"This is the best coaching experience I've had as an entrepreneur."
Enrollment will re-open in Fall 2021.
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You can also email hello@speakingyourbrand.com.
It's time to evolve from speaker to thought leader.
Learn about
the Academy
That means you.
We need more women as thought leaders.
We know that it's through women’s stories, voices, and visibility, we challenge the status quo and change existing systems, to benefit more people.
Your brave and bold message, thought leadership project, and signature talk are key.
The Problem?
You, your business, and what matters to you is getting lost in a sea of online noise and cookie-cutter content.
You know you have a bigger message, but you have lots of ideas swirling around.
How can you stand out and make your presentations and interviews compelling?
How can you make a bigger impact with your message and put more meaning into your business?
How can you be seen as a thought leader and not another {unpaid} speaker?
What differentiates thought leaders from others is having a participatory project: it could be a podcast, a book, an event, or an initiative.
The Solution
You need to position and market yourself as a thought leader, with a bold message, well-crafted signature talk, and visibility plan to attract the right opportunities.
Thought leaders have these elements in common:
- Viewpoint that's interesting & unique
- Open, bold, and direct in their message and communication
- Individual/personal story that they universalize
- Container/project for their thought leadership (this is key!)
- Emotive, real and vulnerable in their content and delivery
Our Thought Leader Academy program provides personalized expert coaching, peer support, training, and accountability.
Why Choose Us?
We know how to make engaging speeches & events. Our summit attendees raved that it was the best virtual event experience they've had. They were glued to their screens!
We have years of experience creating and delivering presentations and we've worked with hundreds of women on theirs.
Our unique Signature Talk Canvas® is a proven framework for creating presentations, whether lead generation webinars or story-driven TED-style talks.
Our founder Carol Cox has been called one of the best speaking coaches out there by a TED organizer who's worked with dozens of coaches worldwide.
Women-Focused
Our mission is to amplify women's voices and develop more women thought leaders and prominent speakers.
This program is a combination of
coaching + training + mastermind
4 month program
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Live & Virtual
We do all of this virtually LIVE on Zoom video and in a private online community, so you can join us no matter where you live. Our groups are small, so you get personalized attention.
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Growth Focused
By the end of the program experience, you'll have the speaking and thought leadership materials in place that will fuel the growth of your business and lead you to bigger opportunities and impact.
What you want to do:
- create your signature talk for brand awareness & lead generation
- craft your TED-style talk
- position yourself as a thought leader
- generate more revenue
- grow your email list & following
- inspire more people & reach bigger audiences
- boost your confidence
- get expert guidance
- build a network with other like-minded women
Who this is ideal for:
- women entrepreneurs & professionals
- have a good understanding of your best audience/clients
- intermediate level of experience & comfort with speaking (you may still get nerves - we'll help you with those! - but you're excited to speak)
- high-achieving action taker
- ready to get better results
- want to create a thought leadership project (podcast, book, event, initiative)
The ROI of Working With Us
I'm a numbers person when it comes to investing in myself and here is the ROI I can share:
My speaker feedback soared through the roof with the changes I made from what I learned from Speaking Your Brand.
I booked 8 paid speaking engagements in 2020 and my average speaking fee was 5x more than it was prior to going through the program. I filled a workshop using their selling techniques, making multiple four figures in tickets.
I have been on countless podcasts due to learning how to connect and pitch, which has sold many more of my books. Totally worth the investment. When you invest, you take it seriously and you apply the learnings. Their knowledge is worth so much more than what they charge.
When I decided to join, I had been speaking intermittently at that point and really wanted to fine tune my signature talk and grow my business.
Carol and Diane are masters and the women that you will meet in the program will also give you a place to learn from them and bounce off ideas to get feedback.
Angela Hosking,
Founder of Her One Tribe, Speaker, Workshop Facilitator, & Author
What We'll Be Doing Together Over 4 Months to
Transform You into a Thought Leader:
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Identify Your Thought Leadership Container
What's the bigger message you want to share and get people behind?
What will be the container for your thought leadership?
In addition to speaking, it could be launching a podcast, writing a book, hosting an event, or creating an initiative that others get involved in.
We'll help you develop your plan and see it through!
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Strategies for Generating Revenue from Speaking and Thought Leadership
Just like your business has a revenue model and marketing strategy, so should your speaking.
You'll work on defining:
- Your speaking fees and packages
- What makes you unique as a speaker
- Your target market (groups and companies)
- Your sales process and negotiation strategies
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Improve Your Stage Presence
You'll learn strategies to enhance your stage presence, including on camera for virtual presentations.
You'll also learn techniques for engaging your audience, so they stay tuned in and rave about you afterwards.
