Get On The Damn Stage
Let's talk about getting on stages, panels, and podcasts—and why you need to stop overthinking it.
I shared a post a couple of weeks ago, Apply For The Damn Award which seemed to really hit a nerve. I heard from many people who feel imposter syndrome about putting themselves forward. They worry about what others will think. They doubt whether they're "ready" for public recognition.
Here's the truth: no one cares about your career as much as you do. You have to back yourself before anyone else will believe in you. So let's talk about getting on stages, panels, and podcasts—and why you need to stop overthinking it.
For Brand-Side Leaders: You're More In Demand Than You Might Think
Great news: event organizers, podcast hosts, and journalists desperately want your perspective. The more senior you are, the hotter a commodity your ideas and experience become.
Being a speaker pays huge dividends – it can help you attract talent to your team. It helps demonstrate your company's value prop to customers and partners.
And honestly? It just makes events more fun. Your badge says "Speaker." People approach you. They reference your session. The whole experience becomes richer and more valuable. Even if you're an introvert (and I know many of you are), the return on facing that fear is worth it.
But maybe organization—especially if it's large—might be touchy about what you can and can't say publicly. This creates paperwork, approval processes, and potential headaches.
Here are some ways to approach that.
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The Approval Playbook: 4 Ways Around the Red Tape
1. Ask forgiveness, not permission. Submit your questions to legal, get them approved, then be human in the actual conversation. You're following the process on paper while delivering value in practice.
2. Talk about your collective career experience. Share lessons that could apply to any of the last 3-4 companies you've worked for—"I've seen this approach work well" instead of "here's what my current employer is doing right now."
3. Stick to lessons, not tactics—when you have to. If your org truly locks things down, focus on decision-making frameworks, team structures, and mistakes you've recovered from rather than specific campaigns or technologies.
4. Partner with your solution providers. Let your tech vendors and agency partners build the case studies and handle the approval legwork—they have huge incentive to make it happen.
For Solution Providers, Agencies, and Tech Companies
Great news: your organization actually wants you to get on stage and grab any publicity you can. You'll face zero internal resistance.
Bad news: event organizers see you as their meal ticket and expect you to pay for the privilege.
Sometimes paying really is the clearest and cheapest path forward. Your benefits are obvious—new business, credibility, visibility—so if sponsoring gets you the stage time you need, it might be worth it.
It is possible to get on stage without writing a check, if you're prepared to really work for it. Creating original research is the most defensible way to earn stage time without paying, or at least, get a slot beyond a crowded panel. If you collect data—even if you're an agency without your own technology—aggregate how your clients think about upcoming events like Prime Day, what deals they're running, how they performed, etc.
Event organizers, podcasters, and journalists are starving for this kind of insight. Yes, it takes a ton of time. But it's defensible differentiation and a strong brand-building move.
What I Learned From the Community
When I first shared this advice back in March, I got some valuable feedback and additions from the LinkedIn community that are worth revisiting.
Mike Feldman, who now leads commerce at Flywheel, made a point about starting small: "One thing I always tell people is to start with a panel—it's lower pressure, often more conversational, and you usually have input into the questions. It's a great entry point."
He's right, though I'll add my own caveat: panels can be fantastic or they can be surface-level wish-wash. The difference comes down to how much prep the moderator and panelists do.
Chris Sheldon from Podean called me out on something important. I'd advised brand-side leaders to focus on career lessons rather than tactical details (to avoid those internal approval headaches mentioned before). Chris pushed back: "Conferences these days could use a lot more real-world tactical details, like the programmatic media of old."
He's absolutely right. The industry has way too much wishy-washy content that anyone could find by Googling. If your organization truly locks down communications, career lessons might be your starting point. But find creative ways to add real value—talk about past experiences without naming the current company, share what you've seen work elsewhere, give specific examples without revealing competitive intelligence.
There's a delicate balance between staying out of trouble and actually delivering value to your audience. I hope you find a way to lean toward value.
See You On Stage
We're gearing up for 2026 conference season. Event organizers are finalizing their speaker lineups right now.
So here's my challenge: stop waiting for permission that's never coming. Submit that session proposal. Pitch that podcast. Reach out to that journalist who covers your beat.
The industry needs more real voices and fewer polished corporate messages. Your experience matters. Your perspective is valuable. And the career benefits—the network you'll build, the opportunities that will open up—are worth pushing through the discomfort.
Get on the damn stage. I hope to see you there!
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