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Mic Drop episodes
- Striking a Chord (ft. Chris Barton)
Striking a Chord (ft. Chris Barton)
Listen-in with the founder of the world’s most innovative listening app
OPENING QUOTE:
“There's so many unique ways of doing things, and the key thing is to question the assumptions. Don't assume that what holds true for one other speaker, holds true for you.”
-Chris Barton
GUEST BIO:
If you’ve ever heard music playing and wondered, “Hey, what song is this?” You have Chris Barton to thank for the answer. Chris is the founder and former CEO of Shazam, the music identification app that went from “impossible” according to MIT professors, to “ahead of its time,” in a world with no apps or app stores, to becoming the 6th largest acquisition by Apple in the history of the company in 2018.
Chris is also a founding member of Google’s Android Partnerships team, holds 12 patents, and founded Guard, a system that uses AI to prevent drowning in swimming pools. Of course, Chris is also an incredible (and incredibly successful) keynote speaker on how to rethink obstacles and take inspired action.
Links:
- Website
CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:
[5:50] - Being Ahead of Your Time Means Lots of Waiting
How innovation can feel frustrating
You probably first heard of the song-identifying app Shazam some time in the last several years. It seems like sometime around the mid-2010s, Shazam was everywhere, leading up to its being acquired by Apple in one of the company’s biggest acquisitions of all time.
But Shazam was actually launched in 2002, spent six years barely escaping bankruptcy, and only survived thanks to Apple’s App Store finally launching in 2008. Shazam was ahead of its time. And while that concept conjures images of billionaire innovators beating the market and blowing minds, the truth is that it often means a lot of waiting for the world to catch up. If you’re ahead of the curve in your arena, it may feel a lot like you’ve missed the train. In reality, the train just has to catch up to you.
[20:35] - Start with First Principles
Make a habit of ignoring what’s expected
Chris often turns to the scientific and philosophical concept of first principles: beginning any train of thought with no assumptions. It’s a matter of breaking down everything into the most basic truths, which then leads you to question the things that are assumed to be truths but may not be.
For example, there was an assumption that you have to recognize what’s playing on the radio in order to tell people what song they’re hearing. That was an assumption which Shazam turned on its head.
Where can you challenge assumptions in your own life and career? What do people currently “know” that just ain’t so?
[22:17] - Innovate Everything
From your story to your conversations
Chris shares a compelling story about how he landed a great apartment in an “impossible” market. By determining that landlords were always the first people to know when an apartment was becoming available, he bypassed the gatekeepers and found out about new opportunities first.
Chris advocates for applying this principle across your life and career. He builds on his “first principles” idea to show that every aspect of what you do is an opportunity to innovate. Every process, every convention, was at one point a crazy new idea. How might a crazy new idea change your life?
[27:55] - You’re a Product, and That’s Okay
Being objective can transform your career for the better
As keynote speakers, we tend not to like thinking of ourselves as products. It feels like an oversimplification, a cold and calculated idea. But Chris argues that when you think of yourself and your message as your product, you free yourself from the self-consciousness that comes with self-assessment. You can take on feedback, criticism, and opportunities for improvement without personal feelings getting in the way. You can make your product — your keynote and the way you deliver it — the best possible product it can be.
RESOURCES:
- [1:52] The Story of Shazam
- [10:17] About BigSpeak
- [30:04] About Alison Levine
Follow Chris Barton:
- Website
Follow Josh Linkner:
- YouTube
ABOUT MIC DROP:
Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.
Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOST:
Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.
Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.
Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.
Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com
SPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:
From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees.
Learn more at: impacteleven.com
PRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:
In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits.
Here’s to making (podcast) history together.
Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.com
SHOW CREDITS:
- Josh Linkner: Host | [email protected]
- Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]
39 min - Insights from a Booming Bureau (ft. Angela & Richard Schelp)
Insights from a Booming Bureau (ft. Angela & Richard Schelp)
Wit and wisdom from the dynamic husband-and-wife leaders of Executive Speakers Bureau
OPENING QUOTE:
“People will always claim that we're a mid-range size bureau when we're not anymore. Now we're a large bureau, we just don't have George W. Bush as an exclusive, but we generate the kind of volumes and numbers that those people with the exclusives generate. So I think that's an area where I believe a lot of people underestimate us.”
-Richard Schelp
GUEST BIO:
Angela and Richard Schelp are the dynamo husband and wife team that runs Executive Speakers Bureau. Their Memphis-based bureau is on a growth tear, nearly tripling their size over the last seven years. With humble roots dating back to 1993, Executive is now one of the largest and most respected speaker bureaus on the planet. Angela and Richard have enjoyed massive success while maintaining the highest standards of integrity, care for others, and deep commitment to professionalism. They serve clients, speakers, and team members with huge hearts — and a little dose of southern hospitality.
Links:
- Executive Speakers Bureau
- Bureau History
CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:
[10:26] - Playing the Long Game
How speakers can burn bright without fizzling out
Why do some speakers endure the test of time while others fade quickly?
