How can you establish a successful motivational speaking career while working full-time?

Finding your niche is like uncovering your unique voice in a crowded room. It's about aligning what you love, what you're great at, and what the world needs. Your expertise in cybersecurity and your ability to motivate both students and executives is a brilliant starting point. It's not just about speaking; it's about impacting the right audience with your valuable insights. Your niche isn't just a tagline; it's your beacon in a sea of possibilities, guiding you toward the opportunities that truly resonate with your expertise and passion. My niche is cybersecurity. Find yours:)

Finding the right niche is crucial in any career, and motivational speaking is no exception. It's essential to identify your passions, strengths, and areas of expertise to establish a distinct and unique voice in the industry. Here are some tips to help you find your niche as a motivational speaker while working full-time: 1. Self-reflection: Take some quality time to introspect and identify what topics or themes naturally resonate with you. Ask yourself, "What inspires me?" or "What expertise can I share that will empower and motivate others?" 2. Market research: Explore the speaking industry to identify gaps where your unique perspective can create an impact.

Audiences want more than an expert - they want an expert practitioner. The combination of expert knowledge and real-world, current experience is powerful and credible. So, speak about what you do full-time and you have a huge head start.

Todo lo que se comenta aquí es muy cierto pero para mi lo que más me ha funcionado es ir construyendo tu marca personal. Aprovecha que tienes tu trabajo para ir haciéndolo poco a poco. Optimizando tu presencia online en redes como LinkedIn y Instagram. Esto significa que tienes que empezar a crear contenido sobre tu nicho, por ejemplo, sobre liderazgo.

The best thing I learned in more than 10 years of professional speaking is that "this is my niche for now". Early in your career, as you find your feet, your voice and your perspective, things can change often and very fast, and that is just OK. Nobody is going to think you are an imposter. In fact, as you change, they see your growth and value the work you do on that journey, making you more valuable in the long run. In the beginning, it will feel like you are juggling jelly. ??

Make sure your speaking brand is aligned with your current position but not dependent on it, so when you move to be a full-time speaker (if that’s your aim) you can bring it to the fore.

Et si je vous disait qu’il est possible d’en faire son activité principale ? ?? Grace à une notoriété et un travail de communication sur les réseaux et beaucoup de vidéos, de la régularité, de la persévérance, c’est possible !

Is it time to construct your brand as a cybersecurity motivational speaker? This involves crafting and amplifying your distinct identity, message, and value. Start by crafting your keynote speech—a compelling presentation showcasing your core concepts, anecdotes, and expertise. Build a professional online presence with a website, portfolio, bio, and speaker reel spotlighting your credentials, endorsements, and past talks. Utilize social media, blogs, podcasts, and various platforms to disseminate your content, expand your following, and cement your position as an authoritative voice in the cybersecurity realm.

Your brand will shift over time and speaking for a while and doing some gigs will help you establish your brand as you engage with audience members after the event and learn what value they got from your work. We, as speakers, might think we want to be known for something, but the audience decides in the end. It is about delivering your message and engaging with members, and co-creating what your brand will be. I like this process, it is the safest and quickest and cheapest way.

Aim to add value with your unique wisdom and just make sure they know you are available for bookings. Don’t push yourself on them.

In the beginning, you will not have a world of experience; thus, you need to come in with a unique perspective. That is gold. Also, even when you do not have a brand, just pitch and learn and get gigs going. How do you learn to play the piano? By playing the piano. The same applies to this.

Just as, being a full time homemaker don't stop career oriented women to build her profession, same way, I believe one make out time for motivational content to deliver.

The main thing you will need to do in the beginning is to sit down and email people every day. Do 10 a day, 7 days a week. It will take about an hour a day, but that is 70 people per week. Doing that every day will be 3650 contacts per annum. You will get some business and also new relationships for the future. Yet, that is an hour a day. Not much.

The journey as a motivational speaker is a perpetual investment in yourself. It's about this beautiful cycle of learning, evolving, and pushing boundaries. Books, workshops, courses—they're like fuel for growth. Coaches and mentors? They're the guiding stars, helping you refine your skills and conquer obstacles. Feedback? Pure gold. It's how you fine-tune your performance, making every talk better than the last. And staying relevant? That's the secret sauce. Exploring new trends, fresh ideas—it keeps your content vibrant and your perspective sharp. The magic is in this continuous evolution, always striving to be the best speaker you can be!

I just wanted to let you know that I never, ever take feedback directly after the event. It can crush you. If someone wants to give you feedback, ask them if you can call them tomorrow so that you can pay close attention to their "guidance". It will also make them feel important. Hear what they say. It is your choice if you want to listen or not.

As a motivational speaker, you are the product, so, every investment you make into your personal and professional growth can directly translate into the value you provide to your audience.

Según mi experiencia es necesario ser parte de eventos presenciales para darte a conocer. Dar algunas conferencias de forma gratuita a organizaciones sociales, ofreciendo los temas que mejor manejas. Tu trabajo se recomienda por quellas personas que se benefician, ellas te ayudan a llegar más rápido.

To me credibility is based on the 10% principle. That is you only ever use 10% of what you know. And if you don’t know ten times as much as you will be telling them you don’t know enough!

In my experience, all successful full time speakers took this path. This way your speaking business grows organically without artificial pressure which might cause you to take gigs you shouldn’t.

It’s a wonderful time when you discover that your ideas and inspiration are in demand! Which is when you know you have a viable commercial offering. Once you know your value (not the market fee) and you’ve got a few engagements under your belt, it’s time to start transitioning to your new business model. It could be any mix of part time or casual employment, consulting arrangements or a carefully planned new start up. My advice would be to get good advice!

It is very difficult to build a full time career on a part time bases. Be the professional speaker you believe yourself to be in all that you do. At some point it either happens or it doesn’t. It depends on your commitment and determination.