You want to get paid to speak, right? Yet the thought of pricing and negotiating your speaking fees makes you feel uneasy. You’re not sure what to charge. You don’t know how to negotiate or what to negotiate for. You think “we don’t have a budget” means that you’re not going to get paid at all. If this is you, you’re going to love our first guest expert interview on The Rebel Speaker. Our guest expert is Jen Gresham who runs a blog called Everyday Bright, and Jen is truly remarkable. She has a Ph.D. in biochemistry. She spent years in the Air Force, and now she's an executive coach and business strategist. One of her areas of specialty is money mindset. When I first met Jen, what I loved most about her, was that I could tell she had a very healthy money mindset. She lit up when she talked about money, and that really attracted me to her and her message, and I thought people needed to hear from you. In this episode (and the transcript below) we are going to dive deep into money mindset issues including: Why is money mindset so important for speakers How to set your speaking fee How to talk to meeting planners so you understand the value your speech creates for them. A strategy for negotiating a win-win outcome for you and the person who wants to hire you.

Let's talk about what it means to step into leadership and own your power with our guest today, Lena West. Lena knows what it means to lead and to be a powerhouse in your field. She shows women entrepreneurs how to discover their inner CEO and leverage that knowledge to build a business that loves them back. I kind of love that. Yay. On the show today. we are talking about leadership and owning your power. I've noticed a disturbing trend that too many business owners and speakers are abdicating their leadership role in their industry in favor for the four hour work week, or in pursuit of their next seven, eight, nine-figure launch. If you're a business owner, you are a leader. If you're a speaker, you are a leader. Let's talk about it.

If you have ever been on the verge of pushing the send button on an important email pitch - the one for the gig on a stage you have always dreamed of being and suddenly you hear a voice. "Who do you think you are to be pitching for that speaking gig? You don't have enough experience, maybe if you had a Ph.D. then you could pitch for that speaking gig. And what if you get it? What if you get it? They're all going to find out you don't know what you're talking about." If you've had that experience or you're thinking right now, "Michelle, get out of my head." You have experienced the imposter complex. And in my work, I see it all the time with speakers. Today, we are so fortunate to be talking to Tanya Geisler. Tanya is my coach and an expert in helping high achievers like you and me deal with the imposter complex so we can own the stage and make the difference in the world we were born to make.

When I realized the number one thing holding me back in my business was me, I realized that I didn't need another course or tactic or more business coaching. I needed to get out of my own damn way. I was stopping me from success. I was stopping me from the difference that I wanted to make. I was stopping me from leading my own rebellion. I was stopping me from making the money that I wanted to make. This lead me to Tanya Geisler and her Starring Role Academy (you'll be hearing from her in the next episode!), which has been life-changing. Here's what I've learned in the last eight months of working with Tanya.

In today's three word rebellion spotlight, we have Devon Smiley. Devon is an absolute expert in a skill that each of you, including me, 1000% need for our businesses and our speaking business: she is a negotiation consultant and speaker and has 15 years of experience with Forbes' finest and small businesses alike. In today's episode, we talk about: How Devon got into the business of negotiation Why she is rebelling against the classic, "alpha-dog" style of negotiation The difference between being grateful and just settling with what you're given Devon's best negotiation tips, especially for those just starting out Why reframing your view of negotiation begins with everyday interactions

I really don't like telling my story. Part of the reason why is that I consider myself a fairly private person. And while I'll share whatever with my nearest and dearest people sharing with you - the person listening to this podcast right now -  makes me rather uncomfortable. Because I wonder if you really would care if I talked more about myself. I've sat through too many speeches, podcasts, interviews, and panel discussions where the person on the stage just blathers on and on about themselves and they seem to forget about the audience or why we should even care about what they're thinking. We have all heard the advice that you should tell your story and I give this advice to my clients all the time as well because it is a great way to connect with your people. It's how you develop your know, like, and trust factor. But for those of us who are hesitant to tell our stories, let's talk about four alternatives to telling your story that can help you connect with your audience.

Being seen. We speakers crave it. And yet, at the same time, we are a bit terrified by it as well. If we get on stage, Facebook Live, a webinar, or a podcast and tell our story and share our expertise, we wonder what will they think? Then we worry that they won't show up to hear us speak anyway, and if they do, they will criticize us for sharing our truth. Sharing what we're deeply passionate about is a scary proposition. It makes us vulnerable. We lay bare and we worry about the rejection of the unseen “they.” How do you feel the fear and speak your truth anyway? How do you not let the they get to you and stop you from sharing your message? I know the speakers that I work with like to share their story to connect with the audience. But that puts us in a place of vulnerability. On the podcast today, I give you three questions to ask yourself so that you can speak your truth from a place of strength instead of a place of fear. Plus, one of the most overlooked places to find your story that connects with the audience.