Through exercises and feedback we provide, you'll work on your energy, preparation, mindset, vocal variation, and use of technology and props.
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Create Your Signature Talk
No more boring, same-as-everyone-else presentations. You want your talks to be inspired and memorable.
Using our unique and proven Signature Talk Canvas® presentation framework, you'll learn how to create different types of talks, including:
- Presentations for brand awareness & lead generation
- Webinars for selling
- Keynotes
- Story-Driven / TED-style talks
You'll work on creating your signature talk, which you'll be able to easily repurpose for different audiences, lengths of time, and formats (including virtual).
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Get Known & Get Found: Your Personal Brand and Visibility Plan
You'll work on the promotional materials and visibility plan you need to successfully market yourself as a speaker, including:
- your LinkedIn profile;
- the Speaking page on your website;
- promotion plan for before, during, and after a speaking engagement to leverage social media and visibility.
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Increase Your Confidence
Putting out a bold message can be exhilarating - and sometimes daunting.
By going through the Thought Leader Academy, you'll increase your confidence in your message, your delivery, and yourself.
Getting support and validation from other women can make all the difference - we've seen it with our clients.
How The Program Works
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Live Group Zoom Calls
Weekly live group calls on Zoom on Tuesdays from 3-4 pm Eastern / 12-1 pm Pacific.
Each month you'll get:
Week 1 = Expert Training
Week 2 = Mastermind
Week 3 = Q&A and Coaching
Week 4 = Show & Tell
(Calls will be recorded if you miss any.)
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One-on-One Coaching Option
You can opt to add 4 hours of one-on-one coaching to help you with your thought leadership message, signature talk, visibility plan, and more.
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Private Online Community
You'll have access to video lessons, worksheets, and templates.
You'll have a place to ask questions and get and give feedback.
We use Mighty Networks to host the online community. You can access it via your browser or their (very nice) mobile app.
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Action Plan
You'll get specific homework and action steps for each module that we'll review in our online community site and during the group calls.
Accountability and deadlines are essential elements to getting you from where you are now to where you want to be.
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Ongoing Review & Feedback
Continuous improvement is what we're after. You'll get review and feedback from your facilitators and the other women in the program on your homework, including your presentation slides, audio or video recordings, speaker marketing materials, speaking packages, speaking page, etc.
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Curated Group Participants
The women in the program will be selected who are at a similar level of speaking experience, with similar goals, and who speak on a variety of topics and come from different industries.
We expect you'll get to know each other well and come to rely on each other for input and support.
Monthly Schedule
What Women in Our Programs Have Accomplished
- Getting paid to speak for the first time
- Delivering a TEDx talk
- Attracting higher-profile speaking engagements
- Launching their thought leadership projects
- Being more strategic about what they say 'yes' and 'no' to
- Creating their speaking pages to attract the right opportunities
- Aligning their content with their offers for better lead generation
- Learning specific sales and outreach techniques & templates
- Building confidence in their negotiations and pitching
- Raising their speaking fees to $5,000+
This coaching program has absolutely changed my business. More bookings and higher fees, plus clients now say ‘yes’ without a pause. — Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective®
With this program, you will...
Position yourself as a thought leader with a BOLD message and project.
Join the chorus of BRAVE women who are speaking up.
Go BEYOND the ordinary with a compelling signature talk.
Are you ready to use your voice to change our world?
Meet Some of Our Academy Graduates
I've gotten so much out of this program and am so grateful that I joined. The network is incredible. The women in this group are genuinely supportive and feel like part of my tribe.
Through this program I’ve been able to:
- Launch a podcast
- Create a lead generation webinar
- Implement new coaching services in my business
- Generate enhanced visibility
- Build confidence in my messaging
Your time and your voice are worthy of $$$. TLA is an amazing resource!
— Jackie Roby, Founder of Inspired Journey Consulting
I’ve gained so much confidence and have been able to create content that is able to clearly convey the message I want to share with the world. I can say it’s truly changed my life!
This program has helped me:
- Create my TED-Style and Signature Talk
- Improve my visibility and confidence
- Land several speaking opportunities
- Clearly convey my message
- Connect with and get feedback from other women
Thank you for encouraging me and most of all for creating the absolute most amazing space for women to find and grow their voices.
— Zaribel Clay, Business Owner, Writer & Speaker
Until this program, I’ve never invested in myself professionally. I needed a program like this to motivate me to start thinking of ways to create a professional side hustle. This was the best investment I did for myself.
This program empowered women like me with speaking and thought leadership materials, connected us with like-minded women, and most importantly boosted our confidence with future endeavors.
