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Are you ready to elevate your speaking game and attract lucrative speaking engagements? Diane Diaz, our lead speaking coach, sits down with one of our clients, Cherlette McCullough, a licensed marriage and family therapist, to delve into the keys to...
Are you ready to elevate your speaking game and attract lucrative speaking engagements?
Diane Diaz, our lead speaking coach, sits down with one of our clients, Cherlette McCullough, a licensed marriage and family therapist, to delve into the keys to crafting a compelling signature talk that not only resonates with audiences but also leads to paid speaking opportunities.
Key Highlights:
You’ll learn:
We know you’ll be inspired to get out there on the speaking circuit!
Links:
Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/396/
Cherlette’s website: https://www.cherlettemccullough.com/
Discover your Speaker Archetype by taking our free quiz at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/quiz/
Work with us in our Thought Leader Academy: https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/
Connect on LinkedIn:
Related Podcast Episodes:
It's time to escape the expert trap and become an in-demand speaker and thought leader through compelling and memorable business presentations, keynotes, workshops, and TEDx talks. If you want to level up your public speaking to get more and better, including paid, speaking engagements, you've come to the right place! Thousands of entrepreneurs and leaders have learned from Speaking Your Brand and now you can too through our episodes that will help you with storytelling, audience engagement, building confidence, handling nerves, pitching to speak, getting paid, and more. Hosted by Carol Cox, entrepreneur, speaker, and TV political analyst. This is your place to learn how to persuasively communicate your message to your audience.
Carol Cox:
How do you create a signature talk that
attracts paid speaking opportunities?
That's where you're going to hear in our
conversation with client Cherlotte
McCullough on this episode of the Speaking
Your Brand podcast.
More and more women are making an impact by
starting businesses, running for office and
speaking up for what matters.
With my background as a TV political
analyst, entrepreneur and speaker, I
interview and coach purpose driven women to
shape their brands, grow their companies,
and become recognized as influencers in
their field. This is speaking your brand,
your place to learn how to persuasively
communicate your message to your audience.
Diane Diaz:
Speaking is a great way to generate leads for
your business, but speaking itself can also
be a revenue stream for your business.
I'm Diane Diaz and I am lead speaking coach
with speaking your brand, and that is what
we're going to be talking about today.
We're going to be talking about getting out
there, speaking, building visibility, but
then also using your signature talk and
creating a signature talk that can help you
actually get paid speaking gigs.
So we're going to be talking about that
today with our guest, Cherlette McCullough.
Shirley is a licensed marriage and family
therapist, and we definitely need people
like her out there speaking and sharing her
message. So welcome to the podcast, Shirley.
Cherlette McCullough:
Thank you, Diane, I'm excited to be here to
talk to you today.
Diane Diaz:
I am so excited to have you and for our
audience to hear from you now.
Take a minute before we jump into things.
And, you know, I mentioned you're a licensed
marriage and family therapist, but tell us a
little bit more about what you do, who you
work with and how you help them so we can
get some idea of what you do.
Cherlette McCullough:
Absolutely. So I am a marriage and family
therapist, a licensed mental health
therapist here in the Orlando area.
And my niche, or the population that I work
with are specialize with specialize in is
with women and with couples.
So all couples of all kinds, um, seasoned
couples as well as new couples.
So all couples around, um, relational things
going on with the relationships.
And sometimes people feel like that's
something that doesn't have to do with
mental health or any of those things.
But it has so much to do.
How we show up in relationships, how we
treat ourselves, how we treat others, our
expectations, how we handle conflict.
All of that stuff can come from our
childhood or experiences that we've had in
our relationships. So that's what I do in my
practice. I also do a number of advocacy
awareness things in our communities.
I serve on a few boards and committees in
our community, because I feel that mental
health services should be accessible for
everyone, no matter your socioeconomic
status. Um, and through my work, I try to
deliver that.
Diane Diaz:
Yes. And, you know, I feel like even in
particular, in the time we're living in,
your services are so greatly needed because
there's a lot of things going on.
