Lessons and Recaps From My First In-Person Keynote

Hey Friend!

I just recently did my very first keynote speaking event on how to get leads from podcasting. If you had asked me a year ago I would have said no and made every excuse why I couldn’t do this all based around fear.

But I did it and I’m so excited to be on the other side of this experience. I want to share with you what I learned from doing this keynote event.

My Keynote Experience

I want to recap and relive this keynote experience with you because there are so many lessons I took away from this really big scary yes.

In the past, I have done some small snippets of public speaking in my network marketing days, but it was very small and structured and always what they told me to say. The largest room was probably around 100 people, but again it was prewritten for me. On top of that , these situations were over 10 years ago.

With my business I have now, I had it in my head that I would not doing any public speaking and staying safe behind my microphone. For so many years this was true and I didn’t do any in person speaking. Then this year things started shifting.

Small Steps To Build My Confidence Before The Keynote

These small opportunities started popping up for me to do public speaking. I did a small retreat for 38 women with my friend Chelsi Jo so I was very comfortable with that. As the months went on, I felt like God was preparing me for something bigger. I actually got asked to read the devotionals at my son’s basketball game and I didn’t want to be on that “stage” but I said yes. I knew that I could read something in front of people, but I still found my heart pounding in my chest. That might even sound funny as I talk to thousands of women on my podcast all the time, but there was some kind of block in my mind around in-person events.

Devotionals as Practice

I started reading the devotionals and became more comfortable. Then my kids PTO asked me to be the facilitator for a Halloween event so again I was holding a microphone talking in front of people. After each event, I felt great and I heard little confirmations from other people that made me feel more confident. Then a big one came and my large church with 1000 people per service asked me to speak. I was asked to read the devotional and I really wanted to say no, so I sat on it for a day. Talking to my husband I realized I needed to do it because it was simple and glorifying to God. My biggest fear was that they would hear my voice shaking or I would do something embarrassing.

I started praying that God would help me speak and it would be glorifying to Him. I prayed for calm confidence. It was important for me to learn to harness that excited energy and still sound calm. After 3 services I was really feeling good and leaning in.

Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

3 months later I joined a mastermind program because I wanted to learn to travel alone. I started going to LA and really connected with Lisa who was a realtor. She told me she was hosting a really big event for realtors and wanted to know if I would come and teach podcasting. Instantly I tried to make excuses and get out of it.

She let it go for a little bit, but a month later she asked me again and I could feel the internal dialogue about whether I should stay comfortable or do it. I talked to some friends and talked to God and decided to say yes.

The event was coming close and realized I really was doing a keynote. I got serious and built my slide deck and ran through it, but I still felt so much apprehension about it. I was still looking for excuses to not do it and find a way to get out of the discomfort.

Preparation for the Upcoming Event

About 6 weeks before the event I started deeply praying about showing up as a vessel for God. That it was about Him and not me. I continued to run through my slide deck and get comfortable with it. Before I knew it I was sitting down on the plane. I wrote down in my notebook these things:

• What do I want to get out of this event?

I wrote that I wanted practice speaking, confidence, joy, and I wanted to have fun traveling alone. I’ve learned to really enjoy traveling alone and realizing there’s rest in doing things by yourself.

• What feeling do I want to embody on stage?

I wrote down funny, easy, and confident.

• This event will be worth it when what?

I wrote when I show up, have fun, and deliver my message. That’s all I needed for it to feel worth it, but I was still going to get some other fun perks like professional photography.

Day 1 of My Keynote Experience

I show up to the first day of the keynote experience and it was warm and really well done. I’m watching the speakers and loving the way to room is set up. I see the photographers and videographers which was intimidating but overall it felt like such a great place to do this.

During our lunch break, I meet another speaker and we talk about all the ways to attract clients. Just meeting this one speaker alone made the trip so worth it. I learned so much from him and the things he shared. At this point, I’m only an hour and a half into the event.

As we finish lunch and get back to the speakers, a couple is speaking on the topic of fear. One of the questions asked was “What can go right?” I tend to go to the negative and more of the “what can go wrong?” They also mentioned pausing and muting your fear. As fear comes in you pause and then you mute it because if there’s fear, there’s something inside that for you. There is fruit inside that fear. You have to go inside the fear to get the fruit. I also loved the expression they said “When you get stuck, get grateful.”

It was great to get to listen to these other great speakers and to also give them advice for their business.

The Day I Actually Speak

As I’m putting my makeup on, I’m going through my slide deck and I’m messing it all up. I can’t remember what I wanted to say and the slides weren’t in order so things were messy. By this point, I was panicking and almost on the verge of tears.

