How To Find Speaking Gigs That Are Actually Worth It With Arel Moodie

Speaking can be one of the best ways to grow a coaching or consulting business, but only if you treat it like a strategy instead of a really long trust fall with a microphone. In this episode, Skot Waldron talks with Arel Moodie, speaker, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Talkadot, about how coaches, consultants, founders, and service-based business owners can use speaking to build trust, generate leads, and create real business opportunities. Arel breaks down why “just winging it” is usually a bad plan, how to know when a free speaking gig is worth taking, what audience feedback can teach you, and how data can help turn a talk into consulting revenue. If speaking is part of your growth plan, this conversation will help you get more intentional, more useful, and a lot less random. Guest: Arel Moodie Website: https://arelmoodie.com Talkadot: https://www.talkadot.com/s/arel LinkedIn:   / arelmoodie   Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Cold Start & Intro 00:03:17 – The Biggest Lie About Speaking 00:05:22 – What Your Audience Remembers 00:09:01 – When Free Gigs Make Sense 00:12:37 – Referrals Without the Sales Sting 00:15:07 – Turning Talk Data Into Revenue 00:17:56 – Why Trust Is the Real Sale 00:23:00 – How to Spot Paid Speaking Gigs 00:25:22 – Stop Perfecting, Start Booking 00:30:37 – Final Takeaway & Outro Welcome to How’d They Do That? The show where real coaches share how they actually built their businesses. No hype. No magical funnels that only work for people with a pet unicorn. Just honest conversations about what works, what flops, and what builds a coaching business that lasts. I’m Skot Waldron, a communication strategist and coach who’s spent two decades helping leaders and teams get aligned and move forward. The same skills that transform organizations are the ones coaches need to grow a business: clarity, influence, and the ability to communicate without confusing people. Each week, you’ll hear practical strategies, smart decisions, and behind-the-scenes stories from coaches who’ve figured it out. Website: http://www.skotwaldron.com LinkedIn:   / skotwaldron   If you're one of the people who have figured it out, please DM or email me (skot@skotwaldron.com) and let me know. I'd love to have you on the show!