A NOTE FROM DR. SHANA
It’s 2026.
Today is the first Monday of the new year, and it’s time to get into it.
Especially if you didn’t reach the level—or the goals—you set for yourself as a speaker in 2025.
Now is not the time to sit back, reflect forever, or wait for motivation to strike.
Now is the time to move.
If you are serious about building a bankable speaker business, you must have structure.
Not vibes.
Not motivation.
Not “I’ll figure it out as I go.”
Structure.
In this season, intention wins over wishing and hoping every single time.
Let me ask you a few honest questions:
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What does your pitch process actually look like?
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What happens when someone submits a speaker inquiry?
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How do people find you and connect with you?
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Are you easy to book, or confusing to work with?
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What happens after the talk to create more opportunities?
Because without structure, you’re not running a business —
you’re just running your mouth in a side hustle hoping something sticks.
And hope is not a strategy.
Inside today's issue are 5 speaking opportunities and the ladies have it. All of them are focused on women in some capacity. But don't be discouraged if you are male. You can still pitch yourself based on your topic if it makes sense.
*Read till the end of today's newsletter for a real opportunity to create your 2026 strategy for less than $1 a day!*
THE BANKABLE TEACHING POINT: STRUCTURE IS WHAT GETS YOU PAID
Structure is what turns:
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Interest into inquiries
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Inquiries into booked calls
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Calls into contracts
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Talks into repeat business
If you want consistent speaking opportunities, you need:
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A clear pitch process
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A simple booking flow
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An after-the-talk follow-up system
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A way to stay connected to hosts and audiences
When structure is missing, you end up:
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Overexplaining
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Reinventing the wheel
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Leaving money on the table
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Starting over every time
Structure creates ease, confidence, and consistency — for you and the people booking you.
PRACTICAL STRUCTURE CHECKLIST (START HERE)
Ask yourself:
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Do I have one core message I’m pitching consistently?
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Do I know who I’m pitching and why?
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Can someone book me without emailing back and forth 10 times?
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Do I have a clear next step after I speak?
If you answered “not really” to more than one of these, this is your sign to step up your game and get structured now before the year gets away from you.
A 10X SHIFT (from Best Selling Book 10x Is Easier than 2x by Dr. Ben Hardy)
Most speakers try to:
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Add more platforms
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Create more talks
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Say yes to everything
10x thinking says:
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Simplify
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Standardize
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Systematize
Instead of juggling everything, choose:
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One message
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One audience
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One pitch process
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One follow-up system
Doing less, better — consistently — will outperform scattered effort every time.
🔔 5 SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES TO PURSUE THIS MONTH
Use these as target categories and tailor your pitch accordingly:
1. Black Mamas ATX
Location: Austin, TX
Date: April 11-17, 2026
Audience:
This Summit is designed for anyone committed to improving maternal health outcomes in their community. Attendees included:
✅ Healthcare providers (doctors, nurses, midwives, OB/GYNs, community health workers)
✅ Birth workers (doulas, lactation consultants, perinatal support professionals)
✅ Policy advocates & community organizers
✅ Social workers & mental health professionals
✅ Expectant parents & families
Looking for:
Our theme this year is Rooted in Justice & Joy! We are dedicating this week to shining a light on the gaps in Black maternal healthcare while simultaneously centering and celebrating the unbridled joy of Black families and communities.
We are seeking culturally aligned experts to lead virtual and in-person sessions, including:
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Public Health Professionals
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Healthcare Providers & Midwives
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Mental Health Professionals
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Birth Workers & Doulas
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Policy Advocates
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Community Organizers & Social Workers
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Community Members with Lived Experience
Deadline to submit: Not given so ASAP
2.Our Power Summit 2026
Location: Houston, TX
Date: March 20-21, 2026
Audience: The Our Power Summit brings together thought leaders, creators, entrepreneurs, and community builders for two and a half unforgettable days of learning, networking, and empowerment. Through inspiring talks, interactive workshops, and meaningful connections, we're building a movement for positive change.
Looking for: Experts in the following pillar areas: Wellness, business & career, spirituality, civic power, creativity, technology, love & community
Deadline to submit: January 9, 2026
3.The Experience for Women in Leadership Conference
Location: Dallas, TX and virtual
Date: September 16-20, 2026
Audience:
- It is curated to uplift, affirm, empower and celebrate women in leadership.
- It offers an empowering experience for women leaders to develop actionable strategies to use personal attributes, talents and skills to overcome life's challenges as women in leadership as well as leading with inclusion practices.
- Ultimately, it provides an authentic space for women in diverse industries to grow, connect and walk away with sisters for collective community impact.
- Additionally, it has a teen component to cultivate leadership skills among teens ages 13-18.
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Curated for:
- Leadership Coaches
- Corporate Executives/Directors
- Nonprofit Leaders
- K-12 and Higher Education Leaders
- Emerging Leaders
- Teens (Ages 13-18)
Looking for: Experts who have a message to serve this demographic including wellness, leadership, and more. Note this is a PAY TO PLAY opportunity. Read the fine print to see if it aligns with your business plan and objectives for the new year.
Deadline to submit: January 15, 2026
4.Fortune Most Powerful Women 2026
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Date: Oct 12-14, 2026
Audience: Join women from the world’s most influential businesses, along with Fortune’s award-winning journalists, for candid, in-depth conversations about today’s business landscape and the new leadership models that are shaping where we go next.
Looking for: Experts to speak to an audience of powerful and influential women in business
Deadline to sumit: No date given so ASAP
5.2026 WELD | Otterbein Leadership Conference (Women for Economic Leadership and Development) Be Well to Lead Well: Empowering Women to Thrive and Lead with Purpose
Location: Westerville, OH
Date: June 25, 2026
Audience:
Leadership begins with wellness. This conference, inspired by WELD’s mission to equip women with the strategies, skills, and community to advance in leadership, explores how personal well-being is foundational to professional success.
Whether you're a rising professional or a seasoned leader, this experience will offer insights and tools to help you:
- Cultivate resilience and clarity in your leadership journey
- Align your personal wellness with your professional goals
- Connect with a supportive network of women committed to thriving together
Looking for: Seeking speakers to present on topics surrounding our 2026 theme - Be Well to Lead Well. This year's theme, "Be Well to Lead Well" is inspired by WELD’s mission to equip women with the strategies, skills, and community to advance in leadership, explores how personal well-being is foundational to professional success. -- NOTE this is Unpaid
Deadline to sumit: Jan 20 5pm EST
👉 Don’t pitch all five.
Choose one or two, build a list, and execute with intention. Also don't be discouraged if you see that it is an unpaid opportunity. You could send an email and ask if they are still looking for a keynote. That role is typically paid even if the other speakers are not.
LAST CALL: BELIEF. BUILD. BANK. – 21 DAY SPEAKER CHALLENGE
Starts January 7
If structure is what you’ve been missing, this is for you.
For less than $1 a day, you’ll join a community of speakers who are ready to stop playing and start building.
Inside the Belief. Build. Bank. 21-Day Speaker Challenge, we will:
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Build the structure of your speaker business from the ground up
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Focus on messaging, positioning, pitching, and systems
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Take 15–30 minutes a day to complete actionable tasks
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Create habits that support a bankable business, not a hobby
This is not motivation.
This is implementation.
21 days.
One step at a time.
Real structure.
Real progress.
If you’re ready to be intentional instead of hopeful, this is your move. Join the community HERE for only $17.
YOUR NEXT MOVE
Structure creates confidence.
Confidence creates consistency.
Consistency creates income.
In this season, intention beats wishing every time.
—
Dr. Shana
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