Podcast
The Laylee Emadi Podcast — For Speakers, Coaches, and Course Creators
Hosted by Laylee Emadi · EN
Welcome to The Laylee Emadi Podcast—the show for creative entrepreneurs who are ready to step into the spotlight as educators, speakers, and industry leaders. Whether you’re building your first course, booking stages, or scaling your impact, this is your space for candid conversations, actionable strategies, and the real talk no one else is having. Host Laylee Emadi is a speaker, coach, and founder of The Creative Educator Conference, helping you grow your influence without losing your authenticity.
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228: What Retreat Hosts Really Look For in a Speaker
Nov 2400:08:07Tap to summarizeRetreat hosts aren’t just booking a speaker, they’re inviting you into the most intimate room they’ve built. That changes everything. In this final episode of our speaker selection series, I’m pulling together my favorite clips from interviews with incredible retreat hosts inside my course, the Sought-After Speaker System. This time, we’re zeroing in on retreats: what makes them different, how selection works, and what hosts truly value in a speaker. Listen in as Tomasha Suber, Frances Ledgewood, and Heather Leicy & Jamie Fischer join us to share what they’re looking for when they select speakers for their intimate experiences. These clips are part of a larger speaker interview series inside of Sought-After Speaker System, my course for speakers. Check out the full uncut interviews inside the course. Want to become the kind of speaker event hosts are excited to put on stage? My Sought-After Speaker System shows you how to craft irresistible pitches, build relationships with organizers, and create signature talks that make you the obvious choice. LEARN MORE This episode is brought to you by Enji: You don’t need another complicated content calendar or overwhelming marketing tool.You need something that actually works with your flow—not against it. That’s why I use Enji. It’s the only marketing platform built specifically for speakers, coaches, and creatives who want to stay visible—without burning out. Whether you’re planning content, managing campaigns, or just trying to show up consistently, Enji makes it simple, strategic, and actually sustainable. Ready to stop overthinking your marketing? Try Enji and get a special discount with my link! TRY ENJI The Unique Energy of Retreats Retreats are small by design. They’re built to foster connection, depth, and transformation. That also means that who is invited to speak—and how they show up—has an outsized impact on the entire experience. Unlike conferences where you may deliver a keynote and disappear backstage, retreats require you to be present, invested, and aligned with the energy of the room. It’s not just about your ability to teach a great topic. It’s about your ability to lead, mentor, and engage in real-time. It’s about being a contributor to the experience, not just a name on a schedule. What Real Hosts Are Saying Inside the Sought After Speaker System, I interviewed three incredible retreat hosts (technically four!)—each with a very different audience and model—but they all said versions of the same thing: they’re not just picking speakers based on resumes. Tamasha doesn’t take applications. She hand-selects speakers after watching them for a while—online and in community. She’s looking for people who live what they teach, because her attendees don’t just need inspiration—they need real-world alignment and depth. “I want to watch how you move. I want to see if your content matches your character.” – Tamasha Suber Frances is hosting her first retreat for wedding stationers, and with only 12 attendees, she’s prioritizing intimacy. Her speakers need to feel like mentors in the room, not just presenters. She wants women who get the industry-specific challenges and can connect both in front of the group and in quiet conversations over coffee. “It’s not about who’s the most polished. It’s about who can hold space and be real.” – Frances Ledgewood While Conquer Live is technically a conference, Heather & Jamie intentionally build it with a retreat feel—high trust, small group energy, and deep interaction. They invite people who are already present in their community: active in the Facebook group, showing up to conversations, already aligned with the values of the space. “If you already feel like part of the room, we’re more likely to ask you to speak in it.” – Jamie & Heather What This Means for You So how do you actually get selected to speak at a retreat? Show Up Before You Pitch Engage where the host is already building community. Comment on their posts. Share their content. Show up in their DMs with genuine encouragement—not an ask. Be Consistent with Your Message and Your Presence Retreat hosts aren’t just looking at what you say in your speaker one-sheet. They’re watching what you say everywhere else—your stories, your posts, your responses. Be the Kind of Speaker Who Can Mentor in the Moment This isn’t about charisma—it’s about character. Are you approachable? Relational? Comfortable with depth? That matters more than your credentials in these spaces. Why Retreats Are Worth Pursuing Retreats can change your business—and your life. They’re where real relationships are built. Where you’re not just remembered as a speaker, but as someone who helped shift someone’s trajectory in a hallway moment or quiet conversation. They’re also a unique form of visibility. You walk away with depth of connection that no large event can match. And in a noisy digital world, depth wins. Mentioned in this Episode Sought-After Speaker System Enji Connect with the Guests Tomasha Suber: tomashasuber.com Jamie & Heather: instagram.com/theconquercommunity Frances Ledgewood: ledgewoodfinestationery.com Looking for the Transcript? DOWNLOAD NOW The post 228: What Retreat Hosts Really Look For in a Speaker appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.
Transcribe →227: The Speaker Selection Process: What Event Organizers Look for in Speaker Applications ft. Jamie Fisher & Heather Leicy
Nov 1000:08:12Tap to summarizeWant to know what really happens after you hit submit on your speaker pitch? It’s easy to feel like your application disappears into a void, but today, we’re pulling back the curtain on the process that Conquer Live hosts take. I sat down with Jamie Fiscer and Heather Leicy to uncover what goes on behind the scenes when hosts choose speakers for their stages. Want to become the kind of speaker event hosts are excited to put on stage? My Sought-After Speaker System shows you how to craft irresistible pitches, build relationships with organizers, and create signature talks that make you the obvious choice. LEARN MORE Mentioned in this Episode The Sought-After Speaker System Connect with the Guests Jamie & Heather: instagram.com/theconquercommunity Looking for the Transcript? DOWNLOAD NOW The post 227: The Speaker Selection Process: What Event Organizers Look for in Speaker Applications ft. Jamie Fisher & Heather Leicy appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.
