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

“I spoke in a literal barn last year…So for all the speakers listening, you're never too big time. You're never on a big enough stage to go speak at a barn. It kind of humbles you a little.” In this week's episode, Brittany Richmond sits down with the CEO of Streamline Books, Alex Demczak, to chat about his speaking career and how Streamline Books is helping speakers level up their businesses. "When you make a jump of any kind in your career, imagine it like this. You're in one boat, right, and you're leaping to this other boat, and you need to make sure that your boats are aligned so that when you make that jump, there's not a huge splash in the water, right. You need to make sure you go from one boat to the other. And so my mentor, they told me, they said, look, your boats with corporate America and speaking are actually, they're so close that they're actually restricting each other. They're, like, causing friction."In this episode, Brittany and Alex dig into: When Alex realized he wanted to

“Be the steakhouse, not the buffet.” “Have a take.” “View it as a business not a hobby.” We asked the TSL team to tell us their #1 piece of advice for speakers, and they delivered. This episode contains hot takes, practical advice, and key speaking tips from industry experts and leaders. If you want to go from casual speaker to pro in 2024, this episode will help you find a few focus areas, give you some inspiration, and help you take action to create your dreams.The team covers:Advice on niching downHow to go from hobbyist to a professional speakerDaily habits to create successBranding advice to help you level upWhy processes, systems, and execution matterand so much more.Episode ResourcesGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Look for inspiration, not comparison.” Brittany Richmond sat down with Dean Heffta today to talk about his speaking journey, the National Speaker Association, and how he built a business to get him booked and paid consistently. Get back to the basics. Keep it simple. And remember, you don't have to build somebody else's business; you have to build YOUR own business.In this episode, Brittany and Dean talk through:Dean’s experience getting starting as a speakerWhen to donate your time and other ways to get paid Embracing the mindset of the marathon not the sprintWhat it looks like to provide services people rave about Dean’s new book and what having a book signals What are the perks of being in the National Speaker Association Developing the craft of speaking "And to sustain innovation and to sustain the hard times and the uncertainties and the ups and the downs, I believe you need a community. Your friend group and your family group will smile and nod as you're sharing thing

"Just because you get a speaking gig doesn't mean, oh, cool, I got the deposit check. Let's go spend it. You don't actually "realize" that entire piece of income until you walk off that stage and it's done. But if you're listening to how I'm talking about this, this is how a business owner thinks. This is not how a hobbyist thinks."We’re back with another edition of our Coaches Corner series! This week, Maryalice Goldsmith sat down with Rick Clemons to dig into Lead Management and how to think like a business owner in this relationship business.“The more you can sell the solution that you provide, not you. Yes, quote, I am the solution, so to speak. But the solution I'm going to offer to them to fix their problem, the sooner you're going to start getting the buy signals and the sooner you'll start moving that through the selling pipeline and filling your pipeline through the process."In this episode Rick and Maryalice cover: The difference between warm and cold leads What it means to think

"I want to get in the heads and the hearts of the people in the room. If I'm not in their heads and hearts, I don't know how I can connect."This week, Molly Fletcher joined Grant to discuss her experience transitioning from a sports agent into a speaker. For Molly, becoming a speaker was less about a dream to be on stage and more about a logistically practical way to share the knowledge she was giving out 1-on-1 to people she was mentoring. When Molly started speaking, she focused on industries that required the same kind of trust and relationship building that was normal to her as a sports agent. From there, she started branching out into women’s leadership and general empowerment to encourage people to get out there and change the world. "One of the number one reasons women are coming out of the workforce and hitting a jack is because they don't see other women doing what they want to do. So I think for strong women to be in the front of the room and tell their story, we need more of that, for sur

"We're more willing to be our genuine organic selves, which is going to attract other like minded people, that we can find our group, find our people, and take over the world in a positive way."Today, Brittany Richmond sat down on the podcast with her speaker friends Matt Matkovich and Phil Januszewski to talk about what it’s like being a speaking duo! Matt and Phil have been speaking together for over a decade now, and they joined us to share more about what it’s like sharing the stage and what they have learned over the past 10 years. "We are two ordinary guys who turned out doing extraordinary things to audiences around the country. And we're living proof to people that if you stick with something, if you're natural, genuine, and organic about your message, the sky is the limit, and you could turn an ordinary idea into something truly extraordinary."In this episode, Matt, Phil, and Brittany cover: What it’s like being a speaking duo The importance of honoring your niche How to get over

"Just because you land a gig, it doesn't stop there. How can you parlay that into more gigs?"Erick Rheam is back on the podcast today to educate us on the power of geographical prospecting. If you’ve listened to the podcast for any time, you’ve heard us talk about daily prospecting and the growth that goes into building momentum for your speaking business. Today, we will dig into what it looks like to take that effort and work smarter, not harder. "You got to look at this as opportunities to create more business. So we don't want to be so focused that when you go do a gig, Grant, that you're going there. You're there to do the gig, you're going to knock it out of the park, you're going to collect your paycheck, you're going to move on. You got to think bigger than that, and you got to start thinking about, well, maybe this is an area where I can expand my message and do it with folks that are in the proximity of where I'm going to be."In this episode, Grant and Erick cover: What is geographical pros

