It’s one of the most common public speaking myths I hear—especially from values-driven speakers, coaches, and creatives who genuinely care about impact.

In this episode of the Public Speaking Myths Series, we’re unpacking the belief that visibility is a selfish act and reframing what it actually means to be seen, heard, and paid for your work.

We’ll explore:

• The public speaking myth that keeps so many people playing small

• The difference between internal impact (how it benefits you) and external impact (who it serves)

• How to grow your brand through your values and your mission—not ego or performance

• Why your values should act as a guiding compass for every speaking and business decision

• How visibility and sales can be an act of service

If you’ve ever felt guilty about promoting yourself, sharing your work, or wanting to be seen—this episode is an invitation to reframe visibility as leadership, responsibility, and care.

🎙️ Press play if you’re ready to stop shrinking your voice and start treating visibility as a way to serve the people who need what you have to offer.

Enjoyed the show? Make sure you rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts.

WORK WITH STEPH

🎤 Speaker Era: https://stephwharton.com/⁠speaker-era

CONNECT WITH STEPH

💖 Free Community—Join for Weekly Fiestas: ⁠⁠https://stephwharton.com/community 

🎤 Guide—How to Book Speaking Gigs: https://stephwharton.com/how-to-book-speaking-gigs

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephwharton_/ 
💻 Website: https://stephwharton.com/

Unpaid speaking gigs don’t have to be a hard no—or a fast track to burnout.

In this behind-the-scenes episode, I’m sharing how I’ve strategically said yes to unpaid speaking opportunities and turned them into real sales and long-term relationships for my business—without relying on pressure, awkward pitches, or overworking myself.

You’ll hear:

• When it does make sense to say yes to an unpaid speaking opportunity

• How one unpaid gig brought the right person into my world—and eventually into paid work

• The intentional choices I made before, during, and after the talk to support conversion

• Why this strategy worked so well for my brand, my energy, and the way my brain works

If you’re a speaker, coach, or creative entrepreneur navigating when to say yes (or no) to unpaid opportunities, this episode will help you think beyond “exposure” and build visibility that actually supports your business.

Press play if you want to turn unpaid speaking gigs into aligned opportunities—without resentment, burnout, or compromising your values.

Enjoyed the show? Make sure you rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts.

WORK WITH STEPH

🎤 Speaker Era: https://stephwharton.com/⁠waitlist

CONNECT WITH STEPH

💖 Free Community—Join for Weekly Fiestas: ⁠⁠https://stephwharton.com/community 

🎤 Guide—How to Book Speaking Gigs: https://stephwharton.com/how-to-book-speaking-gigs

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephwharton_/ 

💻 Website: https://stephwharton.com/ 

Getting booked again isn’t about having more slides—it’s about how your presentation feels, flows, and sticks with the people in the room.

In this behind-the-scenes episode, I’m breaking down the presentation hack that helped me land another speaking gig—and why small creative choices inside your talk can make you far more memorable to event hosts and decision-makers.

We’ll cover:

• Why presentations play a bigger role in repeat bookings than most speakers realize

• General tips event hosts share about how to structure a strong session

• How to experiment with your flow without overcomplicating your talk

• The creative presentation strategy that landed me another speaking gig

If you’re a speaker, facilitator, or workshop leader who wants your talks to lead to more invitations, referrals, and repeat gigs, this episode will help you rethink your presentation as a strategic asset—not just a visual aid.

Press play if you’re ready to make your talks more memorable, more aligned, and more likely to get you booked again—without reinventing your entire presentation.

Enjoyed the show? Make sure you rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts.

WORK WITH STEPH

🎤 Speaker Era: https://stephwharton.com/⁠waitlist

CONNECT WITH STEPH

💖 Free Community—Join for Weekly Fiestas: ⁠⁠https://stephwharton.com/community 

🎤 Guide—How to Book Speaking Gigs: https://stephwharton.com/how-to-book-speaking-gigs

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephwharton_/ 

💻 Website: https://stephwharton.com/ 

Your first paid workshop doesn’t come from feeling “ready.” It comes from learning how to position and trust your experience—even before you see yourself as a speaker.

In this behind-the-scenes episode, I’m sharing the full story of my first-ever paid workshop—how I landed it and the strategy I was using before I had a long speaking resume.

We’ll cover:

• My first ever paid workshop + how I landed it

• Why pitching can (and should) be part of your strategy at any stage of your speaking journey

• The balance between actively pitching and attracting opportunities

• The single skill that’s helped me—and my clients—land the majority of our speaking gigs
  

If you’re a speaker, coach, or creative entrepreneur who wants to get paid for workshops, trainings, or facilitation—but feels like you need more experience first—this episode will help you rethink what qualifies you and how to move forward anyway.

Press play if you’re ready to stop waiting to feel ready and start building paid speaking opportunities in a way that’s aligned, strategic, and sustainable.

Enjoyed the show? Make sure you rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts.

WORK WITH STEPH

🎤 Speaker Era: https://stephwharton.com/⁠waitlist

CONNECT WITH STEPH

💖 Free Community—Join for Weekly Fiestas: ⁠⁠https://stephwharton.com/community 

🎤 Guide—How to Book Speaking Gigs: https://stephwharton.com/how-to-book-speaking-gigs

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephwharton_/ 
💻 Website: https://stephwharton.com/

Everyone talks about going after big media features—but what if the opportunities with the smallest reach are actually the ones that convert?

