What if your biggest business breakthrough wasn’t hiding in your competitors’ strategies, but in your clients’ feedback? Lyrik Fryer, co-founder of WorkPlay Branding, joins us to talk about what it really takes to build an innovative business that stands out in a crowded market. Rather than following industry norms, Lyrik shares how she and her team built a seven-figure company by listening closely to their customers, questioning traditional business models, and creating solutions no one else was offering.

We dive into the realities of pivoting your business model, making difficult financial decisions to support long-term growth, and why founders often overcomplicate what makes their business unique. If you’ve ever struggled to differentiate yourself or wondered whether your next big idea is worth pursuing, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom.

Stop Looking at Your Competition—Start Listening to Your Clients

With well over a decade in the creative entrepreneurship space, I’ve started to notice that the businesses that are lasting are being built by owners who are deeply listening to the people they’re meant to serve.

As someone who spends my days helping photographers, creatives, and service providers grow into educators, speakers, and thought leaders, I see this play out all the time. It’s easy to assume that the next course you create, the next offer you launch, or the next pivot you make should look like what everyone else is doing. But the entrepreneurs who build businesses with longevity aren’t chasing trends, they’re the ones paying attention to the patterns their own clients keep showing them.

That lesson was woven throughout my entire conversation with Lyrik, and I think it’s one every creative business owner needs to hear.

Your Clients Are Already Pointing You Toward Your Next Best Offer

WorkPlay Branding didn’t start as the company it is today. Like so many creative businesses, it began with a broad list of services. They offered branding packages that included everything from logos and color palettes to photography and brand strategy. Over time, they noticed something interesting about their clients: they weren’t coming back asking for another logo or requesting new color palettes.

They kept coming back because they needed more content. Every new social platform demanded fresh photos and videos. Businesses didn’t simply need a beautiful brand, they needed an ongoing system to create the visual assets that kept their marketing moving forward.

Instead of convincing clients to continue buying services they were less interested in, Lyrik and her team paid attention to what people were naturally asking for. They simplified their offer, leaned into content creation, and eventually built a recurring membership model around that single need.

As multi-passionate entrepreneurs, we can do a lot of different things, which often leads us to believe we should offer all of those things. But your audience is constantly giving you clues about what they value most.

If people consistently hire you for one service, ask you the same questions, or seek your advice on the same topic, don’t dismiss that as coincidence. That’s valuable market research. Sometimes the niche you’re searching for has been right there all along.

Signature Offers Come From Clarity

One thing I see often while coaching creative educators is the pressure to continually add something new: another course, another mastermind, another digital product, or another service. Somewhere along the way, we start believing that growth comes from expanding our offer suite when, in reality, it often comes from refining it.

Lyrik shared that one of the biggest turning points for WorkPlay Branding was making the intentional decision to become known for one thing: creating ongoing media assets for businesses.

In creative industries where we’re capable of wearing so many hats, it can feel both uncomfortable and limiting at first, but clarity isn’t about putting yourself in a box.

Sometimes Building the Business You Want Requires Temporary Sacrifice

Another part of our conversation that I appreciated was Lyrik’s honesty about making difficult business decisions. When WorkPlay shifted from selling large branding packages to a recurring membership model, they knew it would affect their cash flow.

Instead of receiving several thousand dollars every time they signed a new client, they would receive a much smaller monthly payment. That’s a scary decision for any entrepreneur.

But they weren’t making decisions based solely on what would generate the biggest paycheck today. They were building a business that would support the life and the company that they wanted years down the road.

It reminded me of my own transition from photography into education.

When I began focusing more intentionally on coaching, speaking, and building educational programs, I knew it wouldn’t immediately replace the income from my photography business. There was a season where I had to decide whether I wanted to work every waking hour to maintain the same income or intentionally accept a temporary pay cut while building something more scalable.

Neither option is easy, but sometimes sustainable growth asks us to think beyond the next month.

Creative entrepreneurs often underestimate how much courage it takes to build something with long-term vision. We celebrate the finished product without acknowledging the seasons where founders quietly make difficult decisions that no one else sees.

Those seasons matter, as they’re often where the strongest businesses are built.

Stop Using Your Industry as the Blueprint

One of the biggest mindset shifts Lyrik shared was that WorkPlay intentionally stopped looking to the photography industry for answers. Instead, they studied businesses outside their own space.

They looked at companies like Uber and Drybar in order to understand scalable systems, customer experience, and operational efficiency.

I think this is such an important distinction, especially for educators and coaches. When we spend all of our time consuming content from people who do exactly what we do, it’s easy for our ideas to become smaller instead of bigger. We unintentionally start measuring success against someone else’s business model instead of asking what would best serve our own audience.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with learning from your peers. In fact, I believe community is one of the greatest gifts we have as creative entrepreneurs.

Inspiration doesn’t have to come exclusively from your own industry. Sometimes the best ideas come from asking, “How does another industry solve this problem?”

That’s often where innovation begins.

Your Sales Calls Are Full of Product Ideas

One of my favorite practical takeaways from this conversation came when Lyrik shared how WorkPlay is evolving its business again. Rather than sticking with quarterly content shoots, they’re introducing a flexible credit system because of something they kept hearing on sales calls.

Clients weren’t saying they didn’t want the service. They were saying they wanted more flexibility. Some only needed two hours of content instead of a full-day shoot. Others wanted to split their time across multiple locations or events.

Instead of dismissing those objections, the WorkPlay team treated them as valuable feedback. Those conversations became the blueprint for an entirely new offer.

I think that’s a lesson every educator, coach, and creative service provider can apply immediately. How often do we hear objections and automatically assume someone simply isn’t the right fit? What if, instead, those objections reveal an opportunity to improve the client experience?

Not every piece of feedback should change your business, but recurring feedback deserves your attention. Your clients are often telling you exactly how to serve them better.

