How to Create a Signature Talk That Gets You Paid with Jess Ekstrom

In this empowering episode of Earn Your Happy, host Lori Harder sits down with Jess Ekstrom, founder of Mic Drop Workshop and author of 'Making It Without Losing It,' to explore the transformative power of public speaking as a career accelerator. Jess shares her journey from launching Headbands of Hope in college to becoming a leading advocate for women in speaking, revealing how she overcame self-doubt and the trauma of a traditional publishing deal to create a hybrid publishing model that empowers women to own their intellectual property. She emphasizes the importance of developing a signature talk—one focused, specific, and rooted in personal transformation—rather than trying to be a chameleon across multiple topics. Jess also unpacks the mindset shift from 'spotlight speaker' to 'lighthouse speaker,' where the focus moves from self-perception to audience impact, and shares practical tools like the 'moment to meaning' framework and 'gig scorecard' to help speakers evaluate opportunities and build inbound visibility through optimized social platforms like LinkedIn. The conversation dives deep into overcoming fear, raising rates with confidence, and the strategic use of free speaking for exposure and community building. Jess stresses that speaking is not about perfection but about delivering value, and she highlights how her AI-powered 'Carrie Booker' agent and speaker sister community drive referrals and sustainable growth. Ultimately, the episode champions the idea that anyone with lived experience and curiosity can become a compelling speaker—especially when they stop waiting to be picked and start creating their own platform. The takeaway? Your story, your voice, and your message matter—and the world needs to hear them.