Mike Michalowicz - Losing Everything to Becoming A Successful Business Speaker

Mike Michalowicz is a globally renowned book author, entrepreneur, business coach, mentor, and speaker. From a point of almost losing everything to publishing more than 8 books on entrepreneurship and personal management, Mike has gained valuable experience in entrepreneurship, business, and motivational speaking. By his 35th birthday, Mike founded and sold two multi-million dollar companies. Now Mike is helping businesses and entrepreneurs understand what they are doing wrong in their companies and setting them on a path to more success. He also speaks regularly and knows the secrets of giving outstanding and highly engaging speeches that will make audiences become fans. 

Key Takeaways

• Family and the people you are surrounded by are everything. They can help guide and support you during times of need. 
• Difficult experiences can teach you about honesty, not just with other people but also with yourself.
• It is important to show up, even for the small moments, as they can create the backbone and structure you need for future performances. It is also important to have a test group that will give you critical feedback.

Memorable Quotes

• "Fear is a great motivator; it gets you going." - Mike Michalowicz
• "We are more resilient than we think we are." - Charles Clark
• "The lowest moments sometimes are the greatest gifts anyone could have because they give you a broader view of the opportunities in your life." - Mike Michalowicz
• "True speaking is building a connection." - Charles Clark
• "There is always someone in the room that needs to listen to what you are saying; speak to that one person." - Mike Michalowicz

Episode Resources/Links

Mike Michalowicz

Website: mikemichalowicz.com OR mikemotorbike.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mikemichalowicz/

Instagram: @mikemichalowicz

Twitter: @MikeMichalowicz

Charles Clark

Website: thecharlesclark.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/charlesclarkusa/

Instagram: @thecharlesclark

Facebook: @thecharlesclark

To get access to all our episodes, visit our podcast page!

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Transcript

00:00:01 Charles Clark

Welcome to the journey to pay speaking Gates podcast.

00:00:03 Charles Clark

I'm your host, Charles Clark, and today I happen to show Mike Michalowicz.

00:00:07 Charles Clark

He has some amazing experience in entrepreneurship, writing and motivational speaking.

00:00:12 Charles Clark

He has authored several books and founded 2 multimillion dollar companies.

00:00:17 Charles Clark

So I really believe his journey and experience.

00:00:20 Charles Clark

Are something that everyone can learn from, including myself.

00:00:23 Charles Clark

If you like what you hear today, check out the journey to pay speaking gigs Academy on my website at the Charles.

00:00:29 Charles Clark

Clark.com/apply that's done, Charles clark.com/applied where you're gonna learn everything that.

00:00:37 Charles Clark

You need to know.

00:00:39 Charles Clark

About creating a successful speaking business.

00:00:42 Charles Clark

Anyway, let's invite Mike onto the show.

00:00:46 Charles Clark

Might go up to the.

00:00:48 Mike Michalowicz

Brian, thank you so much for having.

00:00:50 Charles Clark

Yeah, man, I'm so excited I've been.

00:00:52 Charles Clark

I just to learn about you online to having a conversation.

00:00:57 Charles Clark

I'm I'm pretty excited about this one so let's.

00:01:00 Mike Michalowicz

Start man. Thank you.

00:01:03 Charles Clark

Yeah, so so.

00:01:03 Charles Clark

Let me throw out tribe know who is Mike?

00:01:07 Mike Michalowicz

Yeah, so who I am today is a I'm an author.

00:01:10 Mike Michalowicz

I've written seven books.

00:01:12 Mike Michalowicz

I'm a public Charles Clark COVID did put a little.

00:01:16 Mike Michalowicz

Slowdown in in that.

00:01:17 Mike Michalowicz

Business for me, but it's coming back now.

00:01:20 Mike Michalowicz

And parts that I've been an entrepreneur, in fact, I've been.

00:01:22 Mike Michalowicz

An entrepreneur my entire adult life, I.

00:01:24 Mike Michalowicz

Just love writing books, particularly about the entrepreneurial journey.

00:01:29 Charles Clark

And what kind of like spark being entrepreneur?

00:01:32 Charles Clark

Because that takes some different blood, right?

00:01:34 Charles Clark

Like every it's not meant for everybody.

00:01:37 Mike Michalowicz

That was not and and like, I wasn't the kid who grew up like I had a paper route or I was we only in dealing with with other students.

