Advertise on podcast: Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

How would it feel to get an inquiry from someone who wants to pay you $5,000, $10,000, or even $20,000 for a speaking engagement or workshop? And even better, they found you through an AI chatbot. It’s happened to me, and it’s happened to our clients. Here at Speaking Your Brand, about half of our leads now come from AI chatbots and Google. On consultation calls, people tell me, “Claude told me you were the best,” or “ChatGPT said you were the top recommendation for what I needed.” These are high-quality leads who come into the conversation already trusting the recommendation. In this episode of our Bookable Speaker series, I’m sharing how to help AI chatbots understand you, your brand, and your topics so they can recommend you.  Earlier this year, I created an entire course on AI SEO for the university where I teach. I did a lot of research and experimenting (the former software developer in me loved this), and I’m giving you the practical highlights. We’ll cover three things you can work on: assessing where you are now, becoming the answer to the questions your potential clients and event organizers are asking, and publishing content that supports what you want to be known for. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to find out whether AI chatbots are already sending people your way.Why a clear, consistent message matters for getting recommended.What to include on your speaker page.How a conversational audit can reveal questions your website needs to answer.The role of your signature framework and what makes your work distinctive.Ways to turn newsletters, articles, and podcast transcripts into website content.About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/494/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our online Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Attend our in-person speaking retreat in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/live/  Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Tool to query chatbots: AnswerThePublic.com My speaker page: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/about/carol-cox/speaking/  Example blog post formatted for AI SEO: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/what-is-a-signature-talk-framework/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 492: How to Get Your Next Speaking Engagements: The Bookable Speaker Checklist Episode 493: Social Media for Speakers - What We Do and Advice We IgnoreBooked Without Burnout series

Get ready for some real opinions on how effective (or not) social media is for you as a speaker. After all, if a post gets thousands of views but none of the right people see what you speak about, what did those views do for your speaking business? I'm joined by Speaking Your Brand coaches Diane Diaz and Erin Mark for a conversation about social media for speakers, as part of our Bookable Speaker series.  We have very different relationships with it. Erin enjoys making Instagram Reels. Diane and I spend most of our social media time on LinkedIn, and I stopped posting on Instagram years ago.  Yet we agree on the question worth asking: Can an event organizer find you, understand your message, and picture you speaking to their audience? We talk about the LinkedIn profile details that matter, why Erin doesn't send a sales pitch with a connection request, and what happened when an organizer contacted me through my mostly dormant Instagram account. We also get honest about posting frequency and the temptation to chase views. You’ll hear: Why follower counts and viral views can be misleading measures for speakersWhat to put in your LinkedIn headline and About sectionHow Erin starts conversations with potential partners and buyersWhy photos from actual speaking engagements are useful contentHow to choose a posting rhythm you can maintain and check whether it's helping About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/493/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our online Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Attend our in-person speaking retreat in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/live/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxDiane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz/ Erin Mark = https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinmark/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 492: How to Get Your Next Speaking Engagements: The Bookable Speaker Checklist Booked Without Burnout series

If you've been sending speaker proposals and hearing nothing back, look at three things: relevance, reach, and relationships.  Does the organizer understand why your talk fits their audience? Can they see evidence of you speaking? And do people in your network know what you speak about well enough to recommend you? Those are the three R's we're covering in this first episode of our Bookable Speaker podcast series. I’m joined by Speaking Your Brand coaches Diane Diaz and Erin Mark to talk about what each one looks like in practice and specific things you can do today to get your next speaking engagements on the calendar. Get our free Bookable Speaker Checklist at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/checklist/ You’ll learn: The three R's of being a bookable speaker: relevance, reach, and relationshipsHow to adapt your positioning to an event without creating a new talk every timeQuestions to ask an event organizer before you send a proposalWhy video of you speaking has become more useful to buyers, and how to capture it on a budgetWhat to ask for in your speaker contract when an event is being filmedHow warm introductions, other speakers, and small local talks can lead to more opportunitiesAbout Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/492/  Download our free Bookable Speaker Checklist at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/checklist/ Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our online Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Attend our in-person speaking retreat in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/live/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxDiane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz/ Erin Mark = https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinmark/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 486: Stop Creating Every Presentation from Scratch: Build One Talk You Can Adapt for Any AudienceEpisode 483: How an I.D.E.A., Not a Topic, Makes You Easier to Refer, Pitch, and Book with Carol CoxBooked Without Burnout series

