The Speaker Lab Podcast
The Speaker Lab Podcast teaches you how to get booked and paid to speak consistently. Hosted by TSL CEO Dan Irvin and featuring insights from successful speakers, the show covers business tactics, speaking tips, and insider strategies. You'll learn how to find speaking gigs, build relationships, negotiate higher fees, and grow your speaking business. Each episode provides practical advice for both new and veteran speakers.
Episodes
How to Get Booked Without a Following
"The audience first plan is not really a strategy. It's a hiding place. Because posting into the void is safe. Nobody tells you no."
Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! This is one of Dan's solo episodes — just you and him, coffee-shop style — and he's tackling a belief that keeps a lot of speakers stuck: the idea that you need to build a big audience before you can get booked and pa
How to Make Decisions That Stick with Julian V. Taylor
"I made a decision in my head, I'm going to America. I'm going to come here, build a business, live a life, get a green card, then get citizenship, do it all above board. But the decision was massive. How do I make it stick?"Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this Alumni Spotlight, Dan pulls up a chair with Julian V. Taylor — a British-born media entrepreneur who spent more than
The 85% of Your Speaking Business Nobody Talks About
"The famine is not caused by the famine. The famine is caused by what you did not do during the feast."
Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this episode, Dan Irvin pulls up a chair for another one of his unfiltered coffee shop conversations — just you and Dan across the table.
Everybody talks about the stage. The standing ovation, the packed room, the nailed close. Nobody posts ab
Why Charging More Actually Gets You Booked More
"Undercharging is not humility. It is a positioning problem and oftentimes a confidence problem. And that confidence problem is wearing a humble costume."
Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this episode, Dan Irvin digs into one of the most common — and most expensive — mistakes speakers make: undercharging for their talks. And not just because it shrinks your paycheck. Dan makes
How to Build the Speaking Business You Actually Want with Carlos Hidalgo
"And I realized I had bought into someone else's definition of what success looked like and even career path. And I find that so many people do that. And so we're living a life that someone else designed for us. And my whole thing is just determine what's important to you and then find a career that enables you to do that."
Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this Alumni Spotlight
How to Get Booked When You Don't Have a Track Record with Bill Englehaupt
“Constancy of purpose says we're in, we're locked, we're going until we get to a point where we have sufficient data or an understanding of what we're doing that we need to make a change.”Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this episode, Dan sits down with TSL alumnus Bill Englehaupt — founder of Auditology and a 30-plus-year veteran of financial services audit. Bill works with CP
Finding the Audience That Actually Needs Your Message with Robin Blair
“You can't get through it if it's not real.”Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this alumni speaker connection episode, Dan sits down with Robin Blair — an ordained minister, award-winning speaker, singer, and media producer who spent decades inside network television and radio before walking away from it all to pursue ministry and professional speaking.Robin's career arc reads li
The No's Don't Get a Vote with Marcus Dove
"And so I'm sending out the emails, I'm doing the work, I'm following the process, and I'm not really getting any responses. And so by the end of the day, I'm like, well, am I doing this right? Or, you know, imposter syndrome kind of sets in, you know, am I really built for this?"
Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this Alumni Spotlight, Dan Irvin sits down with Marcus Dove — a p
You Don't Need a Superpower, You Need a System with Amy LaBelle
"You do not need a superpower. You simply need a system that gets you one step at a time, one day at a time, toward your goal."
Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! This week's Alumni Spotlight features Amy LaBelle — founder and winemaker of LaBelle Winery in New Hampshire, which she started with five thousand dollars and a dream and opened 4,083 days later. Today that's two locations
Navigating the Fog: Getting Clear on What You Actually Want with Scott Hacker
"We're always going a hundred miles an hour. So we never even realize that we're driving through fog all that time."
Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! This week's Alumni Spotlight features Scott Hacker — thirty-plus years in corporate sales, now a certified high performance coach who goes by the clarity coach. His signature talk is called Navigating the Fog of Life, and the premise
Why Loving the Process Beats Loving the Stage with Matthew Sharpe
“The better the foundation is, the more opportunities I'm getting to do exactly that.”Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! This week's episode is another alumni spotlight, and it might be Dan's favorite combination yet: Matthew Sharpe is a licensed therapist — and a stand-up comedian. He put the two together in Standup Therapy Live, where the laughs do the heavy lifting for the mental
The Question That Flips the Switch on Fear with Jennifer Ryan
"What if I didn't let it stop me? What if I just push past it?"Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this Alumni Spotlight episode, Dan Irvin sits down with Speaker Lab alumni Jennifer Ryan — a speaker who just hit a real turning point. She finished her book, Be the Donkey, Not the Jackass, she's ready to take it on the road, and she's built a talk that is unmistakably her own.Jenni
Value Over Volume: Why the Best Speakers Lead by Giving with Michael Hidalgo
"When you're late, you tell people you don't care. I didn't agree with it at the moment. But then I started really just disciplining myself. And it is hard work for me every single day to be early."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this Alumni Spotlight episode, host Dan Irvin brings on Michael Hidalgo — a keynote speaker who helps teams actually talk to each other. His core ide
How to Turn Free Talks Into Paid Speaking Gigs with Dr. David Chastain
"I didn't get paid to go to Seattle, but I made a good connection there that I will be paid for."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this Alumni Spotlight episode, host Dan Irvin sits down with Dr. David Chastain, a speaker who works at an intersection most people are afraid to even name out loud: grief and addiction, and the way the two are wound together. Grief can delay recover
The Ugly Start: Why Momentum Beats Perfection with Chris Jackson
"It's never gonna be right. It's gonna be good enough to get started. You have enough to get started — just get started."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this Alumni Spotlight episode, host Dan Irvin sits down with Chris Jackson — a speaker and consultant building his business from the foundation up, getting ready to land his first paid gig in this chapter of his career. And th
Why People Buy — and How Speakers Get It Backwards — with Kevin Sidebottom
"You have to have influence. That's the relational collateral that gets everything done. Think of it like a bank account — the more you put in, the more you can take out when you need to."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this episode, host Dan Irvin sits down with Kevin Sidebottom — a keynote speaker, sales trainer, and author who has spent two decades studying one question: wh
How to Sell a Message Nobody's Heard of Yet with Danny Karon
"I said to my wife literally yesterday: for the first time in 60 years — I just turned 60 — I feel like I've found my true calling."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this episode, host Dan Irvin kicks off a new format — sitting down with real speakers who are a step or two ahead of you, because the fastest way to figure out your next move is to connect with someone living it rig
The Truth About Speaker Bureaus: 3 Things You Need to Hear
"I finally realized I was not paying for a service. I was paying for hope. And hope is not a business strategy."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! Fair warning — host Dan Irvin is ruffling some feathers in this one. In this solo episode, he takes on one of the most common "shortcuts" speakers chase: the speaker bureau.Dan has personally signed up with about a dozen of them. Paid the
Which Type of Stuck Speaker Are You?
"Preparation feels like progress. It's not."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! After thousands of calls with speakers at every stage, host Dan Irvin has noticed something: it stops sounding like thousands of different stories and starts sounding like the same three. The names change. The cities change. The topics change. But the place where people are stuck? Almost always one of thr
Why Your Follower Count Isn't Filling Your Calendar
"A speaker with 200 followers and 30 conversations a month is going to out-earn a creator with tens of thousands of followers and zero conversations. Every single time."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this solo episode, host Dan Irvin calls out one of the most common — and costly — mistakes he sees on speaker calls every week: mistaking a content habit for a speaking business.
