Navigated to Boost Your Leadership: Why In-Person Presence Changes Everything - Transcript
Marli Williams

ยทS6 E61

Boost Your Leadership: Why In-Person Presence Changes Everything

Episode Transcript

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Marli Williams [00:00:04]:

Hey, everybody, what is happening? Welcome back to the podcast where this week I am hanging out with my good friend Quinn Conyers, who is a powerful force to be reckoned with, an epic MC. And we are going to geek out and dive into the power of in person experiences and the impact and influence we can have as speakers, leaders, coaches, and business owners. When we are in real life with people, we're going to be talking about your visibility and your voice and your value that you have to bring to the rooms that you walk into so that you can create opportunities through your presence and your energy. She's going to share with you her secrets of the verbal business card, and we're going to even do a little case study with me on how I can elevate how I communicate, who I am and what I do when I'm at any event I'm attending. So this is a rich, juicy, powerful conversation with Quinn today, so I cannot wait to dive in. Let's do this. Well, hey everybody, what is happening? I'd love to welcome you back to the Marli Williams podcast, where this week we are hanging out with Quinn Conyers, who is an powerful MC extraordinaire, a master facilitator and keynote speaker, and I am just so freakin' and jazzed to have you here, Quinn. We geeked out at impact 11 and we talked about doing this podcast together because I think we both share this, like, deep love for the power of in person experiences and the magic that that can create.

Marli Williams [00:01:48]:

So welcome to the show. I would love for you to take a moment to just kind of introduce yourself to this crew and just share maybe a little bit about you, your story, kind of what brought you on this path of being an emcee and a speaker, and then we'll dive in. How's that sound?

Quinn Conyers [00:02:08]:

I love it. Well, thank you so much. I appreciate you introducing me to your community. I don't take that lightly. And like you said, yeah, my name is Quinn Conyers and I transform average events into epic experiences as a professional event in C and as well as a compelling keynote speaker. So my job, my duty, my responsibility, and my calling is to activate every attendee when I'm on stage. So my goal is to make sure that they are raving, they're returning, they're building relevant relationships, and they are referring people to attend future events year after year. And interesting enough, how I got into this business is my mother told me that I was speaking in complete sentences since I was 2.

Quinn Conyers [00:02:47]:

So speaking has always been my Superpower. But it wasn't really until college when we were all trying to decide what we wanted to be when we grow up. And I remember getting my syllabus and Intro to Public Speaking was on that, and everybody was freaking out. And I'm like, what's the problem? Give me the microphone. Like, let me go ahead and speak. So not only did I speak, I realized that when I spoke, people listened. I was grabbing and capturing, keeping people's attention. So I took Intro to Public Speaking, Advanced Public Speaking, Argument and Debate.

Quinn Conyers [00:03:17]:

Every communication class that you could think of that required me to use my voice, I signed up. And then what really changed for me, I was like, I want to be a speaker when I grow up. And they were like, somebody asked me, well, how much do you charge? And I'm like, you can get paid for this. And that's when my world opened up to the possibility of being a professional speaker. And that translated later into being an emcee.

Marli Williams [00:03:38]:

You know, when you follow that curiosity and you, like, lean in to the things that, like, light you up. And I remember that moment too, of like, oh, shit, you can get paid for this, right? You know, and like, what an honor. What an opportunity to like, get paid to do work that you love. And there was something I like, I got goosebumps when you said it. It's like when I spoke, people listened. And there is a way in which you. You have a way with words, my friend. You have a gift, you know, and it's like to honor your gift and also to see it as a.

Marli Williams [00:04:12]:

It's a skill that you've developed over time, right? And so, you know, to transform average events into epic experiences. Like, we share that same love. So I'm excited to really dive into something that we were just jamming on around. The power of in person influence from the vantage point of someone who's attending in person events. What stops people, what gets in the way, you know, in this kind of. I think we're still in this post COVID era of, you know, we all want human connection and we're all terrified of it at the same time. And how do we make the most of those experiences? And as someone who's speaking at events, you know, the power of being in real life, you know, as keynote speakers, as MCs and for folks that are putting on events and how we can kind of look at this from a lot of different angles. So you shared something with me that I.

Marli Williams [00:05:07]:

Maybe we can just start with that. You were talking about, you know, the visibility using Your voice, turning up, the volume in your voice when it comes to those in person experiences and the influence that happens when we are in real life with each other.

Quinn Conyers [00:05:22]:

I thinkThat the lie is half the battle is showing up, right? So you go to these events, and I believe that it's not half because half is 50%. I believe that if you want to be successful as a business owner, as a speaker, as an emcee, showing up is the foundation, it's the requirement. But we have been tricked to think that if I show up, then opportunities are going to fall out the sky. So I believe that in order for people to grow as business owners, as SMCs, as speakers, is not only are you showing up, which makes me believe that it's about being visible. The visibility part is one thing, and I think we actually do a pretty good job at that. However, the next phase where I think that we are dropping the ball, we are underestimating, we are undervaluing is the verbal and vocal part of who we are. So when you're showing up to these events, they're going to say, Quinn, what do you do? What do you speak about? Marli, tell me more about yourself. Your response is vocal, it's verbal, and that is your ability to attract or repel opportunities, friends, future business partners.

Quinn Conyers [00:06:27]:

And I think that there's a lot of power in showing up in person. But I believe that we have to put more priority into the verbal and into the vocal aspect of showing up.

