That Fills Your Soul! | Part One
By Mike Domitrz, CSP, CPAE | “How many events do you speak at a year?” “How much do you make?” “How much have you diversified your speaking income?” “What are the hot topics I should focus my speaking business on right now?” Have you ever heard any of these questions? Have you felt the pressure…
Balancing a Speaking Career and a Full-Time Job: My Journey
By Thom Singer, CSP | Many people will tell you to “burn the boats” and go full-time into your speaking career, as if that is the only way to achieve success. However, many successful speakers incorporate speaking as part of their business or as a side business. You should never believe that this is solely…
Mastering the Art of Saying Yes or No to Below Full Fee Offers
By Laurie Guest, CSP, CPAE | As a professional speaker, one of the trickiest decisions you’ll face is whether to accept a “below full fee” booking. While it might be tempting to say yes to every opportunity, doing so can lead to fatigue, undervaluation of your skills, and missed chances for more lucrative engagements. That’s…