Brand Trust & Authority Is Earned

As our conversation came to a close, Lyrik talked about becoming more visible as the founder of WorkPlay Branding after spending years quietly building the business behind the scenes. There’s so much conversation today around building a personal brand, and while I absolutely believe founders should show up and share their stories, I also think Lyrik’s journey is a beautiful reminder that visibility works best when it’s supported by substance.

She didn’t spend years trying to become known before she had something meaningful to say. She spent years refining the business, listening to clients, improving the offer, and creating a solution she genuinely believed in.

Now, when she steps onto stages or shares behind-the-scenes content online, she’s not manufacturing authority, she’s documenting it.

The strongest personal brands aren’t built just on perfectly curated content calendars. They’re built on years of experience, thoughtful reflection, and a willingness to share the lessons learned along the way.

Listening Creates Longevity

If there’s one theme that kept coming back throughout this conversation, it’s this: the answers you’re looking for are probably much closer than you think. They’re in:

• your inbox
• your discovery calls
• the conversations you have after speaking on stage
• the questions your students ask inside your membership
• he clients who keep referring their friends because of one specific thing you do exceptionally well

As someone who coaches creative entrepreneurs who are stepping into education and speaking, I’ve found that the entrepreneurs who build businesses with longevity aren’t trying to create something completely revolutionary every six months.

They’re paying attention, noticing patterns, refining instead of reinventing, and they’re building businesses around the people they actually want to serve—not around whatever happens to be trending on social media that week.

There was so much wisdom packed into my conversation with Lyrik, but I keep coming back to one simple idea: stop looking sideways. It’s tempting to believe that the next breakthrough is hidden inside someone else’s launch strategy, content plan, or business model.

More often than not, your next breakthrough is already waiting for you in the conversations you’re having every single day. Listen to your clients, pay attention to what they ask for, notice what they struggle with, and look for the patterns instead of the trends.

Whether you’re building a creative service business, growing an education brand, or stepping into speaking for the first time, stop trying to look like everyone else.

Be brave enough to listen first, build second, and trust that serving their audience well will always be a better strategy than chasing the crowd.

Connect with Lyrik

Lyrik Fryer on Instagram: instagram.com/lyrikanselmo

WorkPlay Branding Website: workplaybranding.com

WorkPlay Branding on Instagram: instagram.com/workplaybranding

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When most business owners think about growth, they usually think about marketing. They think about social media, speaking engagements, email funnels, paid ads, podcasts, partnerships, and networking. Rarely does a book make the top of the list.

But what if a book isn’t just a book? vWhat if it’s a lead-generation tool, a client nurturing tool, a training resource, a credibility builder, and a scalable business asset all rolled into one?

For many educators, coaches, consultants, speakers, and creative entrepreneurs, writing a book feels like a someday project. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs are using books to create leverage, expand their reach, and grow their businesses in ways that simply aren’t possible through one-to-one work alone.

Today, we’re joined by Chandler Bolt of selfpublishing.com to talk about what a book can do for your business! We talk about what makes publishing a book the right choice for a business owner, strategically using your book to bring leads into your business, and the patterns of entrepreneurs who successfully scale their business.

A Book Is More Than a Marketing Tool

One of the biggest mistakes people make is viewing a book as a standalone project.

When approached strategically, a book becomes an asset that supports nearly every area of your business. Instead of creating content that disappears after a few days or weeks, you’re creating something that can continue working for you for years.

A well-positioned business book can help attract leads, nurture prospects, onboard clients, train team members, support speaking opportunities, and establish authority within your industry. Rather than constantly creating from scratch, you have a foundational resource that can be repurposed across multiple platforms and touchpoints.

That’s what makes a book different from many other marketing efforts. The work happens once, but the impact continues long after publication.

Why Self-Publishing Has Changed the Game for Entrepreneurs

For years, many aspiring authors assumed traditional publishing was the only legitimate path to getting a book into the world. Today, that simply isn’t true.

Self-publishing has created opportunities for entrepreneurs to maintain control of their content, publish on their own timeline, and integrate their books directly into their businesses. Instead of waiting for permission from a publishing house, business owners can create a resource that serves their audience and supports their long-term goals.

Companies like SelfPublishing.com have helped thousands of authors navigate this process by providing guidance, structure, and support throughout the publishing journey.

For entrepreneurs in particular, self-publishing offers something incredibly valuable: speed and ownership. Rather than trying to fit your message into someone else’s vision, you have the opportunity to create a book that aligns directly with your expertise, audience, and business model.

The Best Business Books Focus on Strategy, Not Tactics

One of the challenges many business owners face when writing a book is worrying that their content will become outdated. The solution is focusing on strategies rather than tactics.

Tactics change constantly, platforms evolve, and algorithms shift. Marketing trends come and go, but the principles behind success tend to remain much more stable over time.

The strongest business books teach readers how to think, not just what buttons to click.

This often means creating frameworks, processes, and repeatable systems that readers can apply to their own situations. Not only does this make the book more valuable for readers, but it also helps clarify your own methodology.

Many entrepreneurs discover that writing a book forces them to articulate ideas they’ve been teaching informally for years. Concepts that once lived only in conversations suddenly become documented systems that can be shared, taught, and scaled.

Stop Saving Your Best Ideas for Paying Clients

A common fear among educators and service providers is that sharing too much in a book will hurt sales. The opposite is usually true.

Readers don’t buy because information is hidden. They buy because they trust the person providing the information.

When a book delivers genuine value, readers get a preview of what it’s like to learn from you. They experience your teaching style, your expertise, and your way of solving problems. Instead of reducing demand, this often increases it.

The goal isn’t to create a glorified sales brochure. The goal is to create something so helpful that readers naturally want to continue learning from you. Generosity builds trust, and trust creates opportunities.

Choosing the Right Book Topic

Many entrepreneurs don’t struggle with a lack of ideas. They struggle because they have too many.