00:01:44 Mike Michalowicz

I had no orange criminal Dr whatsoever.

00:01:47 Mike Michalowicz

What did it for me?

00:01:48 Mike Michalowicz

Actually was boost.

00:01:49 Mike Michalowicz

I got my first job after college working on a computer store.

00:01:53 Mike Michalowicz

I couldn't get a real job like what I really wanted.

00:01:56 Mike Michalowicz

So I work in a computer store to selling.

00:01:58 Mike Michalowicz

Printers and stuff and one night I.

00:02:01 Mike Michalowicz

Went out for drinks with another guy.

00:02:02 Mike Michalowicz

At work there after about.

00:02:04 Mike Michalowicz

A couple cold ones.

00:02:04 Mike Michalowicz

And I'm like I'm.

00:02:06 Mike Michalowicz

Smarter than this guy that runs the business and.

00:02:09 Mike Michalowicz

I got pretty boozed up and.

00:02:11 Mike Michalowicz

I I left this nasty message, I.

00:02:13 Mike Michalowicz

Mean I'm starting my own computer constantly.

00:02:16 Mike Michalowicz

And the next day, hungover, I asked my job back.

00:02:20 Mike Michalowicz

The boss said F you and I I I had to start my own business.

00:02:25 Mike Michalowicz

I also, just to give some context, I was 23 at the time. I also had my first son and my wife.

00:02:30 Mike Michalowicz

I had three mouths to feed and how to figure it out, and I'll tell you, fear is a great motivator.

00:02:36 Mike Michalowicz

It gets you.

00:02:37 Mike Michalowicz

It gets you going.

00:02:39 Charles Clark

Yeah, flight or flight, right?

00:02:41 Charles Clark

Yeah, exactly.

00:02:43 Mike Michalowicz

Gotta you're in the fight, then you gotta fight.

00:02:45 Charles Clark

Yeah, you know, I I think just as as humans, I think we have to understand what we're more resilient than we think.

00:02:52 Charles Clark

You know, I I think we're going through COVID and just experience the unexpected and how we all made it through that.

00:03:01 Charles Clark

That just shows like we can do beyond the the survival mode.

00:03:06 Charles Clark

Of what most people are accustomed to so.

00:03:08 Charles Clark

So thanks for sharing that story.

00:03:10 Charles Clark

So tell me about your story.

00:03:12 Charles Clark

How did you get into speaking?

00:03:13 Charles Clark

You you pivoted from being becoming like this entrepreneur business side to, you know, the entertainment aspect of, of business.

00:03:22 Mike Michalowicz

Yeah, so it's a very.

00:03:24 Mike Michalowicz

Humbling story.

00:03:25 Mike Michalowicz

We're telling this off air.

00:03:27 Mike Michalowicz

And So what?

00:03:28 Mike Michalowicz

Would happened, so just give more context.

00:03:30 Mike Michalowicz

I I saw that first company and started the beginning, but I really fell in love with entrepreneurship and and a guy going the private equity group came in and acquired the business and I was like, wow, I sold the company.

00:03:41 Mike Michalowicz

This is unbelievable.

00:03:42 Mike Michalowicz

I started another business in computer crime investigation.

00:03:46 Mike Michalowicz

Actually, right when the Enron trial broke and we got part of the Enron trial, put my business on the map and justice, we exploded and a Fortune 500 came in and bought my business.

00:03:54 Mike Michalowicz

But it was wonderful.

00:03:57 Mike Michalowicz

But also, I thought I was hot ****.

00:03:59 Mike Michalowicz

Like, Oh my God, I am.

00:04:01 Mike Michalowicz

My Tasmania touch turns to gold.

00:04:04 Mike Michalowicz

And you know, I think that the.

00:04:05 Mike Michalowicz

The the one upstairs had an alternative plan for me is this is my lesson.

00:04:10 Mike Michalowicz

So I started.

00:04:10 Mike Michalowicz

1/3 business as an Angel investor and I sucked that I didn't know.

00:04:14 Mike Michalowicz

What I was doing?

00:04:15 Mike Michalowicz

Uh, really?

00:04:16 Mike Michalowicz

That's just not a passion of mine.

00:04:18 Mike Michalowicz

But it's like this is.