Angela and Richard have seen the full range of careers for speakers — from the great to the not-so-great. They’ve found that the difference is strategic, long-term thinking. The speakers who play the long game, sacrifice their fee in strategic settings, work on projects with long-term potential even if they don’t come with big short-term gains, are all vital.
The other difference? Innovation. A willingness to reinvigorate and innovate on their speaking business day-in and day-out is what makes a speaking career that lasts.
[14:59] - The Dos and Don’ts of Contacting Bureaus
How to make a powerful connection
With a bureau as successful — and busy! — as Executive, the sad truth is that cold emails and calls often have to be disregarded. That highlights the importance of the “connection before the connection,” the contact that can give you a warm introduction to someone at a bureau you’re pursuing.
Further, bureau leaders want to see speakers who have invested in their careers. They want to see diligence, progress, and tenacity in continuously building their brand, message, and client list.
[23:35] - From Early Traction to Massive Acceleration
How to move from growing to flowing
What things have Richard and Angela seen that turn early, promising speakers into rocketships to massive success?
Often, according to Richard, it comes down to that extra commitment to marketing. They may have a dedicated marketing team to develop a campaign, improve their assets, or reach new audiences.
SEO can also be important to help with discovery, as can honing in on specific niches. The basics like testimonials also provide a strong foundation for future momentum.
[26:04] - Exclusive or Not?
When to go exclusive in your bureau relationship
Richard and Angela outline some of the key considerations when determining the right time to go exclusive with a bureau.
If you have momentum, you’re struggling to manage your career on your own, and you’re commanding fees in the $15K-$20K range but want to bump up to $25K and beyond, then an exclusive partnership can help take you to that next level.
That said, you must find a bureau that “gets” you, that has a vision for what you do, and which genuinely cares about your message and approach.
RESOURCES:
- [1:49] The Executive Story
Follow Executive Speakers Bureau:
- YouTube
Follow Josh Linkner:
- YouTube
ABOUT MIC DROP:
Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.
Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOST:
Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.
Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.
Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.
Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com
SPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:
From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees.
Learn more at: impacteleven.com
PRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:
In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits.
Here’s to making (podcast) history together.
Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.com
SHOW CREDITS:
- Josh Linkner: Host | [email protected]
- Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]
47 min - Making It Personal (ft. Bridget Hilton, Chad Foster, and Nikolas Badminton)
Making It Personal (ft. Bridget Hilton, Chad Foster, and Nikolas Badminton)
Three top speakers on embracing change in life and onstage
OPENING QUOTE:
“I trained to be a Samurai in Japan. I worked on a lobster boat in Massachusetts. I went to farm school. I was a model for a whiskey company, which was really fun. I once did a speech where I was in between Ben Affleck and Aerosmith, so there was a lot of imposter syndrome on that one. And I've learned all these weird skills. Learned how to trapeze or how to make my own coffee beans or fly a plane or go dog sledding.”
-Bridget Hilton
GUEST BIOS:
Chad Foster is an award-winning business leader, international keynote speaker and author of Blind Ambition. Connecting inspiration to implementation, Chad shares the insights gained from going blind at 21 and bouncing back to build a massive enterprise value, creating a more resilient leadership culture, and inviting diversity to drive business innovation.
Links:
- Website
- TikTok
Bridget Hilton, my next guest, is a leading expert in the art science and path to becoming rich in life experiences. Inspired by a viral video of a deaf woman hearing for the first time, she then founded the first social good electronics company called Listen, sold millions of products, partnered with the likes of Google and Delta Airlines and Amazon, and has given over 50,000 people the gift of hearing.
Links:
- Website
Nikolas Badminton is a world renowned futurist speaker, and he mentors leaders to create more connected, curious and creative teams that embrace futures designed to drive more profit and explosive growth.
Nik has spent 30 plus years working with leadership at over 300 leading organizations at the frontline of Foresight, strategy and disruption. He's the chief futurist at futurist.com and the author of Facing Our Futures: How Foresight Futures Design and Strategy Creates Prosperity and Growth.
Links:
- Website
- YouTube
CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:
[11:06] - Turning Stories About You into Stories About Your Audience
Being personal without stealing the spotlight
Many speakers struggle with finding the balance of sharing personal stories to engage with their audience without making it “all about them.” After all, a great keynote is about the audience — not the speaker.
That’s a balance all of this week’s guests have achieved in their own unique ways. For some, like Bridget, it’s about breaking up her incredible adventures with funny, self-deprecating stories of bad experiences and vulnerability.
For Chad, it’s all about disarming tension between speaker and audience. As someone who went blind at the age of 21, he understands the power of humor in breaking down barriers with people who may not know how to be “natural” around someone whose experienced something he has.
[15:14] - Teaching Transformation
How to encourage an audience to embrace change
All three of our featured speakers have undergone transformations throughout their lifetimes. From changes in physical capabilities to changes in mindsets, how do they bring their personal stories into a powerful conversation about embracing change?