And I think that, you know, mental health
counseling, like you said, is beneficial
regardless of what the situation is.
And, you know, there's the expression how we
do anything is how we do everything right.
And so how people navigate their personal
relationships then infiltrates the workplace
and everything else. So absolutely.
So it's it's important work that you're
doing. And so I'm for one, I'm glad you're
out there sharing your voice.
Now, you and I worked together, I believe,
back in December of last year.
But tell me a little bit, what was your
speaking experience before you and I worked
together? Were you out there speaking?
How frequently were you speaking?
What was it like?
Cherlette McCullough:
So prior to us working together, Diane, I was
in the community speaking, doing different,
uh, speaking engagements, facilitating
different workshops and things like that.
And it was going well, but it wasn't going
well, if I could say that, you know.
So I wanted to one of the reasons why I
reached out to you and wanted to know what
you do specifically and talk to you about
what I really wanted.
So back then, what I really wanted was I
wanted to take my speaking engagements or my
speaking speeches or presentations to the
next level. So at that time, I felt like I
was kind of stagnant.
You know, I knew the information that I
wanted to, um, relate to people, but I just
didn't know how to relay it at a higher
level. And sometimes people feel embarrassed
to say that, or sometimes people feel like,
I don't know what to say.
I just know I want something different.
And talking to you, you were able to really
guide me in that place of sure that this is
what you really want.
You know, I felt comfortable with you.
I felt that I could really express what I
wanted out of us meeting if we're going to
work together.
I felt like I could be candid with you about
that, you know? And so that's really what I
wanted. I wanted to continue doing public
speaking and speaking to different
populations, but I wanted to take my
speeches or my presentations up to the next
level. So with the information that I was
sharing, how I delivered it, and really
thinking about how is this going to resonate
with the, um, audience that I want to
present to?
Diane Diaz:
Yes, yes, I love that.
You know, I think you're right. I think it's
hard sometimes to say.
And regardless of what we're doing to say, I
think it could be better.
And I think I need someone to help me make
it better. So it's, you know, that's a hard
thing to say, but but, you know, you
obviously had all the.
Experience that you brought to this your
knowledge. You were out there speaking like
you said and doing workshops.
So it's not that you hadn't spoken, but you
at least recognized maybe this could be more
impactful and have a have a bigger impact.
And I don't know if at the time, were you
thinking about paid speaking engagements?
Cherlette McCullough:
Well, you know, I was thinking about that,
um, Diane. But in being specific, I wanted
paid, um, speaking engagements.
That was over a certain amount.
I couldn't get over the hump of a certain
amount, like, I can't I can't get over this
amount, you know, and then just, you know,
honestly, after we worked on my signature
speech and really changed some things, I
automatically, um, attracted different, um,
businesses. I attracted different people,
different entities that was interested in me
coming to speak to them about the different
topics that I had.
I mean, that one place that I spoke at, you
know, we worked on the speech together for
this one, um, specific engagement that I had
and from that one, that one that you helped
me with, right. That one I got about four
more. And then this past week, honestly, I
can show you the emails.
Honestly, this past week I had to turn down
three because I just don't have the
capacity. Diane and I just don't have it.
But that one.
Presentation that we did back in January.
That one, it just it's like it exploded,
honestly. It just exploded from there.
And I think I've referred a few women to you
because from those engagements they were
asking like, how did you learn to do that?
Or who taught you that?
And it's like, it's not about learning how
to speak so much, you know, because some of
us, we know how to and some of us have
gotten over that fear of getting up.
We're still nervous, but we've gotten over
that fear of getting up and presenting to
different audiences.
But how do we say, how do we make what we're
saying believable and impactful, and have
takeaways that people can take away and
share in their personal life as well as
their professional life? And I feel that my
signature speech, you are able to help me do
that. I'm really proud of it.
I mean, I'm really proud of that, um,
signature speech. It's almost time for me to
work on a different one.
Diane Diaz:
Well, first of all, you should be very proud.