I consider Carol and Diane to be my "lucky charms" because since the I started the program I've had good things happening to me--diversifying my profile, networking opportunities, and pushing myself to go outside my comfort zone.
— Usha Tewari, Speaker & Advocate
When I joined, my goals were to improve my speaking skills, create a TED-Style talk, and build confidence in my delivery.
While in the program I booked two opportunities to share my TED-style talk, and my confidence in my speaking skills has increased tremendously.
This is the best coaching experience I've had as an entrepreneur.
I am so proud of what we have accomplished independently and together. I can't wait to see how our thought leadership impacts our communities, audiences, and humanity.
— Mary Beth Simon, Owner of Niche Partnership Consulting
I joined the Academy because I wanted to get clarity on my message and how to structure a talk.
You have curated an amazing group. Every week the women in the program inspired me with their courage.
This program gave me the unique experience of being led vs. being the one guiding others. I had a chance to relax into someone else's expert process and finally dig into the core of what I want to express to the world.
If you're an aspiring thought leader and want to get clarity on your message and courage to speak your truth - THIS is the program for you!
— Betsy Jordyn, Owner of a Marketing Agency
I joined the Academy because I wanted to come up with a thought leadership message and see myself as a thought leader in my field.
Now, I have a fully planned ready-to-execute thought leadership project, clarity and feedback on my message, and my signature talk.
You've got me thinking about my business in very tangible ways and getting out of my comfort zone and more importantly HEAD! Your homework has me continuously connecting dots and it's powerful. It's the breakthrough I needed.
This was truly an enjoyable experience! Highly recommend. Very interactive. Love how responsive and attentive the Speaking Your Brand team is.
— Natalie Legrand, Leadership and Social Impact Consultant
Pricing
Tier 1
Includes: Full Academy with weekly calls, training, mastermind, & community
8 spots available
Tier 2
Includes: Full Academy & 4 hours of 1:1 coaching time with our coaches Diane Diaz or Marie Fiebach
6 spots available
Tier 3
Includes: Full Academy & 4 hours of 1:1 coaching time with Founder & CEO Carol Cox
2 spots available
Bonuses Valued at Over $2,400
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Guest Speakers
Additional training with our guest experts on sales, podcast pitching, media pitching & prep, and more.
Value = $1,500+
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Coaching Session
30-minute 1:1 coaching call with our coaches that you can use anytime during the program.
Value = $247
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Podcast Episode
The first 4 women to enroll (in Tier 2 or Tier 3) get an episode on the Speaking Your Brand podcast. An excellent way to showcase your thought leadership message to our audience!
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Webinar Course
You'll get access to our Webinar Idea to Launch course.
Value = $397
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LinkedIn Masterclass
You'll get access to our LinkedIn for Speakers masterclass.
Value = $197
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Summit Recordings
Recordings of the incredible speakers & panels from our virtual summit.
Priceless 😊
The Impact of Expert & Peer Support & Accountability
I knew this coaching program was just the push I needed to level up my speaking skills.
It has been a fantastic experience of personal growth, stepping outside of comfort zones, honing skills, and making meaningful connections.
The women in the mastermind are phenomenal, and we work together to uplift each other.
If it weren't for the group, I would not have created my speaker page or considered a baseline for getting paid to speak.
I am grateful to Carol and Diane for being such great coaches and facilitating the emergence of breakthrough after breakthrough.
This program is a must if you are a speaker and are ready to level up your skills."
Charmaine Gregory, M.D.
Speaker & Workshop Facilitator on Professional Burnout
Meet Your Coaches
Carol Cox
Carol Cox is the founder & CEO of Speaking Your Brand® and host of the Speaking Your Brand® podcast. Carol speaks on women's leadership, women in politics, and business storytelling. During election seasons, she serves as a Democratic political analyst on TV news. Carol has a Master's degree in History and lives in Orlando, FL.
Diane Diaz
Diane Diaz is our lead Speaking Coach with Speaking Your Brand®. She speaks regularly on personal branding, LinkedIn strategy, and women's empowerment. Diane has an extensive background in marketing and branding and is also an Ironman triathlete. Diane has a Master's in Business Administration and lives in Orlando, FL.
Marie Fiebach
Marie Fiebach is one of our Speaking Coaches and also provides media training to our clients. Marie has experience as a keynote speaker and emcee and she is a regular contributor to her local ABC TV station. Marie has a podcast called Feed Your Family Tonight and an active Instagram channel where she shares cooking videos.
Joy Spencer
Joy Spencer is one of our Speaking Coaches and helps our clients with their TED-style and movement-making talks. Joy is a certified executive and leadership coach and uses her C.R.E.A.T.E. framework to help her clients to discover, grow, and offer their gifts to the world. Joy is the host of her podcast called Reframe to Create.