00:04:19 Mike Michalowicz

What I have to do?

00:04:20 Mike Michalowicz

I blew all my money as a result.

00:04:23 Mike Michalowicz

It was so bad.

00:04:24 Mike Michalowicz

I lost my house, lost possessions, lost everything except for my family.

00:04:29 Mike Michalowicz

I came home.

00:04:30 Mike Michalowicz

To my wife.

00:04:31 Mike Michalowicz

I had three children at this.

00:04:31 Mike Michalowicz

Time and how?

00:04:35 Mike Michalowicz

How to tell when this was February 14th, which is Valentine's Day of 2008. So it's 13 years ago and told my wife that we're losing her house because I didn't know I was doing in business and I was sobbing.

00:04:46 Mike Michalowicz

I'm so ashamed, embarrassed my 9 year old daughter.

00:04:50 Mike Michalowicz

I told her you can't go to horseback riding lessons.

00:04:52 Mike Michalowicz

It costs 20 bucks.

00:04:53 Mike Michalowicz

They get group session.

00:04:54 Mike Michalowicz

Once every couple weeks.

00:04:55 Mike Michalowicz

Couldn't afford it.

00:04:56 Mike Michalowicz

I was broke.

00:04:57 Mike Michalowicz

And I'm.

00:04:58 Mike Michalowicz

I'm sobbing that I'm so sorry, but you can't do this.

00:05:01 Mike Michalowicz

She stood up and she ran out of room and I thought she.

00:05:04 Mike Michalowicz

Was running away 'cause.

00:05:05 Mike Michalowicz

That's kind of what I wanted to do.

00:05:07 Mike Michalowicz

But she actually ran to her bedroom.

00:05:09 Mike Michalowicz

She grabbed her little Piggy Bank she was saving to buy a horse.

00:05:11 Mike Michalowicz

She ran back.

00:05:12 Mike Michalowicz

To me, she puts on the table.

00:05:13 Mike Michalowicz

She's daddy.

00:05:14 Mike Michalowicz

I know.

00:05:14 Mike Michalowicz

You can't provide for our.

00:05:15 Mike Michalowicz

Family anymore.

00:05:16 Mike Michalowicz

But I'll do it and I'm getting worse.

00:05:18 Mike Michalowicz

Right now I was.

00:05:21 Mike Michalowicz

Oh my God, it was.

00:05:22 Mike Michalowicz

A punch the guy I.

00:05:23 Mike Michalowicz

Was so proud of her, or so ashamed of who I was.

00:05:27 Mike Michalowicz

That moment became a seed for me.

00:05:31 Mike Michalowicz

And by the way.

00:05:32 Mike Michalowicz

Just me closely the next morning woke up and said.

00:05:34 Mike Michalowicz

Oh, everything is resolved. I'm.

00:05:35 Mike Michalowicz

Gonna fix this, I started started drinking a lot.

00:05:38 Mike Michalowicz

Uh, himself.

00:05:41 Mike Michalowicz

I should have gone through counseling, honestly, but it did plant a seed that I didn't understand.

00:05:48 Mike Michalowicz

What makes our friendship successful?

00:05:51 Mike Michalowicz

I was lucky a few times, but I didn't really understand the essence of it.

00:05:54 Mike Michalowicz

I started writing about it for myself and I'm like, Oh my gosh, I.

00:05:57 Mike Michalowicz

Gotta turn this into books.

00:05:59 Mike Michalowicz

And not every book I've written honestly is to investigate something I really don't understand fully about entrepreneurship.

00:06:04 Mike Michalowicz

And it serves me.

00:06:06 Mike Michalowicz

I hope it serves the people who read my book.

00:06:10 Charles Clark

That's amazing story.

00:06:11 Charles Clark

I think it's so humbling and I'm curious to know, like, for you, what was that?

00:06:17 Charles Clark

What was the the silver lining, what was the the hope behind that moment with your daughter?

00:06:24 Charles Clark

What did that do for you?

00:06:26

Well, a couple.

00:06:26 Mike Michalowicz

Of realization is that at the end of the day, you know family is everything or.

00:06:32 Mike Michalowicz

Or the people who love.

00:06:33 Mike Michalowicz

Using nurses and family, but.

00:06:34 Mike Michalowicz

The people you're surrounded by or everything into to support them on abashedly.

