The Real Life of a One-Woman Speaking Business: Leadership, Balance, and Behind-the-Scenes Truths

There’s a moment, just before I take the stage, when the room quiets, the lights dim, and I can feel the energy shift. In that breath, I remember why I do this: to empower, to impact, to elevate. But what most don’t see is everything it took to get to that mic.

Being a one-woman business as a speaker is as exhilarating as it is exhausting. Behind every keynote, workshop, podcast, and program is a whirlwind of late nights, early mornings, caffeine-fueled brainstorms, and yes—plenty of fears and self-doubt. It’s not always pretty, but it’s always personal.

The Invisible Hours

When people see me on stage or hear my voice through their earbuds, they often assume I have a team making everything happen. Spoiler alert: I am the team.

Creating a meaningful, motivational keynote isn’t something that just spills out of me. It’s a process of digging deep into my experiences, my research, and my intuition. I spend hours crafting a message that will not only resonate but move an audience to action. Each word matters. Each story has a purpose. And when you wear all the hats—writer, editor, designer, strategist—it’s more than public speaking. It’s full-scale production.

Podcast Guests Don’t Just Appear

Then there’s the podcast. For every powerful episode you hear, there are days of outreach, coordination, tech prep, interview planning, and follow-ups. Finding the right guests, managing schedules, and developing guiding questions—all while building authentic connections—takes effort that no one sees. It’s not transactional, it’s relational. And relationships take time.

Still, the value of those conversations makes it all worth it. When a guest says, “No one has ever asked me that before,” I know I’m doing something meaningful.

From Passion to Print

And let’s talk about books. Writing a book is hard. Writing a book that becomes a guided curriculum, professional development tool, and interactive leadership journal? That’s a beast. Every module, prompt, and activity was born from trial, error, and heart.

I didn’t just want to write a book—I wanted to create a resource. Something real leaders could use to grow their impact, week by week. The creation, development, and implementation of curriculum behind Exponentially Elevate Your Leadership Impact pushed me in ways I didn’t expect—but the goal of having educators, teams, and emerging leaders apply it will be one of the most exciting parts of my journey.

Real Life, Real Chaos

Now add to that:

• Two teenage boys (who play sports, need rides, have homework, and still want their mom to show up)

• A supportive husband (who’s navigating his own business crossroads)

• And my dad (who lives with us and brings both joy and extra responsibility)

Some days I’m thriving. Other days I’m stressed in my car because I forgot to finish a task, missed a deadline, or just feel stretched too thin. And yet, somehow, I keep going.

Not because it’s easy—but because it matters.

Always Busy, Always Needed—But Always Grateful

Being a one-woman business isn’t glamorous. It’s gritty. It’s showing up for yourself and everyone else. It’s doing the work when no one’s watching and celebrating the wins no matter how small. It’s the emails, the tech glitches, the travel delays, the unexpected edits, the self-doubt, and the moments of deep, soul-satisfying joy when you know you made a difference.

In the end, it’s about legacy. About knowing that even on the hardest days, you’re building something real.

So if you’re out there doing it all—whether you’re a speaker, a coach, a creator, a mom, or all of the above—I see you. I am you. And I’m cheering you on as we grow, evolve, and rise—one messy, magical step at a time.

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  🔗 Learn more or reach out: www.drstephanieduguid.com