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Claim the Stage: A Podcast About Public Speaking and Speaking Up

Claim the Stage: A Podcast About Public Speaking and Speaking Up

By Angela Lussier

Claim the Stage is a podcast for women who want to learn how to speak on stage, online, and speak up in life. Hosted by Angela Lussier, award-winning professional speaker, seven-time author, and CEO and founder of the Speaker Sisterhood, a network of public speaking clubs for women. Learn more about joining a speaking club: www.speakersisterhood.com
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Ep 216 Your Permission Slip

Claim the Stage: A Podcast About Public Speaking and Speaking UpMay 25, 2022

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10:54
Ep 216 Your Permission Slip

Ep 216 Your Permission Slip

Today's episode is a mini farewell episode. I'm taking the summer off from the podcast! I know I've done this before, and now I'm doing it again. It's also a permission slip for you to say no to more things so you can take more time for yourself and the things you want to be doing. Where can you pause, quit, or otherwise say NO THANKS and bow out? Hopefully today's episode will give you the support and inspiration you need to join me on the bench this summer. See you in September!

May 25, 202210:54
Ep 215 Three Ways to Manage a Vulnerability Hangover
May 18, 202214:60
Ep 214 Open and Close Your Speech with Confidence & Impact
Apr 27, 202217:37
Ep 213 The Art of Keeping It Simple

Ep 213 The Art of Keeping It Simple

You've probably heard "less is more." This statement couldn't be more true when it comes to public speaking and crafting a powerful talk. On today's episode, I break down the three ways to keep your speeches simple and effective.

They are:

  1. If I could only tell someone three things, what would they be? 
  2. When storytelling, use vivid details, but don’t get lost in unnecessary details. Always ask: Is this relevant? If it’s not, get rid of it.
  3. Less is more! Make simple, clear points and reinforce them throughout your speech. 

Listen in as I share how to go about using this advice on today's episode of Claim the Stage!

Apr 13, 202219:27
Ep 212 Start a Speaking Business at 50 with Maria Romano

Ep 212 Start a Speaking Business at 50 with Maria Romano

Wondering if it's too late to get started as a professional speaker? Today's episode is for you! Maria Romano is the founder of True Love Knots. She started her business in her 50s after her husband, Frank, passed away. She got back into the dating world and discovered it was dramatically different. Today she coaches people on how to be successful at dating and found her passion. Maria is also a professional speaker and performs wedding ceremonies, baptisms, and end-of-life celebrations. She is the author of Going from Just One to Plus One which hit #1 on the Amazon bestseller lists.

On today's episode, Maria shares her three best pieces of advice for women who want to start a speaking business later in life. She says building a community of coaches and supporters, clarifying your message, and just getting started were key to her success. Listen in as she shares her story and more!

Get Maria's online course, Become a Rockstar Officiant here. Check out her book here.

Register for Speaking School for Women, my signature six-week course to turn you into a paid speaker. Registration closes April 6th!

Mar 30, 202223:54
Ep 211 Five Secrets to Become a Paid Speaker
Mar 23, 202224:31
Ep 210 What If I'm Boring? Three Ways to Bring It!

Ep 210 What If I'm Boring? Three Ways to Bring It!

Have you ever found yourself saying this before a presentation? "What if I’m boring? I’m afraid everything I say everyone has already heard." 

If so, you are definitely not alone! Instead of focusing on having the most unique ideas, what if you focused on giving advice that is tried and true, and in your own style? On today's show, I share three ways to bring your own brilliance to your words. Sometimes it's not what you say, it's how you say it. My three tips:

  1. Brilliance is putting your own spin on things in your own brilliant way. 
  2. Your audience wants YOU, not a perfectly crafted persona of you.
  3. Take risks with your presentations. Include things no one would expect: Costumes, props, videos, games, etc.

Want more information about Speaking School for Women? Get on the waiting list by emailing me at angela@speakersisterhood.com! 

Mar 09, 202231:39
Ep 209 DIY Your PR with Amanda Berlin

Ep 209 DIY Your PR with Amanda Berlin

If you want to build a business as a speaker, coach, or author, getting visibility will make all the difference. Visibility is also important if you're trying to build a personal brand as a leader in your field. But how do you get visibility if you're just starting out? On today's show, Amanda Berlin, PR expert, shares how to DIY your PR so you can get yourself out there. She says there are three key types of visibility: Collaborations and alliances, speaking and events, and media. But how do you know where to start? Amanda breaks it all down and even offers a free training at the end to give you more helpful tips. 

Links from the episode:

Want one of the last three seats in Speaker Sisterhood Express? Get registered here. 

Transform your public speaking with my 60 Minute Public Speaking Makeover here.