00:06:39 Mike Michalowicz

I I also think it was an awareness about.

00:06:42 Mike Michalowicz

Honestly, I wasn't being honest with my children.

00:06:44 Mike Michalowicz

I wasn't our family.

00:06:45 Mike Michalowicz

I didn't tell them that we're struggling.

00:06:47 Mike Michalowicz

I was being honest with myself.

00:06:48 Mike Michalowicz

I saw my bank account dwindling, like didn't really even understand it logically I did, but emotionally didn't accept it and when I got that point.

00:06:57 Mike Michalowicz

That day with it.

00:06:58 Mike Michalowicz

Was brutal honesty.

00:06:59 Mike Michalowicz

There was no more clouding my judgment or.

00:07:03 Mike Michalowicz

Any of that stuff?

00:07:05 Mike Michalowicz

It opened my eyes.

00:07:07 Mike Michalowicz

It's funny in retrospect, as I've looked back at aspects of my life and.

00:07:10 Mike Michalowicz

I think Charles if.

00:07:11 Mike Michalowicz

You did the.

00:07:11 Mike Michalowicz

Same for yours.

00:07:12 Mike Michalowicz

These lowest moments, sometimes, in my case, many times were actually the greatest gift.

00:07:18 Mike Michalowicz

Because they opened.

00:07:21 Mike Michalowicz

They opened my kind of tunnelvision much broader, and I could see opportunity.

00:07:26 Mike Michalowicz

I I never want even my worst enemy to go through an.

00:07:30 Mike Michalowicz

Experience like that.

00:07:31 Mike Michalowicz

But at the same time.

00:07:33 Mike Michalowicz

I'm so grateful that I.

00:07:34 Mike Michalowicz

Went through that experience because I wouldn't be where I am today if I if I didn't.

00:07:38 Charles Clark

Yeah, and I think that the.

00:07:41 Charles Clark

Thing I'm learning is that.

00:07:44 Charles Clark

Life, like life, throws us a lot of things, right?

00:07:47 Charles Clark

And sometimes people say like like life happens to me or life happens for me.

00:07:52 Charles Clark

And I believe, like it's simply a choice that we have.

00:07:56 Charles Clark

Like we can decide what that life experience cost us.

00:07:59 Charles Clark

Was it was it happiness or was it, you know, on a negative spectrum?

00:08:03 Charles Clark

Or, you know, this.

00:08:04 Charles Clark

Give me some type of gratitude appreciation.

00:08:07 Charles Clark

Those are the choices that we have and I think the more we lean to more, the more optimistic viewpoint.

00:08:13 Charles Clark

I mean an optimism doesn't mean like you're ignorant of things is happening, but optimistic, like you're you're pursuing.

00:08:19 Charles Clark

I don't want to stop.

00:08:20 Charles Clark

I want to still be resilient and achieve my goals and and make something of myself or make my family proud.

00:08:26 Charles Clark

All of those things, so.

00:08:27 Charles Clark

Like I, I relate to you so, so much in in so many different aspects.

00:08:31 Charles Clark

I wish we had more time to dive into that, but you know, you pivot it from from the business side.

00:08:39 Charles Clark

To the the speaking realm, yeah.

00:08:42 Charles Clark

And I'm, I'm curious to know, like for you, was there any fears that you had when you started to speak or was there any limiting beliefs that you had to?

00:08:51 Charles Clark

Oh hell yeah, I mean.

00:08:54 Mike Michalowicz

First of all I.

00:08:54 Mike Michalowicz

Thought I would run once.

00:08:56 Mike Michalowicz

Here we speak like, why?

00:08:58 Mike Michalowicz

You know, so it's where I have to offer even desirable.

00:09:02 Mike Michalowicz

And then the stuff I'm sharing, it's stuff that I think maybe everyone already knows.

00:09:07 Mike Michalowicz

So now I might just tell you something known like this guy sucks.

00:09:09 Mike Michalowicz

And they throw tomatoes at me.

00:09:14 Mike Michalowicz

In the Star Wars vertical 'cause, in the beginning, those beliefs are kind of confirmed.

00:09:19 Mike Michalowicz

When I did my first speaking gig, it was just to a few college students because I I reached out.

00:09:24 Mike Michalowicz

To a college club and said can I speak?

