Episode 01: From Free to Fee: How to Land Your First Paid Speaking Gig in 60 Days

In this episode of 'Booked, Banked, and Onstage', Deborah Northcutt shares actionable strategies for speakers looking to transition from unpaid to paid gigs. She outlines a 60-day game plan to secure paid speaking opportunities, emphasizing the importance of understanding one's niche, creating a professional speaker one sheet, and effectively pitching to event planners. She also discusses how to leverage free speaking engagements to build credibility and convert them into paid opportunities, while treating speaking as a legitimate business rather than a side hustle.

Transcript

Ep. 1 – I Got Paid to Speak Without Being Famous (Here's How I Did It!)

Episode Summary:
Let’s be real: “Just keep speaking for free and someone will eventually pay you” is not a strategy — it’s a recipe for burnout. In this powerful first episode, I break down a proven, action-focused 60-day plan to help you go from overlooked to booked and paid.

Whether you're brand new or tired of spinning your wheels, this episode gives you a clear roadmap to your first paid gig — with tips that actually work.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The truth about the “speak for free” myth (00:00)
• How to choose a profitable speaking niche (02:37)
• What to include in your speaker one-sheet & website (03:31)
• Where to find real, paid speaking opportunities (05:21)
• My cold email formula that gets responses (06:16)
• How to flip free gigs into paid ones — the smart way (07:56)
• A simple upsell strategy to maximize your talk (08:43)
• Why treating speaking like a business changes everything (09:30)

Connect with Me:
💼 Website: https://www.thenorthcuttspeakingagency.com
📲 Book a Strategy Call: https://api.successteam1.com/widget/bookings/dln-calendar
📸 Instagram: @thenorthcuttspeakingagency
🔗 LinkedIn: @deborahnorthcutt

Let’s keep the convo going:
🎤 What topic do YOU speak on? DM me or tag me on socials with your biggest takeaway from today’s episode.