"The two most important qualities to come across as a speaker probably, and it's on podcast as well, is to get across a sense of warmth and competence and if you can be in that energy, you can be more trusted as a voice."We're back with another edition of our Coaches Corner series. This week, Maryalice is joined by John Ball, TSL coach and a veteran Podcaster, to investigate whether podcasting is a channel worth pursuing as you build your speaking business. "If you're in your earlier stages of building a speaking career, then Guesting is much more a place to start because otherwise having your own show, the amount of work that does really need to go into that is going to be one more thing that may slow down your progress in building up your speaking business and your speaker pipeline."In this episode, John and Maryalice cover: The pros and cons of podcasting How to use podcasting to grow your audience and share your messageWhat makes a good podcast Practical advice for you to get started&n

"If we can remind ourselves that we're in service of our audience, we have value to bring as a professional speaker, somebody determined that you have something of value to say to this audience, and if you remind yourself of that, it will turn down all of that negative self talk and really help you focus in the moment."Matt Abrahams has made a life teaching people how to become great communicators, and today, he's sharing his expertise with us. Grant and Matt sit down to dig into what Matt teaches daily to coach speakers, sales teams, entrepreneurs, and more. If you want to become a better speaker with strategic growth efforts, Matt's advice will help you craft a killer keynote to build your confidence and deeply reach the audiences you're engaging with; this episode is for you. "So if you can remind yourself of the things that get you excited about what you're speaking on, and if you can remind yourself of the potential value that the audience has to take from what you're saying, those are things t

"You need to believe in yourself and you need to understand that you are validated in what you're wanting to charge."In this edition of our Student Highlight series, Brittany Richmond sat down with TedX speaker and education thought leader Dr. India White to talk about what it takes to build a speaking business and the tangible, practical things Dr. White did to take hers to the next level. "Work with them through that process until they say, okay, now let's get the contract going. Are you going to send it? Do you want mine? What do you want? Right. And then you go from there."This episode is filled with: Hard truths about building a speaking business Practical knowledge and problem-solving to help you work through the hard things Implementable changes to help you level up Expert advice from people a few steps ahead of you to achieve your dreams Tips on negotiating contractsGuidance on building solid relationships both with the audience and the event decision-makers "At the

“If something scares you, you should probably do it."Grant sits down with Dave Allred to talk about how speaking can help you expand your comfort zone, create opportunities, and unlock potential in your life to achieve your goals. If you have thought about using speaking as a means to magnify and expand the impact of your legacy, this episode is for you. “My primary goal, Grant, when I get on stage, I always try to ask myself this question over and over as I'm preparing as well as when I walk on the stage, is just how can I create maximum value for the audience? That's where I found the best success, man, because you're really focusing on how you can create and serve the audience, and it's always going to come back full circle to you."In this episode Grant and Dave cover: Dave’s story and how he got into speaking How to stay top of mind and build a reputation as a speaker Practical tips for bridging the gap between relationship building and pitching What it looks like to bet on yourse

"I think it's important for speakers to be aware of it, to understand it, not be the type of speaker who's yelling at clouds like, no, I'm going to avoid this. When used in appropriate context, it can make so many things so much easier. But the challenge, like with any new technology, is really understanding what appropriate means and really understanding the boundaries of how it can help you, but then also being self aware enough to go, maybe this is where it doesn't help me."In this edition of Coaches Corner, we're digging into AI with Maryalice Goldsmith and Jeremy Rochford. This episode is a great addition to the show because they dig into leveraging AI to help you create great content. "ChatGPT can start the conversation, but we, as the creators, need to end the conversation. We need to take, if we're using ChatGPT, whatever it gives us, and then go, how would I say this to my tribe? How would I say this to my people?"In this episode, Jeremy and Maryalice cover: How to think about using AI to d

"Speaking is a platform to share a message and a story that could transform somebody's life."This week, Grant is joined by Dan Martell to talk about how to create a nontraditional speaking career. For Dan, speaking isn’t about the money. It’s a way to spread his message and impact lives. Want to leverage your speaking to create long-term value and develop strong relationships? This is the episode for you."If you ever have the opportunity to get on a stage to communicate to other people, you better bring your A game. Because he said that is the highest honor ever."In this episode, Grant and Dan cover how to: Leverage platforms to share your message Create a speaking career that isn’t your sole income Use speaking for brand building Find your niche and speak for impact to the audiences you resonate with the most Get better at speaking with repetitionPlay to your strengths as a speaker Assess the intangible benefits of a speaking career "I you have the honor and the privilege o

