The Biggest Stage in the World (ft. Emily Ford, Jordan Tarver, & Giselle Ugarte)

Capturing Souls and Stories (ft. Paul Mobley)

Guest Bios:

Paul Mobley is an acclaimed American photographer and keynote speaker known for his ability to capture the essence of his subjects, from celebrities to everyday heroes. With a background enriched by his work with Annie Leibovitz and a passion for exploring the human condition, Mobley's photographs transcend the visual, offering deep insights into the stories of those he portrays. His projects, including "American Farmer," "Everyday Heroes," and portraits of centenarians, reflect his commitment to showcasing the beauty and resilience of the human spirit. Through his keynote speeches, Mobley shares valuable lessons on connection, storytelling, and authenticity, drawing from his extensive experience behind the lens to captivate and inspire audiences.

Core Topics:

Discovering the Soul of Your Subjects:

Paul dives into the importance of connecting with the individuals in front of the camera, a skill that is invaluable for speakers seeking to engage and resonate with their audience. He illustrates how genuine interactions can lead to capturing the essence of a subject's character, offering a lesson in authenticity and empathy.

The Impact of Storytelling Through Visuals:

We discuss how powerful narratives can be woven through imagery, paralleling the way speakers can use stories to captivate and move their audiences. Paul emphasizes the role of storytelling in creating memorable experiences and the importance of bringing stories to life, whether through photographs or words.

Embracing Challenges and Perseverance:

Reflecting on his journey and the obstacles he faced, Paul shares insights into the resilience required to succeed in the creative field. This section offers encouragement and motivation for speakers navigating their paths, highlighting the rewards of persistence and hard work.

Lessons Learned from Life Behind the Lens:

Mobley concludes with the broader lessons he has learned throughout his career, from the power of observation to the value of kindness. His experiences provide rich learning opportunities for speakers, underscoring the importance of staying true to one's values and the impact of small gestures.

Resources:

Learn more about Paul Mobley:

Learn more about Josh Linkner:

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 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. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.

Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com

ABOUT THE HOST:

Josh Linkner — a New York Times bestselling author — is a rare blend of business, art, and science.

On the business front, he’s been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which created over 10,000 jobs and sold for a combined value of over $200 million. He’s the co-founder and Managing Partner of Muditā (moo-DEE-tah) Venture Partners - an early-stage venture capital firm investing in groundbreaking technologies. Over the last 30 years, he’s helped over 100 startups launch and scale, creating over $1 billion in investor returns. He’s twice been named the EY Entrepreneur of The Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.

While proud of his business success, his roots are in the dangerous world of jazz music. Josh has been playing guitar in smoky jazz clubs for 40 years, studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, and has performed over 1000 concerts around the world. His experiences in both business and music led him to become one of the world’s foremost experts on innovation. Josh

is the co-founder and Chairman of Platypus Labs, a global research, training, and consulting firm. Today, he’s on a mission to help leaders Find A Way™ through creative problem-solving, inventive thinking, and ingenuity.

Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com

SPONSORED BY AMPLIFY PUBLISHING GROUP:

Partnering with CXOs, keynote speakers, change makers, and other visionary leaders, Amplify Publishing Group (APG) is a leader in the hybrid publishing space with more than twenty years of experience acquiring, producing, marketing, and distributing books.

Passionate about ideas and voices that need to be heard, they're known for launching books that start engaging and timely conversations. At each turn, they have been at the forefront of innovation and have spearheaded a critical disruption of the publishing industry.

Learn more at: amplifypublishinggroup.com

ABOUT 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

Mic Drop

enMarch 04, 2024

photography

keynote speaker

professional keynote speaker

paul mobley

Harmony and Rhythm (ft. Michelle Anne Johnson & Doug Manuel)

Guest Bios:

Michelle Anne Johnson:

A transformative figure in leadership communication, Michelle leverages her extensive background in acting and personal development to help leaders harness the power of presence. Her journey from performing on television to coaching Fortune 500 executives showcases her unique ability to empower individuals to lead with authenticity, confidence, and purpose.

