Claim The Stage: A Public Speaking Podcast For Women

Hiiii!! It's me again. It's been two months and I'm excited to get back to the show with a big episode of questions. These questions were designed to help you do some self-discovery during this time of change. They are also there to help you see things about yourself you may not want to look at because this is where the truth lives! Ready?  Download your copy of the questions here.  Email me your answers for the next episode to angela@speakersisterhood.com by June 15th. Let me know if you want to be anonymous or not. Would love to include you! If you'd like to attend a Speaker Sisterhood meeting to share your answers and check out our clubs, view our list of groups here.  Learn more about the International Institute for Restorative Practices here.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/claim-the-stage-podcast/support

Hi friends. Your host, Angela here. :) How are you doing during these strange times? I recorded a short episode on a walk around my neighborhood today while trying to get my eight month old son to take a nap. Just checking in to say hi and see how you're doing. If you want to shoot me a note, my email is angela@speakersisterhood.com. Hope you're finding peace during this time.

Do you speak about a topic that most people would rather avoid than have to deal with? Topics that make your target audience uncomfortable can be hard to market because they may not want to face that discomfort. On today’s episode, I interview Rachel Richards, a former financial advisor who has made a name for herself in the personal finance realm. She is the bestselling author of “Money Honey” and “Passive Income, Aggressive Retirement.” Her valuable money lessons have helped thousands of millennials work their way out of financial despair. She has successfully done what no one has done before: made the topic of money management fun, entertaining, and simple. We cover: How Rachel got into money management as a career focus How she took a topic that is typically dry and difficult to follow and made it fun and simple Tips to turn an emotionally-charged topic into something people want to learn about How she approaches this topic when putting together a speech How she creates compelling content for social medi

Welcome to a special bonus episode! Today we're talking all about gaining confidence to speak up. My guest is Dr Joli Hamilton (you heard her on our last episode, #134) and we're sharing our experiences with speaking up, advice on how to do it, and what to do when speaking up goes wrong. This is a super popular subject and we're excited to share some tips to make this practice easier for you. We also talk more about our upcoming weekend retreat we're doing in Western Massachusetts in June. Get all the details, find out why you might want to be there, and apply here.  More about Joli: Dr. Joli Hamilton has a doctorate in depth psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute where she specialized in Jungian and Archetypal Studies. Joli also earned a certificate in holistic sexuality education from the Institute for Sexuality Education and Enlightenment, where she is now faculty teaching intimacy, communication, theories of sexuality education, and kink awareness for new sex therapists and educators. She is an AASEC

I'm baaaaack! I mean, the show has been running, but I haven't really felt like I'm "back" until now. 2019 brought all kinds of challenges and every time I thought I got up, I was kicked down again. On today's episode, I invite my friend Dr. Joli Hamilton to join me to talk about a big secret project we're unveiling right here, right now. We also talk about how this project came to be and the steps we've taken to make it real. I go over all of this in the hopes that it will provide some sort of roadmap for you, if you want to do something similar. We're VERY excited about this new offering and hope you will join us for the fun in June. To learn more about it and apply, go here. Learn more about Dr. Joli Hamilton here.  Have an idea for an upcoming topic or guest you'd like to recommend? Email me! angela@speakersisterhood.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/claim-the-stage-podcast/support

Selling. It's one of those necessary elements of making your business grow, but how do you do it in a way that feels satisfying and not slimy? On today's episode, I interview Nikki Rausch, a sales coach, author, speaker and founder of Sales Maven. After 25 years of experience selling to such prestigious organizations as The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Hewlett-Packard, and NASA, Nikki decided to start her own business so she could help entrepreneurs sell in a way that builds relationships, creates true connection, and results in more closed deals and long-term clients. Now, Nikki transforms the misunderstood process of “selling” into techniques, tools, and tips that can be successfully incorporated into a process replicable by anyone whose livelihood relies on selling a product, a service, or themselves.  On today's episode we discuss: How Nikki became a sales expert Why the sales process is so misunderstood The "Selling Staircase" and how to use it Nikki's favorite sales techniques when speaking on