They have expertise in multiple areas. They’ve built businesses, developed frameworks, overcome challenges, and accumulated years of experience. Choosing one topic can feel almost impossible.

The key is recognizing that your first book doesn’t have to contain everything.

Instead of trying to cover every area of your expertise, focus on the topic that is most aligned with your current business and easiest for you to teach. Often, the best first book is the subject you could talk about endlessly without preparation.

Ironically, it’s frequently the topic entrepreneurs are most tired of discussing because they’ve been teaching it for years. But that’s exactly what makes it valuable.

The topic that feels obvious to you may be the thing your audience desperately needs help understanding. If other ideas are waiting in the wings, they can become future books.

Writing One Book Often Leads to Another

One of the most surprising things about becoming an author is that many people who never imagined writing a book end up writing multiple books.

Before publishing, the process feels overwhelming. The idea of completing a manuscript can seem impossible. After publishing, something shifts.

The mystery disappears. The process becomes familiar. The confidence grows.

Writing a book is much like learning any new skill. The first time requires the most effort because you’re figuring everything out. Once you’ve successfully completed the process, future projects feel much more attainable.

That’s why many authors don’t stop after one book. They realize they have more ideas to share and now have the tools to bring those ideas to life.

Growth Happens When You Create Leverage

At some point, nearly every entrepreneur reaches a crossroads. They’ve built a successful service-based business, but growth starts feeling harder. Their calendar is full. Their income is tied directly to their time. They know they want to scale, but they aren’t sure what the next step looks like.

This is where leverage becomes critical. Leverage allows you to create impact beyond your personal capacity. Instead of helping one person at a time, you begin helping many people at once:

• Books create leverage.
• Speaking creates leverage.
• Courses create leverage.
• Systems create leverage.
• Processes create leverage.

The entrepreneurs who continue growing are often the ones who intentionally create assets that allow their expertise to reach more people without requiring more hours from them.

A book can become one of those assets.

Maybe Writing a Book Isn’t as Risky as You Think

For many aspiring authors, the biggest obstacle isn’t the writing itself. It’s the fear:

• Fear of wasting time.
• Fear of spending money.
• Fear that nobody will read it.
• Fear that it won’t lead to business growth.

But what if the real risk isn’t writing the book?

What if the real risk is spending years thinking about writing one and never starting?

Even if a book never generated a single client, the process of organizing your ideas, clarifying your message, and documenting your expertise has value. The skills you develop, the confidence you gain, and the personal accomplishment of completing the project can’t be taken away.

For many people, writing a book is something they’ve wanted to do for years.

Sometimes the biggest return isn’t just financial. Sometimes it’s finally proving to yourself that you can do something you’ve always wanted to do.

The Two Places Most Aspiring Authors Get Stuck

While every writing journey is different, two roadblocks show up again and again.

The first is never starting. Many aspiring authors spend years waiting for the perfect timing, the perfect schedule, or the perfect idea. They continue pushing the dream further into the future.

The second is stopping before the rough draft is finished.cOnce the initial excitement wears off, momentum becomes the challenge. Life gets busy. Other priorities emerge. The draft sits untouched for weeks or months.

But something powerful happens when that first draft is complete. The project starts feeling real, the finish line becomes visible, the momentum shifts.

For many authors, getting the rough draft done is the turning point that transforms an idea into something tangible.

Ready to Turn Your Expertise Into a Book?

A book won’t solve every business challenge. It won’t magically replace strategy, marketing, or sales. But when approached intentionally, it can become one of the most valuable assets you create.

If you’ve been thinking about writing a book for years—or even just wondering whether your knowledge, experience, or framework could become something bigger—consider this your sign to stop waiting.

Whether your goal is to build authority, create leverage in your business, reach more people, or finally bring a long-held idea to life, a book can be one of the most powerful assets you create.

If you’re looking for support along the way, the team at SelfPublishing.com has helped thousands of entrepreneurs, educators, coaches, and experts take their ideas from rough concepts to published books. Learn more about their process and resources at SelfPublishing.com and explore what it could look like to finally get your book out into the world.

Connect with Chandler

Website: selfpublishing.com

Instagram: instagram.com/chandler.bolt

Youtube: youtube.com/@ChandlerBoltOfficial

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The post 237: Why Self-Publishing Might Be the Most Underrated Growth Tool in Your Business with Chandler Bolt appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

What if the most effective sales strategy isn’t pitching harder, but building trust first? In this episode, I’m breaking down three different ways speakers and educators can sell from the stage, including the method I personally use to consistently generate strong ROI from speaking engagements without delivering a hard pitch.

I walk through the pros and cons of direct stage selling, explain how to create your own sales-friendly stage, and share why I believe the follow-up offer is often the most powerful conversion tool available to entrepreneurs, educators, and speakers.

If you’ve ever wondered how to monetize speaking opportunities while staying authentic to your values, this episode will give you practical frameworks you can apply immediately.

3 Approaches To Selling From the Stage That Actually Work

For many educators, speakers, coaches, and creative entrepreneurs, the idea of selling from the stage can feel uncomfortable.

You know your speaking engagements should support your business. You know there should be some kind of return on the time, energy, and expertise you’re bringing to an audience. But if you’ve ever watched a speaker launch into a pitch that felt more like a commercial than a presentation, you’ve probably wondered if there’s a better way.

The good news is that there isn’t just one way to sell from the stage.

In fact, one of the biggest misconceptions in the speaking industry is that every speaker should follow the same formula. The reality is that the best sales strategy is often the one that aligns with your personality, your audience, and the kind of relationship you want to build with the people in the room.

Whether you’re speaking at conferences, hosting workshops, running webinars, or creating educational experiences for your community, understanding the different ways to sell from the stage can help you choose an approach that feels natural and effective.

