The Relevant Speaker Podcast

In this episode, Douglas Scherer shares his powerful journey from battling chronic pain to becoming a keynote speaker dedicated to helping leaders navigate the intense stress that comes with leadership. Douglas opens up about his personal struggles with pain and how it reshaped his perspective on resilience, mental health, and leadership. He discusses the vital connection between physical and emotional well-being and offers insights into how leaders can manage stress, maintain their mental clarity, and lead with purpose in high-pressure environments. Tune in to hear how a difficult personal journey turned into a mission to support and empower leaders to thrive under pressure.  

Relevant Speaker intern, Andie Bennett interviews Hall of Fame speaker, Mike Domitrz.  Mike and Andie have a great, in depth-in conversation on how to make speeches more interactive and create audience engagement. Mike is a respect and relationship expert and brings that knowledge to the stage, but he also is a phenomenal speaker and shares valuable advice for anyone and everyone is the speaking business.  Mike gives amazing guidance regarding your website, addressing liability and finding what fires you up.

Relevant Speaker intern, Andie Bennett interviews speaker, researcher, author and entrepreneur, Michelle McCullough.  Michelle is a master at honing a story into something spectacular and she shares her process on how to craft your stories to reach their full potential and effectiveness.  This is a great episode for anyone in the speaking business to help perfect their craft.

In this episode, Julie Lee, the Head of Coaching at Relevant Speaker, sits down with recent graduate, Cameron Redford, to discuss his speaking platform geared towards helping teens overcome the obstacles that often hold them back from reaching their full mental potential. Cameron opens up about the common challenges faced by teenagers in today's fast-paced, pressure-filled world and how he can relate. Throughout the conversation, Cameron shares his own story of overcoming mental health challenges as a youth and the difference it's made in his life and his ability to succeed.  "I am the happiest person I know," he says. Julie and Cameron discuss how speakers can use their platform to inspire and motivate teens, making this episode an essential listen for anyone working with or supporting the younger generation.  

Relevant Speaker intern, Andie Bennett, has a conversation with absolute powerhouse Alyson Van Hooser. Alyson shares her amazing story that has brought her to be a keynote speaker, leadership expert and author. She shares her contagious mindset and how to level up no matter what your goals are.  Find out more about Alyson at https://vanhooser.com/keynotes/alyson-van-hooser/

Relevant Speaker intern, Andie Bennett, is joined by speaker Bronkar Lee.  Bronkar brings the energy to the stage with a very unique, entertaining keynote and had a very interesting road to how he got there.  Andie and Bronkar discuss finding your path, your focus and your wisdom and bringing out the brilliance in others. Bronkar talks about bringing the energy to the crowd and making it work for the crowd.  Everyone can benefit from this great conversation.  Find out more about Bronkar at https://www.bronkar.com/

In this episode of The Relevant Speaker Podcast, Julie Lee interviews Max Stitzer, a former General in the U.S. Air Force, about his journey from military leadership to becoming a speaker on creating high-performance teams. Max shares valuable insights from his decades of experience in the Air Force, where he led teams under pressure and developed strategies for peak performance in high-stakes environments. He discusses key principles to building teams that excel, and how these lessons can be applied in both the military and business worlds. Whether you're leading a small team or an entire organization, Max's wisdom will inspire you to cultivate the mindset and culture that fosters exceptional results. Tune in for actionable strategies and a deep dive into the leadership principles that drive success.  

