The Speaker Lab Podcast

Grant Baldwin

About

Want to learn how to get booked and paid to speak — consistently? The Speaker Lab podcast features business tactics, speaking tips, and insider strategies from Grant Baldwin, The Speaker Lab coaches, and some of the world's most successful speakers.

You'll learn how to find speaking gigs, build relationships in your industry, negotiate higher speaker fees, and grow your speaking business. Every week, this podcast will give you key insights and practical advice from speakers who have been there and done that and can help you take the next step in your speaking journey. Whether you’re just getting started as a paid speaker or you’re a veteran speaker looking to build and grow your business, The Speaker Lab Podcast is here for you!


Available on

Community

532 episodes

7 Things to Consider Before Going Full-Time as a Speaker with Jeremy Rochford

This week, Maryalice Goldsmith is joined on the podcast by Jeremy Rochford to talk about when it’s time to go full-time with your speaking. Jeremy has a 7-step framework to make sure your transition from part-time to full-time speaker is seamless. If you’re on the fence or wondering when is the right time, this episode is for you!  IN THIS EPISODE, JEREMY AND MARYALICE DISCUSS.  __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

32m
Mar 26, 2024
How Finding Your Niche Will Unlock Your Growth with Amy Pechacek

This week, Grant Baldwin sat down with former TSL Student, Amy Pechacek, to dig into her speaking journey, how she’s “planned to win”, what her business looks like today, and the advice she would give other speakers looking to get to the next level. IN THIS EPISODE, AMY AND GRANT GET INTO: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

35m
Mar 19, 2024
How to Leverage Workshops to Build a 7-Figure Speaking Business with Erick Rheam

This week, TSL Facilator and full-time speaker, Erick Rheam is on the podcast talking about how he’s personal scaled his business through workshops. Erick has a 4 step system for breaking into the workshop world to help unlock your income and your impact as a speaker.  IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW TO USE WORKSHOPS TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS, THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU!  __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

52m
Mar 12, 2024
How to Give Yourself a Raise & Charge What You're Worth with Angie Besignano

This week, Maryalice Goldsmith sat down with Angie Besignano to chat about how to charge your worth as a speaker just getting started.  If you’re new to speaking and looking to break into the industry, this is how to think about initial pricing, when to give yourself a raise, and how to go about finding your value in the market.  During this episode, Maryalice and Angie discuss:  __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

34m
Mar 05, 2024
Your Guide to Leveraging Stories to Connect With Your Audience from Ravi Rajani

If you want to learn how to tell better stories, this week's podcast episode is a must-listen! Ravi Rajani joined Grant on the podcast this week to dig into all things storytelling. Ravi’s a TSL facilitator and also a professional speaker who teaches B2B sales teams to embrace storytelling and stories in their work so they can sell better.  We all know that stories are important, but where do you begin? How do you source stories, what does it mean to workshop a story, how do you create compelling stories? Ravi and Grant share valuable expertise on sharing stories to connect with your audience.  IN THIS EPISODE THEY SHARE:  __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

43m
Feb 27, 2024
How to Break Through the Wall with Rory Vaden

When it comes to building your brand, Rory Vaden is the expert you want in your corner. He’s committed to helping others identify the problem they solve and build a strategy for lasting success. Rory has a unique story of how he came to be an entrepreneur, found his place on the stage, and embraced the wisdom and insight of others so he could keep growing. As a college student, he found his niche in door-to-door sales. With a knack for developing principles of personal success and development, he soon found himself on the speaking stage and rubbing shoulders with mentors who would change the trajectory of his future. His mindset, experience, and intentionality have set Rory apart in the industry. If you want to learn how to build a brand that will set you apart, this episode is for you! HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

41m
Feb 20, 2024
There's a 95% Chance You Won't Be Hired by an Event Planner and Here's Why with Eve Gilmore

This week, Maryalice Goldsmith and Eve Gilmore are on the podcast talking about how to find better leads! Sure, Rick’s episode from a couple of weeks ago was great, but you can’t work leads well if you aren’t even trying to get to know the right people!  We brought in our Lead Manager, Eve, to talk about how she helps students dig into their expert positioning statements to find the best leads possible.  EVE AND MARYALICE DIG INTO:  __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

33m
Feb 13, 2024
How Speaking to an Empty Room Can Launch Your Speaking Career with Alex Demczak

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.  IN THIS EPISODE, BRITTANY AND ALEX DIG INTO:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ Episode Resources: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