Marli Williams [00:06:38]:

If that makes sense, 100%. And sometimes, you know, and I've thought about this a lot. Like, even at an event that I'm not like the speaker at, I will always raise my hand and it's like intentionally bringing my voice into the room. And I've gotten opportunities just from doing that. And, you know, like, when someone asks you who you are, what you do or what do you speak about, how we share that is can, like lead to so many opportunities or it can turn people off, right? It can attract, it can repel. And how much, you know, confidence and conviction do we have in ourself and who we are and what we speak about in our topics? And, you know, I think about. It's really interesting to me because, you know, as an emcee or leading or facilitating events, I call it invisible energy. Like, there are some people I'll see like on day three of a conference, and I'm like, you've been here? And it's.

Marli Williams [00:07:37]:

They like almost like disappear into the background. And so this piece that you're saying, it's not just about showing up. They were there, they were in the room. But were they there? Were they in contribution? Were they connecting? Like, it's like, I think that showing up is, you know, it's like, you're in the room, but what are you gonna do when you are there? How do you want to be? What is the energy? You know, and I talk about energy. What is the energy people feel the moment you walk into a room? And sometimes it's always not what you say, it's how you say what you say. Because we're trying to always find the perfect elevator pitch. But it's your energy, it's your tone, it's your presence, it's your ability to connect with people in that moment. I'm like, I totally agree with you on that.

Quinn Conyers [00:08:22]:

Yeah, it's your aura. I mean, and that's how even we connected. My husband is always like, oh, my gosh, you get along with everybody. I was like, no, I get along with good energy. So I'm around with somebody. I mean, you could be pink with purple polka dots. If you have good energy, we're probably going to talk. Because I'm a light, I attract other lights.

Quinn Conyers [00:08:38]:

I'm energy, I attract other energy. So when people are just like, I don't get it. It's like, is this the cool kid table? I'm like, no, this is the energy table, right? Like, it's about being in rooms. I might not know you. We could be of different races, different genders, different backgrounds. You could be speaking for 20 years, I could be speaking for 10. But there's an energy about you or about a person. And I think that you're right.

Quinn Conyers [00:09:00]:

People underestimate that. And again, we would probably not make half of the dating mistakes, half of the business mistakes, had we met that person in person first.

Marli Williams [00:09:07]:

100%.

Quinn Conyers [00:09:09]:

Because we're like, we're looking at apps, we're looking at videos that have been edited 5 million times. We're not really feeling the energy. Whereas I don't care how many followers you have, you have good energy. Let's talk, let's connect. Here's my number, right? Whereas I'm like, you give me too much time to think. I'm going through. I'm like, yeah, I don't like the way this post looks now I'm being judgy, right? Like, so I think that when it comes down to it, it really is about, you know, your word choices. It is about, like you said, what you call in person energy.

Quinn Conyers [00:09:37]:

I call it like your aura, your Being like, who you are. And I think that's what's missing. And that's where our judgment gets clouded, because we're not shaking hands and kissing babies anymore. Like, you gotta do that. Like, that's part of it. Like, that's part of you showing up and like I said, having your discernment, but more importantly, you know, knowing how to verbalize your values. So I believe that also, too, a lot of us need to get rid of our basic and boring elevator pitches, and we have to have what I call verbal business cards. So when people ask you what you do, you can communicate who you are and what you do in a way that's clear, concise, and compelling, and that is attractive to people.

Marli Williams [00:10:14]:

Can you give us an example of.

Quinn Conyers [00:10:16]:

A verbal business card? Yes, I can give you examples, but I would also want to give you more of what it is versus what it isn't. Right. So a lot of times I think that we have been sucker punched in business thinking that all you need is an elevator pitch to describe what you do. The problem is when most people give their elevator pitch, they're giving their title. I'm a speaker, I'm an entrepreneur. I'm an emcee, I'm a facilitator. And what people really want is your transformation. What is it that you do that could potentially benefit me or someone that I know? So an element of a great elevator pitch is usually people are talking about their title, not their transformation, or they're just rambling.

Quinn Conyers [00:10:59]:

It's not clear. It's not concise. A verbal business card is an intentional way to start conversations. I firmly believe that if you want to grow in your advance, you need to have conversations that convert. You have to have conversations. So it's not. Hi, Marli, would you like to hire me as a speaker? You don't know me. So my thing is I have to start a conversation with you.

Quinn Conyers [00:11:19]:

And that leads to clients and speaking contracts and different things like that. So a verbal business card is the intentional use of words and language to describe what you do in a way that piques the curiosity of the person that you're talking to. So the goal of the verbal business card is to start a conversation. Most people are giving their elevator pitch out of autopilot. This is who I am. This is what I do. Does that make sense?

Marli Williams [00:11:45]:

100%. It makes sense. Yeah. You're wanting that. You know, it's like, tell me more. It's. It is the start to a connection and as a start to a conversation. Right.

Marli Williams [00:11:55]:

And how do you make that, like you said, clear, concise, compelling, and in service of them. It's. There's this frame of. Instead of like, here's what I do. It's like, here's how I can help you.

Quinn Conyers [00:12:08]:

It's of service, too, right? The verbal business card is of service too. And how you position that is you want people to hear what you do, and verbally and physically raise their hand and says, I need that, or I know someone else who needs that. When you tell somebody what you do, they're like, oh, good for you. Congratulations. Good luck with that. You just kindly got dismissed. However, if they say, oh, Marli, that's interesting, tell me more. That's what you want.