Transcribe →226: 10 Insider Tips from Event Hosts on What Makes a Speaker Stand Out
Nov 300:07:51Tap to summarizeWhat do event hosts actually look for when they book speakers? I sat down with 10 powerhouse event hosts who not only curate stages, but often speak on them too, and asked exactly that. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain to bring you their top 10 tips. These aren’t just theories; they’re what real decision-makers are looking for when they choose who gets the mic. If you’ve ever wondered how to make yourself more bookable, this episode is for you. Listen in as Jordan Gill, Elizabeth Henson, Amber Housely, Kristina Bartold, Jamie Fischer, Heather Leicy, Amanda Smith, Tomasha Suber, Christina Oliveraz, and Frances Ledgewood tell you exactly what makes them select a speaker! These clips are part of a larger speaker interview series inside of Sought-After Speaker System, my course for speakers. Check out the full uncut interviews inside the course. Want to become the kind of speaker event hosts are excited to put on stage? My Sought-After Speaker System shows you how to craft irresistible pitches, build relationships with organizers, and create signature talks that make you the obvious choice. LEARN MORE The Top 10 Speaker Tips from Event Hosts Event hosts are getting more selective and more intentional. With so many voices out there, the ones getting booked aren’t just the loudest. They’re the most aligned, the most prepared, and the most connected to the audience experience. If you’ve been wondering why your pitch isn’t landing, it might be because you’re skipping the human part. These 10 tips aren’t just about strategy, they’re about showing up in a way that’s real, resonant, and ready to serve. 1. Don’t Skip the Video Application Hosts want to see the real you. Your energy, your delivery, the way your face lights up when you talk about your topic, all of that matters just as much as your speaker sheet. Jamie and Heather emphasized how a video helps them see the heart behind your message. 2. Know the Audience You’re Speaking To Your talk might be amazing, but if it’s not tailored to the specific needs of the event’s audience, it’s not going to land. Amanda Smith curates her speaker lineup based on what her people are actively struggling with and she chooses speakers who reflect those exact needs. 3. Be Someone the Host Wants to Learn From This might sound simple, but it’s huge: hosts often create events they’d want to attend. Joanna Waterfall books speakers she’s personally excited to hear from. If your story resonates with her curiosity and passion, you’re in. 4. Be Expansive, Not Just Impressive Your credentials are great, but how are you making the audience feel? Kristina Bartold looks for speakers who spark possibility. The kind of people who make the audience sit up, feel seen, and imagine what’s possible for themselves. 5. Skip the Fluff, Bring the How Amber Housleymade it clear: her audience doesn’t just want to feel good, they want to leave with something they can use. Practical teaching, clear takeaways, and real action steps will always win over vague inspiration. 6. Help Create a Brave Space Creating safety is just the starting point. Christina Olivarez wants speakers who help make the room brave—a space where women of color can be seen, celebrated, and supported in real ways. 7. Go Deep and Be Relatable Forget polished perfection. Jordan Gill is all about speakers who are willing to go there. Vulnerability, depth, and authenticity are what make you memorable and magnetic. 8. Respect the Process (Even if You’re Invited) Elizabeth Henson might personally invite you, but she still expects you to apply. Why? Because understanding the event’s mission and going through the same steps as everyone else shows respect and alignment. 9. Live Your Message It’s not enough to speak about a topic, you have to embody it. Tomasha Suber shared that her attendees are watching you. Your social content, your offers, your presence—it all needs to reflect what you’re teaching. 10. Speak to What’s Real Frances curates her events based on the day-to-day challenges her audience is facing. If your talk doesn’t feel real, it won’t connect. Show you understand what they’re going through and offer real solutions. The Real Takeaway There’s no formula to becoming a sought-after speaker, but there is a clear through-line in what event hosts value: Authenticity Depth Service Alignment These 10 tips prove that getting booked isn’t about shouting the loudest. It’s about showing up with intention, clarity, and a heart to truly serve. And if you want a step-by-step system to help you do just that—I’ve got you. Want to become the kind of speaker event hosts are excited to put on stage? My Sought-After Speaker System shows you how to craft irresistible pitches, build relationships with organizers, and create signature talks that make you the obvious choice. LEARN MORE Mentioned in this Episode The Sought-After Speaker System Connect with the Guests Elizabeth Henson: elizabethhenson.co Jordan Gill: systemssavedme.com Amber Housley: amberhousley.com Kristina Bartold: highvibewomen.ca Joanna Waterfall: instagram.com/joannawaterfall Jamie & Heather: instagram.com/theconquercommunity Amanda Smith: dallasgirlgang.com Tomasha Suber: tomashasuber.com Christina Olivarez: thesocialbutterflygal.net Frances Ledgewood: ledgewoodfinestationery.com Looking for the Transcript? DOWNLOAD NOW The post 226: 10 Insider Tips from Event Hosts on What Makes a Speaker Stand Out appeared first on Laylee Emadi | Coach for Creative Educators.
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