Doug Manuel:

A former BBC documentary producer turned rhythm revolutionary, Doug's life took a new direction after immersing himself in West African drumming. With a mission to use art to connect people and cultures, Doug has created stage shows and keynotes that blend musical performance with insights into engagement, collaboration, and community. Now based in Senegal, he continues to impact lives through his nonprofit work and innovative approach to keynote speaking.

Core Topics:

The Power of Presence: Michelle Anne Johnson delves into the essence of presence in leadership, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, confidence, and purpose. She shares insights into how personal power can dramatically enhance one's impact in both personal and professional realms.

Rhythm as a Universal Language: Doug Manuel explores how rhythm and music can bridge cultural divides and foster a sense of unity and collaboration. From corporate workshops to community outreach in Senegal, Doug's work illustrates the profound impact of art on human connection and engagement.

Transformative Journeys: Both guests share their personal transformations, highlighting the pivotal moments that led them from traditional careers to the world of keynote speaking. Their stories inspire listeners to pursue their passions and make a meaningful impact.

The Art of Keynote Speaking: Michelle and Doug offer valuable advice for aspiring keynote speakers, focusing on the importance of storytelling, authenticity, and audience engagement. They discuss the challenges and rewards of translating personal experiences into compelling presentations that resonate with diverse audiences.

Inspiring Others: Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own journeys and consider how they can use their unique skills and experiences to inspire others. Whether through the arts, social impact work, or leadership development, everyone has the potential to make a significant impact in their communities and beyond.

Resources:

Learn more about Michelle Anne Johnson:

Learn more about Doug Manuel:

Learn more about Josh Linkner:

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 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. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.

Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.com

ABOUT THE HOST:

Josh Linkner — a New York Times bestselling author — is a rare blend of business, art, and science.

On the business front, he’s been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which created over 10,000 jobs and sold for a combined value of over $200 million. He’s the co-founder and Managing Partner of Muditā (moo-DEE-tah) Venture Partners - an early-stage venture capital firm investing in groundbreaking technologies. Over the last 30 years, he’s helped over 100 startups launch and scale, creating over $1 billion in investor returns. He’s twice been named the EY Entrepreneur of The Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.

While proud of his business success, his roots are in the dangerous world of jazz music. Josh has been playing guitar in smoky jazz clubs for 40 years, studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, and has performed over 1000 concerts around the world. His experiences in both business and music led him to become one of the world’s foremost experts on innovation. Josh

is the co-founder and Chairman of Platypus Labs, a global research, training, and consulting firm. Today, he’s on a mission to help leaders Find A Way™ through creative problem-solving, inventive thinking, and ingenuity.

Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.com

SPONSORED BY AMPLIFY PUBLISHING GROUP:

Partnering with CXOs, keynote speakers, change makers, and other visionary leaders, Amplify Publishing Group (APG) is a leader in the hybrid publishing space with more than twenty years of experience acquiring, producing, marketing, and distributing books.

Passionate about ideas and voices that need to be heard, they're known for launching books that start engaging and timely conversations. At each turn, they have been at the forefront of innovation and have spearheaded a critical disruption of the publishing industry.

Learn more at: https://amplifypublishinggroup.com/

ABOUT 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

enFebruary 19, 2024

The Energizer (ft. Rachel Sheerin)

On powering your life and the lives of others

OPENING QUOTE:

“A lot of those titans, in 2020 and 2021, they weren't ready to say the B word yet. It wasn't viral on TikTok yet.”

-Rachel Sheerin

GUEST BIO:

Rachel Sheerin doesn't just motivate, she illuminates. She doesn't just speak, she electrifies any room. Her keynote message of finding both passion and success in life and work is amazing, but what's really made her special and such an in-demand speaker and MC is her 1,000-watt onstage performance. Her tales of resilience, hilarious misadventures and powerful insights into burnout and recovery inspire and entertain audiences all over the world. Whether she's diving deep in the topics of personal growth, lighting the path toward professional success or sharing that infectious laugh, Rachel Sheerin is not just a speaker and an MC — she's an experience.

