The Speaker Lab Podcast

“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 Clark, shares her powerful j...

“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, joins us to reveal why commu...

“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 smooth, but it’s definitely ...

“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, Clint Pulver joins the show t...

“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 journey began with launching a ma...

“One thing that will make you better suited towards being able to deal with that is if you have a resilient mindset to know that whatever you’re going through, what is the lesson I’m going to get out of it and how is it going to make me better? Where is the positive growth going to come from here?”

Tiran Jackson’s story is a masterclass in turning heartbreak into hope and challenge into fuel. If you think a speaking career ...

“Client communication just doesn’t cut it anymore. In 2025 we have so many generations working together, we want to rush right to the product, but we have to learn how to use these people first communication skills.”

Jason Raitz is proof that success as a speaker isn’t about overnight wins or waiting for an opportunity to knock—it’s about grit, clarity, and a relentless focus on serving others. Starting from a childhood lov...

“Ultimately, you don’t need to have any certification. You need to have some level of experience where you can speak authentically and congruent. It’s gotta be congruent with how you feel about your knowledge.”

Clinton Young knows what it’s like to hit rock bottom—and how to turn that experience into fuel for an inspiring speaking career. After losing his business and confidence during the 2008 financial crisis, everything ...

“When we’re intentional about pursuing our dreams, that’s when we can see things more clearly. Because most of the time we get so busy in the everyday that we don’t take time for those things. And those things are not just going to happen, right?”

Amy Burton, a once-high school Spanish and theater teacher turned powerhouse speaker, is redefining the classroom experience for educators everywhere. Broadcasting from the chilly...

Travel Hacks Every Speaker Should Know with Chris Hutchins

“If you don’t want to play the sign up bonus game, optimize where you’re spending but always be getting more than 2x on everything.”

Navigating the world of travel optimization can feel overwhelming, but our guest this week, Chris Hutchins, is here to break it all down. Chris, host of the All the Hacks podcast, is a master of the travel hacking world and joins us to ...

“Knowing who you are as an individual on the spiritual side of life helps guide you to who you are created to be.”

One of the coolest parts of TSL is watching our coaches work 1:1 with students and helping them find the clarity and confidence they need to take their speaking businesses to the next level. And today, you’re going to get to see that process in action.

We're back with another live coaching episode with Erick Rhe...

“The speaking industry is one that has been around for generations…And it has survived wars, depressions, recessions, 9/11, pandemics, and it’s not going anywhere.”

Navigating the speaking industry can seem daunting with its ever-shifting trends and economic uncertainties. So this week, drawing from his extensive experience in the field, Shawn Hanks offers his seasoned perspective on how speakers can thrive amidst these cha...

“If you are thinking about doing something long term, test it internally, be an intrapreneur, right? Go create something amazing for your company and see if you enjoy doing it.”

Jenny Wood's transition from a high-flying Google executive to an influential public speaker is nothing short of inspiring. After spending eighteen years at Google, Jenny chose to follow her passion for public speaking, resulting in a story of passi...

“We use visual tools and common language, so we share tools as if they’re mirrors so that the mirror does the heavy lifting and you get self awareness through looking at the mirror.”

Navigating the world of speaking and building a unique brand can be daunting in the early stages of your career. So this week on The Speaker Lab Podcast, Jeremie Kubicek joins Grant Baldwin to shed light on the strategic integration of speaking...

“I knew it was important for me as I built my business to develop markers of credibility, and that would make everything easier. Like the wind is at your back when you have enough credentials that people can say, ‘I'll listen to her.’”

In this episode of The Speaker Lab Podcast, host Grant Baldwin is joined by Dorie Clark to talk about an important topic for every speaker — establishing yourself as a thought leader. Do...

“You have to regularly find things where the challenge exceeds the skill set."

In this week’s episode of The Speaker Lab Podcast, speaker and author Jon Acuff joins Grant to talk about the challenge of maintaining excellence as a speaker and the importance of continually pushing yourself beyond your comfort zones.

Jon also took the time to break down his successful speaking model, primarily focusing on keynotes and the ...

“Most successful or thought leadership businesses are extremely simple. They sell one thing at the front end, maybe a couple things on the back end…but they’re experts in X, Y, and Z.”

In this episode of The Speaker Lab podcast, we explore the importance of keeping things simple and intentional in the ever-changing world of speaking and entrepreneurship. Grant Baldwin sits down with Taylorr Payne, co-founder of SpeakerFlow,...

“It’s your vision that influences which way you go. Because you’ve already thought about it ahead of time.”

In this episode of The Speaker Lab podcast, Erick Rheam joins us to talk about what it takes to navigate the chaotic and often overwhelming journey of being a speaker and entrepreneur. You've probably heard Erick on the show before, but today he's sharing a different side of things with candid advice drawn from his ow...

“[AI is] a really great way to flex your creative muscle, but also not have to stress if you’re not strong enough at certain things.”

Being on stage is one of the most fun and most rewarding parts of being a professional, paid speaker — but as all experienced speakers know, what happens on stage is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to building a successful speaking business. This week on The Speaker Lab Podcast, Gra...