If you're someone with a big message to share, you may find yourself wondering if your message is too much -- too controversial, too "out there" or too bold for your audience. What if you upset someone? What if you're misunderstood? If you're going against the norm or presenting a topic that will get a big response, you may have concerns and want to tone it down. Today's guest recommends you don't and she'll tell you why. Rachel Braun Scherl, a self-proclaimed "Vagipreneur" is a champion for the business of women’s health and a pioneer in the space, where she has passionately focused on driving the conversation about solutions and options for women’s sexual and reproductive health. She's the author of the best-seller, Orgasmic Leadership: Profiting from the Coming Surge in Women’s Sexual Health and Wellness. On today's episode we cover: How Rachel got into this type of work How she picked the title for her book and the backlash of that decision What a "Vagipreneur" is and why she calls herself that Tips to b

Jennifer Brown is an LGBTQ bestselling author and CEO of a multimillion dollar inclusion + diversity consultancy who has spoken at places like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the NBA and Google. She also just released her second book How to Be an Inclusive Leader: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive. On today's episode, we discuss:  How public speaking became Jennifer's #1 strategy to bring in corporate clients like Walmart and Starbucks How Jennifer pitched herself for big speaking gigs What she included in her talks to help potential clients see she would be a good match for them What kind of techniques she uses to engage a room of people who would rather not be in a diversity & inclusion training Advice she has for others who have to give presentations on a topic that the audience may not be engaged in Learn more about Jennifer: Jennifer Brown Speaks Jennifer Brown Consulting Get her book: How to be an Inclusive Leader Follow her: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Ins

Putting your ideas and advice into the world can be a scary move. How do you protect yourself and your content so you don't have to worry about your work being stolen or used by others? On today's show, I interview Jamie Lieberman, an attorney, podcaster and entrepreneur dedicated to making legal accessible and sharing the message that working with a lawyer doesn’t have to be scary. As the owner and founder of Hashtag Legal, Jamie draws on her experience working with influencer marketing professionals, speakers, creatives and business owners to help her clients grow and protect their businesses. On today's show, we cover: --How Jamie got her first speaking gig and the strategies she has used to speak on stages of 500+ audience members --How content creators (like speakers, online course creators, authors) can protect their intellectual property --The three clauses in a speaking contract speakers should be paying way more attention to --Other important elements speakers should put in their contracts --Recours

Today’s episode is the final installment of our four-part series that showcases Speaker Sisterhood members and their speeches appearing in our new book coming out November 29th, “Secrets of the Sisterhood.” This is a compilation-style book that features 45 speeches about love, truth, and power. This episode features speeches and interviews with Kathryn Petruccelli, member of our Florence, MA club, and Carolyn Johnson, member of our Reading, MA club. Kathryn Petruccelli is a writer, poet, and performer with an M.A. in teaching English language learners. Her professional life has included translating "Hotel California" for Hungarian high school students, anthologizing poetry written by teen moms, and creating engaging leads for articles about produce festivals. She is currently seeking her next big adventure. More at poetroar.com. Carolyn Johnson is a wife, mother, and woman on a mission of self-discovery. At this time she is researching professional fields that may be a good fit for her.  Above all, she hopes

Today’s episode is part three of a four-part series that showcases Speaker Sisterhood members and their speeches that will appear in our new book coming out November 29th, “Secrets of the Sisterhood.” This is a compilation-style book that features 45 speeches about love, truth, and power. This episode features Shauna Gullbrand, club leader of our Salem, NH club, and Kim Meninger, past member of our virtual club.  Shauna Gullbrand, PCC, ACC, is a Certified Professional Coach receiving her certifications through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) and the International Coach Federation (ICF).  She is co-host of the weekly podcast Hawks & lavender rose, a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) and and Integrated Energy Therapy® Master/Instructor (IET). Shauna is passionate about guiding others on their journey of self-discovery and advocates for more conscious living. Kim Meninger started her own coaching and consulting business after more than 10 years in the high-tech industry. It was d