The Gig After the Gig: How to Turn Every Event Into Your Next 3 Bookings
"Cold outreach is a great way to start — but it's not how you scale."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this solo episode, host Dan Irvin makes the case that the most efficient gig you'll ever book is the one you just finished. The problem? Most speakers walk off stage, shake a few hands, grab a photo, and move on — completely missing the two, three, maybe five opportunities that
What Should I Charge to Speak? The 3 Things That Drive Your Fee
"If you don't know your number before the conversation, the buyer will pick the number for you."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this solo episode, host Dan Irvin tackles one of the most common — and most avoided — questions in the speaking business: what should I charge?Everyone asks it. Almost nobody answers it straight. You've probably heard "charge what you're worth" or "it
The SPEAK Framework: How to Build a Speaking Business AI Can't Touch
"Your story told honestly is your edge."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this solo episode, TSL CEO Dan Irvin opens with a story about a factory worker named Gary — a man who worked hard, gave everything, and still got left behind when the game changed. It's a story from 1975, but it's happening right now, and Dan thinks you need to hear it.Because the premium is shifting again
10 Gigs in 10 Weeks: The 5 Mindset Shifts That Made It Happen with Dan Irvin
"Clarity feels slower in the beginning until confusion costs you months."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this solo episode, host Dan Irvin gets candid about what it actually took to complete 10 paid speaking gigs in 10 weeks — and why none of it was accidental.This wasn't luck, and it wasn't a hot streak. It was the result of five specific mindset shifts th
How Erick Rheam Booked A $900,000 Speaking Engagement
"If you can get one paid gig, you can build an empire off that."Welcome back to The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this episode, Dan Irvin (the newly minted TSL CEO and new host of the TSL podcast!) sits down with Erick Rheam — The Speaker Lab's own resident speaker and lead coach — to unpack one of the most remarkable client stories we've ever told: how Erick turned a single speaking relationsh
A New Chapter For TSL + The Future of the Speaking Industry with Dan Irvin
"So you can speak to it from a very professional level of here's what I'm seeing right now, grassroots, I'm in it, I'm doing the thing. And that's what makes this transition of you taking over and leading TSL really, really exciting. Because again, you're on the front lines, you're doing the thing."WE'RE BACK.Welcome to a very special episode of The Speaker Lab podcast! Today, Grant Baldw
Building Your Off Ramp: From Corporate to Full-Time Speaking with Velera Wilson
“Sometimes in today’s society, there’s a pressure to do entrepreneurship the right way. Others have the Instagram businesses that everybody makes look good, but I think everyone has their own particular situation and scenarios.”Welcome to another episode of The Speaker Lab Podcast! In this episode, host Grant Baldwin welcomes speaker and author Velera Wilson, a remarkable leader who candi
Forging a Path to Purpose-Driven Speaking with Shannon GaNun
“There’s a huge amount of progress that comes from pitching yourself and putting information out there and having discovery calls and doing events and speaking at events and fielding questions and posting on social media and seeing what people want.”Welcome to another episode of The Speaker Lab Podcast! Today, host Grant Baldwin welcomes Shannon GaNun, a former communications professional
Overcoming Speaker Slumps and Building Momentum: Live Coaching with Erick Rheam
“If you’re consistent, you may miss the event with that event planner this round, but you’re going to get it the next round, and you’re going to get the next round too because you’re going to stay on top.”In this episode of The Speaker Lab Podcast, Erick Rheam, professional speaker and author, opens the doors to a behind-the-scenes coaching session as Connor Wentling and Michael Hidalgo j
Avoiding Burnout in Speaking and Life with Arthur James
“One of the things that has helped me stay in ministry, and one of my keys that I share in my talk about burnout, is doing something new to refuel you. I’m still doing ministry thirty years later, but I find new ways to do it and that helps increase the fuel and the fire for me to do it.”Welcome back to The Speaker Lab podcast! On today’s episode, host Grant Baldwin is joined by Arthur Ja
Turning Fear into Fuel on Your Speaking Path with Melanie Curtis
“I’m a big believer in consuming what you sell and practicing what you preach…it’s a useful step on the path to understanding what’s possible and for growing in the skill set of standing on stage in front of any number of people that makes your body react and become nervous.”In this episode of The Speaker Lab Podcast, host Grant Baldwin sits down with Melanie Curtis, a world record-holdin
Why Accountability Is the Key to Building Consistent Habits with Adam Gilbert
“Make sure you actually believe you can follow your plan. Because if you don’t feel hopeful, then you’re never going to feel motivated, you’re never going to feel committed, and you’re never going to follow through.”Welcome back to another episode of The Speaker Lab Podcast! Today, Grant Baldwin is joined by Adam Gilbert, the mastermind behind MyBodyTutor.com and DoneDaily.com, to discuss
