You have a mission living inside of you.
It’s time to stop playing small and share it in a bigger way.
SOME OF US ARE CALLED TO SHARE
our
Yet no matter how many books read, TED Talks watched, or workshops attended, it’s not clear how to actually make it happen.
You are clear on your mission… You know that your message matters… Yet, there's this fear, clouding them both and keeping you from making the impact you so want to make.
Not when you commit to breaking past the barriers to become the speaker you’re meant to be.
Want the program details right away?
“I saw myself on stage, but the steps to get there were a blur.”
This is one of the many things I hear from entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and experts who want to take the stage and spread their message. What else comes up?
“I have an aching desire to lift my craft into the world.“
“I’m stuck on what I want from my speaking and who I’m speaking to.”
“Each and every time I speak, I walk away knowing I can do better…”
“My sense of the opportunity being too big a leap for me clouds my thoughts and leads away from doing the work.”
And then there’s that nagging thought…what if I’m boring?
Oof – and here we thought choosing between the chai tea and the dark roast at your local coffee shop was a challenge.
Let me tell you what I know for sure. If you’re here, you know you’re being called to change lives. You know you want to reach more people, in a more resonant way, through speaking. And you know you want it to flow more easily.
Welcome,
Let’s work together to embrace your role as a leader and become the life-changing speaker you know you can be.
Hey there! I’m Michelle…
I work with mission-driven founders, entrepreneurs, and experts like you who are ready to do the deep work necessary to create the inner freedom that allows you to become the speaker you’re meant to be on every kind of stage.
But I didn’t start off as such a seasoned pro.
My speaking career, if you will, began in high school, when I spoke for Mothers' Against Drunk Drivers. In college, that advocacy evolved for our Peer Education program to help my classmates protect themselves from HIV. And from then on, every time I joined a nonprofit as a volunteer, I ended up speaking on behalf of our cause in some way.
With 30+ years as a speaker and 15+ years as a college-level public speaking and communications instructor under my belt, I have a confession to make: I still don’t love the spotlight, even now. I just know there’s no more powerful place to be if you want to change a lot of lives at once.
I’ve seen the struggle to communicate everywhere. I worked in high tech during the dot com era and watched dynamic, highly-educated colleagues become boring “ultra-professional” presenters when they got to the front of the room. I saw alternative doctors, nutritionists, and wellness experts who believe with unparalleled passion in the work they do but didn’t know how to talk about it, and therefore weren’t connecting with the very people whose lives they could change.
At the same time, I was teaching college students, watching them become great speakers in a matter of a few months. I wondered: Where’s the disconnect?
So, 10 years ago, I started my own business. I began coaching and teaching workshops and trainings — and today, I’m a trained Duarte Academy facilitator and experienced TedX coach who’s helped more than 1,000 speakers become more captivating and engaging on stage.
Nothing lights me up more than when I watch my speakers take the stage and deliver with such power and grace, sharing their amazing stories and expertise.
Which is what The Speaker You’re Meant to Be is all about. It’s about owning the stand you want to take in the world by removing the blocks and becoming the speaker who can deliver the epic talk we’re about to craft – through a proven, thought-provoking, and nurturing process.
Oh – and when I’m not fully immersed in facilitating a room full of beautiful souls and their greatest expression? I’m happiest snuggled on the couch with a cup of dark roast coffee, my husband, and our three girls, watching a movie together or playing a game (especially if the house is magically clean and dinner is made by someone else).
You have a story to tell. Together, we’re going to prepare you for the stages you’re aching to tell it on.
What's inside
The Speaker You’re Meant to Be is the full-immersion experience that helps mission-driven founders, entrepreneurs, and experts like you craft and deliver truly transformational talks
Over the course of 6 months, we’ll work together to break past the blocks holding you back from being the thought leader and speaker you can be, working from the inside out to get crystal clear on where you stand in your message…then build and execute your roadmap for building your business, living out your mission, and changing the world through high-impact speaking.
Bring your desire to amplify your message.