Get Amanda's free training: The Three Pillars of Visibility

Check out Amanda's live two day event: Pitch School Live

More about Amanda:

After more than a decade in the New York City public relations world, Amanda Berlin now uses her pitch powers for good. She helps entrepreneurs step into their presence, create a story that inspires others, and spread their message in the media. Amanda and her clients have been featured in all types of media — from Business Insider to Entrepreneur on Fire and from WNYW Fox 5 to Bustle.com. She's the host of The Empowered Publicity Podcast and loves arming soul-powered business owners with the ideas and skill-set they need to go from hidden industry gem to recognizable trusted expert. Amanda has created a library of template guides and trainings and works one on one with clients to guide them to strategic story-telling and media relations based on her 12 years of experience guiding strategy for major brands in the corporate world. Amanda and her clients have been featured in all types of media — from Business Insider to Entrepreneur on Fire and from WNYW Fox 5 to Bustle.com. She's the host of The Empowered Publicity Podcast and loves arming soul-powered business owners with the ideas and skill-set they need to go from hidden industry gem to recognizable trusted expert. Amanda has spoken on the topics of visibility, publicity, and entrepreneurship at BizChix Live, Style Collective Raleigh and New York City, Body Local, Hoboken Entrepreneur Group, and more.

Mar 02, 202224:00
Ep 208 Small Tweaks, Big Changes with Kathy Vines

Ep 208 Small Tweaks, Big Changes with Kathy Vines

Do you consider yourself to be a pretty good public speaker? Maybe even a great speaker? It's possible you're getting the job done, but there's always room for improvement. As you'll hear in part four of our four part series with Speaker Sisterhood club leaders and members, today's guest came to our clubs to make small tweaks with an eye on big changes. My guest today is Kathy Vines, a Certified Professional Organizer, owner of Clever Girl Organizing, and certified coach (CTACC) and professional resume writer through Kathy Vines Coaching. On today's show, Kathy describes her desire to go from being a trainer to being a more inspirational speaker through the use of storytelling and audience engagement techniques. She got the chance to test these new skills in her Speaker Sisterhood club before showing up in front of her audience and saw the difference right away. If you want to take your skills to the next level, listen to today's episode and take a look at our new program, Speaker Sisterhood Express. This is our new six-month, accelerated public speaking training program launching next month. Registration closes today at 5pm ET and more information can be found here. 

More about Kathy:

Kathy Vines has been a solopreneur times two since 2013.

She is a Certified Professional Organizer and the owner of Clever Girl Organizing, based in Melrose, MA. She works with people to help untangle their relationship to stuff and create the systems to conquer the chaos around them, and these days, she does it all virtually.

Kathy is also a certified coach (CTACC) and professional resume writer through Kathy Vines Coaching. She helps Gen X and Older Millennials with their career strategy, LinkedIn presence, and resumes as they navigate what comes next for them in their professional life.

She’s been bringing her ideas to audiences from the stage and the zoom screen for years. She is the author of the book, “Clever Girl’s Guide to Living with Less: Break Free from Your Stuff, Even When Your Head and Heart Get in the Way”. She has appeared regularly in Better Homes and Gardens, Real Simple, the Boston Globe and the Washington Post. She even appeared in a segment about fridge organization on “Inside Edition.” That video has been viewed on YouTube over 2.5 million, though she has no idea why.

Kathy loves creating clarity and aha moments for people, whether it is figuring out how they should spend the next 20 years of their career, or the best place to put their keys so they stop losing them, once and for all.

Feb 23, 202220:52
Ep 207 Nothing to Hide with Jennifer Cummings Hillery

Ep 207 Nothing to Hide with Jennifer Cummings Hillery

Today's episode is part three of a four-part series with Speaker Sisterhood club leaders and members. I put this series together for you because I'm always asked how Speaker Sisterhood is different than Toastmasters, why it's only for women, and what you learn if you sign up. On today's show, I interview Jennifer Cummings Hillery, Speaker Sisterhood member and club leader.

Jen shares that she originally checked out Speaker Sisterhood because her friend was starting a club in her community and she wanted to see what it was all about. When she arrived, she was surprised by what she found. That was three years ago and she is still a member of that club and has run her own club for over two years.

Listen as Jen talks about her fears around showing emotion while speaking and how she deals with that today, what she has learned about practice, why listening is important, and how being part of a supportive community has helped her on her speaking journey.

If you'd like to check out Jen's club, you can do so here. 

We also have a brand new program called Speaker Sisterhood Express and registration is open until February 24th! It's an accelerated public speaking training program you can participate in from the comfort of your own couch. New clubs are launching in March and they are limited to 10 women per club. Learn more about Speaker Sisterhood Express and register here.

More about my guest: Jennifer Cummings Hillery is a lawyer, an active volunteer in her community and a published writer.  As an attorney, Jennifer was recognized for her writing skills and oral advocacy. After taking a break from the legal world, Jennifer has found great fulfillment volunteering and serving on the boards of various not-for-profit organizations, political campaigns, and as an elected Town Meeting Member.  She was recently awarded an "Outstanding Service Award" from her Alma mater, Skidmore College.  Her community involvement has solidified her belief that anything is possible when committed, hardworking, thoughtful individuals come together to support a common goal.  She is honored that two of her Speaker Sisterhood club speeches are included in the Speaker Sisterhood compilation book, “Secrets of the Sisterhood: 45 Stories of Love, Truth and Power.”  Jennifer loves spending time with her family – husband, three children, two cats, and a dog – who constantly remind her of the joy that exists in all the little things in life.

Feb 16, 202221:48
Ep 206 I Now Know I'm Worthy with Liz Nania

Ep 206 I Now Know I'm Worthy with Liz Nania

Today's episode is part two of a four-part series with Speaker Sisterhood club leaders and members. I put this series together for you because I'm always asked how Speaker Sisterhood is different than Toastmasters, why it's only for women, and what you learn if you sign up. On today's show, I interview Liz Nania, Speaker Sisterhood member.

