Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies 391: Claiming Your Identity as a Speaker and Thought Leader [Speak with Confidence Series]
There have been so many times I’ve heard clients tell me, “I’m not a speaker.”
Yet they’ve delivered keynotes and been paid thousands of dollars to do so.
They’re invited to speak at conferences.
They’ve taught classes and workshops for years.
They give presentations at work.
What’s going on? Why do they resist calling themselves a speaker?
Why do we hesitate to claim the identity as a speaker and thought leader?
I’m struggling with this right now, except it’s not about claiming my identity as a speaker, but as a book writer.
There are a few things going on, which I talk about in this episode, along with what you can do to feel more comfortable claiming this identity for yourself and the reasons to do so.
Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/391/
Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
Book mentioned “Atomic Habits”: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break-ebook/dp/B07D23CFGR/
Related Podcast Episodes:
- Episode 371: What to Include in Your Speaker Video Reel and Speaker Page
- Episode 285: 4 Speaker Archetypes: Learn Your Natural Style and Amplify It
- Episode 257: Writing a Book Gives Your Ideas Depth and Longevity with Tiffany Hawk
Become Bookable Live Online Workshop - April 15, 2026
If you want to speak more but you’re not sure where to start or your efforts haven’t produced the results you want, I’m hosting a live online workshop called “Become Bookable: How to Get Speaking Invitations” on Wednesday, April 15th.
A lot of brilliant women assume they just need to pitch themselves more. But the real reason speakers get invited isn’t because they pitch harder — it’s because they’re positioned as bookable.
In this 3-hour interactive workshop live on Zoom, I’ll show you how speakers actually get invited — and help you clarify the positioning that makes event organizers say yes.
As a podcast listener, use the coupon code “Podcast100” to save $100 on your registration.
Learn more and register at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/bookable