The Most Important Rule: Build Trust Before You Sell

Before talking about specific sales strategies, it’s important to understand one thing: every successful stage sale is built on trust. It doesn’t matter whether you’re making a direct offer, hosting your own event, or following up after the presentation. If the audience doesn’t trust you, the sale won’t happen.

Trust is built through valuable education, thoughtful teaching, and genuine connection. It’s earned when you help people solve problems, see things differently, or gain clarity they didn’t have before they walked into the room.

The timing of the sale may vary, but the foundation remains the same.

The speakers who consistently generate revenue from their speaking opportunities aren’t necessarily the most persuasive salespeople. They’re often the people who do the best job of creating trust before they ever ask someone to take the next step.

Option One: The Hard Sell

The first approach is what many people traditionally think of when they hear the phrase “selling from the stage.”

The hard sell is a direct pitch delivered during or immediately after a presentation. The speaker openly shares an offer, explains the investment, presents a clear call to action, and invites attendees to buy.

This approach is especially common when guest speakers have been given explicit permission by the event host to promote their products, programs, or services. For the right speaker, this can work incredibly well. However, the success of a hard sell often comes down to how well the transition is handled.

Don’t Let the Entire Presentation Feel Like a Sales Pitch

One of the biggest mistakes speakers make is creating a presentation that feels like it’s simply building toward the sale.

Audiences are incredibly perceptive. If every story, example, and case study feels like a setup for a future offer, people start to disengage. Instead of focusing on the value being delivered, they begin waiting for the inevitable pitch.

The strongest hard-sell presentations lead with education. They give generously. They solve real problems. They leave attendees feeling like they gained value regardless of whether they buy anything.

When the sale finally comes, it feels like a natural extension of the teaching rather than the primary purpose of the presentation.

Be Intentional With Case Studies and Social Proof

Success stories can be powerful teaching tools, but they can also become disguised sales pitches if they’re not used carefully. There’s a difference between sharing a client story that reinforces a lesson and sharing a client story that exists solely to convince someone to buy. When every example points back to your offer, the audience notices.

The goal should be to use proof in a way that supports the education, not overshadows it.

When done well, attendees leave feeling informed and empowered. When done poorly, they leave feeling like they sat through a commercial.

Option Two: Sell From a Stage You Built Yourself

One of the most overlooked ways to sell from the stage is to create the stage yourself. When people hear this idea, they often imagine hosting a large conference or major event. But your stage can take many forms.

• A webinar is a stage.
• A virtual workshop is a stage.
• A community is a stage.

Even your own event, podcast, or educational platform can become a stage you’ve intentionally built.

The advantage of this approach is that you’re not walking into a room of strangers and trying to establish credibility in a short amount of time. You’ve already spent weeks, months, or even years building trust with the people in that audience.

Because of that, the transition into an offer feels significantly more natural.

Why These Sales Often Feel Easier

When you’ve built the room yourself, you’re controlling the context. The audience already knows who you are. They’ve likely consumed your content, learned from you before, or interacted with your work in some way. They’re not trying to decide whether they trust you. That decision has largely already been made.

As a result, introducing an offer doesn’t feel like a sudden pivot. Instead, it feels like you’re simply showing people the next step.

The conversation becomes less about convincing someone to work with you and more about helping them decide whether they’re ready for deeper support.

Option Three: The Follow-Up Sale

For many educators and service providers, the most effective sales strategy doesn’t happen on stage at all. It happens afterward.

Rather than spending valuable stage time pitching an offer, this approach focuses entirely on teaching, relationship-building, and creating connection. The presentation itself becomes an opportunity to establish credibility and trust, while the sale happens later through intentional follow-up.

This could look like:

• A QR code linking to a free resource
• Access to presentation slides
• A lead magnet or opt-in
• A post-event email sequence
• An invitation to continue the conversation

Instead of asking people to buy immediately, you’re inviting them into your ecosystem.

Why the Follow-Up Often Converts Better

Many speakers assume that if they don’t sell in the room, they’ve missed their chance.

In reality, the opposite is often true. When someone hears you speak, they’re processing a lot of information. They’re taking notes, meeting people, thinking about their own business, and absorbing everything they’ve learned throughout the event.

Giving them time to sit with your message can actually make your offer more compelling.

A thoughtful follow-up allows attendees to revisit what they learned, continue building trust, and make a decision from a place of clarity rather than impulse. In many cases, the most powerful pitch isn’t the one delivered from the stage. It’s the one delivered after the audience has had time to fully appreciate the value you provided.

Stop Measuring Speaking ROI by Immediate Sales

One of the reasons many speakers struggle with selling from the stage is that they measure success too narrowly. If they don’t walk off stage with purchases, applications, or clients immediately in hand, they assume the opportunity didn’t work.

But speaking engagements often create momentum that extends far beyond the event itself.

A single presentation can lead to podcast invitations, referral opportunities, future speaking engagements, consulting inquiries, and client relationships that develop weeks or months later.

When you focus exclusively on immediate sales, it’s easy to miss the bigger picture. The goal isn’t simply to monetize a single presentation. The goal is to build relationships that continue creating opportunities long after the event is over.

Choosing the Right Selling Strategy for You

The best selling strategy isn’t necessarily the one that generates the fastest result. It’s the one that aligns with your strengths Some speakers thrive with a direct offer. They love the energy of a live pitch and feel completely comfortable inviting people to buy on the spot.

Others prefer creating their own stage where the sales process feels more integrated and intentional. And many educators find that follow-up selling allows them to focus entirely on serving the audience while still generating significant business results.

None of these approaches are inherently right or wrong.

What matters most is choosing a strategy that allows you to build trust, serve your audience well, and create opportunities for people to continue working with you.

Sell Through Serving

Selling from the stage doesn’t have to feel pushy, awkward, or disconnected from your teaching. Whether you choose a direct pitch, build your own stage, or focus on follow-up sales, the most successful approach will always start with trust.

