Blown Up But Not Broken: A Combat Vet's Speaking Journey with Brian Fleming

Send us Fan MailHow do you turn life-shattering trauma into a powerful speaking career? Combat-wounded veteran Brian Fleming reveals the answer after surviving a suicide bomber attack in Afghanistan that left him with second and third-degree burns requiring 14 months of grueling recovery.The pivotal moment came when Fleming met a Vietnam veteran who showed him how personal pain could transform lives—including his own. Sixteen years later, Fleming has spoken to over half a million people, worked with Fortune 500 companies, and built a thriving career sharing his resilience strategies.What's surprising is Fleming's counterintuitive approach to storytelling. "One of the biggest mistakes new speakers make is that they talk about themselves," he explains. Instead, successful speakers position their experiences as solutions to problems their audiences desperately want solved. This shift in perspective transforms a personal story from self-focused to audience-focused, answering the two questions every listener silently asks: "Why does this person understand me?" and "Why should I listen to them?"Fleming breaks down his profitable speaking framework into three essential components: Problem (identify what pain your audience experiences), Promote (market yourself to the right decision-makers), and Present (deliver value that solves their problem). This approach works whether you have an extreme story like Fleming's or more common life experiences—the key is addressing problems your audience recognizes and hates.Ready to share your own story and get paid for it? Fleming offers a free Share Your Story Roadmap at useyourstory.com that shows how to make your first $500 speaking within 30 days. As he reminds us, "Your story has more power than you could ever possibly imagine, and your story matters."Support the showGot a question about something you heard today? Have a great suggestion for a topic or know someone who should be a guest? Reach out to us:[email protected] you're ready to take the plunge and join the over 3 million people who have joined the podcast space, we'd love to hear your idea and help you get started! Book your Podcast Strategy Session today:https://podcastsolutionsmadesimple.com/get-started/Never miss an episode! Subscribe wherever you get your podcast by clicking here:https://communicationconnectioncommunity.buzzsprout.comFollow us on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/podcast-solutions-made-simpleFollow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/podcastsolutionsmadesimple/Follow us on Facebook:www.facebook.com/groups/podcastlaunchmadesimpleFollow us on Twitter:https://twitter.com/carlrichards72