Grow Your Public Speaking Business

Hosted by Wendi McNeill

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200

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Hosted by Wendi McNeill, founder of Charli Jane Speakers® since 2002. Whether you’re just getting started or already on stage, this show gives you simple, practical steps to get booked: talk titles, one-sheets, pitching, finding real opportunities, and growing a speaking business that lasts. New episodes regularly, with the audio player and show notes for every episode at: https://charlijane.com/public-speaking-business-podcast/

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60 recent

November 1, 2026Episode 20421 min

#204 - I Told Claude, “This Feels Like Just Another App.” Here’s What That Has to Do With Getting Booked.

Wendi told Claude "this feels like just another app," and that one sentence was her whole design brief. In this episode, she shares why describing how something should feel is a skill event planners use too, and how to help them picture the room when they are deciding who to book. In this episode: - Why "this feels like just another app" was a useful brief - How planners describe the experience they want, not the topic - Why two speakers on the same topic can feel completely different in the room - How video, testimonials and talk descriptions show the experience you create - Why you don't need to invent a stage persona - A momentum move for this week: finish "What does it feel like to be in the room with me?" Mentioned in this episode: Build Your Bookable Talk Challenge: https://charlijane.samcart.com/products/keynote-outline Take the Who Books Me? Challenge: https://charlijane.samcart.com/products/who-books-me-challenge Join our free Facebook group for speakers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/breakthroughpublicspeakers Read the full post and the Q&A: https://charlijane.com/204

October 25, 2026Episode 20321 min

#203 - I Told AI I’d Rather Drive Around Chicago Than Through It. Here’s What That Has to Do With Getting Booked.

Wendi and Mark like Chicago. They just don't like driving through it. In this episode, Wendi shares what happened when she asked Sage (aka ChatGPT) for a route that avoided the traffic, and why that same "best for what?" question shapes how event planners choose a speaker. Fit, not fame, is the point. In this episode: - Why the fastest route and the best route are not the same thing - Why "best leadership speaker" doesn't mean much without a room, a budget and a goal - How a planner's real criteria start showing up after "I need a speaker" - Why the "nots" in a planner's request are useful clues for you - How to show your fit with details about your audience, situation, style, outcome and credibility - A five-sentence exercise to try this week: "I'm an especially good fit when..." Mentioned in this episode: Charli Jane Speakers Club: https://charlijane.com/charli-jane-speakers-club-2 Take the Who Books Me? Challenge: https://charlijane.samcart.com/products/who-books-me-challenge Join our free Facebook group for speakers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/breakthroughpublicspeakers Get the event list looking for speakers here: https://charlijane.com/call-for-speakers/ Read the full post and the Q&A: https://charlijane.com/203

October 18, 2026Episode 20214 min

#202 - I Told AI I Wanted to Wear Shorts in January. Here’s Why Speakers Should Care

Wendi wanted one thing this winter: shorts and a T-shirt in January, no coat required. She didn't know the right search terms for it, so she just told ChatGPT what she wanted and let the conversation sort out the rest. Turns out, that's exactly how a lot of event planners search for speakers too, and it changes what your website needs to say. In this episode: Why Wendi skipped searching for "RV resorts" or "snowbird communities" and just described what she wanted instead How event planners often describe their problem, not your topic name The difference between your topic (the label) and their problem (the search) Why phrases like "transformational leadership" may need translating into real, Tuesday-afternoon language A simple exercise to hear your expertise the way your buyer actually talks about it A small, one sentence fix you can add to your website this week Mentioned in this episode: The Speaker Positioning Suite: https://charlijane.samcart.com/products/speaker-positioning-suite Take the Who Books Me? Challenge: https://charlijane.samcart.com/products/who-books-me-challenge Join our free Facebook group for speakers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/breakthroughpublicspeakers Read the full post and the Q&A: https://charlijane.com/202 Free list of events looking for speakers today: https://charlijane.com/call-for-speakers

October 11, 2026Episode 20112 min

#201 - I Asked AI Where to Eat. Here’s What That Has to Do With Getting Booked.

Wendi was driving through Wisconsin and asked ChatGPT where to grab food and a beer, no business name, just a description of what she wanted. That little moment got her thinking about how event planners might be doing the exact same thing when they look for speakers. In this episode, she breaks down what that shift means for how speakers get found, and what it takes to actually get chosen once you are. In this episode: - Why Wendi asked AI for a restaurant instead of searching Google, and what happened next - How event planners may describe a need instead of searching a speaker's name - Why vague phrases like "I inspire people" leave AI and humans with nothing to work with - What "Built to Be Found" really means for your website, bio, and talk titles - Why being found is only half the job, and what helps move a planner toward a yes - A simple exercise to see if your online presence gives enough clues about you Take the Who Books Me? Challenge: https://charlijane.samcart.com/products/who-books-me-challenge Join our free Facebook group for speakers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/breakthroughpublicspeakers Read the full post and the Q&A: https://charlijane.com/201 List of events looking for speakers: https://charlijane.com/call-for-speakers/

September 6, 2026Episode 20016 min

#200 - Can AI and Event Planners Clearly Understand What You Speak About?