00:09:27 Mike Michalowicz

But my second gig, I forget this one.

00:09:29 Mike Michalowicz

This was devastating or it wasn't even my second both in the first year I spoke at UCI, which is University of California and Irvine, CA and.

00:09:38 Mike Michalowicz

I reached out to this club Miss.

00:09:41 Mike Michalowicz

Entrepreneurs club and.

00:09:41 Mike Michalowicz

Said hey, I'm.

00:09:42 Mike Michalowicz

I'm gonna be in the area I'd.

00:09:43 Mike Michalowicz

Love to speak at your.

00:09:44 Mike Michalowicz

To your club.

00:09:45 Mike Michalowicz

If you want an event like this is amazing.

00:09:47 Mike Michalowicz

We have all these different business fraternities and clubs.

00:09:49 Mike Michalowicz

We can get a couple 100 people here.

00:09:51 Mike Michalowicz

I'm like, Oh my gosh, like I.

00:09:53 Mike Michalowicz

Thought I've arrived. Yes, this.

00:09:55 Mike Michalowicz

Is no.

00:09:55 Mike Michalowicz

I don't know why I show up.

00:09:57 Mike Michalowicz

There's one.

00:09:58 Mike Michalowicz

Kids sitting there and this is about, I showed up, you know, 20 minutes early.

00:10:02 Mike Michalowicz

Just make sure I got the room set up and he said he's on his phone.

00:10:05 Mike Michalowicz

He doesn't even look up.

00:10:06 Mike Michalowicz

He goes, are you speaker?

00:10:07 Mike Michalowicz

I said yeah, he's like, oh, because there's a fraternity party happening tonight.

00:10:10 Mike Michalowicz

He's like, I don't know if anyone is going to come.

00:10:13 Mike Michalowicz

And like what?

00:10:14 Mike Michalowicz

Dude, no one showed it.

00:10:15 Mike Michalowicz

Was this kid who he?

00:10:16 Mike Michalowicz

Was this over? He had.

00:10:18 Mike Michalowicz

To be there and he was ******.

00:10:18 Mike Michalowicz

'cause you want to be the party?

00:10:21 Mike Michalowicz

I decided that moment deliver the ******.

00:10:24 Mike Michalowicz

Speech to an.

00:10:24 Mike Michalowicz

Empty room with one person not looking up tears like literal tears coming down times like this is embarrassing beyond belief, but at the end of it.

00:10:35 Mike Michalowicz

I remember saying to myself, like you did it, that's the worst speech.

00:10:39 Mike Michalowicz

There can never be a worst speech ever.

00:10:41 Mike Michalowicz

You got that one done now, and I've had some ******* since.

00:10:46 Mike Michalowicz

But never, ever that bad again.

00:10:48 Charles Clark

Yeah, yeah, I, you know, I think so many new speakers there might be at that same place where maybe no one shows up to the party.

00:10:57 Charles Clark

Maybe there's two or three or five.

00:11:00 Charles Clark

But the you show up in those in those moments when you don't want to show up.

00:11:05 Charles Clark

It's so important to create those big moments in our life so that when we get in on the stage and and now the 150 and now the 500 happens, but you gotta learn to do the things behind the scenes after.

00:11:18 Charles Clark

It behind the scenes.

00:11:20 Charles Clark

It's never going to.

00:11:21 Charles Clark

You're never going to get the spotlight.

00:11:23 Charles Clark

To do it in front.

00:11:23 Mike Michalowicz

And you know my.

00:11:25 Mike Michalowicz

Favorite speakers are comedians.

00:11:27 Mike Michalowicz

'cause what?

00:11:28 Mike Michalowicz

I love about them is there are people that can.

00:11:30 Mike Michalowicz

Go on the stage.

00:11:30 Mike Michalowicz

They don't have any PowerPoints.

00:11:32 Mike Michalowicz

I think they speak for.

00:11:33 Mike Michalowicz

60 minutes, 90 minutes straight.

00:11:37 Mike Michalowicz

They they're performers, really is where it is, and I think a great speech is not a speech, it's a performance.

00:11:43 Mike Michalowicz

Well, Mayer about those people too, is.

00:11:46 Mike Michalowicz

You see the thing, you know the Netflix special, but the reality is they were in some, you know, ballroom scenes, doing their gigs, testing stuff out, flopping, even the famous folks, even the big names.

