How to become a motivational speaker. Please do NOT set your speaking fees too low. I know it’s tempting… But don’t.

“How much should I charge when starting out?” That’s the question I get a lot. I will not attempt to answer it in details here. It’s a bit too complex. And it depends on your level of credibility as well as your qualifications.

But I can assure you most emerging speakers always inadvertently set their fees too low. The main reason is because they lack of self-confidence.

Here’s a hint about fees: (more…)

Rich Gurus Aren’t Always Right. Do not just drop your load and start following their advice.

I remember contacting one of the gurus in the speaking field for advice to print my one sheet. He referred me to one of his high priced suppliers. Well, I called to get a quote. I almost fell out of my chair when the guy quoted the price. I couldn’t believe it.

Now, I’m sure my speaker guru friend meant well. He honestly wanted to help me. But he forgot that I was not making his millions. I was still struggling financially. (more…)

Okay, why do so many people come and go in the speaking field?

The answer is simple. They make some terrible mistakes and they never figure out what works. Fortunately, I’m about to share with you a few key concepts to help you succeed and make a lot of money in the process.

When I first started speaking, I had no clue what I was going to talk about. I just knew speaking was the thing for me. Did I have the credentials necessary to be a keynote speaker?

Nope.

At the time, I was a doorman at a hotel. In fact, I did that kind of work for about 14 years. And I often joke that I kept that job for so long because rice and chicken were free in the cafeteria. (more…)