It’s all about getting the audience to ask: “How can I make this work for me rather than against me? What can I control?” If you can tap into that, you’ll have your audience captivated — and lead them to change.
[22:05] - What if the Audience Disagrees?
Connecting with your audience even when they’re disconnected
Our guests this week have all experienced audiences who aren’t fully receptive to their message. Their advice? Lean into it. If we really believe that keynote speaking is about initiating change, then a hostile audience is the perfect audience. They’re the ones who have the power to be transformed. So be jarring, be bold, and don’t adjust your message just to be as agreeable or “warm and fuzzy” as possible.
[27:27] - Speakers Think (Blank), but the Truth is (Blank)
Myths and truths in the speaking business
What do speakers believe that simply isn’t true?
The greatest myth, on which all our guests agree, is that perfect delivery is the pinnacle of the craft. Many speakers believe that what an audience wants is the perfect flow, that you have your content down to a T, that you’re polished from the moment you step onstage to the moment you leave.
But really it’s about connection and even vulnerability. Your audience wants you to be human, to share your humanity with them. When you can do that, you can bring them into their world and help them see the transformational power within themselves. That’s what speaking is about, not standing up in an impeccable suit and “nailing it.”
RESOURCES:
- [2:11] Blind Ambition
- [2:43] LSTN Sound Co.
- [3:54] Futurist.com
- [3:56] Facing Our Futures: How Foresight Futures Design and Strategy Creates Prosperity and Growth
Follow Chad:
- Website
- TikTok
Follow Bridget:
- Website
Follow Nikolas:
- Website
- YouTube
Follow Josh:
- YouTube
ABOUT MIC DROP:
Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.
Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOST:
Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.
Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.
Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.
Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com
SPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:
From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees.
Learn more at: impacteleven.com
PRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:
In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits.
Here’s to making (podcast) history together.
Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.com
SHOW CREDITS:
- Josh Linkner: Host | [email protected]
- Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]
50 min - The Right Kind of Difficult (ft. Jon Acuff)
The Right Kind of Difficult (ft. Jon Acuff)
On learning, growing, adapting, creating, and sharing
OPENING QUOTE:
“Be your version of funny. Don't be somebody else's version. So what happens is speakers read a book about public speaking and they go, "I got to tell a joke." And they tell a joke that isn't their joke. And it just feels like you're wearing your dad's coat at the eighth grade dance. It doesn't fit you. It doesn't create the moment you want.”
-Jon Acuff
GUEST BIO:
Jon Acuff is the New York Times bestselling author of eight books and one of the most successful thought leaders on the circuit, which is why Ink Magazine named him one of the top 100 leadership speakers in the world. He's also a gifted comedian, recently fulfilling a dream by opening up for Dolly Parton at Ryman Auditorium. For over 20 years, he's helped some of the biggest brands tell their story, including the Home Depot, Bose, and Staples. His fresh perspective on life has given him the opportunity to write for Reader's Digest, Fast Company, The Harvard Business Review and Time Magazine.
Links:
- Website
- YouTube
CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:
[4:22] - The Right Kind of Difficult
Finding your zone is about finding the right challenge
How do you know you’ve found your calling? When it’s the “right kind of difficult,” the kind of challenge that has you excited to confront it, to take it on, to master it. Jon calls walking off stage the hardest part of his job, because he could stay there for hours — not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard in a way that thrills him.
[6:17] - Content that Soars (and Sticks the Landing)
Perfectly packaging ideas for your audience
Jon is the first to acknowledge that almost no speaker or thought leader is delivering truly brand-new, never-heard-before ideas. But what separates bad from good and good from great is the way those ideas are interpreted, packaged, and presented in an unforgettable way.
One example of this is Jon’s concept of “soundtracks,” or the messages that live inside our heads on a daily basis. By taking the idea of internal monologue and presenting it in an instantly memorable way, Jon has created a keynote message (and book) that resonates with audiences everywhere.
[15:41] - Be Funny by Being You
Ill-fitting humor is like an ill-fitting suit
Jon emphasizes the importance of humor, while also emphasizing the risks of using humor that doesn’t match your personal style. He likens it to “wearing your dad's coat at the eighth grade dance.”
He goes on: “It doesn't fit you. It doesn't create the moment you want. If you're slapstick at a dinner party, be slapstick on stage. If you're dry at a dinner party, be dry on stage. Be your version of funny. Don't be somebody else's version of funny, because it won't work. You won't enjoy it."
[26:30] - Rewriting Your Soundtrack
How changing what you tell yourself can change your life
Use Jon’s three-part question to see whether you have a broken soundtrack or repetitive thought. First: Is it true? Second: is it helpful? Third: Is it kind?
If the answer to any of those questions is “no,” you’re suffering from a broken soundtrack that’s going to keep you from achieving both happiness and greatness.
As a speaker, the first person you have to inspire is yourself.