Links:

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[3:28] - Famous Words, New Meaning

What does it really mean to love life?

Just a few years ago, Rachel Sheerin was miserable, burntout, and ready to set fire to her career. Then, she did.

What came next changed everything. She began looking for joy, rather than just the next project. She began looking for ways to “move the needle,” finding ways that her life was pulling her away from happiness rather than pushing her toward it.

Loving our life means changing our mindset and our circumstances, learning to embrace what we can’t change and push past what’s standing in our way.

[7:52] - Burnout as Overcaring

Burnout comes

There’s a saying that parenting is only hard for good parents, and the same is true of career burnout. A career is only a challenge if you care about doing it well. Rachel found that her burnout came from trying to be all things, for all people, at all times.

Soon, she began learning to prioritize what mattered most in a given moment. Sometimes, that was herself. Other times, it was her community. And sometimes, it was the entire world. Avoiding burnout is about managing our caring muscles.

[16:24] - The Difference Between an MC and a Keynote Speaker

Similar backgrounds, different roles

Having seen both sides, Rachel Sheerin understands the distinction between an MC and a keynote speaker. An MC is someone there for engagement and enjoyment and event management. It's the three Es that are at the core role of an MC. A keynote speaker can definitely do those things, but it's really about their thought leadership, motivation, and whether they’re an expert in their subject. To put it more succinctly: MCs excel at delivering an organization’s message. Keynote speakers excel at delivering their own message to organizations.

[33:41] - The People Who Don’t Look Like You

Benefitting from diverse perspectives

Want to expand your knowledge, empathy, and capability? Start by expanding your openness to diverse voices. As Rachel says, it’s not about hitting a benchmark or making a token effort on an individual or organizational level. It’s about opening yourself up to exposure from people who look differently, think differently, and do differently than you. It’s the moment when you star tasking: “Gosh, what else is out there?”

RESOURCES:

[2:48] Rachel’s Blog

Follow Rachel Sheerin:

Follow Josh Linkner:

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 | josh@joshlinkner.com
Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

enDecember 11, 2023

Go Beyond (ft. Colin O’Brady)

From never-walk-again to never-stop-climbing

OPENING QUOTE:

“Man, I'd do anything for an ejector seat button to get me the heck out of here, as fast as possible, that's for sure.”

-Colin O’Brady

GUEST BIO:

Colin O'Brady is a 10 time world record holding explorer, New York Times bestselling author, professional athlete, multi-time entrepreneur, and collegiate athlete. Back in the early 2000s, Colin experienced a tragic setback that meant he was unlikely to ever be able to walk normally again. Not only did he walk again, but 18 months later he placed first in the overall legendary Chicago triathlon. From that day forward, Colin was a professional triathlete, racing in 25 countries across six continents. He then went on to break not one, but two mountaineering world records, where he competed in a series of challenges known as the Explorer's Grand Slam in just 139 days, reaching the top of the tallest peaks on all seven continents along the way.

Today, Colin's impact goes beyond breaking records. He's the founder of a nonprofit, and has spoken to the likes of NBCUniversal, P&G, and the Aspen Institute, helping millions of people around the world transcend previous limits and go beyond.

Links:

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[8:19] - The Voices in the Tent

Overcoming self-doubt in the blizzard

Many people think that mega-achievers like Colin don’t experience doubt, and that’s what makes them strong. But in fact, it’s their ability to overcome their own self-doubt that makes high achievers who they are.

Colin recalls moments during his trek across Antarctica, when he was alone in his tent, when various different “voices” in his head were telling him to quit, give up, or move on. What allowed him to persevere wasn’t a lack of doubt — it was the ability and tenacity to move past it.

[13:23] - The Triathlon & the Chair

Overcoming adversity one three-hour step at a time

When Colin experienced the accident that left him wheelchair-bound, he set an audacious goal — completing a triathlon. But the goal felt so far off and insurmountable, it was easy to get discouraged.

Then his mother placed a chair down in front of him in the kitchen, and told him to focus on the small goals. She wanted him to cross the one-step distance to the chair from his wheelchair. It took three hours, and he did it.

