224: Are Unpaid Speaking Gigs Worth It?

Retreat hosts aren’t just booking a speaker, they’re inviting you into the most intimate room they’ve built. That changes everything. In this final episode of our speaker selection series, I’m pulling together my favorite clips from interviews with incredible retreat hosts inside my course, the Sought-After Speaker System. This time, we’re zeroing in on retreats: […] The post 228: What Retreat Hosts Really Look For in a Speaker appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

Want to know what really happens after you hit submit on your speaker pitch? It’s easy to feel like your application disappears into a void, but today, we’re pulling back the curtain on the process that Conquer Live hosts take. I sat down with Jamie Fiscer and Heather Leicy to uncover what goes on behind […] The post 227: The Speaker Selection Process: What Event Organizers Look for in Speaker Applications ft. Jamie Fisher & Heather Leicy appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

What do event hosts actually look for when they book speakers? I sat down with 10 powerhouse event hosts who not only curate stages, but often speak on them too, and asked exactly that. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain to bring you their top 10 tips. These aren’t just theories; they’re what […] The post 226: 10 Insider Tips from Event Hosts on What Makes a Speaker Stand Out appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

It’s not just what you say on stage—it’s how you show up in the room. In this snack sized episode, Joanna Waterfall shares what really makes a speaker memorable from a host’s perspective. Spoiler: it’s not just a killer keynote. Joanna gets real about the importance of showing up authentically before, during, and after your […] The post 225: How to Show Up and Stand Out as a Speaker ft. Joanna Waterfall appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

Are unpaid speaking gigs worth it or a complete waste of your time? In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on a question that every industry educator and speaker eventually asks: “Should I take the stage if I’m not getting paid?” You’ll hear from powerhouse speakers and event hosts like Jordan Gill, Elizabeth Henson, […] The post 224: Are Unpaid Speaking Gigs Worth It? appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

Ever wondered why some speakers get paid and others don’t? This episode spills the truth. In this honest, behind-the-scenes convo with Christina Olivarez, founder of Hustle + Socialize, we dig into what it really takes to build a sustainable event—especially when it comes to speaker pay. This is a raw and real look at how […] The post 223: How Conference Budgets Impact Who Gets Paid (And Who Doesn’t) ft. Christina Olivarez appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

Money talk is always juicy, especially when it comes to speaker fees. In this behind-the-scenes episode, I’m doing something different: I’ve interviewed multiple event hosts to get their real, unfiltered takes on how they approach speaker compensation. Whether you’ve ever wondered why some gigs are unpaid or what kind of value you can still gain […] The post 222: Creative Industry Speaker Pay: The Truth Behind Compensation Models appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

If you’ve ever thought, “I just need more followers to get booked”—this one’s for you. Followers don’t equal stages. In this snack-size episode, I’m sharing a powerful moment from my full interview with Kristina Bartold of High Vibe Women, available exclusively inside the Sought-After Speaker System course. Kristina has reviewed countless speaker applications, and she’s […] The post 221: Why Audience Size Doesn’t Matter Anymore for Landing Speaking Gigs ft. Kristina Bartold appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens after you hit “send” on a speaker pitch, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on speaker selection with real, raw insights straight from event hosts themselves. As part of my Sought After Speaker System course, I interviewed multiple hosts […] The post 220: What Conference & Event Hosts are Looking for in Speaker Pitches appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

You never know who’s watching and that’s exactly why showing up and sharing your expertise matters more than you think. In this snack-size episode pulled from my full interview with Frances Ledgewood, we explore how a casual conversation turned into booking her first speaker for her retreat. When you’re simply generous, curious, and collaborative, it […] The post 219: You Never Know Who’s Watching: How Showing Up Can Lead to Speaking Gigs ft. Frances Ledgewood appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.