What if you could see a market shift coming before it blindsided your competitors? What would you do if you realized your entire speaking niche was about to become legally restricted in multiple states?
In this episode, host AJ Riedel talks to Dr. Jen Fry, professional speaker, author, and tech company owner who successfully transitioned from college volleyball coach to high-paid keynote speaker specializing in conflict and culture.
Why You Should Listen to (or Watch) This Episode
Dr. Jen Fry's story demonstrates the power of strategic thinking and market awareness for consultants and speakers. Her ability to anticipate the DEI backlash and successfully pivot to conflict resolution before her competitors shows how paying attention to societal trends can protect and grow your business. Any consultant looking to scale their practice will benefit from her practical advice on pricing, positioning, and building systems that support growth.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
How to identify when your industry is about to shift and pivot before you're forced to
The mindset difference between having "imposter syndrome" and simply needing to improve your skills
Why you should never charge less than $2,500 for speaking engagements (and how to justify those rates)
The critical importance of building your email list from day one as a consultant or speaker
How to research your competition and find gaps in the market for your expertise
Why hiring an online business manager who advocates for higher prices is essential for growth
The unconventional method for writing a book that doesn't require sitting at a desk for hours
Listen to These Key Moments:
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00:01:51] The Moment of Truth: Quitting Without a Plan Dr. Fry describes the exact moment she "word vomited" her resignation during a Monday meeting, shocking everyone including herself.
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00:05:27] Solving Problems vs. Motivational Speaking Why most people fail as motivational speakers and how to identify what problem you actually solve for your audience.
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00:09:03] The "Balls of Steel" Mindset Dr. Fry explains why she doesn't experience imposter syndrome and how confidence differs from competence in professional speaking.
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00:12:44] Getting Your First Paid Gig How a volleyball podcast led to her first $1,000 speaking engagement and the friend who told her to never charge less than $2,500.
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00:18:45] Spotting the DEI Backlash Early The strategic thinking that led her to pivot from race and sport topics to conflict resolution before states began banning DEI initiatives.
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00:23:10] Building Market Awareness with Google Alerts Her system for staying ahead of industry trends using 30+ Google alerts and why competitive nature drives success.
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00:28:55] The Email List Mistake That Cost Her Why building an email list should be priority 1 and how she now sends 2-3 emails per week to engaged subscribers.
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00:32:08] The Book That Opens Doors Why every serious speaker needs a book and her unconventional voice-to-text method for writing while driving.
Connect with Jen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenfry13/
Check out her podcast Five With Fry on your favorite podcast platform.