I asked Liz to come on the show to share the benefits she's gained through her membership. I think you'll be surprised by some of them! If you've been thinking about checking out Speaker Sisterhood, now is a great time. We have a brand new program launching today called Speaker Sisterhood Express! It's an accelerated public speaking training program you can participate in from the comfort of your own couch. New clubs are launching in March and they are limited to 10 women per club. 

Learn more about Speaker Sisterhood Express and register here.

More about my guest: Liz Nania is the director and founder of OUT to Dance, an award-winning dance studio where adults learn salsa, swing, ballroom, wedding dance, and more; and where both LGBTQ and straight folks are warmly welcomed. Classes and private lessons are offered virtually on Zoom and in-person in Boston. Liz is also a lifelong visual artist. You can find her dance studio at OUTtoDance.com, and her art at LizNania.com.

Feb 09, 202221:11
Ep 205 How to Stop Playing a Character with Becky Vesce
Feb 05, 202223:26
Ep 204 The Public Speaking Makeover Quiz

Ep 204 The Public Speaking Makeover Quiz

On today's show, I'm combining a makeover with a quiz...all for you! Today's episode continues January's theme of "connection" and I cover:
1. The difference between a comfort zone and a comfiness zone (and why you really need the latter!)
2. The Public Speaking Quiz and where you stand on various elements of speaking and speaking up.
3. We cover your results and what it all means for you.
If you want to get more information and register for The 60 Minute Public Speaking Makeover, hop over here. This class will take place Tuesday, February 8th at 12:00pm ET. Registration is now open! Can't attend live? No problem, I'll send you the recording. Hope to see you there!
Feb 02, 202226:59
Ep 203 Connecting with Your Money Story with Danielle Hayden

Ep 203 Connecting with Your Money Story with Danielle Hayden

How do you connect the expertise you offer to asking for money as a speaker? What are the three things speakers should be thinking about if they want to make money and get paid to speak in 2022? These are the questions I ask today's guest, Danielle Hayden. Danielle is a reformed corporate CFO and co-owner of Kickstart Accounting, Inc. She is on a mission to help speakers understand their numbers so they can increase their profitability and take home pay. Danielle shares her three best tips for speakers when it comes to making money and your money story. 

We discuss: 

  • the importance of knowing how much money you need to make in order to set your rates
  • knowing what your money mindset is
  • the value of getting comfortable with discomfort

Here are the podcasts and books she mentions:

Danielle's podcast: Entrepreneur Money Stories

Money Magic by Laurence Kotlikoff

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

You're a Bad Ass at Making Money by Jen Sincero

Get Danielle's 5 Day Video Bootcamp: 5 days to transform your financial fear to financial clarity

More about Danielle:

After spending 10+ years in the boardroom as a corporate finance officer, Danielle is now in her sweet spot as the owner of Kickstart Accounting, Inc. where she helps business owners with bookkeeping, financial analysis, and education and as the author of the Profit Planner book series. When Danielle isn’t crunching numbers on her clients’ behalf or crafting the next iteration of the Profit Planner, you can find her hanging with her two kids as she inspires them to lead their fullest lives or doing any, and almost every fitness-related activity ranging from Spartan races to pilates.

Jan 26, 202219:10
Ep 202 The #1 Reason You're Uncomfortable Speaking
Jan 19, 202223:24
Ep 201 Three Things for You
Jan 12, 202222:23
Ep 200 Twelve Ways to be Awesome in 2022
Dec 15, 202149:34
Ep 199 Using Mindfulness to Ease the Stress of Speaking with Theresa Wiggins

Ep 199 Using Mindfulness to Ease the Stress of Speaking with Theresa Wiggins

You've likely heard of mindfulness by now, perhaps you have even studied and practiced it. But have you thought about how mindfulness can improve the process of putting together a speech, delivering that speech, and processing the whole experience afterwards? On today's show, I interview Theresa Wiggins, a mindfulness coach, Speaker Sisterhood club leader, and owner of Village Parenting. Theresa kicks off the episode by leading a three minute mindfulness exercise to demonstrate how it works and then we launch right into the benefits, the science behind it, and how to apply it in the various stages of the speech creation and presentation phases. You can learn more about Theresa's work at Village Parenting here or check out her Speaker Sisterhood club as a guest here

More about Theresa:

Theresa Wiggins speaks on a variety of topics including parenting, mindfulness, family engagement in education, as well as her own journey with mental health. With over 20 years combined experience in the fields of education and coaching, she integrates her passion for kids, families, and education into Village Parenting. Theresa teaches mindfulness, is a parenting coach, and provides consultation and staff development to schools. Village Parenting seeks to build bridges between home and school in order to improve the education and happiness for the whole child. 

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If you'd like to check out my new course, Public Speaking for Shy Creatives, and get one free month of Skillshare, go here.

