Have you noticed how much harder it feels to stand out online lately? Between podcasts, YouTube, newsletters, and the never-ending scroll of social content, it’s easy to feel like your voice is getting lost in the noise.

That’s why I invited my friend and fellow connector, Julie Fry, founder of Your Expert Guest, to join me on the podcast. Julie helps women entrepreneurs, speakers, and authors get booked on podcasts—the right podcasts—to grow their visibility and credibility.

In this episode, we dive into:

• How to turn podcast visibility into meaningful relationships (because visibility without connection won’t grow your business).
• Where AI helps—and where it hurts—your outreach. Julie and I share how we each use AI to start ideas but not replace our voice.
• How to write podcast pitches that actually get read (and why human connection always wins over AI-generated templates).
• How to move past perfectionism and imposter syndrome so you can confidently pitch yourself as a guest.
• Why podcasting is one of the most powerful tools for building community, establishing authority, and amplifying your voice, especially for women.

Julie and I also talk about the loneliness epidemic that many of us feel, and why showing up as our real, imperfect selves is the best way to stand out in an increasingly automated world.

If you’ve been meaning to pitch yourself for podcast interviews—or to start one yourself—this episode will give you the motivation and mindset to take action.

About My Guest: Julie Fry is the Founder of Your Expert Guest, a podcast visibility agency for women making an impact who want to be heard by their ideal client without spending HOURS on social media. She and her team book interviews for their clients on top ranking podcasts, helping them reach new audiences, build credibility, grow their referral networks and reach thousands of listeners. When she’s not working with her amazing team of guest and host matchmakers, she loves spending time with her family, cold plunging, kayaking, laughing hysterically at SNL sketches and of course, listening to podcasts.

About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories, voices, and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. 

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/446/

Julie’s website: https://yourexpertguest.com/ 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ 

Attend our 1-day in-person Speaking Accelerator workshop in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/ 

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
• Julie Fry (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/fryjulie/ 

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episodes 441-444: Booked Without Burnout Series
• Episode 433: Behind the Scenes of My AI-Powered Business: Real-World Use Cases
• Episode 378: The Power of Women's Voices and Stories to Change the World

Here’s what you don’t want the audience to say after you deliver your keynote: “I learned a lot.”

That’s you being stuck in the expert trap. 

As a keynote speaker, you’re there to provide an experience for the audience; to help them see something differently about themselves or their industry or their world; and to have them believe they can do it.

In this episode, I’m sharing 3 must-haves that will take your keynote from “just another talk” to a truly transformative experience for your audience.

You’ll hear behind-the-scenes from a keynote I recently gave called From Invisible to Influential: How I Found My Voice and Why Yours Matters More Than Ever.

Here’s what you’ll learn

• Why storytelling should always be at the core of your keynote (and the story I shared that had women coming up to me afterward saying how inspired they felt).
• How to use the “Rule of Three” to make your keynote easy to follow, memorable, and impactful.
• The importance of weaving in humor and audience participation - and how I planned both into my talk so they weren’t left to chance.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear roadmap for how to design your keynote so it not only informs but truly transforms your audience.

✨ Ready to create your own keynote that’s powerful, inspiring, and totally YOU? Visit https://www.speakingyourbrand.com and schedule a call.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/445/ 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Schedule a consultation call: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/contact/

Attend our 1-day in-person Speaking Accelerator workshop in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/ 

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 426: Every Talk Needs Humor: Here are 5 Ways to Make Your Audience Laugh
• Episode 422: How to Create a 10-Out-of-10 Keynote that Leaves Your Audience in Awe
• Episode 382: 3 Signs You're Stuck in the Expert Trap with Your Public Speaking
• Episode 288: A Framework for Creating a Signature Talk for Income and Impact

We’re wrapping up our Booked Without Burnout series, and this one might surprise you: should you ever pay to speak?

I know - it sounds backward. After all, you want to get paid for your expertise, not the other way around.

But there are times when paying for a speaking slot makes strategic sense, especially if it’s tied to a sponsorship or marketing opportunity that gets you in front of your ideal clients.

This is Part 4 of my 4-part series on how to land more speaking engagements. In Part 1, I shared outbound strategies: what to do when you pitch yourself. In Part 2, we talked about inbound strategies: how to set yourself up so event organizers find you. In Part 3, we looked at getting paid to speak.

