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This week I delivered a talk at Google about how to be a high performer at work and at home.
Over 1,000 parents showed up to hear me speak and it was fun having a platform to talk/vent about my kids.
But here’s what some of you might be asking:
How did he land an opportunity to speak at Google?
That journey started seven years ago, and I’ll share my story now.
But, more importantly, I’ll pass along some guidance that will help you make progress – regardless of your goal – even faster.
The Background
In 2017 I delivered a workshop at Social Media Week. This was my first speaking event and I was given the opportunity due to my role as an instructor at General Assembly.
They sponsored the event and were able to select a stakeholder to speak. Fortunately, they chose me.
My feedback was great and it boosted my confidence in regard to a major goal, becoming a keynote speaker.
What’s the difference between a keynote and workshop?
A keynote is a big, inspiring speech that sets the tone for the event, while a workshop is a smaller, hands-on class where you learn and do specific things.
I delivered a workshop at Social Media Week, now I was ready for the big stage.
The Letdown
Riding this momentum, I applied to speak at Social Media Week in 2018 as well. I figured I was a shoe in since my feedback from the previous year was so incredible.
To my surprise, they rejected my application.
Was I hurt? Yes.
But being hurt wasn’t going to help me achieve my dream of being a keynote speaker. I knew I had to keep pushing myself.
The Pivot
I came up with a way to form a relationship with the event organizers, hoping this would eventually lead to me getting on stage again.
I visited the Social Media Week website and discovered that they often share recaps of keynotes from their events.
So, I reached out to the organizers and volunteered to write these recaps for the conference that I got rejected from.
They finally said yes! I attended the event, wrote my recaps, and had one of my articles published online for the first time in my career.
The Comeback
Writing those articles allowed me to form a deeper relationship with the event organizers.
This came in handy in 2019 when I applied to speak again.
But I wanted to do more than deliver a workshop. I wanted to be on the big stage, a keynote speaker.
This time, they said yes, and they offered me even more than I expected.
I was offered an opportunity to deliver a keynote AND emcee the entire event here in New York City.
I did so well I was offered the opportunity to deliver the same keynote in Los Angeles.
Plus, I got paid! This was great, but I never could have imagined what came next.
The Bonus
After my keynote I headed to the VIP lounge to relax and grab a bite to eat.
I got a lot of great feedback from the guests and made some amazing connections, but one of them went deeper than the others.
He was a successful entrepreneur who was in the process of selling a startup he founded.
We kept in touch and eventually became business partners in 2021. Over the next year I made an additional $300k from this partnership.
The Lesson
So, what does this all mean to you? Let’s do a quick recap before I get to that.
Imagine what would have happened if I just gave up after getting rejected?
I would have never had that article published.
Doing so gave me the vision and confidence that eventually helped me become a writer for Entrepreneur.
I would have never delivered a keynote speech at Social Media Week.
This keynote gave me the experience and social proof needed to fully launch my speaking career.
I would have never met my future business partner.
He’s an amazing person, continues to be a mentor and helped me develop an exponential mindset that has benefited me in several areas.
Now, imagine what would happen if you leveraged the same resilience to push through roadblocks and letdowns?
A prospect says they don’t want to work with you?
Dust yourself off and go pitch 10 more people.
A podcast host says they don’t want you on their show?
Share clips from their show, nurture the relationship over time, then ask again in the future.
Can’t figure out how to get the attention of a potential strategic partner?
Proactively solve a problem for them, be so helpful they can’t ignore you.
I know this seems challenging. That’s why most people won’t do it and that’s why you’ll receive outsized returns if you do.
And by the way, I still take the same approach these days.
I’m currently in the running to become the national spokesperson for a company that empowers entrepreneurs.
Instead of just hoping it happens, I’m going all in by creating a custom pitch deck including:
- My speaker reel and media kit
- A short video to show my personality
- 5 reasons why I would be the perfect spokesperson
- Testimonials and case studies from previous partnerships
Keep in mind, I wasn’t asked to do this.
But I want to make it as easy as possible for them to say “yes” and I doubt any of the other candidates are putting in this much work.
Will I get the gig? No clue, I can’t control the outcome.
But I can control my effort, and I know being willing to do more than the average person has served me well in the past.
Your Turn
What’s something you can do next week that goes above and beyond what other people would do in your situation?
What power move can you make that – if successful – could help you achieve outsized returns as well?
And if you need some motivation, I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes:
“Today I will do what other’s won’t, so tomorrow I will do what others can’t.”
― Jerry Rice
Chat soon,
Terry “Not Jerry” Rice