Later, Colin submitted Everest — and took a tiny pebble as a souvenir. From the kitchen to the top of Everest, Colin has learned to value the way that small things add up to mountain-sized achievements.

[16:47] - The Peaks Beyond the Peak

Moving goalposts in a life of achievement

We all have our mountain peaks — the goals we think will mark our ultimate level of achievement and joy. But then we get there, and what happens? We feel letdown, and realize there’s a whole other peak even higher up.

For Colin, he likens it to “post-Olympic depression” — the letdown felt by elite athletes after the end of the event they’ve worked their entire lives toward. His advice? Move beyond the finish line by acknowledging there is no finish line. The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next. You have to be invested in the process of growth, because growth is the peak that’s always there.

[26:16] - When the Consequences Are Real

On risk and danger in live and business

Colin’s often seen as someone who takes lots of risks. In fact, he constantly assesses the risk associated with any undertaking and only takes them on if he feels the risks are manageable. But that doesn’t mean he’s always comfortable. On the edge of comfort and risk is the sweet spot: discomfort that leads to growth.

Where in your career are you calling it “risk” when it’s really “discomfort”? What uncomfortable things can you do while still managing risk?

That’s where growth is likely to come fastest and hardest.

RESOURCES:

[4:44] The 12 Hour Walk, by Colin O’Brady
[4:44] The Impossible First, by Colin O’Brady

Follow Colin O’Brady:

Follow Josh Linkner:

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 | josh@joshlinkner.com
Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

enDecember 04, 2023

Letting Go to Move Ahead (ft. Jamie Hess & Matthew Vincent)

This business demands boldness, so we talked to two of the boldest

OPENING QUOTE:

“Do you want to be doing a hoe down for children's vitamins and a skit about band-aids on Instagram for the rest of your life?”

-Jamie Hess

GUEST BIO:

Jamie Hess

Jamie Hess overcame a slew of self-destructive behaviors and turned her so-called liabilities into her greatest assets. She became a top executive, ambassador for hundreds of brands, contributor to Today, Good Morning America, and The View and the face of zuda activewear on QVC. She speaks on stages across the country, teaching her prosperity system called Gratitudeology, a method that reframes the way people take on challenges, helping them hack their hustle and lean into their fear. Jamie spent two decades as a PR expert and high level brand strategist for companies like LinkedIn, McDonald's, and W Hotels. She's also the co-host of the Off the Ground Podcast, named one of the top 40 best podcasts by Good Housekeeping, and has her newest project, the Gratitudeology Podcast, launching February 5th, 2024.

Links:

Matt Vincent

If you've never heard of the Highland Games, there are two things you need to know about them. Number one, it's a Scottish cultural event dating back 900 years that attracts some of the strongest people in the world. And number two, Matt Vincent is the two-time world champion. Yes, he could lift any one of us above his head easily. But these days he's more interested in lifting people's spirits through his brand, Not Dead Yet, launched in 2017. In addition to creating apparel and lifestyle products, Not Dead Yet has a podcast with over 450 episodes that brought Matt into the world of public speaking.

Links:

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[9:52] - Why Be a Speaker?

On motivations and inspirations

For Jamie, the calling to become a speaker came from a desire to make an impact beyond social media influence. She wanted to not just serve brands but serve people, helping them unlock their greatest potential.

For Matt, it’s about what he calls the “forge.” By refining his message, his delivery, and his ethos as a speaker, he’s refining himself and his community. As he says, “even if this doesn’t turn into me getting speaker jobs, the side effect of me learning how to do it better will benefit people in my community.”

[19:20] - The Power of Gratitudeology

Jamie explains her growing movement

Jamie explains the power of gratitude with a running analogy. When you head out on a run, your instinct is to look down at your feet. When you do that, you fixate on each individual step, and time passes slowly. You feel miserable. You want to quit. But when you raise your view to what’s around you, taking in all the beauty of the world you’re running through, the miles seem to fly by, and you discover you actually enjoy it. That’s the power of gratitude, and the foundation of Gratitudeology.

