Speaking Your Brand With Carol Cox | Women Entrepreneurs | Public Speaking | Communications And Media | Presentations | Tedx

We’re finishing up our new podcast series called Speak with Confidence. When you speak at conferences and events, you want to do a great job, get great feedback from the audience, and get referrals and invitations to other speaking gigs. This is how I’ve gotten so many speaking invitations over the years - event organizers are oftentimes in the audience at events and they refer speakers to each other. What kind of speaker gets the best feedback and referrals? You may think it’s the most energetic speaker or the funniest speaker or the speaker with the best story or the speaker with the best slides. But, that’s not necessarily the case. In this episode, I share examples of speakers I’ve seen, what I’ve noticed about them, and the qualities they have in common. I want you to be the best version of YOU as a speaker. That’s what’s going to set you apart. Want to develop your speaking skills and confidence? Enroll in our NEW live online workshop = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/speaking-workshop/ . Be sure to

My goal with this current podcast series called “Speak with Confidence” is to boost your confidence by getting you to think differently about speaking, whether it’s getting comfortable with impromptu speaking (episode 390) or claiming your identity as a speaker (episode 391). I know you want to be an impactful speaker, to share your important message with your audiences, and attract clients for your business. We *think* that teaching and training is what our audiences want. This is what I thought too. But, I believe that there are trends going on around us that are changing this. We’re all swimming in information; and now with AI, we have comprehensive answers in just a few seconds. This is why I no longer advocate “Teaching from the stage”. I’m going to share in this episode what I recommend instead.   Want to develop your speaking skills and confidence? Enroll in our NEW live online workshop = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/speaking-workshop/ . Be sure to listen to the episode to get the special coupon c

There have been so many times I’ve heard clients tell me, “I’m not a speaker.” Yet they’ve delivered keynotes and been paid thousands of dollars to do so. They’re invited to speak at conferences. They’ve taught classes and workshops for years. They give presentations at work. What’s going on? Why do they resist calling themselves a speaker? Why do we hesitate to claim the identity as a speaker and thought leader? I’m struggling with this right now, except it’s not about claiming my identity as a speaker, but as a book writer. There are a few things going on, which I talk about in this episode, along with what you can do to feel more comfortable claiming this identity for yourself and the reasons to do so.   Want to develop your speaking skills and confidence? Enroll in our NEW live online workshop = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/speaking-workshop/ . Be sure to listen to the episode to get the special coupon code to save $100 just for podcast listeners.   Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/391

Are you the kind of speaker who loves to have everything prepared in advance? Perhaps you even have your entire presentation scripted out nearly word for word and you have detailed notes for every slide that you rely on? Well, I have a challenge for you: getting more comfortable with impromptu speaking. As a speaker and as a leader, both impromptu and prepared speaking skills are a must. Have you ever had one of these situations happen to you: You're in a meeting or group and asked to share something on the spot. You get really nervous and feel at a loss for words. You're at a networking event where you need to concisely share with other attendees who you are, what you do, and how you help people. After you introduce yourself, you realized you left out the most important parts or it all felt like a jumble. You're leading a meeting where you need to motivate your team, but you didn't have an opportunity to prepare your message ahead of time and feel like you weren't as clear or confident as you want to be. Thi

We're continuing the series we've been doing this month all around inspiring you to use your voice, no matter what your topic or your industry. If you've been listening to this podcast for a while, you know that I've been really excited about artificial intelligence and ChatGPT and all of the ways AI can help us both personally and professionally. For this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Denise Musselwhite, a technology maven with a rich background in IT and a heart set on women's empowerment in tech.  Here's why you absolutely can't miss this episode: Discover Denise's Unique Journey: From growing up in her father's repair shop to becoming one of the few Latina CIOs, Denise shares her inspiring journey into the tech world, highlighting the blend of nature, nurture, and curiosity that fueled her career. AI as a Force for Good: We delve deep into the realm of Artificial Intelligence, exploring its potential as a collaborative partner in our professional lives. Denise opens up about her person

Many conferences get hundreds of speaker submissions. How can you make yours stand out so it gets selected? Then, once you do get selected, how do you make sure you deliver an engaging presentation at the conference? That’s what I talk about with my guest Cathy McPhillips, who is Chief Growth Officer at the Marketing AI Institute. Along with the virtual events they host year-round, they also host an in-person conference called MAICON, which I spoke at in 2023. I invited Cathy on the show to share with us: Her background and what brought her to the Marketing AI Institute How Cathy and the team select speakers for MAICON and their other events What they look for in speaker submissions What makes a great speaker at their events (based on audience feedback) Tips she has for the listeners who want to speak at conferences >What they’re doing at the Marketing AI Institute and you can get involved About My Guest: Cathy McPhillips is Chief Growth Officer at the Marketing AI Institute, overseeing marketing, growth

