Podcast Summary: Social Media Decoded
Episode: “I Don’t Chase Stages — I Build Them (How I Keep Getting Booked to Speak)”
Host: Michelle Thames
Date: February 18, 2026
Episode Overview
In this episode, marketing expert Michelle Thames unpacks her unique approach to becoming a sought-after public speaker. Rather than waiting for invitations or chasing high-profile stages, Michelle shares how she consistently builds her own “rooms” — from small gatherings and panels to intimate meetups — creating authority, networking opportunities, and credibility on her own terms. The episode is packed with actionable steps, strategic insight, and motivation for entrepreneurs, creators, and business owners wanting to level up their visibility and speaking engagements.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Building Your Own Stages vs. Chasing Opportunities
- Michelle sets the tone by debunking the myth that frequent speaking opportunities are about luck or being discovered.
- “I’m not lucky and I’m not chasing stages. I build them. That’s the difference.” (01:38)
- Instead of waiting for opportunities, Michelle actively creates spaces — both physical and virtual — to gather people, share ideas, and build her reputation.
The Power of Hosting
- Hosting events like Coffee and ChatGPT and Coffee and Connections goes far beyond casual socializing.
- “It’s not just a cute meetup, it’s infrastructure.” (02:18)
- By creating the room, Michelle becomes credible and a thought leader: “When you convene, you become credible. When you gather smart people around a conversation, you automatically become a thought leader in that space.” (02:25)
- Practical Takeaway: Don't wait to be invited — identify ways to initiate and host your own gatherings, no matter how small.
Warming the Room: Pre-Networking Strategy
- Michelle emphasizes intentional ecosystem building by connecting with attendees before events.
- “I don’t like walking into rooms cold. I like to warm the room before I step on the stage. That is strategy.” (03:01)
- Advantage: Ensures her voice, energy, and perspective are familiar to the audience, making her stage presence more impactful.
- “When people know your voice, your perspective, your energy, before the event even happens, your authority multiplies.” (03:17)
Ecosystem of Opportunities: Strategic Event Stacking
- Michelle explains how she aligns the events she participates in—panels, career days, networking calls—with her brand ecosystem: community, corporate, entrepreneurship, education.
- “Every room must align with the ecosystem that I am building. Community. Corporate. Entrepreneurship. Education.” (04:08)
- Panels as Positioning: Sitting alongside other leaders is less about performance and more about association and borrowing/lending credibility.
- “Panels aren’t about performance. They’re about association capital.” (03:59)
- “When you’re seated next to other leaders, you borrow credibility and you lend credibility. Your proximity expands your positioning.” (04:01)
Big vs. Small Stages: The Hidden Value
- Michelle shares her speaking experience at a Chicago Public Schools Career Day and reframes the value of smaller, less glamorous stages.
- “Speaking at Career Day does three things: it strengthens your message, it builds community roots, it expands your narrative beyond quote unquote online business...” (04:36)
- Impact: Demonstrates authority not just by follower count, but by the ability to inspire and educate in different spheres.
The “Build Your Own Stage” Framework
Michelle delivers a step-by-step system for creating your own visibility and authority:
- Build your own stage
- Host small gatherings and conversations; don’t wait to be chosen.
- “Host small gatherings, host conversations, host rooms, warm rooms before you enter them.” (05:22)
- Pre-network and connect
- Make strategic connections before events so audiences are primed for your message.
- Stack rooms strategically
- Select events (community, corporate, education) that reinforce your brand ecosystem.
- “Stacking rooms strategically.” (05:41)
- Stay consistent
- Compound your authority with ongoing, regular appearances and engagement.
- “Authority compounds. This is not overnight. This is ecosystem building.” (05:49)
- Be inevitable, not famous
- “I don’t want to be famous. I want to be inevitable.” (05:53)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Being Proactive:
- “If you’re waiting for someone to, quote, unquote, discover you and invite you to speak, you’re playing a very slow game. I don’t wait to be picked. I create rooms. Stop begging for invitations.” (01:46)
- On Hosting:
- “You don’t need a stage, you need a room. And when you consistently build rooms, stages start finding you.” (02:34)
- On Ecosystem Building:
- “If you keep waiting for permission, you will stay waiting. If you start convening, you will become the obvious one.” (06:05)
- On Legacy:
- “I don’t want to be famous. I want to be inevitable.” (05:53)
Important Timestamps
- 01:30 – Michelle introduces the idea of building your own “stages”
- 02:18 – Hosting as infrastructure, not just socializing
- 03:01 – “Warming the room” pre-networking strategy
- 03:59 – Panels as “association capital,” not just about performance
- 04:36 – The impact and strategy behind speaking at Career Day
- 05:22 – Michelle’s actionable “Build Your Own Stage” framework
- 05:53 – “I don’t want to be famous. I want to be inevitable.”
- 06:05 – Key takeaway: Stop waiting for permission; start convening
Final Thoughts & Call to Action
Michelle closes with practical ways listeners can put her advice into action—whether by attending one of her events or by connecting with her on Instagram about upcoming opportunities.
Quote:
“If you’re ready to build your own rooms, come and see me at Coffee and ChatGPT or one of my other events.” (06:26)
She encourages listeners to:
- Share the episode with someone who needs it
- Subscribe and never miss an episode
- Connect directly for event updates
This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to ditch passive strategies and become the architect of their own professional visibility—on their own terms.