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Expert or Visionary? (Michael Port)

  • Episode #40

The world of online content is saturated with expert advice and information. Michael Port encourages course creators to challenge the status quo. Making a difference requires changing the way your students think about the content and about themselves.

Michael Port is an author, speaker and course creator. His latest book is titled The Referable Speaker. He runs a business called Heroic Public Speaking and is the host of the popular podcast, Steal the Show.

In this episode, Danny and Abe talk with Michael about his wildly successful, high-ticket course on public speaking.

In this episode we discuss:

What is the difference between an expert and a visionary, and why is it important?

  • The compounding nature of turning the flywheel and trusting the process.
  • Ways to properly pilot a course.
  • Progressing from piloting to high-ticket course.
  • The power of referrals. 
  • When can offering services for free really pay off?
  • Finding your unique approach that sets your course apart from others like it.
“And if you can change the way people think, you can change what they do.”

Michael Port

Michael Port has written nine books, including The Referable SpeakerBook Yourself Solid and Steal the Show, the latter which—according to the former President of Starbucks—“might be the most unique and practical book ever written on the topic of public speaking”.

He’s been called an “uncommonly honest author” by the Boston Globe, a “marketing guru” by The Wall Street Journal, a “sales guru” by the Financial Times, “a public speaking phenom” by Jonathan Fields and “the best public speaking coach in the world” by Lewis Howes. The founder of MastermindTalks, Jayson Gaignard, declared, “Michael Port is the best speaker I’ve ever seen”.

His books have been on the bestseller lists of the New York TimesWall Street Journal, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly. They have also been selected by Amazon and 800-CEO-READ as “best books of the year.”

He was once a professional actor, having received his MFA from NYU’s Graduate Acting Program, guest starring on shows like Sex & The City and Law & Order, and in films like The Pelican Brief and Down to Earth. These days, Michael can be seen on MSNBC, CNBC and PBS as an on-air expert in communication and business development and as the host of the most popular podcast on public speaking and performance, Steal the Show with Michael Port.

Resources or websites mentioned in this episode:
Mirasee
Michael’s website
Michael’s LinkedIn
Michael’s latest book – The Referable Speaker

Credits:
Guest: Michael Port
Hosts: Danny Iny & Abe Crystal 
Producer: Cynthia Lamb 
Executive producer: Danny Iny
Assembled by: Geoff Govertsen
Audio Post Supervisor: Evan Miles, Christopher Martin
Audio Post Production: Post Office Sound
Music soundscape: Chad Michael Snavely
Making our hosts sound great: Home Brew Audio

If you don’t want to miss future episodes of Course Lab, please subscribe to Apple podcasts or Spotify or wherever you’re listening right now. And if you liked the show, please leave us a starred review. It’s the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

Music and SFX credits: 
Track Title: Bossa BB
Artist Name(s): Marie
Writer Name: Chelsea McGough
Publisher Name: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

Track Title: Grace
Artist Name(s): Shimmer
Writer Name: Matthew Wigton
Publisher Name: BOSS SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTIONS

Track Title: Carousel Lights
Artist Name(s): Chelsea McGough
Writer Name: Chelsea McGough
Writer Name: Matthew Wigton
Publisher Name: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION
Publisher Name: BOSS SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTIONS

Track Title: Coo Coos
Artist Name(s): Dresden, The Flamingo
Writer Name: Matthew Wigton
Publisher Name: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

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Course Lab

Ever wondered how online courses could be even better? What would that next level look like? Those are the questions driving online course experts Ari Iny (Growth Manager of Mirasee) and Abe Crystal (co-founder of Ruzuku) in Course Lab. In each episode, they bring on an innovative course creator and deconstruct what makes their course (and course business) work for them and their students.