"I want to get in the heads and the hearts of the people in the room. If I'm not in their heads and hearts, I don't know how I can connect."This week, Molly Fletcher joined Grant to discuss her experience transitioning from a sports agent into a speaker. For Molly, becoming a speaker was less about a dream to be on stage and more about a logistically practical way to share the knowledge she was giving out 1-on-1 to people she was mentoring. When Molly started speaking, she focused on industries that required the same kind of trust and relationship building that was normal to her as a sports agent. From there, she started branching out into women’s leadership and general empowerment to encourage people to get out there and change the world. "One of the number one reasons women are coming out of the workforce and hitting a jack is because they don't see other women doing what they want to do. So I think for strong women to be in the front of the room and tell their story, we need more of that, for sure."Grant and Molly dig into: How Molly got into speaking Her journey to authorship If you need a book to be a great speakerWhat it’s like being a female speaker in a male-dominated field Molly’s mindset and process to prepping for a gigHow Molly thinks about breaking the ice on stage and what it takes to connect with your audience "I self deprecate immediately with a story that I tell because I think you've got to get down so that they feel connected to you because you're literally physically, they've just heard all these things they've seen."Episode Chapters:01:20 Who is Molly and what's her speaking business look like?06:58 Molly's turning point for moving into speaking09:34 How to build early momentum as a speaker14:10 Molly's take on her pre-gig prep to deliver a great talk16:12 How do you think about the appropriate level of customization vs having a signature keynote19:12 Molly's #1 tip to connecting with the audience21:40 How to find the right balance of humor for your talk26:19 What plays into how you think about fees and the value you bring as a speaker28:40 How would you encourage other females who want to speak32:11 Why you need good mentorsEpisode Resources:Visit Molly’s websiteFollow Molly on LinkedInFollow Molly on InstagramGet 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.