When the Stage Did Not Come, I Created One
This year has been a building season for my speaking business.
I have been sharpening my message, building the brand, reconnecting with old contacts, meeting new people, and getting clearer about the rooms I want to be in. I have also said no to opportunities I probably would have jumped at in the past.
That has been one of the biggest lessons for me as a speaker. Growth is not just about getting booked. It is about becoming more clear, more intentional, and more aligned with the message you are called to deliver.
At the beginning of the year, I joined a mastermind around the book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hilll. Each week, as a part of the mastermind i read a chapter and discuss what it would take to move my goals from an idea to something real. One of the first assignments we had was to name a financial goal we wanted achieve within five months. The date was May 11, 2026.
If I wanted to create momentum, I could not just wait for someone to invite me into the room. I had to decide how I was going to use what I had, who I knew, and what I was learning to keep moving.
Inside the larger mastermind, I formed a smaller accountability group with two other members. We met every week before the larger meeting to talk about our goals, our progress, and what we needed to do next.
During one of those calls, we were discussing the chapter on Imagination This chapter was different, We had read a chapter focusing on Desire and Faith. So when we completed the chapter on Imagination we had an idea. What if we created our own speaking stage?
We chose Orlando Florida and called the event was called, “ Orlando Imagine”. From there, the idea became work. We picked the location, created the invitation, set the ticket price, built the lineup, reviewed the spreadsheet, and made the decisions that had to be made.
In the process, I was not just helping to plan an event. I was honing my message. I was practicing my voice. I was learning how to hold both the vision and the details. I was becoming clearer about the kind of speaker I am and the kind of rooms I want to serve.
The event day was here. I flew from Maryland to Orlando. The location was beautiful, but on the day of the event, the air conditioning gave out. And still, we kept going.
That moment reminded me that creating your own stage does not mean everything will go perfectly. It means you stay committed to the message even when something does not go according to plan.
Imagine Orlando reminded me that I am not in a waiting season. I am in the building season. My message is clear, the work is stronger, and I am ready for more of the right rooms.
That is The Negotiator’s Mindset™.
Knowing when to seize the opportunity, when to say no to what no longer fits, and when to create what you have imaged for yourself.
If your conference, leadership team, ERG, women’s community, or organization is ready for a conversation on confidence, value, boundaries, and negotiation, I would love to bring The Negotiator’s Mindset™ to your stage.