When people feel seen, supported, and genuinely helped by your content, the sale becomes much easier because it no longer feels like a sales tactic. It feels like the natural next step.

The question isn’t whether you should sell from the stage. The question is how you can do it in a way that feels authentic to you, valuable to your audience, and aligned with the experience you want to create.

Mentioned in this Episode

Creative Educator Conference: layleeemadi.com/conference

Register for the Masterclass: layleeemadi.com/masterclass26

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The post 236: Selling From the Stage: How Speakers Build Trust and Increase Conversions appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

It’s no secret that the real magic of a conference doesn’t just happen on stage, but also in the coffee line, late-night lobby chats, and the brave conversations in between. Today, we’re joined by Dawn Richardson to recap the 2026 Creative Educator Conference!

We talk about what felt different this year, why creating safe spaces for high-level business owners matters more than ever, and how courage, connection, and community continue to shape the future of this event.

Why Getting in the Room Still Matters

It’s easy to underestimate the value of being physically present in a room full of people who understand what you’re building.

As business owners, educators, speakers, and leaders, so much of our work happens behind a screen. We spend our days creating content, serving clients, launching offers, and making decisions on our own. Even when things are going well, entrepreneurship can feel surprisingly lonely.

That’s why events and conferences matter so much.

Not because they magically solve all your problems, but because they create space for conversations that wouldn’t happen otherwise. They put you in proximity to people who understand your challenges, celebrate your wins, and can offer a perspective you may never have considered on your own.

Sometimes all it takes is one conversation to spark a new idea, uncover a solution you’ve been searching for, or introduce you to someone who becomes a lasting friend and collaborator.

The Real Magic Happens Between the Sessions

The speakers on stage absolutely matter. Great speakers can challenge the way you think, introduce you to new strategies, and inspire you to take action. That’s why I do put a lot of thought into bringing our Creative Educator Conference attendees fresh ideas and faces that will make an impact.

But often, the most meaningful moments happen after the presentation is over.

They happen when a group gathers in the hallway to continue the conversation. They happen when attendees share their experiences, their struggles, and their wins with one another. They happen when someone casually mentions a challenge they’re facing, and five people immediately jump in to help.

Those are the moments that stick and the conversations that lead to podcast interviews, collaborations, referrals, mastermind groups, and friendships that continue for years.

The best events don’t just create opportunities to learn from the people on stage, but they’re creating opportunities to learn from everyone in the room.

Having the Courage to Be Yourself

One of the themes that continues to come up for entrepreneurs and personal brands is the challenge of standing out. Today, content is the easiest it’s ever been to create, so it can feel tempting to blend in or say what everyone else is saying.

The people who make the biggest impact aren’t usually the ones who sound like everyone else. They’re the ones willing to share their perspective, tell their stories, and show up as themselves.

That doesn’t mean sharing every detail of your life online. It simply means allowing your personality, experiences, and values to become part of the way you lead and communicate.

The things that make you different are often the very things that help people connect with you.

Why Smaller Conversations Create Bigger Breakthroughs

There is something special about gathering in a smaller group, so we’ve created a space for that during the conference. When the room gets smaller, people tend to get more honest. Questions get deeper and conversations become more personal. Challenges that might never be shared in a larger setting suddenly find space to surface.

And that’s where so many breakthroughs happen. Sometimes the biggest lesson comes from hearing someone else’s challenge and realizing you’ve been facing the same thing.

Sometimes it’s hearing how another business owner solved a problem you’ve been struggling with for months. And sometimes it’s simply having people remind you that you’re not the only one figuring things out as you go.

Community Becomes More Important as You Grow

There’s a common assumption that once you’ve reached a certain level in business, you don’t need community anymore. The reality is often the opposite.

As your business grows, the decisions become bigger. The responsibilities increase. The stakes feel higher. And it becomes even more important to have people around you who understand what you’re carrying.

The most successful business owners aren’t doing it alone.

They’re learning from peers. They’re building relationships. They’re surrounding themselves with people who can challenge them, support them, and encourage them when they need it most.

Community isn’t something you outgrow. It’s something you need more of.

Step Into the Room

The next time you’re considering whether an event is worth attending, don’t just think about the speaker lineup. Think about the conversations you’ll have. Consider the relationships you’ll build.

Think about the people you’ll meet who might change the way you see your business, your goals, or even yourself. While great education is valuable, the right room can give you something even more powerful: connection.

Sometimes, all it takes is getting in the room to find the people, opportunities, and encouragement you’ve been looking for all along.

Mentioned in this Episode

Creative Educator Conference

Sought-After Speaker System

Connect with Dawn

Website: techsavvycreative.com

Instagram: instagram.com/itsdawnrichardson

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The post 235: Recap of the 2026 Creative Educator Conference ft. Dawn Richardson appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

Sometimes the most aligned thing you can do in business is pause. The Creative Educator Conference is just weeks away, and I need to give it my full attention. Instead of stretching myself thin, I’m taking a brief hiatus from new podcast episodes over the next couple of months. Listen in as I share how this decision directly reflects what I teach about preventing burnout and prioritizing what matters most.

If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being here. If you’re new, welcome—this is a great time to binge some past favorites while we gear up for what’s next.

You could start with our past recaps of The Creative Educator Conference:

198: Recap of the 2025 Creative Educator Conference

121: Recap of The Creative Educator Conference

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The post Taking a Short Podcast Break—Join Me at The Creative Educator Conference appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

How do you make networking not feel gross? In this episode, I chat with my friend and Creative Educator Conference alum Angelica Pompy about the art of intentional relationship building at live events.

If you’ve been at an event with Angelica, you know she has networking down to a science! Angelica shares how she’s used small, intentional moves (like post-event video DMs and setting clear event intentions) to land speaking gigs, workshop collabs, and even sponsorship deals. Her strategies are rooted in genuine connection and service.