How do you speak about something as big as love, money, or the meaning of life without letting it become abstract or overwhelming? You make it personal. In this Back Stage with Speaking Your Brand live show, you’ll hear three of our recent Thought Leader Academy grads, Beth DeAngelis, Vanessa Dean, and Kelsey Faye, as they each deliver a 10-minute version of the signature talk they developed in the program. Their talks explore some of life’s biggest subjects: Beth DeAngelis explores love and human connection as essential leadership skills.Vanessa Dean turns financial behavior into something deeply human through candid stories about ADHD, money, and the gap between knowing what to do and doing it consistently.Kelsey Faye draws from her stories to explore meaning, faith, and the search for purpose.You’ll hear how they: Use one specific personal experience as the doorway into a universal topicMove from “this happened to me” to “this means something for all of us”Make an abstract idea tangible through stories, metaphors, and frameworksShare vulnerability in service of a clear thought leadership messageHelp audience members recognize themselves in a story that isn’t their ownWe also have a roundtable conversation about what Beth, Vanessa, and Kelsey have learned while developing their talks and what’s next for them as speakers and thought leaders. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/491/  Watch the video at https://youtube.com/live/mchMlKWq3zM Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Apply for our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxBeth DeAngelis = https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethdeangelis/ Vanessa Dean = https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-dean-adhd-money-coach/ Kelsey Faye = https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-faye-246347344/ and instagram.com/the.cathedral.within Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 355: What a Signature Talk Is and What It Should be Doing for You

How do you turn an overlooked pattern or experience into a thought leadership message that changes how your audience sees themselves and the world around them? One of the most powerful things a speaker can do is make the invisible visible. In this Back Stage with Speaking Your Brand live show, our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz hosts three of our recent Thought Leader Academy grads, Stephanie Warner, Noa Stisin, and Carolyn Clow, as they each deliver a 10-minute version of the signature talk they developed in the program. Each speaker makes an invisible influence visible: Stephanie reveals how our sensory environments quietly shape our energy, capacity, and leadership.Noa explores how a parent’s internal state and inherited patterns shape what happens in difficult moments with a child.Carolyn shows how the often-overlooked practice of self-leadership affects our ability to lead others. You’ll hear how they: Bring an overlooked problem or pattern into viewUse stories to make an unseen experience recognizableGive audiences language for something they may have felt but couldn’t nameTurn an abstract insight into a memorable frameworkOffer a practical next step audiences can use in their own lives We also have a roundtable conversation about what Stephanie, Noa, and Carolyn have learned while developing their talks and what’s next for them as speakers and thought leaders. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/490/  Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/live/ZWHCwywBH1Q?si=U6QsPCGhG4EqTEc- Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Apply for our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxDiane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediazStephanie Warner = https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-warner-tcp/ Noa Stisin = https://www.linkedin.com/in/noastisin/ Carolyn Clow = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynaclow/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 355: What a Signature Talk Is and What It Should be Doing for You

