Claim The Stage: A Public Speaking Podcast For Women

Have you ever signed up to give a presentation, and in the days or weeks leading up to it, regretted ever putting yourself in that situation? If so, you're not alone! Many speakers experience intense feelings of anxiety, fear, worry, and stress for varying amounts of time before they take the stage. The good news: It doesn't have to be this way! My guest today is Crystal Farley, chief story teller and co-creator for two successful podcasts, PTSD: People, Trauma, and Stress Discussed: an unfiltered truth, as well as Making of HERstory. Crystal is a national speaker on the topic of women’s advocacy in the workplace, and as a Certified Stress Management Maven, is the founder of C Far: Beyond the Box, an organizational stress management consulting business working to create a better foundation of stress management for employees. Crystal is a combat veteran and former woman of technology, having worked for companies like Apple, IBM, and HPE. What we cover on today's episode: How to manage feelings of anxiety, str

On today's episode, I interview Jill Salzman, founder of The Founding Moms, where she helps mom entrepreneurs build better businesses. She's a two-time author, co-host of Inc. Magazine’s top-rated entertaining business podcast, Breaking Down Your Business, TED speaker, and serial entrepreneur. We discuss how to take a topic you speak and write about and turn it into a scalable business that is bigger than you. I also discuss how I've done the same thing with my business, Speaker Sisterhood. We go over how we came to the conclusion that what we were talking about could be more than a speech, how we discovered our business models, how we got started, what we've learned about licensing (the good, bad and ugly), and advice for others wanting to start a scalable business.  This episode is sponsored by Told Video: Original, thoughtful storytelling for your brand. Here to help you with your next step in marketing: a meaningful video. Let your story out into the world - get it Told. Contact Rebecca through June 1 to

How do you turn your life experiences into a speech and then a passion-fueled business? In today’s episode, I interview Josh Shipp, an author, speaker, and global youth empowerment expert renowned for the documentary TV series on A&E. He has written two national bestsellers to date, “The Grown-Up’s Guide to Teenage Humans” and “The Teen’s Guide to World Domination.” Josh is regularly called on by Oprah, CNN, FOX, The New York Times, 20/20, Good Morning America, and others to provide commentary on common challenges faced by parents and teachers. What we discuss in today’s interview: How Josh went from at-risk foster child to prominent speaker How he turned his struggles and experiences into the basis of his work How to be compelling and build a brand and following Advice for speakers who are hesitant about using their life stories in their work What it was like to speak in front of 55,000 people And more! Find out more about Josh at https://joshshipp.com/ This episode is sponsored by Told Video: Origina

Today's episode is mind bending and eye opening. I hope you've had your coffee! My guest is John K. Coyle, #TheTimeGuy. John is a world leading expert in innovation and Design Thinking, and best-selling author of Design For Strengths: Applying Design Thinking to Individual and Team Strengths (2018) and The Art of Really Living Manifesto (2016). A graduate of Stanford University’s Product Design Program, John is an NBC sports analyst, two-time TEDx presenter, and sought-after keynote speaker. He earned an Olympic silver medal for speedskating. In this episode we talk about how to "design for your strengths" and also expand time through choosing experiences that have depth and breadth.  John also explains: what he means by “innovate the human experience”  the differences between chronological time and experiential time  why time speeds up as we age what crying has to do with slowing down time what “event horizon moments” are and why are they important what "flow state" means and how you know you're in it the d

Welcome to the final part of my three-part mini course, The Top Five Secrets to Becoming a Paid Speaker. If you’ve been learning a lot and enjoying the process of thinking through what your speaking business might look like, my 6-module online course, Speaking School for Women, might be for you! In this course, you'll take a deeper dive into everything covered in the mini course and also get support and guidance from me along the way. The course re-launches tomorrow right here. The first 15 women to register on launch day will get a free 60-minute speechcraft session with me! Be sure to enroll early if you know you are ready for this next step. Here’s what you’ll learn in today’s episode: how to price yourself so you don’t under or over charge and lose out on the gig the most popular questions I’m asked about professional speaking what to expect from Speaking School for Women Again, find out more about Speaking School, all the cool bonuses that come during this 5 day special launch period, and enroll here.