Relevant Speaker intern, Andie Bennett, is joined by speaker Jim Knight. Jim is an organizational culture expert and loves helping others build rock star leaders and teams. He breaks down how he built multiple keynotes from his original content, expanding his repertoire and keeping relevant.  Jim has great advice on avoiding becoming a one-trick pony and becoming a more versatile speaker. Find out more about Jim at https://www.knightspeaker.com/

Ty chats with speaker and comedic guru, Pat Dwyer. They talk about how to add humor, add comedy, add entertainment to your speeches.  There's a musicality to humor.  It's your instrument.  The more you practice, the better you get. Pat has great ideas of how to hit a homerun with humor.  Find out more about Pat at https://www.patdwyerwastaken.com/

In this episode of The Relevant Speaker Podcast, host Julie Lee sits down with Becky Kemp, a dynamic speaker and expert in the power of intentional language. Becky shares her personal journey of discovering how the words we choose can profoundly impact the way we lead, communicate, and connect with others. Through her work, she teaches leaders and individuals how to harness the power of intentional language to create positive change in their personal and professional lives. Tune in to hear inspiring stories, practical insights, and actionable tips on how to use language as a tool for better leadership and deeper connection.

Hall of fame speaker Bruce Turkel is interviewed by Relevant Speaker intern, Andie Bennett.  Bruce and Andie talk all things brand building, speaking and competitive advantage. Bruce lays it down how to prove your value, manage expectations with clients and make the best of all situations.  This is a valuable conversation that you don't want to miss.  Learn more about Bruce at https://bruceturkel.com/

In this episode, Ty Bennett is joined by speaking mogul, Stacey Hanke.  Stacey shares insight on how to treat your speaking as a business and shares her success in what she has built.  She has carved out a very successful speaking and training business by asking the right questions to keep the momentum going and continually adding value.  Learn from her killer instincts and work ethic and help your own business grow. She drops some bombs on how to keep growing and succeeding.  Learn more about Stacey Hanke at https://staceyhankeinc.com/

In this heartfelt episode of Relevant Speaker, host Julie Lee sits down with Debbie Engebretsen, a passionate advocate for creating supportive work environments for employees dealing with loss. Debbie, an expert in grief and bereavement in the workplace, shares insights on how companies can better understand the emotional and psychological needs of their staff during times of personal hardship. From providing resources to fostering a compassionate culture, Debbie offers practical advice for managers and HR professionals on how to create an environment where grieving employees feel seen, supported, and valued. Tune in for a powerful discussion on how businesses can bridge the gap between productivity and empathy during life's most difficult moments.

Diana Kander is a refugee, lawyer, serial entrepreneur, consultant and now keynote speaker. Self described as "scrappy", Diana explains how she sped up the learning curve on how she cracked into the speaking world.  Diana's "can-do" attitude is contagious and we can all learn from her curiosity and candor. She shares great tips on how to improve your craft and be a life-long learner. Learn more about Diana at https://dianakander.com/ or follow her on Instagram @dianakander

In this engaging podcast episode, Julie Lee, the Head of Coaching at Relevant Speaker, sits down with Derek Oaks, a former Air Force fighter pilot turned corporate leadership consultant and speaker. Derek shares insights from his remarkable career, highlighting how the high-stakes environment of flying combat missions has shaped his approach to leadership and decision-making. Derek draws parallels between the pressure of flying missions and the challenges faced in the corporate world, emphasizing how lessons from the cockpit can translate into effective leadership practices. Derek's unique perspective offers inspiration for anyone looking to transition into the speaking industry. Find out more about Derek at https://www.derekoaks.com/

Dive into the business side of being a keynote speaker with speaking expert, David Avrin.  David brings his 25+ years of knowledge into training other speakers to find success on the business side of being a speaker. How do we make this career sustainable and profitable?  David and Ty dig into the nitty gritty of how to make it and keep it.  Find out more about David at https://www.davidavrin.com/

How do you add more value in what you bring to the client?  How do you upsell to make the most out of an event?  How do you make the client your partner in making the event a win for everyone?  Join me in this conversation with speaker, MC, event DJ and game show host, Rob Ferre and learn a very valuable skill to take your speaking business to the next level.  Learn more about Rob at https://robferre.com/

Julie Lee, Head of Coaching, sits down for a conversation with Sean Bott, a speaker, mentalist, and friend renowned for his expertise in fostering connection and belonging through the subtle art of mentalism, empathy, and psychology. Julie and Sean as they delve deep into the realms of human perception, exploring how understanding the nuances of empathy and psychology can transform relationships, enhance communication, and cultivate genuine connections in both personal and professional spheres. Through Sean's unique insights and real-life anecdotes, listeners will gain invaluable perspectives on harnessing the power of empathy to navigate the complexities of human interaction and foster authentic belonging in a world hungry for genuine connection.

