I hosted my first ever large live event June 7 and 8th in New York City, called Tapped to Speak LIVE. The goal: Give people the insight, tools, and conditions to discover their TED-worthy talk. And since it was my first time, I did what anyone with big dreams for their first event does—namely, get…

There are lots of great reasons to do a TEDx talk: It’s instant cred, a powerful thought leadership platform, a public speaker’s calling card, a way to reach and inspire millions. All great reasons. But what really comes about as a result? There is no direct TEDx-to-sales conversion, nor is that the reason to do…

The only thing more stunning than walking into the Kauffman Center in Kansas City when it’s full of people is when you’re the only one there. That’s where I stood, slack-jawed and awestruck on Saturday afternoon, August 29, 2015, hours before the thousands descended…

I work with people of all backgrounds and businesses who have something to say and are dying to say it. They want to do media and launch podcasts, give talks and write books. They want to “put themselves out there.” If there were two words that literally every person says to me, it’s that they…

I was giving a presentation the other day to a roomful of authors and people who work with authors. The topic? Why every author needs a TEDx talk. (Because they do.) One woman raised her hand and said she’d been having trouble getting her own TEDx idea accepted. She assumed it was because she didn’t…

If you’re a speaker, or would like to be, chances are you watch other speakers with a very keen eye. Maybe you scrutinize the bio. Watch the way they carry themselves on stage. Maybe you judge them based on how relatable they are, or how useful their content is. And if we’re being honest, you…

I was at a party last year that was attended mainly by authors, agents, and PR people. And one of the authors heard that I helped people create their TEDx talks. “Isn’t TED kind of played out,” she said, poking at her gin and tonic with a straw. It wasn’t a question. “Why do you…

There’s nothing like getting tapped to speak at an event or conference—it’s not only nice to be asked, but it speaks volumes about what people think of you: That you have something of value to share with their community, and they want it. That said, there are three questions I ask myself before I accept,…