Bobby Umar is a speaker who does it all. He writes books. He runs coaching programs. He’s amassed hundreds of thousands of followers in his social media communities. He’s done multiple TEDx talks. And most importantly, he’s a self-described doting dad. If you’re wondering how he manages to juggle so many balls alongside his speaking engagements, so are we–so he joined our founder Grant Baldwin for Episode 443 of the TSL podcast to discuss his speaking journey.
Many aspiring speakers want to be like Bobby. All kinds of people in all sorts of industries look to him as a branding and networking expert. But he didn’t start out that way! Over time, he has both expanded and refined his speaking platform so he only speaks on topics he is best at to audiences who are the perfect fit. On the show, he shares how he started with a well-defined niche that allowed him to become a thought leader with a simple, compelling message: discover your personal brand (DYPB).
One part of Bobby’s platform that we don’t often talk about on the TSL podcast is TEDx talks. While not all TEDx talks are created equal, Bobby and Grant walk through how you can decide if this is a useful tool for your speaking business and how to leverage TEDx appearances as part of your marketing plan. This episode is packed full of incredibly important lessons on scaling your speaking business, and Bobby’s charisma shines through every word. To top it off, he offers some wise words on how to prioritize your family while making travel plans. You’ll also learn all about:
- Realistic timelines for pivoting from your 9-5 to speaking
- Signals and feedback to listen for when you’re ready to diversify your business
- The importance of uniting all aspects of your business under a cohesive umbrella
- How to find an ideal client when you speak on a widely applicable topic
- What to do when traveling for gigs isn’t worth the time away from family anymore
- How keynotes are evolving in the virtual space
- …and so much more!