Share your soul stirring story. Your story? It's your legacy. You must share it on the stage. You are doing your audience a huge disservice if you don't share your story. Heck, the whole world wants to hear your story. Or, do they? Telling your story is very popular public speaking advice. However, a friend of mine did an informal poll on Facebook asking, "What breaks your trust with a speaker?" The number one answer was fascinating to me, because the number one thing that breaks the audience’s trust with you, the speaker, is talking about yourself too much. We have conflicting information right? On one hand, we have all of these speaking gurus who are telling you to share your story, because that's what's important, and that's how you'll connect with your audience. On the other hand, you have people saying they don't want to hear it. What direction, as a speaker, should you go in so that telling your story isn't undermining your speaking credibility and hurting your speaking business? Find out in this week’s episode of the Rebel Speaker.

Time. There's never enough of it, right? If you are feeling time starved, like there's not enough hours in the day to do the work that you want to do, I 100 percent feel you right now. I am spending my days working with my clients, who I love, talking with potential clients, working on business development, writing the three word rebellion book, working with my coach and recording this podcast - so I know you're super busy too. Yet you also have your eye on making a difference in this world, making your impact.  When I talk to people who are thinking about working with me and they tell me that they will do it when they have more time, I know that it's a trap. Why? Because there will never be more time. There will never be a better time. It’s a myth - just like sasquatch and unicorns (sorry unicorn fans). Now the question becomes, for me and for you, how do you create the time and space to focus on your message, to focus on your three word rebellion and have the time to launch it into the world so that it actually makes a difference? Now, let's create more time for you to do that work. More time for making a difference with your message and getting paid for it.

What's next? When I finished working with a client, I always want them to leave with a plan for what's next. They have done the creative work with me to find their three word rebellion, craft those talking points, write a speech or create a workshop or Webinar to launch their message into the world. When they leave, I want to make sure that they have an action plan for getting visibility on their message. And this action plan is completely customized to them.  It can include strategies for finding speaking gigs, for podcasts, opportunities, whether or not they should launch their own podcast. There is also one piece of advice that I always give to my clients.   It is the one action that is so simple to take. It's so very effective and yet it's also the hardest to implement even for me, and it's the subject of this week's rebel speaker podcast.

That "I'm not ready" feeling.   It creeps in every time you want to expand, to get bigger with your message. And your 3 Word Rebellion? Well that requires you to get bigger. (If you don't know what a 3 Word Rebellion is, go to threewordrebellion.com and check it out) That 3 Word Rebellion requires you to take up more space, to speak its truth every day of the week. When you and I see that requirement, it is so easy to let the "I'm not ready" feeling to creep in. I hear it all the time when I'm on decision making calls with potential clients. They tell me "I'll be ready when I reach seven figures in my business." "I'll be ready after I work with this coach and then take this other course and then maybe do this mastermind program.” "I'll be ready when I finish the book or launched the course or teach the workshop..." "I'll be ready when life settles down"  Side note, rebels, it never will. "I'll be ready when I have large expanses of time to focus on my message." Here's the rebel truth: You'll always move the readiness finish line. Your readiness to spread the message to get known for the work you do is not dependent on being more, taking more courses, getting another degree, or making a gazillion figures. Your readiness depends on your decision to feel uncomfortable.   Because "I'll be ready" keeps us safe when we know we have to move out of our comfort zone. So how do you know when you're really ready? Here are three signs that you’re ready to get out there and be seen and know for your 3 Word Rebellion.

I know you shouldn’t have a favorite episode. It’s a bit like having a favorite child or favorite cat. It just shouldn’t be done. This interview is my favorite interview I’ve ever done for the Rebel Speaker Podcast. Jennie Nash is a book coach who helped yours truly develop and put words around the 3 Word Rebellion framework. When Jennie asked if she could come on the pod, and talk through her own 3 Word Rebellion, I said: “hell yes, you can!” She and I covered so much more than that during this episode. We chatted about: What’s wrong with this book publishing industry and how it should change Why that little orange bestseller flag on Amazon is MEANINGLESS (and what you should really be after) What authors and speakers need a heck of a lot more when they are bringing their ideas to life (this was the genesis of Jennie’s 3 Word Rebellion) Why finding your 3 Word Rebellion is so darn hard What you should create first -- the book, the speech or the course Why investing in your idea and your business feels risky and is worth it Tune in for our conversation

