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

“I might not be world class ever, ever, but I’m definitely gonna be way better than I was on my own, and without the reps.”Josh Shipp has had a brilliant career providing knowledge to thousands of people. Today, he joins us to talk about the hard work of making it as a speaker, how to find your strengths, and what you should know at the start of your journey.Josh has frequently worked in the education space with parents, teachers, and students. In fact, he even founded a company dedicated to this training called Youth Speaker University. Josh is here to talk about how to break into this space and why what you do matters on and off stage.Josh also has some great insights to share about drawing inspiration, the great thing about individualism, and learning from your failures. Thoughtfully targeting your niche and your goals is something you have to learn, and Josh is here to walk you through it.You’ll learn:The common denominator of successful speakersWhy endurance & self reflection mattersHow there are neg

“That type of belief is what carries you through when everybody else is dropping like flies. When you know for a fact this is what you’re made for, then there’s nothing else you can do.” The journey to professional speaking is not always a simple one, and our guest this week knows this all too well. Ken Hartley spent over 20 years serving as a worship pastor (and also worked as a magician!) on the way to becoming a full-time professional speaker. This week, Ken is here to break down how he found his new career in speaking and made the leap of faith that led to this point. With a background in ministry, music, and magic, Ken was no stranger to the stage. However, making the switch to speaking wasn't an easy one. He found himself struggling with the commitment both financially and personally to take the leap, but was encouraged and supported by many family members. In fact, his mom gave him the money to get the training, and 19 months later, he got a gig paying the same amount as the kind gift he was given

“I think of the definition of a creator as someone who sets out to make original work, to educate, inspire, or entertain other people.”There are plenty of simple ways to grow as a speaker, but becoming a creator is one of the easiest ways to expand your speaking business and book more paid gigs!The term "creator" is used frequently (and sometimes negatively), but here's the reality: if you're a speaker, you are already creating content. The next step is to learn how to use and repurpose that content across multiple platforms and channels to grow your audience and build your brand.This week, we're chatting with someone who has helped millions of people create and share their content — Nathan Barry. Nathan is the creator of Kit (formerly known as ConvertKit), the world's largest email-first operating system for creators.Nathan is here to talk about how to build an audience through creating compelling and engaging content, as well as some practical tips on how to grow, automate, and segment your email list.

“It’s very important that the message bearer who’s up there selling that idea cares very, very deeply about it, and they would give it just as much energy if there were 5 people in the room, as if there were 5,000 people in the room.”Running your own business is extremely challenging, but doing what you love can make it a bit easier. This week, Jack Galloway joined us on the show to talk about the importance of concentrating on what you care about. Jack got his start working with Dave Ramsey for over 22 years, where he received a behind-the-scenes look into how to build a team from the ground up.Throughout his time at Ramsey Solutions, Jack learned countless lessons about running a business, including the significance of criticism, why simplicity matters, the wisdom that comes with repetition, and much, much more! Jack has a ton of wisdom and advice to share, and I know you'll get a lot out of this episode. You’ll learn:The importance of listening to your audience’s needsWhy practice makes perfectHow to be su

“Don’t conform to your environment. Everyone else does it, but you need to take that path, that uniqueness that is you, because there is no one like you.”As a former circus clown (yes, an actual circus clown), Dustin Portillo knows a thing or two about showtime. And now as a professional speaker, Dustin has taken that mindset and applied it to delivering value for audiences everywhere. This week, Dustin is here to share the lessons he learned from his wide-ranging career and give you some practical tips on things like mastering stage presence, keeping audiences engaged, and what it takes to leave a corporate job to become a full time speaker.We'll spend time walking through his 5 important principles and why determining what's important to you, really matters. Dustin also talks about some of the most scary moments you can have in the industry and how they can propel you to bigger & better things.You’ll learn:The importance of knowing your audienceWhy your value is more than a job titleHow to alw

