Would you struggle for five years as a speaker if you knew it was going to pay off? Would you be willing to travel 220 days a year if that's what it took to one day share the stage with Simon Sinek and Gary Vaynerchuk? That's exactly what our guest for episode 121 of The Speaker Lab has done and continues to do presently. John Spence spends anywhere from 170 to 220 days a year giving speeches around the world. He speaks on leadership, high performance teams, culture, strategy, strategic thinking, and business excellence, and has been for 23 years. His speeches are never canned, each one is unique. That coupled with the tremendous value he brings to every speaking engagement has allowed him to build a business that is based almost entirely on referrals. Today he outlines his strategic approach to generating repeat business and referrals, how he got through the struggle of his first five years and why he enjoys being a road warrior. On this edition of The Speaker Lab, you'll also hear how he helps charities rather than giving free speeches. Listen in for that and more from the one and only John Spence. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:    What is the one question he asks all of his clients? How does he create a unique topic for every speaking engagement? The three ways he differentiates himself as a speaker. How much of his business has been word of mouth? Does he get nervous when he goes on stage? How long does he talk with each potential client before working with them? Why he refuses to sell from the stage. How he got his foot in the door with companies like Mayo Clinic, Merrill Lynch, and Allstate. And so much more!   EPISODE RESOURCES John Spence's website John Spence on Twitter 7 Proven Steps to Finding And Booking Paid Speaking Engagements The Speaker Lab Summit The Speaker Lab Facebook group Top Speakers Tips Ready for more speakers? Join our free speaker workshop Got questions? Send them in here Email me! Subscribe on iTunes, and leave us a rating or review >