The Speaker Lab Podcast

“I started pursuing meaning instead of money. And I made way more money focusing on meaning and not thinking about money as much as I did when I was laser focused on making more money but living a life that was absent of meaning.” Welcome back to The Speaker Lab podcast! In today’s episode, host Grant Baldwin sits down with Harris III, an award-winning illusionist, speaker, author, and entrepreneu...

"All those little intangibles that are so nuanced, the great storytellers can put themselves physically and emotionally back in the story and bring you with them, and then somehow bring it back to you.”  If you’ve ever felt like your life isn’t interesting enough for the stage, Katie Quesada is here to change your mind. On this episode of The Speaker Lab, Katie and Grant Baldwin unpack what r...

“When downselling, it’s really good to say, ‘Who is above me, and who is below me?’ And then also find out, looking laterally, who do you compete against? Who is within a similar fee range?...Who can I refer that might fit along that axis.” In this episode, Grant Baldwin teams up with industry insider Brian Lord of Premier Speakers Bureau for a conversation about what it takes to succeed as a spea...

“You have to make sure you don’t lose the vision of what you started, because the team could begin and can take on a personality of its own. And if you don’t manage it, you can get off the vision of what brought you here.” What does it really take to build a thriving speaking business? In this week’s thought-provoking episode, Grant Baldwin sits down with Erick Rheam to explore the practical strat...

“My job is to make [event planners] look like a rock star when I get off stage…I stand beside them so I can also have them hear the lovely things people are saying in line when people want to hug you and take their photo with you. And so what they need to see is [that I] was a good investment.” In this episode, Grant Baldwin connects with Neen James for an honest, energetic conversation on what it...

“[I’m trying] to use stories so the audience can find themselves in the story as it relates to their life, but then extract the lessons learned, the principles to help, to overcome, to move through the process that’s executed, to use adversity as fuel for purpose.” This week, Grant Baldwin sits down with Lance Cibik, peeling back the curtain on what it really takes to build momentum and establish...

“The whole purpose of the Speaker Lab is we’re here to help speakers, to give them confidence, to get them out there and to translate their experiences, their stories into something that they can take out and get booked and paid to speak.” Building a thriving speaking business comes down to strategy, momentum, and the discipline to keep moving forward. In this episode of The Speaker Lab, Erick Rhe...

“I have a friend who used to call it putting the cookies on a lower shelf. And you want to say to the audience things that they can absolutely understand and they can take action on and that are not confusing.” What really sets the best speakers apart? This week on The Speaker Lab, host Grant Baldwin chats with Donald Miller, author, entrepreneur, and creator of the StoryBrand framework, about how...

“When speakers communicate directly with the clients and leave me out of the communication, it can get fuzzy. And there have been times when that’s happened and logistical details have not occurred and it has cost somebody money.” Behind every outstanding speaking event is a world of logistics, relationships, and attention to detail that most audiences never see. On this week’s episode of The Spea...

“Content is still important, but content is much more of a commodity. So the premise has to be that we’ve got to create something…It has to include conversation, it has to include community, it has to include the idea that there’s going to be something that’s analog that happens.” In this week’s episode of The Speaker Lab, Grant Baldwin chats with Brad Lomenick about what truly makes speakers memo...

“...hustle and hard work might get you past a certain project or deadline, but then habits will help you last over the long haul, right? So build a business that doesn’t ultimately break you over time.” What does it take to build a speaking business and a life that lasts? In this week’s episode of The Speaker Lab, host Grant Baldwin sits down with his longtime friend Chris Ducker, who just release...

“A photo in general is not going to win you business, but bad photos are going to lose you your business all the time because it absolutely crushes.” Ever dread getting new headshots or wonder if your photos help your speaking business? On this episode of The Speaker Lab, Grant Baldwin chats with photographer John DeMato about what matters when it comes to imagery and visual storytelling for speak...

