Listen, I would never compare myself to the most goatified GOAT of all time, Lionel Messi, BUT, I love this quote for everyone, for athletes, for business owners, for teachers, for authors, for principals, actors, speakers, comedians, you name, it is powerful. And, true.
Over the last six months or so in my newish speaking career, I’ve gotten, “How did you start doing this? I want to do it too.” OR “Girl, you are everywhere!” Which is a statement I’m grateful for because when this whole dream got started, I was not everywhere.
It was about 2017 when I started thinking that I wanted to speak to teachers to uplift them, train them, and give them hope. I had done internal training in my district for years, mentored the baby teachers, trained all the new ELA teachers to the district, and did many classroom management workshops at my own school. I went to conferences and watched the keynotes, the breakouts, and thought to myself, “I think I can do it.” Then I would think, “how hubris of me to think I could do that.” Then I would think, “I think I can do it.” Back and forth, over and over again it rolled around in my mind, heart, and soul. Two years later, I got the nerve to put in several speaking proposals to different conferences. Rejected. Rejected again. “You are a nobody. Why would they want you?” I’d let negative self-talk get me down, but I pressed onward. I cleaned up my bio, my content, my proposal writing skills, and one day… “You’ve been accepted to speak at the ACT conference for two sessions!” I almost blacked out. I called my mom, my mommy, and made her promise she would come help me. I practiced. I practiced. I practiced again. I timed myself. I timed myself again. I practiced in the mirror while timing myself. I took a personal day from school to drive to Stillwater to present at my very first conference.
I was some kind of nervous as the room filled up, thinking I would maybe have diarrhea right there, and was praying that I didn’t because I didn’t have extra pants, and so I took a breath, and I did it. My first breakout ever. The year: 2019! At that time, I was a little bit better than average. Maybe. I was shocked and delighted as people got in line to talk to me, ask me if I had a book, and hug me because they understood the life and plight of a teacher.
A book? “Gosh, I’d love to write a book.” I’d think to myself. “A book for baby teachers, a book for vet teachers who have lost that spark, a book to help all the teachers everywhere. A book!” But, I was busy. My kids were in all kinds of extracurriculars; I was teaching six classes seeing up to 150 teenagers in and out of my space every day from August to May. I had grading to do, lessons to plan, dinners to make, soccer games to coach, and vocal concerts to attend; where would I find the time? The answer was, I wouldn’t.
March 13th 2020… well, you guys know what happened. I wrote my book with all the time the pandemic afforded me. I blogged about lessons, and I became a study of the speaking game. Watching comedians and their timing, studying other famous keynote speakers, taking workshops on how to launch a speaking career, and I got my book published. Untold Teaching Truths dropped on doorsteps in October 2021. Speakers, write the book. It will never make you millions unless you get it in front of the right people, but it is an expensive business card that launches you into the thought leadership space. When I do a conference for free (yes, in 2024, I’m still doing a few things for free), my goal is to sell enough books while I’m there to cover my gas and hotel expenses. And I usually do, and I usually book at least one gig from it, so it pays for itself. 2021 and 2022 I was still working as an Instructional Coach full time while speaking on the side, and it started getting challenging. I didn’t have enough days to take, and my guilt crept in when I had to be away from the building. My TedTalk, which my friend Suzie signed me up for, dropped in 2022. My book, coupled with my Tedx, coupled with a handful of paid gigs had me hard launching out of my nest to try and make speaking, facilitating, and training my main gig.
So here I am a mere seven years later from my first speaking spark thought that happened in my soul, an inkling of a dream that has now come to fruition. Listen, I’m still new to this game, and I still fall on my face. Two years ago, I drove all the way to Dallas to do a breakout for free at a conference. I stayed on my cousin’s couch because of money, and my session was at 8 a.m. the next day. I missed my son’s soccer game for it (I don’t do that). I anxiously waited at the door for attendees to show up in my session. In a room with 50 seats, only three people showed up. I wanted to die. I wanted to cry. I wanted to not speak to three people, but I pulled up my big girl panties, and put on a show for my three attendees. I got back in my car and sobbed all the way home. “I should quit. This is dumb. This is a pipedream. I’m hurting my family by not being home.”
I didn’t quit; I wanted to monetize what set my soul on fire, so I stayed the course. Did I put in the work, absolutely! Did I get in front of some of the right people, yes! Did I continue to improve and do I still continue to improve, absolutely! However, I had people in high places helping me along the way. Friends, oh, there will be haters. That is what happens when you find the courage, strength, and audacity to follow your dreams, but there will also be your marigolds. The ones who cheer you on from the sidelines. The ones that mentor you, the ones that hype you up in rooms you aren’t in. The ones who open doors for you. Find your marigolds. And put on your armor when it comes to the haters, they are around whether you follow your dreams or not, so you might as well light that passion, and relentlessly pursue what sets your soul aflame. Here is a quick timeline of some integral moments to get me on the path I find myself on today. Thank you, friends!
2017- “I think I can do it too.”
2019- My first speaking proposal was chosen. The ACT Conference!
2020- Pandemic Book Writing; I formed my first company: The Blue Wall LLC.
2021- Adam Welcome began coaching me, and I continued to speak for free.
2021- Untold Teaching Truths came out!
2021- I met Rick and Erin from Relate Then Educate
2022- Untold Teaching Truths TedxTalk dropped. I continued to speak for free at conferences creating more content and getting reps in.
2022- My cousin gets me my first paid gig at a school.
2022- I met, learned, and networked with people from Paradigm Shift Leadership.
2022- Someone in charge of PD saw me at the ACT Conference. I got my first paid contract for multiple visits to a district.
2022-I kicked off two small districts’ convocations; then, I continued to speak for free at conferences.
2023-I hard launched myself out to do this full time. I created my second company: Premier Professional Development.
2023- One of my besties redid my website because it looked like trash.
2023- I started to book more gigs, but it still seemed slow.
2023- A principal saw me at the Innovative Schools’ Summit and booked me in Salt Lake City. Hey Jo!
2023- I tried to put on my own conference and I did, but lost money on it.
2023- I put out Hallway Leadership with Derrick Sier and Taylor Upchurch. A collection of stories for school leadership teams written by our coauthors, some of the best in the business.
2023- August of 2023 I kicked off five district convocations.
2024- Booking paid gigs regularly, but still doing a few things for free (I probably always will).
Listen, it ebbs and flows; it is rejection and then success and then rejection again. It is busy and then it’s slow; it is people not responding to emails, and booking me for a date, and then ghosting me when I reach out to confirm. It is standing ovations and book sales. It is laughter and tears and sweat and hugs and hard work. It is loving the people, the teachers, the principals, the educators everywhere. Then, rejection again. Rinse and Repeat. It isn’t for everyone, but I am loving the journey I’m on and I’m grateful for the failures that have led to my eventual success. This is my journey, and yours may be completely different as it should be. We are all out here following dreams and making moves. I’m honored to be in the arena getting my ass kicked along with the best and hope to stay for many years to come.
Speak On, Warriors!
Katie Kinder 