Quinn Conyers [00:12:36]:

You want people to lean in. You want people to ask questions. So, you know, if I'm talking to people, it's like, you know, I'll say something. Like, I can say, I'm an mc. Okay, good for you. Right? Versus I transform average events into epic experiences. My job is to partner with event planners. So the attendees and the sponsors are raving, returning, and building relevant relationships.

Quinn Conyers [00:12:59]:

Value based. You see what I'm saying? It's value based. And if you notice how I structured it, it's very intentional. It has luxury language in it. I'll explain what that is. And also, too, it's not me using weak words to describe what I do. So I didn't say help. A lot of us are trying to be helpful, but our helpfulness and our humbleness is hurting us.

Quinn Conyers [00:13:22]:

So it's about putting your greatness and your experience and your expertise on the silver platter and pedestal that it belongs. And many of us are reducing and limiting and putting our greatness on a discount because we underestimate that question. What do you do? We don't put intentionality into it as well.

Marli Williams [00:13:43]:

Into answering that in a really thoughtful, compelling way.

Quinn Conyers [00:13:47]:

Intentional and deliberate. When you're deliberate, it leads to dollars. I feel like that you have.

Marli Williams [00:13:50]:

You do have such a way with words, my friend. Like, I love it. I know.

Quinn Conyers [00:13:53]:

I can't even turn it off.

Marli Williams [00:13:55]:

I'm here for it. Like, you're speaking my language here, so. Yeah, this is so good. Well, you said something about luxury language. There's a. There's certain word choices that you use when you are communicating your value to really, you know, and it's like, how do we speak to ourselves about ourselves? It's like, really, I mean, meaning, like, believing in the value and the transformation that we have to offer. Because it's like, yeah, communicating with clarity and confidence and Conviction and saying, like, this is who I am and this is what I could, what I do. So that people, it's like, you build that trust.

Marli Williams [00:14:37]:

Like, it's like, oh, they trust you to be able to help them because of how you communicated that. When we stay small and humble and hold back and use language that is like, it almost kind of undervalues or undermines what we have to offer. And then people are like, meh. You know, like, walk versus like that. Tell me more. I need your card. I want to hire you. Let's do this.

Marli Williams [00:15:04]:

I'd love to partner with you. You know, like, that's what you want?

Quinn Conyers [00:15:08]:

Yeah. And I think it starts with, most people don't even know that they're using what I call discount dialect or weak words. They're not even aware that their communication style is weak. They're not even aware. So the first part of beginning to use luxury language and being more intentional is about become aware of some of the weak words that you shouldn't be using when marketing, packaging, and positioning your services as a business owner, as a speaker, or as an mc. Now, once you're aware of, you can make an intentional choice to use wealthier words or luxury language to verbalize your value. So the first thing is, I can't come in and say, don't use these words, don't. Or use more luxury language. We're like, okay, well, what's wrong or what needs to be fixed about my current communication style? So I have to point out some of the current communication styles and then get you to look at better word choices to verbalize that value.

Quinn Conyers [00:16:01]:

So you can basically get paid premium instead of pennies. And a lot of us are struggling because we want high ticket, we want higher speaking fees. But the way you're talking about your keynote is positioned very low. How can we elevate it?

Marli Williams [00:16:13]:

Can we do a case study or can you help me in how I communicate what I do?

Quinn Conyers [00:16:18]:

Yeah, sure.

Marli Williams [00:16:19]:

I'm hearing you and I'm like, oh, this? I could work on that. Let's do a little, like, practice test run and then you can help me. And this is good for everybody, right? To like, how do we elevate who we are, how we talk about what we do and like our work in the world.

Quinn Conyers [00:16:34]:

Yeah, let's do it. I'm paying out notes because you down.

Marli Williams [00:16:37]:

You down for this?

Quinn Conyers [00:16:38]:

Yeah, I'm doing. Let's do it.

Marli Williams [00:16:39]:

I love a little case study example moment. It's an opportunity for me to be vulnerable and say, you know what? I'M not perfect. I don't have it all figured out. I always am working on stuff. That's why I love hanging out with smart people like you.

Quinn Conyers [00:16:50]:

Right, gotcha.

Marli Williams [00:16:51]:

Okay, how do we want to do this? You want to just, like, do a little practice? Like, you'd ask me. We're at it. Like, imagine you're at an event. You come up to me.

Quinn Conyers [00:16:59]:

Let's just start here. If I didn't know how awesome and amazing you were and I met you and I said, what do you do? How would you answer that question? Let's start there.

Marli Williams [00:17:06]:

All right. I'm a transformational keynote speaker who creates interactive keynote experiences for audiences to help them elevate their energy, amplify their impact, and lead fully charged.

Quinn Conyers[00:17:20]:

Okay. Can I ask you some questions?

Marli Williams [00:17:22]:

Let's go get it.

Quinn Conyers [00:17:23]:

The first and foremost is you are a keynote speaker, right? That's what you're saying that you do. You being a keynote speaker, who is your ideal client? Who do you speak to? Who do you activate?

Marli Williams [00:17:34]:

Right now, my biggest audiences are associations. I mean, that's the thing. Right now, I'm just say. I just say yes to anybody and everybody. I'm like, great, you want to work together, let's do it. So I don't have a specific, like, target market demographic when it comes to certain audiences or events necessarily yet.

Quinn Conyers [00:17:54]:

So I believe that you are most powerfully positioned to serve the person that you once were. So growing and advancing is not my messages for everybody. But, for example, I like working with bold women in business or bold speakers, because what I'm going to require them to do is going to be bold. I'm going to ask you to speak in public, right? So it's just like, I want you to think about that for a second. So why is. You said part of what you do is you get them to leave fully charged, you elevate their energy to do what? So if they're leaving fully charged to do what, go after their dreams, start a business, become speakers. What are they leaving fully charged to do what? And why is elevating their energy important?

