How Do I Become a Professional or Motivational Speaker, too?

What if everything you think you know about becoming a professional speaker is wrong?

Most aspiring speakers think it's about having a great story, being motivational, or being a natural on stage. They think if they just nail their first keynote, the bookings will follow. They focus on perfecting their bio, building their website, and waiting for someone to "discover" them.

I thought the same thing when I started exploring speaking in late 2016. I had built a business, overcome challenges, and figured I had something valuable to share. What I discovered over the next eight years - including financial near-collapse, ego bruises that took years to heal, and the humbling reality of starting over - is that professional speaking isn't about inspiration at all.

It's about solving problems that people actually pay to solve.

The difference between speakers who struggle for years and those who build sustainable careers isn't talent or charisma. It's understanding the business fundamentals that no one talks about in those "become a motivational speaker" courses.

The brutal truth about the speaking business

Here's what I wish someone had told me in 2016: the speaking industry doesn't need more inspirational messages. It needs more people who can solve specific, measurable problems for organizations.

My journey wasn't quick or pretty. I didn't get a paid gig until 2017, and even then, I only had two that came in from past Compete Every Day customers. It took me until late 2018 to understand the business side. I made under $50,000 in 2019, finally crossed six figures in 2020 (then COVID hit), but the business still doubled that year and has grown every year since.

Today, eight years later, I've earned my Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation - a credential held by fewer than 12% of speakers worldwide. I've generated over $1.5 million from the stage alone, spoken at over 300 events, and worked with some of the world's largest brands. Not to impress you, but to show you this approach works when you commit to the fundamentals

The difference between my early struggles and eventual success came down to three fundamental shifts in how I approached the business. These aren't the typical "follow your passion" platitudes you'll hear elsewhere. These are the practical realities that separate those who make it from those who don't.

1. Get ruthlessly clear on the problem you solve.

Most speakers fail here before they even start. They think their inspiring personal story is enough, or they try to be everything to everyone because they're afraid of limiting their market.

The opposite is true.

The most successful speakers I know can complete this sentence in ten words or less: "I help [specific type of organization] solve [specific problem]."

Not inspire. Not motivate. Solve.

When I started, I thought I helped people "be their best." Useless. Too vague. No one writes a check for "be your best." After years of testing and refining, I can now say: "I help sales-led organizations develop high-performing leaders and teams who compete with themselves instead of making excuses."

Try this: Write down the three most common challenges your ideal clients face that keep them up at night. If you can't name them specifically, you're not ready to speak professionally yet. You need to do more research.

Your personal story matters, but only as evidence that you understand the problem and have a systematic way to solve it. The story gets you in the door; the solution gets you hired back.

2. Test the market before you build the business.

Here's where most speakers burn through their savings and enthusiasm: they spend months crafting the perfect keynote for a problem no one actually pays to solve.

Before I understood this, I created content around "competing every day" that sounded inspiring but didn't translate to bookings. It wasn't until I realized that organizations don't hire speakers to inspire - they hire them to solve performance problems - that my business took off.

The fastest way to test your market is to have conversations with your ideal clients. Not to pitch them, but to understand their challenges. Ask questions like:

• "What's the biggest challenge your team is facing right now?"

• "What would success look like if that problem was solved?"

• "Who else have you brought in to help with this type of issue?"

If three different potential clients describe similar problems and mention they've invested money trying to solve them, you're onto something. If they can't articulate a specific problem or haven't spent money addressing it, keep looking.

The hard reality: If people aren't already paying to solve the problem you address, they probably won't start paying you to solve it either.

3. Invest in coaching, not just content.

This is where egos get crushed and careers get built. Everyone thinks they're good on stage until they work with a professional speaking coach who shows them what they don't know.

I joined a speaking program with 25 other aspiring speakers in my second year. Want to know something that shocked me? Over the years that followed, the majority never really pursued a speaking career. Of those who did, only a handful lasted more than a few years. Today, there are only two of us from that original group still actively building speaking businesses.

The difference wasn't talent or story quality. It was willingness to continue pursuing the path and invest in getting better.

Here's what separates professionals from hobbyists:

• Professionals hire coaches to identify blind spots and improve their craft

• Professionals join peer groups with other speakers at their level for accountability and business strategy

• Professionals treat it like a business with systems for prospecting, follow-up, and continuous improvement

The speaking business has two parts: 1. what happens on stage and 2. what happens off stage. Most people focus 90% of their energy on stage performance and wonder why they can't book consistently.

