My First Stage: How I Landed My First Speaking Gig (and What Happened Next)

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage: the podcast where I get the real stories from public speakers about their journeys to the stage—the good, the messy, and everything in between. This week, I sat down with the truly one-of-a-kind Paul Pape. If you’ve ever wondered how a “Santa for Nerds” finds his voice on a TEDx stage (and how a custom lightsaber dildo ends up involved), you’re in for...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! This is the podcast where we dive into the early moments of some of today’s most seasoned speakers. We talk about the nerves, the mishaps, the lessons, and the surprising paths that can turn one first stage into a lifelong calling—and a business superpower. This week, I sat down with Jeremy Shapiro, a serial entrepreneur, author of Your Business Growth...

Welcome back to My First Stage! Today I’m joined by Tim Newman—a recovering college professor turned communication coach and host of the Speaking with Confidence podcast. In this episode, Tim opens up about his very first (and very messy) speaking experience, how he overcame his nerves, and what it really took to start speaking with confidence. We talk about the long road from stage fright to the...

Welcome back to My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and this is the show where I get real with speakers from all walks of life about how they landed their first gigs, overcame setbacks, and built thriving businesses—and communities—through getting on stage. This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Leisa Reid, a name you absolutely need to know if you’re serious about public speaking....

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage, where I get to sit down with amazing public speakers, dig into their journeys, and uncover how those “first stage” moments became launchpads for business, growth, and transformation. This week, I’m thrilled to share my conversation with Colette Fehr—a licensed psychotherapist, nationally recognized relationship expert, author, podcast host, and, as of...

Welcome back to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and this is the podcast where I sit down with professional speakers to dig into how they landed their first stages, survived their early stumbles, and learned to leverage speaking for serious growth—personally and professionally. This week, I had the absolute joy of chatting with my friend, my true “podmatch,” Alex Sanfi...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, and today I’m sharing a conversation recorded live at the NSA Influence Conference, featuring an incredible speaker and educator: Davondra Brown. If you’re standing at the edge, wondering if you’re ready to make the leap from public speaking to full-time professional speaking, this episode is for you! With over 20 years’ background in pu...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and I’m so excited to bring you a conversation direct from the NSA Influence Conference floor. Each week, I sit down with speakers and leaders to find out how they broke into the business, discovered their message, and built lives around sharing their voices from the stage. This episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Lon...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage, where I sit down with public speakers to dig into the messy, funny, and inspiring stories behind their first moments on stage—and the lessons that changed both their businesses and their lives. Back at the NSA Influence Conference, I had the absolute pleasure of connecting with Kevin Sidebottom—whose journey from introverted engineer to high-powered sa...

Welcome back to My First Stage! On the last day of the NSA Influence Conference I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the incredible Julie Holmes. If you’re looking to level up your speaking business, land paid gigs, or just muster the courage to watch your own “game tape,” this episode is packed with exactly what you need. Julie Holmes is the founder of Stage Hopper, a lead finding and...

This week’s guest is someone who brings a totally unique angle to the speaker circuit. I had the pleasure of chatting with Sami Kinnison, the powerhouse organizer of TEDx Fayetteville and host of the Be Freaking Awesome podcast (co-hosted with her mom—how cool is that?). If you’ve ever been curious about what it really takes to step onto a TEDx stage—or why paying $10,000 to a “stage guarantee” ag...

This episode, I had an absolute blast chatting with Josh Troche—and trust me, his first stage story is as raw and relatable as it gets. From a COVID-induced crash landing on his speaking debut to building authority through podcasting, Josh Troche's story is a must-listen for anyone wanting to get better at speaking and presenting. Let me introduce Josh Troche. Not only is he a fellow podcast produ...

If you thought you needed to wait until adulthood to start making waves as a public speaker, Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins' story is going to blow your mind. As the youngest professional bass fisherman in the United States—at just 14—Mickey wasn’t just catching fish; she was captivating audiences of all ages (including a roomful of curmudgeonly pros). Her journey from fishing tournaments to corporate l...

Welcome back to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and this is the show where public speakers get real about the nerves, the triumphs, and the truly unforgettable moments that shaped their journeys. This week, I sat down with the incredible Jessica Gruber—and trust me, her story is as relatable as it is inspiring, from white-knuckling her way through her early speaking e...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! Today’s conversation is a powerful, heartfelt, and often hilarious reminder of why vulnerability matters when we step onto any stage. We’re live at the NSA Influence Conference, and I’m thrilled to introduce someone whose first stage story is inspiring, real, and genuinely unforgettable. Meet the Guest: Cathy Reilly Cathy is an “accidental speaker” who...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and this is the podcast where I sit down with public speakers to get real about how they got started, how they landed their first stages, and how speaking helped transform their businesses and lives. This week, I had the delight of reconnecting with Melissa Cohen, a powerhouse in both the corporate and content creation worlds...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage—the show where I sit down with seasoned public speakers to uncover the origin stories behind their first speaking gigs and how they leveraged those moments to fuel their businesses. This week, I had the pleasure of welcoming Billy Sammons to the show. Billy’s journey is one of my favorites because it perfectly captures how the “stage” isn’t just a big c...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and this is the podcast where I get up-close and honest with seasoned speakers about their very first moments on stage, how they navigated those early nerves, and the ways being in the spotlight transformed their lives and businesses. This week, I had an absolute blast talking with Scott Carson—aka “The Note Guy.” Scott is a...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! This is the podcast where I sit down with public speakers to get real about how they got started, how they landed their first stages, and how speaking helped transform their businesses and lives. While attending the National Speakers Association's Influence Conference, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Marianne Hickman—and trust me, her “fir...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and this is the podcast where I sit down with public speakers to get real about how they got started, how they landed their first stages, and how speaking helped transform their businesses and lives. This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dennis Meador—and let me tell you, his first stage story is unlike any I’ve hear...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and this is the podcast where I sit down with public speakers to get real about how they got started, how they landed their first stages, and how speaking helped transform their businesses and lives. This week, I had the pleasure of sharing the (virtual) stage with Justin Peters, one of my favorite competitors in the podcasti...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage: the podcast where experienced public speakers share how they got booked on stages and how those moments shaped their business and impact. This week, I had the honor of sitting down with Colette Fehr—a licensed psychotherapist, nationally recognized relationship expert, author, podcast host, and, as of last year, an official TEDx speaker. Colette’s jour...

Every speaker has a story. But before the standing ovations, the TEDx invitations, and the six-figure speaking fees, there was one gig—the first real stage—that started it all. My First Stage is a podcast that goes behind the mic with professional speakers, authors, coaches, and entrepreneurs to uncover the stories of how they booked their very first speaking engagement and how that moment transfo...