Marli Williams [00:18:41]:

Yeah, these are really good questions. The concept. So lead fully charged right now is my new battle cry that I'm playing with around having energy. And so the idea is like, your energy is sacred. It is magic, and it is the greatest gift you have to offer this world. And it is an underutilized resource because we're trying to manage our time, not manage our energy. And so we're overwhelmed, we're stressed out, we're burned Out. So it's really helping leaders thrive in their life and their work.

Quinn Conyers [00:19:15]:

So when they leave, when someone energy is elevated, what does that give them permission to do? I got my energy back after I heard you speak. What can I now do that I'm, like, filled back up?

Marli Williams [00:19:27]:

I mean, I think that you are able to be better at everything that you do. You're a better boss, teacher, employee, parent, partner, like that. You have the capacity, you have the resources. Like that.

Marli Williams [00:19:43]:

Yeah. To not be. I don't know. I'm trying to think to not be like, yeah, so overwhelmed and so stressed out. It's like, oh, it's like I have permission to show up for myself so that I can show up for others. I say, like, show up and play full out in every area of your life.

Quinn Conyers [00:19:58]:

Got you. Okay, so let's switch gears.

Marli Williams [00:20:01]:

Yes.

Quinn Conyers [00:20:01]:

You put me in full coach mode, which I love. I love it, I love it, I love it. I'm going to play. Marli, I want you to ask me what I do, and I'm going to answer the question as if I were you. Does that make sense?

Marli Williams [00:20:14]:

Let's do it.

Quinn Conyers [00:20:15]:

All right, so ask me what it is that I do.

Marli Williams [00:20:18]:

All right, Marli, tell me what it is that you do.

Quinn Conyers [00:20:22]:

Leaders with low energy love to hear me speak. After just 60 minutes, I clear the chaos in their minds so they can leave fully charged, ready to tackle things that have traditionally been tough for them.

Marli Williams [00:20:36]:

Mm. Boom, she did it again, folks.

Quinn Conyers [00:20:40]:

So for you, you don't have to say, I'm a keynote speaker. You can or you can't. But for you, I would love to say, like, you know, leaders, business owners, speakers who are tired, speakers who have low energy speak like, whatever. Love to hear me speak. So it's like, oh, okay, I'm calling it out. Who's your client? Leaders with low energy. Business owners with low energy. Right after just 60 minutes, that shows.

Quinn Conyers [00:21:05]:

Oh, what? 60 minutes? How do you do that? Oh, I'm a keynote speaker. So again, the job is to get them to ask you questions.

Marli Williams [00:21:11]:

Yes.

Quinn Conyers [00:21:12]:

Oh, we don't need a keynote speaker. The energy of our people is good. Or they're already fully charged. Like, the goal is not for them to dismiss. Oh, yeah, if we need a speaker, we'll let you know. Like, you're not even saying that. It's, well, 60 minutes. What is.

Quinn Conyers [00:21:23]:

What are you doing in 60 minutes? Oh, then it starts the conversation. So what you're doing is you're clearing the chaos in their mind, or I clear the chaos in their Hearts or. I clear the chaos in their work style. Whatever. I just chose minds. I clear the chaos in their minds. Why? What's the result? So I have a verbal business card formula that I just kind of did that. Right.

Quinn Conyers [00:21:46]:

So the result is they leave fully charged, ready to tackle what has traditionally been tough for them. Of course, tackle. Traditionally tough. That's luxury language. My just little spin on it.

Marli Williams [00:21:59]:

Yep. I dig it. Yeah, it's like, it's such a different place to come from. Every time I answer that question, I always say something different, but I think the focus less on the title of speaker and more, like you said, what is the transformation that happens in audiences that I speak to and who do I love speaking? You know, really, it is leaders that are wearing all the hats, trying to do all the things they're trying to be, you know, and to give them their life back, their energy.

Quinn Conyers [00:22:27]:

That's what you have to say when you're talking to people. Leaders who have lots on their plate. So when you start talking, leaders who have a lot on their plate, leaders who are juggling multiple things. So that way, if somebody. Association does come to you, you're like, I work with leaders who have a lot on their plate. It differentiates you. You're tapping into what I call psychographics. And most speakers are just leadership speakers.

Quinn Conyers [00:22:49]:

But you don't want to talk to any leader. You want to talk to leaders who have a lot on their plate. Makes sense.

Marli Williams [00:22:54]:

Totally. Yep. Getting really specific. And, you know, when you think about leadership, that is leadership, but it's more specific, you know, that they can, like. Oh, yes, like our team. Yeah. Like the people that we work with, the people that we serve would resonate with that message. This is so good.

Marli Williams [00:23:11]:

And hopefully, you know, for people out there listening, it's like, really, how do you transform your own language around how you answer that question so that people, like, lean in and they light up and they understand who you are and what you do in a more kind of dynamic and compelling way other than, like, I'm a realist. I'm a realtor.

Quinn Conyers [00:23:33]:

Yeah.

Marli Williams [00:23:33]:

Okay. Like, I love you. Okay. Good for you.

Quinn Conyers [00:23:35]:

Yeah, it's almost like, good for you. So you sell houses versus I make sure that families have the house where they can make a home that's in their budget without stressing them out. Like, it's just about how you position things.