00:12:00 Mike Michalowicz

It's not like they nailed their their comedic routine in the first go around.

00:12:05 Mike Michalowicz

They're testing.

00:12:06 Mike Michalowicz

Trying things out, the best speakers are seen consistently, don't always do the big platforms.

00:12:12 Mike Michalowicz

They're always practicing the new stuff on the small ones to see what's working or not.

00:12:16 Mike Michalowicz

And over time they assemble this amazing person.

00:12:19 Charles Clark

So so true.

00:12:20 Charles Clark

Like, I'm I'm always in my living room.

00:12:23 Charles Clark

I I remember one time I went down to the beach and I was like, hey, excuse me, ma'am, like, I don't know, the lady.

00:12:29 Charles Clark

Would you mind listen to one of the first?

00:12:31 Charles Clark

Ones in my.

00:12:32 Charles Clark

Speech. And she sat down in the in the sand and she was like, and she gave me some pointers. I'm like, R2, you gotta get it in.

00:12:39 Charles Clark

The way you're gonna get it in, right?

00:12:40 Charles Clark

Like because I.

00:12:41 Charles Clark

Don't want to?

00:12:41 Charles Clark

Get to a big stage and it don't land right.

00:12:45 Charles Clark

And now, and now I'm humiliated and and now that brings down my value as a speaker, I'd rather do those little things.

00:12:52 Charles Clark

Behind the scenes to.

00:12:53 Mike Michalowicz

Sorry, sorry, you know so.

00:12:54

I mean.

00:12:56 Mike Michalowicz

What I do is I.

00:12:56 Mike Michalowicz

Have my core presentation on like 4 different subjects and when I'm with uh.

00:13:03 Mike Michalowicz

A practice audience if you will. Small venues, stuff like this. I will test out five to 10% of the speech with brand new stuff to see what works and what doesn't work and some of the stuff that I think would kill.

00:13:14 Mike Michalowicz

It sucks.

00:13:16 Mike Michalowicz

It falls totally flat.

00:13:17 Mike Michalowicz

And something I think is.

00:13:18 Mike Michalowicz

Kind of stupid sometimes.

00:13:19 Mike Michalowicz

It's like the big hit.

00:13:21 Mike Michalowicz

It's it's it's weird.

00:13:23 Mike Michalowicz

In fact, yeah, I I have one audience.

00:13:25 Mike Michalowicz

It's a chamber.

00:13:27 Mike Michalowicz

As I've been very blessed as.

00:13:29 Mike Michalowicz

My books have growing popularity.

00:13:30 Mike Michalowicz

And so forth I I get inquiries for speaking.

00:13:33 Mike Michalowicz

But I said to this one group, I said.

00:13:36 Mike Michalowicz

Would you be willing to be my?

00:13:37 Mike Michalowicz

Test group like every time I.

00:13:38 Mike Michalowicz

Come to swing, new brand new, I'll tell you.

00:13:41 Mike Michalowicz

And if you want, I'll come down to.

00:13:42 Mike Michalowicz

Present it to you and they've.

00:13:43 Mike Michalowicz

Had me now.

00:13:44 Mike Michalowicz

For 10 years.

00:13:45 Mike Michalowicz

Just they're the 1st to see.

00:13:48 Mike Michalowicz

The rows kind of roll out my first presentation and if.

00:13:54 Mike Michalowicz

They make any.

00:13:54 Mike Michalowicz

Critical feedback say this was this was funny, this was impactful, this made no sense.

00:13:59 Mike Michalowicz

This is stupid, you know.

00:14:01 Mike Michalowicz

And then videotape yourself, right?

00:14:03 Mike Michalowicz

And videotape yourself.

00:14:04 Mike Michalowicz

There's nothing more humbling than watching yourself, you know, some shoulders at point or or saying the word Mama thousand times in a row.

00:14:11 Mike Michalowicz

And I didn't.

00:14:11 Mike Michalowicz

Realize I was doing it.

00:14:13 Mike Michalowicz

Yeah, yeah.

00:14:15 Charles Clark

My my word is that the I guess my filler word would be right I I use that word sometimes.

00:14:22 Charles Clark

Yeah, you're right.

00:14:22 Charles Clark

But I feel.

00:14:24 Mike Michalowicz

I'm really here.