Dec 08, 202146:47
Ep 198 Got Anxiety Over Speaking? Do This! Featuring Judy Grupenhoff
Dec 01, 202146:47
Ep 197 Speak Up, Dammit! With Hope Timberlake

Ep 197 Speak Up, Dammit! With Hope Timberlake

How many times have you had something you wanted to say, but stopped yourself in fear of being wrong, looking stupid, or being the center of attention? My guest today, Hope Timberlake, is a speaker, trainer and author who focuses on the communication side of leadership. She is here to talk about her new book, Speak Up, Dammit! How to Quiet Your Fears, Polish Your Presence and Share Your Voice and offer you actionable tips for speaking up. We discuss:

  • The main reasons people don’t speak up
  • Helpful techniques to help with speaking up
  • The benefit of pausing while speaking and one technique to help build this skill
  • Techniques for using facial expressions to build connection with your audience
  • Tips for connecting and looking warm and welcoming in a virtual environment
  • The importance of energy, how to infuse passion into your speech, and the role voice modulation plays
  • The importance of creating a Speak Up role model or alternate persona
  • The Speak Up Structure Tool and how it works for creating a compelling speech

Find Hope's book here

More about my guest:

Hope Timberlake is a speaker, trainer and author who focuses on the communication side of leadership. She is passionate about persuasive messaging, relationship building, executive presence, developing others, and elevating the voices of women and those underrepresented in leadership. Her book, Speak Up, Dammit! How to Quiet Your Fears, Polish Your Presence and Share Your Voice was released in October, 2021.

Hope works with executives and their teams across many industries at companies including AirBnB, Autodesk, Bank of America, BlackRock, Dropbox, Intel, PlayStation, Splunk and many scaling start-ups.

By creating rapport and building trust, Hope successfully empowers people to excel as communicators and leaders. Her energy, creativity and results-oriented approach make her keynotes and workshops impactful, engaging and entertaining

Hope earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University and completed a Masters degree at University of California, Berkeley. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, teenaged children and dog Mona.

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If you'd like to check out my new course, Public Speaking for Shy Creatives, and get one free month of Skillshare, go here.

Want to improve your public speaking skills and check out a Speaker Sisterhood club as a guest? Your first meeting is free and all clubs are meeting online. Find the club that works for you here.

Nov 17, 202145:15
Ep 196 Five Simple Ways to Improve Your Presentations
Nov 10, 202123:42
Ep 195 The Dandelion Marketing Strategy

Ep 195 The Dandelion Marketing Strategy

What is the Dandelion Marketing Strategy? I'm glad you asked! On today's show, I share a recent thought I had while at the park with my son and how it relates to sharing our messages about what we do. If you struggle with sharing your voice, being seen through your marketing, or putting your message out into the world, today's episode is for you! I share the four key elements of the Dandelion Marketing Strategy, why they are all equally important, and how to use them for your work. If you try out what I share today and want to tell me about how it's going, email me! angela@speakersisterhood.com


Nov 03, 202113:34
Ep 194 Reboot: Slay Self-Sabotage with Kelly Coffey

Ep 194 Reboot: Slay Self-Sabotage with Kelly Coffey

Today’s show is a reboot of episode 11 which aired in July of 2016! This is possibly my favorite interview of all and I’m excited to bring it back for your listening pleasure. My guest today is Kelly Coffey, a personal trainer who used to weigh over 300 pounds. She is the voice behind the blog at strongcoffey.com where she helps women who struggle with their weight and their choices to get happily grounded in healthier habits. Her work gets down to the root of why we sabotage ourselves and the tools she teaches are just as relevant to women in the speaking business as they are to women who are trying to improve their health.

In this episode, you'll learn how Kelly went from personal trainer to becoming a top speaker and thought leader in the fitness field, why we sabotage ourselves, important signs to pay attention to if you are sabotaging yourself (and what to do next), the mental tricks to attacking self-sabotage, an ideal way to behave if you are afraid to speak on stage, and where to focus your attention once making the decision to move out of self-sabotage.

Check out Kelly's free, life-changing, hour-long online masterclass for women only - Coffey's Four Step System to Lose Weight Without Losing Yourself. Claim your free seat here

Check out my Skillshare class, Public Speaking for Shy Creatives, here

Oct 27, 202141:48
Ep 193 Behind the Scenes of Making a Skillshare Class

Ep 193 Behind the Scenes of Making a Skillshare Class

Have you ever thought about making an online course? Or, have you made one that didn't turn out so well and you're wanting to take a new approach? On today's episode, I take you behind the scenes of my new Skillshare course, Public Speaking for Shy Creatives: How to be Relaxed and Confident. I talk about the idea phase, creating content, producing the videos, post-production, and the mistakes I made along the way. If you've been thinking about creating an online course but don't know where to start, this episode will give you tips to get you moving. 

If you'd like to check out my new course and get one free month of Skillshare, go here. 

Here's more information about my course:

I’ll cover four strategies to help you feel and look more confident, relaxed, and prepared on camera, on screen, and on stage. If you’re interested in building a creative business, freelancing, becoming a speaker, being interviewed on podcasts, or showing up more on social media, you will love this class. You’ll complete a class project that will teach you how to build your own pre-speech ritual so you are in the best mindset and have the most engaging content to present every time.

Key takeaways include:

  • How to go from dreading public speaking to creating a mindset of connection and service
  • The three key questions you need to ask yourself to build an engaging, powerful presentation every time
  • How to show up with magnetic energy so your audience is excited to hear from you
  • How to use your notes effectively
  • Practice tips to help you set yourself up for success every time

Check it out! 

