You Don't Need to Be Famous to Become a Paid Speaker.

You need a message worth sharing, proof you can deliver it, and a plan to get booked.

I went from earning $4.25 an hour as a hotel doorman to speaking on stages for companies like Coca-Cola, AT&T, Marriott, and the U.S. Army.

I didn't start with connections, a college degree, or a famous name.

Now I want to show you what I learned about building a professional speaking career.

8 questions. About 90 seconds. Find out where you stand and what to work on next.

Maybe you have an incredible story.

Maybe you've overcome something that could inspire others.

Or maybe you've spent years developing knowledge that could help people solve real problems.

You believe you could make a difference on stage. But there's one question you can't seem to answer.

How do I get someone to pay me to speak?

You don't know where to begin.

You don't know what meeting planners look for.

You don't know how to get speaking experience when nobody knows your name.

And you certainly don't want to spend years making mistakes that could have been avoided.

I understand. I've been there. But here's something I learned.

Having a powerful message is only the beginning. You also need to know how to turn that message into a speaking business.

That's what Speaking For A Living is here to help you do.

You don't become a professional speaker simply by calling yourself one.

You build the skills, credibility, and relationships that give people a reason to hire you. That's why I've organized the process into three simple stages.

My name is Rene Godefroy.

I was born in a small village in Haiti, where we had no electricity or running water.

At 21, I arrived in the United States with five dollars, two shirts, one pair of pants, and no English.

I worked as a janitor. I washed cars. Eventually, I became a hotel doorman, earning $4.25 an hour.

Then I discovered the world of professional speaking. Something about it captured my imagination. I wanted to stand on a stage and help people change their lives.

There was one problem. I wasn't famous. I didn't have the credentials. I didn't know the right people. And my English was far from perfect.

But I started learning. I studied successful speakers. I practiced. I learned about marketing. I looked for opportunities to speak. Step by step, I began building a speaking business.

Today, I've spoken for organizations including Coca-Cola, AT&T, Marriott, Aflac, and the U.S. Army. I'm also the author of Kick Your Excuses Goodbye.

And there's something I wish someone had told me when I was starting.

You don't need perfect conditions to begin. But you do need to learn the business.

That's why I created Speaking For A Living. To help aspiring speakers avoid unnecessary mistakes and learn the practical side of building a professional speaking career.

Watch Rene Speak

You need a clear market. You need to understand what organizations are willing to pay for. You need a compelling presentation. You need materials that demonstrate your ability. And you need a reliable process for finding and approaching potential clients.

That is where many beginners get stuck. They spend all their time working on the speech and very little time learning the business.

Here are ten important steps toward building your speaking career.

This website is for people who want to turn their message, experience, or expertise into professional speaking opportunities.

Take my free Speaker Readiness Quiz. In about 90 seconds, you'll discover:

✓  How prepared you are to pursue paid speaking opportunities.

✓  Which speaking path may fit your interests and experience.

✓  What you should focus on next.

✓  Which part of the Build. Prove. Book. process deserves your attention.

No complicated assessment. Just eight questions to help you identify your next move.

Results are based on your answers and are intended as general guidance, not a prediction of paid bookings.