And so just to for our listeners to give
them a little history here.
So you and I worked together in December and
you had a specific event coming up, which
was a leadership summit here locally.
Right. And then that was going to take place
in January. So we worked on that talk, and I
want to dig into like what that was and why
there was some magic in there that then led
to these other speaking engagements.
But then I actually was able I don't often
get to see the clients I work with on their
talk. I don't often get to see them deliver
their talks in person.
So it was a unique privilege and a such a
pleasure for me to be able to come to that
event and see you on the stage.
Yes, all your glory and beautiful suit and
you just, I mean, you you blew it out of the
water. You did such a great job.
Now, when we worked on that talk, you're
very welcome. And when we worked on that
talk, one thing that, that we, we came up
with was this idea of having this activity
that the audience would participate in.
So you want to tell us a little bit about
the talk, like what was it about and what
was the thing that was sort of the audience
engagement piece that you had them do at the
beginning and at the end?
So tell us about that.
Cherlette McCullough:
Yeah. So that was exciting to me.
I think I was more excited than the
audience. I was so excited to deliver it
because it it just did a lot for me.
But the talk was about leadership, about how
do you lead, what type of leader are you?
And I wanted to leave them with some type of
tool or some type of thought to think about
how do I leave?
Why am I leading this way?
You know, am I being honest with myself
about how I show up?
So we did.
The topic was self from selfie to self
reflection. And I thought that topic, Diane,
was so catchy because all of us do selfies
right now. You know, everywhere we go,
leadership summits, workshops, wherever we
are, we're doing, uh, selfies.
So that topic was really good.
And then the activity at the beginning was
something that I really wanted.
I wanted it to be engaging with people.
So the activity at the beginning was really
good. And it was, hold up your cell phones,
right? I asked them to take out their cell
phones, and that wasn't hard because
everybody had their cell phones out already.
I asked them to hold up their cell phones,
and they did hold the cell phones up.
And I asked them if something happened to
this little thing right here.
Right. If something happened to this, how
soon would you leave to go and get it fixed?
How soon would you get this fixed?
How how would this interrupt your day?
How would it impact your life if this little
gadget right here stop working?
If there was some type of malfunction and
just about everybody in the room was saying,
you know, like immediately, you know, I
would go and get it fixed, like I would
leave here like immediately.
And then I asked the question of, why don't
we do that when we have things going on in
our minds, when we're very stressed out,
when we recognize there are things going on
with us that is causing us to not operate in
our normal way of functioning, you know?
And everybody was engaged about that.
And then I asked them to go ahead and take a
selfie as well.
And that was something everybody loved.
I looked over the audience.
It was over 300 people there.
I looked over the audience and you should
have seen everyone smiling and just, you
know, taking selfies together.
And then we went through the presentation,
which was the ABCs or the framework of, um,
functional leadership.
Right. So and the first letter was the ABCs
of ace.
I'm sorry, not ABC was the ace.
How do I ace my leadership style and all that
stuff? So the first letter A was
accountability C was for.
Courage and E was for elevation.
And they literally I mean, they love, love,
love love loved it.
And then at the end, I asked them to take
that selfie out that they took at the
beginning. And we just had an affirmation of
speaking to that person about their
leadership style. And you know, what they're
going to do going forward for themselves as
well as the people that they lead.
And it was one I mean, yesterday I was at an
event and someone came up to me and talked
about that signature speech at that event.
So it was very impactful.
I think it resonated with so many people
there, um, in the audience.
And that's really what I wanted.
I wanted something that was modern,
something that was very impactful, something
that was relatable.
And it's hard to do that sometimes when you
don't have the skills like you have Diane,
you know, but, you know, it was won.
That speech is one that I feel that was very
relatable. I felt it was impactful, and I
felt that it was something that everyone in
the room could take away from, um, could to
have. They had takeaways from that
presentation.