Oct 20, 202134:38
Ep 192 Are You Using the Language of Leadership? With Joel Schwartzberg

Ep 192 Are You Using the Language of Leadership? With Joel Schwartzberg

If you want to get back to basics and have a refresher course on the fundamentals of communication, speaking, and leadership, this episode is for you.

My guest today is Joel Schwartzberg. You may remember him from one of our most popular episodes, How to Make a Point That Sticks. Joel is a leadership communications coach and author and today he brings his tips to help you create a "language of leadership."

Joel's key message: "The most powerful tool you have as a leader—to inform, engage, and inspire—is your voice. Yet all too often, our words fall flat; we get caught in our head, fail to truly understand our audience, or simply flub the landing. But it’s our words and awareness of their impact that make the difference between simply managing teams and inspiring them to do their best work. "

We discuss:

  • Why some women come across as aggressive if they are straight forward
  • The importance of gender neutral language
  • Ideas around what to do if you are interrupted in a meeting and how to deal with that
  • Why leaders need to focus their communication on inspiration, not just information
  • The importance of shifting language from merely sharing problems to solving them
  • Do’s and don’ts for conveying empathy and hope
  • Easy ways leaders can improve the effectiveness of meetings through communication
  • The three simple words that quickly reveal if you’re getting your point across or not

More about Joel:

Joel Schwartzberg is a leadership communications coach whose clients include American Express, Blue Cross Blue Shield, State Farm Insurance, the Brennan Center for Justice, and Comedy Central. Joel’s articles on effective communication have appeared in Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, and Toastmaster magazine. He is the author of Get to the Point! Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter, which Seth Godin calls “a manifesto for giving talks that make a difference,” and The Language of Leadership: How to Engage and Inspire Your Team, which Kevin Eikenberry says “will make your communication more purposeful, meaningful, and inspirational.”

Learn more about Joel and his coaching practice here.

Get Joel's new book, The Language of Leadership

Want to improve your public speaking skills and check out a Speaker Sisterhood club as a guest? Your first meeting is free and all clubs are meeting online. Find the club that works for you here.

Oct 13, 202139:37
Ep 191 You Don't Have To Go It Alone with Molly Keehn Ed.D.

Ep 191 You Don't Have To Go It Alone with Molly Keehn Ed.D.

How many times have you set a goal for yourself and then either abandoned it, came up with reasons not to do it, or lost motivation and forgot why it was important to begin with? Doing something new, something big, or something different comes along with challenges and oftentimes when we set out to do these things alone, we don't succeed. Why does this happen?

My guest today is Molly Keehn Ed.D., an educator, co-founder of CoJourn and co-author of the book, “CoJourn: Harnessing the Power of Connection to Tune into Your Wisdom, Achieve Your Goals, and Create the Life You Want.” Along with co-founder Karl Henricksen, she helps people make changes in their lives in a structured and connected way.

On today's show, we discuss the benefits of having an accountability partner when setting out to accomplish a goal, the eight core components of her program and why they are important to a successful partnership, the role of self-compassion, and how to create a "guiding theme" to keep you focused on what you say you want. Molly also shares her own academic research on the subject while giving us a glimpse into her guiding themes and how they are going.

Learn more about CoJourn here or get the book here.

Check out the meditations Molly mentioned in the episode:

Kristen Neff's meditations and exercises

Chris Germer's 6 minute self-compassion break

Want to improve your public speaking skills and check out a Speaker Sisterhood club as a guest? Your first meeting is free and all clubs are meeting online. Find the club that works for you here.

Oct 06, 202143:48
Ep 190 Are You Standing In Your Way? With Lisa Fabrega

Ep 190 Are You Standing In Your Way? With Lisa Fabrega

Today's episode is a must-listen if you have been struggling to figure out what is stopping you from being where you want to be, having what you want to have, or doing what you say you want to do. Today's guest is Lisa Fabrega, a personal transformation advisor who supports ambitious women as they strive to create a deep and lasting impact on the world. 

Her advice blew my mind as she broke down her Capacity Framework and the six capacities that could be contributing to keeping you stuck. Shifting how you see yourself is just the start of her work as she helps you see your own internal capacity and connection to your inner wisdom. The six capacities she notes are money, visibility, purpose, embodiment, structural, and boundaries. Listen as she goes through each one and describes how these areas can hold you back if unaddressed. 

More about Lisa: For more than ten years, Lisa has worked with new and seasoned entrepreneurs as well as Nobel Prize organization nominees to break through boundaries that have been holding them back. Her signature approach involves the proven concept of expanding your capacity as a way to reach your highest levels of success. Lisa has addressed thousands of people both on stage as a keynote speaker as well as when she appeared on podcasts including The UnMistakeable Creative, Her Rules Radio and Tell Me A Story with Debra Silverman. She’s also been featured on CNN, Yahoo! News and The Huffington Post. She splits her time between Florida and California with her two rescue dogs, Luna and Sadie.

Learn more about Lisa here

Want to work on your goals, improve your public speaking skills, and check out a Speaker Sisterhood club as a guest? Your first meeting is free and all clubs are meeting online. Find the club that works for you here.