What kind of weirdo wants to start a movement? I mean seriously! Starting a business or being a speaker is crazy making enough. And a movement -- wow that’s a whole other ball of complexity. Lucky for you and me, we are not alone in our quest to create something that is bigger than our business. Nikki Groom, the host of the Movement Makers podcast, is on a mission to support aspiring Change Makers to step into their leadership role and create their movement. If you’ve been working on your 3 Word Rebellion and have your sights set on create a following of people who are the messengers of your message, you want to listen to this show! In this episode, Nikki and I discuss: What defines a Movement Maker (it’s simpler than you think) Why you absolutely MUST have other people around you to create change on scale The critical difference between a Leader and a “Guru” How authenticity and showing your screw ups is a key leadership trait for Movement Makers Launching a rebellion requires you to step up into leadership. Tune into find out how to be a Movement Maker

There’s such a focus on scaling your business to 6-figure, 7-figures, a gazillion figures in the business world. I’ve always found that emphasis on money meaningless (not that I don’t love money and the freedom that it brings...it’s just a hollow goal to chase). The business owners that I have been talking to lately have been focused on creating something bigger than their business. They want to make a huge difference and they want their message to take on a life of its own. The 3 Word Rebellion plays a large role in that...but those 3 Words are not enough to get people to act and spread your message. For that you need an inciting incident that takes your audience on a journey that removes their resistance to change and allows them to embrace your message. Find out how to create that message that is bigger than your business in this episode of the podcast.

You've done the work, you've discovered your 3 Word Rebellion and you're super excited about it (even if you haven't discovered yours yet, don't worry, I'll tell you how to get help with that). But now that you have your 3 Word Rebellion, you may be wondering, now what? How do I get this message out there? What do I DO with my 3 Word Rebellion A 3 Word Rebellion doesn't do you or the world any good if you keep it under wraps or don't know how to disseminate that message. While the 3 Word Rebellion is the hook that gets people interested and curious about what you’re creating, you'll need something more to get people to raise their hand and say yes to your business, to the movement that you're creating. You're going to have to persuade them to join you. Let’s  talk about the next step in launching your rebellion and creating that message that is bigger than you and your business. Let’s create an inciting incident that spreads your message. What’s that you ask? You’ll have to check out this episode of the pod to find out.

The number one question I am asked about the 3 Word Rebellion is, “can you give me some examples of great 3 Word Rebellions?” Of course I can. 3 word Rebellions are all around us. All you need to do is look for them. On this episode of the rebel Speaker Podcast, I'll talk about what makes a 3 Word Rebellion compelling. I'll give you three case studies of 3 Word Rebellions that I think are awesome and why they work. Finally I have a special announcement I'll be revealing to you how you can work with me on crafting your very own 3 word Rebellion. If you haven't already, I highly recommend you head over to three wordRebellion.com and grab the framework so you can start discovering your 3 Word Rebellion right now. Enjoy the show!

We are CELEBRATING the 100th episode of the Rebel Speaker Podcast. Woo-hoo!! Pop the champagne. Throw the confetti. Strike up the band. We are having a party. We’ve got a very special episode of the podcast. Maggie Patterson of Small Business Boss, flips the mic on me and asks me questions. As one of my business besties, she knows where all the bodies are buried all my secrets. I rant. I rave. You get to find out which of my cats I’m most like. Seriously here is exactly what you’ll take away: What I believe is the WORST piece of public speaking advice (hint: there’s more than one answer) How the heck you can figure out your message! Why you need a message bigger than you and your business What devotion has to do with your legacy Who is a movement maker that I see on the rise (an awesome opportunity to brag about my clients and their work) How my doctorate relates 100% to the work that I do The telltale signs of when it’s time to work with me

We are kicking off a new series on the Rebel Speaker podcast called, The Movement Makers Spotlight. A movement maker is a catalyst who uses their message to change the world for the better. Using the three-word rebellion framework, we dive deep into the change these movement makers want to create. Plus, it gives you an insight on how others crafted their own 3 Word Rebellion. I am so excited because our very first guest is Amber Rae. She is called a millennial motivator by Fortune and the Brené Brown of wonder by MindBodyGreen.  Amber helped launch six bestselling books as chief evangelist of Seth Godin's publishing experiment and started an accelerator for your life called the Bold Academy. Her upcoming book, Choose Wonder Over Worry... well that title had me at hello. It’s an amazing example of a 3 Word Rebellion. Fun fact: I’m the Olympic Champion of worry. I’ve struggled for ages with quieting down my own brain so that I can sleep at night. Becoming an entrepreneur only worsened my non-stop worrying mind. Additionally, I see worry so much with my clients who are on the verge of becoming even more visible. They worry about being reject. They worry about landing the gig. They worry about never making it to the big stage. It’s time to stage a rebellion from worry. On this episode Amber and I talk about: What she’s really rebelling against (and it’s actually not worry) The one thing that ALL worry is rooted in The change she wants to create in the world and a few very actionable steps to deal with your worry What the world would be like if everyone Choose Wonder Over Worry And I 100% encourage you to pre-order her new book, Choose Wonder Over Worry.

