Making Waves at C-Level: Business Tips for Executives, Leaders, and Entrepreneurs
Thom Singer
777 episodes
2 months ago
Successful executives cannot always play it safe. They make waves. This podcast explores the gap between potential and results in business. This is a show for people who seek career success. If you desire motivation, ideas, inspiration, and the chance to learn from people who are living their dreams, then “Making Waves at C-Level” (Formerly “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do”) should be added to your subscribed “must hear” podcasts. This show was designed to help people get “unstuck” in their careers and are seeking ideas around leadership. Each episode brings you the successful stories of business leaders who have created their own success. Creating the right team, hiring skilled talent, managing other leaders, goal setting, mentorship, mastermind groups, mindset, marketing, sales, millionaires, career path, peak performance, thinking bigger, networking, enthusiasm, re-invention, leveling up, and financial planning are just some of the topics that are covered each week. Thom Singer is an executive search consultant. He is the author of 12 books and has been the featured speaker at over 1000 business and association events. Join him on this journey and become part of the “Making Waves” community. #CEO #leaders #leadership #entrepreneurs #business #biztips
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Successful executives cannot always play it safe. They make waves. This podcast explores the gap between potential and results in business. This is a show for people who seek career success. If you desire motivation, ideas, inspiration, and the chance to learn from people who are living their dreams, then “Making Waves at C-Level” (Formerly “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do”) should be added to your subscribed “must hear” podcasts. This show was designed to help people get “unstuck” in their careers and are seeking ideas around leadership. Each episode brings you the successful stories of business leaders who have created their own success. Creating the right team, hiring skilled talent, managing other leaders, goal setting, mentorship, mastermind groups, mindset, marketing, sales, millionaires, career path, peak performance, thinking bigger, networking, enthusiasm, re-invention, leveling up, and financial planning are just some of the topics that are covered each week. Thom Singer is an executive search consultant. He is the author of 12 books and has been the featured speaker at over 1000 business and association events. Join him on this journey and become part of the “Making Waves” community. #CEO #leaders #leadership #entrepreneurs #business #biztips
Making Waves at C-Level: Business Tips for Executives, Leaders, and Entrepreneurs
14 minutes
2 months ago
How to Become a Professional Speaker
How to Become a Professional Speaker – My Experience and Advice
This episode of Making Waves at C-Level is the audio of a video I made about how to become a professional speaker.
I often get asked, “How do I become a paid professional speaker?” The internet is full of programs promising shortcuts, insider secrets, and magical communities that will make you rich using the spoken word. Some deliver value, but many are designed to separate people with hopes and dreams from their money.
This episode is my opinion based on nearly two decades in the speaking business. If you ask 50 speakers how to make it in this career, you’ll probably get 50 different answers. This is simply my story—what has worked for me and what I’ve seen work for others.
Seventeen years ago, I joined the National Speakers Association (NSA). My career—over 1,000 paid speeches and a sustainable lifestyle business—would not have been possible without NSA. The sessions and keynotes are valuable, but the real gold has been the relationships—my “speaker friends” who work in the business every day. Real community isn’t built in one weekend. I’ve shown up year after year, invested in friendships, and learned directly from people actively speaking for a living. NSA offers new speakers, seasoned pros, and even Hall of Fame members who give back to the industry.
A friend once called for advice. I suggested she attend NSA’s annual conference—less than $3,000 for membership and the event. She chose a $15,000 for-profit group instead, believing it was a shortcut. A year later, the group had essentially dissolved, leaving her without the promised community or ROI. I’m not against for-profits or coaching—I do some coaching myself—but I believe in asking why an organization exists, where the money goes, and whether the people selling advice are actively making a living as speakers.
If you want to build a speaking career that lasts, join your trade association. Surround yourself with working speakers in the lane you want to be in. Learn the lanes of the speaking industry—corporate, association, education, training, Speak-to-Sell, and more—and choose where you’ll focus. Build your reputation over time. Invest in relationships with people who will genuinely help you succeed.
Being a professional speaker isn’t about fairy dust or viral fame. It’s about doing the work year after year, delivering value to your audiences, and being part of a real community. For me, that community has been the National Speakers Association. It might not be for everyone, but if you’re serious about this business, it’s worth exploring.
I’m not the richest or most famous speaker, but I’ve built a career I love, working with clients I respect, and enjoying the lifestyle I want. That’s a win in my book.
Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion and experience. Your path may look different. If you ask 50 speakers how to succeed, you’ll get 50 different answers. Take what resonates, test what works for you, and build your own version of success.
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Making Waves at C-Level: Business Tips for Executives, Leaders, and Entrepreneurs
Successful executives cannot always play it safe. They make waves. This podcast explores the gap between potential and results in business. This is a show for people who seek career success. If you desire motivation, ideas, inspiration, and the chance to learn from people who are living their dreams, then “Making Waves at C-Level” (Formerly “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do”) should be added to your subscribed “must hear” podcasts. This show was designed to help people get “unstuck” in their careers and are seeking ideas around leadership. Each episode brings you the successful stories of business leaders who have created their own success. Creating the right team, hiring skilled talent, managing other leaders, goal setting, mentorship, mastermind groups, mindset, marketing, sales, millionaires, career path, peak performance, thinking bigger, networking, enthusiasm, re-invention, leveling up, and financial planning are just some of the topics that are covered each week. Thom Singer is an executive search consultant. He is the author of 12 books and has been the featured speaker at over 1000 business and association events. Join him on this journey and become part of the “Making Waves” community. #CEO #leaders #leadership #entrepreneurs #business #biztips