Leave with the talk, the
and – most importantly –
the confidence to make it happen.
You don't have to do this alone anymore
I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO START…
I knew I had a message to share, but I wasn’t feeling very clear and didn’t know where to start. I like to have a plan; a system. I knew Michelle had a really clear process that was also very nurturing and organic and would really help me determine what my core message was – plus a real strategic plan for how I would craft the talk and the pieces around it. She’s so much more than a speaking coach – she’s a message and thought leadership coach, which is exactly what I needed.
Megan Flatt
Mission:
Change lives by sharing your message on stage.
It might be simple, but it’s not quite easy…
From the high-level stuff: growing your mission, elevating your message, releasing your fear… And we won't leave you hanging on the details like whether to charge or not to charge, structuring your talk to naturally attract the right clients and whether to use slides or no slides.
The Speaker You’re Meant to Be will cover everything you need to not just craft a transformative talk and find the best places to deliver it, but to be the person who can deliver it to its fullest impact.
Other programs might teach you some of the best practices in speaking. They might help you figure out how to piece together a talk. They might “promise” high-paying speaking gigs.
What they’re missing: The transformative work that helps you step into the leader you’re meant to become, so you can make the impact you want to make…at the scale you want to make it.
Throughout our six months in The Speaker You’re Meant to Be, we partner together to do the deep work: releasing the blocks keeping you from your greatest expression, honing your message, crafting a compelling and memorable talk, and delivering it with conviction in front of the audiences you’re most destined to leave a mark upon.
Our journey together will take us through my four-step, tried-and-true process of stepping into your leadership:
Release the blocks inhibiting your expression
Take a stand for something that matters
Commit to serve through that stand
Go where they gather and serve
Our goal? Transform you into a recognized, confident, and compelling thought leader, allowing you to make that difference you are so driven to make.
This is so much more than
a speaking coaching program.
After just six months,
>> Speak with confidence about what you do and why it matters on your dream stages, big or small, and in every aspect of your life and work, from parties to networking events to team meetings
>> Connect with your story, own your message and craft your talk in honor of serving an audience – and have a powerful impact on both your audience and yourself in the process
>> Identify the very best speaking gigs that align with your ideal audience(s) and goals, then write and pitch irresistible proposals
>> Stop second-guessing your effectiveness and start feeling the satisfaction of delivering a talk at the level you know you’re capable
>> Naturally attract the right people to your work as the go-to expert so you can scale your business, audience, and impact the way you want
>> Gain a deeper, more intimate knowledge of your own subject matter expertise and your natural style (what I call your Expression Élan)
and learned the skills to…
>> Craft any talk, on anything, systematically, structuring them to naturally attract great clients as well as more ideal speaking opportunities
>> Dramatically increase your chances of landing a TEDx talk
>> Write a memorable speaker bio for your next talk and craft a compelling speaker page for your website
>> Expand your thought leadership beyond the stage: Write your book, publish in industry publications, become a podcast guest, and more
Oh – and my personal favorite?
You’ll experience the joy of full expression and making a difference alongside a group of fellow powerhouses cheering each other on, providing feedback, and helping each other reach for your courage edges…
…without sinking even more hours into watching endless TED Talks, doubting your own story, and fearing rejection of your proposals.
Whether you want to spread a message, get invited to speak at more events, or attract high-level clients and collaborators, the first step is doing the deep work necessary to free you from your fears so you can become the speaker you’re meant to be.
Again: It’s simple. But it’s not easy. And it requires a special kind of support.
It never occurred to me that I would feel so confident…
I knew Michelle would deliver on her promise that we would have a talk, and I wanted that. But I didn't expect to feel so confident standing in front of women delivering that talk.
Denise Lampron
What's inside
Give me six months. Your ability to deliver a truly compelling talk won’t be the only transformation you’ll experience.
Here’s how we’ll make it happen:
→ Live, in-person kickoff retreat
After a month of getting to know one another through zoom video and our online interactions, we will deep dive together live and in-person in February.