Diane Diaz:
Yes, I agree, and I was there, as I said, and
I was in the back of the very back of the
room. So I got to not only which was good
because I got to not only see you, but I got
to see everybody in the in the audience and
what they were doing, which is nice as a
speaking coach, to not only be able to see
the speaker that you worked with, but also
to see how people are reacting to this
activity, to the content.
So I was able to see everybody being
involved, like hanging on the edge of their
seat, waiting to hear what you were going to
say. So that was beautiful.
But I love that activity because this is
what, you know when we're talking about,
like how to create a signature talk that
attracts paid speaking opportunities.
It has to have something, like you said that
really grabs them. And there's a lot of
leadership talks and you know, leadership.
There's you know, so many people speak on
that. But how do you take that idea and make
it timely and make it fun and relevant and
interesting in a way that's going to help
them remember what you talked about and then
have them tell other people so that then
you're now attracting other opportunities so
that that selfie activity that's timely
because we're all taking selfies all the
time. Also, that idea of selfie to self
reflection, we are all of us.
And I'm I'm as guilty as anyone.
We're all self-absorbed, right?
Yes. And so turning it from being
self-absorbed to self reflection, which is
the key to being an effective leader.
So it just does a nice job of playing on
something that's very culturally timely and
that we're all doing, but connects it to the
message that you wanted to share and nicely
tied in your framework.
So that was good.
And so so you gave that talk in January?
Yes. And how soon after that would you say
somebody reached out to you for a paid gig?
Cherlette McCullough:
Well at the actual event.
Oh.
Diane Diaz:
Wow. That's fast.
Cherlette McCullough:
At the actual event, there was a time where
we were able to take, um, pictures and the
audience was able to take pictures with the
speakers. And from there I had someone from
a, um, government agency pulled me to the
side and say, hey, I would like to know if
you can come and speak to my staff at our
office, at our building.
I want to get with you, and we can do this
and that. We exchange numbers.
We talked the next week and I was able to go
out there within.
Within two weeks.
Within two weeks, I had my first, uh, second
paid event from there.
Diane Diaz:
That is incredible. And then you said you've
done just from that one talk, you got four
events. And so how tell us sort of the, the,
the background of like, how did those come
about? Was it you knew someone or they saw
you or told someone.
Cherlette McCullough:
So from that one.
The first one that I told you that I found
that I, that I was, uh, in invited to speak
to and paid from that one at the event.
And then after that there was another one
that someone from that organization referred
me to an organization that they are a part
of. And so that one.
And then from there, there was one here.
I'm not sure, um, if you heard of it, Diane,
but there's one here that's called the 100
Women Strong. Yes.
Um, I was invited there to be the moderator,
um, for that event, which is their signature
event annually.
It's a huge event.
I mean, it was sold out within weeks.
Um, of them putting the tickets and stuff
like that out. So that was the third one.
And then the fourth one was, um, one someone
saw me on the news and, um, pulled me in
from there to come and talk to them about
mental health. And that one was paid.
Diane Diaz:
Yes. Well, so I'm glad you mentioned the
news, because that's the other thing that I
want to touch on.
You know, this idea of how do we create a
talk that that we start giving and then it
generates paid speaking opportunities.
And I think part of it is, is obviously
having the talk, right, having the talk with
the framework and the the hook and all of
that, and then getting out there and giving
it because you are I have seen you all over
the place here locally everywhere and and
but the key that's the key though to getting
these engagements is, is visibility.
You are so good at visibility.
And by the way, for our listeners, not only
is Cherlotte out there doing the thing, but
she is sharing it on LinkedIn.
So it is there's a lot of visibility
happening. So creating the talk and then
using that talk, really just going out there
and delivering it. And I will say even if
you're at first delivering it for free,
deliver it because that gets you seen and
then you can start sharing things.
Cherlotte, how have these media
opportunities? I've seen you in two media
opportunities that I've seen.
I'm sure there's been more, but how have
those come about?
Cherlette McCullough:
So I've been doing public speaking for about
five years now, but at an executive level
about two years.
