The Truth About Building a Paid Speaking Career

AI can make content creation faster, but it can also make your message easier to ignore if you let it replace your own thinking. In this episode, Rory and AJ talk honestly about where they use AI, where they draw the line, and why those boundaries matter for anyone building a personal brand. They explain how AI can help with research, content organization, titles, hooks, thumbnails, CTAs, and outlines without becoming the source of your thought leadership. You'll also hear their take on AI avatars, voice cloning, disclosure, and the trust risk of letting your audience believe something is you when it is not. If you are trying to use AI well without sounding copied, hollow, or generic, this conversation will help you protect the part of your message that only you can create.

Building a paid speaking career takes more than wanting a stage. In this episode, Rory and AJ share what it really takes to become a professional speaker. They talk about the reps, practice, strategy, and patience behind a speaking career that lasts, and why speaking for free can be one of the smartest ways to build demand when you are starting out. You'll learn why associations are one of the best places to get early speaking opportunities, how seminars and self-hosted events can create revenue before big keynote fees arrive, and why your speech itself is your most important marketing asset. Rory and AJ also answer a community question about how to transition from free speaking to paid speaking without damaging relationships. If you want to get paid to speak, this episode will help you understand what to build, where to start, and how to turn your message into real business. CLICK TO SCHEDULE A FREE BRAND CALL

A small audience is not a weakness. For the right business model, it can be an advantage. In this episode, Rory and AJ explain how coaches, consultants, and experts can make meaningful money without millions of followers. They break down why smaller audiences often allow for deeper access, more customized service, and higher-ticket offers that do not require mass attention to work. You'll hear the difference between coaching and consulting, how to think about your unique framework or methodology, and why your first clients may come through your current employer, your local community, or the reputation you have already built. If you have real expertise but feel like you are starting too far behind, this episode is a practical reset. You may not need a bigger audience. You may need a clearer path to serving the audience you already have.

A large audience can look impressive and still fail to grow your business. In this episode, Rory and AJ unpack one of the biggest misconceptions in personal branding: assuming more followers or more email subscribers automatically means more revenue. They explain why the real goal is trust, and why every channel should be evaluated by whether it moves the right people closer to becoming clients. They also break down how to reverse engineer your growth from the number of clients you actually need this year. You'll hear why referrals and relationships can create revenue faster than massive digital numbers, why email gives you more control than social media, and why your strategy should be built around your avatar, your capacity, and your business goals. If you've been building an audience without a clear next step, this episode will help you turn attention into a smarter, more intentional path toward revenue.

Most people think becoming well known means reaching everybody. Rory and AJ make the case for a better goal: becoming known by the right people, in the right niche, for the right reason.   In this episode, they unpack the strategy of micro fame and why smaller, more intentional relationships often create more business value than broad online attention. Rory shares how to think about the key people in your space, and AJ explains why becoming a connector can make you more valuable in every conversation.   They also break down what it really takes to become well paid: stop comparing, master the basics, serve deeply, and build trust with the audience you are called to reach. If you have been trying to compete with bigger audiences or bigger budgets, this conversation will help you focus on the people who actually matter.  

Why Less Qualified People Make More Money Than Experts

Your Logo Can't Shake Hands: Why Founders Must Be the Face of the Brand

Follower count can go up while revenue stays flat. That gap is usually a trust gap.  In this episode, Rory and AJ break down the real formula behind brands that grow and convert over time. They explain what drives trust faster than vanity metrics, what to track if you care about revenue, and why the creators who look "effortless" often have teams, budgets, and systems working behind the scenes.  They also answer a community question from someone who has posted consistently for eight months, hit 800 followers, and feels stuck. Rory and AJ reframe the problem, clarify what progress looks like, and explain what tends to move the needle next. 

In this episode, Rory Vaden sits down with Jason Dorsey to break down why original research has become a competitive advantage for personal brands and entrepreneurs. They explore how statistically valid data builds credibility, earns media attention, and positions you as the source people cite in an era flooded with opinions and AI-generated content.  They also walk through what makes research legitimate, why polling your own audience has limits, and how to turn one study into a long runway of assets that drive leads, speaking opportunities, and trust at scale. If you want to own a space instead of blending in, this is a practical path forward. 

Audiobooks create a different kind of connection than print. This episode shows you how to use that connection well. Rory sits down with audiobook creative director Tavia Gilbert to talk about what separates an audiobook that people finish from one that people feel. They break down the shift from "reading" to "performing," why emotional delivery builds trust, and how audio can deepen impact in a way that stays with a listener long after the chapter ends. If you're writing a book and considering audio, this episode will help you make smarter decisions before you hit record.