How Speakers Can Book Association Opportunities with Erick Rheam
“When you go to these associations’ websites, they don’t have robust staff…it’s not hard to find them. You can directly engage with them and talk to them about an event that’s coming up. You can identify, ‘You have a fall conference coming up. I’d love to chat with you and see how I can best support you on that.’” This week on The Speaker Lab podcast, host Grant Baldwin sits down wit
From Free Gigs to Paid Speaking with Dr. Yvette E. Pearson
“Everything [The Speaker Lab] does is very intentional drive, step driven, process driven, and it can fit whatever time that you can give it…So time is less relevant. Consistency is more relevant.”Welcome back to The Speaker Lab podcast! In this episode, we’re diving deep into the realities of building a thriving speaking business while balancing a busy professional life. Our host, Erick
Finding Your Message and Your Why with Marcy Grossman
“I’ve been a caterpillar. You know, what do caterpillars do? They collect, they eat, they stock up, they build up until they get a calling that says build yourself a chrysalis. And that [chrysalis], for me, was leaving public service.”Welcome back to The Speaker Lab podcast! Today’s episode features Marcy Grossman, whose career path took her from criminal psychologist, working in federal
The Six-Step Roadmap to Growing Your Speaking Career with Josh Shipp
“Within an in demand topic, how are you going to differentiate? There are only X number of categories of movies out there, right? And so it’s not like you’re suddenly going to invent a new category of movie, but you do want, within that well trenched category, to be distinct.”Welcome back to The Speaker Lab podcast! In today’s episode, host Grant Baldwin is joined once again by youth spea
Building Frameworks That Grow Your Speaking Brand with Melanie Deziel
“Once you have your go-to framework, your go-to model, and then as you innovate, few come up with new ideas, and instead of just doing away with the old one, it becomes a tool in your pocket. And you can keep building that toolbox as you go.”This week, host Grant Baldwin reconnects with his good friend, renowned speaker, author, and content strategist Melanie Deziel. If you've ever strugg
Storytelling, Identity, and Growth in Speaking with Harris III
“I started pursuing meaning instead of money. And I made way more money focusing on meaning and not thinking about money as much as I did when I was laser focused on making more money but living a life that was absent of meaning.”Welcome back to The Speaker Lab podcast! In today’s episode, host Grant Baldwin sits down with Harris III, an award-winning illusionist, speaker, author, and ent
Moving from Moments to Meaning: Mastering Stage Storytelling with Katie Quesada
"All those little intangibles that are so nuanced, the great storytellers can put themselves physically and emotionally back in the story and bring you with them, and then somehow bring it back to you.” If you’ve ever felt like your life isn’t interesting enough for the stage, Katie Quesada is here to change your mind. On this episode of The Speaker Lab, Katie and Grant Baldwin unpac
Keys to Thriving as a Professional Speaker with Brian Lord
“When downselling, it’s really good to say, ‘Who is above me, and who is below me?’ And then also find out, looking laterally, who do you compete against? Who is within a similar fee range?...Who can I refer that might fit along that axis.”In this episode, Grant Baldwin teams up with industry insider Brian Lord of Premier Speakers Bureau for a conversation about what it takes to succeed a
The Five Levels of Building a Successful Speaking Business with Erick Rheam
“You have to make sure you don’t lose the vision of what you started, because the team could begin and can take on a personality of its own. And if you don’t manage it, you can get off the vision of what brought you here.”What does it really take to build a thriving speaking business? In this week’s thought-provoking episode, Grant Baldwin sits down with Erick Rheam to explore the practic
How to Create Exceptional Audience Experiences with Neen James
“My job is to make [event planners] look like a rock star when I get off stage…I stand beside them so I can also have them hear the lovely things people are saying in line when people want to hug you and take their photo with you. And so what they need to see is [that I] was a good investment.”In this episode, Grant Baldwin connects with Neen James for an honest, energetic conversation on
Turning Adversity Into Purpose with Lance Cibik
“[I’m trying] to use stories so the audience can find themselves in the story as it relates to their life, but then extract the lessons learned, the principles to help, to overcome, to move through the process that’s executed, to use adversity as fuel for purpose.”This week, Grant Baldwin sits down with Lance Cibik, peeling back the curtain on what it really takes to build momentum and es
Mastering Your Speaking Pipeline: Live Coaching with Erick Rheam
“The whole purpose of the Speaker Lab is we’re here to help speakers, to give them confidence, to get them out there and to translate their experiences, their stories into something that they can take out and get booked and paid to speak.”Building a thriving speaking business comes down to strategy, momentum, and the discipline to keep moving forward. In this episode of The Speaker Lab, E