Welcome to part two of my three-part mini course, The Top Five Secrets to Becoming a Paid Speaker. The purpose of this mini course is give you a little road map to getting started on your way to professional speaking. I’m trying to demystify the process and offer you the secrets I wished I learned when I was starting out. If what you hear in this mini series gets you excited about continuing down this road, I have a larger, 6-module online course called Speaking School for Women which re-launches on March 6th here. Here’s what you’ll learn in today’s episode: tools to be seen as an expert by others strategies to pitch yourself as the perfect person for a gig why you don’t want to be everywhere and how to share your expertise with the right people If you'd rather watch this mini-course on video, you can get it here.  Stay tuned, part 3 is coming soon... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/claim-the-stage-podcast/support

Welcome to part one of my three-part mini course, The Top Five Secrets to Becoming a Paid Speaker. This mini course is meant to help answer questions around how to go from speaking for free (or not at all) to building a speaking business. I’m trying to demystify the process and offer you the secrets I wished I learned when I was starting out. I’m also hoping to save you some time and frustration while also giving you a launch pad. If what you hear in this mini series gets you excited about continuing down this road, I have a larger, 6-module online course called Speaking School for Women which re-launches on March 6th here. Here’s what you’ll learn in today’s mini episode: the chance to see how what you care about could become a marketable workshop or keynote the two key questions you need to ask yourself to determine your speaking path the secrets to saving time when building a speaking business from day 1 A few of my embarrassing stories of what I did when I got started… If you'd rather watch this mini-co

Seth Godin needs no introduction, but for those of you who want details, Seth is the author of 18 books that have been bestsellers around the world and have been translated into more than 35 languages. He’s also the founder of the altMBA and The Marketing Seminar, online workshops that have transformed the work of thousands of people. He writes about the post-industrial revolution, the way ideas spread, marketing, quitting, leadership and most of all, changing everything. You might be familiar with his books Linchpin, Tribes, The Dip and Purple Cow. His blog (which you can find by typing “seth” into Google) is one of the most popular in the world. In 2018, he was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame. His latest book, This Is Marketing, came out in November 2018. Also, I'm a huge fan. :) If you listened to episode 109, you heard why I love him. In episode 110, Mark Metry and I talk about interviewing him. And now, here he is!  On today's episode, I make a big announcement and we talk about: -how Seth dec

This episode was originally supposed to focus on Mark's transition from shy and socially anxious to top 100 podcaster and speaker, but the episode took on a life of its own very early on in the conversation. I decided to name it "How to do Anything" because by the end of it, I was pretty sure I could apply Mark's wisdom and mindset to everything and be successful at it. We discuss: - how he invented "Mark 2.0" and what he does when "Mark 1.0" shows up - what he has learned about podcasting and how it has impacted his vision - the most important areas of your life to pay attention to if you want a clear mind, energy, and ability to act out your goals - the value of meditation, diet, journaling, and other tools for building confidence and self-awareneness There are about 50 other great points Mark makes in this episode, so grab a pen! Here's a bit of information about Mark Metry:  Mark Metry is the host of Humans 2.0, a Top 100 podcast where he interviews Billionaires, New York Times Bestselling Authors and Leg

To everyone who submitted questions over the last several months, thank you! I used five of them in today's episode. If you have a question you want addressed on an upcoming Q&A episode of the podcast, email me at angela@speakersisterhood.com. Here are the questions and the time they appear on today's show: 1. Who are your heroes? (3:27) 2. What goes into a signature talk? (14:10) 3. How do you build credibility as a speaker? (30:55) 4. What was your most embarrassing moment on stage and what did you do? (34:05) 5. How do you practice and prepare for a lengthier speech (longer than 5 or 10 minutes)? (38:36) Today's episode is sponsored by Speaking School for Women. This course I’ve been teaching since 2016 is coming back as a self-guided online offering in March! If you’re thinking about doing more speaking in 2019 and want to save yourself a lot of time when it comes to learning how to book and deliver talks that make an impact and a paycheck, Speaking School will teach you how. I’ll be making more annou