[34:39] - To Monetization and Beyond
Turning ideas and expertise into content and income
If 2020 taught the speaking industry anything, it was that even if your business model starts on the stage, it can’t end there. Jon has found myriad ways to expand his message and monetization — from treating writing books as a craft to trying out new media like podcasts, YouTube, and online challenges. He’s still a speaker at heart, but he’s also much more — and that means diverse audiences and income.
RESOURCES:
- [1:20] Jon’s Books
Follow Jon Acuff:
- Website
- YouTube
Follow Josh Linkner:
- YouTube
ABOUT MIC DROP:
Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.
Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOST:
Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.
Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.
Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.
Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com
SPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:
From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees.
Learn more at: impacteleven.com
PRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:
In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits.
Here’s to making (podcast) history together.
Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.com
SHOW CREDITS:
- Josh Linkner: Host | [email protected]
- Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]
45 min - A New Model (ft. Tiffani Bova)
A New Model (ft. Tiffani Bova)
Where innovation and self-awareness meet, you’ll find Tiffani Bova
OPENING QUOTE:
“I stood up in my home office, I hit record, I gave the keynote about what I wanted to say about customer experience. I transcribed the keynote, and that was the beginning of my chapter. That's how I started writing the book.”
—Tiffani Bova
GUEST BIO:
Tiffani Bova is the Global Growth Evangelist at Salesforce and the author of two Wall Street Journal bestselling books, The Experience Mindset and Growth IQ. She's also the host of the top-ranked podcast What's Next with Tiffani Bova. She's ranked on the current Thinkers50 list of the world's top management thinkers, has been named one of the top 100 women in tech, and is considered one of the top 10 influencers on the future of work.
Links:
- Website
- YouTube
CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:
[8:21] - Developing Your Skills
How Tiffani and other speakers go from “first draft” to full-fledged speaking masters
Want to improve as a speaker? Tiffani offers a clear three-step approach. Start by watching recordings of yourself, both with the audio on and the audio off. You’ll notice things about your mannerisms, engagement, and message that you don’t catch while you’re delivering in the moment.
Next, study the great — not to copy, but to observe and pick up ideas to improve your artistic choices.
Finally, trade the sessions summary for detailed audience feedback. This is a great way to get outside perspective to fuel progress.
[13:33] - A New Model for Speaking
How Tiffani is breaking the mold for what a career speaker looks like
Instead of working as a freelancer selling speeches for cash, Tiffani has a full-time job with Salesforce — yet still is every bit the thought leader and speaker of others at the top of this field. She’s managed to leverage her passions and skills into a new way of being a speaker, all while doing the things she loves most.
[26:43] - Writing for Non-Writers
How Tiffani wrote a book by crafting keynotes
While Tiffani had a desire to write a book filled with her ideas, writing in that form doesn’t come naturally to her. So instead of trying to fit herself into that mold, she stuck to what she knew — keynotes. She wrote ten keynotes about topics that were important to her, and those scripts became the basis for her first book. The rest is best-selling history.
[33:30] - For New Speakers
Tiffani’s advice for speakers on the rise
In addition to Tiffani’s three-step process for improving keynotes, she offers more advice for aspiring and building speakers. Seek out feedback from trusted voices, even those whom you think may not have time for you or even know who you are. You may be surprised.
However, seeking feedback comes with a part two — you have to actually be willing to accept and consider that feedback. It doesn’t mean you have to take every bit of criticism to heart, but it does mean being open to growing from the feedback you receive.
RESOURCES:
- [0:45] Tiffani’s Books
- [38:42] Nancy Duarte on Storytelling
Follow Tiffani Bova:
- Website
- YouTube
Follow Josh Linkner:
- YouTube
ABOUT MIC DROP:
Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.
Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOST:
Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.
Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.
Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.
Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com
SPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:
From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees.
Learn more at: impacteleven.com
PRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:
In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits.
Here’s to making (podcast) history together.
Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.com
SHOW CREDITS:
- Josh Linkner: Host | [email protected]
- Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]
43 min - West Coast (Bureau) Innovation (ft. Ken Sterling)
West Coast (Bureau) Innovation (ft. Ken Sterling)
OPENING QUOTE:
“I'm a homeless kid from New York who wants to connect and wants to be around people, and wants to be safe myself, and wants to make the world a safe place. And really my true north is people and living a positive, collaborative lifestyle with the people that I care about and that help make the world a better place.”
-Ken Sterling
GUEST BIO:
Ken Sterling is Executive Vice President and Chief Learning officer of BigSpeak, the largest speaker bureau on the West coast. Ken is famous for designing BigSpeak's Bureau Alliance Program, which has revolutionized the way speaker bureaus collaborate and work together to create more abundance and exposure for their exclusive speaking clients.
Ken holds a PhD in organizational leadership, an MBA, a master's in communication, and a JD. In addition to his leadership role in the speaking industry, Ken also teaches marketing and business ethics and law at UC Santa Barbara.