If you want more speaking invitations, it’s tempting to think the answer is more pitching, more social posts, and more cold outreach.  But event organizers are receiving more speaker submissions than ever. Being one more qualified person in the pile isn’t enough.  You need parts of your talk that people can remember, describe, and refer. I call these Signature Stage Segments: intentionally crafted moments that bring together storytelling, humor, audience interaction, props or costumes, and quotable lines. They make the talk more engaging for the audience and give you the kind of video that actually shows an event organizer what you can do on stage. In this episode, I share examples from our clients and our own talks.  You’ll hear how a lion at a watering hole, a round of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” a game show, a medical mask, and a pair of human-versus-AI paddles all became memorable stage moments. And we’ll talk about the part many speakers still hold back. In this episode, you’ll learn: What a Signature Stage Segment is and why it helps you get booked and referredThe five elements that make stage moments memorableHow to use our I.D.E.A.L. Storytelling Ingredients to turn something that happened into an actual storyHow simple props can make an abstract idea visibleWhy quotable lines belong in both your talk and your speaker reelThe thing many speakers are afraid to bring to the stage and why it matters About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/489/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Attend our in-person speaking retreat in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/live/  Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 488: They Took the Stage at Our Speaking Retreat. What Happened Next?Episode 462: Speaking Strategies That Create Lasting Impact: Live Signature Talks from TLA GradsEpisode 422: How to Create a 10-Out-of-10 Keynote that Leaves Your Audience in Awe with Julia Korn [Client Case Study]Episode 345: Elevate Your Audience Engagement Skills with These Proven Strategies with Katie Anderson [Client Case Study]Episode 467: Making the Shift from Performer to Keynote Speaker with Andy Nunn

What stays with you after a speaking retreat - once the filming is over, the notes are back in your hands, and you're home again? We could tell you what happens at one of our in-person speaking retreats and workshops.  Instead, our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz sits down with three women who experienced it: scientist and registered dietitian Dr. Karen Corbin, physician and health equity consultant Dr. Nicole Rochester, and emotional freedom and forgiveness coach Brenda Reiss.  They talk candidly about having to practice without their notes, watching themselves on video, learning to use stories and props, and getting immediate feedback from a room full of women who wanted them to succeed. What I love most about this conversation is what happened next.  Nicole changed how she delivers talks and brought a much more personal story to a medical conference.  Brenda learned to trust herself and let more of the real person behind her expertise come through.  Karen became even more committed to helping scientists use story and personality to become trusted voices.  Their experiences are different, but the thread is the same: when you stop trying to get every word right, you create more room for the audience to connect with you. You can watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/live/rmXYSCCoz-A. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/488/  Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/live/rmXYSCCoz-A Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Learn about our in-person speaking retreat: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/live/  Learn about our online Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxDiane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediazNicole Rochester = https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-rochester-md/ Karen Corbin = https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-corbin-phd-rd-75229111/ Brenda Reiss = https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendareiss/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 411: Reframing Public Speaking: From Elite Skill to Everyday Power with Dr. Karen CorbinEpisode 329: From Compelled to Take Action to TEDx Speaker with Dr. Nicole RochesterEpisode 347: The Power of REAL Practice to Transform Yourself as a SpeakerEpisode 385: Leading with Story in Your Talks [Roundtable]

If you've been telling yourself you'll pitch the conference, keynote, or TEDx talk once you feel more confident, I want you to reconsider the order.  Public speaking isn't something you do after you become confident. It's one of the ways confidence is created. I’m sharing three practical ways to build real speaking confidence: say yes and get the reps, experiment with different formats and time constraints, and use podcasting to strengthen your ability to speak naturally.  I tell the story of walking into a TV studio for the first time with my heart pounding - and how becoming a regular political analyst years later finally gave me the repetition I needed to trust myself. And then there's the thing that surprised me most: taking an eight-week improv class. Even after decades of speaking, improv helped me get out of my head, into my body, and more comfortable not knowing exactly what would happen next. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why confidence is created through speaking rather than perfected in privateWhat it means to embody your message instead of delivering it only from your headWhy repetition builds the muscle memory that makes speaking feel more naturalWhat my first TV political panel taught me about saying yes before I felt readyWhy relying on a script can interrupt your connection with the audienceHow PechaKucha, Ignite, DisruptHR, workshops, and keynotes develop different speaking skillsWhy hosting a podcast or becoming a regular podcast guest strengthens impromptu speakingWhat an eight-week improv class taught me about uncertainty and presenceHow speaking confidence can help you claim the identity of “speaker”Why women's public voices matter to gender equalityAbout Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/487/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Learn more about our speaking retreat in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/live/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Related Podcast Episodes: Speak with Confidence podcast seriesEpisode 379: How to Develop Stage Presence and Build Confidence as a SpeakerEpisode 378: The Power of Women's Voices and Stories to Change the World