Did you know body language is 55% of what your audience is judging when they're deciding if they like and trust you? When it comes to the way you present yourself, you want to make sure you're paying attention to it -because it matters. This means noticing your breathing, energy, presence, and stance. On today's episode, I give you four simple tools you can use to feel more powerful, improve your overall presence, appear more relaxed, and breathe without feeling like you're going to pass out or hyperventilate. Many of these tips you've heard before if you've been listening to the podcast for a while. Today's episode is a summary of some of the tips mashed into one episode. If you want to go back and listen to the full episodes, here they are: Tip one: Do a Power Pose - Episode 56 Tip two: Breathing Exercise - Episode 92 Tip three: Prep Your Face - Episode 63 Tip four: Take a Power Stance - Episode 45 Today's episode is sponsored by Told Video: Original, thoughtful storytelling for your brand. Here to help you

The end of the year is a great time to reflect on goals, lessons, and big moments. On today's episode, I'm doing just that as I share my biggest lessons of the year. Some of them I cringed to write because I remember noting them as past lessons, but I've discovered that living the same lessons over and over again actually does continue to have benefits. The five lessons I note are: 1. Know your limits. 2. Your ability to get comfy with discomfort will determine how successful you are. 3. Saying no is what makes me stronger all around.  4. Free time is very important when building something huge.  5. What got me here won't get me there.  Feel free to share your lessons! I'd love to read your list. Send it to me at angela@speakersisterhood.com. The sponsor of today's episode is Told Video:Original, thoughtful storytelling for your brand. Here to help you with your next step in marketing: a meaningful video. Let your story out into the world - get it Told. Learn more at Toldvideo.com. --- Support this podcast

On today's episode, I take you back into the world of the Speaker Sisterhood as you hear from three of our members who have invested the last year of their lives in public speaking training. Find out what surprised them, what changed over the year, and how this journey has impacted their lives. If you're thinking about improving your public speaking skills but are unsure if you want to put in the time and effort, this episode should give you enough information and inspiration to determine your next steps. My guests are Joli Hamilton, Rosamond Wulsin, and Cecile Lackie, all members of Amber Ladley's South Hadley, Massachusetts Speaker Sisterhood club. Although my guests work in different fields, they found similar benefits and changes as a result of doing this work - and I bet they are different than what you'd think. Learn more about my guests below. Joli Hamilton Rosamond Wulsin Cecile Lackie To learn more about Speaker Sisterhood and check out a club near you, check out our club directory. Virtual clubs are

Have you ever found yourself crying on stage and wished you could make it all stop? Do you avoid difficult topics in your presentations in fear of getting emotional and looking unprofessional? If you've ever found yourself feeling uncomfortable about your vulnerability coming through, today's episode will change your mind about its value. I interview Johanna Walker, the fear-blasting, storytelling maven for coaches, consultants, leaders, and change-makers. She’s also the founder of Women Who Speak, a transformational speaker coaching program for female leaders. We discuss: why navigating difficult emotions on stage is so tough how to use these emotions to connect with (instead of hide from) audience members what you should do if you begin to cry in the middle of your presentation a couple other strategies to be vulnerable, besides telling traumatic childhood stories what you should do if you have a difficult time expressing the emotion in a story that should be told in an emotional way how to tell stories th

You always hear having confidence in yourself will propel you to take risks and accomplish your goals. But what if you could get yourself to take action without confidence? On today's episode, I interview Janet Whalen, a CoActive career transition, courage and confidence coach at BeAmbitiousForHer.com – a coaching practice for mid-career women.   We discuss: why women should focus on courage, not confidence steps women should take if they’re not feeling courageous where confidence comes from mistakes women make when it comes to doing things that scare them results you can expect to see when you try things you think you can’t do what confidence feels like Janet also hosts She Breaks the Mold – the podcast for women who are ambitious for themselves and each other at work. I was a recent guest on that show and we talked about the importance of finding your voice. Listen here. Learn more about Janet and her coaching practice at BeAmbitiousForHer.com. This episode is sponsored by Told Video: Original, thoughtfu