Sep 29, 202150:32
Ep 189 Live Coaching: Dealing with Crippling Fear of Speaking, Maid of Honor Speech Jitters
Sep 22, 202139:17
Ep 188 How Sheetal Sheth Is Claiming Her Stage
Sep 15, 202141:05
Ep 187 A Surprising Benefit That Comes from Speaking Up
Sep 08, 202119:40
Ep 186 Recreating Your Life & Summer Vacation
Jul 14, 202136:13
Ep 185 Live Coaching: Using Your Voice in Business, Giving a Solid Keynote

Ep 185 Live Coaching: Using Your Voice in Business, Giving a Solid Keynote

What do you do when you've been working a 9-5 job for years, and now you want to step out and build your own business but feel nervous about using your voice and drawing attention to yourself? Our first guest on today's live coaching episode asks this question. Hint: The process of figuring this out can actually be fun! Our second guest asks how to give an effective keynote when you're not sure what will best connect with your audience. This is our second live coaching episode and we'd love to do more! Email angela@speakersisterhood.com to get on the show and have your question answered. Guests today are MaryKate Daly and Emily Aborn. 

Jul 07, 202130:22
Ep 184 Live Coaching: Dealing with Anxiety When Speaking, Selling When Live on Social Media
Jun 30, 202139:08
Ep 183 Special Episode: Celebrating Five Years of Podcasting!

Ep 183 Special Episode: Celebrating Five Years of Podcasting!

Friends! This is a special anniversary edition of Claim the Stage, solo hosted by me, Angela. Can you believe it's already been five years??! Me neither. On today's show, I discuss:

  • what it’s like to do a project for five years
  • how my views have changed on the podcast over the years
  • how the podcast has helped my business succeed
  • my initial fears around doing a podcast
  • what I’ve learned from my guests
  • what I’ve learned about being a great interviewer
  • the show going forward
  • what I'm thinking about building next

Want to give feedback on my new course ideas? Email me! Angela@speakersisterhood.com.

Two ideas: How to start a podcast, how to be a better podcast guest. 

Jun 23, 202140:18
Ep 182 Experience Growth Without Suffering with Sophie McLean
Jun 16, 202153:06
Ep 181 A Better Way to Deal with Change with Erin Davidson

Ep 181 A Better Way to Deal with Change with Erin Davidson

A breakup can be more than a romantic relationship -- it can be the loss of a job, a business, a move to a new city, losing a cherished friendship, anything. It’s an ending that requires attention and care and on today's episode, our guest will show you how to process that time of life. Erin Davidson (pronouns: she/her), MA, RCC, is a writer and Registered Clinical Counselor in Vancouver B.C. specializing in sex and relationship therapy. We focus on her new book, Break Through the Breakup, to show how the breakup can be a catalyst for self-discovery and growth. There are many gifts that come from endings and change and today's guest will highlight what those are.

More about Erin:

Erin works with clients of all genders, sexual orientations, and relationship dynamics to bring more compassion and joy to their connection with themselves, their sexuality, and their relationships. She is the author of two books: Break Through the Breakup and Thriving in Non-Monogamy. You can read more of her writing and connect with her on Instagram @erin.e.davidson and her website: www.erinedavidson.com.

Jun 10, 202153:06
Ep 180 How to Start Before You're Ready

Ep 180 How to Start Before You're Ready

Guess what! Today we're talking about one of our favorite subjects: Doing it before you're ready. You might be asking...do what? Well, anything! Working towards a dream, writing that book, speaking on a bigger stage, asking that cute person out on a date...whatever. We can make excuses all day and blame things outside of our control, but what if we just took action instead? Joli and Angela talk about their own experiences with starting before they were ready and offer advice on how to do the same. If you're wondering how Angela went from shy and behind the scenes to running a public speaking business, you'll hear the whole story in this episode. 

If you want to be featured on an upcoming live coaching episode, email angela@speakersisterhood.com with your question. 

Jun 02, 202101:11:44
Ep 179 Using Your Voice for Email Marketing with Jena Bagley

Ep 179 Using Your Voice for Email Marketing with Jena Bagley

We spend a lot of time talking about how to use your authentic voice for speaking, but when you want to sit down and write a compelling email that really connects to your audience, what is the best way to share your voice? Email is an incredibly effective method of marketing, yet it can be so hard to craft a message and hit send when you know it's being broadcasted to hundreds or thousands of people. Learning what to say, how to say it, and when to send an email to get the most out of it is an art form. Today's guest, Jena Bagley, Advocate Manager of AWeber, will enlighten you and give you helpful tips to be an effective email marketer. If you struggle with finding your voice when writing, you'll gain helpful strategies to focus your words and get the most out of the communication. 

Get your free gift from Jena here 

More about Jena Bagley:

As the Advocate Manager for AWeber, a leading email service provider and the very first autoresponder, Jena Bagley works closely with content creators, podcasters, social media strategists & enthusiasts, coaches, entrepreneurs, and more. Through email marketing you can connect with your audience and drive them back to your podcast, blog, website or social platforms over and over again, keeping you top of mind. Having worked in several different industries over her career, including restaurant, bridal, real estate, recruiting, direct sales, and SaaS, Jena has acquired a wealth of knowledge about sales, marketing, and what it really means to build a relationship with your target audience.


