Steal The Show With Michael Port

On today’s episode of Steal the Show, we’re talking about adding humor to our speeches and our lives. Drew Tarvin, the world’s first Humor Engineer, with more than 5 million views of his TEDx talk, the “Skill of Humor,” shows us how to infuse the funny into our content and keep on improving despite the haters and the hecklers. Read more at https://stealtheshow.com/podcast/123-drew-tarvin-selling-topic-no-ones-searching/

With nearly 120 keynotes and workshops a year, Phil M. Jones is one of the busiest public speakers on the circuit. The author of an award-winning business trilogy that started with Exactly What to Say, Phil’s mastered the art of the speaking business by constantly striving to be better and aim higher. Plus, he finds sales fun. He believes that every speaker can find room for play in their sales, content development, and business-building. It starts with asking the right questions and giving yourself permission to grow.   Read more at https://stealtheshow.com/podcast/122-phil-jones-getting-gigs-want/. 

On today’s episode of Steal the Show, we’re uncovering why some speakers’ careers plateau and how to fix it or prevent it altogether. Tim Sanders—former Yahoo! Chief Solutions Officer, bestselling author, and top-rated leadership keynote speaker—shares his best practices for switching from one-off speaking gigs to cultivating a few accounts that hire you again and again. Read more at https://stealtheshow.com/podcast/121-former-yahoo-executive-tim-sanders-talks-building-long-term-client-relationships/

On today’s episode, we talk about how to turn setbacks into wins with Alison Levine: an adventurer, mountaineer, New York Times bestselling author, and public speaker. Alison leveraged her experience climbing seven summits and skiing to both poles into a successful speaking career. Yet, other people have also climbed the world’s highest summits, and, unlike her, they didn’t famously turn back within 100 yards of Mount Everest’s summit. She realized that it wasn’t her life-changing experience as much as her message—that complacency kills and fear can propel you in the right direction—that makes her have a referable speech. Read more at http://stealtheshow.com/podcast/alison-levine-scale-story-referable-speech/.     

“Those who have the courage to do something distinctly, purposefully, and strategically different will reap the rewards.” - Jay Baer (click to tweet) On today’s episode of Steal the Show, we are discussing talk triggers: the things that brands and businesses do that get us telling stories about them to our friends. However, to create one inside our own company is much easier said than done. That’s why we’re digging into the specific elements required for a talk trigger to be activated. With so much noise in the marketing and advertising spaces, the opportunity to set yourself apart from the competition lies in the customer experience. Listen to this episode to understand the anatomy of a talk trigger, so you can implement them into your brand experience! You can order Talk Triggers here And learn more about Daniel Lemin and Jay Baer “Talk triggers are all about giving your customers a consistent story to tell.” - Daniel Lemin (click to tweet) Steal The Points Most of those who are good at word-of-mouth are g

 “Our job, as performers, is often to break the rules. That’s what an artist does.” - Michael Port (click to tweet) On today’s episode of Steal the Show, we explore a listener’s question: how do we make the technical appear in technicolor? Well, he doesn’t exactly ask that. But how does a performer compel on a subject matter where the subject matter is dense, slides are expected, and a podium is the norm? Where’s the balance between what’s expected and breaking the rules to create a memorable experience for the audience? There’s a difference between being a critic and being a performer. One asks you to purely look at things from the top-down, pointing out what is wrong and what needs fixing. The other asks you to build an entirely new experience from scratch, subverting whatever’s wrong with the old by transcending it with something entirely new. Listen to this episode to hear how to apply these principles to your own high-stakes moments. “Audience interaction should be proportionate to the amount of trust

“You have to make it easy for other people to communicate the transformation. Not for you to communicate it for other people.” - Giovanni Marsico (click to tweet) Thanks to social media, we have the opportunity to engage with audiences before, during, and after events. When we do this, the in-person experience becomes something entirely different for the viewer: it’s the beginning of a performance. Because audience members participated in the conversation online, they feel like a contributor to the show—a member of the tribe. On today’s episode of Steal the Show, Giovanni Marsico speaks to us about how to build a following. Giovanni—a talent scout, curator, and connector of superheroes—is the founder of Archangel: a private membership community of mission-driven entrepreneurs that are making the world a better place through purpose-driven entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Listen to this episode to hear Giovanni’s insights on keeping focus while building a tribe for your personal speaking brand. You can atten

“In this business, you are not doing anything alone.” - Amy Port (click to tweet) On today’s episode of Steal The Show, we are joined by Amy Port for Part 2 of our conversation. Amy is the Co-Founder & President of Heroic Public Speaking, and today she unpacks the mechanics behind the keynote we delivered at the National Speakers Association Influence 2018 conference. Tune in to hear the principles we apply to rehearsal, so you too can deliver the same caliber performance. Last week’s episode, 115 Amy Port on Writing and Performing a Killer Keynote, can be found here. “It’s not interesting watching people do easy things. It’s interesting watching people do challenging things.” - Michael Port (click to tweet) Steal The Points Meaning comes from fulfilling commitments beyond what we think is possible. Find the line between self-expression and respect for the character. Surround yourself with collaborators and helpers to empower you to do more. What’s interesting is what’s important. Try to speak and write

