Today With Carol Cox (Speaking Your Brand): So… you’ve been asked to give a keynote. Cue the excitement—then the panic. I get it. Keynotes aren’t your average “share some tips” kind of talk. They’re about stepping up, owning your message, and taking your audience on a journey. And trust me, it takes work. In this episode of the Speaking Your Brand podcast, I joined Carol Cox for a deep-dive debrief of the keynote I recently delivered at a major industry conference. We talk through: Why I was invited—and why I said yes The three-month process I used to prepare The one thing I underestimated (and wouldn’t next time!) How I approached memorization and transitions The real message I wanted to leave the audience with If you’re thinking about stepping into the keynote spotlight, or just curious about what it actually takes to deliver one that hits home, this episode is for you. It’s honest. It’s actionable. And yes—it’s all the behind-the-scenes I wish someone had told me before I got started. Check the Speaking Your Brand Podcast with Carol Cox LuAnn University - Join Now! If you’ve been asked to do a keynote talk at a conference – or one of your goals is to do a keynote – this episode is going to give you a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like to prepare and deliver a keynote. Keynotes are meant to be inspirational and aspirational, which is different from a standard business presentation or breakout session where you’re sharing tactical, step-by-step things that people can do. Instead, in a keynote, you want to take the audience on a journey, weaving in your own stories and experiences, and sharing with them your big idea. In this episode, I talk with one of my clients, LuAnn Nigara, and we do a debrief of the keynote she recently gave at a large industry conference. You’ll hear about the process we went through to create the speech, how LuAnn felt on stage, and LuAnn shares with us some things she would do differently. I knew she would nail her keynote – and she did! You’ll love LuAnn’s energy – she was a lot of fun to work with and to have on the show. Let me tell you about LuAnn’s background: She is an award-winning window treatment authority, host of one of the most popular podcasts for the design industry, A Well-Designed Business, and overall business dynamo. She has a multi-million-dollar window treatment business in New Jersey, which has serviced over 24,000 customers over the past 35 years. Be sure to subscribe to the show if you haven’t already. I have more training and coaching calls coming up, including on TEDx talks and pitching the media, so this way you’ll automatically get the new episodes. And share this episode with a friend, especially if you know someone who will be doing a keynote or wants to in the future. Highlights: Why LuAnn was invited to do a keynote How LuAnn prepared for the keynote, starting 3 months ahead of time until a few days before What LuAnn felt like she needed the most help How LuAnn and I worked together to create her message and keynote speech How LuAnn decided to start her keynote Lessons she learned and what she would do differently next time LuAnn’s decision to memorize her talk and how she went about doing that The importance of really knowing your transitions between sections The feedback she received after her keynote The core message from LuAnn’s keynote Links: Connect with LuAnn on her website at http://windowworks-nj.com LuAnn’s podcast A Well-Designed Business = http://windowworks-nj.com/podcasts/ I was on LuAnn’s podcast, A Well-Designed Business, in episode 140, to celebrate her 1 year podcast anniversary. Learn about working with us to create your signature talk or keynote = https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/work-with-us/coaching/