I text my close friends and asked for prayers for calm confidence. My anxiety and nerves were really building up so it was so nice to hear my people speak life over me. I learned I could not be by myself because I was creating so many stories about what was going to go wrong.

I decided to go early to the event to organize the slides and check things like the mic so I could get out of my own way. The second I was around other people I felt this super calm peace come over me. I decided to just be part of the conference and take out the “bigness” of it all. I sat down and took notes from the other speakers, which honestly spoke so much to where I was at this time.

Time For Me To Go On

After lunch was my time to go on, and I continued to stay around people. There we were 10 minutes before I had to be on stage so I refreshed my makeup, mic-ed up, and got some water. I continued to pray for that calm confidence and that I would share the message God wanted me to share.

Right off the bat, the speaker introduced me to the crowd by mispronouncing my last name, but it gave me the best opportunity to break the ice with a joke and get everyone laughing. I also walked out to some Christian rap because you know that’s my vibe. When I walked out I truly felt safe and clear-minded.

I started my speech and honestly, I smashed it. I had so much fun and I didn’t even have to look at my notes. People were taking notes and we broke for some power coaching with their tables. It was so much fun and the absolute best time ever. I loved it so much.

At the end, I put my QR code on the screen and pretty much everyone had their phone up to scan it, and then everyone said the QR code didn’t work. I gave them the link instead and thought “If this is the worst thing that happens, great.”

Leaving To Catch My Flight

After I finished my keynote, I had to hurry to catch my shuttle to the airport. People were wanting to talk and I would have loved to stay and network, so I would definitely change that for next time.

One lady even followed me into the elevator telling me how she was going to buy the courses and get started with podcasting. I knew this had to have really resonated with this crowd for them to be so on fire.

Feedback From The Event Coordinator

On my way to the airport, I texted Lisa and just mentioned what a great time I had and next time I would schedule my flights better, and that I hoped the message really resonated with the audience. This is what she sent me

“You were so amazing. Like Amy Porterfield amazing. People loved it. I’m getting pulled aside by people telling me how impactful it was. You were a 15k speaker quality. Thank you so much for coming.”

This felt so amazing to hear this feedback on my very first keynote. Everything I had been doing over the years came together to show me I could do this. I’m called to do this work and I don’t need to worry about how I do it – God has that part.

I also got a text from the main keynote speaker that said “The only thing you should ever do for the rest of your life is speak.” It was so kind to hear them say this to me. I was over the moon that I did it and it went really well.  

Going Back to My Journal After The Keynote

On the way to the conference, I wrote down those questions in my journal on the plane. So on the way back, I revisited these questions.

1. What do I want to get out of this conference?

So what did I get out of it? I wrote down “It’s hard having your dreams come true.” If we are going to reach our dreams and goals, it’s going to be the hardest thing we do. I had to unlock fear to get here. I gained confidence that I am a good speaker and what I said was meaningful and helpful.

2. What feeling do I want to embody on stage?

I wrote down confident, easy, and funny. The actual feeling I felt on stage was a funny, confident speaker. It was cool to see that be exactly how I came across. I wanted the way I captured their attention to be humor and relatability and I think I did that through stories that came to me out of nowhere. They were not in my notes so I know it was God.

3. This trip will be worth it when..?

I originally wrote when I show up, have fun, and confidently share my message. After the keynote, I wrote down that this trip was worth it because God showed up. He gave me so many gifts. I was able to sleep on the planes which was a blessing, I made friends, overcame my fear, and had fun, it was encouraging and confirming for me. That trip was life.

I wanted to share this with you today because I’m scared too.

Take The Next Best Step For You

No matter what new thing we are called to, it’s uncomfortable and it’s big. It’s audacious. Whether it’s getting clarity, maybe it’s starting the podcast, maybe it’s something else. You’ve made excuses for why it can’t work and why you don’t have time. I want you to ask yourself these questions:

• What if it goes right?
• How can this be easy?

These two questions can forever shift the trajectory of the way you are going and growing. There is so much fruit on the other side for you. The narrative that you “can’t” is not from God. I was trying to stay safe and small, but sister we are not called to stay. We are called to glorify God with our gifts. In order to fulfill our purpose and calling, we have to go and grow and do and meet. The only thing standing in our way is the belief about the outcome, that hasn’t even happened yet.

All we have to do is shift our thinking from no to yes. From I won’t to I will. From maybe later to , let’s do this right now.

It will take practice, but it works. This new practice will not become something you just have to do, but it will become your habit and new routine.

If you’re looking for the next right step to grow your business, I invite you to check out the Stefanie Gass school and find the option that helps you step into what God has called you to do!

I pray this blesses you!

Xo,

Stef

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