"If you go through adversity and you don't learn anything from it, that it's a lost opportunity"This episode of the Speaker Lab Podcast is another excellent episode of our Student Highlight Series. Maryalice Goldsmith, Director of Student Success, sat down with Bruce Wawrzyniak to talk about his speaking business, the career he’s building, and his experience here at the Speaker Lab. "So which ones are you going to choose? Are you going to choose the negative thoughts and dwell on those, or are you going to choose the positive, happy thoughts and really affect your whole day with the choices that you make just based on all the different thoughts that come in and out of your mind?"When it comes to developing a speaking career, Bruce reflected on finding his niche, developing confidence in his worth, and learning how to run this operation like a business vs. a hobby. Maryalice and Bruce also cover: Developing a strategy as a speaker The importance of happiness in our life Why you should invest in yourself How to prepare for success What it looks like to take action Why you have to solve a problem for your audiences And more! “Hope is not a strategy that will grow your business.” Episode Chapters:[00:03:33] Importance of happiness, solution-focused mindset, COVID's impact.[00:07:19] LinkedIn bio highlights being talkative and adversity.[00:10:49] Transitioning from unpaid speaking to professional excellence.[00:15:24] Speaker Lab changes speaker's approach to bookings.[00:19:57] Learning how to evaluate event opportunities strategically.[00:23:28] Choose one thing, be successful and prepared.[00:28:34] What do you need for a successful presentation?[00:29:47] Benefiting from adversity, helping and inspiring.Episode Resources:Connect with BruceGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.