I got booked in spite of myself


Hey Reader,

Six years ago, I stood backstage at TEDx Antwerp, Googling "how to not throw up before a speech."

I wasn't ready. My slides were mediocre. My delivery was shaky. I had no speaker reel, no one-sheet, no agent.

But I was there. And over the next few years, I kept being there. United Nations. Deloitte. Stages I had no business standing on.

I didn't get booked because I was a good speaker. I got booked in spite of it.

What I had instead of skill: a LinkedIn profile full of opinions.

Not thought leadership. Not "5 tips for better meetings." Actual opinions. About neurodivergence. About workplace bullshit. About getting fired three times before I was 25.

I'd been posting for months before anyone asked me to speak.

Not strategically, or anything. Just out loud.

Visibility got me booked. Readiness had nothing to do with it.

Speaking opened doors I didn't know existed.

  • Two book deals
  • High-ticket consulting offers
  • More workshops because one talk led to another.

But most speakers, founders and consultants I meet have it backwards.

They think they need the assets first. The speaker sheet. The sizzle reel. The booking page with the off-camera headshot.

They spend months building the kit before anyone knows who they are.

Without visible expertise and a recognizable personality, no asset can save you. A beautiful speaker page means nothing if nobody's looking for you.

The assets come after. First, you earn the attention.

Here's how.

  • Nail down your niche in a bookable category. Not "future of work." Something like "AI recruitment in a high-cost hiring market." Specific enough that when someone needs that exact thing, your name surfaces.
  • Build a framework around your point of view. A way of seeing your topic that makes you the obvious person to talk about it.
  • Write about your journey and experiences. The goal is trust. People should feel like they know how you think before they see you on stage.

If you want a real shot at speaking, don't start with talk titles and speaker kits.

Show up as yourself first. Your actual personality. Your actual takes. Your actual mess.

Even if you suck. Especially if you suck. That's how you learn.

I'm running a cohort called Content to Gigs. It's for early-stage speakers, founders, consultants, and experts who want to turn what they're already posting into speaking opportunities.

We cover positioning, visibility, and the "what do I REALLY have to say" bit most people don't bother with.

If that's where you're stuck, this is for you. ✌️

Magali

PS. First cohort. Lowest price it'll ever be. Waitlist gets first crack.

Click here to join the waitlist.

Magali De Reu

All things content for Keynote Speakers

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