So in the beginning, I started going around
volunteering to different businesses on
topics that I specialized in.
So compassion fatigue, um, burnout, grief
and loss, just things that I specialized in
that I was very strong in speaking about and
had a deeper knowledge and trainings about.
So I would go to those different businesses,
different businesses here in Central
Florida, um, and just volunteer to speak
with them about those topics.
And then I did a lot of work at different
churches here in Central Florida.
They would allow me to just come in,
volunteer, and then the different people at
the churches would then pass me around to
their different organizations, and then it
just started from there.
I also used social media where I would just
come on and just talk about different
topics, but I stayed in my lane.
I didn't talk about things that I did not
know about or things that I just read about.
So I just talked candidly about
relationships. I'm very passionate about how
people show up in relationships, how you
treat yourself, your relationships with
yourself, with your family, with your, um,
coworkers, with your employees, and
different things like that.
And I talked about that a lot, and I think
that gave me the reputation of being a
thought leader in this area.
And then I just added mental health, and I
talked about different diagnoses with mental
health and then just making it, making
people very aware of what mental health is
really about. You know, I have this
signature thing that I say, mental health is
about three areas your thoughts, your
emotions and your behaviors.
You know, and I wanted to be a speaker that
people remembered because there's so many
speakers here. Right, Diane.
So I usually do things with like something
catchy to it or something like one, two,
three or something like ABC or like ace,
like the signature speech that we spoke on.
So it gives people that opportunity to grab
it, hold on to it and use it again because
it's so memorable.
Um, and then that's how I started becoming a
speaker and just, just started doing those
things over and over and over and over
again, you know, uh, and then with the
media. Someone on channel nine called me one
day and just asked if I could talk about,
um, an issue with a youth.
Something was going on with the youth in our
community about five years ago, and I
started talking to them about that.
I did that one interview, and then that
reporter called me again, and then that
reporter sent me to another reporter, and
then that reporter sent me to another
reporter. And then then channel six called
and they asked if I could talk on this.
And I was like, yep, I talked to them.
And then channel two called and I said, yep,
I can talk to you too.
And then channel 13 called is like, yep, I
can talk to you too.
Diane Diaz:
That's fantastic.
Cherlette McCullough:
Um, radio stations like NPR, radio, Wmfe, our
local radio. They called and asked if I
could talk on different topics, and then I
started doing, um, those things with them.
And then we have an entertainment company
here at Afrotainment.
They reached out to me, one of their talk
show hosts, and asked if I could come on and
be their mental health contributor.
And that's how I was, um, paid for that.
Just coming on talking about mental health
things. And then most recently, um, I
started doing well.
Two years is coming up on this year will be
two years. I started doing mental health
talks with ABC Action News six out of
Philadelphia, Delaware and New Jersey.
I started doing mental health contributions
for them, and then that landed me, um, and I
think I think I told you about this, Dan.
But most recently, TV1 reached out to me and
I did my first show with them for the true
crime series Fatal Attraction.
Being a mental health expert, uh, with them.
And then they called last week and they
hired me for another episode.
So this is my second episode with them.
But all of that came from, like you said
earlier, Dan, putting myself out there
talking about the things that I am strong in
and just staying in that vein.
And I think sometimes, Dan, these podcasts
that you have, I think they're so relevant
for those of us, um, that do public
speaking, because sometimes we have this
thought of, I need to be an expert in
everything. I need to be able to talk about
everything. But I think that's why it's so
good to speak with a coach, a speaking
coach, honestly, because you all give us
that confidence that, hey, what you have to
say is relevant and this is how you're going
to deliver it. You know, this is, you know,
you know what you want to say, but I'm going
to help you enhance that, you know, for the
different audiences.
And I'm going to give you some ideas to
think about and all those things.
So it's not so much that you give us
speeches to come up with, you know, you give
us what, but it's truly coaching.
You know, a lot of us have we know what we
want to say, but we just don't know how to
put it together.
And that's why I believe in getting help.
