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

Is getting paid to speak on creativity really a viable option? Is that a topic to build your business around? Here to explore those questions is one of our Elite coaching students, Beth Inglish.Beth is an artist who speaks to other artists and leaders in the community to help them rediscover their creativity. Of late, she's been speaking to leaders in corporate America about how to be more creative and how to lead with a creative mindset.On today’s The Speaker Lab, we talk about what changed for Beth that made her want to pursue speaking as a business, how to go from doing free gigs to paid gigs and how to know if you can make a living speaking to a particular audience. Join us for those topics and more on today’s edition of The Speaker Lab.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What are questions to ask if you are struggling to find your target audience?How do you know if your potential audience is viable?Why you need to keep your big picture goals in mind.Does everyone have creativity inside of them?How

Everyone loves an underdog, right? If you're just starting out as a speaker you definitely fall in the underdog category. So why not take full advantage and create your own underdog Rocky story? Clint Pulver did and success has followed suit.Today he's going to tell us how he tapped into the power of his own Rocky story to make powerful relationships with speakers he admires and respects, and how he created his own board of directors as a result.On this episode of The Speaker Lab, he'll also tell us how he incorporates professional drumming experience into his speaking gigs. Join us for the details on all of these topics with my friend and yours Clint Pulver.THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  How did he get his first speaking gig while still in high school?When did he quit his full-time job in the medical field?The 3 things that make up a dream job: what are they?What one thing did he do that directly led to booking 7 gigs?What questions did he ask of his prospective audience?How much of a f

Do you track any of your speaking metrics? Our guest today, Erick Rheam, says there are 5 key metrics to growing your speaking business.Erick has been on the show before so you can revisit his story on episode 126 and episode 150. I brought him on to today's episode of The Speaker Lab to talk about the exponential growth he has had using certain key metrics. Specifically there are 5 key metrics he focuses on, and those metrics have taken his business from $15,000 to nearly $200k in under 4 years.Even if you're already successful in your speaking career you'll learn plenty from hearing about Erick's metrics and how he uses them to gauge the health of his business. Tune in for those insights and more with Erick Rheam on episode 225 of The Speaker Lab!THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What are lagging indicators versus leading indicators?How has he determined his $5,000 speaking fee and when does he raise it?What are the 5 steps in his prospective gig pipeline?How soon should you contact a pro

Todd Henry is a successful speaker, consultant and best-selling author who is here to give us speaking tips from the accidental creative point of view.Todd has written four books, including The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder than Words and his latest work called Herding Tigers. Herding Tigers is about how leaders can create environments in which creative teams can thrive.On today's The Speaker Lab, we talk about his evolution, why you need to have a great speaker video and the importance of lovingly punching your audience in the gut! Hear what that means and more on episode 224 of The Speaker Lab with Todd Henry. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Is it always necessary to replace your full-time income before you leave to go out on your own?Who are your stakeholders and why must you all be in alignment?How many years did it take for him to make the leap to entrepreneurship?What is the goal of taking risks?How many times did he almost quit while he was building his business?How does he cope wit

Does the idea of cold calling strike fear into your heart? It won't after today's edition of The Speaker Lab!Joe is an up and coming speaker who has quickly added a lot of gigs to his calendar by using the four rules of cold calling for speakers. On this episode, Joe tells us what those four rules are as well as how to remove the fear of cold calling and how to make it easy for your prospects to say yes to you.This is another terrific guest you won't want to miss so be sure to join us on episode 223 of The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  How did he first uncover the power of cold calling?How can you get your foot in the door of an industry in which you are not known?Do you have to go in hot to a cold call?How do you know if you are a good fit for a potential opportunity?Why uncommon commonalities are important in your cold calling process.What's the best way to reach out: phone, email, or social media?How expecting nothing and appreciating everything will explode your business.The type

Mike Kim is one very smart man who knows marketing and branding, and he is here to share his 7 step process for creating your speaking brand. This is the same process he has used with his clients, including well-known thought leaders like John Maxwell, Donald Miller and Suzanne Evans.On this episode of The Speaker Lab, he walks us through those 7 steps and what they entail. We also talk about why positioning determines so much of everything else you do in your business, how to price yourself as a premium speaker while still being able to negotiate and take lower-priced gigs.Whether you are new to speaking or are a long-time veteran, this is a great episode chockfull of helpful recommendations and frameworks to help you. Without further adieu take a listen to Mike Kim and I on today's The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What is the most unique selling proposition that any of us have?Who should your marketing materials be speaking to?Which platform is best for you?Why you should position

Some people do it all and our guest today is one of those people! Alli Worthington joins The Speaker Lab to tell us all how to write, speak and host conferences.Alli is a speaker, author, business coach and conference host who fell into speaking the same time she hosted her first event, an interesting story she shares with us today.We also talk about how having a book has impacted her speaking career, what you should do if you want to speak to female entrepreneurs, and how she chooses which speakers to hire when she is hosting her conference, Blissdom.You'll hear all of those topics and more - there is a LOT to learn from Alli Worthington on this episode of The Speaker Lab! THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Why she hosted her first event before she had ever been to a conference!What did Scott Stratten say that shifted her mindset about being nervous?Does she consider herself an author or speaker first?When is it worth speaking for free?What is the perceived value in having someone else handle your ca