If you’re exhausted by creating a brand-new presentation every time you’re invited to speak, I get it. You want the talk to fit the audience. But customizing your message is very different from reinventing it. In this episode, I’m joined by our coaches Diane Diaz and Erin Mark to talk about how we each use one foundational signature talk across different audiences, industries, and formats. Erin shares how she adapts her CALM framework for everything from a six-minute-and-40-second PechaKucha talk to a 60-minute keynote.  Diane explains what to keep, what to change, and why your stories should be the last thing you cut when time is tight. In this episode, we talk about: Why customizing a signature talk is different from creating a new talk from scratchThe core elements that should stay consistent across speaking engagementsHow Erin adapts her CALM framework for different industries and talk lengthsHow Diane changes stories and audience engagement without losing her central messageWhy listing 10, 15, or 20 speaking topics can make you harder to remember and referHow our Brand Voice Canvas connects your mission, expertise, methodology, and experiencesWhat Erin did when she was assigned a topic outside her expertiseHow to expand a keynote into a workshop without turning it into a content dumpHow your signature talk can become podcast talking points, website copy, and months of LinkedIn content About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/486/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Learn more about our speaking retreat in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/live/ Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxDiane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz/ Erin Mark = https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinmark/ Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 288: A Framework for Creating a Signature Talk for Income and ImpactEpisode 462: Speaking Strategies That Create Lasting Impact: Live Signature Talks from TLA Grads with Erin MarkEpisode 475: From Personal Story to Thought Leadership: A Framework for Speakers with Erin MarkEpisode 483: How an I.D.E.A., Not a Topic, Makes You Easier to Refer, Pitch, and Book with Carol Cox

What if the most important sales moments connected to your speaking engagement happen before you step on stage and in the first few minutes after you step off? My guest, sales strategist Nikki Rausch, has been my go-to coach for sales language, proposals, pricing, consultation calls, and follow-up for years.  In this conversation, we walk through the entire speaking engagement from the first inquiry to the conversations that happen after your talk.  Nikki explains how to make yourself easy for an event organizer to hire, plant sales seeds without turning your presentation into a pitch, and recognize when an audience member is giving you a buying signal. We also chat about why your job as the speaker begins long before your scheduled presentation time.  In this episode, Nikki and I talk about: Why you should answer an event organizer’s question before asking for a callHow to state your speaker fee clearly and keep the conversation openNikki’s “rapport bank account” and why your presence matters before you reach the stageThe difference between planting sales seeds and selling from the stageHow to use client stories and Q&A responses to show people how you helpWhat a buying signal sounds like after a presentationHow to invite someone to buy or schedule a call while her interest is still high About Our Guest: Nikki Rausch is a sales strategist, speaker, and founder of Sales Maven. With more than 25 years of sales experience and over a decade as a business owner, she teaches service-based entrepreneurs how to have confident sales conversations that lead to yeses, without feeling pushy or fake. As a Master Certified Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Nikki focuses on the language and communication behind selling. Her approach is rooted in building rapport, recognizing buying signals, and guiding conversations in a way that feels natural for both you and the client. She is the author of three books, including The Selling Staircase, and host of the Sales Maven Podcast, ranked in the top 1% globally. Through her coaching, programs, and speaking, Nikki supports women entrepreneurs in turning sales into a skill they can rely on, so they can grow their business with clarity and confidence. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/486/ Nikki’s website: https://yoursalesmaven.com/  Get Nikki’s free gift Follow-Up Made Easy Guide: https://yoursalesmaven.com/easyfollowup  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Learn more about our speaking retreat in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/live/ Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxNikki Rausch (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkirausch/  Related Podcast Episodes: Carol’s episode on Nikki’s Sales Maven podcast: https://yoursalesmaven.com/blog/integrating-both-thought-leadership-and-lead-generation-into-one-talk/Episode 133: Authentic Selling at Your Speaking Engagements with Nikki RauschEpisode 34: Relationship Selling with Nikki RauschEpisode 483: How an I.D.E.A., Not a Topic, Makes You Easier to Refer, Pitch, and Book with Carol Cox