During this retreat, we set the foundation for your powerful, high-impact speaking and thought leadership over the our six months together.
During our three-day kickoff retreat in beautiful northern California, you’ll make the space to get clear on the message you want to stand for, the difference you want to make in the world, and who you’re meant to serve in the process. At the same time, we’ll work together to release the blocks holding you back, gain a totally upleveled understanding of your own expertise, and initiate your ability to express that expertise and tell your story.
Healthy meals. Beautiful views. Delightful surprises. But, most importantly: Space to relax into the deep work that sets you up for finally stepping into your most powerful expression as a speaker – and connections with other incredible thought leaders that will support you for years to come.
“I dug in deep. Truly taking the time to focus on my desires, needs, and story was incredibly peaceful.”
– Maddie Callander
→ Your step-by-step blueprint
What's even better than a great speaker? A great speaker armed with a great talk.
Simple videos take you through every step of speech creation – a proven program I’ve used with dozens of clients – complimented by worksheets, checklists, and templates that remove the confusion out of creating your talk and show you how to organize it to keep the audience's attention.
→ Weekly check-ins and Q&A
Our group meets every week via Zoom to work through any element of your talk and answer any questions that might come up as you dive in.
What should you title your talk?
Should you speak for free?
Does the cadence work in this section?
It’s all fair game.
Show up to get answers from me and learn from your fellow thought leaders.
“I learned a formula to put together a signature talk that is engaging, useful, and gets clients. I can modify my talk or create a whole new one to meet the needs of the group I'm speaking to.”
– Anna Romero
“It’s a great time to ask questions, to review material, and listen to what others were up to. Michelle is ever ready with answers, suggestions, information, and support.”
– Denise Lampron
→ Practice partner group
Call it your wisdom counsel. Call it your brain trust. I call it the best accountability out there.
I’ll partner you up with at least one other expert in the group and help you get practice calls set up via Zoom. Get the feedback, cothinking, and accountability you’ve been missing, and learn from other powerhouses, in the process.
→ Get It Done day (optional!)
Not into self-paced video modules? Join us for our one-time Get It Done day.
I’ll go through a streamlined version of the process all in one day — arming you with exactly what you need to finally get your beautiful story and expertise crafted into your high-impact, thought-leadership talk.
“I was so happy to practice my talk with other members because everyone gave different feedback which helped me understand my talk from different perspectives.”
– Anna Romero
“Michelle had an ability to take my mess and make art out of it. She was very intuitive and helped me shape and formulate my message.”
– Gayle Canton
→ Midway virtual retreat
Fast forward to April, 2019: With your talk crafted, we’ll meet virtually on Zoom for a day-long retreat.
We’ll start with practice delivery of our talks, then dive deep into the strategy you’ll be implementing over the next half of the program: Where (and how) are you going to pitch this talk? How else can you establish your thought leadership, simultaneously? You’ll walk away with a 90-day plan in full play with scripts, checklists, and support as you spread your message far and wide.
→ Ongoing community support
Our active Facebook Group is the place to be to learn from, seek accountability from, and strategize with both myself and other mission-driven leaders on a daily basis.
→ Expert feedback
Throughout the entire program, we’ll work to refine your talk. Each time you deliver it in our group, we’ll debrief with a detailed feedback audio recording from me.
→ VIP, 1-to-1 support
You get 6, 30-minute coaching calls with me — to be used anytime you want during the program. Bring your hesitations; your questions; your stopping blocks…we’ll get you through.
Bonus:
Live delivery day
Deliver your talk live and in person with your fellow participants. We’ll have professional photographers and videographers on site to capture images and video of you for your speaker page and reel, if you’d like. (Additional fees will apply – but we work out great deals with our media team, and we might be biased, but they’re amazing!) Happening in northern California in May, 2019, this live delivery day is entirely optional, but we’re going to go out on a very firm limb and say you won’t want to miss the fun!