In this episode, I share:

• How to evaluate whether paying to speak is worth it for your goals
• The key questions to ask before you invest in a speaking opportunity
• How to turn a sponsorship into a visibility and revenue boost

Plus, I’m including an episode from my Confident Speaker podcast, my fully AI-generated show. The script, voice, and show notes are all created by AI using a custom knowledge base built from 400+ episodes of Speaking Your Brand. You’ll hear “AI Carol” and see how closely it matches my style (it’s kind of wild!).

If you’ve ever wondered how you can use AI to amplify your brand voice, this episode is a behind-the-scenes look at what’s possible.

Listen in and find out when it might be smart to pay to speak - and how to use AI to grow your visibility without burning out.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/444/ 

Check out my companion podcast “Confident Speaker”: https://confidentspeaker.transistor.fm/ 

Apply for my Automate & Amplify with AI program: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/ai/ 

Attend our 1-day in-person Speaking Accelerator workshop in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/ 

Enroll in our online Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ 

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 443: [Part 3] Booked Without Burnout: Getting Paid to Speak
• Episode 442: [Part 2] Booked Without Burnout: Speaking Invitations that Come to You
• Episode 441: [Part 1] Booked Without Burnout: A Smarter Way to Land Speaking Gigs
• Episode 433: Behind the Scenes of My AI-Powered Business: Real-World Use Cases

Visibility is valuable. But visibility plus revenue? That’s power.

Speaking isn’t only about sharing what you know. It’s about owning your expertise, modeling equity, and showing what women leaders are worth on stage.

So how do you go from free talks at local events… to $2,500, $5,000, even $10,000 keynotes and workshops?

This is Part 3 of my 4-part series on how to land more speaking engagements. In Part 1, I shared outbound strategies: what to do when you pitch yourself. In Part 2, we talked about inbound strategies: how to set yourself up so event organizers find you. And now, it’s time to talk about getting paid to speak.

Because here’s the shift: when you position yourself as a thought leader who delivers transformation, not just information, you move from being “a nice-to-have” speaker to an essential investment for event organizers.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The signs that you’re ready to start charging for your talks.
• How to position your value in terms of audience transformation and ROI.
• What typical fee ranges look like across associations, conferences, and corporate.
• The exact question to ask organizers that opens up budget conversations.

  
  

Getting paid to speak is absolutely possible - and once you start, you’ll open the door to bigger stages and bigger impact.

Want help creating your signature talk, packaging your expertise, and building a strategy that leads to paid opportunities?

• Join our online Thought Leader Academy for step-by-step coaching and a proven process to elevate your message.
• Prefer in-person? Attend our 1-Day Speaking Accelerator in Orlando and walk away with your talk and action plan.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/443/ 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Attend our 1-day in-person Speaking Accelerator workshop in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/ 

Enroll in our online Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ 

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 442: [Part 2] Booked Without Burnout: Speaking Invitations that Come to You
• Episode 441: [Part 1] Booked Without Burnout: A Smarter Way to Land Speaking Gigs
• Episode 422: How to Create a 10-Out-of-10 Keynote that Leaves Your Audience in Awe
• Episode 373: From Free to Fee: How to Get an ROI from Speaking

Wouldn’t it be amazing if speaking invitations just landed in your inbox - and with a speaker fee attached?

The truth is, they can. In fact, many of my own paid speaking gigs (and our clients’ too) have come through inbound strategies - because we’ve intentionally set ourselves up so event organizers find us.

This is Part 2 of my 4-part series on how to land more speaking engagements.

In Part 1, I shared outbound strategies: what to do when you pitch yourself.

In today’s episode, I’m diving into inbound strategies: how to position yourself so speaking invitations come directly to you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What your speaker page and LinkedIn profile must include so event organizers instantly see your credibility.
• Why being active in your local community and industry leads to referrals and repeat invitations.
• How delivering an amazing talk becomes your best marketing tool for stage-side referrals.
• Real client examples who turned one talk into many opportunities.

With the right inbound strategies, you’ll build familiarity, trust, and visibility, so event organizers think of you first when they need a great speaker.

Want help creating your signature talk and positioning yourself to get booked?