I talk quite a bit on this podcast about "the expert trap" and how so many of us get stuck teaching and training and don't step into thought leadership. This applies not only to those of us who are entrepreneurs, but of course to all the academics out there as well (hand raised!). This episode is a treasure trove of insights for anyone passionate about making a difference through their work, particularly in academia or any field where expertise is a given, but thought leadership can make an even bigger impact.  My guest is Laura McGuire, EdD, a social scientist, educator, and entrepreneur whose journey and work exemplify transformative thought leadership. Laura's story is not just inspiring; it's a call to action for all of us to think bigger and challenge the status quo in our respective fields.  Laura and I talk about: The Expert Trap vs. Thought Leadership: Learn how professionals in academia, science, and other fields can transcend the confines of being labeled merely as experts to embrace the mantle of

A couple of months ago, I attended an event to honor non-profits. What was really cool was that each non-profit had 2-½ minutes to share their story.  When my guest Theresa Smith-Levin, founder of Central Florida Vocal Arts, shared her story, I was instantly inspired and I knew I had to have her on the podcast. Our conversation is a testament to the power of storytelling, vulnerability, and community in fostering personal and collective growth. Theresa's work with Central Florida Vocal Arts is not just about singing; it's about creating a space where young people can grow into their authentic selves and learn to navigate the world with empathy and confidence.  Whether you're an artist, a public speaker, or someone looking to make a difference in your community, Theresa's insights offer valuable lessons on the transformative power of using your voice.  Join us for this inspiring conversation and discover how you, too, can impact the world through the arts, performance, speaking, and beyond.  Here are some high

You know how powerful storytelling is in your presentations and talks. How can you go about integrating your stories in a way that truly connects you to your audiences? There is no *one way* to integrate stories into your talks. Your story can be central to your talk or it can be a supporting element. You can play with the timeline of the story - start in the middle and then come back to the beginning later or start at the end. In this episode, our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz hosts three of our clients who were at our recent 3-day in-person speaking retreat, Darci Foshay, Dani Einsohn, and Teri Reuter, for a roundtable discussion on what they learned and insights they have for you as speakers.   They talk about: Why they decided to attend our in-person retreat How they use storytelling in their talks Using the stage and body movement as part of active storytelling What it was like to practice with us and then get filmed This audio is from a live broadcast we did on March 25, 2024. You can watch the vid

If you’ve ever felt like your topic or message may be overwhelming to your audience or the issue you want to address is a really big one and you’re not sure how your audience is going to relate to it or know how to take action, you’re going to appreciate this conversation. My guest is Dr. Neha Pathak, a physician and lead medical editor at WebMD, who graduated from our Thought Leader Academy last fall. Neha and I talk about: Her roles as a primary care physician, lead medical editor at WebMD, and host of WebMD’s podcast How she came to her signature talk topic and thought leadership message The different ways that thought leadership develops The benefits of giving your audience an acronym (framework) The power of storytelling for any topic and any audience and how learning this has influenced Neha’s writing Claiming the identity as a thought leader and what that means Her speaking experiences and insights (especially for those of you who may be procrastinators!) About My Guest: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipA

You heard half of our latest Thought Leader Academy grads deliver a 10-minute section of their signature talk last week on episode 381, now you get to hear the other three. In this episode, our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz hosts Maria Flynn, Karen Williams, and Brigette Serfaty, PharmD. You’ll hear how they’ve incorporated their thought leadership message, storytelling, humor, and their frameworks into their talks. We also have a roundtable discussion about what they’ve learned from being in the Thought Leader Academy and what’s next for them as speakers and thought leaders. This audio is from a live broadcast we did on March 19, 2024. You can watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2k6LFAjS-s.    Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/383/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolc

I know you want to grow your business and brand and have a bigger impact as a thought leader. But, as high-achieving women, there are beliefs we have that get us stuck in the expert trap. We believe that we need to teach/train to provide value; that training content is what our audience wants; and our identity is tied to seeing ourselves as the expert. These beliefs are what can hold you back from thought leadership and the impact and income you want to make. The problem is that your presentations and content are undifferentiated and lack emotional resonance. In this episode, I share 3 signs you’re stuck in the expert trap and how to get out.   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/382/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 362: Integrating Thought Lea

Want to know what it’s like to create a signature talk with us? There’s no better way than to hear our Thought Leader Academy grads deliver a 10-minute section of their talks! You’ll hear how they’ve incorporated storytelling and their frameworks into their talks. We’ll also have a roundtable discussion about what they’ve learned from being in the Thought Leader Academy and what’s next for them as speakers and thought leaders. In this episode, I’m joined by Sandy Robinson, M.Ed., Yewande Fadojutimi, M.D., and Joanne Lane, Ed.D.   This audio is from a live broadcast we did on March 12, 2024. You can watch the video at https://youtube.com/live/1aqLfUxEAAw.   Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/381/  Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/ Enroll in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/  Connect on LinkedIn: Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox Sandy Robinson, M.Ed. = https://www.linkedin.com/in/s

The power of women’s voices doesn’t just relate to women who own and run their own businesses; it’s also for women who work in corporate spaces.  Building your personal brand and speaker brand separate from your corporate identity can give you a voice and mission that has a greater impact beyond the day-to-day work you do in your job.  In this episode, our lead speaking coach Diane Diaz talks with one of our Thought Leader Academy clients, Sandy Robinson.  Sandy works in revenue operations and she’s carved a niche for herself by building a personal and speaker brand distinct from her corporate identity.  Diane and Sandy talk about: How Sandy began her speaking journey (it’s a fun story!) and how that has informed her speaking today Why she decided to look for a speaking coach and what led her to join the Thought Leader Academy What sparked her interest in sharing a more personal message with audiences and how and why she’s building her personal and speaker brand separate from her corporate work Her experienc

