The Speaker Lab With Grant Baldwin // Public Speaking / Motivational Speaking / Entrepreneurship

2020 was a year like no other so it's natural for speakers to wonder about the future of live events. And our guest for today's edition of The Speaker Lab is going to weigh in with his wisdom.Brandon is the Vice-President of Premiere Speakers Bureau and, prior to the pandemic, his job was to ensure their yearly 2,000 live events were all going off as planned. March of 2020 changed all of that and on today's show he shares what this year has been like at his agency. He also gives us his views on the future of live events and whether or not this is a good time to get into the speaking industry.Join us to hear the details on episode 324 of The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:Where has he found pockets of business during the pandemic?What is the average difference in fees for virtual speaking versus live?Is virtual a real option for the long term?Why aren't keynotes working as well for virtual and what is?Will virtual be a live add-on for the future?How can you capitalize on virtual for more oppo

Speaking has changed because of COVID-19 and here to share about pivoting during a pandemic is our friend and yours Karen Harris of CMI Management.Karen is a return guest, previously joining us on episode 210 of The Speaker Lab to share about speaking management. But today we're looking at how speaking has changed in light of the global pandemic, what the future holds and the differences between the speakers who are succeeding and those who aren't during this unprecedented time.Join us to hear those details and more on the 323rd edition of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:How did they pivot hundreds of their events because of the pandemic?What was a catalyst for stronger movement in the industry?What are the big milestones that will make people more comfortable with in-person meetings?Does she think virtual speaking is here to stay?What are shifts speakers have made to be successful in this new environment?Why it pays to diversify your offerings.What areas are doing well right now and will conti

What does it look like if you're scaling your speaking business? Our guest today shares his journey from being a one-man show to scaling his speaking business beyond just himself.Houston Kraft is a speaker in the education world, as well as an author and the founder of Character Strong. On today's Awesome Health, he tells us how and why he started Character Strong along with the long-term implications of being a youth speaker in the education space.Listen in to hear all the details on episode 322 of The Speaker Lab!THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:How did he combine his interests and passions to find his speaking path?How do you start with what and who you know?What's the best way to find a need you can fulfill for your audiences?Why is this business a momentum business?What's the first thing to think about if you want to build a speaking business not dependent on you?The importance of boundaries when you're scaling your speaking business.Can you say yes to too many things?How your content can shift if you aren

How to tell a great story and help audiences are two of the strongest skills a speaker can have in their repetoire, and someone who knows full well how to do both is Chris Field.If you're a long-time listener of the show you'll remember Chris from a previous episode (123, which you can find here). But if you are new and/or haven't heard Chris before, he is a successful keynote speaker who founded a non-profit organization over a decade ago. With his background in that area, today he mainly speaks to associations and other non-profit groups.Creating and running his own non-profit gave him a sense of purpose and led him to the topic he mainly speaks about now: empowering audiences to disrupt for good, something he has been doing most of his life. In fact, being a disruptor has been such a notable part of his path that he wrote a book called Disrupt For Good.On today's episode of The Speaker Lab, Chris tells us why disruption can actually be a good thing, how the pandemic has shifted his business and how he made

Is changing speaking topics a difficult transition? It can be done and here to tell us about the journey is Jessica Kriegel.Jessica is an author, leadership expert and speaker who is a researcher at heart. On today's episode of The Speaker Lab, Jessica tells us how and why she got into speaking, what it's been like changing speaking topics and her advice for people looking to make it in the speaking world.Join us to hear that and more on episode 320 of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:What was the goal of writing her first book?Why did she seek out coaching to grow her speaking career?What does your online presence have to do with your speaking success?How did she translate her subject expertise into speaking topics and audiences?Can you work with people who are not in your target industries?Why you should consider doing your outreach yourself.Are there downsides to changing speaking topics?Do speaking bureaus do her marketing for her?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESJessica Kriegel's web site

The beauty of speaking is that you can do it full-time or you can make speaking as your side hustle. Our guest today has done just that. Ryan Gottfredson is a leadership professor at Cal State-Fullerton, and his speaking and consulting work on the topic of mindset is his side hustle.Today on The Speaker Lab, he explains why the connection speaking offers is so fulfilling for him and how speaking feeds the other avenues of his business today.Join us to hear his wisdom on these topics and even more on episode 319 of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:Where's the most bang for the buck coming from in his prospecting?Did his early free gigs help him gain momentum?Why you want to focus small versus focusing on big.How effective is speaking as a lead gen tool for his consulting biz?What questions should you ask before choosing a speaking course?How has he pivoted as a result of the pandemic?What early steps does he recommend taking if you are starting out?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESGet Free Speak

How to speak on cultural diversity and inclusion is our topic for today's edition of The Speaker Lab. Joining us is speaker, consultant and corporate leader J. Israel Greene.Israel speaks to tech companies on leadership development, diversity equity and inclusion. He works with them on cultural issues that often show up as low employee engagement, stalled sales and poor leadership. He helps them transform that culture through workshops and consulting.On today's show, Israel tells us when he made the jump to a speaking career and how the Booked and Paid to Speak network has generated over $20k for him in his business. You can hear that and more when you listen in to episode 318 of The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:Which of his acting skills does he apply to speaking?What personal stories does he include in his content?How did he know he wanted to make speaking into a business?What are "fuel up" moments?Can you borrow other people's stories and still be a great speaker?How to reconcile your i