“You just have to trust that it will work out if you do the right thing. Surround yourself with great people.”There’s no easy days when you’re an entrepreneur, but figuring out how you can divide and conquer for your business is really important. This week, Jay Papasan joins us to talk about how delegation is a powerful tool that frees you up to do what only you can do best.Jay walks through what it looks like to have a core focus and motivation for your speaking business and how that can help you take your speaking career to the next level. There are a ton of practical tips in this episode on a wide range of topics, including how to juggle all of the responsibilities of running a business, how to grow personally and professionally, how to consistently deliver value for your audience, and so much more. You’ll learn:The important difference between your personal brand and your business brandHow to do what you enjoy so you can be at your bestWhat growing your speaking business can look like realisticallyWhen to

"You have to think of it from a relational standpoint, first and foremost, before anything else. And just understand, sometimes things happen, but I never want a client to be upset about paying me. I always want them to pay me and think, man, we got way more than we paid."We talk a lot about the benefits of being a professional speaker, but there are always challenges in any business! This week, Jake Thompson is back on the show to talk about what to do when things don't go the way you planned.Jake is breaking down how to handle things like travel issues, contract disputes, event delays, organizers who won't commit, and more — all pulled from his personal experiences in his speaking business over the past few years. If you want to be a successful speaker in the long run, don't miss this episode!You'll learn:Why you should never miss a gig, no matter whatHow to put yourself in the top category of speakersHow to get event organizers off the fenceWhat to do when your event gets rescheduledHow to handle

One of the coolest parts of TSL is watching our coaches work 1:1 with students and helping them find the clarity and confidence they need to take their speaking businesses to the next level. And today, you’re going to get to see that process in action.We're back with another live coaching episode with Erick Rheam! This week, Erick is helping two TSL students, Josie Ann Lee and Kenny Barnwell, work through real problems they're facing in their speaking businesses.Josie Ann is trying to introduce a new idea through her talk to event organizers — but she's not sure how to sell an idea no one is familiar with. Kenny has established himself as the expert in his niche, and now he's ready to take things to the next level by scaling his business through workshops.During this episode, you'll learn:How to get initial traction in your businessHow to refine your message through real world feedbackWhy you just have to get started without waiting for perfectionThe value of establishing yourself as the primary expert in you

"Every time we make a decision, it is the conclusion of a story that we have built in our minds unconsciously about why that decision does or doesn't make sense."One of the most rewarding parts of being a professional speaker is the feeling of making a difference — the idea that the message you have to share can create real change with your audience. But how do you actually make that happen?Tamsen Webster knows a thing or two about creating an effective message. As the Idea Strategist one of only nine legacy-level TEDx events in the world who has worked for organizations like Harvard Medical School, Fidelity Investments, and Klaviyo, Tamsen has decades of experience in helping speakers develop their message.This week, Tamsen is here to break down how aligning your message with the audience's existing beliefs and desires is the most effective way to create lasting change. If you're ready to make an impact from the stage, this is an episode you can't afford to miss!You'll learn:How to simplify complex ideasWhy

"I think often we confuse strategy with activity, and we can get stuck in this kind of flywheel of just like, well, I feel busy, I look busy. I did a lot of things today, but what did I actually accomplish?"If you really want to build a successful speaking business, you have to follow the right processes — and be consistent in doing the little things well. Everyone wants to book more paid speaking gigs, but what are the simple, practical things that most speakers miss?Dan Irvin knows a thing or two about building processes to scale your speaking business — in just a few years, he's gone from a full time corporate job to 60 paid gigs in 2023. This week, he's sitting down with Grant to share 7 strategies you can use right now in your speaking business to get more gigs.No matter where you are as a speaker or how many gigs you've booked, you'll get something out of this episode to help you move to the next level. "Find what can you do each and every day consistently, even if it's just one tiny litt

