Do you think some careers just aren’t a good fit for speaking? Think again! This week, we invited a world champion salsa dancer on the podcast. Not only is he a professional dancer, but also a veteran firefighter–we’re talking about Alex Lee, one of our Booked and Paid to Speak program alumni featured in our latest Student Highlight. In Episode 444, he shares the twists and turns of his professional career with our director of student success Maryalice Goldsmith, as well as the lessons he learned and applied from our coaching program. His message focuses on teaching the language of leadership through the paradigm of three pillars: credibility, humility, and loyalty.
This message is applicable to a wide variety of audiences, and equally so to the speaking world. It’s a helpful paradigm to keep in mind when acknowledging the reality that there’s no “shortcut” to gaining momentum as a speaker. While our Booked and Paid to Speak program has equipped Alex and thousands of other speakers to launch sustainable, successful speaking careers, we can’t offer a “get rich quick” method. Getting your speaking business off the ground usually requires a year or two of late nights, unanswered emails, and non-ideal gigs. Alex offers some inspiration for humbly and patiently taking on those years of building credibility before you start to reap big rewards–and staying loyal to yourself in the process.
Alex does an incredible job of making his unique story both relatable and memorable for his audience, a skill that sets apart great speakers from good speakers. Whether you also come from a career that isn’t well-represented in the speaking world or you just need a pep talk full of grit and resilience, Alex’s story is sure to warm your heart and set you on fire for your passion!
You’ll also learn all about:
- Why credibility is key to building trust with your audience.
- What it means to be loyal to yourself, and why that’s important for speakers.
- When to turn down gigs and why it can help your business.
- How to create a roadmap for your business (and how The Speaker Lab can help).
- Why money can’t be the primary factor driving your speaking business.
- How to approach speaking as a second career.
- …and so much more!