Marli Williams [00:23:52]:

You are a genius, my friend. Like, I love the way that you. Yeah. Like that you. You bring these words together. So, you know, I'm curious from your perspective, you know, when it comes to, you know, creating these transformational experiences for these audiences, what do you see as, like, you know, to go from transactional or, like, kind of boring, mediocre events or average events, Two epic ones. What do you think are some of the biggest differences that you see and, you know, and the things that you do as an emcee to bring those events to life and to create those? I think we both are passionate. Like, how can I create those in person moments? You know, I say one of the things that I say is, just because people are in the same room doesn't mean they're gonna connect.

Quinn Conyers [00:24:42]:

Yeah.

Marli Williams [00:24:43]:

And it doesn't mean they're gonna connect in an intentional and meaningful way unless they're invited to. And so that's one of my big things, is, like, we have to give them a reason to connect. Otherwise they're just gonna sit with who they know or they're gonna look at their phone.

Quinn Conyers [00:24:57]:

Let's start at the very beginning of that question. What makes an event epic? An mc, a professional emcee. And I feel like sometimes we go straight to the weeds. You'd be surprised how many people spend money on the speakers, the sponsors, the food and beverage minimums, the decor, the event planner. And then you have the boring board member, Bob, or introverted in on the microphone, introducing speakers, butchering names, having the running show go on top. So I think in order for an event to go from an event to an experience, you have to have a professional event emcee. And sometimes because people have a body and they have a microphone and they've been voluntold, they underestimate this role. So if you want the crowd or the audience to be connected and captivated, that requires intentionality.

Quinn Conyers [00:25:48]:

And I believe that I'm on a mission to disrupt traditional conference culture. I believe certain events need to have a professional event emcee. Especially if you want attendees to rave, talk about how amazing your event was, you want them to return, meaning they come back year after year, you want them to renew their membership or renew faith in your association. And then lastly, if you want them to refer other people to attend, that is not something that should be left up to chance. That should be something that is orchestrated, that is intentional. So I firmly believe that if you are having events and you want to go from average to amazing, from boring to mind blowing, you have to have an emcee. That's where you start.

Marli Williams [00:26:34]:

I 100% agree with everything that you're saying, and I know that you speak to a lot of Event planners and people who put these events on. Why do you think or like what gets in the way of people thinking that they, they don't need an emcee or it's not a budget line or they don't see the value in it? Like, obviously to us it's like it's a no brainer, right? The amount of money that is spent on all these other things at an event. And then you have this like board member who is voluntold to like, really. And it's like it's holding the energy, it's setting the tone, it's the transitions. It's like this, it's like having an orchestra and no conductor. There's all these moving parts and nothing's connecting. And it's like you've spent all this time and all this money to create this event. I'm just curious because you've been in this world and you talk to people.

Marli Williams [00:27:27]:

It's like I, you know, to transform this arena, this space of conferences, to help them see, like, it's not a nice to have, It's a necessity, 100%.

Quinn Conyers [00:27:38]:

I think a couple things happen. Number one is awareness. Most people have been suffering through events for so long that they think it's the norm. It's okay, you know what I mean? Like we know. It's almost like we know. But they don't wanna do anything about it. People are very traditional. They're not boat rockers.

Quinn Conyers [00:27:56]:

They don't wanna do everything different. It's like the same vanilla ice cream for like the last 25 years. And then there was people like me and you were like, can we add some sprinkles? Can we add a cherry? Can we slice up some bananas? Can we add some straw? Can we put some chocolate sauce? Can we add some peanuts? Like, let's make this tasty and exciting. But if they've been so used to vanilla and a lot of them have been doing the same event the same way, and the board member has traditionally always MC'd that they just take it as, this is what we're supposed to do. It isn't until somebody's like, it's either emergency, oh my gosh, they said something very disrespectful and off the cuff. We can't have this again. Or they're at another event and they see somebody like me or you on stage and realize they've been doing their events all the way wrong. People don't know they need me until they experience me.

Quinn Conyers [00:28:46]:

Part of my challenge is explaining who I am and What I do in a way that you don't put me in a box to think that as an emcee or all I do is introduce speakers and sponsors. So that's the challenge that I have. So I have to do a lot of what I call MC education. So I played around with, okay, what else can I call myself that's clear that they understand that they think that, okay, she does more than just mc. And that's the challenge that I'm having. Well, why would we pay for that when all she's gonna be doing is introducing people? So I played around with the whole concept of calling myself an event experience partner, an attendee engagement partner. Because again, sometimes when they think of just the emcee, they're not realizing the totality of what I bring to your event. Right.

Quinn Conyers [00:29:31]:

So that's it. Awareness. They've been doing business as usual and also too, they don't know why they should pay for that until they see it done well. And most of event planners, conference organizers have been suffering. And I say suffering because it's like, oh God, well, they want to do it or, or they're trying to give the CEO some extra face time that we can use that person in another way. If you hire me early in the process, we can still use the CEO, we can still use the board member, but they don't need to be doing certain things. They don't prep well. They butcher names.

Quinn Conyers [00:30:02]:

I have horror stories and I'm just like rocking back and forth. My leg is shaking. People are like, are you okay? I'm like, I am not okay. Because again, if it's your thing, you see it, you see it. It's just like that joke is from 1970s and it's also low key, very disrespectful. Why are we keep giving this person the microphone? Make it stop.

Marli Williams [00:30:20]:

Make it stop. I mean, yeah, it's so interesting like how people, you know, change is hard sometimes. And it's like, oh, this is how we do it. This is how we've always done it. This is just how it is. And like you said, people have been suffering through events for so long. And it's like it is kind of one of those things. People don't know what's possible until they see another way and that, like educating them.

Marli Williams [00:30:42]:

And I think that we are in a world right now that is hungry for in person experiences. I think for this next generation especially, there's a different level of expectation that is not. This is just how we've done it. Like this, like Boring cookie cutter. Like, people are looking for creativity and innovation and experience and they're there to connect. And this piece of like audience interaction, audience engagement, you know, my background is in education and using, using principles of like adult learning theory, for example, people don't learn. Like we get to a certain place where we're at capacity of information and we're just sitting there passive participants hearing speaker after speaker and there's no time for an opportunity to reflect and connect of what did you hear? Turn to a neighbor, share. What was your biggest takeaway from that talk again? And my thing is, if we don't leave here using the things that we've learned here, we've missed the whole point.

Marli Williams [00:31:47]:

How do we create an actual transformational experience where, you know, there was you before this event, there's you after this event, but it's like really creating that arc, that narrative, that whole experience for them to have the time to connect and reflect and apply what they've learned so that they can take the lessons back to their teams, organizations, communities. And not just, yeah, anyone can leave with a notebook full of notes and they feel all jacked up and inspired. But it's like, well, what happens Monday morning when they go back to work?

Quinn Conyers [00:32:19]:

Yeah, I mean, you're hitting the nail on the head. I mean, we used to go to events and that was okay. But if you notice people's language, this is not an event, it's an experience. Because they know that there should be some type of transformation that is happening. And I believe that especially with an in person, they convert the highest people have certain activations and things like that. So I think there's a level of intentionality. But also too, the question that you asked me earlier about planners is I had to learn the hard way that I'm not in the business of selling twice. I don't want to sell you on the fact on why boring board member Bob is not the right person to emcee your event.

Quinn Conyers [00:32:56]:

That's a fight, right? Bob loves it. He loves bringing his jokes from 1960s and 1979. He looks forward to it. Everybody has to suffer through it, but you give them the mic anyway, right? That's not who I want to work with. My goal is to try to find the people who already believe in the power of the MC as they're creating and curating their event. They have their list of keynote speakers. They know they need a DJ, they know they need AV, they know they need an emcee. So it's like you already believe in the mc.

Quinn Conyers [00:33:25]:

I just want to be a part of your shortlist. Let's interview Quinn and XY other mc. So that is a big shift that I had to make because it's like, I tired of trying to convince you on why it doesn't have to be me. It could be Marley, it can be somebody else, but why be a professional event mc? So that was a battle that I just chose to put my sword down. I'd rather go and work with people who are like, oh, yeah, we need an emcee. Like, I don't understand how people. Like, there's planners who already think that, oh, we need an emcee.

Marli Williams [00:33:54]:

Exactly. I love it. I don't sell twice. It's like, they already know that they need someone like you to really help facilitate that experience, to create that meaning and interaction and engagement and, you know, to have that. That energy. Right? To be able to hold that thread and the theme of the conference, like, throughout the entire experience. I think it's like, it's gold. It's gold.

Quinn Conyers [00:34:16]:

It's crazy because when I think about the thread, we are MCs, but we're also the event GPS. We are the content weaver. We are the audience activator. We are the fire putter outer. We're all those things. I think that part of what I'm gonna have to do is just keep doing what I call my MC education, using my platforms to talk about, you know, the importance of hiring a pro versus just somebody who's been voluntold. Because a lot of people say to me, I'm so happy that you're here. I hated doing this every year.

Quinn Conyers [00:34:47]:

So you get the ones who were like, happily, give me the mic. But most people are like, I don't know why they asked me to do this. I don't even like it.

Marli Williams [00:34:53]:

It makes me feel like I don't even like it.

Quinn Conyers [00:34:54]:

They're pulling me a bunch of different directions. It's just like, how did I get here? Why am I doing this? Right? So after a while, usually that person says, like, I don't want to do this, or, I don't like this. Like, can we find somebody else to do it? And I'm like, you can find me.

Marli Williams [00:35:08]:

It's so good. And, you know, I think that there's something that you mentioned earlier today, too, that I think is really powerful when it comes to, you know, anyone out there who's, you know, a coach, a speaker, a business owner, and this idea of being in the room in. In a world right now that is so noisy and there's so much coming at us. Like you said, it's like we need to see or hear something 10 to 20 times before we buy it. And like, you know, sliding into the DMs or seeing an Instagram ad or all of this stuff that's coming at us. But yet when we are in real life with each other, you're sitting next to somebody, or someone sees you speak or sees you be an emcee on that stage. One event, one person, one invitation, one conversation can change everything. It's like this exponential impact that happens when we are in real life with each other.

Marli Williams [00:35:57]:

It's this blend of, yes, show up, be in the room. But this question, how are you showing up? Yes, how are you engaging with the conference attendees with the planner? And whether that's coming, going to, like a local networking event or going to a barbecue, there's people everywhere, all the time. And as a business owner, who you're being and how you're showing up matters so much. Instead of thinking about, I have to send all these posts on LinkedIn, all these things, it's like the power of in person and being in real life. So I don't know if you have anything else to kind of add to that when it comes to really sharing who we are, sharing what we do, being out in the world, and the value of, it's like there's so many places we could put our time, energy and money as business owners. And to really, you know, elevate that in person. Those in person moments and opportunities, I think is critical right now especially.