[24:56] - Motivating Through Dark Moments

Matt explores the light in the darkness

What keeps us going when the work we’re doing seems fruitless, or there’s no immediate payback? Matt says it’s all about focus. As evidenced by his earlier “forge” comment, he’s discovered a passion for the process, not just the destination. He’s fallen in love with the growth he experiences by pursuing his passions — so any results that come are just a bonus.

Meanwhile, he reminds us to sharpen the ax to slay the bigger dragon. That looks different for everyone, but it really amounts to taking care of yourself and staying fired up.

[29:46] - Choosing Your Identity

Choose who you are, then make it so

Matt is someone who’s already comfortable with leaving behind past versions of himself. He’s let go of the athlete side of himself, which was once his defining characteristic and he now calls “the least important and least interesting things about me.” That willingness to let go is what gives us the opportunity to embrace new futures and identities for ourselves. It gives us the chance to “suck at something new.”

As for Jamie, the burden of the past comes from associations. With a famous mother, she’s had to move out from beyond her shadow to carve out her own niche for herself. That meant no longer hiding and instead embracing many of the same career directions her mother took — not in tribute or deference to her mother, but because that was the path that called to Jamie, as well.

RESOURCES:

Follow Jamie Hess:

Follow Matt Vincent:

Follow Josh Linkner:

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 | josh@joshlinkner.com
Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

enNovember 27, 2023

From Comedy to Keppler (ft. Warren Jones)

An unexpected path brings surprising insights

OPENING QUOTE:

“Thunder applause, everybody on their feet. So happy, just ecstatic. And he said, "Here's the thought I had. I've got to write a new speech.”

-Warren Jones

GUEST BIO:

From a hugely successful career in entertainment, working as a manager at ABC and then at Professional Representatives Organization International, Warren Jones entered the world of marketing to eventually land the CEO gig at EnterWorks. He also launched a successful comedy agency. Later, a casual breakfast meetup with a friend led to an offer to become the CEO of the prestigious Keppler Speakers Bureau. Warren couldn't turn down the challenge, and the rest is history.

Links:

LinkedIn

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[15:31] - “I’ve Got to Write a New Speech”

Improving from the top

Warren brings up an inspiring story of a speaker who told him about an experience they had after a speech. They had just delivered their message to a packed room, who erupted in thunderous applause, and this speaker was feeling at the absolute top of their game. In that moment, they thought: “I’ve got to write a new speech.”

This speaker was so focused on ensuring that the response they received — and the quality of their message— never diminished, that even at the absolute pinnacle they could only think about their new leap. That’s the mark of a true pro.

[18:10] - What Speakers Can Learn from Comedians

Efficiency and Connection

In Warren’s experience, comedians often say that writing the first five minutes of a set is the hardest. So many of them work backward — they start with their key beats or punchlines, then build from their destination backward. If something doesn’t help get them there, they cut it.

Meanwhile, comedians intuitively understand that comedy is about connection as much as its about humor. When an audience is tuned into the wavelength of the performer, that’s when real magic happens.

Speakers can learn from both of these lessons: design keynotes around your key points, being ruthlessly efficient in the process, and never forget about the power of connection.

[23:46] - What Do the Greats Do?

Asking Warren what gives speakers staying power

Warren helpfully outlines his example of the perfect pro speaker. She does the event calls and pre-event calls, sometimes more than one. She offers a follow-up conversation. When she walks onstage, she knows the audience — what the hot buttons are, what they may have talked about that morning in another session or the day before. She doesn’t play down to the audience or underestimate them. She interacts early and often with the event planner. She even serves as an ambassador for other speakers. She’s deeply service oriented.

Consider this a checklist for anyone wanting not only a successful speaking career, but a long one.

[36:22] - Substance Over Flash

The past, present, and future of the industry

There was a time in speaking when star power was king. Event planners wanted to draw a crowd, and a marquee speaker was the way to do it. But now events draw their crowds from the quality and relevance of the event itself. That means speakers aren’t the star — their message is. The future of keynote speaking is all about transformative messages that lead to real impact, not recognizable names that ultimately lead nowhere. Content is what it’s all about.

