I strongly believe in fellow entrepreneurs and small business owners. You’re what keeps the economy alive, and the world needs you more than ever. One of my big dreams is to see every single one of you succeed beyond your loftiest of expectations.
When I began writing books, it stemmed from the desire to help you avoid the pitfalls that you may come across while running your business. I knew I had muddled through some extremely hard lessons and that fellow entrepreneurs would benefit from learning about them. One day I had everything, the next, the rug was pulled out from under me and I lost everything (except my family, thank goodness). That experience changed my mission forever: Eradicate entrepreneurial poverty. Now my work is focused on empowering as many business owners as possible through sharing my story so your business can flourish.
To do this, I started writing books to help business owners implement systems in their companies in order to obtain permanent profitability. Then I wrote some more. And more. I began to worry if creating books was effective enough to help you. What if you didn’t read the whole thing, or skimmed an important aspect t of one of the methodologies?
Enter speaking engagements. I realized that through speaking, I could offer up immediate, live, real time solutions with powerful, actionable tools that would drive results in your business. Delivering a keynote is the most high-impact opportunity I can offer.
Fear of public speaking – Maybe you have something to share that you know will inspire other entrepreneurs but you feel unsure if you’re credible. Been there.
Secret time? I’m not a born speaker, and had I to work out and work through some of the aspects that didn’t come naturally at first. Luckily for me, I met a phenomenal speaking coach, John Bates. He taught me, and reminds me to this day, that if I am moved by something that I believe will help you, I have to move past my fears and serve you. That statement shifted my perspective and reminded me that me speaking isn’t about me at all. It’s about serving you. Now, at every keynote speech, I get that vest on and become a soldier for your success. And you can too. (You just have to get your own vest.)
Another thing to remember is that a speaker chosen to be one of the few presenters at an event means credibility is already established. (Don’t screw it up. Joking. Sorta.) You don’t have to be like everyone else. In fact, please don’t be. No degree in molecular biology or psychology? That’s just fine. You still deserve a place at the table if you have something to offer that will transform the lived and businesses of others.
The art of communication – Ok, you’re up there, and all eyes are on you. Now what? Engage! It’s one thing to have material I want to share and educate you with. It’s another to entertain you so you’re not so bored you’re scrolling on your phone instead of enjoying yourself. Speaking isn’t just teaching, it must be inspiring. I believe in the value of a story (and bad jokes) to connect with the audience. Attendees are there because they’re hungry for knowledge and you sharing that knowledge with them is a gift. I share my story and the systems to help with you not because I want to hear myself speak, but because it’s a way to connect.
So what’s in it for you if you’re attending a speaking event?
Immediate impact – Keynote speeches allow me to have immediate impact on a community of attendees. Material is brought to life, and action plans become tangible – so when you leave the keynote, the strategies have been simplified and you rush back to work to implement them.
Keynotes are the best delivery method of business saving systems I can think of. Audience members can immediately draw out their own unique solutions, and then have a chance to ask questions at the end to ensure they’re on the right track. Speaking about the methodologies saves people time. Instead of reading one of the books, you may attend a keynote. And while I rather have you follow the book verbatim, I know that’s not always realistic. This way, you may find you’re having epiphanies and profound and permanent change to your business in a span of forty-five minutes.
Immediate feedback – For each keynote speech, I like to shake things up and use new stuff. Then I read the room and get vibe of the audience right away. Sometimes there’s applause or laughter. Sometimes I swear I hear a cricket in the hallway. These responses allow me to gauge if the solutions I deliver are workable or if I need to make adjustments.
What’s more important, is the growth of the community of business owners who attend the keynotes. At the end of the event, you’re able to ask questions and receive real time solutions to take back to your business, so there’s a free coaching element involved. I love learning about your stories after an event. It’s absolutely the best way to connect, and incredibly interesting and compelling. I often learn about needs you have that I haven’t yet addressed and hopefully can in the future. Because that’s why I’m here, to serve you, empower you, and hopefully deliver resources that will help you achieve profound, transformative success in your business.
Wishing you the best in your business.
-Mike