Questions & Answers
The next group will start in Fall 2021.
The weekly live group calls will be held on Tuesdays from 3-4 pm Eastern / 12-1 pm Pacific on Zoom (video).
We strongly encourage you to attend live so you can interact with the other people in the group (you’ll get a lot more out of the program).
If you can’t attend a session, the calls will be recorded.
If you decide to add one-on-one coaching (Tier 2 or Tier 3), you will have 4 hours of coaching time to use during the program.
You can use your coaching sessions to work with your coach on:
- your thought leadership message and project
- your signature talk
- your visibility plan
- your speaking packages
- anything else related to thought leadership and speaking
One-on-one coaching is incredibly valuable to get you out of your head and to accelerate what you're working on.
Your Zoom sessions will be recorded and you'll receive a copy to refer back to.
You will be invited to a private membership site on Mighty Networks for participants of this program only.
In it, you’ll have access to all of the training materials and be able to share what you’re working on, get feedback, ask about conferences and organizations you’re interested in, etc.
Mighty Networks is accessible via your browser as well as a (very nice) mobile app.
We intentionally chose not to use a Facebook group because we want you to be focused and not distracted and we don't like Facebook's policies around data collection and privacy.
It’s the best of all 3.
You’ll get access to training materials (worksheets, templates, short video lessons) we’ve created.
But, this is much more than a course because it’s live and you get support.
You have access to us in the private membership site and during the group and one-on-one coaching calls to ask questions and get direction. We’ll also be personally reviewing your script/slides and audio/video practice of your presentation and giving you feedback.
And, the best part is the group aspect: hearing other people’s perspectives and insights is invaluable in finding your unique angle and making your presentation interesting and memorable.
Plus, we’ll help keep you accountable on your goals and thinking bigger!
We're limiting the size of the group to 16 women, so you’ll have time during the live calls to ask questions and get to know the other women.
Plan on spending about 2-4 hours per week.
That's ok - that's why you're here!
Many of us speak for free for brand awareness and lead generation, which is great.
But, there comes a time when you've gained enough experience and credibility to start asking for money.
This program is going to help you create the speaking materials and packages so you can ask with clarity and confidence.
Not at all! You're going to learn how to create different versions of your signature talk using our unique and proven Signature Talk Canvas.
If you do already have a signature talk (especially if you've worked with us before), you're in an excellent position to hit the ground running.
The program has 3 tiers you can select from:
- Academy
- Academy + 1:1 coaching with our coaches
- Academy + 1:1 coaching with Carol Cox
You can pay in full or you can choose the 4-payment plan option.
You can reserve your spot with your first payment.
Please see the pricing tiers on this page for details.
Upon successful completion of this program, you'll receive a Speaking Your Brand Master Speaker badge.
You can place this badge on your own website (such as on your Speaking page).
You'll also be included on our "Hire a Speaker" page on our website, with your name, photo, topics, and links, so event organizers can contact you.
(Please note that we cannot guarantee any bookings or revenue for you.)
Great! Feel free to email us at hello@speakingyourbrand.com.
Have questions about the program?
How Past Participants Have Benefitted
I've always known that working on my speaking skills was a key part of my business that I needed to invest in. I've spent years listening to Carol's podcast so when the group program opportunity came up I just knew I had to get on board.
The benefits from this program have been immense. I've booked several paid talks since joining and I know it's been because of the group program.
I love the group format as I get to support and the see the progress of the other women, learn more about their expertise and share in their journey.
I would 100% recommend Carol Cox and Diane Diaz for anything speaking related and will definitely call on their expertise again in the future.
— Michelle Gyimah, Speaker & Workshop Facilitator on the Gender Pay Gap in the U.K.
Your group program helped me tremendously, particularly in these areas:
- Accountability makes the goals real.
- The support of other members of the group, especially when impostor syndrome starts lurking in the back of my mind.
- Receiving “The How” to do it was priceless. This last benefit is crucial to your program. Many courses offer nonspecific general advice, but here we received dedicated action steps for each person’s situation.
To me you are the "it" person when it comes to speaking coaches.”
— Carmen Landrau, M.D., Professional Speaker
In your group program, I really benefitted from:
- the valuable collaboration and feedback from other successful women who are experts in their craft
- understanding how to pitch
- how to effectively tell a story and how transition into and out of it
- how to ask for an opportunity to speak
- how to simplify my message so that it’s understood and received properly
This was a valuable program for me both personally and professionally.”
— Jamara Wilson, Founder, Tuxedo Impressions