If you want to go to the next level, if you
want those $10,000 speaking engagements, if
you want those $10,000 TV shows or different
networking type things that you want to work
with different networks, that's when you do
get a coach to help you get over that hump.
And that's how I viewed it.
It's not so much like I don't know what to
do, but I needed help to get over that hump.
And now you know, hey, Diane, now you're.
Diane Diaz:
Turning down stuff.
Yeah.
Cherlette McCullough:
Last week. Diane, all jokes aside, last week
I had to turn down three paid speeches.
A good problem.
Diane Diaz:
To have, right?
Cherlette McCullough:
Let me tell you, Diane, I wanted to do it
now, but I just didn't have the capacity to
do it. But, yes, I think that's what happens
when you get that help.
It's just like you have the cake, but you
just need that icing and you need the right
candles to go on that cake to, like, take
that cake up to the next level, you know?
Yeah, that's what I think coaching is all
about. I believe in coaching.
I believe in coaching.
That's how I really feel.
That's how we get to the next level.
Diane Diaz:
Well, I'm so glad that you shared that whole
trajectory because I did want, you know, we
often get questions from clients about,
well, how can I get paid to speak, how can I
get paid to speak? And the getting paid to
speak often starts with just speaking for
nothing. Like you said, you just went and
sort of offered yourself up to say, I can
speak on this, I can speak on this for free
to volunteer.
But that built started to build your
credibility and so, so right for everybody
listening, let's use sure let's example as
sort of the guidelines like it it you
probably will not get paid to speak
overnight unless you're a well-known
celebrity. Right. That's but what you can do
is time is going to pass whether you start
working on this or not. So start working on
it now.
Get yourself out there first, create a
signature talk that is interesting.
And like Cherlotte saying has a hook.
It has a framework.
You have a story, you have some audience
engagement. And that is a talk that people
want to hear. Because again, so many people
speak on leadership. So you could have
easily said, well, I don't want to speak on
leadership because everybody speaks on
leadership. What do I have to say that's
important. But you took the opportunity, and
then we created a talk that turned that
message into something even higher level and
interesting and engaging.
But now you're out there building visibility,
and then little by little, more
opportunities come your way.
More opportunities. You're coming come your
way until finally you.
Give that talk and bam, you start to get
paid engagements and and supporting that
with the visibility by okay I spoke here I'm
going to put that on LinkedIn.
I was I appeared on this news channel put
that on LinkedIn and sharing it.
Then other people start to say, oh, we we
need someone to talk on mental health.
Well sure. Let talks about that.
So anything tangentially related to that you
can speak on it. And look what look what
you've grown it into now.
Now you're you're being requested by media
outside of our area.
I mean that's phenomenal.
Yes. And so I love to see this because, you
know, sometimes it can feel like well, you
know, I know what I'm talking about.
So I should be able to just, you know, go
ask for money to speak.
But it does take we know and we say it takes
about two years, right, of consistent effort
and delivering your message to build the
visibility and the awareness of the audience
and anybody that might want your speaking
services. It takes about two years to build
that awareness and that visibility.
But start today and then you will get there.
Cherlette McCullough:
And you know, Diane, it's all about being
strategic too. And I know you hear that word
a lot, but just being strategic about where
do you do your signature talk, you know.
Yes. What audience really want to hear what
you're talking about.
And don't put yourself in situations where
people don't want to hear about what you're
talking about, you know?
So I'm not going to just go out and just
say, hey, I'll talk to you about mental
health. No, I'm usually at places where
people want to hear about mental health.
And there's one I shared this with people,
and some people laugh.
Some people go like, ah, I even went to
funeral homes and offered my services around
grief. So I would help families who are
going through the loss of a loved one.
And I would do a grief workshop for funeral
home directors.
You know, they could have their staff come
in, and I just talk about grief and what it
looks like and what to look like after this
happened. And from there, I was sent around
to different places to talk about, um,
grief. Yeah.
Diane Diaz:
Yeah.
Cherlette McCullough:
So thinking outside of the box too.