Did you know that Dr. Seuss's editor challenged him to write a book using only 50 words? He accepted and rose to that challenge. Oh, yes, he did, and that book became one of the most beloved Dr. Seuss books of all time, Green Eggs and Ham. Now, I'm a rebel. I'm also a nerd who likes structure, so my motto is always rebel and do it with structure and a plan. A rebellion without structure is a riot. The purpose of the 3 Word Rebellion is to craft a statement that encapsulates the change you want to create. It's the hook that makes people sit up, take notice, and say “Yes.” You need constraints to bolster your creativity otherwise it's chaos. Chaos that has you swimming in a sea of possibilities. Never making a decision on what your message is going to be and not moving forward. It's analysis paralysis. You've done the free writing for your 3 Word Rebellion. (If you haven’t head over to threewordrebellion.com and get the playbook!) It's time to create the constraints. Here are three creative constraints for crafting your 3 Word Rebellion.

Rebel truth time. It's hard to figure out your message. If you have been struggling to find the right words, know that there's nothing wrong with you and it's just a difficult process. Because we want to get it right and we hold onto finding that message so tightly that we can't see the right words in front of our face most of the time. Mark Twain once said, "The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. 'Tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning." He's right. The right words call our people in. The right words incites action. The right words spread our message and the right words create the change we want to see. Phew, that's a lot of pressure, right? No wonder we struggle so much to find the right words that we never get out of our head, we never launch our speaking career, and we don't move forward. One of the goals of The 3 Word Rebellion is to move you past all that pressure. Because this should be fun, it should be an enjoyable journey that's inherently creative. But we hold so tightly onto getting it right that we never get out of our heads to start getting it almost right so that we can strengthen it and find those right words. Let's stop the pressure and start having some fun.

William Faulkner once said about writing that you have to “kill your darlings.” Stephen King took it one step further in his book on writing and said, "Kill your darlings. Kill your darlings. Even when it breaks, your egocentric little scribbler's heart, kill your darlings." As business owners, speakers, and change makers, we get very attached to our ideas, especially the ideas that have been a part of what we speak about or how we do our business, for a very long time. It's hard to let those ideas that we love go, even though we need to evolve. It's hard to let them go, even though we know those ideas aren't serving our clients, our audiences, or our followers, at the highest level. Today, I am killing one of my dearest darlings, a darling that has been with me since this business started as a blog over six years ago. It pains me to do so, because I have podcasted, blogged, discussed on interviews, and extolled the virtue of this darling for years, but it's time to let her go. The precious darling that I'm killing today is my beloved Big Idea. I've talked about the big idea on so many podcasts that I have lost count. It has been one of the centerpieces of the work I do with my clients, but the market has changed for speakers, and has become oversaturated with speakers. Frankly, you need more than a big idea to be known and to move your audience. You need to insight action always. To do that you need to rebel...in fact you need a 3 Word Rebellion.

Trying to find your message. Describing what you want to be known for. Finding what the right words, where the right people say, "Heck yes, count me in. I want to follow you to the ends of the earth." It's hard, it sucks, and it's frustrating. There's so much trial and error that it feels like you'll never get it right. One minute you think “By George, I’ve discovered it.” The next moment you say to yourself “What was I thinking?” The fact is that you are too IN your head to find your message. The words spin around like a record player. You’re just too close to be objective. How do I know this? I see it all the time with my clients Recently, I was working with a client, and she showed up to our session rather frustrated. She said to me, "Doc." (She likes to call me Doc.) "I've been thinking about this 3 Word Rebellion all week, and I just don't know what mine is. I have no clue." So, I took her through the 3 Word Rebellion framework and 20 minutes later, ah-ha, we found it! And you know what? It's something she says all the of the time, but she was so IN her head that she couldn't see it. Here’s the rebel truth: You don’t have to struggle to find your message! Here are three awesome strategies to get you the raw material you need to find your message that you can change the world with.

