Episode
"Never Speak for Free" Is Keeping You Off Stages
- Published
- Sep 8, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1440
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Summary
Somebody told you never to speak for free. Know your worth, exposure doesn't pay the mortgage - and it sounds like respect. But that rule is written for people who already have a fee. In 2019, Karen spoke at a conference for free - a breakout room, about 40 women - and that one free session turned into four paid speaking gigs. Seven years later, a woman from one of those audiences just messaged her on LinkedIn asking her to speak again. In this episode, Karen breaks down the plan that makes a free stage pay: who actually books you next (it's not the organizer), the one-sentence test that gets you recommended, and exactly what to say when someone asks your fee. In this episode: Why "never speak for free" is incomplete advice, and who it actually protects Row six: the person who books you next is almost never the person who booked you The one-sentence test - could a stranger repeat what you do to someone with a budget? What to say when they ask your fee: ask your questions, say a number, stop talking "We don't have a budget" is the start of a negotiation - recordings, introductions, attendee access Your homework: write your sentence - under 15 words, with a verb, repeatable by a stranger to someone with a budget. Post it on LinkedIn, tag Karen or DM her the link. Want help with it? Bring it into the LinkedIn for Women community Resources Mentioned In The Episode: Ready for the whole system - how to find stages, get on them, and turn one room into the next four? Grab Karen's free Borrow the Stage masterclass (about an hour) >> Borrow the Stage Masterclass Visibility Salon : Karen's membership community, home of the Borrow of the Stage initiative LinkedIn for Women Community : Karen's free Facebook group where listeners post their weekly 20-minute windows for accountabilit…