“If your heart is genuinely how do I care about people by doing what I love to do, if that’s the driver of it, I don’t see how you can not end up in a place that is rewarding, fulfilling, and doing something that makes the world a better place.” Ever wonder if your story is worth sharing or how to even start turning your experience into a book, speech, or brand? In this episode of The Speaker Lab,...

“The mistake I’m seeing a lot of companies make is they’re racing to shove it into a product where they’re trying to drive costs down before the leaders making the call have become AI-driven leaders.” Feeling overwhelmed by AI and unsure how it fits into your speaking business? In this value-packed episode of The Speaker Lab, Grant Baldwin chats with Geoff Woods, author of The AI-Driven Leader , f...

“The act of you and I exchanging contact information raises the standard that there is going to be a follow up…You want to make that connection and set the expectation right then and there.” Ever left a conference buzzing, only to watch that excitement fizzle when it comes to follow-up? This live coaching session from The Speaker Lab pulls back the curtain on how pros turn event momentum into real...

"I know there's a lot of benefits to automation, but when it came to [outreach], I felt it was very important for me to send personalized emails to each person in my network to tell them what I was doing and ask if I could help." If you’ve ever considered leaving a stable corporate career to pursue something more meaningful, Tania Will Jeppesen’s story is essential listening. On this week’s episod...

“I was trying to figure out what’s my lane that I need to be saying yes to? And what are the things I would have to say no to so that I can say yes to the better things?” Kent Chevalier’s speaking journey is anything but conventional. In this week’s episode of The Speaker Lab podcast, Grant Baldwin sits down with Kent, a longtime pastor turned Pittsburgh Steelers chaplain—who’s built his career at...

“I feel guilty to charge [money] for what I love to do…one woman said, ‘They should pay you because it’s your gift, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it.’” Few stories capture the grit and transformation behind a speaking business like Stephanie Dauphin’s journey. This week, Grant Baldwin chats with Stephanie on The Speaker Lab podcast about investing over a decade in her craft—often speaking for fr...

“When you are speaking and you’re in front of people and you give them the momentum to look at life from a different perspective or do something they don’t have the courage to do, you could help change people’s lives.” Podcasts are full of powerhouse moments, but few stories capture the grit, honesty, and resolve it takes to truly make an impact the way Stacey Chillemi’s does. On this episode of T...

“When you understand going into [speaking] that it’s going to suck for a while, it’s going to take longer than you think and it’s going to be harder than you think. When you know those things up front, when you meet them, you can anticipate it.” Stepping onto the stage as a speaker is about more than nailing your performance—it’s about persistence, honesty, and the courage to start before you feel...

“I got to the point where if I was going to [be a speaker] I have to be serious about it and I’m going to have to invest in myself. I had to get to the ‘I’m worth it’ mindset, and The Speaker Lab [helped me with that].” Making an impact as a speaker isn’t just about your time on stage—it’s about the courage to own your story and use it to help others. This week, teen resilience speaker, Kimberly C...

“The hardest thing about building a community is making sure that you’ve tapped into a transition that people have and are navigating so that they actually want to build relationships with each other.” As a speaker, building your authority goes beyond what you say on stage, it’s all about how you connect with your audience afterward. This week, Gina Bianchini, founder and CEO of Mighty Networks, j...

“If you impact one leader and that leader shows up better, then that leader engages better with his or her team. And then if that’s a good experience and it’s consistent, then those teammates do the same for their team. And all of a sudden you’re cascading down.” One of the best things about being a speaker? You get to write your own story—and Daniel Harkavy’s is proof that the path isn’t always s...

“The goal is to become reassuringly expensive to some extent because what you’re able to charge as a speaker is directly correlated to the insurance policy that you can provide for that event.” One of the best parts about being a speaker is that you get to decide what your speaking career looks like. Your story is unique—and only you can deliver the kind of value your audience needs. This week, Cl...

“What does it feel like to be a customer of your business? How are you treating your customers? How are you making them want to not just come back, but tell their friends?” Brittany Hodak’s story reminds us that a truly fulfilling speaking career comes from real clarity and intentionality, not chasing every gig or opportunity that comes along. She didn’t set out to become a speaker—her journe...