I currently work with a business coach, participate in two speaker peer groups (one at my level, one with people ahead of me), and invest thousands annually in improving my craft. Not because I'm struggling, but because I want to keep growing.

The National Speakers Association became a game-changer for my business, but not for the reasons you might think. I didn't join to network or find leads. I joined to add value to other speakers first - sharing what I learned, connecting people who could help each other, and asking questions about what was actually working in their businesses.

That approach opened doors I never could have forced open through traditional marketing. When you show up consistently to help others without keeping score, people remember. Some of my biggest opportunities came through relationships I built by focusing on what I could give, not what I could get.

Here's the relationship strategy that accelerated my career:

• Show up regularly to industry events and association meetings

• Come prepared to help others, not pitch yourself

• Ask experienced speakers what they wish they'd known earlier

• Follow through on any advice or introductions they offer

• Stay connected long-term, not just when you need something"

Try this: Before you spend another dollar on marketing materials or website design, invest in working with a speaking coach for at least three months. The return on that investment will outpace everything else combined.

Play the long game with systematic outreach.

Here's the part that kills most speaking careers: the business development.

Speaking is a relationship business disguised as a talent business. You don't get booked because you're the best speaker available. You get booked because someone knows, likes, and trusts you to solve their specific problem.

This means you need systems for:

• Consistent outreach to meeting planners and decision makers

• Building relationships before you need them

• Following up without being pushy

• Staying visible to your target market

In my early days, I thought if I just did great work, referrals would handle everything. Wrong. Even now, with a solid reputation and steady referrals, I still do proactive outreach every week. It's not about desperation - it's about staying connected to my market and understanding how their challenges evolve.

The competitors who last treat business development like training for athletes. You don't skip it because you don't feel like it. You do it because it's what keeps you competitive.

The weekly minimums that changed my business:

• 5 new prospecting contacts

• 3 follow-up messages to existing connections

• 1 piece of content that demonstrates expertise

• 2 hours of learning (podcasts, books, industry research)

Nothing fancy. Nothing that requires special talent. Just consistent execution of business fundamentals.

I rely on SpeakerFlow as my CRM and absolutely love using them since 2021.

Focus on bank account numbers, not social media numbers.

This might be the biggest mindset shift you need to make: likes don't pay bills.

I know speakers with massive social followings who struggle to book paid gigs. I also know speakers with small online presence who command high fees because they're known in their specific market for solving specific problems.

Social media can support your speaking business, but it can't replace the fundamentals of identifying your market, understanding their problems, and building relationships with decision makers.

Here's what actually drives speaking revenue:

• Clarity on your target market

• Proven systems for solving their problems

• Relationships with people who hire speakers

• Consistent outreach and follow-up

• Results you can measure and share

Social media followers care about being entertained. Meeting planners care about solving problems. Design your business around serving meeting planners, not accumulating followers.

The meta-insight that changes everything

After eight years in this business, here's what I've learned: professional speaking isn't about having the perfect story or being the most dynamic pep rally leader. It's about building a systematic approach to helping organizations solve problems they're already trying to solve.

The best speakers I know treat their business like any other professional service. They understand their market, deliver measurable value, and build long-term relationships with clients. The stage time is just the delivery mechanism for the real value they provide.

Most people who ask about getting into speaking are really asking: "How do I get paid to share my story?" But the right question is: "How do I build a business around solving problems that organizations actually pay to solve?"

Make that shift in thinking, and everything else becomes clearer.

Your next move: Don't start with your story or your stage presence. Start with market research. Spend the next month having conversations with people in your target market about their biggest challenges. Only after you understand the problems they're already trying to solve should you craft content to help solve them.

The speaking business rewards those who solve problems, not those who simply inspire. Build your career around being useful, not just motivational.

Want some additional resources? Here's where I'd start (oh and a few of these might include affiliate links).

Books:

• The Successful Speaker by Grant Baldwin

• Steal the Show by Michael Port

• The Referrable Speaker by Michael Port & Andrew Davis

• Make a Scene by Mike Ganino

Podcasts:

• The Speaker Lab Podcast

• Speakernomics by NSA