Today’s episode is part two of a four-part series that showcases Speaker Sisterhood members and their speeches that will appear in our new book coming out November 29th, “Secrets of the Sisterhood.” This is a compilation-style book that features 45 speeches about love, truth, and power. On today’s episode, I interview Sandra Costello and Stacy Every, members of our Northampton, Massachusetts club.  Sandra Costello is a spirited entrepreneur but also known as the Chief Hugger. She is a portrait photographer to women and the people they love, an inspirational speaker, and the kind of coach all small business owners want by their side. Always positive and ready to inspire photographers and creatives-alike to authentically brand themselves and do the work they love. Stacy Every is a former educator who seven years ago started a new life with her own massage therapy business. Her new life included speaking up and sharing her opinion, and since this terrified her, she joined the Northampton, MA Speaker Sisterhood c

Wow! It's so good to be back. Today's episode is part one of a four-part series that will showcase Speaker Sisterhood members and the speeches that will appear in our new book coming out November 29th, "Secrets of the Sisterhood." This is a compilation-style book that features 45 speeches about love, truth, and power.  On today's episode, I interview Lauren Simonds, the book's editor and one of our featured speechwriters. Lauren is a former paramedic, a Smith College graduate, an award-winning small business tech journalist, and she currently works as a freelance writer and editor. After years of writing for other people (not that there’s anything wrong with that), Lauren joined a Speaker Sisterhood club to reawaken her own voice and, in the process, discovered an amazing community of women. Lauren also interviews me about the speech I submitted and we talk about what it was like to put this book together. If you've ever thought about working on a project like this, we share some insights into what we learned

Raw. Real. Hilarious. "On brand." These are the words I'd use to describe today's guest and final installment of the Guest Mentors Summer Series. Jessica Pettitt, M.Ed., pulls together her stand up comedy years with 15+ years of diversity trainings in a wide range of organizations to serve groups to move from abstract fears to actionable habits that lead to teams that want to work together.  Jess is a member of the National Speakers Association and is a Certified Speaking Professional. Fewer than 10% of speakers worldwide hold this credential. On today's episode, Jess and I explore how she went from unpaid, unknown speaker to paid speaker with a platform.  We cover: the mindset shifts that took place her marketing pieces and messages how she built a schedule/plan/goals to get started her biggest challenges when it comes to pitching, pricing, and negotiating advice she would give to her past self  advice for speakers who are trying to break into this field and are feeling lost or stuck what Jess means by "Two

"Everything that goes wrong on stage is a teachable moment." -Lisa Braithwaite On today's installment of the Guest Mentors Summer Series, you'll hear from Lisa Braithwaite. Lisa is a speaking coach, trainer, and author of "Presenting for Humans: Insights for Speakers on Ditching Perfection and Creating Connection." She mentors entrepreneurs and professionals to create memorable and engaging presentations so they can build their businesses through speaking. With a B.A. in Theater and an M.A. in Education, she spent 16 years developing programs and training in the nonprofit sector as an advocate and educator, as well as founding her own organization. She's been interviewed for the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Men’s Health, Toastmaster Magazine, and Inc.com. Today's episode will give you permission to be creative and use interaction to bring your presentations to life. Lisa says there's a difference between simplifying and dumbing down for the audience and today she'll show you how. H