If you’ve ever left an event wondering, “Why was I even there?” this conversation will change how you show up next time.

https://youtu.be/wZW5lGWUBt8

Why Most Entrepreneurs Leave Events Feeling Meh

Ever leave an event thinking, “Why did I even come?” That feeling usually stems from one key issue: showing up without a plan. Angelica shares how early on in her entrepreneurial journey, she would leave events feeling disappointed—until she started asking herself why she was going in the first place.

Now, every time she steps into a room, she sets at least one clear intention—whether it’s connecting with three aligned entrepreneurs or pitching herself as a podcast guest. When you go in with an intention, you’re more likely to leave the room feeling good about your decision to be there.

The Power of the Follow-Up

The power of the room doesn’t end when you leave. You need to keep the conversation going. Angelica’s secret weapon when it comes to the follow-up is a personalized video DM. The keyword being personalized.

She’ll say, “Hey girl! I loved connecting at [event name]. I’d love to learn more about how you serve and see how I can support you.”

That one message has led to speaking gigs, co-hosted workshops, and deeper friendships for Angelica. Not only is she expanding her relationship with them outside of the room, she’s reminding them of who she is and where they met, but also opening the doors for them to share more with her.

This isn’t about being fake or pushing your services. It’s about creating space to receive and to serve.

Building Long-Term Wins from Real-Time Moments

At her first Creative Educator Conference, Angelica mentioned to a few attendees that she was looking to be a guest on podcasts. She left with six podcast guest bookings. The best part is that it didn’t feel transactional—it felt aligned.

Later on, her intentionality landed her:

• A recurring workshop co-host
• Speaking opportunities at new conferences
• A full-circle sponsorship moment where an attendee from a past event later joined her retreat
• Her highest profit margin yet at her upcoming Galentine’s event (thanks to relationship-based sponsorships)

Mistakes to Avoid at Events

While we’re always about keeping things positive, it’s important to know what not to do so that you don’t make these mistakes at networking events or conferences. Angelica didn’t hold back about what not to do:

• Showing up with no plan: Know who you want to meet or what you want to get out of the room.
• Being glued to your phone or laptop: It makes you unapproachable—and people notice.
• Not doing your homework: Reach out to past attendees or the host. Make sure this event is aligned with your goals.

If you’re going to invest the time and money, plant your feet and be present. While we may not be saving lives as creative educators, we can unplug for a day.

From DM to Dollar: How Sponsors Say Yes

Angelica also broke down how she’s secured sponsorships—from her nail tech to big brands.

Her process is gold:

• Keep a list of brands you love or have supported
• Ask: “Would their ideal client benefit from being at this event?”
• Reach out personally and present the win-win
• Show proof of impact through your platform or email list engagement

She had one sponsor sign on two days after meeting her in person. It was a no-brainer because of that face-to-face trust.

Set Your Intention, Then Show Up

Whether you’re hosting, attending, or speaking, being intentional with your presence is what unlocks real connections and long-term business growth.

Ask yourself, “What is the purpose of this room for me?” If it doesn’t serve you in this season, give yourself permission to say no.

Mentioned in this Episode

Creative Educator Conference: layleeemadi.com/conference

Connect with Angelica

Website: angelicapompy.com

Business Church: angelicapompy.com/business-church

Instagram: instagram.com/angelicapompy

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The post 234: Event ROI Starts with Relationships: Strategic Networking for Creatives with Angelica Pompy appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

As a long-time podcast host (and even longer-time podcast guest), I can respect the work that goes into creating a show and hosting interviews. Recently, the trust in this process was broken by hosts that simply didn’t value my time or honor the systems of podcasting. In today’s episode, I sit down with my own podcast producer, Haylee Gaffin, to explore the responsibilities of podcast hosts and what guests should expect as they prepare for interviews.

Plus, in honor of this conversation, she’s agreed to share the hidden link to her Podcast Guest Research Assistant Custom GPT with our audience before she adds it to her shop!

Why Being a Prepared Host Matters

Podcasting is more than a place to share your thoughts and ideas; it’s also a platform, reputation, and community builder. For creators, especially those who speak professionally or run businesses tied to their show, how you show up on other people’s platforms matters. But what happens when the host doesn’t show up the way they should?

In five years of hosting and ten years of guesting I’d never experienced an unprepared host until recently—when it happened twice. I was pitched by their team member, prepared myself for the call, and when I jumped into the interview, both hosts were unprepared and ultimately told me the conversation shouldn’t happen right now.

Each experiences and reasons were different, but in both situations, if the host had been a part of the prep, it could have easily been handled before the interview. If I was a competitor of one of their spokespersons, I should have never been pitched. If my topics didn’t speak to their ideal listener, they should have never invited my topics on.

When hosts don’t know the topic, if the guest fits their audience (or their podcast goals), or how to guide the conversation, the guest is left in an awkward position of being asked to reschedule (or preferably pivot). That’s exactly where responsibility as a host becomes a leadership lesson.

The Missed Leadership Opportunity for Podcast Hosts

It’s easy to outsource pitching, scheduling, and even prep to a team member. But if the host isn’t aware of the guest’s topic or alignment, you end up with:

• Awkward interviews
• Mismatched audiences
• Missed value for listeners
• Strained professional relationships

As Haylee points out: the host needs to be the one to approve guests and topics before any external communication happens. If the host doesn’t even know why they want the guest before the pitch goes out—there’s a system breakdown.

What Goes Wrong When A Podcast Host Isn’t Prepared

As a podcast host, I know there is a lot that goes into planning and recording content and mistakes can happen. From my perspective as the guest, here’s what happened in those awkward episodes:

• My team communicated my topics, but the host didn’t get the memo.
• The host showed up unaware of why I was the guest.
• Within minutes of being on the call, it was clear the topics did not fit.
• Host suggested we not move forward with the interview.