When you hear “executive presence,” do you picture someone walking into a boardroom looking polished, confident, and completely certain of what to say? My guest, Mary E. Maloney, sees it differently.  Executive presence matters most when you’re in the middle of a high-stakes identity shift, such as after a promotion, a career change, the sale of a business, a retirement, or an unexpected ending.  Mary calls that in-between space the Keystone Gap: your old identity no longer fits, but the new one hasn’t fully locked into place. In this conversation, Mary explains why the real issue in that gap usually isn’t a lack of confidence. It’s a lack of clarity.  Mary shares her Five C’s of Identity Shift, the year she struggled to explain who she was without her CEO title, and the boss who pushed her onto a stage before she believed she was ready. In this episode, Mary and I talk about: What executive presence means during a high-stakes transitionWhy identity is the hidden architecture beneath career and leadership changesThe Keystone Gap between releasing an old identity and building a new oneWhy rushing through an identity shift can make the transition harderMary’s Five C’s of Identity ShiftThe difference between needing more confidence and needing more clarityHow purpose, impact, and your standards for showing up strengthen executive presenceWhat Mary learned after selling her company and taking a year awayHow a reluctant first speech changed the trajectory of her careerWhy authentic stories and knowing your audience matter on stage About Our Guest: Mary E. Maloney, FACHE, is a former CEO/CMO turned Master Facilitator who guides senior leaders through high-stakes transitions, helping them clarify and articulate the identity, purpose, and value that will define their next act. Through her signature two-call Brand Declaration® process, she helps leaders sift through decades of experience to name the recurring themes of their value in minutes rather than months. She works with C-suite executives, physician leaders, military officers, founders, and board-level talent through online courses, mastermind cohorts, and 1:1 inplacement/outplacement executive advisory work, and facilitates leadership and strategy retreats for enterprise teams navigating complex change. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/484/  Mary’s website: https://revealinggenius.com/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxMary E. Maloney (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryemaloney123/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 483: How an I.D.E.A., Not a Topic, Makes You Easier to Refer, Pitch, and BookEpisode 288: A Framework for Creating a Signature Talk for Income and ImpactSpeak with Confidence series

When someone asks what you speak about, do you give them one clear answer - or a list that includes a bunch of keywords like leadership, communication, resilience, confidence, and change? I understand the temptation to include everything.  When you’ve had a long career, narrowing your message can feel like leaving out valuable parts of your experience.  But if the person you’re talking with can’t explain what you speak about after the conversation is over, she can’t refer you. And that means you’re less likely to get booked. In this episode, you’ll learn: The difference between a broad subject, a presentation topic, and a distinctive ideaWhy your speaking topic is also a positioning decisionThe one-sentence referral test every speaker should tryHow broad positioning costs you opportunities you may never know you lostThree questions that can uncover the point of view inside your experienceHow to test your message with my I.D.E.A. FrameworkWhat event organizers need to understand before they can picture you in the roomA practical sentence prompt for clarifying your audience, claim, and outcome About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/483/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Related Podcast Episodes: Episodes 478-481: Expert Trap SeriesEpisode 468: What TEDx Organizers Look for When Selecting Speakers

AI can give you an answer. But it can’t be genuinely curious about you. In this episode, I’m joined by our lead speaking coach, Diane Diaz, to explore why curiosity is essential for developing a compelling thought leadership message and signature talk, especially in an age when AI can quickly produce polished but often predictable content. Diane shares a powerful analogy about browsing library stacks: You may begin by looking for one book, only to discover an unexpected idea on the shelf beside it. That kind of exploration and serendipity is often where your most original insights come from. We also talk about why being too close to your expertise can make it difficult to recognize what is most interesting about your ideas and experiences - and why the right questions from another human can uncover connections and stories you would never find through a fill-in-the-blank formula. Diane and I discuss: How relying too heavily on AI can weaken our curiosityWhy constraints can help you create a stronger talk more quicklyThe questions that uncover your most compelling ideas and storiesWhy your curiosity about your audience matters as much as your expertiseHow curiosity contributes to originality, personal connection, and even humorYour audience doesn’t need more information. They want a reason to become curious about your idea and about you. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/482/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxDiane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 481: Expertise Alone Doesn’t Get You Booked as a Speaker - Here's What DoesEpisode 479: 3 Ways AI Can Hurt Your Public Speaking, and 3 Ways It Can Help

