A year’s income in 100 days (The life of a public speaker)

Find Your Superpower Newsletter 119

Read time: 6 minutes

Topics covered: Keynote speaker, Corporate training, LAST CALL for Mastermind

Wow, I just did three speaking and training engagements in three days.

I thought that was a lot, until my trainer friend shared with me that she was doing three trainings in ONE DAY. 

What in the world?

Even more impressive: two were in-person, one virtual.

I have been schooled by the master.

As a part-time keynote speaker, corporate trainer and industry moderator (together, they represent two of my six revenue streams) here’s what most people don’t understand about the speaking and training business:

Over the next 100 days, professional speakers and corporate trainers will make their year’s income.

And it often goes into the six figures.

Q4 is when our phones ring off the hook (wait, does that reveal my age?).

PS: this Q4 season concept also applies to unpaid speakers—people who just want to get started speaking and are willing to speak pro bono.

My own journey as a speaker and trainer

Let me give you the numbers from my own speaking and training business:

• Q1-Q3: 2-4 speaking engagements per month
• Q4: 2-4 speaking engagements per week

The difference is staggering. While I do get work throughout the year, it’s completely dwarfed and overshadowed by Q4.

A good bellwether for Q4 success is how September plays out. That said, 2025 is special for me: I turned down around around four paid opportunities in September because of my daughter’s PSLE examinations, which made evenings and weekends impossible. (Thank you to the patient clients who assured me they’ll reach out again in 2026.)

To give you one example, I turned down a sweet opportunity from LinkedIn to speak to their banking enterprise clients at the LinkedIn headquarters in Singapore as my daughter’s exams had begun that week.

I turned down an offer by LinkedIn to speak at LinkedIn. #teardrop

Someone, pass me a tissue please.

PS: That opportunity went to another LinkedIn Top Voice. Fortunately, LinkedIn continues to recommend me to their enterprise clients. I am very grateful.

Why Q4 is earning season for speakers, trainers and consultants

Most companies set their budgets in Q1 and spend cautiously through the year, which means by Q3 it becomes clear which line items are underspent.

Learning & development (L&D), skills training and professional development often lag behind because they are rarely treated as urgent in the first half of the year.

That changes in Q4, when the "use it or lose it" mindset takes over since unspent funds typically don’t roll over.

Here’s what happens every year like clockwork:

• September: Ramp up spending on underspent L&D allocations
• October: Leadership retreats and industry conferences fill up fast
• November: Team-building and training initiatives get packed in
• December: Final rush to spend remaining funds (often resulting in last-minute gigs)

Corporate learning and development teams know they need to "use it or lose it" when it comes to their annual budgets.

Training that was "nice to have" in June becomes "must have" in October.

Can we plan ahead for Q4 2026?

If you’re a speaker, coach, consultant or trainer: Is your phone ringing off the hook for Q4?

If the goal is to get booked in Q4 2026, the time to start is right now.

In the final 100 days of 2025, here are some of the workshops happening in my 12-month Brand Builder Mastermind (among others):

• Lights, Camera, Action: How to speak on an industry panel 101 (where many speakers start)
• Full-day improv workshop on executive presence (how to speak candidly)
• Fireside chat with a keynote speaker (find out how this VIP gets her gigs)
• A business clinic to troubleshoot your offer ladder
• Two book clubs on speaking and branding

[LAST CALL] 3 out of 20 seats remaining in October 2025 (also our last cohort for the year).

The next cohort will be in January 2026 with a 20% price increase.

While others wind down for the year, our October cohort will be building a brand that gets them sought after in 2026.

Your rocketship captain,
Juliana 🚀

PS: Would you like to start building your speaker brand with me? We still have 100 days left in 2025.