You may know exactly what you speak about, but can a planner who has never met you understand it in seconds? Wendi explains why broad topics are difficult to evaluate, the four pieces planners need to see, and a five-second test that reveals whether your speaker message is as clear as you think it is. Show notes: Why broad topics name a category but not necessarily a fit The four things planners need to understand quickly How public content helps humans and AI tools interpret your expertise Why specificity does not trap you in one niche forever Where your central speaker message should appear The five-second speaker-page test A simple sentence for clarifying audience, problem, and outcome Explore both paths inside the Charli Jane Speakers Club at https://charlijane.com/charli-jane-speakers-club/ . Begin with STAGE if your foundation needs clarity, then move into the Get Booked path when you are ready to pursue opportunities. Our Facebook Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/breakthroughpublicspeakers

August 30, 2026Episode 19917 min

#199 - How Event Planners Are Finding Speakers in the AI Era

In this episode: How AI tools can compress an event planner’s early research What search tools need to understand about your speaker business Why an SEO plugin cannot fix vague positioning Why discoverability does not replace pitching and follow-up Five practical checks for your speaker presence How the challenge has changed from Yahoo and Google in 2002 to AI search today Explore both paths inside the Charli Jane Speakers Club: https://charlijane.com/charli-jane-speakers-club/ If enrollment is closed, join the waitlist to hear when the doors reopen. Join our Facebook group here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/breakthroughpublicspeakers Speakers needed here: h ttps://charlijane.com/call-for-speakers Companion blog post is here. https://charlijane.com/199

August 23, 2026Episode 1987 min

#198 - The Speaker One-Sheet That Actually Gets You Booked

Episode Title: The Speaker One-Sheet That Actually Gets You Booked Your speaker one-sheet shouldn’t be a résumé squeezed onto one page. It has one job: help an event planner quickly understand who you are, what you speak about, and why you’re worth a closer look. In this episode, I’m breaking down what makes a speaker one-sheet actually work and what to keep, what to cut, and how to make the right information stand out without overwhelming the person reading it. In This Episode: Why most speaker one-sheets are built for the speaker instead of the event planner The three things a planner needs to understand quickly Why more credentials don’t always make a stronger one-sheet How curated credibility can be more powerful than listing everything you’ve ever done Why one clear call to action makes you easier to book A simple way to review your current one-sheet with fresh eyes Free Resource 🎁 Grab my free 20+ Events Looking for Speakers list and discover real speaking opportunities you can start exploring now. 👉 https://charlijane.com/call-for-speakers/ Ready to Get Booked? Inside Charli Jane Speakers Club, we help you build speaker assets, find the right opportunities, and create a repeatable system to get yourself in front of event planners. 👉 https://charlijane.com/charli-jane-speakers-club/

August 13, 2026Episode 1977 min

#197 - How to Write a Talk Title That Makes Event Planners Stop Scrolling

How to Write a Talk Title That Makes Event Planners Stop Scrolling Show Notes: For years, I held onto something comfortable that wasn’t serving me anymore. Speakers often do the same thing with their talk titles, clinging to broad, safe, familiar language because at least it can’t be wrong. But here’s the quiet cost of that safety: a title that can’t be wrong also can’t be chosen for being exactly right. In this episode, I’m breaking down what makes a talk title stop an event planner’s scroll and the three things every bookable title needs to do. In this episode: Why broad talk titles disappear into the noise What safe, familiar language may be quietly costing you The three-part formula for a specific, memorable, bookable title Why your title needs to survive a committee meeting Your doable momentum move: write three new versions of your title this week Free Resource 🎁 Ready to pitch your new title to real stages? Grab my free list of 20 Events Looking for Speakers, featuring real opportunities actively seeking speakers right now. 👉 Get the Free List https://charlijane.com/call-for-speakers Ready to go deeper? Inside the Charli Jane Speakers Club, you’ll find weekly speaking opportunities, tools to strengthen your pitches, and the Booking Command Center to help you turn the right leads into real booking momentum. 👉 Learn more about Charli Jane Speakers Club Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/breakthroughpublicspeakers

June 21, 2026Episode 1967 min

#196 - One Talk, Multiple Revenue Streams — How to Make Your Message Work Harder

One Talk, Multiple Revenue Streams — How to Make Your Message Work Harder I was seventeen years old when I went to Camp Okontoe and something shifted. You never know when those moments are coming — you just show up, a little nervous, and somewhere in the middle of an ordinary moment, a door opens. That's what your signature talk is. Not just a keynote. A door. And behind it is an entire world of ways to serve the people who need what you carry. In this episode, I'm talking about how to make your existing talk work harder and how one framework, packaged intentionally, becomes a full revenue engine. In this episode: Why your signature talk is your most valuable business asset What's already hiding inside your framework that you haven't packaged yet The natural revenue streams that flow from every signature talk Why you don't need new content, just new packaging Your doable momentum move, identify one offer you could build from what you already have Ready to go deeper? Inside Charli Jane Speakers Club, we help you build the whole revenue engine from your message and give you AI-powered tools to keep finding the stages that fuel it. 👉 charlijane.com Keep Inspiring, Wendi

May 31, 2026Episode 1957 min

#195 - Stop Waiting to Be Discovered: How to Build a Real Speaking Pipeline

Stop Waiting to Be Discovered: How to Build a Real Speaking Pipeline For years, while I was building Charli Jane Speakers, my husband was on the road climbing cellular towers, gone for weeks at a time. I was home holding the fort, building something, and waiting for the season to shift. What that season taught me is that hope is not a strategy. Purposeful, consistent action is what moves things forward. And it's exactly what builds a speaking pipeline. In this episode, I'm talking about the shift from waiting to building and the simple pipeline approach that has helped speakers go from invisible to consistently booked over 24 years. In this episode: Why getting ready and getting booked are two very different seasons What a real speaking pipeline actually looks like The Dream 25: How to build a targeted, reachable opportunity list How to reach out with warmth and specificity instead of cold generic pitches Your doable momentum move starts your Dream 25 this week Ready to go deeper? Inside Charli Jane Speakers Club, our AI-powered Booking Strategist Tool researches real opportunities and returns organizer contact details so your pipeline is always full of the right people. 👉 charlijane.com