We've talked about the value of Facebook Live and YouTube to market yourself and build your platform, but what about having your own video that tells your story to event planners, clients, and audiences? On today's episode, we talk about how to use a promotional video to capture what makes you unique and share it with the world. I interview Rebecca Rideout, a video producer and owner of Told Video. Rebecca has fifteen years of experience shooting, editing, researching and producing non-fiction films. Today, she creates short-form documentaries for businesses that want their story told. Rebecca shares: Why it's so important for speakers to tell their story through video What kind of information is important to include Tips for speakers who want to share their story through video Benefits and results speakers can expect to see if they make a video Biggest mistakes people make when trying to make a video of this kind Tips for staying calm when in front of a camera If you want to elevate your brand, attract mor

Stephanie Feger is a passionate communicator who believes that a shift in perspective can help people live truly fulfilling lives. Her blog, Color Today Pretty, has inspired many to shift their mindsets and has spawned her new book Color Today Pretty: An Inspirational Guide to Living a Life in Perspective. On today's episode, I interview Stephanie about how to tell a story that relates, and how to find the perspective you need to find the lesson in each experience. She shares: her seven steps to finding perspective a writing exercise I fell in love with the importance of having a mantra how we are a lot like glow sticks Learn more at www.colortodaypretty.com and receive your regular dose of inspiration by following her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/claim-the-stage-podcast/support

Speaking School for Women is back and it starts this Monday, October 1st. I've been getting lots of questions from women who are interested in taking the course and I thought I'd address them here, in case you're asking yourself the same things. Speaking School is a live, 6-week online course I teach that helps women learn how to become a paid, professional speaker. I teach how to build a brand, create a marketing plan, we put together a speaker one-sheet, setup a speaker plan, make a signature talk, work out pricing guides, and more. This covers all the bases so you don’t have to wonder what you’re missing or doing wrong. Here are the questions I cover in the episode:  What if I don’t know what I’d speak about? I don’t know that I’m ready to be a paid speaker. How do you know when you’re “there?” Can I do it as a part-time job? AND how long does it take to get paid? I feel like a fraud asking for money and imposter syndrome shows up every time. How do you get over that so you can ask for money? What if I do

Welcome back to the podcast!! It’s good to be back in your ears after three months off. On today’s episode, I invite Lenore Braun, the club director of the Speaker Sisterhood, and Amber Ladley, the creative director, to the show to discuss our life-changing summers. Last time we talked, I told you my podcast was taking a vacation, but that wasn’t the only thing that took a hiatus in June. This summer, along with the core team that comprises my business, I took a major step back from working on everything so we could take a breather and get more perspective on what we were building. In this special episode, number 100, we lay out some of the biggest learnings, mistakes, ah-ha moments, and regrets from our summer break.  We share: how we planned to spend our time and how we actually spent it how we dealt with discomfort and anxiety from taking time off  unexpected learnings and lessons how taking time off has helped us claim the stage in life and when speaking advice for others who may be burnt out and needing

When you hear the word "diversity," what do you think of? Race? Religion? Age? Gender? On today's episode, we're framing diversity as those special ingredients that make you who you are. It's those ingredients that also help you to connect with others in various environments and groups and make you a dynamic speaker. My guest today is a leader, speaker, author, and coach. Amy C. Waninger is the Founder and CEO of Lead at Any Level LLC, which helps busy professionals develop skills in leadership, diversity and inclusion, and career management. She is the author of Network Beyond Bias: Making Diversity a Competitive Advantage for Your Career. When speaking to audiences, how do you deal with people who are different than you? How do you relate to them? How do you use your special ingredients to build a connection? We cover all this and more on today's show.    Also mentioned on the show, I share that I am taking the summer off from the podcast and will be back with new episodes in September. If you have any epis