“If you’re having to decide whether you should do A or B with your time—you should just wake up earlier.” - Amy Port (click to tweet) We’ve all been to the convention, where we spend our days sitting in lectures back-to-back, listening to speakers read from their slides. It’s undeniably forgettable, yet we find most abiding by this template when they’re on stage. So the question becomes: how do you abandon this formula to make a memorable speech.   On today’s episode of Steal the Show, Co-Founder & President of Heroic Public Speaking, Amy Port joins the show to deconstruct the keynote we delivered at the National Speakers Association Influence 2018 conference. By exposing the process, we reveal the approach necessary to build a killer keynote speech from the ground up. Or in this case, from the diner table up.   Listen to this episode to learn how to apply these principles to your next speaking gig, no matter how big or small. “Every choice we make—right down to what we wear—tells the audience how we want

“If you look at the past decade, I’d be challenged to see another industry as disrupted by technology as speaking.” - Mitch Joel (click to tweet) Today, most brands and businesses are also trying to be a media company. Selling a product or service is no longer enough. Whether it’s an engaging social media presence or valuable email marketing campaign—this new expectation of content creation provides an unprecedented marketing opportunity for companies all over the world. However, if we’re not careful, we can fall into the abyss of marketing noise; following templates and sticking to the norms will mask your authentic voice and have you hidden in the crowd. That’s why on today’s episode of Steal the Show, we are joined by Mitch Joel live at Heroic Public Speaking HQ to discuss content creation. Mitch has been called one of North America’s leading visionaries and the “rockstar of digital marketing” by Strategy Magazine. When brands like Google, Starbucks, Shopify, and GE want to leverage technology to better co

“The gift is supposed to represent the value you place on the relationship.” - John Ruhlin (click to tweet) Why is gift giving such a challenge? We know the people around us; we know their likes, their interests … but when we want to celebrate them, all great gift ideas go out the window. Amazon becomes our search engine. Wine and chocolates are a go-to. On today’s episode of Steal the Show, we are joined by John Ruhlin to unpack the performance of gift-giving. Yes, gift-giving is a performance--one that has true craft and technique. John is the founder of the Ruhlin Group, a company that develops relationship-building strategies and VIP-gifting programs to increase referrals and strengthen retention with their most important employees, clients, and prospects. John’s clients include the Chicago Cubs, San Antonio Spurs, DR Horton, Morgan Stanley, St. Louis Blues, and hundreds of other industry leaders and high-end service firms. His second bestselling book Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut T

“All that matters is that you are delivering quality content that’s truly transformational and authentic to you.” - AJ Harper (click to tweet) A book is obviously different than a speech. But that’s not to say we can’t use the stage to test the ideas for our written work.  When we lean too heavily towards one medium, we corner ourselves to the constraint of that delivery system. Instead, when we embrace all opportunities and let each speech or article inform what write or say next, we create that artistic synergy that audiences and readers latch onto. On today’s episode of Steal the Show, we are joined by AJ Harper. AJ is a developmental editor and publishing strategist who has helped hundreds of authors, from newbies to New York Times bestselling authors, write and publish game-changing books, develop significant and loyal followings, and build their brand. As executive editor for Collaborative Books, AJ has worked with Lisa Nichols, Les Brown, Barbara De Angelis, Dr. George Frazier, and many more. Listen to

“The more systematic you are about it—the faster you can increase fees, get more gigs, and turn this into a real business.” - Andrew Davis (click to tweet) Between knowing what to charge and handling client relations, a workload can quickly become overwhelming before the actual work even starts. For the novice speaker, negotiating with event organizers and creating fair but profitable proposals can be a steep learning curve—one that can take serious time away from what the focus should actually be: the performance. That’s why on today’s episode of Steal The Show, we are joined by Andrew Davis to discuss his systems for bypassing these hurdles. After all, life doesn’t get in the way, it IS the way. Andrew has many credits to his name, all of which have helped him land big-time public speaking deals. He has written for Charles Kuralt, produced for NBC, and worked for The Muppets and MTV. And as one of the most influential marketers in the world, Andrew has appeared on The Today Show and in The New York Times.