As a speaker, creating impactful stories matters. Here to talk about how creating impactful stories is something you can do consistently to help grow your speaking career is Rain Bennett.Rain has been a documentary filmmaker who knows how to tell a good story when you don't have a lot of time, money and resources. Today he helps those folks understand the storytelling tactics they can use to make impactful video stories for their audiences. You'll hear about that plus how he went from his first non-paid speaking gig in the basement of a library to national keynotes in a year.Join us for that plus his advice for anyone trying to build momentum on today's The Speaker Lab!THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:What strategy can get you from doing free gigs to being paid to speak at big conferences?Should you make your social media a hybrid of your personal life and your professional?Why sharing your missteps and struggles is so powerful to growing your network.What does it mean to find your unique intersections?How hone

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith has gone from physician to full-time speaker, and she joins us to tell us how she made the leap!After two decades in the medical world, today Dr. Saundra speaks about burn out and work-life integration. During episode 316 of The Speaker Lab, we talk more about her own experiences in this realm and how she made the transition from physician to full-time speaker, and how the pandemic has impacted her business and her life.Join us to hear those details and more on this episode of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:What is the key to restoring ourselves without stopping all activities?How many types of rests are there?When should you start small?How can you build a speaking business while you're working in another field?Why your fee should include your time for studying your specific audience.What part of the process was scary for her?How many years did she speak before going into it full-time?How did she adapt to virtual speaking and will she do it more in the future?And

Do you have an interest in speaking in the tech space? Our guest is a premiere speaker in that industry and she's here to tell us about it.Ilana Golan helps executives grow in their careers from performing better to reinventing themselves. Prior to speaking she worked in engineering and tech working her way up the corporate ladder. On today's The Speaker Lab, hear why she moved over to running her own enterprise and how she made the move from unpaid speaker to six figures.Join us for all of that and more on episode 315 of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:Do organizations take it more seriously when they pay you?What's the recipe to make you shine as a speaker?What is the assumption if you aren't putting your message out in the world?What two groups hire speakers in the tech space?How can you accelerate your growth as a speaker?Why you don't need to find the biggest keynotes to make an impact.What changes has she made due to the pandemic?Why you need to invest in yourself and your business.And so

One key to creating a thriving speaking business is knowing your identity and knowing what you bring to the table as a speaker.Our guest is an expert at helping others know themselves and what they have to offer. Rocky Garza is a speaker and coach whose focus is on how our identities play into the roles and positions we fill. On The Speaker Lab today, we dive into what his life was like before he became a speaker and coach, how he made the leap and how he's adjusted to speaking during a pandemic.Join us to hear that and more on episode 314 of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:Why are so many of us "illiterate" about ourselves?Can fearlessness and vulnerability co-exist?What is the link between intensity and intimacy?How to learn not to apologize for being who you are.What is the most powerful thing we have as speakers?How did he land on the corporate space as his audience, even though he's never worked in that world?If you want to be a speaker then what should you do?What single pivot led to him

Overcoming adversity is an experience almost everyone has at some point in their lives. Our guest today was faced with this challenge early on and today he shares how doing so led to his speaking career.Chris Ruden speaks to corporations and non-profits about overcoming adversity and diversity inclusion, especially regarding diabetes. Chris was born with a limb difference, he had most of his hand amputated when he was born. At 19 he was diagnosed with Type I diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease. That diagnosis was his wake up call to do something, which led him to his current speaking path.On this edition of The Speaker Lab, we talk about what his speaking business looks like today (including how it shifted as a result of COVID), and he tells the story of how he landed his first $50,000 client.Join us to hear it all on episode 313 of The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:Why it's okay to change course when opportunities present themselves.Why becoming a great speaker is not enough to have a

Have you ever doubted if your message matters? Our guest has literally written the book on this subject and today he is sharing some of his insights on the matter.Jonathan Milligan is an entrepreneur and speaker with over a decade of experience helping people hone and fine tune the messages they have to share with the world.We dive into his experience plus how to believe in your message and define it so you can build a business around it. Listen in for all of that and more on today's edition of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:How can you stop falling into the comparison trap?Do we need outside perspective to see our own gifts?Is it ok if your passions change?What are egoic labels and why are they relevant to your audience?What is the hourglass funnel and how does it work?What are some red flags to look for when exploring your topic and your target audience?How do you know if the market is saturated or if there is a niche opportunity?What are the basics you need to grow your reach?And so much mo