RESOURCES:

[1:35] About Keppler
[40:15] Big Little Breakthroughs, by Josh Linkner

Follow Warren Jones:

LinkedIn

Follow Josh Linkner:

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 | josh@joshlinkner.com
Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

enNovember 20, 2023

The Virtuoso (ft. Felipe Gomez)

Singing, laughing, and connecting your way to the big stage

OPENING QUOTE:

“I really thought about it, but when I was there on the stage, I said, what the hell? I'm going to sing. I'm going to make them sing.”

-Felipe Gomez

GUEST BIO:

Felipe Gomez is a multi multi hyphenate who has given over a thousand performances across 65 cities, 25 countries and 15 impactful years. He's an artist, humanitarian thought leader and keynote speaker. Felipe combines his unapologetically bold approach to leadership with an unforgettable keynote format, one that features a grand piano at center stage.

Links:

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[5:16] - Music as an Impact Multiplier

From straightforward keynotes to musical extravaganzas

When Felipe first began delivering keynotes, they were much more traditional — standing up in front of the crowd and speaking. But he began thinking about his personal passion for music, and how it might be able to help augment his keynote message. It was then that he realized that while his message could speak to people’s minds, his music could speak to their heart. The result was greater impact — more memorable keynotes, more connection between ideas and emotions — and he never looked back.

[7:44] - The Making of a Virtuoso

Method, Attitude, & Passion

What makes a virtuoso?

Felipe identifies a virtuoso as having three key traits — method, attitude, and passion.

Most individuals and organizations focus on method. They want to reach new levels of operational excellence, perfect processes, and cutting-edge technology.

But they also need attitude, their “onstage” persona. The attitudes we assume in our day-to-day jobs define whether we connect or disconnect with clients, customers, peers, and coworkers.

Finally, you need passion. It means putting your heart and soul into what you’re doing so that the ordinary ceases to happen and the extraordinary can take its place.

This is how a virtuoso is made, in life, in music, or in business.

[32:25] - Connecting to the One

A backstage ritual we can all learn from

Before each keynote, just before stepping on stage, Felipe takes a moment to consider his audience. Whether he’s about to speak to a hundred people, a thousand people, or 10 people, he reminds himself that if just one person in the room can watch his keynote and change a behavior, think differently, or break out of damaging habits, his work will have been worthwhile. When Felipe does this, it helps keep him focused on the individuals in the audience, not the overall size of the crowd. He forgets the numbers and just remembers the one.

RESOURCES:

[1:25] Learn More About Felipe
[12:16] Attitude-E, by Felipe Gomez

Follow Felipe Gomez:

Follow Josh Linkner:

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 | josh@joshlinkner.com
Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

enNovember 13, 2023

Insights from the World’s Largest Bureau (ft. Ryan Heil)

What we can learn from an industry powerhouse with a startup attitude run by a philosopher

OPENING QUOTE:

“So, I think that's our job, is to help speakers identify those nuggets, and the speaker's job's to take the complex and make it super applicable.”

-Ryan Heil

GUEST BIO:

Ryan Heil is the president of Washington Speakers Bureau, the largest and quite possibly the single most respected bureau on the planet. But if you dive into his resume, you'll find a whole bunch of unexpected treasures. A former player for the New York Mets and a D1 college baseball coach, Ryan also holds a doctor of philosophy. He co-authored a book entitled Choose Love Not Fear, and has served in numerous leadership positions at Clemson University.

Links:

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[7:44] - Finding the Fun in Futurism

Why Ryan Heil doesn’t fear what’s next

Not only is Ryan not concerned about the future of speaking in a rapidly changing marketplace — he’s excited by it. He’s brought a startup attitude to WSB, ensuring that nothing is sacred and no business strategy goes forward simply because “that’s the way it’s always been done.” His mantra, “Is there a better way to do this?” has helped WSB look toward the future, when many other long-established bureaus might be tempted to look only to their past. While Ryan acknowledges the company’s history has many lessons to teach, he believes those lessons revolve around how to evolve — and what happens when you don’t.