When you think about doing video for your speaking business. You most likely think all you need is a sizzle reel. A three minute trailer that captures who they are, what their message is, and how they deliver it on the stage. However, if you think that the only video you need in your speaking business is your sizzle reel you're missing out on a huge opportunity to be seen, to be known. I'm not just talking about being known but having your name synonymous with your message. And, video also helps get speaking gigs. Today, I am talking with my go-to-person for all things video. Her name is Katya Varbanova aka LiveStreamKatya . She is a video marketing strategist specializing in creating viral video funnels for influencers and entrepreneurs. We are talking about all about how speakers can use video to get visible and speak more including: How video and livestreaming helped Katya land speaking gigs Why video positions you as a speaker (Katya even warns if there’s no videos of you online people might not see you as a speaker) Harnessing the power of your video audience to land paid speaking (it’s all about leverage) Katya’s approach to creating videos that go viral (it’s easier than you think) How to get started with video even if you’ve never done it before! Get visible with video so that you spread message and get known for the change you create for your audience

You know that have to be visible in order to make a difference in the world. A movement was never started by hiding out behind your computer. A speaking career is never launched by posting on Facebook and Instagram alone. People must know about you and your message in order to grow network and build relationships that grow your speaking platform. You need the help of other people. Specifically, you need the help of other people's audiences. You can't do this alone. You have to enlist others in helping you spread your message. In my opinion, one of the best and easiest ways to be exposed to other people's audience is to do podcast interviews. Why? Well according to my friend and founder of B, the PR agency, Brigitte Lyons, in the past two years podcasts have emerged as the newest media disruptor. Everyone from major brands to indie businesses to speakers are flocking to get their message out through podcast. As a speaker, you should be doing this too. You can get known for your message when you appear on a podcast. Let's face it, getting on a podcast is much faster and easier than landing a speaking gig. So let's get you on some podcasts.

Are you hiding out? Worried about how much of your speech you should share online? Because what if you share too much and no one wants to hire you to speak? What if someone steals your whole speech? If you do a Facebook Live on a portion of your speech, does it devalue what you deliver on stage? The answer: All these questions are keeping you playing small. They keep you hiding out. These questions stop you from sharing your message. They stop you from making your speech, your message, synonymous with your name. It's time to stop hiding out, stop hiding your message away because you're worried about something that may or may not happen, because hiding away means that no one knows you. And if they don't know you, if no one is buzzing about you, then no one is going to be hiring you to speak, and the change you want to create in the world is going to languish in obscurity. It’s your time. Come out of hiding. Here are the three big reasons why you need to create your own damn stage and get visible stat.

There is one aspect of speaking that I absolutely cannot help speakers with. That's the speaking contract. I am not a lawyer nor do I play one on TV, so I am not comfortable at all consulting with you on what your speaking contract looks like. However, I know that a speaking contract is an essential piece of your speaking business, so while I'm not an attorney, my guest today is. Today we are lucky to have Christina Scalera. She is the attorney and founder behind The Contract Shop, a contract template store for creative entrepreneurs, wedding professionals, and coaches, and speakers like you. This episode gave me several aha’s not only about how you can protect your ASSets but also about how a contract can make you more money including: Why contracts actually make you money How to establish the copyright of your speech and understand your intellectual property right Negotiation (even for your fee) isn’t over until the speaking contract is signed Why you might not need to hire a lawyer when a good speaking contract template is all you need Tune in and cover your legal butt!

I know that a lot of you are onboard with rebelling against the status quo and creating for your audience and your industry a big change. But there might be this little tiny voice in your head, a voice of reason, wondering, "Can I actually earn a living doing this?" In the past, I have talked so much about getting paid to speak (because it’s 1000% important). You might be wondering if going this direction, focusing on making an impact, and then making a profit from that impact, can actually support you. The answer is yes. I'm still and always will be a fierce advocate that speakers should get paid for the value they create for organizations. (Can I get an Amen?) I want to address this objection head-on of how do you get paid to speak when you're trying to create this movement. In this episode, there are the two key, fundamental truths of getting paid to speak while also creating this movement

Every movement and every speech must be moving people away from something, away from something that's in the status quo and towards something else. We have talked about what you're rebelling against in the status quo of your industry. What do you want to shake up? What do you want to change? What are you rebelling against? But rebelling isn't enough. Pointing out that something needs to change isn't going to make your message spread and make a lasting impact. We saw this with a 99% movement. They rebelled against Wall Street, but they didn't have a vision or plan for how to change the status quo and what it would look like if they changed it. The movement ultimately fizzled. The rebellion is the first part of being a speaker who starts a movement with their message, figuring out what is causing people a challenge or a pain that needs to be overcomed. The most important part is you've got to show what people are moving towards. And that’s the focus of this episode of the Rebel Speaker Podcast

It's so easy to look at other people's endings and compare those to your beginning or even your middle. I think speakers do that a lot especially when they are trying to create something bigger than themselves. I admit that I do this! When I first started my business I was following a speech coach who had been in business for 20-years, and beating myself up for reaching her level of success. Not good! But when you are creating something with more meaning, with more impact, with the potential to make a difference, it’s so easy to compare yourself. You look at  Simon Sinek and think, "Wow, that guy showed up overnight and exploded. His TED Talk has like a gazillion views." Here's the rebel truth: Simon Sinek did not start with a gazillion views on a TED Talk. You are coming in at his end (however, I’d wager that talk was his middle). So where do you start? How do you do this crazy, bold, audacious thing of starting a movement with your message? You start by stopping, by shifting and then by asking. That’s the first step to starting a movement.