From the guest’s perspective, I’ve gotten camera ready, blocked off the time, and prepared for their audience and podcast, only to have the host say “We might reschedule.”

In all honesty, it feels rude. Podcast conversations are time and energy investments.

How Good Podcast Hosts Leverage Podcast Preparation to Prevent This

Here’s what responsible hosts should be doing before a guest walks in:

1. Be the gatekeeper of your guest list

Hosts should approve the names and topics before pitches go out.

2. Quarterly system reviews

If someone else pitches for you (an assistant or team member), check in quarterly to confirm alignment, goals, and quality.

3. Minimal but intentional prep

You don’t have to write every question, but you should:

• Know the intended topic
• Understand why it serves your audience
• Share a conversational outline

Even a short, automated message from you (not your team) goes a long way in establishing connection and clarity.

How Podcast Guests Can Show Up Well

Hosts aren’t the only ones responsible—guests should also come prepared to serve the audience by:

• Listening to prior episodes
• Knowing the host’s rhythm and approach
• Setting clear expectations about your topic ahead of time

Research shouldn’t be exhaustive, but instead a focused understanding of the host and their audience is the difference between impactful and awkward.

What to Do When Things Go Sideways

If the host truly didn’t prep — the professional response isn’t silence or disappear:

• A responsible apology takes ownership
• It shows awareness of time invested
• It protects your brand and theirs

Whether email or DM, owning the experience gracefully keeps doors open without sacrificing dignity.

The Tool that Helps Podcast Hosts Do Better Guest Research

During the episode, Haylee shared a game‑changing tool she built—a custom research assistant using AI that:

• Summarizes guest expertise
• Helps hosts understand topic fit
• Generates conversational outlines

This tool exists to prevent mismatched interviews before they happen!

Podcasting isn’t transactional—it’s relational. Whether you’re hosting or guesting, relationships and reputations matter more than the outcome of a single episode.

You can grab Haylee’s Podcast Guest Research Assistant GPT here!

Mentioned in this Episode

Podcast Guest Research Assistant Custom GPT: gaffincreative.com/gptlaylee

Connect with Haylee

Website: gaffincreative.com

Instagram: instagram.com/hayleegaffin

Podcast: gaffincreative.com/clockingin

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The post 233: How to Protect Your Reputation as a Podcast Host & Guest (Systems, Boundaries & Real Talk) with Haylee Gaffin appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

Ever wonder what really goes into setting intentional, aligned goals as a creative entrepreneur? In this episode, I’m giving you a transparent look behind the scenes at how I’m approaching 2026. We’ll take through what worked in 2025 and the challenges I’m not dragging into the new year. Listen in as I share my personal reflection process, emotional and data-based audits, and the tangible plans I’m most excited about for the year ahead.

I also share some vulnerable updates: hiring a new coach, my long-time dream of writing a book, and why I’m staying firm in creating original, human-first content without AI writing tools. Whether you’ve set your goals or not, I hope this gives you permission to move at your own pace!

Why I Don’t Believe in “New Year, New Me”

Let’s get one thing out of the way: January 1 is an arbitrary date. I always say my real new year begins in March, when the energy of spring kicks in and I’ve had space to rest, reflect, and reset. If you haven’t mapped out your goals yet, you are not behind. There’s no magic in the calendar. There is magic in showing up when you’re actually ready.

That’s why I take time to sit with my year before I try to dream up a new one. I flip through my planner, journal (if I’m in the mood), and ask myself how I really felt, not just what I accomplished.

Two Audits That Changed Everything

I’ve developed a two-part audit system that helps me reflect deeply and set aligned goals:

1. Emotional Audit: I go quarter by quarter and ask, “How did I feel?” Not what I achieved, but how I felt during that process. Was I energized, drained, excited, bored?
2. Data-Based Audit: Then I layer on the facts. What were my numbers? Where was my time going? What offers worked? What events filled my cup (or emptied it)?

This year, I realized Q1 was incredible, thanks to the Creative Educator Conference. But Q3? It felt off. I was building a course, onboarding new team members, and trying to juggle too much. The feelings matched the data: I needed more support, more rest, and fewer overlapping projects.

What’s Coming in 2026

Once the audits are complete, I start vision casting. This year, I’m moving forward with some big dreams and bold decisions:

The Conference is Back

Yes, the Creative Educator Conference is returning in 2026. It’s a massive commitment financially, emotionally, and logistically. Seeing creative educators come together is worth every bit of it.

A New Speaker-Focused Offer

After piloting a new version of my speaker mastermind last year, I’m crafting a fresh offer just for speakers. It’s built from direct feedback and the very real needs I see in our industry. I can’t wait for you to see what’s included!

Continued Community in the Educators Lounge

The Educators Lounge remains one of my favorite spaces. It’s where creative educators come to drop the weight of their work, share the real struggles, and feel supported. We’re always tweaking and improving it based on member feedback, but its purpose is so aligned in my business.

The Book Dream is Officially On

This is the big one for me. I’ve dreamed of writing a book since I was a teenager, and 2026 is the year I finally make it real. I’ve kept this quiet for so long, mostly out of fear, but not anymore. I’m sharing it with you because I believe in transparency, and because maybe you need to hear that it’s not too late to chase that dream.

I Hired a New Coach

After years of leading masterminds, hosting events, and coaching others, it was time for me to get back into the client seat. Finding the right fit was hard, but I did it. I can’t wait to see how this new coach impacts not just my business, but my life.

Running Ads (Cautiously)

For the first time in five years, we’re experimenting with ads. Not to “scale fast,” but to bring the right people into our community and offers, especially the ones that are self-paced or evergreen. I’m approaching this with curiosity, not pressure.

Still Not Using AI for My Voice

This one’s a little spicy. I don’t use AI for my marketing copy, and I don’t plan to. I believe my voice, my brain, and my lived experiences are what make my content valuable. That’s the whole point of leadership: it needs to come from you. If AI writes my posts, then what’s the difference between me and a prompt?