In this behind-the-scenes episode, I’m breaking down how a “low-reach” media feature turned into a client referral in just 11 days, and why I said yes to the opportunity even when the numbers didn’t look impressive on paper.

You’ll hear:

• Leverage opportunities with “low reach” to make sales

• How I booked a media feature that led to a client referral

• Opportunities that convert into sales in 11 days

• Whether to say yes to opportunities beyond the potential reach

If you’re a speaker, coach, or creative entrepreneur who wants to grow your brand through PR, media features, and visibility that actually leads to clients, this episode will help you rethink how you approach opportunities—and how you measure success.

Press play if you’re ready to build sustainable visibility and enter your speaker era without burning yourself out chasing the algorithm.

Enjoyed the show? Make sure you rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts.

WORK WITH STEPH

🎤 Speaker Era: https://stephwharton.com/⁠waitlist

CONNECT WITH STEPH

💖 Free Community—Join for Weekly Fiestas: ⁠⁠https://stephwharton.com/community 

🎤 Guide—How to Book Speaking Gigs: https://stephwharton.com/how-to-book-speaking-gigs

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephwharton_/ 
💻 Website: https://stephwharton.com/

Inside today's episode, we dive into:

• The paid workshop that led to more speaking engagements

• How these opportunities led to new clients

• The key to turning one speaking gig into multiple (free and paid) opportunities

Enjoyed the show? Make sure you rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts.

WORK WITH STEPH

🎤 Speaker Era — https://stephwharton.com/⁠waitlist

CONNECT WITH STEPH

💖 Free Community—Join for Weekly Fiestas: ⁠⁠https://stephwharton.com/community 

🎤 Guide—How to Book Speaking Gigs: https://stephwharton.com/how-to-book-speaking-gigs

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephwharton_/ 

💻 Website: https://stephwharton.com/ 

Inside today's episode, we dive into:

• The reputation that attracted a speaking gig out of the blue

• Pick the perfect topic for an event that doesn’t compete with other speakers

• 400 email list subscribers from one event

• A speaking gig that plants seeds for future opportunities and sales

Enjoyed the show? Make sure you rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts.

WORK WITH STEPH

🎤 Speaker Era — https://stephwharton.com/⁠waitlist

CONNECT WITH STEPH

💖 Free Community—Join for Weekly Fiestas: ⁠⁠https://stephwharton.com/community 

🎤 Guide—How to Book Speaking Gigs: https://stephwharton.com/how-to-book-speaking-gigs

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephwharton_/ 

💻 Website: https://stephwharton.com/ 

Inside today's episode, we dive into:

• How I booked a podcast interview without pitching myself

• Public speaking turned into 12 new clients

• Why this interview worked so well and brought money into my business

• The revenue breakdown between private coaching, group programs, and low-ticket sales

Enjoyed the show? Make sure you rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts.

WORK WITH STEPH

🎤 Speaker Era — https://stephwharton.com/⁠waitlist

CONNECT WITH STEPH

💖 Free Community—Join for Weekly Fiestas: ⁠⁠https://stephwharton.com/community 

🎤 Guide—How to Book Speaking Gigs: https://stephwharton.com/how-to-book-speaking-gigs

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephwharton_/ 

💻 Website: https://stephwharton.com/ 

Inside today's episode, we dive into:

• The reason behind the re-brand and why I'm letting go of "whole damn vibe"
• Where the Speaker Movement began 6 years ago
• What this movement is now all about—representation AND something I've never mentioned publicly before
• What to expect from the podcast + the brand going forward
• An invitation to join the SPEAKER ERA waitlist + free experience this January 2026

Enjoyed the show? Make sure you rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts.

WORK WITH STEPH

🎤 Speaker Era — https://stephwharton.com/⁠waitlist

CONNECT WITH STEPH

💖 Free Community—Join for Weekly Fiestas: ⁠⁠https://stephwharton.com/community 

🎤 Guide—How to Book Speaking Gigs: https://stephwharton.com/how-to-book-speaking-gigs

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephwharton_/ 

💻 Website: https://stephwharton.com/ 

Inside today's episode, we dive into:

• The public speaking myth that says you have to be an expert in your field in order for folks to want to listen to your talk
• Society has conditioned us into believing our worth is measured through perfection
• What being a strong public speaker is actually about
• Different ways you can add value as a public speaker without having to be the smartest person in the room

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe + leave a comment!

WORK WITH STEPH

🎤 Visibility Tour Challenge⁠⁠⁠— https://stephwharton.com/visibility-tour

🎤 Speaker Movement + Directory⁠⁠⁠— https://stephwharton.com/speaker-movement 

⁠⁠⁠🎤 Speaker Experience⁠⁠⁠ Mastermind— https://www.stephwharton.com/mastermind 

⁠⁠⁠🎤 Speaker Resources + Template Shop— https://stephwharton.com/shop

CONNECT WITH STEPH

💖 Free Community—Join for Weekly Fiestas: ⁠⁠https://stephwharton.com/community 

📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephwharton_/ 

💻 Website: https://stephwharton.com/