[13:41] - Helping Speakers Reinvent Themselves

How WSB helps guide speakers into new frontiers

When helping coach speakers to make themselves more marketable — and when selecting new speakers to go exclusive at WSB — Ryan focuses on a set of core questions.

Who is going to pay to hear these people speak and their message? What question is the speaker answering that the customer knows they need to answer? How do we help connect that dot? What is your simple message that you repeat over and over again? Do you have platform skills, and how good are those platform skills?

Emerging speakers should write these questions down somewhere, then set about answering each of them as they develop their brand.

[22:40] - When Not to Go Exclusive

Exclusive feels special, but it isn’t always right

When it comes to going exclusive, Ryan advises putting it off early on. When you’re figuring out who you are, making a name for yourself, carving out a space in the market — that's the time to work with as many different groups of people as possible. Keep developing your content, building your product, and finding customer bases. When it comes to the point where you need to either hire a back office or get with a bureau, then you know it’s time to start thinking seriously about going exclusive.

[28:39] - Ryan’s Realistic Optimism

The speaking industry will change. But it will also endure.

Ryan doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to potential upheaval in the speaking industry.

“What budgets start to look like, what honorariums shift to, how contracts are done, I think all that's going to change. The inclusion of technology and AI into a lot of things, it's all going to change.”

And yet, Ryan says, “I do believe that the core of this is going to be around the relationships. Regardless of where people work, who they work with, the structure they work in, people are going to hold meetings. They’ve been holding meetings and having speakers since the beginning of time, and I think that’s going to continue.”

RESOURCES:

[1:29] About Washington Speakers Bureau
[1:50] Choose Love Not Fear, by Ryan Heil

Follow Ryan Heil:

Follow Josh Linkner:

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 | josh@joshlinkner.com
Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

enNovember 06, 2023

Behind the Curtain: An Open Convo with a Buyer and a Bureau (ft. Tim Mathy & Lynne McNees)

How do you find out what buyers and bureaus want in a speaker? You ask them.

OPENING QUOTE:

“That standing ovation, it's not about the speaker, it's not even about the audience to me. It's about the people planning the event. That's who that standing ovation is for.”

-Tim Mathy

GUEST BIO:

Lynne McNees is president of the International Spa Association, or ISPA — the worldwide professional organization for the entire spa industry active in over 70 countries.

When magazines like the New York Times, USA Today, Travel and Leisure, or the Associated Press need a spa expert, Lynne is the only name they trust.

Before joining ISPA, Lynne was a Washington DC power player with high-profile roles in multiple presidential administrations. It's no wonder she jumped into the industry designed to help people relax.

Links:

Tim Mathy is the current president of the International Association of Speaker Bureaus. He has been in the bureau space since he joined SpeakInc over 20 years ago, and since then he's been active with industry leaders like PCMA, MPI, IMX, and the list of acronyms goes on and on. If you want to know how bureaus work from the inside out, Tim is your guy.

Links:

Bio

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[8:49] - From Bureau to Buyer

How speakers go from Tim’s list to Lynne’s event

After working together for over 20 years, Tim and Lynne have a well-established bureau-buyer relationship. Tim says it all starts with knowing the buyer’s community. He’s not just picking the best speakers to present to Lynne, he’s presenting the best speakers for her needs. For speakers, that means you don’t have to generalize your message in order to meet every possible organization or subject. You can feel empowered to specialize, knowing that if your message is strong, you’ll be able to find an audience that’s right for it.

[19:32] - What Gets You on the List?

An inside look at what bureaus and buyers are looking for

When it comes to what attracts Lynne or Tim to a speaker, they offer a clear list. First off, they’re looking for the basics — customization and preparation, plus an easy-to-work-with attitude. They’re also looking for a balance of inspiration and nuts-and-bolts takeaways, a business focus while also offering a humanitarian perspective. Consider these elements when preparing to pitch yourself to bureaus or buyers. Do you know how to strike that balance of uplifting and down-to-earth, business-centered and human? If you can find that sweet spot while remaining true to your character and message, you’ll find opportunity.