Quinn Conyers [00:36:52]:

So here is what I will add. And I talked a lot about the verbal aspect of showing up and using your voice, especially in person. Events, opportunities, networking, community, whatever. I don't want to underestimate the visible part. Meaning when you do show up, are you blending in? Meaning I remember having a conversation with a friend of mine and she's like, yeah, I'm going to this conference. You know, I'm about to go get something to wear. And I'm like, girl, I already know what you about to buy. And she's like, what? I was like, if you buy another black Baser or another black pair of pants, I'm going to.

Quinn Conyers [00:37:27]:

She's like, I said, that's what you always wear. Like, you don't you have 12 pair of black pants in your closet already? And she's just like, oh, my God, Quinn, you're right. So it's like you're visible. Also requires your own personal branding, whatever that is. So for me, part of my visible is, you know, I speak in sneaks, so I have retired heels. I just do not wear. Like, I mean, if I could start a revolution, every speaker would wear sneakers. Right? But that might not be your thing.

Quinn Conyers [00:37:56]:

So I speak in sneakers. I'm usually in bright colors. I usually have, you know, I don't wear a lip gloss. Give me some pink lipstick. Right. So that might not be your thing, but maybe it's a brooch. Maybe it's a certain way that you wear your hair. Like, I know certain people, like, their hair is always, like, platinum blonde.

Quinn Conyers [00:38:10]:

Or I know a girl, her hair is blue. Like, that's part of her signature. So I feel like if you especially, you're like, oh, my gosh, Quinn. Because I am an extrovert. I know this. And I get a lot of introverts who are like, ah, that's too much. Okay, well, do you have a conversation peaks? Can you wear something physically that would get me or Marli to say, ooh, girl, I love that brooch. I love that necklace.

Quinn Conyers [00:38:32]:

I love your earrings. I love your hair. I love your smile. We're walking into rooms, we're not even smiling. You have nice teeth. Right. Can we start with a compliment? Right. So I think that I do put a lot of emphasis and energy on the visible and verbal, you know, I mean, sorry, the verbal and the vocal aspect of our voices.

Quinn Conyers [00:38:52]:

But I also believe that the way you show up. Right. Also matters. I mean, again, I am just me. I'm very comfortable in my own brown chocolate skin. Right? So I'll do this. Right? So I'll do a bunch of colors. I had somebody ask me, oh, but did they ask me, are you celebrating pride? And I'm like, I wasn't sure what they were asking me.

Quinn Conyers [00:39:12]:

And I'm like, are you asking me, am I an ally? Are you asking me on sexuality? I was like, well, I'm an ally. Yes. And I just like nail color. Like, it's not that serious to me. It's the way that I showed up. Right? Like, it's just like, I love people. I don't care what your sexuality is. I don't care what your gender is.

Quinn Conyers [00:39:32]:

I don't care if you're making $50,000 a speech or 5 cents a speech. Right? But how I show up is I know that I'm a light. I know that in order for me to be a light, I want to be vibrant and in color so other lights can come to me. But also, too, I can be shiny and I can be attractive to Those who are still floating around in the dark come out of the dark and come on to the light side. Right? So, again, I am very just mindful and intentional about showing up in color. And however anybody wants to interpret that, I could care less. So whatever box you want to put me in, that's fine.

Marli Williams [00:40:11]:

I don't care 100%. But there's this opportunity. Like, how can we be memorable?

Quinn Conyers [00:40:16]:

Yes.

Marli Williams [00:40:17]:

Be memorable or be unforgettable. Or how. However you say it. And it's like. I think it's like, really paying attention to all of those elements, how we're visibly showing up, you know, our voice, our energy, our tone, our presence. Am I. Am I here? Am I? And, you know, one of the things I talk about is open energy versus closed energy. Closed energy is I'm looking at my phone.

Marli Williams [00:40:42]:

I don't want to talk to anybody. I'm avoiding eye contact. I'm sitting by myself versus open energies. I'm looking around the room. I'm here. I'm making eye contact. I'm nodding my head. I'm smiling.

Marli Williams [00:40:55]:

And it's like, how can we create? I love. Vanessa Van Edwards talks about charisma. Her equation that she uses is charisma equals warmth, warmth plus competence. Warmth is you're approachable, you're relatable. I like you. I like your energy. I want to be around you. I feel like there's a warmth to you.

Marli Williams [00:41:15]:

And competence is like. It's that confidence. It's like, I trust myself. I know myself. I know my worth, I know my value. And people need both. Because if you just have competence, you can be, like, an egotistical asshole, you know, like, I'm all that in a bag of chips. And if you just have warmth, everyone's like, I just want to be your friend.

Marli Williams [00:41:33]:

But the blend of both is that charisma. And I think that that ability to, like, create those connections with people that might, you know, potentially hire you friend, you know, it increases those opportunities. So I really like that equation when it comes to how we are showing up whenever we walk into a room and really being mindful of that.

Quinn Conyers [00:41:56]:

So you said something earlier. You shared that your battle cry was, like, lee, fully charged. I don't think so.

Marli Williams [00:42:04]:

Tell me more.

Quinn Conyers [00:42:05]:

I feel like as I'm hearing you talk and we're having this conversation, I can't wait to get the replay, by the way.

Marli Williams [00:42:10]:

So good.

Quinn Conyers [00:42:11]:

If I think of Marli, right? Because this is where my brain. In another world, I'd be a marketer or position. I guess I Am In a. In a small way.

Marli Williams [00:42:18]:

Yes. I. I could see that you could be my marketer.