Diane Diaz:
Yes, yes.
And thinking like like you were saying, you
know, you have this one core message, but
who could that appeal to?
And even thinking outside the box, are there
any tangentially related audiences that
might want some version of that talk?
Right. So it's staying in your lane, but
also thinking outside the box of other
areas. You might be able to add value
through your message, and that is what's
building that visibility. So now you've got
this sort of visibility bucket, if we can
call it where you've built this or this
foundation, and now you are getting people
reaching out to you to come on their news
channel, to come speak to their
organization. That is the position we want
to be in. And so again, to our listeners,
this for sure, let this, this explosion of
opportunities look at what came from just
giving that talk that one time.
That is phenomenal.
And I'm just I'm you should be so proud of
yourself.
Cherlette McCullough:
I really am, Diane.
And the other thing I want to say to the
listeners, some people may say or feel like,
hey. What I want to talk about is not
relevant right now.
Mental health is something that everybody is
talking about. Yep.
You know, we want to move away from that
type of thinking.
Yes. And think about who is the audience.
Where is that audience that want to hear my
signature talk? Because there is an audience
for your signature talk, those things that
you are passionate about, those things that
you speak really well about.
There is an audience for that.
There is an audience.
I have someone here that shares space with
me in my office, and her niche is one that
you would some people would probably say,
you know, I don't know if people really, you
know, want to hear about that.
And it's about bariatric surgery.
So let me tell you, she got really focused
about what it is that she wants to talk
about when it comes to weight loss surgery.
And I promise you this.
She has had speaking engagements all over
the country.
Diane Diaz:
Yes.
Cherlette McCullough:
About bariatric surgery and support after
bariatric surgery.
I mean, right now she's in Greece.
Oh, there's a retreat that she's at that
she's. They're talking about her niche.
Diane Diaz:
Yes.
Cherlette McCullough:
I said that to say don't minimize what it is
that you want to talk about.
Listen, of course, in your mind, it feels
like, oh, this is an important.
That's why it's so important to get
coaching, you know, and allow the coach to
help you expand on that area that you have.
You know, you can sit and talk with someone
who can give you ideas outside of the box
around that topic that you're passionate
about. So don't give up and don't feel like,
oh, you know what?
Well, it's happening for her because
everybody is talking about mental health
after the pandemic. No, there's hundreds of
therapists out here for the news networks
to, you know, choose from.
But why do they choose me?
Because there's something different.
And that's why we get coaching to be
different.
Diane Diaz:
Yes. Oh, well, I you it's almost like I paid
you to say this because no, you.
Cherlette McCullough:
Did not pay me.
Diane Diaz:
I know this is what we tell our clients too,
is this. Everybody has a message, and I
guarantee you there's an audience for it,
right? Oh, everyone has an audience.
In fact, we like to say your audience is out
there and they're waiting for you.
On you. Yeah, they're waiting for you to
take that topic that everybody already talks
about and deliver it to them in a way that
resonates with them because of your story,
because of your framework, because of the
way you engage with them and your unique
delivery of that message.
There's an audience waiting for you, but you
just have to get started.
And like you said, get coaching.
Yes, find a new twist on the way to deliver
that talk and to make it authentic to you.
When I watched you, Cherlotte in January,
deliver that talk that the way you
delivered, it just felt so organic and so
authentic to who I feel.
And I didn't even know you that well at that
point. But just what I gathered about your
personality, it was such a good fit for you.
The delivery, the audience, the you know,
how you delivered it, the way they
responded. Everything was just seamless.
And so, you know, I agree.
If you if you have a message to share, don't
worry if there's already other people
speaking about it, there's not there's not
you speaking about it and they're not
speaking about it the way you would speak
about it. So there is an audience out there
waiting for you. So it starts though, by
creating that signature talk and then
building on the visibility, the way that
you've done and that bariatric surgery
example with your colleague is such a great
example. Right. That's you might not think
there would be an audience for that, but
there is an audience literally for
everything. There is an.