Links:
- Website
CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:
[15:09] - Disruptive Innovation
How BigSpeak built and scaled unlike anyone else
If you want to innovate and truly make your speaking career into something powered by rocket fuel, you can’t take five half-steps. You need to choose one or two pursuits, and then pursue the hell out of them with an all-in mindset. Don’t half-embrace new technologies or new ideas. Embrace them all the way, then pivot if you need to. That’s how Ken helped BigSpeak innovate in a big way.
[22:22] - What a Buyer Wants
It’s more than the topics
Buyers today want authenticity. They want unique perspectives, including those from diverse voices. They want speakers to demonstrate their capability not just onstage but in writing and other areas of your career. It’s about more than just matching a specific topic. It’s about representing something that a buyer can’t find in any other speaker.
[23:33] - The Other Pandemic
“Unprecedented times” indeed
Everyone focuses on COVID as the biggest shift to the speaking industry in recent memory. But to Ken, the bigger transformation was the shift toward more diverse and inclusive voices. In a world post-George Floyd and other events spurring conversations about marginalized voices, the speaking world is finally moving beyond the “white old guy in a suit” model for all speakers. There is — and has to be — room for diverse voices.
[29:40] - The One Thing
Setting yourself apart as a speaker
Ken advises that if a speaking topic is too broad, an audience won’t feel like they’re getting something new out of the hour they devote to your performance. Meanwhile, having a “one thing” which Ken calls your “zone of genius” helps set you apart in a crowded market, more than being the 1,000th speaker promising to simply “boost productivity.”
[35:24] - Find Your True North
The missing ingredient for many speakers
Too many speakers begin from a place of identifying what’s hot in the speaker world, then trying to go after that. Instead, Ken advises that speakers start with what they truly own and have mastered — and are excited by! — and then finding a way to match that message to the current zeitgeist. Buyers want someone who truly owns their message, not someone who is following the latest trend.
RESOURCES:
- [1:30] About BigSpeak
- [23:07] Ken’s INC Column
Follow Ken Sterling:
- Website
Follow Josh Linkner:
- YouTube
ABOUT MIC DROP:
Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.
Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOST:
Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.
Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.
Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.
Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com
SPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:
From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees.
Learn more at: impacteleven.com
PRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:
In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits.
Here’s to making (podcast) history together.
Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.com
SHOW CREDITS:
- Josh Linkner: Host | [email protected]
- Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]
42 min - White Belts and Plati-Truths (ft. Sebastian Terry, Erin Stafford, and Tucker Bryant)
White Belts and Plati-Truths (ft. Sebastian Terry, Erin Stafford, and Tucker Bryant)
Three speakers, three perspectives, one incredible conversation
OPENING QUOTE:
“And I think that it's important to show people that there is hope, that you are able to be successful and have an incredible career and family, et cetera, and also still be mentally healthy and still be happy. There is a way to do it.”
-Erin Stafford
GUEST BIOS:
Sebastian Terry is a bestselling author, avid surfer, and founder of 100 Things. Originally from Australia, he now travels the world helping people live more purposeful, fulfilling, and really fun lives.
Links:
- Website
- YouTube
After marketing roles at MTV, Apple, Nike, Coca-Cola, and American Express, Erin Stafford became a senior executive at one of the largest healthcare companies in the world. Then she smashed into the wall of serious burnout. Next, she set out on a mission to help other driven type A people beat burnout while still unlocking peak performance.
Links:
- Website
Tucker Bryant grew up in the UK, then spent a decade in Silicon Valley working at both Google and Stanford. He's a brilliant spoken word poet, bridging the gap between art and business in his unique keynote performances.
Links:
- Website
CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:
[10:12] - When Patterns are Broken, New Worlds Emerge
Poetry and impact
After hearing from Tucker about the way he weaves poetry into his keynotes to drive transformation, Josh shares how generally breaking patterns and helping audiences think about things differently is one of the most effective ways to generate real transformation. Sebastian goes on to speak about how he uses humor in a similar way — turning insights into memorable calls to take action in the real world.
[13:16] - Super Fluffy, Ethereal, Woo-Woo, Soft
Erin on being yourself
Erin shares how she’s felt pressure to be a certain way in her presentation — soft, ultra-cheerful, and wellness focused. “That is just not who I am.” Instead, she prefers actionable direction. “What do I need to do today when I go home? Just tell me what the hell I’m supposed to do to get out of burnout?” She wants the tools, and that’s what she brings to her keynotes. There is room for both styles in the keynote world, but it’s all about determining who you will be.
[18:42] - The Trojan Horse
Hiding the profound in the simple
Josh and Tucker speak about how marketing your message matters. If you present your message as being all about work-life balance and personal growth, planners may put you in a “breakout session on the third day of the conference.” But if you can pitch a big-stage concept, then imbue it with powerful and profound messages, you can deliver on the promise of your keynote while also bringing powerful, positive surprises to your audience.
