My Stage Leaders Journey
Finding My Voice and Stepping Into the Speaker I'm Becoming
All I keep saying is WOW.
The eight weeks in Jen Gottlieb’s Stage Leaders program have been nothing short of phenomenal. But as I sit here reflecting on the journey, I realize that “phenomenal” doesn’t quite capture what happened. Something shifted in me. Something I didn’t even know needed shifting.
The Beginning: A Speaker Without a Foundation
Before Stage Leaders, I was speaking, but I was struggling. Event organizers would ask me to speak, and I’d craft individual speeches for whatever they requested. It felt scattered, reactive, and honestly, exhausting. I had joined another program previously, hoping to finally craft that keynote I knew was inside me, but it fell flat. The experience was lackluster, and I was left still searching, still uncertain.
Then I stumbled upon Jen’s Get Paid to Speak Challenge. I think it was through a Facebook-sponsored post of all things. Something about it felt different. The challenge was helpful, engaging, and the community was unlike anything I’d experienced before. For the first time in my speaking journey, I didn’t feel alone. That feeling, that spark of possibility, is what prompted me to take the leap and join Stage Leaders.
But even as I enrolled, the fears were loud.
What if I still couldn’t create a keynote?
What if my story wasn’t good enough?
What if my message didn’t matter?
What if I went through another program and still didn’t get booked?
The fear of remaining stuck, of continuing to navigate this journey in isolation, was almost paralyzing.
The Experience: Being Pushed Beyond Comfortable
To say this program pushed me outside my comfort zone is an understatement. Every week brought new challenges. Weekly live trainings with Jen where she’d dive deep into her methodology, Q&A sessions where vulnerability was encouraged, practice sessions with her incredible team, and homework assignments that made me confront the very things I was avoiding. There was accountability baked into every aspect, celebrations of wins both big and small, and an online community space where we could share our struggles and breakthroughs in real time.
What struck me most was how Jen and her team lead. There’s an authenticity, generosity, and genuine intention behind everything they do. You can feel it in how they show up, how they see each participant, and how they create a safe space for speakers at all levels to learn, grow, and share their stories in a more impactful way.
Jen’s entire methodology allowed me to see speaking in a whole new way, making what once felt intimidating feel possible and even exciting.
The Turning Point: Becoming Real to Myself
And then came the moment that changed everything.
I was caught completely off guard when Jen called my name during the keynote workshop. My heart raced. But what happened next was one of the most transformative experiences in my life. Jen helped me see a story of mine in a completely different way, opening up an entirely new perspective on my keynote journey.
As I shared just a small piece of my story with the group, something unexpected happened. It wasn’t scary. It was fulfilling. The women in the room responded in ways I hadn’t anticipated. They told me how my story moved them, and they couldn’t wait to hear my full keynote. Their words weren’t just encouraging; they were powerful beyond words.
In that moment, something clicked. For the first time, I touched a higher version of myself, the one I see myself becoming. It was emotional, overwhelming, and genuine.
I realized my message was exactly what people needed to hear. As the Attitude Expert, I speak about resilience and self-belief. I speak about not letting the outside interfere with the inside. And for the first time, I could see that this message mattered.
The After: Stepping Into What’s Next
Since completing Stage Leaders, everything has shifted. I carry that version of myself I touched in Jen’s workshop. The speaker I’m becoming is no longer just a vision; she’s real. The most significant difference is knowing I have something worth sharing and that I belong on that stage.
I’m beyond grateful for this experience and for the amazing women I’ve met along this journey. What started as a search for a keynote became a journey of discovering my authentic voice, my message, and my place on the stage.
If you’re looking for a speaker who can help your audience believe in themselves and not let others get in their heads, I’d love to talk about your event.
Because now, when I step on stage, I’m not just delivering a speech. I’m delivering a message I know is mine to share.
All I can say is: WOW.
Learn more about Stage Leaders