"You can get rid of that limiting belief that you have to have a talk fully ready before you sell it."One of the hardest things for new and aspiring speakers is putting together a compelling talk. It's hard to move forward until you feel like everything is perfect — but what if you could sell your talk before it even exists?Your best marketing is a great talk — but you don't necessarily need to have that talk fully developed before you pitch it to event organizers.This week, Erick Rheam is back to break down the four main reasons developing your talk first can actually be problematic, along with advice on how to test the market, why prospecting is a superpower for successful speakers, and much, much more!If you're feeling stuck or you're not sure how to get things rolling as a new or aspiring speaker, this is the episode for you."When you're on the phone with an event planner and you're discussing what their needs are, if you're too rigid and you have this talk already developed, and you've got too much

"Two things have to be true: one, you have to offer enough value so that they're paying attention. And two, you've got to communicate that value in a believable way, either through a third party or somebody they trust or you directly."It might be cliché, but it's still true: speaking is a relationships business. If you want to be a successful speaker, you have to invest in building relationships every single day — with event planners, with industry leaders, and with other speakers.This week, Grant is sitting down with Mo Bunnell to talk about how to overcome some of the most common obstacles that speakers face in making connections — being "too busy," fearing rejection, and more.Mo recently wrote a book called Give to Grow about how to invest in relationships to build your business and your career, and he has a lot of practical advice that will help you get out of your comfort zone and start building relationships like a pro.If you're struggling to get traction in your speaking business and you're looking for

This week, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what coaching can do for speakers. Erick Rheam is hosting live coaching sessions this week! These sessions feature TSL students and real problems that speakers face in their businesses.This episode features Molly Kennedy and Theresa Skaar. Molly focuses on shifting her demographics and finding new income sources, while Theresa focuses on overcoming impostor syndrome and selling herself with confidence. A few of their quotes that you might relate to: “I just turned 50 this summer, and I feel like, personally, I'm kind of evolving and growing. I feel like my reach can expand beyond education, although I love teachers. Again, it's kind of an easy space for me, but I also feel like I want to challenge myself to have a broader reach as well." - Molly Kennedy "I don't know if it feels audacious if it feels like so many people position themselves as an expert. And I'm like, you know, I don't know." - Theresa Skaar Want to skim the

“The key to any industry is not focusing or trying to sell to 98% of your market. You're only trying to sell to that very top percentage of people."If you're a speaker looking to scale your business and add new streams of revenue, you might want to consider launching a high ticket offer. This week, Grant sat down with Bryan Harris to chat about the value a high-ticket offering can bring to your business, how to get started, and some tips on developing these offerings in your own business.Thinking about what’s next for your business? A high-ticket offering just might be for you!“Our mission is to make it almost impossible to fail at getting customers."In this episode, they also cover: 00:00 What do Bryan and his team do?04:41 Why should people consider a high-ticket offering?08:22 How do you think about finding your target market for this offering?09:27 What can your business look like in practice?13:33 How does support vary in you business and other places in your life?19:11 What can you do to ensure you

"If you've got a working keynote that has structure that you've been honing for a while, you probably have the bones of a book." - Liz Morrow "If you are someone who is highly entrepreneurial and you feel like you really value having a lot of creative control over the end product and you don't mind doing the hard, you know, kind of manual work of putting all of those systems in place and really championing your book yourself, then self publishing could be a great choice for you." - Ariel Curry This week, Liz Morrow and Ariel Curry joined Grant to talk about the process of book writing for speakers. If you've ever thought about writing a book, this is the episode for you! Liz and Ariel have been at it as writers and editors for years, so they bring first-hand knowledge to the conversation about the process of writing and selling a book.In this episode, Grant, Liz, and Ariel cover: 05:31 What’s involved in building a platform to sell a book? 08:34 Pros and cons of self-publishing vs tra