That said, no shade to anyone who uses it. You do you. But for me? The extra effort is worth it.

Mentioned in this Episode

Creative Educator Conference

The Educator’s Lounge

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The post 232: Behind the Scenes: What I’m Building (and Letting Go of) in 2026 appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your voice is really valuable enough to be paid for, consider this episode your wake-up call. Tomasha Suber shares a behind-the-scenes insight that most speakers wish they had when starting out. Speaking is not just a visibility play—it’s a revenue strategy and your voice is an asset.

Want to become the kind of speaker event hosts are excited to put on stage? My Sought-After Speaker System shows you how to craft irresistible pitches, build relationships with organizers, and create signature talks that make you the obvious choice.

LEARN MORE

This episode is brought to you by Enji:

You don’t need another complicated content calendar or overwhelming marketing tool.
You need something that actually works with your flow—not against it. That’s why I use Enji.

It’s the only marketing platform built specifically for speakers, coaches, and creatives who want to stay visible—without burning out. Whether you’re planning content, managing campaigns, or just trying to show up consistently, Enji makes it simple, strategic, and actually sustainable.

Ready to stop overthinking your marketing? Try Enji and get a special discount with my link!

TRY ENJI

From Visibility to Revenue: Rethinking Why You Speak

For so many speakers, the early days are all about “getting your name out there.” We say yes to unpaid gigs in the name of exposure, we hustle to build authority, and we try to prove our value without ever asking for compensation.

The reality is, exposure doesn’t pay the bills and it doesn’t build a sustainable business.

In our conversation, Tomasha reminds us that if you’re only thinking of speaking as a visibility strategy, you’re already behind. That might sound harsh, but it’s real. Speaking is one of the most direct and powerful ways to generate revenue. The sooner you see it that way, the faster you’ll grow.

Compete Less, Collaborate More

Tomasha believes in the power of collaboration and has an approach that we should all consider: You need to show yourself as compatible, not competition.

We’ve all had those moments when someone on stage before us crushes a talk on the exact same topic we’re about to cover. It’s tempting to spiral into insecurity. But the truth is, even if the topic is the same, your voice isn’t.

Your perspective is different. Your delivery is different. Your energy is different. And more importantly, there’s someone in the room who’s waiting for your message, in your way.

That’s why collaboration matters. Hosts want to work with people who make the experience better, not people who are stuck in comparison. You will be someone people want to work with again and again when you see yourself as an asset.

Owning the Mic (and Your Value)

As we wrapped the conversation, Tomasha shared a mindset that every speaker should adopt, “I walk into a room and I know I’m someone everyone in that room needs to know.”

It’s not because of ego or because of bravado. It’s because she’s done the work to understand the unique value of her voice and she’s not afraid to own it. That confidence doesn’t come overnight, but it does come from practice, clarity, and being willing to ask for what you deserve.

So here’s what I want to leave you with: your voice is ready. You don’t need to have a New York Times bestseller. You don’t need a 100k following. You don’t need a perfect script.

You just need to start showing up as someone who knows their voice is valuable. And then? Ask to be paid accordingly.

Mentioned in this Episode

• Sought-After Speaker System
• Enji

Connect with Tomasha

• tomashasuber.com

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The post 231: Your Voice Is Your Most Valuable Asset with Tomasha Suber appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

Instagram growth without the gimmicks? Yes, please. In this episode, Shannon McKinstrie brings a refreshing perspective to marketing, ditching the “hot take” culture and helping people show up online in ways that feel human, ethical, and effective. We dive into what types of posts convert, how to overcome content paralysis, and why the “rules” of Instagram might be total BS.

This episode is brought to you by Enji:

You don’t need another complicated content calendar or overwhelming marketing tool.
You need something that actually works with your flow—not against it. That’s why I use Enji.

It’s the only marketing platform built specifically for speakers, coaches, and creatives who want to stay visible—without burning out. Whether you’re planning content, managing campaigns, or just trying to show up consistently, Enji makes it simple, strategic, and actually sustainable.

Ready to stop overthinking your marketing? Try Enji and get a special discount with my link!

TRY ENJI

Mentioned in this Episode

• Enji

Connect with Shannon

• shannonmckinstrie.com
• Reels Lab
• The Good Content Podcast

Looking for the Transcript?

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The post 230: Instagram Marketing That Doesn’t Feel Gross with Shannon McKinstrie appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.

A safe space is necessary, but a brave space changes everything. In this snack-sized episode, I’m sharing a powerful moment from a conversation I had with Christina Olivarez inside the Sought-After Speaker System.

Christina breaks down why it’s not enough to just create safety, but you have to create courage. Her event goes beyond inspiration and becomes an economic force where women invest in themselves and each other. We talk about reclaiming space, leading unapologetically, and how visibility is the first step to getting on stages and creating change.

Want to become the kind of speaker event hosts are excited to put on stage? My Sought-After Speaker System shows you how to craft irresistible pitches, build relationships with organizers, and create signature talks that make you the obvious choice.

LEARN MORE

This episode is brought to you by Enji:

You don’t need another complicated content calendar or overwhelming marketing tool.
You need something that actually works with your flow—not against it. That’s why I use Enji.

It’s the only marketing platform built specifically for speakers, coaches, and creatives who want to stay visible—without burning out. Whether you’re planning content, managing campaigns, or just trying to show up consistently, Enji makes it simple, strategic, and actually sustainable.

Ready to stop overthinking your marketing? Try Enji and get a special discount with my link!

TRY ENJI

Mentioned in this Episode

• Sought-After Speaker System
• Enji

Connect with Christina

Christina Olivarez: thesocialbutterflygal.net

Looking for the Transcript?

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The post 229: The Power of Brave Events for Entrepreneurs ft. Christina Olivarez appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.