I joined the National Speakers Association in 2018 and later served as President of NSA Colorado. In those years, I have watched our profession grow in both reach and noise. Open LinkedIn on any given day, and it seems everyone is a keynote speaker. I celebrate the enthusiasm, but I also know there is a … Read more
With 3,500 paid speaking engagements over the past 48 years, I have taken about 9,000 separate flights, including connections. I’ve stayed in over 3,000 hotels and taken a huge number of taxis, limos, private and Uber rides in places where I had never been before. What are your travel numbers? Isn’t it amazing how many … Read more
In my last article, I wrote about the tension many speakers face as we grow — how success can sneakily outpace our systems, our energy, and even our joy. What I’ve learned since then is this: capacity isn’t about keeping up. It’s about building ahead. If your speaking business is your vehicle, capacity is the … Read more
I still remember the moment I realized I couldn’t do it all myself anymore. I was walking off stage after delivering a keynote that had taken weeks of preparation, managing all the logistics, communications, travel details, and follow-up myself. My inbox was exploding, and I had multiple training sessions booked the next day in a … Read more
Eight years ago, I walked away from the security of a steady paycheck. People thought I was crazy. I had a good job, benefits, and what many would call a stable life. But deep down, I wasn’t living—I was existing. A quote by Oscar Wilde haunted me: “To live is the rarest thing in the … Read more
BE YOURSELF! So often when I present to speakers, they come up to me afterwards and say, “Thank you for giving me permission to be myself on stage!” I really understand now – but I didn’t earlier in my career! My mentor, Michael Grinder, the world’s leading authority (in my opinion) on non-verbal communication, said … Read more
Okay, the words “Clooney” and “paparazzi” in this headline may seem to go together. But…genocide? Yet if you do what I do, and search online for old media stories, you’d discover an amazing insight on how to make our speeches more “sticky.” This insight came from a Newsweek cover story on George Clooney (“A 21st … Read more
The final lessons I’ve collected on building a thriving speaking business involve strategic growth and cultivating the professional relationships that continue to sustain me. These lessons include smart referrals, increasing rates with confidence, staying relevant, and engaging meaningfully with our professional community—all while maintaining the personal well-being that makes success truly worthwhile. – 15. Refer … Read more
Once you’ve considered the foundational items covered in Part 1, the focus shifts to creating efficient systems and strategic market positioning. This section covers the operational backbone lessons that enabled my growth —from systematizing my processes to mastering client qualification, pricing strategies, and even travel logistics. These lessons helped me to work smarter, continue to … Read more
This has been on my mind for years. I entered this business as a trainer, taking lessons I had learned from my decade in the productivity space. The first paid workshop I delivered was a “lunch and learn” for a state government office in 2006, where I earned $100. Over the next few years, I … Read more