Tell us about yourself; who are you and what do you do for fun?
I currently live in Chattanooga TN with my wife, 2 cats, and puppy. However, we are currently renovating an Airstream Travel Trailer and are hitting the road full time to travel around the country in a few months. When I’m not helping people with finance, Hanna and I spend our time hiking, camping, kayaking, snowboarding and generally staying outside.
What got you into speaking? Is it what you expected?
I’ve always loved speaking and teaching. I even ran for my high school class president just because I wanted to give the speech at graduation. Ultimately though it’s not just about speaking. I love helping people with their finances and speaking gives me a platform to do that on a larger scale.
Is it what I expected? Yes and no. I hate that I can speak to a crowd of people and only really affect change in 1 or 2. But the fact is, most people don’t take action. At first, I thought I would change more people, but now I focus on hoping for just one person to truly hear what I have to say.
Tell us about your hardest moment as a speaker so far.
My hardest moment as a speaker so far has been defining my path. I’m really excited about helping young people with money. But I’ve spent too much time deciding on how speaking is going to fit into my overall business. I should’ve picked a path earlier and just started, instead of sitting around and thinking.
What has been your biggest success as a speaker so far?
My biggest success so far has been the people coming up after a speech and thanking me. There’s a lot of great “success” that can come with speaking, but nothing will top the feeling of someone actually listening to you, appreciating it, and then taking action. It’s the people that bring me success.
What was your biggest struggle before finding The Speaker Lab?
Before The Speaker Lab, I really struggled with having the confidence that I can actually be a speaker. It was always something I wanted to do, but the Speaker Lab opened my eyes to the possibility that it’s real.
How has The Speaker Lab helped you and your business?
The Speaker Lab has helped me define my niche and drill down on my core message and target audience. At first, I thought I just wanted to talk about money to whoever would listen. The Speaker Lab has helped me focus and understand how that focus will grow my speaking business.
What is your number one goal over the next 6 months to a year?
My number one goal for the next 6 months to a year is to grow my business to a few thousand dollars per month and quit my current job.