[22:21] - The Individual and the Organization
How to speak to both in your message
Erin shares how she’s found her message of burnout connecting on both an individual level and an organizational level. Finding a message that does both is essential as a keynote speaker. You can’t only speak to people on a personal level, but you also can’t be focused only on the bottom line. Speakers must find a way to deliver their message in a way that its impact is clear — both for individual human beings who want to improve their wellbeing, and for massive enterprises who want to supercharge their organizational success.
[25:39] - What Gets You On the Stage?
Our guests speak on what motivates them
Ask speakers why they do what they do, and you’ll get different answers — but a similar core theme. For Seb, it’s about impact. He speaks about letters he’s received that detail both personal and organizational transformations that genuinely improve people’s lives.
For Tucker, it’s about turning his own mistakes, missteps, and hangups into opportunities to help others grow. When he reflects on opportunities he’s missed in life by sticking to what was comfortable, he sees the opportunity he has to help others break out of their own comfort zones and seize those opportunities.
Finally, Erin shares how passionate she is about helping people find real success, the kind of success that doesn’t show up in net worth or job title. She’s seen amazing leaders who have reached the pinnacles of their careers who are miserable, burnt out, and lost. She believes in showing those people there is hope, that you can be successful and balanced and mentally healthy.
Overall, all three of our guests believe in the power of how words spoken onstage can lead to so much more — not just improving financial outcomes, but improving lives.
RESOURCES:
- [2:20] 100 Things, by Sebastian Terry
- [39:23] The Type A Trap, by Erin Stafford
Follow Sebastian Terry:
- Website
- YouTube
Follow Erin Stafford:
- Website
Follow Tucker Bryant:
- Website
Follow Josh Linkner:
- YouTube
ABOUT MIC DROP:
Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.
Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOST:
Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.
Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.
Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.
Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com
SPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:
From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees.
Learn more at: impacteleven.com
PRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:
In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits.
Here’s to making (podcast) history together.
Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.com
SHOW CREDITS:
- Josh Linkner: Host | [email protected]
- Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]
48 min - Pushing Past Autopilot (ft. Ryan Leak)
Pushing Past Autopilot (ft. Ryan Leak)
How one of the world’s most successful speakers lives intentionally
OPENING QUOTE:
“I grew up in the church, and saw my dad. We had this small African-American church in the suburbs of Chicago, and I just saw the impact my dad had on a community of people and I thought, man, what if we could do this all the time? What if we could do this, not just Sundays, but what if we could add value to people's lives all week long?”
-Ryan Leak
GUEST BIO:
Who has the audacity to propose to the love of his life, then ask her to marry him the very same day as the proposal? The incredible Ryan Leak not only secretly planned a blowout wedding, but is one of the most inspiring and successful keynote speakers on the planet. He is the best-selling author of two books, Chasing Failure and Leveling Up. He's the CEO of a leadership development firm that trains over 15,000 leaders each year. Most importantly, he's married to his best friend Amanda and is the proud assistant coach for his son's basketball team.
Links:
- Website
- TikTok
CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:
[13:47] - Sharing Your Failures
The courage to be vulnerable onstage
A mentor once told Ryan, “If you talk about your weaknesses, you’ll never run out of content.” He’s taken that to heart in his career — and helped others talk about their own weaknesses and failures. The result is that he’s helped thousands of people come to not only accept failure, but embrace it as a necessary and thrilling part of their journey toward greatness and personal success.
[14:48] - The Role of Humor
Make ‘em laugh, make ‘em laugh, make ‘em laugh
Ryan is keenly aware of the power of humor. It does much more than just entertain an audience. It breaks down barriers between audience and speaker. It allows you to communicate profound truths in a disarming way. It allows you to be authentic about your own shortcomings while also acknowledging the often funny — and tragic — ways the world works. All this adds up to more engaging, powerful, and impactful speeches, no matter your topic, approach, or audience.
[17:22] - Take Control of the Plane
What it means to push past autopilot
Many speakers — and successful people in all careers — begin to rely on their instincts and experience to guide them. They come up with an idea, it feels right, it seems to work, and so they keep using it again and again. But Ryan advises that this can often lead you to become stuck. You don’t want to change, or plainly assess your own performance for potential weaknesses.
But the key to success like Ryan’s is to always have your hands on the wheel, turning here and there to keep yourself on the right path — even if those adjustments can be painful for the ego at times.
[29:23] - Generosity is Everything
Give everything and you’ll have everything
Ryan recounts a CEO who approached him after a speech, telling him: “You’re pretty special.” Why? Because he “give[s] a shit about people.”
What seems like such a simple trait makes all the difference. Ryan discusses how he makes it his goal at every event to be as lowkey and un-demanding as possible, to the point of ordering his own food at times even when the client offers to do it for him. He believes in being generous when it’s easy and it’s not easy, and he’s found that it’s blessed his life and career in ways he never could have imagined.
[35:27] - Studying the Greats
Taking bits and pieces to make yourself
As a student of basketball to the point of having had the chance to work out with an NBA team, Ryan recognizes the value in studying the greats. Even though he may not seem to have much in common with the likes of Gary Vee, he recognizes that there’s value in studying other speakers — no matter how different they may seem. Then he can identify their strengths and incorporate them into his own approach.
