Chantelle Adams is a Professional Speaker, Speech Stylist, and Courage Igniter. Throughout the past 5 years she has delivered over 800 speeches and added more than 6 figures to her business through speaking. Now she teaches women entrepreneurs how to own their story, write their signature speech, rock the stage, and get booked while adding more clients and cash to their businesses through speaking. Chantelle is also all about helping women get their brave on in life and biz. She definitely walks her talk as she recently jumped out of an airplane and fell 10,000 feet to raise $10,000 to build a school in Nicaragua while getting 60 change makers to co-author a book, The Courage to Fly, and share their stories of courage with the world. Now she is on a mission to share 1 million stories of everyday courage! Enjoy her exclusive Business Heroine interview…

BH: How did you end up doing what you do? Tell us your story!   

Chantelle: I’m a Storytelling Ninja (quoted by my clients as I have about a 99% sobbing-after-I-tell-them-their-story-back rate), Speech Stylist and Courage Igniter.

I started my own courage revolution when I lost a dear friend to breast cancer and realized I was NOT really living my life full out and was letting that nasty four letter word… FEAR dictate my decisions. So I said SCREW YOU to fear and decided to write my fear list, which was a list of everything I had ever wanted to do but hadn’t because of fear.

Then in my friend’s honour I started to do everything I was TERRIFIED of.

I jumped out of an airplane (because that was my biggest fear) and fell 10,000 feet to raise $10,000 to build a school in Nicaragua because you gotta have a WHY that is bigger than your fear (best moment of my life was taking my family to Nicaragua to see the school that was built and serve the community #lifechanging).

I danced in a latin dance competition, Swinging with the Stars (I channelled my inner Julianne Hough) where we were able to raise $250K for the Hospice Society. I learned to ski at age 32… pizza legs ALL the way. I spoke on 800 stages in just 5 years (this is the one thing I could do all day long and feel completely LIT up still and why I teach speaking now), started my business and went from 0 (okay, everyone starts there) to 6 figures in just 9 months, and had my first 200K launch with just 1800 people on my list. I know maybe I shouldn’t brag about my small list but who says bigger is always better?

I chalk my success up to connection, deep service and being fiercely dedicated to others’ success, whether they pay me or not, and taking courageous action because I know that courageous action leads to clarity which, then leads to results!

Ultimately, I ended up doing what I do because I knew I wanted to work with women entrepreneurs in some way. I loved surrounding myself with powerhouse women on a mission who dared to dream big and then make those dreams happen.

I was walking out from a Zumba class one day and BOOM—I had an instant download on what I needed to do: I needed to teach women entrepreneurs how to own their story, write their standing-ovation-worthy speech, and have the courage to turn their message into a movement through the power of their voice. That is when Centre Stage was born and my life and business completely changed!

BH: What is your ‘Wake Up Call for the World?’ In other words, what is most of the world asleep about that you would love to wake up?  

Chantelle: Your story matters, your one is waiting, and your voice is needed!

I want the world to wake up and realize that their story is worth telling, and in fact it could be the very thing that saves someone else’s life.

Too many women hide from telling their stories or think their story is not worthy of being told and yet it is. The lessons you have learned, the experiences you have had, the breakdown and breakthroughs you have lived through are so meaningful and can have a HUGE impact on the world, and especially the ONE that is right now praying for you to have the courage to share it!

You have to get real, raw, and vulnerable. Be willing to own every part of who you are in order to deeply connect with others in a way that creates a ripple effect of change and courage to see the beauty in the struggle and the breakthrough in the breakdown!

I believe that having the courage to share your story will change lives, including your own!

BH: What are the biggest challenges or aspirations your clients come to you with, and what does your work make possible for them?

Chantelle: What I formally do is get people so FREAKING clear on their story that everything else falls into place. I help mostly women entrepreneurs (and a few courageous men) to get really vulnerable and SPEAK up on stages (online and live), to share their message in a much bigger way while turning their message into a movement!

I help them get their brave on and have the courage to SHINE baby shine, because we need a whole lot more shiny people speaking their truth and giving others the permission to do the same!

The biggest challenges people come to me with are having NO idea what story connects to their business and having no idea how to tell it in a way that connects with their audience and turns them into raving fans (who practically stalk them, but in a really good way).

As they get clarity on their story, I am able to pull out the golden thread that ties all of their messaging and work and life experience together in one beautiful package. That clarity leads them to be able to tell their story and message from live stages and online, and create products and programs that are completely aligned with who they are and the legacy they want to leave while creating massive impact and income.

Also, I help my clients get on STAGES, I give them all the tools (done-for-you-style) to help them pitch and land their dream speaking gigs so they can change even more lives with their message!

BH: We’re curious about your breakthrough moment in business. Looking back, what created the breakthrough?  

Chantelle: My breakthrough moment in life was realizing that fear was what was holding me back from truly living. In business, my breakthrough came after shaking my booty at a Zumba class. I danced out into the parking lot and immediately was given a complete download of the program I was to create and share with the world.

Centre Stage was born as I scribbled out the entire outline in the parking lot on a napkin. I then got my brave on and shared my idea with a few Facebook groups I was a part of to see if anyone thought it was a good idea for me to give them every single thing they needed to get on stages and speak. I got hundreds of HECK YEAH’s so decided it was a pretty good idea.

I launched my first beta run of Centre Stage without a website or a sales page. In fact, it was just a blog post and an ugly Paypal button.

I took action and ran with my idea, putting it out there before I had even finished creating it and before I had everything even close to perfect. From the time I had that inspired download in the gym parking lot to the time I started leading this course it was less than 6 weeks, I sold 11 spots to that beta program and that was the beginning of something truly magical. That program has now created over 600K in revenue in under 3 years, reached hundreds of women entrepreneurs from all over the world, and has given them the tools to become an army of change makers spreading messages of courage, truth, hope, strength and freedom around the world!

BH: What words of wisdom do you have for all the emerging Business Heroines out there who are on the cusp of creating their own purpose-based business?

Chantelle: 

1. Do it YOUR way. Don’t listen to what everyone else is doing and think it will work for you. If you tune in and follow what feels right for you (even if it is so far off what the ‘guru’s say) you will create massive success in a way that feels amazing to you. So trust your gut and do it your way!

2. Stop waiting to find clarity. Clarity comes through action, not through thinking things through. So get out there and take courageous action! You will find the clarity and answers you are seeking.

3. Make your “why” bigger than your fear, and then keep that why close to your heart at all times. This helps create aligned abundance and also helps you get through the times where you want to just throw in the towel. You remember WHY you are doing this in the first place.

4. Speak up. I believe that speaking is the #1 fastest way to grow your business and it has never been easier to be seen and heard online and live. So get out there and get sharing your message!

Special Offer from Heroine Chantelle Adams!

Are you ready to become a sought-after speaker, turn your audience into raving fans, and grow your business while making a positive impact in the world?

If you answered:

Yes, but I’m a little scared and not sure if I can actually pull it off.

Yes. That’s sounds great! Or…

Heck YEAH! Seriously?! Yes, YES, YESSS!!! 

Then you will want to check out this FREE course, Speak Your Way to the Top, that shows you the keys to delivering a standing-ovation-worthy speech, how to get booked when just starting out and the anatomy of a 10K speech. Click the image to get started! 

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business owner, entrepreneur, October 2016 Issue, online business, public speaking, slider, speaking for business, storytelling in business, women in business