We held our in-person speaking intensive last week in Orlando and it was so much fun! Over three days, the women who attended worked on their speaking segments, practiced them on our stage with our coaching and feedback, and then had their segments professionally filmed on the final day. Oh, and there were dance parties and improv exercises throughout! I’ve invited three of our clients who were there, Shannon Bumgarner, Lei Comerford, and Denise Musselwhite, for a roundtable discussion on what they learned and insights they have for you as speakers. We talk about: Why they decided to attend our in-person retreat What they learned about developing stage presence Speaking as a performance (no matter what your topic is!) Their newfound love of improv The power of using our I.D.E.A.L. storytelling ingredients Feeling confident *not* using notes or a script The impact of practicing on our stage and getting feedback at our in-person retreat This audio is from a live broadcast we did on March 5, 2024. You can wa

What’s an early memory of using your voice? That's the question we kicked off our recent 3-day in-person client retreat with - and the women’s answers were incredibly powerful. March is Women’s History Month and March 8th is International Women’s Day (#IWD2024), so this episode is about the power of women’s voices and stories to change the world. From young women activists like Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg to pro-choice women who are running for office to women like YOU who are out there sharing your messages, ideas, and stories, women are making a positive difference in their industries and communities. In this episode, I talk about: The history-changing importance of women getting together to share their stories and experiences The self-doubts that too often hold us back from using our voices Why we need feminism more than ever My recent realization of the story I had been telling myself vs. the bigger story of what happened when I delivered my TEDx talk about women and power in 2016   Show notes a

This week is the 7-year anniversary of the Speaking Your Brand podcast! Thank you for being a listener, for sending me emails when an episode particularly resonates with you, and for sharing the podcast with others.  Podcasting every week for the past seven years has taught me a lot. I'm incredibly grateful to all the women who’ve been guests for sharing their stories and wisdom with all of us. Podcasting has also been hard at times: boredom, burnout, too many ideas, no new ideas. I’ve been through all these feelings at different points. In this episode, I share with you: 3 big lessons you can use whether you have a podcast or not How podcasting, especially creating all of the solo episodes, has shaped my thought leadership and strengthened my personal brand The book I’m working on and how the topic and ideas have come directly from the podcast Why having a regular content creation channel can be helpful to you as you develop your own thought leadership   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.c

Integrating humor into your talks can seem daunting or even unimportant, but it's an essential element to use to connect with your audience. Recently, Diane Diaz, our lead speaking coach, delivered a 5-minute stand-up comedy set live on stage (!). You don’t have to add jokes or stand-up routines to your presentations.  But, you can learn from the secrets of comedy to improve your storytelling and delivery. Diane and I talk about her experience and what you can take away from it for your speaking, including: What makes something funny Her process of writing the comedy set The need for a single clear throughline How she practiced the set by chunking it Storytelling and audience engagement The importance of timing, pausing, and vocal variation Doing a comedy set vs. improv Hopefully you’ll be inspired to try something new too!   Links: Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/376/  Video of Diane’s stand-up comedy set: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dianediaz_comedy-publicspeaking-personalgrowth-acti

Get ready for a fun and energizing conversation!  Have you ever thought of using AI tools like ChatGPT to *amplify* what you’re already good at? How about having ChatGPT coach you on how to prepare to show up in *any* room?  These case studies are just two of the ones that my guest Stacey Hines and I talk about. Like me, Stacey has a background in IT, so we are both passionate about how technology like AI can be used.  You’re going to be laughing as she tells the story of a board room she showed up in 10 years ago and what happened. Storytelling is definitely Stacey’s superpower! After we geek out about AI, I ask Stacey to share her tips as a speaker and as a panel moderator, which are really good!   About My Guest: Stacey Hines is an author, speaker, executive and CEO/founder of Epic Transformation. She is a Caribbean tech sector leader with global leadership experience in public, private and non-profit sectors. Her commitment to women in leadership and the technology industry is evidenced in her numerous aw

Join us for a powerful conversation with Karen Williams, also known as the Black Visual Queen. Karen, a skilled photo director, sat down with our lead speaking coach, Diane Diaz, to talk about her journey from corporate life to entrepreneurship, her advocacy for more diversity in the photography industry, and her experience in crafting her impactful keynote talk during a one-on-one VIP Day. Spoiler alert, her talk went great!  In this episode, Karen and Diane talk about:  Why and how Karen made the shift from corporate professional to entrepreneur The events that shaped Karen’s perspectives on her work and herself and the actions she took as a result The challenges she faced as a black woman in the photo industry and her path to empowering herself and others Making the decision to use her voice to champion her own work and bring more diversity to her industry Why she decided to work with Diane on her keynote talk and the outcome of her speaking engagement About Our Guest: Karen Williams is a dedicated men