THIS IS WORTH GOING THROUGH… FIGHTING FOR…
Michelle is brilliant at leading the process. She truly cares. It can be so transformative to feel someone so engaged, showing you this is worth going through, fighting for, putting yourself out there and sharing with the world…there isn’t anything that doesn’t seem personally interesting; thrilling; exciting to her. I can’t wait to get on the calls because I know I’m working with someone who’s totally genuine in her caring, her feedback, and her coaching.
Dina Sorenson
Truth: You are meant for this.
The Speaker You’re Meant to Be isn’t another impersonal, sit-on-your-digital-shelf course…nor is it a 100+ member group program with little personal attention.
It’s your invitation to an intimate, high-touch, accountability-driven program that will lead you to realize your greatest impact, and act on it – and it’s the key to overcoming the biggest obstacle of all: Negative thoughts that block beautiful action. Join us!
Price: $6,000
for six months of one-on-one and group coaching and consulting, includes 3-day retreat meals and accommodations (airfare not included) and separate LIVE Delivery Day event with professional video and photography!
Payment plan available.
Fill out the no-obligation application below, and we’ll get you booked for a call with me, Michelle. You come prepared to be candid about your goals and struggles with speaking; I’ll be completely candid about whether The Speaker You’re Meant to Be is perfect for you – or not.
I can’t wait to meet you!
The Speaker You’re Meant to Be runs from January to June, 2019.
Enrollment closes January 22, 2019
I stepped up to the plate for speaking events – I leaned in; said yes, even when I questioned whether or not I was deserving. Now, I've spoken in some fashion every week for the last six. It's been a crazy streak of opportunities!
Maddie Callander
One might think that with years of public speaking under my belt, a coach wouldn’t make much impact – but boy did she. Michelle helped me sharpen my talk’s focus, structure the flow of the story, and smooth out the rough parts. If you have an important message and you want it to be impactful and heard, you need Michelle.
Ron Fritz
I got to see what other people were doing and being critiqued on, giving me ideas for my own presentations. I also made friends, people that I’m still connected to today – really smart, awesome women doing cool things.
Melissa Hereford
But is it really that easy,
A few notes on The Speaker You’re Meant to Be…
While my methodology is simple – release the blocks inhibiting your expression, stand for something that matters, commit to serve through that stand, and go where they gather and serve – the path there isn’t exactly easy. Releasing blocks, taking a stand, using your voice, and putting yourself out there in a bigger way isn’t for everyone. In fact, if you: >> are a brand new business owner without a clear expertise or message, >> aren’t willing to do the deep work it takes to reveal the message at the heart of your mission, >> want someone to tell you what to do and say every step of the way …then The Speaker You’re Meant to Be just might not be for you. But, if you’re committed to self-inquiry, ready to reveal what’s already inside of you, and willing to do the work to put your message and your mission in front of the people you know you can most impact…
then you’re in the right place to find the accountability, grow the conviction, and build the confidence you need to serve others through speaking.
There is no more powerful way to make a difference for a lot of people than authentic, powerful public speaking
If you’re ready to heed the call (I know you are!), I’m ready to help you step into your power.
Price: $6,000
for six months of one-on-one and group coaching and consulting, includes 3-day retreat meals and accommodations (airfare not included) and separate LIVE Delivery Day event with professional video and photography!
Payment plan available.
Fill out the no-obligation application below, and we’ll get you booked for a call with me, Michelle. You come prepared to be candid about your goals and struggles with speaking; I’ll be completely candid about whether The Speaker You’re Meant to Be is perfect for you – or not. I can’t wait to talk with you!
The Speaker You’re Meant to Be runs from January to June, 2019. Enrollment closes January 22, 2019
“I’ve seen other speaking programs out there – what makes this different?“
Fair question – and if you’ve read this far, you probably have a pretty good idea! Whereas other programs focus on the sparkle and glamour of being “amazing” on stage, we go much deeper in establishing your role as a thought leader in your industry: Identifying and overcoming fears, truly exploring the impact of your message, then crafting a talk you can adapt to different audiences – with the confidence and fortitude to nail it each and every time you do. (And yes, you’ll be amazing!)
