The Amy Porterfield Show

Episode: Getting Paid to Speak: How to Land Stages, Set Your Fee, and Use Speaking to Grow Your Business
Date: January 8, 2026
Host: Amy Porterfield
Guest: Jess Ekstrom, keynote speaker and founder of Mic Drop Workshop

Episode Overview

In this value-packed episode, Amy Porterfield dives deep into the ins and outs of getting paid to speak. Joined by keynote speaker and speaking coach Jess Ekstrom, they debunk misconceptions about the speaking industry, address gender disparities, and provide practical, confidence-boosting advice for women ready to claim the stage. Whether you’re brand new to speaking or looking to attract more (and better-paying) gigs, this episode offers clear, actionable strategies––all delivered in Amy and Jess’s candid, encouraging style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why Paid Speaking is a Game-Changer

• Paid public speaking not only creates awareness for your business but is also a direct revenue driver.

  "Paid public speaking, not only is it a great awareness driver if you have a business, but it's a way that people actually pay you to share what you know in a really fun way."
  (Jess, 07:53)

• Small audiences can be just as (if not more) lucrative than large ones.

  "Some of my highest paid gigs have been to an audience of 12 and then I've gotten like $0 speaking to 10,000 people. So it's not necessarily about the size of the stage; it's about the impact that you're having and the people in the room."
  (Jess, 08:16)

Turning Speaking Gigs Into Business Growth

• You’re not being paid to give a sales pitch; use your own journey as a case study, share universal takeaways, and wrap your wisdom in story.

• Real stories attract real business.

  "People will pay you to share the universal takeaway. They're not paying you to talk about your business, but your business and your product is a great foundational story..."
  (Jess, 09:35)

• Offering access to your digital course (or another value add) can increase your speaking fee or make your proposal more attractive to event planners.

  "For $17,500, we can get everyone in the room access to my digital course to keep them on track for six months after the program."
  (Jess, 12:10)

The Gender Gap in Professional Speaking

• Women remain underrepresented – only 32% of professional public speakers are women, a number that's fallen since 2017.

• The value gap persists:

  "She said, I just wanted to let you know, woman to woman, we paid you $8,500 to come speak. And we paid our morning male keynote $50,000 to come speak."
  (Jess, 14:31)

• Knowing your value and talking about money is crucial.

  "...we have to be able to talk about money to know how much we can make. I had no idea it was even in the realm of possibility to charge that much for a keynote."
  (Jess, 15:00)

Setting Your Speaking Fee

• For beginners: $3,500 is a solid foundational fee (and sometimes charging less makes you look inexperienced).

• Once you have experience, testimonials, and footage: $5,000+ is a strong next step.

• For corporate events, fees regularly go higher––the difference between $12K and $15K is negligible for many organizations.

• Fee is about your experience and expertise, not audience size or the length of your talk.

  "It's the price of your knowledge, not the price of your time on stage." (Jess, 18:16)

• Always include travel costs—either bundled or as a stipend.

Speaking Fees for Virtual Events

• Typically, virtual fees should be around 30% less than in-person, but don’t undervalue yourself just because you’re online.

Non-Monetary Value in Speaking

• If an event can't meet your full rate, negotiate for testimonials, professional footage, cool locations, extra event tickets, or future referrals.
• A great negotiation technique:

  "Put in your negotiation that if they are pleased with your talk, that they introduce you to four other events that you would be a good fit for...within like two to three weeks post event."
  (Jess, 23:33)

Selling From the Stage (Lead Generation & Offers)

• If you're speaking for free, the exchange can be direct: permission to offer your product or service from the stage.

• Prefer to get paid? Collect leads instead and follow up by email:

  "Right before I conclude my talk, I put up a QR code and I say, I want to send you the slides from my talk... In that email that I send them the slides, I also include... my public speaking course."
  (Jess, 25:05)

• Jess reports an 80% room conversion on average with this QR code method. (26:20)

Action Steps for Aspiring Speakers

Mindset Shift: From Spotlight to Lighthouse

• It's not about being perfect or the center of attention.

