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Mic Drop

Mic Drop

By: Josh Linkner ImpactEleven Connor Trombley
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 Brought to you by ImpactEleven, hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter its starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more.2023 ImpactEleven. All Rights Reserved Art Economics Entertainment & Performing Arts Leadership Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • What Agents Really Want (ft. Brittanny Kreutzer and Jeff Bigelow)

    What Agents Really Want (ft. Brittanny Kreutzer and Jeff Bigelow)
    Aug 6 2025
    Guest Bios:Brittanny Kreutzer started The Speaker Exchange Agency with a background in sales and a love for the speaking industry. She was given a taste of the speaking industry while interning in college for Nancy Lauterbach, a past speakers bureau owner. Upon graduation from college she began a successful career selling radio space and developing radio campaigns for CBS Radio in Kansas City; however, after a few years the excitement of the speaking industry drew her back in. After working at a speakers bureau for several years and becoming one of the top sales executives, she took a break to spend time with her newborn baby Madison. The love she has for this industry struck again and after only a short month's break, Brittanny combined forces with her past colleague and friend, Julie Homsey, to create The Speaker Exchange Agency, LLC. Jeff Bigelow joined SpeakInc in 1995, became Partner in 1996, and with over seventeen years of experience in the industry, still loves what he does. Jeff is a graduate of California State University of Northridge with a B.A. in Radio, Television, Film. At SpeakInc he works both in the corporate market, as well as the association market and is actively involved in the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Outside of his time in the office, Jeff can be found relaxing at the nearest beach or swinging the clubs on one of Southern California's amazing golf courses. What brings him the most joy, of course, is spending time with his wife, Denise, and daughter, Faith.Takeaways:There are a lot more speakers now, requiring more time to review information.The buying cycle for clients has dramatically shortened.Clients are increasingly using AI tools like ChatGPT to find speakers.Understanding the psychology of the audience is crucial for speaker selection.Pre-booking calls have become more common and important.Speakers should provide valuable information, not just check-ins.Top speakers maintain strong communication and relationships with agents.Speaker fees have increased, but value should not be tied solely to fees.AI is a growing topic of interest in the speaking industry.The human element in the speaking industry remains irreplaceable.Chapters:00:00 - The Evolution of the Speaking Industry03:01 - Shifts in Client Expectations05:57 - Understanding the Buying Process09:02 - The Role of Tone and Style in Speaker Selection12:01 - The Importance of Pre-Booking Calls15:12 - Staying Top of Mind in a Crowded Market19:01 - Understanding Speaker Engagement and Connection22:19 - The Top 5% of Speakers: What Sets Them Apart25:17 - Navigating Speaker Fees in a Changing Economy30:15 - The Impact of AI on the Speaking Industry34:00 - The Future of the Speaking Industry: Human Element vs. Technology35:35 - What We Love and Hate About the Speaking IndustryResourcesLearn more about Brittanny Kreutzer:WebsiteLinkedInLearn more about Jeff Bigelow:WebsiteLinkedInLearn more about Josh Linkner:WebsiteYouTubeLinkedInInstagramXFacebookABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter its starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is powered by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner — a New York Times bestselling author — is a rare blend of business, art, and science.On the business front, he’s been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which created over 10,000 jobs and sold for a combined value of over $200 million. He’s the co-founder and Managing Partner of Muditā (moo-DEE-tah) Venture Partners - an early-stage venture capital firm investing in groundbreaking technologies. Over the last 30 years, he’s helped over 100 startups launch and scale, creating over $1 billion in investor returns. He’s twice been named the EY Entrepreneur of The Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.While proud of his business success, his roots are in the dangerous world of jazz music. Josh has been playing guitar in smoky jazz clubs for 40 years, studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, and has performed over 1000 concerts around the world. His experiences in both business and music led him to become one of the world’s foremost experts on innovation. Josh is the co-founder and Chairman of Platypus Labs, a global research, training, and consulting firm. Today, he’s on a mission to help leaders Find A Way™ through creative problem-solving, inventive thinking, and ingenuity.Learn more about ...
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    43 mins
  • Stagecraft and Self-Doubt (ft. Dr. Rebecca Heiss)