Let’s dig into a few other thoughts that might be popping up for you as you consider The Speaker You’re Meant to Be:
>> I know I want to spread my message on the stage, but I’m an introvert…
Introverts, unite! Fun fact: I’m also an introvert – so if there’s one thing I’ve mastered, it’s capitalizing on, and learning how to replenish, my introvert energy. Speaking can take a lot out of you, but it’s why we focus heavily on identifying the best opportunities for your voice – so you can make the most of it.
>> I don’t have 6 months to spend crafting a talk…
Fair! In fact, we’ll actually craft your talk in the first 6-8 weeks of The Speaker You’re Meant to Be. From there, we’ll work together to refine that talk, create customized versions for new audiences, and get you speaking everywhere that makes sense. Meanwhile, we’ll be building and executing on your roadmap to extend your thought leadership through your ideal methods, whether that’s mapping out a book, publishing articles, pitching yourself as a podcast guest, doing regular Facebook Lives, or something entirely different. The skills and clarity you’ll graduate from this program with will have impacts well beyond the stage!
>> I can probably get everything I need by studying TED Talks…
Watching TED Talks can be a great way to get inspired – but it’s often right in line with getting caught up in the things you know how to do (get new headshots! revamp your website! read another book on the topic!) – AKA the consumption, rather than the action. When you join my step-by-step program, you’ll get a supportive – yet direct – approach to actually accomplishing your goal of owning your message and living it out on stage, complete with expert coaching and incredible peer support. (That no TED Talk can provide…)
>> I’ve spoken before – I even had a successful talk…
I bet you’re already a pretty good speaker – most of my clients are! They often lead successful companies, speak on cool stages, and have done a pretty good job of writing talks. But if you’re here, I’m going to go out on a limb and say you aren’t getting the outcomes you want from your existing speaking gigs. Throughout The Speaker You’re Meant to Be, we’ll focus on the things that will help you realize what you’re truly capable of – building you the foundation to become a truly transformational speaker and known industry thought leader.
UNBELIEVABLE EXPERTISE…
Michelle is one of the best coaches I’ve ever worked with in any field. You’re going to get unbelievable expertise, somebody who is incredibly thoughtful and smart, and is going to care deeply about teaching you how to be a great speaker.
Melanie Vetter
From expert → speaker → renowned thought leader
A few A’s to the Q’s you might have about making it all happen:
How do I get into The Speaker You’re Meant to Be?
When does The Speaker You’re Meant to Be begin?
How many entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and experts will be in the mastermind?
How is The Speaker You’re Meant to Be facilitated?
How much 1-on-1 time do I get with you, Michelle?
Why the 6-month commitment?
How much time do I need to set aside each week?
What if I can’t keep up?
Am I far enough along to make the most of this program?
The long answer: Ideally, you’ll have worked with some clients and feel confident that you can make a difference – even if you’re not wildly confident in the how. You need to have an idea of what your message is – we can refine it, but we won’t be starting from scratch.
What makes The Speaker You’re Meant to Be different from other speaking programs?
When and where is the live retreat – and what’s included?
Do you actually book speaking gigs for me?
Am I going to get rich/is this a fast path to a lot of money?
Will you be offering this again?
I have a question that’s not answered here…
WHAT WOULD I TELL SOMEONE
CONSIDERING MICHELLE'S PROGRAM?
Do it! You'll get a talk out of it, but you'll get so much more. You'll get a deep understanding of your own business and your own gifts as a business owner.
Megan Flatt
“If you really have a message you want to share, Michelle is your
Your commitment. My expertise. Our small group accountability.
Price: $6,000
for six months of one-on-one and group coaching and consulting, includes 3-day retreat meals and accommodations (airfare not included) and separate LIVE Delivery Day event with professional video and photography!
Payment plan available.
All the deep work, tools, and support you need to become the Speaker You’re Meant to Be and leave a lasting impact on your audience.
The Speaker You’re Meant to Be runs from January to June, 2019.
Enrollment closes January 22, 2019