“So I just cracked six figures in seven months? In seven months.”Grant is joined on the podcast this week by Dr Reggie Wright to talk about how he scaled his speaking business in 7 months. Reggie shares his background and his story, but more important digs into what really allowed him to step into this calling as a speaker with confidence.“Preparation breeds confidence. I just want to be prepared. And I just thought about it, like, as an athlete, right. I just want to go into the game being prepared for the game. Let the chips fall where they may. So that's what I did.”In this episode, Grant and Reggie dig into: How to leverage your story to connect with audiences What it looks like to put in the work to chase your dreams A detailed look at Reggie’s schedule while he launched his business What it looks like to commit to making an impact on the world around you How to use your message to drive your focus when the path is unclear Why it’s important to be prepared even if you’re not

"History doesn't repeat itself. It's just that humans tend to do the same thing in patterns even if 20 or 40 or 50 years ago they did the exact same thing when faced with the same inputs."This week on the podcast, Grant sat down with Dominique Luster, a TSL alum and a professional speaker in the DEI space. Dominique’s speaking career started somewhat naturally as she was on a mission to share the history of minorities through working in the museum/education space for years before she was asked to do a TED talk. “Any project or organization that comes to the table with the same feelings and beliefs that history is not passive and that African American history matters and should be uplifted and shared and preserved and told just like anything else."In this episode, Dominique and Grant dig into: How Dominique got into speaking Figuring out what makes you unique and what your niche can be in the speaking world How to find DEI gigs and leverage your network What it looks like to get creati

"And it's interesting because our self talk starts at the very beginning of our day. So the minute you become conscious before, sometimes you even open your eyes, what's your first thought? Right? Is it something positive? Or is it like, oh, my back is killing me. Well, guess what? That is the underlying tone and theme for the rest of your day."Maryalice is back on the podcast with another one of our awesome coaches. This week, we’re welcoming Angie Besignano for her first time on the podcast. Maryalice and Angie run through her background and then dig into one of Angie’s areas of expertise, energy management. "We need to treat our energy and our energetic goals as intentionally as we do our business goals."If you’re unsure what energy management is or how to regulate and audit the amount of energy you need to create success. In this episode, Maryalice and Angie talk about:The 4 types of energy How the energy types are connected and they work together to impact your lifeRegulating and auditing your

"The key to a great demo video is showcasing your best work and highlighting your strengths. It should effectively demonstrate your skills, talent, and unique qualities in a concise and captivating manner."Demo videos are mission-critical to getting booked and paid as a professional speaker. Today, Grant sat down with Shawn Hanks. Shawn is the CEO of the Premiere Speakers Bureau, and he knows a few things about speaker marketing, demo videos, and how to create a stand-out product. “A demo video helps to mitigate and reduce that risk for an event planner to say, no, I feel comfortable and confident hiring this speaker and putting them on stage, putting my reputation on the line as the event planner to report to my committee or board or boss or whoever it may be."Grant and Shawn dig into:Why you need a strong demo video How to create a GREAT demo video The key idea and formula that something memorable What you should be spending on your demo video The perceptions that go into the settin

"There were two modules that were particularly helpful for me...The module about preparing your talk was really helpful...It helped me fill in stories where I needed to fill in a story and applications for real-life examples...And then the other part was the last module, Know When to Scale...That last module helped me really make sense of it all."Dr. Peggy DeLong joins Maryalice Goldsmith on the podcast this week to talk about her journey to The Speaker Lab and what she’s accomplished since beginning her speaking career. Together, they dig into what Dr. Peggy speaks about, how she found her niche, and what pushed her to take the next step to grow her business. "Well, a couple of things came together at perfect timing. Actually three things. Two opportunities literally fell in my lap. I've been a speaker for 20 years, often speaking for free, lots of different reasons and not making much movement. And then all of a sudden, the largest audience opportunity came my way without pitching, and the largest fee

"AI enhances my creativity and helps me explore new ideas. From AI-generated music and artwork to machine learning algorithms that assist in brainstorming and content creation, it has become an invaluable tool in my creative process."Today, Grant sat down with Lauren Teague to chat about her speaking business and how she uses AI as a work partner to maximize her time, increase her creative output, and scale the amount of work she’s putting in to create great pieces of content. "It's like the most valuable intern that you could hire in that most capable, but you have to be extremely specific and good at delegation in order to get the most out of it."In today’s episode, Grant and Lauren dig into: Lauren’s background in speaking Why content matters when you’re building a brand How to leverage AI to help you create more content What Lauren uses AI for in her everyday life How AI can help you scale the amount of content you ship What AI tools are currently on the market, and what

"It's kind of like setting up a table for dinner. You don't want to just be scrambling and hustle to the table and be sweating and be like, I don't even know where the forks are. So I think it's like, no, let's have a nice clean table. Lay it all out before yourself so you can kind of settle into it and know exactly where everything is and know you've set yourself up for success."We’re back with another episode in our Coaching Corner series! Today, Maryalice and Emily Arnold sit down to talk about how you can best prep to make your time in the program count. Emily is one of our program concierges, and she’s been around the block a few times when it comes to helping students prep for success and take off running. "And as someone who works with all of you, I see that you do all genuinely care about people. And so I think it's so wonderful to work for a team of people that when I'm getting students on orientation, I know with confidence, I'm sending you off to the coaching team who genuinely cares about you