My First Stage: How I Landed My First Speaking Gig (and What Happened Next)

Welcome back to My First Stage! On the last day of the NSA Influence Conference I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the incredible Julie Holmes. If you’re looking to level up your speaking business, land paid gigs, or just muster the courage to watch your own “game tape,” this episode is packed with exactly what you need.

Julie Holmes is the founder of Stage Hopper, a lead finding and sharing platform built specifically for professional speakers aiming for paid gigs. But Julie is so much more than just a tech founder—she’s a Hall of...

This week’s guest is someone who brings a totally unique angle to the speaker circuit. I had the pleasure of chatting with Sami Kinnison, the powerhouse organizer of TEDx Fayetteville and host of the Be Freaking Awesome podcast (co-hosted with her mom—how cool is that?). If you’ve ever been curious about what it really takes to step onto a TEDx stage—or why paying $10,000 to a “stage guarantee” agency might be the worst move you could make—this episode is for you. Here’s a breakdown of the gems we covered: Demystifying the TEDx Process: Sami Kinnison explains what re...

This episode, I had an absolute blast chatting with Josh Troche—and trust me, his first stage story is as raw and relatable as it gets. From a COVID-induced crash landing on his speaking debut to building authority through podcasting, Josh Troche's story is a must-listen for anyone wanting to get better at speaking and presenting. Let me introduce Josh Troche. Not only is he a fellow podcast producer—the brains behind "Podcasting Momentum" and "The Business Fix"—but he’s also a dynamic video production entrepreneur and experienced public speaker. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Josh Troche knows firsthand how the righ...

If you thought you needed to wait until adulthood to start making waves as a public speaker, Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins' story is going to blow your mind. As the youngest professional bass fisherman in the United States—at just 14—Mickey wasn’t just catching fish; she was captivating audiences of all ages (including a roomful of curmudgeonly pros). Her journey from fishing tournaments to corporate learning stages is packed with wisdom, resilience, and a few laugh-out-loud moments. Meet the Guest: Dr. Mickey Fitch Collins Dr. Mickey Fitch-Collins is a human skills facilitator at Learn It, seasoned public speaker, and lifelong teache...

Welcome back to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and this is the show where public speakers get real about the nerves, the triumphs, and the truly unforgettable moments that shaped their journeys. This week, I sat down with the incredible Jessica Gruber—and trust me, her story is as relatable as it is inspiring, from white-knuckling her way through her early speaking experiences to owning main stages and shaping the way professionals approach networking.

Let me introduce you to Jessica Gruber. She’s not just the founder of Buzzworks—a website...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! Today’s conversation is a powerful, heartfelt, and often hilarious reminder of why vulnerability matters when we step onto any stage. We’re live at the NSA Influence Conference, and I’m thrilled to introduce someone whose first stage story is inspiring, real, and genuinely unforgettable. Meet the Guest: Cathy Reilly Cathy is an “accidental speaker” who spent 25 years as a litigation paralegal before a series of life-changing medical events catapulted her into the world of public speaking. She’s a resilience coach, founder of Sharing the Shine, and host of the Breaking Bad...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and this is the podcast where I sit down with public speakers to get real about how they got started, how they landed their first stages, and how speaking helped transform their businesses and lives. This week, I had the delight of reconnecting with Melissa Cohen, a powerhouse in both the corporate and content creation worlds. If you’ve ever felt nervous about stepping onto a new stage—real or virtual—Melissa’s story of transformation and courage will light the way. From dreading childhood speech competitio...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage—the show where I sit down with seasoned public speakers to uncover the origin stories behind their first speaking gigs and how they leveraged those moments to fuel their businesses. This week, I had the pleasure of welcoming Billy Sammons to the show. Billy’s journey is one of my favorites because it perfectly captures how the “stage” isn’t just a big conference venue—it can be anywhere you find yourself at the front, commanding attention. In his case, that first “stage” was a high school classroom, teaching English to teenagers who, as he puts...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and this is the podcast where I get up-close and honest with seasoned speakers about their very first moments on stage, how they navigated those early nerves, and the ways being in the spotlight transformed their lives and businesses. This week, I had an absolute blast talking with Scott Carson—aka “The Note Guy.” Scott is a real estate marketing pro who’s been speaking, teaching, and owning the stage for over 20 years. If you’ve ever felt that pit in your stomach at the thought of not filli...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! This is the podcast where I sit down with public speakers to get real about how they got started, how they landed their first stages, and how speaking helped transform their businesses and lives. While attending the National Speakers Association's Influence Conference, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Marianne Hickman—and trust me, her “first stage” stories are wild, funny, and packed with inspiration. Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or dreaming of your debut, Marianne’s journey will make you laugh, encourage you to embrace imperfection, and give you permission...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and this is the podcast where I sit down with public speakers to get real about how they got started, how they landed their first stages, and how speaking helped transform their businesses and lives. This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dennis Meador—and let me tell you, his first stage story is unlike any I’ve heard before. If you’ve ever felt a little terrified to speak up, Dennis’s story of accidentally preaching a 45-minute sermon to 700 teenagers as a newbie is...

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage! I’m your host, Sara Lohse, and this is the podcast where I sit down with public speakers to get real about how they got started, how they landed their first stages, and how speaking helped transform their businesses and lives.

Welcome to another episode of My First Stage: the podcast where experienced public speakers share how they got booked on stages and how those moments shaped their business and impact. This week, I had the honor of sitting down with Colette Fehr—a licensed psychotherapist, nationally recognized relationship expert, author, podcast host, and, as of last year, an official TEDx speaker. Colette’s journey to the TEDx stage was anything but easy, and her story is packed with lessons every aspiring speaker needs to hear. Colette recently released her book, "The Cost of Quiet," which dives deep into the power of c...

Every speaker has a story. But before the standing ovations, the TEDx invitations, and the six-figure speaking fees, there was one gig—the first real stage—that started it all.

My First Stage is a podcast that goes behind the mic with professional speakers, authors, coaches, and entrepreneurs to uncover the stories of how they booked their very first speaking engagement and how that moment transformed their confidence, credibility, and career.

From kitchen table pitches and last-minute invites to breakout sessions that turned into full-blown keynotes, our guests take you back to the beginning. These aren...