In this episode, I share my journey toward becoming a public speaker and how consultancy fits into my long-term strategy. I’m flying to Armenia to speak at a conference on AI and consulting, but this gig is part of a bigger plan. I realized that professional speakers can earn between 10,000 and 20,000 euros per gig, and I’ve started reverse-engineering the steps to get there. It’s not just about speaking for free; it’s about building a portfolio and investing in the long game. I’ve documented all my past speaking engagements, created a “Speaking” section on my website, and started positioning myself to charge more for public speaking. The Armenia gig is an investment in my future, and I’m using it to build credibility and connections. I discuss how anyone can apply this mindset, whether you’re trying to scale your consultancy or grow an agency to 100 employees—it’s all about planning, taking action, and letting time do its work. Transcription: Good morning everyone, and welcome to another episode of Sweet Buzz! I'm stuck in traffic right now and thought, what better time to record a podcast? As I promised myself and all of you, I’m committed to recording more episodes. So, today’s topic is consultancy. I’ve been diving much deeper into the consulting world, and I want to share why I’m doing it, how I’m doing it, and why you should consider it too. Tomorrow, I’m flying to Armenia for a week to speak at the international TMT Consulting Conference in Yerevan. It’s an exciting opportunity because I’ll be discussing how AI is transforming industries. But before that, I wanted to give you the background on why I’m pursuing public speaking alongside my consulting work. About two months ago, I decided I wanted to become a public speaker. After doing some research and consulting with ChatGPT and a few speakers, I realized that in the U.S., professional speakers can earn between 10,000 and 20,000 euros per gig. That was mind-blowing to me! You get your costs covered, speak for a couple of hours, and you’re done. It really made me think about what I need to do to reach that level. Instead of doubting myself, I approached it entrepreneurially. I reverse-engineered the process: to charge 20,000 euros for speaking, I need someone to pay me 1,000 euros first, then 2,000, then 5,000, and so on. But to even get started, I need to speak for free and build up my portfolio. So, I’ve been documenting my speaking engagements over the last 20 years—everything from Albania to Finland—and added a “Speaking” section to my website. Now, when I go to Armenia, I’ll be speaking for free, but I’m also paying for my own travel and accommodation. It’s an investment in my long-term strategy. By building my public speaking portfolio and network, I’m climbing the value ladder and positioning myself to eventually charge higher fees. Armenia is not just a speaking gig; it’s a marketing opportunity for BizzBee Solutions and a chance to connect with other consultants who could become potential clients. The lesson here is that no matter what your goal is—whether you want to be a top consultant or grow your agency to 100 employees—you need to reverse-engineer the steps and start taking action today. Time is the main variable, but as long as you keep building, you'll get there.