For the past two weeks, we've been talking about building something much bigger than a speaking business. Something with much more impact. Something that has the potential to change lives or even society or culture. And I've been calling you to step into something huge, something that you are at the epicenter of. Where you're the catalyst, you're the change maker, and you're that speaker making it happen. And while all that might be exciting to you, it also might be freaking you out. I am RIGHT there with you. When I decided to start talking about speaking in the context of creating something movement, I became freakishly excited about the possibilities of what I was creating, and also completely terrified. There’s been all the fraudy, fraudy, feelings. The inner critic shouting “what are you doing? You’ll never pull this off? Who do you think you are?” And then the excitement of feeling in my bones that this is the message that I want to share most. This is what I want to create most in the world. Everything has been leading up to this moment… ...and then there's voice again telling me no. How do you deal with it? You tune into this episode and get 3 tools to help you speak for impact!

“How do I book speaking gigs?” I get this question all the time. I know why. It’s frustrating to figure out. You’re on the book of Face and see a friend post “I just booked my first speaking gig of 2018! Huzzah!” You wonder how did she do that? But that’s the wrong question to ask. She booked the gig because people KNOW her. How do you get people to know you? How do you get them to see you as an expert? How do you get people to spread your message for you? Change and devotion. We paint a picture of change and then we deliver on that promise to our audience. We become wildly devoted to that change and helping people create it in their lives. And we talk about it EVERYWHERE! (The month of March is going to be devoted to that...so stay tuned). After last week's podcast about creating movements to move your speaking forward, there might be a practical side of you that is wondering why the heck should you be building a movement with speaking at the heart of that movement? Here are 3 reasons why you should think BIGGER than speaking and start a movement with your message

True story: The Rebel Speaker Podcast almost became a thing of the past. As I wrapped up recording the last episode of the podcast in November, the question “what the heck am I going to talk about next year?” popped into my head. And then I remembered WHY I started this business in the first and WHY I got my Ph.D. and WHY I’ve been learning and practicing the craft of speaking and coaching speakers for 25 years. And this WHY is why I am issuing a big, bold challenge today. Listen in to the Rebel Speaker Podcast to find out!

You've decided to be a speaker and build your speaking business. Now the universe is going to test you on how badly you want it. You send out a pitch and get a "thanks but no thanks", or you send out a pitch and you hear crickets. You're in the middle of a negotiation for your speaking fee and they say "Sorry, we don't have any budget to pay you". They're going to be times where you need to have the cojones to walk away and say no to speaking gigs. It takes tenacity and fortitude to make your speaking goals a reality. How are you going to do this? The best way is to go through this exercise that I make all of my clients do before they start pitching, setting their fee or even get on a call to negotiate their fee. It's even a great exercise to have in the back of your mind right before you're going to step on stage and nail it. Find out what that exercise is in this episode of The Rebel Speaker.

Every successful speaker that I've ever chatted with has had a secret weapon. The secret weapon won't be mentioned on stage or receive applause or accolades. But behind the scenes, this secret weapon has helped the speaker on their journey. It has helped the speaker go from an unknown to making $10K, $20K or $30K per speaking engagement. So what is that secret weapon and why should you have one? Find out in this week podcast episode.

Many of you know that corporate speaking is the direction that you want to go in your speaking business, but you haven't quite cracked that nut yet. How do you break in? How do you know if your message is going to appeal to the corporate crowd? We are lucky today because we have Simon T. Bailey as our guest, and he is one of America's top 10 most-booked corporate and association speakers on change, leadership, and customer experience. He has worked with over 1,500 organizations, has impacted more than two million people through his presentations and seminars in 45 countries.  Some of his clients include AT&T, IBM, Mastercard, Seattle's own Microsoft, and Toyota. Simon reveals some rebel truths about corporate speaking including: Why motivational speaking won’t get you in the door and what to do instead Find out how to take an inspirational message and turn it into a speech that is marketable to corporations Discover why speaking about your passion is NOT the best idea for corporate speaking when you’re starting out Why you need a body of work so you can go deeper with organizations that hire you (and create more revenue) The four things you can start doing today to build relationships to book corporate gigs

One of the things I do with speakers to help them find the message that they want to be known for is a free writing exercise where I give them the prompt: I believe ... They write a manifesto of sorts of what they believe about their area of expertise, their industry, the audience they serve. Sometimes it goes into about life itself when they are really on a roll. I've realized after 83 episodes of The Rebel Speaker Podcast that I have never shared what my I believe list is. I've never shared what I am trying to create in the speaking industry and for the speakers that I serve. I wanted to end this season of The Rebel Speaker Podcast with my Christmas wish for you by sharing what I believe about the speaking industry and what I would like to see created.

