Ep 76: The Speaking Strategy That Breaks Through Doubt and Gets You Booked Fast with Dr Nici Sweaney

June 9, 2025

76: The Speaking Strategy That Breaks Through Doubt and Gets You Booked Fast with Dr Nici Sweaney

You don’t need another course. You need to stop waiting for permission and start speaking like the world’s already listening.

What happens when a PhD scientist, AI enthusiast, and unapologetic feminist collides with the speaking world? You get Dr. Nici Sweaney, a woman on a mission to make sure AI doesn’t just serve the privileged few. 

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You don’t need another course. You need to stop waiting for permission and start speaking like the world’s already listening.

What happens when a PhD scientist, AI enthusiast, and unapologetic feminist collides with the speaking world? You get Dr. Nici Sweaney, a woman on a mission to make sure AI doesn’t just serve the privileged few. 

In this episode, she breaks down why now is a once-in-history opportunity for women to grab the mic, use the tech, and take up space.

We’re going deep on how to build speaking demand (without selling your soul), why ethics in AI isn’t optional, and how Nici made her first $2,200 from a 20-minute talk she wasn’t even sure she should give. 

This isn’t just a story about speaking. It’s a rally cry for those who are done waiting their turn. You’ll leave with practical strategies, permission to be bold, and a reminder that your ideas are more than enough. They’re urgently needed.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Why stepping into the AI conversation now is non-negotiable if you want to stay relevant and empowered in business (04:04)
  • How to use AI ethically in your speaking or coaching business (13:00)
  • Building a speaking business from zero (17:47)
  • How to build a magnetic stage presence by tying personal stories to universal takeaways that audiences remember (22:57)
  • How to stay energized, avoid burnout, and make every gig feel fresh, even with a packed calendar (34:06)
  • Positioning yourself so location doesn’t limit your reach (41:02)
  • The mindset reframe that helps you stop waiting for credentials and start owning your voice (48:34)

Quotes

“You have to be willing to feel really uncomfortable all of the time, I think, to become good at anything. But to be a speaker, you have to be okay with being uncomfortable.” – Dr Nici Sweaney

“The only difference between them and a professional speaker is reps.” – Jacqueline Brooker

“If every woman that had a great idea actually got that idea out to the world, we would live in the most glorious universe that the world has ever seen.” – Dr Nici Sweaney

“Now is a once-in-history opportunity for women to grab the mic, use the tech, and take up space” – Jacqueline Brooker

RESOURCES

ABOUT DR NICI SWEANEY

Dr Nici Sweaney is CEO of AI Her Way and Senior Fellow for the AI for Developing Countries Forum. A global leader in ethical AI, she advises industries and governments – through speaking, workshops, and consultancy – on using AI to reduce risk, increase equity, and build future-ready systems with measurable, sustainable impact.

WHERE TO FIND DR NICI SWEANEY

Exclusive Offer from Dr Nici Sweaney

As a special gift to our Speaker Driven Business Podcast listeners, Dr Nici Sweaney is offering complimentary access to Ai Her Way’s “Intro to Using GenAI” course–valued at $97 per person. This course is a fantastic next step for anyone ready to take action and build confidence in using AI tools after tuning in to this episode. 

Click here to enrol and redeem your free course

WHERE TO FIND JACQUELINE BROOKER

To connect and learn more about creating a Speaker Driven Business connect with Jacqueline on LinkedIn. You can also follow Jacqueline on Instagram or join the private Facebook group

Join the Speak More Collective.