    Stagecraft and Self-Doubt (ft. Dr. Rebecca Heiss)
    Jul 23 2025
    Guest Bio:Dr. Heiss is a stress expert dedicated to transforming our fears into fuel we can use through her T-minus 3 Technique. Her research has been designated "transformative" by the National Science Foundation. When she's not on a stage, she is happiest when hiking or surfing with her two spoiled rotten dogs Guinness and Murphy.Takeaways:Fear can be transformed into fuel for action.Curiosity and fear cannot coexist; choose curiosity.The cost of inaction can be greater than the cost of action.You can experience excitement and fear simultaneously.Post-traumatic growth is a common experience for many.Community support is crucial during stressful times.Authenticity in speaking leads to greater connection with the audience.The T-minus 3 technique helps manage fear effectively.Recognizing biological responses to stress can aid in performance.Finding meaning in stress can enhance personal growth.Chapters:00:00 - Introduction to Fear and Stress03:11 - Transforming Fear into Fuel05:49 - The Fearless Formula for Speakers08:57 - Reframing Worst Case Scenarios11:55 - Biology and Stress Response14:41 - Finding Meaning in Stress17:51 - The T-minus 3 Technique20:50 - Personal Growth and Community Impact23:50 - Authenticity in Speaking27:51 - The Power of Connection30:47 - Conclusion and Key TakeawaysResourcesLearn more about Dr. Rebecca Heiss:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramYouTubeFacebookLearn more about Josh Linkner:WebsiteYouTubeLinkedInInstagramXFacebookABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter its starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner — a New York Times bestselling author — is a rare blend of business, art, and science.On the business front, he’s been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which created over 10,000 jobs and sold for a combined value of over $200 million. He’s the co-founder and Managing Partner of Muditā (moo-DEE-tah) Venture Partners - an early-stage venture capital firm investing in groundbreaking technologies. Over the last 30 years, he’s helped over 100 startups launch and scale, creating over $1 billion in investor returns. He’s twice been named the EY Entrepreneur of The Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.While proud of his business success, his roots are in the dangerous world of jazz music. Josh has been playing guitar in smoky jazz clubs for 40 years, studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, and has performed over 1000 concerts around the world. His experiences in both business and music led him to become one of the world’s foremost experts on innovation. Josh is the co-founder and Chairman of Platypus Labs, a global research, training, and consulting firm. Today, he’s on a mission to help leaders Find A Way™ through creative problem-solving, inventive thinking, and ingenuity.Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY AMPLIFY PUBLISHING GROUP:Partnering with CXOs, keynote speakers, change makers, and other visionary leaders, Amplify Publishing Group (APG) is a leader in the hybrid publishing space with more than twenty years of experience acquiring, producing, marketing, and distributing books. Passionate about ideas and voices that need to be heard, they're known for launching books that start engaging and timely conversations. At each turn, they have been at the forefront of innovation and have spearheaded a critical disruption of the publishing industry.Learn more at: amplifypublishinggroup.comPOWERED BY IMPACTELEVEN:ImpactEleven is a speaker training, development and accelerator Community working tirelessly to develop and serve thousands of voices with infinite influence to transform lives and the world for the better.Learn more at: impacteleven.com
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    41 mins
  • Turning Rejection Into Rocket Fuel (ft. Jia Jiang)