00:14:25 Mike Michalowicz

Because I said like this is natural, but.

00:14:28 Mike Michalowicz

But for the audience, it becomes very peculiar.

00:14:31 Mike Michalowicz

There's another speaker I see, he says his still words.

00:14:34 Mike Michalowicz

OK.

00:14:35 Mike Michalowicz

He's like you were here, OK with it?

00:14:37 Mike Michalowicz

And the answer?

00:14:38 Mike Michalowicz

No, it's not OK.

00:14:41 Charles Clark

Yeah, use it one time.

00:14:43

But not like 1.

00:14:44 Mike Michalowicz

Time every 2/3.

00:14:46 Charles Clark

Minutes is like high, right, right, you know I'm saying.

00:14:50 Mike Michalowicz

Very difficult for an audience to consume.

00:14:54 Charles Clark

Tell me one memorable speech you gave onstage and what what happened that day?

00:15:00 Mike Michalowicz

So it's turned into now, basically. So I spoke to an event, it's called PPA Professional Photographers Association or 600 people in the room, and I was presenting on a book I wrote called The Pump Complaint.

00:15:13 Mike Michalowicz

Just kind of the conclusion of this is I am now their keynote speaker for 10,000 people this December in Washington, DC, their annual conference.

00:15:22 Mike Michalowicz

Because of this presentation, I'm speaking and.

00:15:25 Mike Michalowicz

Yeah, I use some.

00:15:26 Mike Michalowicz

Jokes and stuff.

00:15:27 Mike Michalowicz

And I know certain ones that just kind of.

00:15:28 Mike Michalowicz

Land and the.

00:15:29 Mike Michalowicz

Audience enjoys it.

00:15:29 Mike Michalowicz

But this one woman just was front row.

00:15:33 Mike Michalowicz

She couldn't stop laughing and in the during presentation, you know, you know your presentation is when it scanned it's you've done so many times.

00:15:43 Mike Michalowicz

That you actually are.

00:15:43 Mike Michalowicz

Kind of observing yourself.

00:15:44 Mike Michalowicz

Present it.

00:15:45 Mike Michalowicz

It becomes fluid.

00:15:46 Mike Michalowicz

And in the beginning very rough.

00:15:47

Yeah, yeah.

00:15:49 Mike Michalowicz

Then it becomes very kind of cleaned and weird and.

00:15:51 Mike Michalowicz

Then there's this freedom where?

00:15:52 Mike Michalowicz

It's just you got it down, so.

00:15:53 Charles Clark

So right, this is being I'm there.

00:15:57 Mike Michalowicz

Yeah, and that's cool. And.

00:15:58 Mike Michalowicz

I see this woman laughing and I'm like, OK, let's have some fun here.

00:16:01 Mike Michalowicz

And I just kind of, I start engaging with her and get her laughing.

00:16:05 Mike Michalowicz

I got a microphone on her so.

00:16:07 Mike Michalowicz

She's laughing so.

00:16:08 Mike Michalowicz

Loud and snorting and stuff and I'm kind of riffing with her that the whole audience.

00:16:13 Mike Michalowicz

Can't stop their laughter because it's just.

00:16:15 Mike Michalowicz

The funny sounds.

00:16:16 Mike Michalowicz

Coming out of her.

00:16:17 Mike Michalowicz

And at the end of that presentation, they said, oh, Mike, the speaker, guys going to do a little breakout room for me that's interested to do some questions.

00:16:28 Mike Michalowicz

600 people try again.

00:16:29 Mike Michalowicz

The breaker breakout room that was suited for about 25 people. That's the best feeling when people are crunched in trying to look in.

00:16:37 Mike Michalowicz

It it just was it was great.

00:16:39 Mike Michalowicz

This is a great.

00:16:40 Charles Clark

Man, that that's that's incredible.

00:16:42 Charles Clark

You know, I always love hearing stories of what was memorable for somebody and and and most of the time when when people answered that question, it's always something to do with the audience.

00:16:52 Charles Clark

Not what they said, but the feeling that the audience gave them.

00:16:56 Charles Clark

And I think that's the thing that allows us to to live that legacy.

00:17:00 Charles Clark

And be mindful of like, what am I doing this for?

00:17:03 Charles Clark

Is it?

00:17:04 Charles Clark

To publish show.