Today we are talking about building your speaking web site: how to create it, what mistakes to avoid and what you must include.We cover all the ins and outs of building your speaking web site with Rick because he's one of our coaches in our Booked and Paid to Speak program. He works with our Elite students to help them build their ideal speaking web sites.Join us to hear his insights straight from the trenches! It's all here on Episode 311 of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:Who should you be building your speaking web site for?How do ensure your site appeals to multiple generations?What are the "must-haves" for your web site?How can you create a demo video if you have no experience?Where should your contact info go in your demo video?How to ensure you have great lighting any time of day or night.Should you fit your entire talk into your demo?Every page of your web site is about what?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCES:Rick Clemons' web siteRick Clemons on Twitter Episode 40Episode 56Episode 203E

How to shift to virtual speaking is something many speakers are exploring now, and our guest is sharing with us some of his best strategies for doing so.Brian Lord has been an agent at Premiere Speakers Bureau for over 25 years. His career began in college when he booked gigs for local talent, including a gospel singer and speaker. Fast forward two decades later and he's still going strong!On this episode of The Speaker Lab he shares what he is seeing in the speaking world today in light of the current pandemic. You'll hear how this pandemic compares to other dips in the market and his advice for new and established speakers.Be sure to join us for that and more on episode 310 of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:Will virtual speaking have a real place in the future?How are fees shifting in the new virtual space?Is there a different skill set to be funny on video versus live?Why your content must be delivered in a different way.Are there any best practices that are exceptionally effective right no

Welcome back to our fifth and final episode in this series on The Power of The Pipeline!Once again Erick Rheam is joining us as our co-host. If you missed the first four parts of this series be sure to go here for part I, part II, part III and part IV. Then come back and listen in to this episode, the final piece of the speaking pipeline.Today we are wrapping things up with a discussion on the contract negotiations stage: this is the cherry on top after all your efforts have paid off. You'll even hear Erick's story of securing a $20,000 gig.It's all about closing the deal so be sure to join us for episode 309 of The Speaker Lab!THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:What are some situations in which it isn't possible to get a deposit?What are items to include in your rider?Why you should be specific with the introduction you send to the client.What is the agreement package and the 3 parts it entails?How do you follow up once the contract has been sent but not signed?At what point do you send a final email to close ou

Welcome back to the fourth in a five-part series called The Power of The Pipeline! Joining us again is your friend and mine, Mr. Erick Rheam.If you missed last week's episode of The Speaker Lab (part III on episode 307), check it out here. You can also hear the first stage of the pipeline on episode 305 and the second stage on episode 306.This week we are digging into the fourth stage: the proposal stage. Things get real in this step of the process as you'll find out when you listen in to episode 308 of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:At what stage of the pipeline should you be introducing pricing?How many pages should you proposal be?Do event planners mind when you follow up?What are the six parts of your proposal?Where should you include testimonials and how many should you have?When should you follow up after sending a proposal?What is first right of refusal?Is it okay to send a proposal for a talk you haven't finalized?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCES HubSpot CRM web sitePipedrive web sit

Welcome to 307, the third episode in our five part series on The Power of The Pipeline. Joining us is my friend and co-host for this series, Erick Rheam.Last week we covered the second stage which is the contact made stage (you can find the second stage here and the first stage here). This week on The Speaker Lab we are talking about the phone meeting stage; we will cover the two goals you should have for all of your phone meetings and why you should save pricing talks for the phone.You'll hear details on why this stage is the most important part of this process - so be sure to take notes and follow step by step when you listen to episode 307 of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:Is it more effective to schedule a call?What research should you do before getting on the phone?Why you need to focus on the event and the event planner.What is the number one thing you have to ask when on the phone?When should you walk away from a potential gig?What factors go into your pricing fee?How to make the ask to

Welcome to the second episode in our 5-part series on The Power of The Pipeline. Joining me again as co-host is Erick Rheam, our Director of Student Success here at The Speaker Lab.Last week we covered the first stage, the lead in stage of your speaking pipeline. If you missed it you can listen here.This week we are diving into the second stage: making contact. In this stage, your primary goal is to move from email exchanges to talking on the phone with your contact. There are 8 steps to make that happen and you'll find out what they are when you join us for episode 306 of The Speaker Lab! THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:What are the two ways to schedule a phone call with your contact?When should you schedule your follow up calls?What is the magic move and how do you implement it?Should you contact people every year?Why there's power in being willing to walk away.Is it ever a good idea to give pricing over email?When do you know you aren't reaching out to enough people?Why a 70% failure rate at this stage

Episode 305 is a brand new series focused on the power of the pipeline.Joining me as co-host for this series is Erick Rheam, our Director of Student Success here at The Speaker Lab.Today we are talking about the five stages of the pipeline, including an in-depth discussion on stage one from initiating contact with a lead, structuring your follow-ups and avoiding several common mistakes speakers make.Hear the details on all of that and more when you join us for episode 305 of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:What is a pipeline?What four things do you need your CRM to do for you?What are the five stages of your pipeline?When should you embrace a high failure rate?Is an email the most professional first step?What are the major parts you should include in your introduction?How many follow up emails do you send and how often?When is it appropriate to follow up to your original email?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCES HubSpot CRM web siteBooked and Paid To Speak programGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a