• Join our online Thought Leader Academy for step-by-step coaching and a proven process to elevate your message.
• Prefer in-person? Attend our 1-Day Speaking Accelerator in Orlando and walk away with your talk and action plan.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/442/ 

Check out my speaker page = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/carol-cox-ai/ 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Attend our 1-day in-person Speaking Accelerator workshop in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/ 

Enroll in our online Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ 

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 441: [Part 1] Booked Without Burnout: A Smarter Way to Land Speaking Gigs
• Episode 422: How to Create a 10-Out-of-10 Keynote that Leaves Your Audience in Awe
• Episode 401: Strategies for Getting Momentum on the Speaking Circuit
• Episode 245: How to Get Selected as a Speaker by Event Organizers

Hey there, it's Carol, popping in for a minute! I want to make sure you know about our 1-Day Speaking Accelerator Workshop coming up on October 30th in Downtown Orlando, Florida.

You’ll go from having a rough idea to building your talk using our proven Signature Talk Canvas® framework - and then practice delivering it with real-time feedback from us.

And here’s the thing = you’ll create a talk that goes beyond tips and facts. I know you know how to create a slide presentation, but to achieve your goals, you need something much more than that. You need to shape a message that persuades, gets buy-in, and leaves a lasting impression.

That’s exactly what you’ll do at our 1-Day Speaking Accelerator.

We’ll show you how to use storytelling for resonance, how to paint a vision your audience wants to be part of, and how to step into the speaker and leader you’re ready to be.

Can it really be done in a day? We guarantee it! Listen to episode 435 to hear my conversation with 3 of the women who attended our last workshop.

You'll get:

 ✅ Your signature talk and framework mapped out, blending thought leadership, storytelling, and lead generation
 ✅ Personalized coaching to take your delivery from good to captivating
 ✅ Strategies to reduce nerves and boost your stage presence
 ✅ A curated speaker kit and printed workbook
 ✅ New connections with incredible women
 ✅ And professional photos of you speaking - perfect for your website and social media

This isn’t just one talk. It’s a message you can use everywhere: On stage, in webinars, podcast interviews, your emails, social posts, even your book or course.

Whether it’s been stuck in your head or sitting in a slide deck, your talk deserves to make the impact it was meant to - and achieve your goals.

If you're ready to make the shift out of the expert trap, from information to transformation, join us at the Citrus Club in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025.

Spots are limited to 15 attendees, so go to speakingyourbrand.com/orlando to register today. I’d love to have you there!

You know speaking is one of the best ways to grow your business and your visibility.

But between running your business, serving your clients, and managing everything else on your plate, finding time to pitch yourself for speaking engagements feels impossible.

If you’ve ever thought:

• “I know I should be speaking, but I’m too busy to figure out where to start.”
• “Pitching myself feels overwhelming. I don’t even know what to say.”
• “It seems easier to just keep posting on social media, even though it’s not moving the needle.”

This new 4-part series on how you can land more speaking engagements is exactly what you need.

Today’s focus is on outbound activities = the steps you can take to actively pitch yourself without burning out. 

The next episode is on what I call inbound activities: setting yourself up so that speaking engagements come to you. Then, we'll wrap up the series with an episode on how to get paid to speak.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why scheduling a weekly Pitch Power Hour will help you stay consistent (and how to structure it).
• How to research speaking opportunities efficiently using tools like Google Alerts and AI.
• The importance of showing up in your local community and building relationships that lead to invitations.
• How to align pitching with your existing visibility efforts so it feels natural, not forced.
• The mindset shift that makes pitching less intimidating: event organizers need great speakers like you.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have three specific strategies to make pitching a sustainable and even enjoyable part of your routine. And most importantly, you’ll see how consistent, strategic outreach leads to more of the right opportunities on the right stages.

✨ Work with us: Want to create your signature talk, build your speaking strategy, and get booked without burnout?

• Join our online Thought Leader Academy for step-by-step coaching and a proven process to elevate your message.
• Prefer in-person? Attend our 1-Day Speaking Accelerator in Orlando and walk away with your talk and action plan.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/441/ 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Attend our 1-day in-person Speaking Accelerator workshop in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/ 

Enroll in our online Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ 

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 401: Strategies for Getting Momentum on the Speaking Circuit
• Episode 245: How to Get Selected as a Speaker by Event Organizers

One of the biggest benefits of creating your signature talk and framework is that you don’t just use it once; you can repurpose it over and over again.

In this episode, I talk with Thought Leader Academy graduate Eloisa Marquez-Gonzalez, who shares how she’s taken the signature talk and framework she developed with us and adapted it for different audiences, topics, and speaking engagements.

Eloisa has spoken on everything from sustainability to operational excellence to partnerships, but at the core of each talk is her Optima Framework. By simply giving it a new lens depending on the audience, she’s able to stay consistent in her message while making it relevant to each event.

