Show Notes
Innovation comes in many forms, but to deliver an innovative speech about innovation is… Complicated.
But not if you’re Josh Linkner.
A serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and professional speaking coach with 3 Ring Circus, Josh is a force of nature and a delight to listen to. His years of experience and love for our profession have made him one of the most sought-after speakers on the circuit today and, as you might imagine, he’s learned some valuable lessons about making it in this business.
He’s also got a bit of a penchant for telling those stories.
Clappers, people normally pay a lot of money to hear Josh Linkner talk about his trade. For you, though, the next 45 minutes are completely free.
Find out about:
- Whether you should fit your stories to your talks, or vice versa
- Where some speakers go wrong before even starting their story
- What ‘multi-modal’ stories are and why they’re so important
- Why a great business model always trumps talent in the speaking business
- Josh’s secrets to structuring great speeches
Quotes from the episode:
“Always switch it up, so your setlist feels like it’s got contours and never feels repetitive.”
“Imagine you mastered 8 songs and that’s all you ever wanted to play again… You wouldn’t be much of a musician. So, if we’re storytellers, trying to transform audiences to action, I think it’s part of the gig to be a thought leader and always sourcing new material.”
“For me, a good keynote is like a good book – where there’s a beginning, a middle, and an end, and in each of those has specific objectives.”
Connect with Josh Linkner
2 Key Questions
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given about the speaking business?
“One, your primary job is selling speeches more than giving them.”
“Two, I think that many people don’t take our craft seriously enough. If you’re going to be a professional in any other industry, you study hard for it. You sacrifice years for it. People think they can just mail it in because they gave a great speech at their aunt’s wedding. I really admire people who take the time and do the reps to honor our craft.”
“Three, a great speech is about the audience, not the speaker. When you come into the craft with a service mindset – that you’re there to elevate and transform an audience, not to be boastful – that open-hearted, giving approach is so powerful.”
Who is your dream guest for Standing Ovation?
“You know who I’d love to have on this show? … Oprah! She is a wonderful storyteller. She gave a thank you speech for an award she won and I must have watched it 50 times, dissecting every word. It’s rich and gorgeous and every word counts and I think it would be neat to hear from wonderful storytellers that don’t consider themselves professional speakers.”
