Finding your essential message. Ryan Foland speaks with Greg McKeown, a thought leader on the concept of essentialism. Essentialism is the idea that there is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so speakers can make the highest possible contribution towards topics that really matter to event organizers and audiences alike. Ryan and Greg discuss why essentialism matters, and how getting too caught up in too many topics can lead to failure. They outline the four steps to finding a topic that is essential, how to create a successful career, and how to avoid some of the major obstacles that can come across your path. Listen to this podcast to find out: - What essentialism is and why it is important - Why a lot of businesses fail because they have a flawed strategy, and a different approach that can help your business be a success. - How finding a topic the audience and organizers want can transform your business - How to decide which topics you need to “throw out” immediately - What are some of the road blocks many speakers face in selling their talk, and how to build a better system that avoids them.