Tell us about yourself; who are you and what do you do for fun?
I’m a mom of two kiddos and one giant Newfoundland. After taking the giant leap of faith to start my own company, I’m enjoying picking my kids up from school and being able to wear jeans on weekdays. Sometimes it’s the little things that mean so much!
I volunteer at an equine therapy farm and a non-profit helping victims of human trafficking. In my spare time, I’m starting to get back to the gym and love learning about entrepreneurial life.
What got you into speaking? Is it what you expected?
For so many years I responded to crime. I love that when I speak, I have the opportunity to hopefully prevent someone from becoming a victim.
Finding speaking gigs has been much harder than I anticipated. I thought I would get booked quickly in the college & Greek Life market, but it’s definitely been a challenge. With that said, I also didn’t realize how fulfilling it would be to be a speaker. Sometimes I feel like I get more out of my talks than my audience. It makes my heart incredibly happy when people tell me something I’ve taught them has kept them safe.
Tell us about your hardest moment as a speaker so far.
My hardest moments have definitely been dealing with the rejection. Learning that this is a marathon and not a sprint has been a challenge. I’ve wanted to quit numerous times and have had the imposter syndrome knocking at the door frequently. It’s hard when you go from a successful career where you’re respected and people to go to you as an expert, to a field where you’re not known at all. Definitely an ego check.
What has been your biggest success as a speaker so far?
My biggest success thus far personally has been getting emails telling me something I said or something I wrote made a difference in a persons life. Professionally, my biggest success has been a $5K gig. I didn’t get it through a pitch, but through an article that my sorority wrote about my previous job. Even so, it gave me the confidence to know maybe I can really make it in this field.
What was your biggest struggle before finding The Speaker Lab?
I really struggled with understanding how to pitch and the flow of follow-up. I wasn’t sure what I should write in cold pitch emails and prior to The Speaker Lab definitely wasn’t getting a response.
How has The Speaker Lab helped you and your business?
The Speaker Lab has helped me to understand what to write in emails. I was writing way too much about myself and not enough about the people I was pitching. I’ve also really appreciated Grant’s email support. Being told that I’m on the right path by someone who has been successful in the field has been incredibly helpful.
What is your number one goal over the next 6 months to a year?
My goal is to get two $5k gigs per month and start to be known in the industry as a “go-to” person in personal safety and start to get into the leadership market.