When to Say NO!! 🚫
- Marke Freeman
- Jun 1
- 3 min read
By Marke Z. Freeman
I was so proud.
I had just booked one of my first Fortune 500 clients. I prepared like never before—and I nailed my keynote. I could feel it in my delivery. The energy. The audience engagement. I barely made it off the stage before they asked me to come back.
But what they asked next stopped me in my tracks.
“Do you speak on DEI?”
Now, I value diversity, equity, and inclusion deeply—but I’m not an expert in that space. I reiterated my core speaking topics and transformation promises. But they pushed: “Can't you tie your content into a DEI framework?”
In an effort not to lose one of my first corporate clients… I said yes.
And it turned out to be one of the worst decisions I’ve made in my speaking career.
Preparing for that talk was torture.
No matter how many hours I spent trying to force it, it never felt authentic. The tie-backs were clunky. I struggled to connect. I felt like I was performing a script that wasn’t mine.
I didn’t walk off that stage with the same confidence I had the first time. In fact, I walked off knowing: That wasn’t me.
And you know what I learned?
Every opportunity isn’t meant for me.
Any neither is every opportunity meant for you. Just because someone wants to pay you doesn’t mean you should say yes. Not if it doesnt align with your mission or costs you your credibility.
That painful but pivotal experience became one of the moments that birthed the vision for Speak Like a Pro Academy™.
To be labeled a professional speaker, we must:
Speak from expertise, not pressure.
Be prepared for booking conversations that challenge us or our mission.
Create a Speaker Fit Checklist that protects our integrity, brand, and mission.
That’s what I now teach—and it’s changed everything.
Use a SLAP Speaker Fit Checklist Before You Say Yes
If you’ve ever accepted a gig that didn’t fit your message, I feel you. That experience taught me to get clear on what fits my brand—and what doesn’t.
Here’s the Speaker Opportunity Fit Checklist I now use to decide if a stage is right for me:
✅ Audience Alignment – Is this my target audience or potential client?
✅ Message Match – Can I speak on my core topics authentically?
✅ Brand Alignment – Does this reflect my values and reputation?
✅ Platform Power – Will it boost visibility, credibility, or connections?
✅ Fair Compensation – Am I being paid appropriately for my time and value?
✅ Content Opportunity – Can I get video, photos, or marketing assets?
✅ Time Fit – Will it fit into my schedule without burning me out?
✅ Growth Potential – Will this help me grow personally or professionally?
Turning down misaligned opportunities protects your integrity, energy, and long-term brand.
As your demand rises and your fees increase, you’ll face more choices. And every choice should bring you back to this:
Never lose sight of your mission.
Money matters. But purpose leads. Let your values guide every decision—especially as more doors open.
💡 Pro Tip:
You are a brand. Lead it like Apple. Sell it like Amazon. Protect it like Microsoft.
🎯 Ready to Shift the Trajectory of Your Speaking Career?
If you’re ready to get crystal clear on your message, brand, and when to say NO…
➡️ Join my FREE live webinar:
"Mastering High-Impact Communication: Speak with Power, Presence & Purpose"📅 Monday, June 16
🕖 7 PM CT / 8 PM ET
🎓 And if you're serious about taking the next step…
Join the Waitlist for Speak Like a Pro Academy™—the ultimate course for speakers ready to build confidence, craft their signature story, and book paid gigs that align with their mission.
You’ve got a message. A mission. A voice that deserves the right stage.
Don’t waste it trying to fit into spaces that weren’t made for you.
Say no with confidence. Say yes to alignment.And speak like a pro.
—Marke Z. Freeman
Professional Speaker
Author of CHAMPIONS’ Creed
Executive Coach of Speak Like a Pro Academy™
Comments