[20:28] - Changing Priorities in a Changing Industry

What’s new when it comes to booking speakers

Lynne and Tim both explore the way that a speaker’s primary purpose at a conference or event has evolved. It used to be that big-name speakers were a primary draw for industry conferences — you would go to the conference because so-and-so was going to be there. But today, these conferences have grown to attract attendees on their own. Now the speaker is less about a name and more about delivering actual value. Can you knock your keynote out of the park and leave the audience with relevant, actionable takeaways? If you can do that, it doesn’t necessarily matter if you’ve got a megawatt name or massively impressive credentials.

[27:08] - The Long Game

Advice from Tim and Lynne on looking forward

For two people who have been working together in the speaking for decades, it’s no surprise that Tim and Lynne advise playing the long game. Don’t get bogged down in temporary setbacks or issues. Instead, focus on long-term strategy. What are the efforts that will be worthwhile no matter how the world changes? Focus on them

And finally, all along the way there’s one simple way to supercharge your career — be kind and trustworthy. “Once you have that trust,” Tim says, “you can’t beat that.”

RESOURCES:

[1:54] About ISPA
[2:46] About IASB

Follow Lynne McNees:

Follow Tim Mathy:

Bio

Follow Josh Linkner:

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 | josh@joshlinkner.com
Connor Trombley: Executive Producer | connor@DetroitPodcastStudios.com

enOctober 30, 2023

Exactly What to Say (ft. Phil Jones)

How to be a perfectionist and an improviser all at once

OPENING QUOTE:

“... woke up seven days later, 120,000 free downloads. I'm like, okay, I might have something.”

-Phil Jones

GUEST BIO:

Phil Jones has founded not one but five multimillion dollar companies, became the youngest ever winner of the British Excellence of Sales and Marketing Award, and produced the most listened to nonfiction audiobook of all time, Exactly What to Say? Phil entered the business world at age 14 and went from a bucket and sponge to a fleet of car washing employees that led him to earning more at age 15 than his high school teachers.

When it comes to speaking industry experience, Phil has given over 2,500 presentations across 57 countries and 5 continents. Beyond his business success, he's the proud dad of twins and is passionate about making a positive impact by elevating everyone around him.

Links:

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:

[6:04] - The Power of “How”

When someone’s better than you, get curious

Ever since his days working for his dad’s self-employed building business, Phil has been intensely curious and active about finding out how people find success. As he says, “Success leaves clues, and if you’re brave enough to follow the clues, then chances are it might work out well for you.”

So when you come across someone who does what you do better than you do, don’t get mad — get curious. Ask them how.

[21:50] - Big Idea vs. Proven Method

What kind of book is in you?

If you have a big idea, you can certainly go after a book deal and try to make a name for yourself through that big idea. But many speakers, Phil argues, would be better served by a “proven method” book. Something that's going to live with you, that will serve as your IP. Something that is your signature calling card. As Phil says: “John Bonjovi can write as much new music as he likes, but people are going to remember him for Living on a Prayer.

[23:45] - Don’t Rest on Your Laurels

Make something great? Time to remake it.

Phil shares one quick but powerful insight that’s important not to miss — once “Exactly What to Say” became a massive success, he didn’t simply leave it alone. He began creating new editions for every print run. New call-to-actions, new lead magnets, new thank-you pages. All of these changes happen again and again, ensuring that his ideas remain as fresh and relevant as they were in the first edition.

This concept can be applied to books, keynote speeches, career strategies — anything that you’ve found that works doesn’t need to become stagnant.

[32:37] - What Matters Most Happens Offstage

Service, relationships, and humanity

Phil says that the biggest aspect of winning and sustaining a career as a speaker comes down to the more “intangible” things: health, relationships, boundaries. These things are all more important than fees and tactical business decisions. Meanwhile, keeping a service mindset is essential — no matter how many millions of audiobooks you sell.

RESOURCES:

[1:55] Exactly What to Say, by Phil Jones
[32:28] NSA: National Speakers Association

Follow Phil Jones:

Follow Josh Linkner:

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: