72: Build the Speaking Career Only You Can Deliver with Michael McQueen

Most emerging speakers waste years trying to follow someone else’s blueprint. This conversation is your permission to scrap the script and build something that actually fits you.

In this episode, futurist and global keynote speaker Michael McQueen drops insight after insight on what it really takes to build staying power in the speaking business. He peels back the curtain on reinvention, relevance, momentum, stubbornness, and how to hold your space like a pro, even when imposter syndrome is knocking. 

We’re talking rich lessons learned in school halls, corporate boardrooms, and international keynotes, all wrapped in hard-earned wisdom and practical advice.

If you’ve ever wondered how to spot your next breakthrough, stop shape-shifting to fit into someone else’s box, or grow a speaking business with real depth and longevity, this one’s going to land hard. 

There’s zero preaching. Just an honest, expansive conversation between two speakers who have seen the storms and know what it means to stay the course.

If you’re in the thick of building your speaker-led business and wondering if you’ve got what it takes to go the distance, this conversation is exactly what you need. You’ll walk away with clarity, direction, and a renewed respect for the slow burn of mastery. 

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• How observing patterns, not predicting them, can position you as a thought leader (3:56)
• Resisting change and what actually works to shift your mindset (7:33)
• How clinging to what worked yesterday could be what tanks your future (11:37)
• How to evolve your brand without chasing every shiny object and the gut checks that matter more than market trends (14:04)
• Why listening is your most underused speaking skill / How to use offhand comments, unexpected questions, and passing moments as lightning rods for your next book, keynote, or reinvention (16:57)
• What it takes to make the leap from “relatable” to “credible” (21:15)
• Storms, doldrums, and survival mindset
• The financial, personal, and emotional fallout of 2020 and what Michael learned about stillness, waiting, and resilience (27:34)
• A deeply personal story about loss, legacy, and what it really means to follow through, even when it’s hard (34:37)
• How to turn pre-stage nerves into powerful presence
• The unexpected mindset shift that top speakers use to transform anxiety into audience impact (44:41)
• Growing a speaking business by breaking the rules, trusting your voice, and building a career that is fully, unapologetically you (47:04)

WHERE TO FIND MICHAEL MCQUEEN

• Website: https://michaelmcqueen.net/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmcqueen1/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelmcqueenauthor 
• X: https://x.com/Michael_McQueen 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaeljmcqueen/ 

If you are on a mission to amplify your message to make a more meaningful impact, and you’d love to join a vibrant community of people all harnessing the power of speaking we’d love you to join us in our private Facebook group. Here you will gain access to exclusive live trainings, free resources and the opportunity to ask Jacqueline anything. It’s all designed to take...