Why I NEVER Pay to Speak — And What to Do to Build Your Personal Brand on Stage Instead
Paying to speak? Not on my watch.
In this Pullin' Punches mini-episode, Katrina Owens shares her unfiltered take on the rise of pay-to-speak opportunities—and why they’re often the biggest red flag for personal brand entrepreneurs.
As a top PR and personal branding expert (who’s spoken on countless stages, both free and paid), Katrina is pulling back the curtain on:
- Why paying to speak can actively hurt your brand reputation
- How to spot the difference between a strategic speaker sponsorship vs. a shady speaker fee
- What high-quality events actually look like (and why you should hold out for them)
- The ROI of creating your own room—and how to start one without a huge budget
- Why speaking for free isn’t the problem… but paying to be there is
If you’ve ever been tempted by a “speaker opportunity” that requires your credit card first, this is your green light to say no—and a blueprint for what to do instead.
Follow Katrina for more personal brand insights:
→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katrinaowenspr/
→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/owenskatrina/
→ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@katrinaowenspr
→ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katrinaowenspr
→ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@koyourbrand
→ Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koyourbrand/
→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katrinaowenspr/
→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/owenskatrina/
→ Threads: https://www.threads.com/@katrinaowenspr
→ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katrinaowenspr
→ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@koyourbrand
→ Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koyourbrand/