You’ll hear us discuss:

• Why repurposing your framework saves you time and energy while reinforcing your thought leadership.
• How Eloisa tailored her talks to different audiences, including business leaders, engineers, and bilingual groups, without reinventing the wheel each time.
• The importance of preparation and asking smart questions, which helped Eloisa get referred to new speaking opportunities even before event organizers saw her present.
• What it looks like to niche down your message so your audience clearly understands who you serve and the value you provide.

If you’ve ever felt like you need a brand-new talk for every opportunity, this conversation will show you how to work smarter, not harder - repurposing your signature talk and framework so your audiences remember you and your unique thought leadership.

And if you’d like to create your own signature talk and framework that you can repurpose again and again, join us in the Thought Leader Academy.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/440/ 

Eloisa’s website: https://www.walkingtree.green/ 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ 

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
• Eloisa Marquez-Gonzalez (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/in/eloisamg/ 

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 394: Getting Buy-In from Your Audience on Your Message: Live Signature Talks from Our Thought Leader Academy Grads
• Episode 355: What a Signature Talk Is and What It Should be Doing for You
• Episode 288: A Framework for Creating a Signature Talk for Income and Impact

How do you go from giving short, tip-focused talks to inspiring audiences with a full keynote? 

That’s exactly the journey our guest has taken and it’s one so many of us can learn from.

Our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz talks with Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur, a senior project engineer who has spent over 20 years in the theme park industry, including at Disney.

Elaine thought of herself as “the tip girl” - packing her presentations with lots of helpful advice. But when she was invited to give her first keynote, she realized she needed a new approach.

With the help of a VIP Day and our in-person Speaking Accelerator workshop, Elaine discovered how to weave stories into her talks, connect emotionally with her audience, and step into her authentic speaking style.

The result? Not only did she deliver a powerful keynote to a room of young women engineers, she also caught the “speaking bug” and has continued landing and delivering talks that inspire.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode: 

• Elaine’s transition from sharing only tips to becoming an inspiring keynote speaker
• How storytelling makes even technical topics more engaging and memorable
• The role of authenticity in building confidence and audience connection
• What Elaine gained from practicing in community and receiving real-time feedback
• How she continues to grow her visibility and speaking career through LinkedIn and pitching opportunities 

Elaine’s story is proof that you don’t have to change who you are to be a great speaker - you just need to unlock the authentic voice that’s already within you.

Links: 

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/439/ 

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Attend our next 1-day Speaking Accelerator workshop in Orlando: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/  

Create your signature talk with us: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/coaching/ 

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
• Diane Diaz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianediaz/ 
• Elaine Schomburg-LaFleur = https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineschomburglafleur/

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 435: From Blank Page to On Stage: What It's Like to Create and Practice a Talk in One Day

Whether you've had one day that changed your life forever - or a series of events that shifted your understanding of yourself and the world - or a culmination of hard-won lessons from work and life, you have a story worth sharing.

This is something I emphasize often, because so many women tell me, “I don’t really have a story. Nothing big has happened to me.”

What matters isn’t the size of your story, but how you tell it and what lessons you offer your audience.

In this episode of the Speaking Your Brand podcast, I talk with Karen Keene, a graduate of our Thought Leader Academy, whose life was forever altered after surviving a violent home invasion. Karen’s journey of healing - through 26 surgeries, unimaginable loss, and the courage to rebuild - has become the foundation for a keynote talk that inspires audiences to face adversity with resilience and purpose.

But this conversation isn’t only about Karen’s story. It’s about:

• Why your story can be just as powerful, even if you haven’t faced extreme trauma
• How to uncover the universal lessons in your story that speak to anyone in your audience
• The importance of moving from “sharing what happened” to “showing what’s possible”
• Karen’s M.A.P. framework and how it turns inspiration into action
• The transformation that happens for you when you tell your story with intention

If you’ve ever wondered whether your story is “enough” to share or how to use it to truly serve your audience, this episode will give you both the confidence and the tools to do it.

This conversation originally aired as episode 337 on July 10, 2023.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/story-transformation/

Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/

Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ 

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
• Karen Keene = https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-keene-profile2023/ 

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 297: Integrating Your Story Into Your Talks with Carol Cox, Diane Diaz, and Joy Spencer
• Episode 263: Finding the Emotional Heart of Your Message with Carol Cox
• Episode 230: Use Your Story for an Inspirational Talk with Tanea Smith
• Episode 137: The Missing Ingredients in Your Stories with Carol Cox