What do you want to achieve with your speaking? What kind of impact do you want to make? What business are you building? This is the time of year where my coaching practice gets full of people who are envisioning what their next year will look like.  They begin to imagine how speaking fits into that year in order to  take their message to a wider audience, make an even bigger impact and get paid to do it. They all are curious about how I can help them get to their next stage of speaking. I love, love, love these conversations! It doesn’t matter whether the speaker is up and coming and just starting out or it's a speaker who has been in the business for years, I love hearing about their vision and what they feel is really getting in the way of moving them forward to that vision. What I have found, time and time again, is that there are specific moves...decisions even...that speakers need to make to take their speaking career to the next phase. Moves that can help them book more speaking gigs, get paid, and most importantly make a bigger differences in the world. Here are my top five big moves that you should make to drive your speaking career forward into the next year!

I’ve been staring into my crystal ball (aka reading meeting planning trends report) to find out what 2018 has in store for speaker. The speaking industry is ever changing and ever evolving, and you've got to stay on top of it in order to make your speaking grow. Once upon a time, as a speaker, you needed to have a buffet of topics listed on your website. If you could talk about leadership and goal setting and time management and communication skills, awesome. The more topics, the better. Pretty much if you could read a book about it, you could be speaking about it. In recent years, these speakers have started to struggle because the speaking industry and the people who book speakers are looking for speakers who are experts on their particular topic. In the past couple of weeks, I have been pouring over meeting planner studies and meeting industry reports to identify the emerging trends in the speaking industry, and figure out how that will impact you as a speaker. Here are the five most important trends for the speaking industry in 2018 and how you can stay out in front of them.

Does it ever feel like your mind is working against you, like your mind isn't your best friend? For instance, you're about to step onstage and your brain all of a sudden starts saying to you, "Who are you to be up here? You've got to be kidding me!" Or the moment before you hit send on a big pitch, your brain says, "Oh, you should really stop kidding yourself. They would never want you as a speaker." The good news is that you are not alone. We all do this. I do this, but the even better news is that there's something you can do to remind yourself of who is really in charge of your brain. Today, on the Rebel Speaker podcast, we have Rachel Alexandria, and she is going to remind us of how we are really in charge of our brains and how to silence the inner critic. In this episode we discuss: How our brains can STOP us from sharing our message (and what to do about) Why we place so much importance on what the inner critic says Discover how to show the inner critic who is really in charge so you can get on stage anyway Why understanding the inner critic is NOT the real you is key to challenging it Recognizing and disrupting the inner critics temper tantrum  

Being seen. We speakers crave it. And yet, at the same time, we are a bit terrified by it as well. If we get on stage, Facebook Live, a webinar, or a podcast and tell our story and share our expertise, we wonder what will they think? Then we worry that they won't show up to hear us speak anyway, and if they do, they will criticize us for sharing our truth. Sharing what we're deeply passionate about is a scary proposition. It makes us vulnerable. We lay bare and we worry about the rejection of the unseen “they.” How do you feel the fear and speak your truth anyway? How do you not let the they get to you and stop you from sharing your message? I know the speakers that I work with like to share their story to connect with the audience. But that puts us in a place of vulnerability. On the podcast today, I give you three questions to ask yourself so that you can speak your truth from a place of strength instead of a place of fear.

Comparison. In this online world. it is so easy to compare ourselves to others. We've all seen that Instagram post of a speaker onstage taking a selfie with the cheering audience right behind him. Or the Facebook humble brag post about being upgraded to first class “because I travel so much for speaking #speakerslife.” These posts are enough to send you on a downward spiral into the jaws of the comparison monster, where we start wondering “why am I not on stage? “ “I have just as much to say as that person. I should be on that stage. “ “I must suck.” And I get it. I do and did that too, especially when I first started my business. But we all fall prey to that comparison monster. So how do we stop comparing ourselves and escape the grasp of the comparison monster so that we can stay focused on creating a speaking business that supports us? Here’s  one lie that the comparison monster tells us and two truths on how to defeat that monster so that you can start getting onstage.

Desire, it's a yearning. It's a strong feeling that we just wish something would happen. As a speaker, you most likely desire being seen and heard, making a difference for people, and getting paid to do it. But have you thought about what your audience desires, what each member of that collective group wants to have happen. What they're yearning for? If you haven't, you should, because desire is the key to opening the door to creating a message that audiences want, that organizations who would hire you need, and being a speaker that everyone is talking about. Let's figure out what your audience desires, based on how you want to get paid to speak.