Cherlette McCullough:
Audience. There is an audience.
Diane Diaz:
Trust me. Yes, yes and yes way they
absolutely, absolutely pay you.
And so why shouldn't it be you?
Why? Right.
Well, it should.
Speaker4:
Be you.
Diane Diaz:
Why shouldn't it be you?
Yes, yes.
Well, so tell us then, um, what is on the
horizon for you in the future as far as your
speaking goes and your visibility?
Any, any new exciting opportunities coming
up, or do you have any other plans for
speaking?
Cherlette McCullough:
So no other plans right now, just, you know,
just going around the United States
speaking. I would like to speak outside of
the country on mental health and the effects
of mental health and how it impacts us and
how it shows up in every area of our lives.
I would really love to do that.
That's a that's a goal that I have for, um,
present presenting to a different audience
outside of the country.
But, you know, now I'm just focused on, you
know, seeing clients in the office and also
this, uh, network TV one, working with them
and expanding that and seeing where that
goes after these episodes.
Uh, air and things like that.
I'm really excited about that.
Um, one of the speaking engagements that I
got from that signature talk is with the
Early Learning Coalition.
So I'm really excited to work with them.
They've hired me to do their keynote, their
annual speaking, and then I'm going to do a
couple of their small retreats that they're
doing. So I'm excited about that.
Diane. Different things, uh, going on with
that and just staying busy and out here
doing what I feel I'm called to do about
mental health awareness.
Diane Diaz:
Well, see, and that's you're responding to
your calling, and that is what leads to all
these opportunities, because you are doing
the thing that you were uniquely gifted to
do. So that I love to see it.
And I, I just cannot say enough good things.
And everybody listening go to Cherlotte's
LinkedIn profile, go to her content.
There you can see portions of her talk.
You can see her on the different stations in
the news media clips that she shares.
And then you can get a sense for not only,
of course, Cherlotte's fabulousness, but
also the way that she's leveraged.
Well, you're welcome. The way that she's
leveraged this opportunity and her
visibility in a way that then leads to these
paid opportunities.
And also, you just mentioned something, too.
You're speaking to the Early Learning
Coalition. Don't think that nonprofits don't
have money to pay you to speak because they
do. Because they put on conferences, they do
trainings, they have budgets.
Cherlette McCullough:
They do. And then they have sponsors also
that. Yes, the speakers.
Speaker4:
Yes.
Diane Diaz:
So keep that in mind as well.
All right. Well, so as I said, go to
Cherlotte's LinkedIn. But in addition to
LinkedIn, Cherlotte, how can our listeners
connect with you.
Cherlette McCullough:
So they can also go to my website which is
center peace therapy.
Org.
Speaker4:
And I believe that's P.e.a.c.e..
Diane Diaz:
Right.
Speaker4:
Center.
Cherlette McCullough:
P.e.a.c.e. like Center peace center.
Peace your heart.
That's why I named it that.
You know.
Speaker4:
I love the name peace.
Yes. All right.
Cherlette McCullough:
C e n t e r p e a c e.org.
And they can reach me there.
All those things, they can reach out to me
there. They can send me an email there.
I have, um, books there that they can get
different books that I've written, quick
books that I can get, um, that they can get
digital copies and stuff like that there
too.
Diane Diaz:
Fantastic. And we'll put that in the show
notes as well, so everybody will have access
to that. Well, Cherlotte, thank you so much
for coming on the podcast today.
It has been not only a pleasure to work with
you, but just a pleasure to chat with you
today and to share you with our listeners,
which I know they're going to love.
Cherlette McCullough:
Thank you, Diane.
Thank you so much.
Diane Diaz:
Absolutely. All right.
Well, to everybody listening, if you'd like
to learn more about your speaker archetype
and see what type of a speaker you are, you
can visit our website and take our speaker
Archetype quiz. And that is at speaking your
brand.com/quiz. Again that is speaking your
brand.com/quiz. Until next time.
Thanks for listening.