I hesitated to discuss the journey to becoming a speaker because it is such a specific subject and, frankly, there’s a lot of content out there on it. However, there remains a lot of valuable information about the speaking industry that is still untapped and whether or not you are pursuing a career in speaking, understanding it can be valuable to all Creative Warriors.   I love being a keynote speaker and I’ve put the work in to pursuing a successful career in it. But my path is unique to my space. There isn’t one way to become a speaker. It can mean different things to different people. Whether it’s the honing in on the craft, building a business model, or simply getting the gigs there are multiple pieces to carving out your unique space in seaking. Often times we assume that the more we can offer, the more opportunities we will get. That’s not necessarily the case.   To dive deeper into understanding the speaking industry, I’ve brought on nationally known speaker, podcaster, and author, Grant Baldwin.  Grant Baldwin is a nationally known speaker, podcaster, and author who has helped thousands of people start and build their own speaking businesses through his Booked and Paid to Speak Training Course. Regularly featured in the national media, including Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, and the Huffington Post, his “Reality Check” curriculum is taught in over 400 high schools nationwide. A podcaster since 2014, he has published over 300 podcast episodes that have been downloaded over 1.5 million times. Get ready to unleash your inner speaker by downloading this episode now.  THE WARRIOR OF CONFIDENCE “Be the steakhouse, not the buffet.”-Grant Baldwin Highlights - There isn’t one way to become a speaker.  It is important to be good at speaking as well as getting gigs.  The more things you offer as a speaker, the less opportunities you’ll have. More focus equals more opportunity.  The five steps to becoming a speaker: There are seven primary industries with different types of audiences for speakers. It is important to identify the ones you will focus on.  Keynotes, workshops, seminars are the three primary types of talks.  To transition stories back to the point of the talk always answer, "So what? Now what?" You make the rules to the game.  Guest Contact - Grant's Website Grant's Twitter Grant's Facebook Grant's Instagram Grant's Book- The Successful Speaker: Five Steps for Booking Gigs, Getting Paid, and Building Your Platform :  Contact Jeffrey - Website Coaching support My book, LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer's Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible is now available! Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share!  Resources - Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website and are all your marketing materials speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Often it's not which is why you're not converting traffic and leads to clients and attracting your most profitable customers. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. If I have suggestions for you to improve your brand message (I almost always do), we'll set up a complimentary 30-minute call to discuss. A select number of websites are also chosen for my LINGO Review Video Series. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Music by Jawn Sponsor- RSM Marketing Guide- 7 Tips to Get 10X More Leads From Your Website