Tell us about yourself; who are you and what do you do for fun?
I am a wife and a mom of 2 boys and a goofy black Labrador. I love to exercise, take walks on the Hudson River with the family, and spend time with my family. Speaking is my part-time gig, and believe it or not, that is one of the things I do for fun! I get such joy from teaching and speaking!
What got you into speaking? Is it what you expected?
I’ve always given lectures to other vets at small CEs but 3 years ago, a colleague recommended me for the 2nd largest veterinary conference. When I finished my talks that conference, I had tears in my eyes. I had found a new passion. And I knew I needed to figure out to make it a bigger part of my career.
It has been slower than I initially thought building my reputation, but I have now spoken at most of the big national conferences and am speaking 1-2 times per month. I do realize this is a marathon and not a sprint. It can be overwhelming at times, but I am enjoying the journey.
Tell us about your hardest moment as a speaker so far.
My hardest moment as a speaker so far has been turning down gigs when they won’t pay my fee and learning to negotiate well.
What has been your biggest success as a speaker so far?
On the flip side, my biggest success as a speaker so far has been seeing my speaking career and Dr Sue brand grow. And getting to speak in Maui last fall! Aloha! (And Copenhagen this fall!) And from Maui, I got invited to do my 1st keynote! (You never know who is in the audience!)
What was your biggest struggle before finding The Speaker Lab?
Before The Speaker Lab, I really struggled with the business strategy part of speaking.
How has The Speaker Lab helped you and your business?
The Speaker Lab has helped me feel confident and make a plan for generating more leads. And rock that talk! It’s your best advertisement.
What is your number one goal over the next 6 months to a year?
Keep speaking, keep networking and developing relationships, and I am developing topics that are more general so I can do more keynotes (less cancer topics only)
About Sue Ettinger
Dr. Sue Ettinger is a practicing veterinary cancer specialist, international speaker, book author, and is currently the head of the Oncology Department at the Animal Specialty & Emergency Center in the Hudson Valley, NY. She is one of approximately 400 board-certified specialists in medical oncology in North America.
Also known as Dr Sue Cancer Vet®, Dr. Sue is the co-author of the Second Edition of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide, which is a best-selling book in small animal health for the last several years. She co-hosts the podcast The Pet Cancer Vet on radiopetlady.com. Dr. Sue is most passionate about raising cancer awareness, and she has developed “See Something, Do Something, Why Wait? Aspirate.®” to promote early cancer detection and diagnosis.