May 26, 202151:07
Ep 178 How to Actively Avoid Your Destiny

Ep 178 How to Actively Avoid Your Destiny

Have you ever had a grand vision for your life and then immediately discarded it because you thought it could never work?  Or, have you had that grand vision, rolled it around in your mind for years, and then finally decided to let it go because it was too risky, wasn't something you thought you could really do, or seemed too grand for you? If so, today's episode is for you! We talk about things we've done to avoid our destiny and also share tools and mindset tips to help you move from the dreaming stage to the action stage of going after your destiny. We have a lot of experience with this topic and there was no shortage of personal stories and advice. Grab your pen and prepare yourself to take notes - it's time to go after your destiny!

May 19, 202147:59
Ep 177 Lies about Permission, Pretending, and Pausing

Ep 177 Lies about Permission, Pretending, and Pausing

Have you ever felt like you needed permission from your friends and family to take a risk? Maybe you weren't waiting for their validation consciously, but were you delaying taking action because you didn't know what others would think of your idea? Does that sound familiar? What about pretending? Ever show up in relationships acting one way, but thinking another? Have you ever felt you had to put on a show in order to be accepted or loved? And when it comes to pausing, have you ever felt guilty for taking your foot off the gas so you could coast for a bit and not feel the pressure to constantly be doing something?? Today's show is all about addressing three big topics that can get in the way of living our life fully. Whether it's waiting for the right person to give you the green light, wanting to impress someone by acting a certain way, or constantly working to prove your worth, you're missing out on the magic of life by constantly striving for things that don't improve the quality of our life. Joli and Angela share their experiences and perspective on these words and offer advice on how to deal with them in a way that isn't soul crushing.

May 12, 202101:08:02
Ep 176 Manage the Anxiety of Speaking Up in Relationships with Paula Leech

Ep 176 Manage the Anxiety of Speaking Up in Relationships with Paula Leech

Speaking up about your needs, desires, fears, and upsets in relationships can be an anxiety-inducing experience. If you struggle with speaking up, you are likely familiar with the symptoms of anxiety - the "what if" thoughts, the nausea, the fears of everything unraveling. On today's show, we interview Paula Leech, a sex and relationship therapist who specializes in helping women and couples learn how to speak up. We discuss how to take more risks with your words, how to separate your anxious thoughts from your other thoughts, how to develop a different mindset about difficult topics, and much more. If you have ever wondered if speaking up about what is important to you could feel easeful, today's episode is for you. 

More about our guest: 

Paula Leech holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Family and Human Development from Arizona State University and a Master’s Degree in Family Therapy from the University of Massachusetts Boston. She’s also an AASECT (American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists) certified Sex Therapist and worked with individuals, relationships, and families in private practice in Quincy, Massachusetts for over ten years. In that time, Paula received AASECT certification as a Supervisor of Sex Therapy, and co-founded a sex therapy agency and training institute where she saw clients in addition to training therapists to become competent, confident sex therapists themselves. Paula continues to regularly present at various training institutes as well as Universities and therapy agencies across the US.

Learn more about Paula Leech here 

May 05, 202101:00:47
Ep 175 Simple Daily Habits for Wellness with Pam Victor

Ep 175 Simple Daily Habits for Wellness with Pam Victor

Did you know that in 30 seconds to one minute per day you could improve your wellness and well-being? It's true! In fact, today's guest says the smaller the changes are that you make to your life, the better results you will have. Quit trying to incorporate every healing modality under the sun only to feel frustrated and disappointed with yourself. Taking a few minutes a day can be transformative for your overall wellness and today's guest will show you how. 

Pam Victor is a happiness coach, professional improviser, and founder of Happier Valley Comedy, the first and only comedy theater in Western Massachusetts which provides regular shows, a full-curriculum comedy training program, and the THROUGH LAUGHTER Program for professional and personal development...and happiness! On today’s episode, Pam walks us through a couple simple techniques you can start using today to improve your well-being. Her philosophy is that if it doesn’t bring joy and ease, why do it? So instead of dreading a wellness routine, you’ll learn how to look forward to it! You’ll learn more about her new online wellness program launching May 8th, Resilience Through Joy: The 30-Day Happiness Experiment, and the benefits it provides. To learn more about it and enter the drawing for a free spot, visit www.happiervalley.com.

More about Pam:

Pam Victor is also a teacher, corporate facilitator, TEDx speaker, author of "Baj and the Word Launcher" and "Improvisation at the Speed of Life," a recipient of The New England Public Radio Arts & Humanities Award, mother of two adult daughters, and she likes you already.

Apr 28, 202157:29
Bonus Episode: Introducing Andrea Ross, New Speaker Sisterhood Club Leader
Apr 26, 202118:11
Ep 174 Create a System to be Brave with Laura Khalil
Apr 14, 202154:44
Ep 173 Live for Yourself with Naketa Ren Thigpen

Ep 173 Live for Yourself with Naketa Ren Thigpen

How often have you been called “selfish” in your life? How often have you gone out of your way to avoid being seen that way? On today’s show, we interview Naketa Ren Thigpen, LCSW, the #1 Balance & Relationship Advisor in the World. She is also the author of the book Selfish: Permission to Pause, Live, Love and Laugh Your Way to Joy. On today’s episode, we explore what the word selfish really means and how Naketa has redefined it. She discusses the work she does with her clients to help them reprioritize their life to include more joy and less bending to expectations and fear. As the title of the show indicates, we talk about how to live life for yourself and stop trying to live it for everyone around you.