Crafting Talks That Audiences Remember with Donald Miller
“I have a friend who used to call it putting the cookies on a lower shelf. And you want to say to the audience things that they can absolutely understand and they can take action on and that are not confusing.”What really sets the best speakers apart? This week on The Speaker Lab, host Grant Baldwin chats with Donald Miller, author, entrepreneur, and creator of the StoryBrand framework, a
Mastering Speaking Logistics with Advance Agent Lori Kennedy
“When speakers communicate directly with the clients and leave me out of the communication, it can get fuzzy. And there have been times when that’s happened and logistical details have not occurred and it has cost somebody money.”Behind every outstanding speaking event is a world of logistics, relationships, and attention to detail that most audiences never see. On this week’s episode of
Self Awareness and Forming Lasting Relationships in Speaking with Brad Lomenick
“Content is still important, but content is much more of a commodity. So the premise has to be that we’ve got to create something…It has to include conversation, it has to include community, it has to include the idea that there’s going to be something that’s analog that happens.”In this week’s episode of The Speaker Lab, Grant Baldwin chats with Brad Lomenick about what truly makes speak
How to Avoid Burnout and Build Sustainable Success with Chris Ducker
“...hustle and hard work might get you past a certain project or deadline, but then habits will help you last over the long haul, right? So build a business that doesn’t ultimately break you over time.”What does it take to build a speaking business and a life that lasts? In this week’s episode of The Speaker Lab, host Grant Baldwin sits down with his longtime friend Chris Ducker, who just
Boosting Your Speaking Business with Visual Storytelling with John DeMato
“A photo in general is not going to win you business, but bad photos are going to lose you your business all the time because it absolutely crushes.”Ever dread getting new headshots or wonder if your photos help your speaking business? On this episode of The Speaker Lab, Grant Baldwin chats with photographer John DeMato about what matters when it comes to imagery and visual storytelling f
How to Share Your Story with Purpose with Bill Blankschaen
“If your heart is genuinely how do I care about people by doing what I love to do, if that’s the driver of it, I don’t see how you can not end up in a place that is rewarding, fulfilling, and doing something that makes the world a better place.”Ever wonder if your story is worth sharing or how to even start turning your experience into a book, speech, or brand? In this episode of The Spea
Using AI as a Thought Partner for Speaking with Geoff Woods
“The mistake I’m seeing a lot of companies make is they’re racing to shove it into a product where they’re trying to drive costs down before the leaders making the call have become AI-driven leaders.”Feeling overwhelmed by AI and unsure how it fits into your speaking business? In this value-packed episode of The Speaker Lab, Grant Baldwin chats with Geoff Woods, author of The AI-Driven Le
Live Coaching with Erick Rheam: Turning Conference Connections Into Booked Gigs
“The act of you and I exchanging contact information raises the standard that there is going to be a follow up…You want to make that connection and set the expectation right then and there.”Ever left a conference buzzing, only to watch that excitement fizzle when it comes to follow-up? This live coaching session from The Speaker Lab pulls back the curtain on how pros turn event momentum i
Pursuing Consulting and Speaking Career Dreams with Tania Will Jeppesen
"I know there's a lot of benefits to automation, but when it came to [outreach], I felt it was very important for me to send personalized emails to each person in my network to tell them what I was doing and ask if I could help."If you’ve ever considered leaving a stable corporate career to pursue something more meaningful, Tania Will Jeppesen’s story is essential listening. On this week’
A Journey in Speaking and Leadership with Kent Chevalier
“I was trying to figure out what’s my lane that I need to be saying yes to? And what are the things I would have to say no to so that I can say yes to the better things?”Kent Chevalier’s speaking journey is anything but conventional. In this week’s episode of The Speaker Lab podcast, Grant Baldwin sits down with Kent, a longtime pastor turned Pittsburgh Steelers chaplain—who’s built his c
Conquering Mindset Blocks as a Paid Speaker with Stephanie Dauphin
“I feel guilty to charge [money] for what I love to do…one woman said, ‘They should pay you because it’s your gift, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it.’”Few stories capture the grit and transformation behind a speaking business like Stephanie Dauphin’s journey. This week, Grant Baldwin chats with Stephanie on The Speaker Lab podcast about investing over a decade in her craft—often speakin
Overcoming Adversity and Setbacks in Speaking with Stacey Chillemi
“When you are speaking and you’re in front of people and you give them the momentum to look at life from a different perspective or do something they don’t have the courage to do, you could help change people’s lives.”Podcasts are full of powerhouse moments, but few stories capture the grit, honesty, and resolve it takes to truly make an impact the way Stacey Chillemi’s does. On this epis