32m
Feb 06, 2024
What's Your #1 Piece of Speaking Advice? with the TSL Team

“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: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

17m
Jan 30, 2024
Why You Need to Stop Taking Advice with Dean Heffta

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.  IN THIS EPISODE, BRITTANY AND DEAN TALK THROUGH: __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ 2024 PODCAST LISTENER SURVEY: Will you take 3 minutes and tell us what you love and hate about The Speaker Lab Podcast? We want to make this podcast better as we work to serve speakers — but we can't do that without your feedback. CLICK HERE https://thespeakerlab.com/podcast-survey/ OR GO TO THESPEAKERLAB.COM/SURVEY — WE'LL SEND YOU A STARBUCKS GIFT CARD AS A THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME! EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

47m
Jan 23, 2024
Speaking Leads 101: Process, Touchpoints, Cold vs Warm, and More with Rick Clemons [Coaches Corner]

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. IN THIS EPISODE RICK AND MARYALICE COVER:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: 01:00 What are common pain points in lead generation? 06:39 When do I consider it a lead? 08:52 Should this be part of your daily routine? 12:12 How can prospecting be done effectively? 14:57 How can you leverage your warm network? 19:46 What differentiates the mindset of a business owner? 25:58 Do you understand the importance of relationships in this field? 27:03 How does persistence benefit you as a speaker hoping to achieve business growth? 33:12 Do you set clear goals for tasks? 36:40 Could a webinar-driven low-end product work? 37:35 How can you find opportunities to offer value?  45:35 Examples of how Rick approaches finding places to offer value 47:26 Why is tapping into the community important? EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

49m
Jan 16, 2024
From Successful Sports Agent to Successful Speaker with Molly Fletcher

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.  GRANT AND MOLLY DIG INTO:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

35m
Jan 09, 2024
Overcoming Failure & Laughing About it Later with Matt Matkovich & Phil Januszewski

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.  IN THIS EPISODE, MATT, PHIL, AND BRITTANY COVER:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

46m
Jan 02, 2024
How to Use Geographical Prospecting to Get More Paid Speaking Gigs with Erick Rheam

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.  IN THIS EPISODE, GRANT AND ERICK COVER:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

30m
Dec 26, 2023
Why You Should (Or Shouldn't) Start a Podcast with John Ball [Coaches Corner]

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.  IN THIS EPISODE, JOHN AND MARYALICE COVER:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

41m
Dec 19, 2023
3 Speaking Tips You've Probably Never Heard Before with Matt Abrahams

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.  IN THIS EPISODE, MATT AND GRANT COVER:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

39m
Dec 12, 2023
3 Things No One Tells You About Being a Speaker with Dr. India White

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.  THIS EPISODE IS FILLED WITH:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

40m
Dec 05, 2023
How to Overcome Your Fear and Make an Impact Through Speaking with Dave Allred

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.  IN THIS EPISODE GRANT AND DAVE COVER:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS:  __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

35m
Nov 28, 2023
#473: Should Speakers Use ChatGPT? w/ Jeremy Rochford [Coaches Corner]

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.  IN THIS EPISODE, JEREMY AND MARYALICE COVER:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

36m
Nov 21, 2023
How to Use Your Platform to Maximize Your Legacy with Dan Martell

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. IN THIS EPISODE, GRANT AND DAN COVER HOW TO:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

38m
Nov 14, 2023
How to Build a 6 Figure Speaking Business in 7 Months with Dr. Reggie Wright

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. IN THIS EPISODE, GRANT AND REGGIE DIG INTO:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS:  __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES:  __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

38m
Nov 07, 2023
Finding Your Footing as a DEI Speaker with Dominique Luster

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.  IN THIS EPISODE, DOMINIQUE AND GRANT DIG INTO:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

34m
Oct 31, 2023
How to Balance Your Energy to Achieve Your Goals with Angie Besignano [Coaches Corner]

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.  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: __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS:  __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

43m
Oct 24, 2023
Everything You Need to Know About Demo Videos with Shawn Hanks

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.  GRANT AND SHAWN DIG INTO: __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS:  __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

36m
Oct 17, 2023
The Impact of Gratitude with Dr. Peggy DeLong [Student Highlight]