Susan is the only person I've met who, like me, gave 500+ free talks before realizing this could be a potential revenue stream and career path. We're soul sister speakers with a lot of good karma. :) On today's installment of the Guest Mentor Summer Series, I interview Susan Lindner. Susan is a Cultural Anthropologist, Brand Marketer, and Disruptor. Susan got her start as an AIDS educator in the brothels of Thailand, helping turn prostitutes into entrepreneurs. Today, she’s the founder of Emerging Media, a branding, PR and marketing agency dedicated to helping tech founders reach their finish lines. Her award-winning strategies have gotten 10 companies acquired, and she is now hell bent on sharing them with the world. Susan speaks to startups, innovators, and top executives from 60+ countries at GE, PWC, Deutsche Bank, Capital One and at global conferences, consulates and trade organizations about strategic storytelling, mastering the message and the media for maximum impact. On today's episode, we spend a lo

Do you consider yourself to be a bombshell? In episode two of the Guest Mentors Summer Series, Amber Hurdle will redefine what a "bombshell" is and why you want to be one.  Amber Hurdle, author and speaker, creates content-rich experiences to sharpen personal, employer and business brands. A former teen mom turned powerhouse business woman, Amber learned to clearly articulate her own value, eventually enabling her to work with international celebrities and Fortune 100 companies alike. Her clients include large brands such as FedEx Ground, Mars, Inc., and Marriott, as well as small businesses that want to play big. Recognized among the “Top 40 Under 40” by the Nashville Business Journal, she is also a top certified advisor for the Fascination Advantage® personality assessment and is certified in the Change Cycle®. Known for her straight shooting Velvet Machete™ and warm personality, Amber never fails to motivate professionals to up their game in business and in life. Amber will teach you how to: eliminate exc

Lois Creamer says the goal of a professional speaker is to be memorable, create takeaways that are doable, and to be creative in the approach. So...how do you do this? In part one of the Guest Mentor Summer Series, we explore all this and more!  Lois Creamer is a recognized industry expert working with speakers who want to book more business, make more money and fully monetize their intellectual property. She is the author of Book More Business: Make Money Speaking. Coming soon is her new book, co-authored with Cathy Fyock, The Speaker Author: How to Use Books to Sell Speaking and How to Use Speaking to Sell Books. Clients include Chicken Soup’s Jack Canfield; bestselling author of The Sales Bible Jeffrey Gitomer; presentation guru Patricia Fripp and more. Find out what Lois says are the two most important character traits and the one most important skill to be successful as a professional speaker, and learn what the acronym PSA means when it comes to writing effective speeches and web content. Lois has a w

Today's episode is a big departure from the typical format of this show. I decided to hit record and just start talking. You'll find out why as I get into it. I talk about what's been going on the last six months, how to deal with change, what it means when things are hard, a great mantra for dealing with transitions, and what's next. I also share reflections, recent lessons, and what you can expect from the podcast this summer.  Speaking School for Women, my signature online course that teaches you how to become a paid, professional speaker in six weeks or less, is discounted all summer. Learn branding, marketing, speechcraft, pricing, pitching, and so much more. Now until August 31st, get 20% off using promo code SUMMER20 at checkout. Learn more at https://speakersisterhood.thinkific.com/ This episode is sponsored by Told Video: Original, thoughtful storytelling for your brand. Here to help you with your next step in speaker marketing: a meaningful video. Let your story out into the world - get it Told. Fol

I'm sure you can think of a time when fear stopped you. Maybe it was when you were thinking about asking for a raise, finding out if that attractive person liked you, writing that book, or taking that vacation to a far away land. Do you ever wish you could go back and do things differently? In today's episode, I interview Lauree Ostrofsky, a person who helps women leap. Her books are, "Simply Leap: Seven Lessons on Facing Fear and Enjoying the Crap out of Your Life,” and "I'm scared & doing it anyway," about reinventing her life after being diagnosed with a brain tumor.  We discuss: The moment Lauree's life changed and she started realizing the power in her thoughts Tips on how to do things that scare you What kinds of mistakes people make when it comes to taking action when fear is present The one core trait you have to be able to access to do things that scare you How being accommodating to others can get in the way of leading a fearless life And more! Find out more about Lauree's writing, speaking an