RESOURCES:
- [2:01] Chasing Failure & Leveling Up
- [20:28] The Surprise Wedding
Follow Ryan Leak:
- Website
- TikTok
Follow Josh Linkner:
- YouTube
ABOUT MIC DROP:
Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.
Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOST:
Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.
Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.
Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.
Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com
SPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:
From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees.
Learn more at: impacteleven.com
PRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:
In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits.
Here’s to making (podcast) history together.
Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.com
SHOW CREDITS:
- Josh Linkner: Host | [email protected]
- Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]
48 min - A Punch in the Face, Wrapped in a Warm Hug (ft. Laura Gassner Otting)
A Punch in the Face, Wrapped in a Warm Hug (ft. Laura Gassner Otting)
Laura Gassner Otting on getting through fear and getting more with less
OPENING QUOTE:
“I gave that talk holding on to the lectern. Like if I let go, I would fly into space and die. It was so scary but at the end of it, they handed me a check.”
-Laura Gassner Otting
GUEST BIO:
Laura Gassner Otting, known worldwide as LGO, has been described as a punch in the face wrapped in a warm hug. After selling her extremely successful executive search firm, she entered the speaking industry and promptly blasted off. Applying extreme levels of curiosity, intensity, creative problem solving, and drive, she hit escape velocity in record time and continues to scale fast. She's the bestselling author of two books, and her extensive body of work is helping her deliver meaningful value to audiences around the globe.
Links:
- Website
CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:
[3:08] - Lessons from Taylor Swift
Keynote speaking advice from an unexpected source
We start the episode in an unexpected place — a Taylor Swift concert. Laura shares how impressed she was with the way that Swift left plenty of space for the audience to be part of the show simply by cheering and showing appreciation. She goes on to say that this is something all keynote speakers could apply to their own approach. The more the audience feels like they’re having a conversation rather than receiving information, the more engaged they’ll be.
[5:49] - The First Ovation
A small tweak to delivery that paid massive dividends
How did Laura get more out of her speaking career? By giving less. “The first standing ovation I ever got was when I decided to…give 48 minutes of content during a 60-minute keynote.”
She goes on to share how allowing moments for the audience to laugh, cry, cheer, and respond turned her speeches into conversations — and that made all the difference. It didn’t just lead to her first standing ovation. It also led to major upward momentum in her career as she became an in-demand voice on stages everywhere.
[9:10] - Laura’s Identity Crisis
It’s not all smooth sailing — even for LGO
After feeling on top of the world having just sold her company amidst huge success, Laura had to face a moment of transformation. Who was she now that she wasn’t “LGO, CEO”?
Then, a contact encouraged her to get onstage. She gave her first talk ever at TEDx Cambridge in front of 2,600 people — and was terrified the entire time. But she got through it, delivered her message, and discovered something about herself. She had a passion for speaking. That discovery was waiting just on the other side of her terror. What discoveries do we miss because we’re afraid?
[13:48] - The Creative Hack
A video reel and a shot of career rocket fuel
Early in the development of her speaking career, Laura had a problem. She needed a video reel, but had only been onstage once. How could she put together a reel of multiple successful performances when she didn’t have multiple successful performances.
Simple. She rented an auditorium, brought an audio-visual setup, and ran through multiple pitch-perfect lines in multiple outfits. Boom. All of a sudden she had a professional-looking reel with what appeared to be multiple killer performances — even though most of them had come from the same day.
The rest is history.
[37:19] - From the Today Show to the Top of the Bestseller List
Uncommon results require uncommon methods
How did Laura get a book blurb from a huge name — one she didn’t even know — that landed her spots on the Today Show and the bestseller list?
Well, she asked. She relentlessly reached out to Amy Cuddy, until finally she had the chance to bug her in person. To her shock, Amy agreed to let Laura write a blurb on her behalf for approval. Laura didn’t stop there. She wrote an audacious, intensely positive blurb. And it worked!
RESOURCES:
- [9:35] Laura’s Cambridge TEDx Talk
- [19:45] Limitless by LGO
- [37:20] About Amy Cuddy
Follow LGO:
- Website
Follow Josh Linkner:
- YouTube
ABOUT MIC DROP:
Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.
Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOST:
Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.
Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.
Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.
Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com
SPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:
From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees.
Learn more at: impacteleven.com
PRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:
In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits.
Here’s to making (podcast) history together.
Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.com
SHOW CREDITS:
- Josh Linkner: Host | [email protected]
- Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]
46 min - Insights From a Bureau Legend (ft. Martin Perelmuter)
Insights From a Bureau Legend (ft. Martin Perelmuter)
A top name in the speaker industry tells us what it means to succeed in this business
OPENING QUOTE:
“Whenever we look at new speakers I always look at not just who they are today and what they've done up until now, but look at who they could be 5 or 10 years from now and look at the potential.”