“I'm really passionate about solving the same problem that they're passionate about solving. I have a unique ability that I'm willing to share."How do you write your own story and become the speaker you've dreamed about being? This week, Brittany Richmond and Jake White are answering that question and talking about when to scale your business, how to find your niche, and so much more.“If you want to accelerate faster, then you need quality time with the people that buy what you offer. I need to partner with the perfect match, learn their language, how they're funded, what problems they have, whenever they book us, what are the hurdles they have to go through? And however it can make it so easy for them to bring us in, that's part of my learning curve."During this episode, you'll hear about: 00:00 Jake’s background and the road to speaking06:00 Jake’s story of founding Vive18 08:54 How Jake met his co-founder12:53 What it means to create your own story14:08 The power in living your message 

 "Just show up and provide value and get to know us."If you’re like most speakers, you’re probably wondering about AI. How should you use it? Should you be using it at all? And how do you make sure your authentic brand and story doesn’t get lost in the process? This week, Pat Flynn is answering all of those questions and ALSO diving into what it's like being an event planner. How do event planners look for speakers? How do they make final decisions? Check out the full conversation! "Short form video is like handing out Halloween candy, right? You have people coming to your house, you hand out candy, they move on to the next one. That's just people swiping, and when they move on to the next house, they kind of forgot about you already."Grant and Pat also talked about:03:22 What does your speaking business look like to date?08:05 How does the format of content change the way it’s consumed?11:06 What kind of prompts get you the best results when you use AI?13:17 Why should someone consider using A

“They used to be easy to spot, but they're getting better. They are getting more and more convincing at weaving their stories." This week, Grant sat down with Lauren Sergy to talk about a new (and very) convincing speaker scam and, more importantly, how to avoid falling for it! “No transactions are made, no contracts are signed. Unless you have a zoom, ideally a face to face Zoom call or a phone call. There must be a phone call. You have to make voice to voice contact."Ready to jump into this episode? Here’s the layout: 00:00 What does Lauren speak on.04:13 When did Lauren start speaking?09:06 What does Lauren’s business book like today?12:11 How did Lauren build her speaking business? 12:52 The mindset Lauren brings to fluctuating seasons.16:09 Let’s get into this speaker scam… how did it come to your door? 20:31 Beware of weird or unconventional payment methods. 23:37 What has changed with modern-day scammers?25:49 How to logically think about gigs at the moment.30:56 Don’t for

"We always recommend that people do not memorize their presentations verbatim. That results in just acting a little bit too robotic. Your audience can tell, and that's just not the best way to go." - Eric SilverbergThis week, Grant sat down with Eli and Eric, some of our friends from Speaker Labs (not to be confused with The Speaker Lab). Eli and Eric help speakers master the four pillars of becoming a world class speaker — content, delivery, visuals, and mindset — so that they can become exceptional communicators."When you share your idea, even if it's a known idea in the world, but you share it your way through your stories, your experiences, your unique creative analogies and metaphors, and interesting ways to package that idea, the audience may not have heard it your way, and that allows you to feel confident, to show up and say, I may tell you something you already know, but I'm certainly going to tell it to you in a way that you haven't heard it before, because I'm telling it to you my unique way." - El

"There is so much value in saying no because not every event is the right event for you." This week, Brittany Richmond sat down with Nathan Wray, an inspirational speaker who speaks on teen mental health and substance misuse prevention. Together, Brittany and Nathan dig into dozens of practical topics including recovering from rough feedback, showing up for and supporting event planners, finding direction in your career as a speaker, and more!"So I'm going to go as far as I can go to help an event organizer to make sure that they're successful. And if that includes setting up 300 chairs at 01:00 in the morning, then I'm gonna do it."In this episode, Brittany and Nathan get into: 04:49 Who does Nathan serve and what’s his message? 08:00 How do you take feedback on your message and build something better?10:58 Nathan’s turning point for storytelling.15:41 The importance of community in the speaking world. 16:58 Why you should say no to some events20:05 What to focus on as a speaker?24:3