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.  IN THIS EPISODE, THEY TALK ABOUT:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: [00:04:20] Where did you find Gratitude? [00:07:57] Brain psychology of habits and why changing your thoughts can change your life? [00:11:38] What aligned to make you take the jump? [00:15:55] What helped you grow the most in the program?  [00:18:08] Where is your speaking business taking you? [00:21:03] What is your framework for mental health? [00:23:13] What do your talks center around? [00:28:25] What does your schedule look like to build your business every day? [00:30:29] What was your biggest lesson to learn in the program?  [00:33:48] What is your pre-talk routine? EPISODE RESOURCES:  __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

39m
Oct 10, 2023
How Speakers Can Maximize Their Time by Leveraging AI with Lauren Teague

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.  IN TODAY’S EPISODE, GRANT AND LAUREN DIG INTO:  __ __ If you’ve been thinking about implementing AI into your business and your everyday life, this could be a great episode to help you unlock the potential and explore tactical use cases.  EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES:  __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

37m
Oct 03, 2023
How to Make the Most of Your Coaching Program to Kick-Start Your Speaking Business with Emily Arnold [Coaches Corner]

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.  IN THIS EPISODE, MARYALICE AND EMILY DIG INTO:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: __ __ EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

41m
Sep 26, 2023
Level Up Your ROI to Grow Your Speaking Business with Joey Coleman

Joey Coleman joined us on the podcast this week to chat with Grant Baldwin about his journey of building a speaking business, leveraging books to create credibility, and learning how to eb with the ebbs and flow with the flows as the speaking world grows and changes to accommodate virtual and in-person events.  In this episode, Grant and Joey dig into:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: [00:02:37] How has covid changed the state of the speaking industry? [00:04:45] What is the percentage of your in person vs online gigs? [00:09:48] How do you provide better solutions when what they ask for isn’t what they need? [00:14:13] What audiences do you need to impress with your content? [00:19:07] How to use common human desires to drive business outcomes? [00:22:12] What does it take to focus on customer and employee engagement? [00:27:37] How did you publish your books? [00:31:54] Why should we read your new book? EPSIODE RESOURCES:  __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

36m
Sep 19, 2023
Unlocking Happiness to Grow Your Business with Bruce Wawrzyniak [Student Highlight]

This episode of the Speaker Lab Podcast is another excellent episode of our Student Highlight Series. Maryalice Goldsmith, Director of Student Success, sat down with Bruce Wawrzyniak to talk about his speaking business, the career he’s building, and his experience here at the Speaker Lab.  When it comes to developing a speaking career, Bruce reflected on finding his niche, developing confidence in his worth, and learning how to run this operation like a business vs. a hobby. Maryalice and Bruce also cover:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: [00:03:33] Importance of happiness, solution-focused mindset, COVID's impact. [00:07:19] LinkedIn bio highlights being talkative and adversity. [00:10:49] Transitioning from unpaid speaking to professional excellence. [00:15:24] Speaker Lab changes speaker's approach to bookings. [00:19:57] Learning how to evaluate event opportunities strategically. [00:23:28] Choose one thing, be successful and prepared. [00:28:34] What do you need for a successful presentation? [00:29:47] Benefiting from adversity, helping and inspiring. EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

32m
Sep 12, 2023
How to Set Better Goals so You Can Grow Your Speaking Business with Jon Acuff

Grant welcomes Jon Acuff back to the The Speaker Lab Podcast! Jon is a regular guest on our show, because he’s an active speaker, a well know New York Times bestselling author, and one of Grant’s good friends.  This week, they dig into Jon’s speaking journey what he’s learned through writing his latest book, All It Takes is a Goal, and how you apply these goal setting principles to your speaking business.  THIS EPISODE ALSO COVERS:  __ __ EPISODE CHAPTERS: [00:02:34] Start small, build up to guaranteed goals. [00:06:52] Frustration and joy in pursuing new ventures. [00:09:58] Always serve well.  [00:14:54] Content creators need to accept the limitations of their celebrity status. [00:19:08] To become a keynote speaker you have to cater and serve corporate audiences, books are a great tool for that. [00:24:26] Test your content live before creating a book. [00:25:36] Continuing to use older content as it fits the audiences is a great way to use your books after you publish them.  [00:31:22] Is ghostwriting the solution?  [00:33:30] All about Jon’s Book: "All it Takes is a Goal" The author reflects on his college regrets, realizing his potential, and helping others. Study shows most people feel untapped potential. Book offers practical ways to reach goals EPISODE RESOURCES: __ __ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

37m
Sep 05, 2023