    Turning Rejection Into Rocket Fuel (ft. Jia Jiang)
    Jul 9 2025
    Guest Bio:Rising to notoriety with his most-viewed TED Talk (top 200 out of 60,000), “What I Learned from 100 Days of Rejection,” which became the basis for his bestselling book and #1 audio book, Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection, Jia Jiang has become the world's foremost expert on rejection. A top-booked speaker, Jia is the sought-after authority on empowering confidence and resilience, overcoming one's fear of rejection, and daring to be bolder in both life and career. His upcoming book, The Art of Achieving Ambitious Things (Simon & Schuster, May 2026), expands on his mission to help anyone overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams and goals by adopting his breakthrough One Action Goal system.Takeaways:Jia Jiang's 100 days of rejection therapy helped him overcome fear.Humor plays a crucial role in dealing with rejection.Rejection is a natural part of the speaking industry.It's important to not reject yourself after external rejection.Aim for high goals to elevate your pursuits.Rejection can be turned into a learning opportunity.Creating momentum is key to achieving goals.Persistence and adaptability are both necessary in facing rejection.Life should be open to new experiences, not confined by lists.Building relationships can help turn rejections into future opportunities.Chapters:00:00 - The Journey of Rejection Therapy02:47 - Transforming Fear into Expertise06:09 - The Power of Humor in Rejection08:52 - Navigating Rejection in the Speaking Industry12:06 - Turning Rejection into Learning17:01 - Persistence vs. Adaptability in Rejection21:46 - Creating Momentum in Your Journey28:05 - Living Life Without a Rejection Bucket ListResourcesLearn more about Jia Jiang:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramYouTubeFacebookLearn more about Josh Linkner:WebsiteYouTubeLinkedInInstagramXFacebookABOUT MIC DROP:Hear from the world’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing tipping point moments, strategies, and approaches that led to their speaking career success. Throughout each episode, host Josh Linkner, #1 Innovation keynote speaker in the world, deconstructs guests’ Mic Drop moments and provides tactical tools and takeaways that can be applied to any speaking business, no matter its starting point. You'll enjoy hearing from some of the top keynote speakers in the industry including: Ryan Estis, Alison Levine, Peter Sheahan, Seth Mattison, Cassandra Worthy, and many more. Mic Drop is sponsored by ImpactEleven.Learn more at: MicDropPodcast.comABOUT THE HOST:Josh Linkner — a New York Times bestselling author — is a rare blend of business, art, and science.On the business front, he’s been the founder and CEO of five tech companies, which created over 10,000 jobs and sold for a combined value of over $200 million. He’s the co-founder and Managing Partner of Muditā (moo-DEE-tah) Venture Partners - an early-stage venture capital firm investing in groundbreaking technologies. Over the last 30 years, he’s helped over 100 startups launch and scale, creating over $1 billion in investor returns. He’s twice been named the EY Entrepreneur of The Year and is the recipient of the United States Presidential Champion of Change Award.While proud of his business success, his roots are in the dangerous world of jazz music. Josh has been playing guitar in smoky jazz clubs for 40 years, studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, and has performed over 1000 concerts around the world. His experiences in both business and music led him to become one of the world’s foremost experts on innovation. Josh is the co-founder and Chairman of Platypus Labs, a global research, training, and consulting firm. Today, he’s on a mission to help leaders Find A Way™ through creative problem-solving, inventive thinking, and ingenuity.Learn more about Josh: JoshLinkner.comSPONSORED BY AMPLIFY PUBLISHING GROUP:Partnering with CXOs, keynote speakers, change makers, and other visionary leaders, Amplify Publishing Group (APG) is a leader in the hybrid publishing space with more than twenty years of experience acquiring, producing, marketing, and distributing books. Passionate about ideas and voices that need to be heard, they're known for launching books that start engaging and timely conversations. At each turn, they have been at the forefront of innovation and have spearheaded a critical disruption of the publishing industry.Learn more at: amplifypublishinggroup.comPOWERED BY IMPACTELEVEN:ImpactEleven is a speaker training, development and accelerator Community working tirelessly to develop and serve thousands of voices with infinite influence to transform lives and the world for the better.Learn more at: impacteleven.com
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    38 mins
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