Quinn Conyers [00:42:22]:

Yeah, I see. Like, elevate your energy, enhance your energy, evaluate your energy as your battle cry. When you talk about opened and closed. You know what I mean? Energy, like, energy needs to be a part of your battle cry.

Marli Williams [00:42:36]:

I was playing with the energy impact because it's. The idea is, like, your energy is impacting everything that you do and everyone you meet and everything. Like, but it was a little. It felt a little flat because I wanted something that was, like, actionable, like, that felt like for what purpose? And cause I was like, energy is the essence of everything that I'm about. But I'm like, yeah, it is interesting that, like, energy isn't in. To try to find. Find a way to have energy within the main ingredients of the battle cry.

Quinn Conyers [00:43:08]:

I mean, even as add energy, something with energy. So I will play around with that. Like I said, what came to mind was elevate energy, enhance your energy, evaluate your energy, add energy, energize your employees. Whatever that looks like, energize something. But. And feel free to think about that. Run it through chatgpt if you want to send it to me to look at. But I feel like your battle cry has to have energy in it.

Quinn Conyers [00:43:35]:

I said it. It has to be. Has to. Have to.

Marli Williams [00:43:38]:

I'm with you. It's all. It's all a giant experiment. And so I'm playing with that idea of, yeah, so I will. And if you come up with anything brilliant, let me know. But I like that. I like that a lot because, you know, when as we kind of come full circle and bring it home and land the plane, it's like your energy is sacred. It is magic.

Marli Williams [00:44:01]:

It is the greatest gift that you can give people. And, you know, time and time again, I hear that over and over. It's like, why I get hired and why I get hired again is like, Marli, we love your energy. And I'm sure you hear that all the time, too. I mean, goes back to that Maya Angelou code. Like, people don't remember what you did or what you said, but they'll never forget the way that you made them feel. And that comes from your essence. And so this invitation, I think, for me, for me, kind of my final words, and then I want to hear your final words as we're sending people out into the world is like, one thing that I love and appreciate about who you are, Quinn, is you show up fully expressed in the world.

Marli Williams [00:44:42]:

I know who I am. So I can own who I am and I can be who I am. And when you are fully you, it's like, you know, you give other people permission to do the same. Because again, you were saying, you know, so many of us, we're hiding, we're playing small, we're humble, we're holding back. And I think, you know, one thing that I've thought about a lot is like, why do people love live music? You can listen to it on an album, Spotify, it's free. You're going to get in a car, stand in a bunch of line, da, da. You know, it's a situation. But there is something about seeing someone do what they were born to do.

Marli Williams [00:45:16]:

They're fully expressed, and you go to a show and they leave it on the table. And it's. It is power, it's energy. It's like we're creating experiences. And so how is our energy? Where are we holding back? Our essence, our energy, our gifts, our passion? You know, I think sometimes we're like, oh, this is what I do. Because we don't want to get shut down. But if we're like, this is who I am and this is what I do and someone doesn't like it, we're more like almost vulnerable to that negativity, potentially. But if we know who we are, we own who we are and we can just, like, claim that it's so powerful.

Quinn Conyers [00:45:56]:

Absolutely. And as you were talking, one thing came to mind. I put it in the chat. Battlecry. Express your energy for you, play around with that, see how it feels. Because we all have energy, but are you expressing it?

Marli Williams [00:46:10]:

All right, my friend, as we bring things home, I would love for you to share any final words of wisdom as we send folks out there. And then where can people find you? Learn more about you.

Quinn Conyers [00:46:22]:

And I would say this, if you want to connect with me, LinkedIn is the best place. And I know that we talk a lot about words and language. I do have what I call a luxury language list. It is complimentary. Not for free. Free is discount dialect. Right. But it is a complimentary list.

Quinn Conyers [00:46:36]:

And as a speaker, as an emcee, as a business owner, if you want to know some of the words that you shouldn't be using when packaging positioning yourself, just send me a message that says list and I'll give you the link. You can download it. Complimentary. So that's what I would say. Just be remindful that your ability to grow and expand as a speaker and as a business owner is going to rely heavily on visibility and your ability to be verbal as well. Those are my last things. So put intention into how you show up, but also put more intentionality into what you say when you are showing up.

Marli Williams [00:47:13]:

Mm. So good. And I would love my homework assignment. My fun work assignment for everybody out there is to revisit what you say when someone asks you what you do and. And to create and play with it. Play in the playground, right? It's not gonna be perfect every time, but really, like, get curious and get creative. Like, what is the transformation that you offer and how can you communicate that in, like you said, a clear, concise, and compelling way? Check out Quinn's resources to be able to do that. And I'm just so, so, so grateful to you, my friend.

Marli Williams [00:47:46]:

Thank you for coaching me today, of course, giving it up like the boss that you are and, you know, sharing your energy, your magic, your words, and your heart with the crew today. So I'm so, so, so grateful to be on this journey with you. Thank you for being here.

Quinn Conyers [00:48:02]:

Thank you for having me.

Marli Williams [00:48:03]:

All right, everybody, until next time, take care. Thank you for joining us on another inspiring episode of the Marli Williams Podcast. We hope you're leaving here with renewed energy and valuable insights to fuel your leadership, coaching and speaking endeavors. I'd love to invite you to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast to help us reach more aspiring leaders and speakers like you. We have more exciting episodes and remarkable guests lined up, so make sure to tune in next time. Until then, keep leading with purpose, coaching with heart and stuff, speaking with conviction. This is Marley Williams signing off. See you next week.