If people leave your talk thinking, “She really knows her stuff,” that feels good. But it doesn’t necessarily make you memorable, referable, or bookable. In this fourth and final episode of my Expert Trap series, I’m looking at three things you may be saying yes to (more content, neutrality, and the wrong room) and the identity questions underneath each one. I’ve done all three, and I still have to watch for them in my own presentations. You’ll hear why your audience doesn’t need everything you know, how a clear point of view helps your ideas travel, and how to choose speaking opportunities that make your thought leadership stronger instead of more generic.  I’ll also give you one practical exercise you can use right away: replacing one proof sentence with one belief sentence. In this episode, you’ll learn: How too much content can become a way to prove you belongWhy staying neutral can make your message harder to rememberHow to know when a speaking opportunity is the wrong roomThe identity shift from expert to thought leaderWhy expertise builds trust, but your point of view makes you referable and bookableThe difference between a proof sentence and a belief sentence About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/481/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Related Podcast Episodes: Episodes 478-481: Expert Trap SeriesEpisode 463: The Connection Formula of Expertise + Story: Live Signature Talks from Thought Leader Academy GradsEpisode 458: Same Message, Different Medium: Why Your Talk Isn’t Landing (and How to Fix It)

If you love facilitating workshops and trainings, but you know there’s something more you want to say, this episode is for you. My guest is Corrin McCloskey, a healthcare executive, speaker, writer, and facilitator who has made the leap from being a fabulous facilitator into a true thought leader.  Corrin joined us in Thought Leader Academy in January 2025, and in the year and a half since then, she has spoken at multiple national conferences, published writing in her field, and continued building momentum around her message: healthcare needs more human-centered, connected, and courageous leadership. This conversation is part of our Expert Trap series because Corrin’s story is such a powerful example of what happens when you move beyond simply teaching helpful content and start naming what’s missing in the conversation. We talk about: How Corrin shifted from facilitating strategic planning and leadership workshops to speaking on bigger stagesWhy thought leadership is less about having all the answers and more about sharing a clear perspectiveThe role of writing in expanding your ideas beyond a single talkHow to keep putting your work out there, even when it doesn’t feel perfectWhat Corrin learned from both deeply affirming audience feedback and a painful experience of harassment after a speaking engagementWhy having a support system matters when you’re using your voice more publicly What I love about Corrin’s journey is that she didn’t abandon facilitation. She built on it. She took the skills she already had, added her lived experience and perspective, and stepped into a bigger conversation. That’s the real invitation of thought leadership: to stop hiding behind expertise alone and start using your voice for the change you want to see. About Our Guest: Corrin McCloskey is a healthcare executive, executive coach, and national speaker focused on leadership, culture, and change management in healthcare. She serves as Vice President of Heart & Vascular and Oncology Services at Tanner Health, where she leads strategy, growth, and service line development. Passionate about helping leaders build trust and navigate complexity, Corrin frequently speaks on physician leadership, organizational culture, and leading change in healthcare. Over the past year, she has expanded her national speaking presence and contributed thought leadership focused on creating healthier, more sustainable healthcare systems. About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.  Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/480/  Corrin’s website: https://corrinmccloskey.com/  Watch Corrin deliver her signature talk on our live show: https://www.youtube.com/live/rhDAdGR44-g?si=MulG_sPQ0-MmpLK4  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcoxCorrin McCloskey (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/corrinmccloskey/  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 478: The Expert Trap: Why Great Speakers Don't Become Thought LeadersEpisode 391: Claiming Your Identity as a Speaker and Thought Leader