The Hard Truths and Rewards of Speaking with Chase Livingston
“When you understand going into [speaking] that it’s going to suck for a while, it’s going to take longer than you think and it’s going to be harder than you think. When you know those things up front, when you meet them, you can anticipate it.”Stepping onto the stage as a speaker is about more than nailing your performance—it’s about persistence, honesty, and the courage to start before
Finding Value in Your Story with Kimberly Clark
“I got to the point where if I was going to [be a speaker] I have to be serious about it and I’m going to have to invest in myself. I had to get to the ‘I’m worth it’ mindset, and The Speaker Lab [helped me with that].”Making an impact as a speaker isn’t just about your time on stage—it’s about the courage to own your story and use it to help others. This week, teen resilience speaker, Ki
Why Speakers Should Build Community with Gina Bianchini
“The hardest thing about building a community is making sure that you’ve tapped into a transition that people have and are navigating so that they actually want to build relationships with each other.”As a speaker, building your authority goes beyond what you say on stage, it’s all about how you connect with your audience afterward. This week, Gina Bianchini, founder and CEO of Mighty Net
Turning Speaking Failures into Business Growth with Daniel Harkavay
“If you impact one leader and that leader shows up better, then that leader engages better with his or her team. And then if that’s a good experience and it’s consistent, then those teammates do the same for their team. And all of a sudden you’re cascading down.”One of the best things about being a speaker? You get to write your own story—and Daniel Harkavy’s is proof that the path isn’t
The Four Reasons Speakers Get Booked with Clint Pulver
“The goal is to become reassuringly expensive to some extent because what you’re able to charge as a speaker is directly correlated to the insurance policy that you can provide for that event.”One of the best parts about being a speaker is that you get to decide what your speaking career looks like. Your story is unique—and only you can deliver the kind of value your audience needs. This
Building a Speaking Career That Works for You with Brittany Hodak
“What does it feel like to be a customer of your business? How are you treating your customers? How are you making them want to not just come back, but tell their friends?”Brittany Hodak’s story reminds us that a truly fulfilling speaking career comes from real clarity and intentionality, not chasing every gig or opportunity that comes along. She didn’t set out to become a speaker—he
Turning Adversity Into Impact with Tiran Jackson
“One thing that will make you better suited towards being able to deal with that is if you have a resilient mindset to know that whatever you’re going through, what is the lesson I’m going to get out of it and how is it going to make me better? Where is the positive growth going to come from here?”Tiran Jackson’s story is a masterclass in turning heartbreak into hope and challenge into fu
How to Find Your Niche and Your Voice with Jason Raitz
“Client communication just doesn’t cut it anymore. In 2025 we have so many generations working together, we want to rush right to the product, but we have to learn how to use these people first communication skills.”Jason Raitz is proof that success as a speaker isn’t about overnight wins or waiting for an opportunity to knock—it’s about grit, clarity, and a relentless focus on serving ot
The #1 Skill You Need to Build a 6-Figure Speaking Business with Clinton Young
“Ultimately, you don’t need to have any certification. You need to have some level of experience where you can speak authentically and congruent. It’s gotta be congruent with how you feel about your knowledge.”Clinton Young knows what it’s like to hit rock bottom—and how to turn that experience into fuel for an inspiring speaking career. After losing his business and confidence during the
How to Transform Your Passion Into a Speaking Career with Amy Burton
“When we’re intentional about pursuing our dreams, that’s when we can see things more clearly. Because most of the time we get so busy in the everyday that we don’t take time for those things. And those things are not just going to happen, right?”Amy Burton, a once-high school Spanish and theater teacher turned powerhouse speaker, is redefining the classroom experience for educators every
Travel Hacks Every Speaker Should Know with Chris Hutchins
Travel Hacks Every Speaker Should Know with Chris Hutchins“If you don’t want to play the sign up bonus game, optimize where you’re spending but always be getting more than 2x on everything.”Navigating the world of travel optimization can feel overwhelming, but our guest this week, Chris Hutchins, is here to break it all down. Chris, host of the All the Hacks podcast, is a master of the tr
Balancing Speaking With Your Full Time Job + Mastering Cold Outreach (Live Coaching W/ Erick)
“Knowing who you are as an individual on the spiritual side of life helps guide you to who you are created to be.”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 l
How to Navigate Changes In the Speaking Industry with Shawn Hanks