-Martin Perelmuter
GUEST BIO:
Martin Perelmuter is the president and co-founder of Toronto based Speakers Spotlight. The agency is one of the top speaker Bureaus in the world, with 36 full-time team members booking over 2,500 events each year. Martin is a self-described unapologetic idealist and has played a key role in the speaking industry for over 25 years. He serves on the board of governors of the International Association of Speakers Bureaus and is currently the president-elect, taking the helm in 2024.
Links:
- Speakers Spotlight
CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:
[8:55] - Canada vs. U.S.A.
Not a competition — just a discussion
As someone who has found major success in both the Canadian and U.S. speaker markets, what does Martin have to say about their differences and similarities?
He highlights how Canadians are “...more like the British in terms of…social values and the way Canadians think. For a US speaker speaking in Canada, the most important thing to keep in mind is you are speaking in a different country, we're not the 51st state.”
His point? You can’t walk onto a Canadian stage and deliver the exact same keynote you would deliver in the U.S.— and vice versa. Even simply acknowledging that there are differences between Canada and the U.S. can go a long way in endearing you to audiences in either country when you’re speaking abroad.
[25:29] - What Do Planners Want Today Versus Ten Years Ago?
A decade of change in a fast-moving industry
Martin highlights the movement toward more “authentic” speakers, who eschew the three-piece-suits for t-shirts and jeans, eliminating barriers between themselves and their audiences. Meanwhile, the industry has begun placing particular value on those who have actually been “in the trenches” — living real experiences that they can then go speak about.
And, of course, there was the rise of TED events which made public speaking a much more visible, accessible phenomenon. Now people are more familiar with keynote speakers — and better able to detect when they’re not authentic.
[37:38] - The Next Ten Years
Looking into Martin’s crystal ball
Martin acknowledges that while the last few years have shown us it's impossible to predict with certainty what will happen, there are certainly some trends to watch.
He believes we’ll see greater adoption of tools that help speakers get their message through to people and see lasting impact. Whether that looks like regular Zoom chats with clients or virtual Q&A sessions — or something we haven’t thought up yet — that ongoing engagement is going to be central to in-person and virtual events.
Different platforms might come and go, but the purpose of keynote speaking will always remain: impact and behavior change in people that need and want it most.
[42:29] - What Puts a Speaker in the “Top Five”?
Martin shares his thoughts on what makes for a go-to speaker
Josh asks Martin what characteristics or attributes make someone an “inner circle, top five go-to” speaker for a bureau leader like Martin?
His reply is simple — flexibility, reliability, and the willingness to put in work. When a speaker can adapt to a wide range of audiences and events, will always bend over backward to deliver for their clients, and is willing to improve anyway they can, they’ll always be in-demand among the bureaus.
RESOURCES:
- [1:30] About Speakers Spotlight
- [28:30] The Rise of Gary V
- [29:37] The History of TED Talks
- [34:45] About IASB
Follow Martin Perelmuter:
- Speakers Spotlight
Follow Josh Linkner:
- YouTube
ABOUT MIC DROP:
Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter it’s starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.
Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com
ABOUT THE HOST:
Josh Linkner is a Creative Troublemaker. He believes passionately that all human beings have incredible creative capacity, and he’s on a mission to unlock inventive thinking and creative problem solving to help leaders, individuals, and communities soar.
Josh has been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which sold for a combined value of over $200 million and is the author of four books including the New York Times Bestsellers, Disciplined Dreaming and The Road to Reinvention. He has invested in and/or mentored over 100 startups and is the Founding Partner of Detroit Venture Partners.
Today, Josh serves as Chairman and Co-founder of Platypus Labs, an innovation research, training, and consulting firm. He has twice been named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.
Josh is also a passionate Detroiter, the father of four, is a professional-level jazz guitarist, and has a slightly odd obsession with greasy pizza.
Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com
SPONSORED BY IMPACTELEVEN:
From refining your keynote speaking skills to writing marketing copy, from connecting you with bureaus to boosting your fees, to developing high-quality websites, producing head-turning demo reels, Impact Eleven (formerly 3 Ring Circus) offers a comprehensive and powerful set of services to help speakers land more gigs at higher fees.
Learn more at: impacteleven.com
PRODUCED BY DETROIT PODCAST STUDIOS:
In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
As a nod to the past, Detroit Podcast Studios leverages modern versions of Motown’s processes to launch today’s most compelling podcasts. What Motown was to musical artists, Detroit Podcast Studios is to podcast artists today. With over 75 combined years of experience in content development, audio production, music scoring, storytelling, and digital marketing, Detroit Podcast Studios provides full-service development, training, and production capabilities to take podcasts from messy ideas to finely tuned hits.
Here’s to making (podcast) history together.
Learn more at: DetroitPodcastStudios.com
SHOW CREDITS:
- Josh Linkner: Host | [email protected]
- Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | [email protected]
43 min
About Mic Drop
From the publisher's feed
Brought to you by ImpactEleven, hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter its starting point.
You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more.