Join Donney Salazar as he speaks with Bryan Clarke and William Grader about the system they created to help speakers funnel clients into their platform and help them achieve their goal – getting paid speaking gigs. You are only as good as the systems you have in place.  Bryan and William broke down the Million Dollar Keynote Formula to create the most efficient systems to aid in the process.  Great listen for speakers trying to grow their business. 

Listen to Ty's conversation with Ben Ward as we discuss his movement into the speaking business.  Ben explains how he has found success in a competitive business, how he has improved his craft and himself to position himself for success.  Ben knows how to put in the hustle to come out on top. Find out more about Ben at benward.com

I was able to sit down with speaker, Julie Lee, who is our new Head of Coaching at Relevant Speaker.  Julie came up through the Relevant Speaking program and used the skills and tools she acquired to create a thriving speaking business.  Julie and I talk how she has created her own success and what worked in getting her booked consistently.  This is a great instructional conversation and definitely worth a listen.  Find out more about Julie at https://www.julieleespeaks.com/

In this episode Sydne Jacques shares her journey in speaking and how discovering her niche created a successful path for her as a speaker. This episode is full of great takeaways and actionable ideas from a very relevant speaker whose business is thriving in the current market. Find out more about Sydne at https://www.sydnespeaks.com/  

Ty discusses all things video with Tyler McCullouch in this episode. Tyler is a full time videographer, owner of Cardinal Red productions and the in house videographer for Relevant Speaker.  On this episode they discuss Demo videos, promotional videos, how to capture video and much more to stay relevant and get booked.

Donney Salazar is the CEO of The Relevant Speaker brand, an author, keynote speaker and amazing person. Donney has an amazing back-story that greatly impacts the speaker and leader that he is today. Donney has some great perspective of the importance of adaptability as a successful speaker and staying relevant in the speaking business.

Join Chad and Ty as they discuss today's speaking market, how to change your mindset to fit your client's needs and create your own success. Chad lays out a brilliant formula how to connect with the client to meet them where they are.

On this episode of the Relevant Speaker Podcast, Ty is sharing 10 Tips to Take Your Presentation to The Next Level. This will be helpful if you are a speaker or give presentations in any form.

On this episode Ty sits down with speaker and professional storyteller, Kelly Swanson. Ty and Kelly come at storytelling from different angles, but both share their knowledge on how to leverage the power of storytelling to become more influential. Tune in to fine tune your storytelling. Find out more about Kelly at https://motivationalspeakerkellyswanson.com/

Media interviews can be a great way to get your name out there and grow your credibility for your speaking career. On this episode of The Relevant Speaker Podcast, Ty sits down with media guru, Michelle McCullough and learns all the tips and tricks of how to land great interviews to further your reach. Find out more from Michelle at speakmichelle.com

On this episode of The Relevant Speaker Podcast, Chad Hymas and I are sharing 15 ways to leverage a speech to turn it into additional speeches. This is the practical, relevant secret sauce.

We are back with Episode 3 of The Relevant Speaker Podcast and on today's episode I share how I transitioned into speaking and how I ended up on stage with President Bush and President Clinton! This podcast is for everyone interested in the speaking industry.

Co-host Chad Hymas continues his incredible story of how he got to where he is as a speaker. Learn how a tragic accident took Chad from farmer to world-renowned speaker and all the things he learned that brought him success.

Co-host Chad Hymas has an incredible story of how he got to where he is as a speaker. Learn how a tragic accident took Chad from farmer to world-renowned speaker and all the things he learned that brought him success. Check out episode 2 for the second part of Chad's story.