If you are just starting out your main concern might about how to get started as a speaker. Our guest on this episode of The Speaker Lab is here to tell us how he did it.Today Jason Hewlett is a professional speaker and entertainer, but like many people he had no idea where to start. He had the dream and the desire, but he needed a plan.On today's episode we talk about how he got a plan in place and took action. We also discuss how he went from performance-based speaking with impressions and impersonations to more serious keynote speeches. You'll hear his tips and ideas on those topics and more on this edition of The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Why does he prefer the keynote closing session?How did following up after gigs help build his business from scratch?Why event planners are in the risk-mitigation business, and how you can help.How did he keep integrity with his fees?What advice does he give to people moving from one niche to another?Why speaking is a humbling business.Why he

Justin is a unique guest who is unlike any other guest we've had before on this show: he's here to explain what magic can teach us about speaking.As a magician, Justin is an amazing entertainer who speaks and performs from stage. On episode 219, Justin tell us when he knew he wanted to pursue a career in magic, how he strategized which markets to focus on and what his business look like today.We dig into those topics and more so join us on today's edition of The Speaker Lab! THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  How to deal with a topic that needs to be explained to your potential clients.How did he get on The Ellen DeGeneres Show?What would he do if he were starting over today?Why there is no silver bullet to content marketing.How did doing one event for free lead to a book deal with Wal-Mart and an international ad campaign for Coca-Cola?Does he customize his magic presentations for each client?Where does he get his ideas for new material?When does he know a bit is ready for stage and how does he test

As we kick off the new year resolutions are in the air! Is writing a book one of yours? If writing a book is your way of running down a dream then there's no one better to help you on your path than our guest today, Tiim Grahl.Tim is a book marketing expert who has been in the industry for 10+ years. He has worked with everyone from Dan Pink to Barbara Corcoran of Shark Tank, and many other names you'd recognize.Today on episode 218 of The Speaker Lab, he tells us what it takes to make a book successful. He also talks with us about his latest book, Running Down A Dream, how you can overcome doubts, fear and insecurities about running down your own dream and how to find time to build your speaking business no matter how busy you are.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Why shouldn't you focus on social media?Why just having a book out on the market can build your platform.How many years should you continue to promote your book?The one exercise to find the truth about how much time you actually hav

Is there something unique about you, perhaps something you haven't fully shared with the world? Our guest joins us to share how being different is awesome and how what makes him different has opened doors in his speaking career.Ryan Haack is a student in our Booked and Paid to Speak training program, and has had success speaking to elementary schools. Specifically, he talks to elementary school assemblies about a physical difference he has had since birth and why being different is positive.Also on today's show we talk about the pros and cons of speaking to elementary schools, including fees and other logistics, plus how he juggles speaking with a full-time job. Join us for those topics and more on episode 217 of The Speaker Lab!  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What two questions to ask yourself to determine your audience.How does he balance speaking to multiple audiences while not being too broad?What came first: his book or speaking?How do you know you're doing the right thing?What model wo

What is a speaker showcase and how do you master the art of showcasing to colleges? Justin Laipply will explain on this episode of The Speaker Lab.Justin has been on the show before on episode 107. On that show, we dig into his background in the college/education space as well as his current market: the corporate world.But today on The Speaker Lab, we talk about what showcases are exactly, who is in the audience and how to leverage these appearances into paying gigs and long-term relationships. Join us for all the details on episode 216 of The Speaker Lab.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What is the #1 marketing tool of a speaker?What's the difference between a showcase audience versus any other audience?Who hosts showcases in the corporate space?What is block booking and how does it work?What speaking market has the singlest easiest barrier to entry?How can you get your foot in the door at APCA or NACA?What is a contract request?Is it better to start at a regional or go straight to a nationa

People who excel at speaking and any other profession have one thing in common: they invest in themselves. A great example of this is our guest for today's show, Kate Garnes. Kate is a member of our elite coaching program and her results reflect why investing in yourself matters so much.On this episode, we will talk about the moment she knew she wanted to be a motivational speaker, why she signed up for the elite coaching program, and how she went from zero gigs a year ago to having 13 upcoming paid keynotes across the country! Join us to hear Kate and I dig into those topics and more on episode 215 of The Speaker Lab.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What was her first step after deciding to become a speaker?How did she hone in on her niche of teen leadership?Why your topic and your target market will always be changing.How can you avoid rookie mistakes?Why having a rock solid talk will book gigs.How much did she invest in her speaking career?What systems does she have and what is her process