  "A spotlight speaker asks, what does everyone think of me? But a lighthouse speaker shifts the light from themselves to their listener or their audience...what does everyone need of me?"
  (Jess, 28:00–30:30)

First Steps to Start Speaking

• Visualize post-talk transformation: "After people hear me speak, they will ___ because my talk will ___."
• Put "speaker" in your LinkedIn and social bios to become discoverable.
• Start with "closest to cash": local groups, your alma mater, ERGs, associations, or even your gym.

Pitfalls to Avoid

• Don't pitch your story, pitch your takeaway:

  "The mistake that I see people make is they pitch their story, not their takeaway. Audience, a meeting planner…is focused on how will this help me?"
  (Jess, 37:09)

• Professional does not mean impersonal:

  "The story can be personal as long as the takeaway is professional."
  (Jess, 39:21)

• You don’t need Brene Brown's or Mel Robbins's following or fee; share your unique take and story.

Building Your Platform

• If cold pitching isn't your style, build your brand as a speaker online instead—share videos, talk about your topic publicly, and make your expertise clear.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Jess: "The price is based on your experience and willingness to do it…Public speaking, it's about helping the audience get to where they want to go, being honest about the things you did wrong." (00:19)
• Amy: "I get really nervous before I go on stage. And I'm 16 years in and I still have those nerves…But I had an experience in 2023... I remember the talk vividly because...there are no slides...it was one of my most favorite talks...Your storytelling was better than ever. Sometimes when you're encouraged to do something way outside of your comfort zone, you might actually find that you're better at it than you thought." (00:57–03:44)
• Jess: "Being relatable doesn't make you unreliable. It makes you a great public speaker." (28:20–28:30)
• Jess: "Sometimes people feel really daunted by outbound sales…then spend a lot of time marketing yourself as a speaker through your channels…" (36:06–36:44)
• Jess: "Don’t compete, collaborate in speaking." (44:34)

Notable Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:57–03:44 – Amy’s story about speaking without slides and discovering a new level of authenticity.
• 07:29–08:49 – Jess on types of paid speaking gigs and avoiding self-negotiation.
• 09:24–10:55 – How to use your story to inspire and sell ideas, not just self-promotion.
• 13:35–15:17 – The women’s pay gap in public speaking.
• 15:25–18:20 – Calculating your speaking fee and what influences it.
• 19:46–20:09 – Virtual vs. in-person speaking rates.
• 23:33–23:57 – Negotiating for valuable “extras” if pay isn’t possible.
• 25:05–26:26 – Using QR codes and email follow-up for lead gen.
• 28:00–30:49 – The “lighthouse” mindset for speakers.
• 33:08–35:48 – How to pitch yourself and find your first gigs.
• 37:05–38:20 – Common mistakes to avoid.
• 39:21–39:59 – Personal stories, professional takeaways.
• 44:34–45:14 – The power of collaboration in the speaking world.

Resources & Next Steps

• Mic Drop Workshop Bootcamp: For women exploring speaking or wanting to monetize their message. Five-day practical bootcamp to help you clarify your topic, set your rate, and start pitching or attracting gigs.

  • Info: micedropworkshop.com/stage

• Jess Ekstrom’s TED Talk: Search "Jess Ekstrom TED Talk" on YouTube (hits 1M+ views!).

Final Encouragement & Takeaways

• You don’t need to be a veteran or have a big audience—start with your story and work outward.
• Collaborate with other women; referrals are powerful.
• Stay true to your message and your unique transformation promise; the right gigs will find you.

This episode will leave you equipped and energized to land your first (or next) paid speaking gig, ask for your worth, and inspire from the stage with confidence—no “faking it” required. For aspiring speakers, Amy and Jess offer the ultimate permission slip to start now and grow from where you stand.