“Demonstrate the consequences of not adopting the big idea.” - Michael Port (click to tweet) This week, we answer a listener’s question: Hi Michael, Hope you're well. Just been listening to your Steal the Show podcast and really enjoying it. Started from the beginning again for my kids to listen to it too. They do weekly speeches in school - 2 minutes max - but it would be nice if you had any extra pointers so they can Steal the Show at school. They have been taught to start with a hook, then do introduction, main part, and conclusion, but that's all I got out of them. Look forward to hearing from you. By the way, I know you like boats - we're lucky enough to live in Sydney, Australia, where I get to catch a ferry on Sydney Harbour to and from work every day. Cheers, 
Paul And, it might surprise you to hear that the lessons given to adults are the same for kids. On today’s episode of Steal the Show, we discuss the Heroic Public Speaking Foundational Five. From articulating the big idea of a speech to illust

“It’s very difficult to find what your voice is capable of until you push the emotional buttons.” - Matthew Kimberley (click to tweet) Product, service, or anything in between, our lives run on the ability to create, market, and sell whatever it is that others deem as valuable. … And that last step is crucial. If we aren’t able to sell, we get caught in a hamster wheel of effort with no return. Squeak squeak.  On today’s episode of Steal the Show, we are joined by Matthew Kimberley. Matthew is the former head of the Book Yourself Solid School of Coach Training, and is now the founder of The School for Selling. His first book How To Get A Grip sold over 50,000 copies—and every year, Matthew transforms sales teams, business owners, and independent service professionals to get more clients: more consistently and more elegantly. Tune in to this conversation gather Matthew’s insights, as they relate to performing on stage, selling with transparency, and finding your path. You can learn more about Matthew Kimberley

“If you are really serious about performance, you have to get counsel and direction from people who are qualified to give it you.” - Neen James (click to tweet) We all have production companies in our pockets. Today, the smartphone has empowered people to instantly publish content to an audience with a few taps. For public speakers, this creates a unique challenge where they must always be on. The speech no longer ends after the applause; rather, speakers must be open to connection in the lobby, at the airport, or in their hometown because any moment could turn into a tweet or Instagram post. On today’s episode of Steal the Show, we are joined by Neen James. Neen is the author of 9 books, including Folding Time and her most recent book, Attention Pays. In 2017, she was named one of the Top 30 Leadership Speakers by Global Guru because of her work with companies like Viacom, Comcast, Cisco, and many more. She has received numerous awards as a professional speaker, is a partner in Thought Leaders Global, and is

“I believe the #1 thing we should be doing as speakers is trying to give speeches as often as we can because every single speech is a treasure trove of feedback and information.” - Joey Coleman (click to tweet) Speakers need to have strong beliefs, lightly held. Yes, there’s contrast in that statement, but contrast is the beauty of performance. The job of a performer is to deliver a strong message while simultaneously being open to audience feedback. This is the tricky, two-sided nature of the job—one must possess the skills to provide both a powerful experience for the audience and a relatable openness during the socialization that occurs after a speech. On today’s episode of Steal the Show, we are joined Joey Coleman. For over a decade, Joey has helped organizations retain their best customers and turn them into raving fans through his entertaining and very actionable keynotes, workshops, and consulting projects. In this conversation, we unpack Joey’s Wall Street Journal bestseller, Never Lose A Customer Ag

“You can’t shortcut feet on the stage. You can’t wish or pay your way to being a better speaker. Speak, speak, speak—that’s the way to get good at speaking.” - Tami Evans (click to tweet) Public speaking isn’t for everyone. But before we cross it off our list, we have to make sure we’ve given it a fair shot. That’s because the best public speakers—while they may appear naturally gifted on stage, it is most likely hours and hours of rehearsal driving the performance. In public speaking, there is no such thing as god-given talent or a ‘knack’ for performance. Rather, success on stage boils down to work ethic, rehearsal, and practice. On today’s episode of Steal the Show, we are joined by the humorous speaker Tami Evans to clear the mystery of performing on stage. With a Master’s in Classical Acting, Tami has been performing in some way, shape, or form for most of her life. She is the former president of the New York chapter of the National Speakers Association, and today works on the public speaking circuit. In

“True professionals rehearse so much that it looks like they didn’t rehearse at all.” - Jordan Harbinger (click to tweet) Starting over requires channeling frustration into focus. Instead of thinking of “the past” as a object to cast aside, remembering the struggle can enhance performance—to create something bigger and better. On today’s episode of Steal the Show, we are joined by Jordan Harbinger to discuss how he recently started over. In 2006, Jordan was one of the first to podcasting, co-founding the very popular show, The Art of Charm. Just last year, Jordan parted ways from that team to start his own venture, The Jordan Harbinger Show. In the 11 weeks it’s been on air, his new podcast has received over 3 million downloads. In this conversation, we unpack everything from what makes a great public speaker to how working is the best form of recovery during times of crisis. Whether or not you’re starting over, tune in to learn these lessons so you know what to do in case that situation presents itself. Lear

If you'd like to know if you need to write a book to achieve success as a Professional Speaker, or if you would like to find out what it takes to write a winning book, listen in to today's show- you will really gain as Michael shares his experience! Heroic Public Speaking http://heroicpublicspeaking.com Send in your questions: questions@michaelport.com  Give us a review and help others find this show better! http://stealtheshow.com/podcast/reviews