Overcoming adversity is an experience almost everyone has at some point in their lives. Our guest today was faced with this challenge early on and today he shares how doing so led to his speaking career. Chris Ruden speaks to corporations and non-profits about overcoming adversity and diversity inclusion, especially regarding diabetes. Chris was born with a limb difference, he had most of his hand amputated when he was born. At 19 he was diagnosed with Type I diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease. That diagnosis was his wake up call to do something, which led him to his current speaking path. On this edition of The Speaker Lab, we talk about what his speaking business looks like today (including how it shifted as a result of COVID), and he tells the story of how he landed his first $50,000 client. Join us to hear it all on episode 313 of The Speaker Lab.   THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW: Why it's okay to change course when opportunities present themselves. Why becoming a great speaker is not enough to have a successful speaking business. When is opportunity the worst thing that could happen to you? What's the difference between someone who talks to a crowd and a speaker? How can you change your outreach to increase your fees? How finding your core message will help you narrow your market. Why your job as a speaker isn't over when you finish your speech. What one question can you ask yourself to help define your message as a speaker? And so much more! EPISODE RESOURCES Chris Ruden's web site Chris Ruden on Instagram Chris Ruden on Twitter Chris Ruden on Facebook The Successful Speaker Booked and Paid To Speak program Got questions? Send them in here! Subscribe on iTunes, and leave us a rating or review