Have you ever thought of YouTube as more than a place to host your videos? What if you could find out how to use YouTube to grow your speaking business? The man to tell us how is none other than my friend Thomas Frank. Thomas went through our Booked and Paid to Speak trainings a few years ago. I met him when he was in college; I spoke at his school. We stayed in touch and he's become extremely successful, especially with his YouTube channel. On today's show, we talk about his origins, how you can use YouTube to build your audience and find and book potential speaking gigs, and best practices for YouTube videos to generate more interest and views. Join us for Thomas' insights on those subjects and much more on this episode of The Speaker Lab.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What is his strategy when he goes to a conference?How does he use his platform to build relationships?What other income streams has he built aside from speaking?How Fizzle and Pat Flynn influenced his platfor

At a certain point, most of us think about how to ensure we are living a life of significance. One person who has definitely done this is our guest today, Pete Smith. Pete has devoted his career to this very topic and he's here to share with us how he's successfully done so as a keynote speaker.Today he has between 40 and 50 engagements a year, most of which are opening or closing keynotes on the topic of bringing significance into our lives. But how he choose that topic and how he's grown his speaking career from free local association gigs to international keynotes is a fascinating story.On this edition of the show, he'll tell us how he got his start, the funny story of what happened the first time he was asked what he charges to speak and how he picked his domain name since his name is so common. Tune in to hear that and more on episode 213 of The Speaker Lab.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What are the 3 biggest takeaways he wants his attendees to get from his talks?How did having a stro

One of the fundamental keys to succeeding as a speaker is providing an exceptional customer experience for your client. This includes all aspects of your client's event: before, during and even after.A man who knows this truth like the back of his own hand is Joey Coleman. You may remember Joey from epsiode 197 of the show, and you may remember we finished that show with a tease to bring him back. Well he's back and in full force for part II!Today Joey walks us through an 8 step process of what to do before, during and after an event to provide an exceptional customer experience. He also explains why this all matters so much and gives us his top pro tip on what to never, ever, ever do! Jump on in and join us for this in-depth look at providing an exceptional customer experience on episode 212 of The Speaker Lab.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  How can you keynote the same event year after year?When do clients have buyer's remorse and what can you do about it?Why you don't have to be an except

Can you change your audience once you’ve started speaking? You can, and here to share how to pivot in your speaking career is Kendra Dahlstrom.On today’s episode of The Speaker Lab, Kendra shares how and why she changed her speaking niche, how she gained traction early on in her speaking career, and what it was like to make the jump from alast full-time job to a full-time speaking career.Join us for all of that and so much more on today's 211th edition of The Speaker Lab!  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  When did she know she wanted to work full-time as a speaker?Why did she resist nailing down her niche?How did she stay positive through multiple transitions?What did she do early on to get gigs?How did she know how much to charge initially?Why does creating time blocks help prioritize?How did she decide when to add coaching, consulting and courses?What advice does she have if you want to leave your full-time job?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESKendra Dahlstrom's web site Kendra Dahlstro

Do you need a speaking management company? What's the difference between a speaking management company and a speakers bureau?Here to answer those questions and more is Karen Harris of CMI Speaker Management, a management agency for speakers. Karen's agency is designed to represent the speaker's interests and take care of their needs, while also growing their business.On this episode of The Speaker Lab, we talk about the differences between speaker agents and bureaus before discussing what clients want to see from potential speakers and what distinguishes those speakers who make it from those who don't succeed. Join us for that and more on episode 210 of The Speaker Lab!  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What does Karen look for in potential clients for her agency?Are videos better shown in small chunks or one longer clip?What can we learn about marketing from the latest Mission Impossible movie?Why should you have multiple YouTube channels and what should each of them be?What are the top two to

Have you ever considered how to develop your voice through speaking and writing? Whether you are a speaker who wants to write or a writer who has a book to promote writing and speaking go hand in hand. Here to tell us more about this is Ann Handley.Ann is the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs, she's also a best-selling author and a speaker. Today on The Speaker Lab she and Melanie are talking about writing and speaking are intertwined, how to find and refine your unique voice and the importance of showing up authentically on stage and in your content.Episode 209 is also a different kind of episode: Melanie Diezel is back as our interviewer. We've done this once before and you all loved it so much we decided to do it again. Let us know if you want another Melanie-run interview and a repeat visit from Ann after you listen to this latest edition of The Speaker Lab!  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What is the essence of public speaking?What is the dirty truth of being an author?Can we devel

Some of the advice you'll hear most on this show is about how to narrow your audience. Yes your topic may appeal to a wide range of audiences, but how are you going to find the people perfect for you? By staying focused and going narrow.Someone who epitomizes this is Rick Clemons, our guest for this episode. Rick has gone through The Speaker Lab elite coaching program and has made fantastic strides in the process!Today we are talking about how he's worked to narrow down who his audience is (even though his topic could appeal to many different groups), why systems and structure have helped him to book more gigs and simple strategies to increase engagement when contacting potential clients. Join us for that and more on episode 208 of The Speaker Lab.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  When did he realize he's a storyteller who happens to speak?How did he pivot so he could narrow his focus?How to adapt your language to connect with potential clients.What is a common mistake most speakers make?