“The speaking industry is one that has been around for generations…And it has survived wars, depressions, recessions, 9/11, pandemics, and it’s not going anywhere.”Navigating the speaking industry can seem daunting with its ever-shifting trends and economic uncertainties. So this week, drawing from his extensive experience in the field, Shawn Hanks offers his seasoned perspective on how s
From Google Exec to Speaker: A Story of Courage and Perseverance with Jenny Wood
“If you are thinking about doing something long term, test it internally, be an intrapreneur, right? Go create something amazing for your company and see if you enjoy doing it.”Jenny Wood's transition from a high-flying Google executive to an influential public speaker is nothing short of inspiring. After spending eighteen years at Google, Jenny chose to follow her passion for public spea
Changing Leadership Culture and Scaling Content with Jeremie Kubicek
“We use visual tools and common language, so we share tools as if they’re mirrors so that the mirror does the heavy lifting and you get self awareness through looking at the mirror.”Navigating the world of speaking and building a unique brand can be daunting in the early stages of your career. So this week on The Speaker Lab Podcast, Jeremie Kubicek joins Grant Baldwin to shed light on th
How to Master the Three Pillars of Thought Leadership with Dorie Clark
“I knew it was important for me as I built my business to develop markers of credibility, and that would make everything easier. Like the wind is at your back when you have enough credentials that people can say, ‘I'll listen to her.’”In this episode of The Speaker Lab Podcast, host Grant Baldwin is joined by Dorie Clark to talk about an important topic for every speaker — establishi
How to Find and Maintain Excellence in the Speaking Industry with Jon Acuff
“You have to regularly find things where the challenge exceeds the skill set."In this week’s episode of The Speaker Lab Podcast, speaker and author Jon Acuff joins Grant to talk about the challenge of maintaining excellence as a speaker and the importance of continually pushing yourself beyond your comfort zones.Jon also took the time to break down his successful speaking model, prim
Simplifying Your Speaking Business In Order To Grow with Taylorr Payne
“Most successful or thought leadership businesses are extremely simple. They sell one thing at the front end, maybe a couple things on the back end…but they’re experts in X, Y, and Z.”In this episode of The Speaker Lab podcast, we explore the importance of keeping things simple and intentional in the ever-changing world of speaking and entrepreneurship. Grant Baldwin sits down with Taylor
Navigating the Highs and Rising Above the Lows with Erick Rheam
“It’s your vision that influences which way you go. Because you’ve already thought about it ahead of time.”In this episode of The Speaker Lab podcast, Erick Rheam joins us to talk about what it takes to navigate the chaotic and often overwhelming journey of being a speaker and entrepreneur. You've probably heard Erick on the show before, but today he's sharing a different side of things w
How to Use AI and Social Media to Reach Young Audiences with Brittany Richmond-Roberts
“[AI is] a really great way to flex your creative muscle, but also not have to stress if you’re not strong enough at certain things.”Being on stage is one of the most fun and most rewarding parts of being a professional, paid speaker — but as all experienced speakers know, what happens on stage is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to building a successful speaking business. This w
Secrets to Selling Yourself As A Speaker with Brandon Edmonson
“Speed in this game is so important. It is typically the first speaker to reach back out…you have a really good chance of winning that business if you are the first.”Navigating the intricate world of professional speaking requires not just talent but also a keen understanding of the business side of things. In this insightful episode, Grant Baldwin welcomes back his good friend Brandon Ed
How to Create Momentum in Your Speaking Career with Arel Moodie
“The biggest mistake that I see speakers make is that they think that if you just go on stage, and you do a good job speaking, the spinoff business will magically present itself.”Being on stage is pretty much always the most fun and most rewarding part of being a professional paid speaker — but as all experienced speakers know, what happens on stage is only the tip of the iceberg when it
How to Navigate The Craziest Moments As A Speaker with Shane Sams
“The show must go on baby. You gotta keep going man. Never know what’s gonna happen when you’re doing it live with no net, you never know.”Being a professional speaker means navigating some of the craziest and most unpredictable moments imaginable. This week, Shane Sams joins Grant on the show to recount some of his funniest and most challenging moments on the speaking trail. You nev
How to Build The Perfect Speaking Career For You with Ryan Vet
“Whenever someone comes up and says ‘Hey, why am I not getting booked to speak?’, my first question is 'how many professionals did you call today?'"One of the best parts about being a speaker is that YOU get to decide what your speaking career looks like. Your story is unique, and the value you bring to your audience is something only you can deliver. This week, Ryan Vet joins us on the s