Happy Halloween, rebel speakers. Today, on the most haunted day of the year, we are going to travel to one of the most frightening places on the planet. It is a spooky place where you spend a lot of your time. It's your own mind. Specifically what your mind is saying to you and how that is actually holding you back from speaking more. What we say to ourselves is stopping us from trusting ourselves! If you're in this place right now of doubting yourself and doubting whether the speaking thing is right for you, whether you should be doing it or not, then there are three actions you can take right now to escape the haunted house of your mind!

"Stand out or don't bother." This quotation from Sally Hogshead has always bothered me.   Although I believe 1,000 percent that standing out is critical to having a successful speaking business that makes a difference in the world, standing out is a process. You have to find that message that rises above the noise, and lucky for us, today we are talking to Marc Ensign.   Marc is a role model for how to make an impact with your message, and how to rise above all the noise that is out there. As a speaker, Marc has shared the stage with the likes of Gary Vaynerchuk, Chris Brogan, Brené Brown, Simon Sinek, (my imaginary boyfriend), and Chelsea Clinton. In this interview we discuss: If authenticity is just marketing babble or still meaningful to seapker Why Marc urges other to “be a Dick” (and it’s not at all what you think) How story fosters connection with the audience if it’s done the right way How an unconventional approach lead to amazing speaking opportunity What to do if your audience gets offended by your message

I'm sure you've been there. You're watching a speaker, taking notes, you're enjoying it, having an "Aha," moment or two, and then wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, the sales pitch comes. And it feels awkward. You feel awkward, like you should buy even though you just met this person, and they want you to spend $1,295 for their latest and greatest program. And it feels icky for you, it feels high-pressured. Like you’re being SOLD a bill of goods And while some people buy, that's not you. (Or maybe it is you; we've all fallen for this once or twice.) But more importantly, that's not the kind of speaker you want to be. Yes, you want to speak to market your business, to get clients and customers; it's part of how you're getting paid. But you don't have to be that guy on the stage, you don't have to speak to sell. You can speak to convert instead. Find out what makes a speech that converts a better way to turn audience members into clients on this episode of the Rebel Speaker Podcast.

Confession. I fell for the speak-to-sell lie. When I was first starting my business and struggling to get my feet underneath me, my coach at the time recommended that I look into a certain speak-to-sell course. It was from one of the biggest names in the industry and it cost about a thousand bucks. At that time, I was not ready to make that type of investment, so my coach gave me a copy of her own speak-to-sell talk. I decided to test it out at my Toastmasters club. Now, the content part of it rocked. It was super. It felt great. But when I got to the part about asking for the sale, I chickened out. I totally chickened out. I couldn't do it. I couldn't ask for the sale even among friends, even among people I knew. This was just practice. I couldn't do it. The reason why, it's because it didn't feel like me. It wasn't the kind of person that I wanted to be. It wasn't the kind of business that I wanted to run. I didn't want to be the person who was telling people to run to the back of the room because it's only a limited time offer. I just couldn't do that sleaze. And, yet, these big speak-to-sell courses make promises of five-figure speaking gigs and six-figure businesses, all from speaking. For most of us, that's the wrong strategy. There is a better way to get clients into your business and we're going to discussing it on episode 74 of the rebel speaking podcast.

Over the summer I’ve been working with speakers who want to use speaking to promote their business. They’ve been out there speaking. It's been fun, the audience loves them, the organizers who booked them to speak loved them. It all goes really well, and then nothing happens. No leads, no sales, maybe a few new opt-ins to their email list, but it feels like the audience forgot them as soon as they left the room, and they're not sure why. The good news is that it has nothing to do with them or their business or what they sell.   It has everything to do with the speech because it’s the reason potential clients are running away. If you are speaking for your business and want to increase the number of people that come into your business from speaking, keep on reading. There are three reasons why your speech might be chasing clients away. Tune in and find out on the Rebel Speaker Podcast

To make speaking work for your business, you’ve got to dedicate one very limited resource to it. TIME! With all of your millions of things to do, how do you fit speaking into the mix? How do you create time & focus to get the pitching, the writing and the practicing done? You start by listening to my guest, Jessica Abel, the author of the book Growing Gills: How to Find Creative Focus When You’re Drowning in Your Daily Life. Jessica’s mission is to help creatives get the work into the world. Yes as a speaker, you are most definitely a creative. During this interview, we discuss: The real reason you're not getting your speaking work done (and it’s got nothing to do with procrastination) Why “idea debt” holds your back from making progress One action to take right now to make speaking a priority tomorrow How to get back to taking action when life has gotten in the way.