00:17:05 Charles Clark

Or, you know, like or is this to build a connection with people like.

00:17:09 Charles Clark

That's I think that's true.

00:17:11 Charles Clark

Speaking building connection, it's not about.

00:17:12 Mike Michalowicz

Yeah, there was a uh, another speaker said to me.

00:17:15 Mike Michalowicz

Said he goes, never forget that you are speaking to one person, that audience.

00:17:19 Mike Michalowicz

Even if it's a.

00:17:20 Mike Michalowicz

Dead flat audience. There's someone in there that needs to hear what you're saying. Speak to one person, regardless if there's 10,000 in the room or there's literally one and someone in their regards of the audience is because, you know, small audiences and the energy so high you can't help but bring the best to you. Other times it's a.

00:17:37 Mike Michalowicz

Dead audience, it's like, oh God, this is.

00:17:39 Mike Michalowicz

Right, But if you're speaking that one person I.

00:17:42 Mike Michalowicz

Think you'll bring the best of yourself every time?

00:17:44 Charles Clark

Yeah, that's great.

00:17:45 Charles Clark

That's great.

00:17:46 Charles Clark

Give Me 2 sentences of this.

00:17:48 Charles Clark

Two sentences.

00:17:49 Charles Clark

What would you tell someone who is starting out and they're looking to to break free in a speaking industry?

00:17:55 Mike Michalowicz

So your message is.

00:17:57 Mike Michalowicz

Important, I think you'll see the value in that secondly is.

00:18:06 Mike Michalowicz

Speak always.

00:18:08 Mike Michalowicz

Yes, I've said.

00:18:08 Mike Michalowicz

So, let's say.

00:18:09 Mike Michalowicz

Speak frequently, meaning speaking is not a one and done endeavor.

00:18:14 Mike Michalowicz

It's a lifelong endeavor.

00:18:16 Mike Michalowicz

So that message you're sharing?

00:18:19 Mike Michalowicz

Do it frequently because it.

00:18:20 Mike Michalowicz

May be that first audience or.

00:18:22 Mike Michalowicz

Maybe the 5th, 500th?

00:18:24 Mike Michalowicz

Audience is the one that really needs to hear it, so your message is important and be relentless.

00:18:30 Charles Clark

Yeah, love it, Mike.

00:18:31 Charles Clark

Before we go, we're going to try to find you.

00:18:33 Mike Michalowicz

Oh, very simple.

00:18:34 Mike Michalowicz

My nickname is Mike Motorbike because no one can spell mackayla.

00:18:37 Mike Michalowicz

Let's go to Mike motorbike.

00:18:40 Mike Michalowicz

Comet rhymes.

00:18:41 Mike Michalowicz

All my books are there.

00:18:42 Mike Michalowicz

You can learn from that.

00:18:42 Mike Michalowicz

You can see what I do with my speaking career there.

00:18:44 Mike Michalowicz

You may even copy.

00:18:45 Mike Michalowicz

Some ideas for my website?

00:18:46 Mike Michalowicz

Too, and you'll definitely find it to be a different website.

00:18:49 Mike Michalowicz

Mike motorbike.

00:18:50 Charles Clark

Dot com Mike man, I love this episode.

00:18:53 Charles Clark

Short to the point that man so much.

00:18:56 Charles Clark

That's love, brother.

00:18:56 Mike Michalowicz

Charles, thank you, brother.

00:19:01 Charles Clark

Hitrap here are the takeaways for today's conversation with M1. Surround yourself with people who love and care for you. They will support you when you feel like you cannot support yourself. To be honest. Period.

00:19:18 Charles Clark

Three, remember what Mike said.

00:19:20 Charles Clark

Your message is important.

00:19:22 Charles Clark

Speak frequently and be relentless.

00:19:25 Charles Clark

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the episode today, and if you found this content worth sharing worth listening to again, then follow the podcast, share it with a friend, and if you're interested in learning more, remember to check out the journey to paid speaking gigs Academy on my website at the Charles clark.com/apply.

00:19:44 Charles Clark

We are currently enrolling students into the Academy.

00:19:48 Charles Clark

You can also follow me at the Charles Clark on all major social media platforms.

00:19:53 Charles Clark

I'll catch you guys on the next.

00:19:54 Charles Clark

Episode please.