More about Naketa:

Naketa Thigpen has become the go-to for fast-scaling married women entrepreneurs and power couples seeking to balance love and success without dimming or apologizing for their spirited ambition. As the creator of the breakthrough paradigm The Joy Map Method, transformative empowerment speaker and CEO of ThigPro Balance and Relationship Management Institute, Naketa and her team set out every day to inspire, equip and empower her client-partners to amplify intimacy 360% across all key relationships so they can create joy and achieve WHOLE SUCCESS!

Follow Naketa on Instagram 

Get her book, Selfish


Apr 07, 202101:12:06
Ep 172 Sell Like a Boss with Nikki Rausch

Ep 172 Sell Like a Boss with Nikki Rausch

Even if you're not in sales for your profession, you're always selling. Perhaps you're selling your friend on an idea for a trip you'd like to take, or selling your child on the benefits of vegetables. You likely even have a component of your job that requires you sell your ideas to your team, your boss, or your clients. Selling is an essential tool and yet it is often looked at as a high stress activity to avoid if we can. It's also viewed as a skill that requires a lot of extroversion and swagger. Here's some good news: Selling can be easy and it can even be something you look forward to! On today's episode, we welcome back Nikki Rausch, also known as The Sales Maven. You may remember her from episode 133: The Misunderstood Process of Selling where she talked about her "Selling Staircase" and the process you take your customers through so they understand how you can help them. Today we discuss why there is so much fear and anxiety around selling, why you don't have to be the life of the party to be good at sales, how to show up like a boss when you sell, and different techniques to employ as a pre-sales ritual. 

More about Nikki:

After 25 years of experience selling to such prestigious organizations as The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Hewlett-Packard, and NASA, Nikki Rausch decided to trade in her road warrior status so she could help entrepreneurs sell in a way that builds relationships, creates true connection, and results in more closed deals and long-term clients. Now, as a sales coach, author, speaker and founder of Sales Maven, Nikki transforms the misunderstood process of “selling” into techniques, tools, and tips for busy entrepreneurs. When she's not helping business owners move their clients along the 'Selling Staircase', Nikki enjoys taking in all the beauty that living in the Pacific Northwest affords her.

Get more information about Nikki and download your free gift here

Nikki's socials: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

Mar 31, 202101:09:13
Ep 171 Letting Go of Your Inner Good Girl with Sarah Schneider
Mar 24, 202101:09:39
Ep 170 You Don’t Owe Anyone with Caroline Garnet McGraw

Ep 170 You Don’t Owe Anyone with Caroline Garnet McGraw

"Perfectionism, people-pleasing, codependency, and constant striving to measure up— all of these patterns are rooted in fear and angst, which are emotion-level issues. The challenge for us is to bring love to the parts of ourselves that are hurting and terrified. Our work is to bridge the gap between the head and the heart.” - Caroline Garnet McGraw

If that quote means anything to you, you will love today's show. Our guest is Caroline Garnet McGraw, an author, speaker, and coach for recovering perfectionists. She's the author of You Don't Owe Anyone, a new book coming out April 20th now available for preorder here. If you feel like you owe the world a brave face, superhuman strength, an explanation, or your time and energy, it's time to hit play! Caroline shares why she wrote this book, how to stop feeling like you owe everyone something, what the "guilt gauge" is, and how to stop people pleasing. 

Get Caroline's book and other bonuses here

More about Caroline: Caroline is the creator of A Wish Come Clear, a popular blog devoted to trading perfectionism for possibility, as well as several online interview series. She's a two-time TEDx speaker, and her essays have been featured on The Huffington Post, Momastery, and Women For One. Caroline lives in Florence, Alabama with her family.

Mar 17, 202101:34:03
Ep 169 Speaking of Aging: Angela Turns 40
Mar 10, 202153:34
Ep 168 Online Presenting Reboot

Ep 168 Online Presenting Reboot

Hi Friends, Angela here. I have a new course coming out March 8th and this episode is dedicated to the topic I'm covering: How to present online like a pro! Joli and I discuss the topic along with some of our other favorites, like what's bringing us joy and what we're kicking to the curb. After our intro, you'll hear a replay of episode 145, a Q&A episode all about online presenting. I cover:

  • How do I set up my computer and lighting to get the best look?
  • How can you create engagement when people don’t have their camera on and you can’t see them?
  • How can I build an instant connection with a virtual audience? I want to have an engaging opening and usually I just feel like everyone is bored as soon as I start.
  • I hate being on camera! How do I get over this?
  • How do I field questions while trying to present? What if I don’t know the answer to a question?
  • How do I deliver a script when it’s not possible to memorize it?

Introducing my new course, Online Presenting Made Easy! This course is designed to take you from anxious and unsure to actually enjoying presenting (yes it is possible!). You’ll learn how to:

  • create content that is meaningful, informative, and not salesy
  • keep the audience engaged from start to finish so you’re not left wondering if anyone heard anything you said
  • use the technology so it enhances your presentation instead of being a source of frustration
  • present yourself with authenticity instead of sounding robotic and boring

Register here!

If you're interested in checking out a Speaker Sisterhood club and would like to learn more about membership, go here.

Want to share feedback about this episode or offer an idea for a topic you'd like us to cover? Email me!

Mar 03, 202101:28:10