There’s a line in a Zac Brown song that goes, “When that pony she comes riding by, you better sit your sweet ass on it.” And when it comes to speaking engagements, that’s exactly how it feels.

Some months? Crickets. You’re pitching, networking, and hoping for opportunities, but nothing seems to land.

Other months? It’s like the floodgates opened—speaking invites, podcast guest spots, panel discussions, and summits all at once. And even though you’re grateful (because this is what builds authority, connection, and lead flow), you also know you can’t say yes to everything without running yourself into the ground.

Right now, I’m in the feast phase—March alone has me speaking at three summits!

🗣 March 8th – Voices of Women Summit (For International Women’s Day) – A global movement of powerhouse women talking business, leadership, and impact. I’ll be speaking on Leveraging ADHD for Creative Marketing Mastery. Join me here.

🎤 March 14th – EntrepreNERD Summit – Geek entrepreneurs, assemble! I’ll be joining an incredible lineup of sci-fi-loving coaches and marketing minds to talk about how nerd culture and business strategy collide. Get your ticket here.

🚀 March 19th – Entrepreneurs Rocketfuel Summit – A high-energy event for entrepreneurs and coaches looking to captivate audiences and increase revenue. Sign up here.

And in between all of this? I’m still hosting my podcast, running my business, and serving my clients, so I know that if I’m not careful, I’ll hit burnout hard.

The Visibility & Authority Trap

We know that staying visible is essential for growth. The more people see us, the more they trust us. The more they trust us, the more opportunities open up. But the pressure to always be on can be mentally and physically exhausting.

✔ Speaking builds authority – but too much can drain your energy.
✔ Visibility leads to more business – but not every opportunity is worth it.
✔ Showing up consistently matters – but not at the expense of sustainability.

So how do we balance the feast-or-famine cycle without burning out or drying up?

1. Authority vs. Exhaustion: When Does Visibility Stop Feeling Good?

At what point does chasing authority become draining instead of empowering? If you’re saying yes because you’re afraid the next opportunity won’t come, that’s a sign you might be overextending yourself.

Energy Checkpoint: Before committing, ask:

• Does this event align with my long-term goals?
• Am I saying yes out of excitement or out of fear?
• Do I have enough recovery time built into my schedule?

2. Not All Visibility Is Valuable: Filtering Opportunities That Actually Matter

Sometimes, we say yes because we assume all visibility is good visibility – but it’s not.

If the audience isn’t aligned, if the platform won’t expand your authority, or if the time commitment outweighs the return, it might not be worth it.

Decision Filter:

• Will this lead to tangible outcomes I care about (leads, partnerships, relationships)?
• If I had only one speaking spot left this quarter, would this be my choice?
• What am I sacrificing by saying yes to this?

3. The “Always On” Illusion: Managing Perception vs. Reality

When people see you everywhere, they assume you have endless energy. They don’t see the recovery days, the behind-the-scenes struggles, or the moments when you’re running on fumes.

To keep your energy sustainable:

• Pre-build recovery time after big events – before your body forces you to rest.
• Batch content when you have energy so you can maintain visibility without constant effort.
• Repurpose & refine – you don’t have to create from scratch every time.

4. The ROI of Authority: Is It Actually Moving the Needle?

Visibility is great, but not all exposure turns into business growth. If speaking gigs aren’t leading to new clients, partnerships, or high-value connections, something needs to shift.

Ways to make speaking work for you:

• Have a clear call-to-action (Lead magnet? Booking link? Invite to connect?)
• Leverage each event for long-term visibility (Promote your talk before & after, connect with attendees, repurpose insights for social media)
• Track what actually converts—is your visibility leading to business, or just keeping you busy?

Sustainability Is the Name of the Game

At the end of the day, visibility should serve you—not drain you.

A few hard truths I’ve learned:
✔ Saying yes to everything out of fear of famine isn’t the move—it leads straight to burnout.
✔ Turning down everything out of fear of burnout isn’t the move either—you’ll dry up your opportunities.
✔ The key is pacing and intentionality—knowing when to go all in and when to pull back.

What I’m working on right now is building a cycle of momentum that allows for expansion without depletion.

• How many speaking gigs feel good in a month/quarter? I don’t know yet, but I’m testing it.
• How can I pre-build recharge periods into my calendar so I don’t have to “earn” rest? (Hint: I already have my quarterly CEO days, but I need to get better at unplugging evenings & weekends.)
• What would an energy checkpoint system actually look like for me? I’m exploring that.

And I’d love to hear from you:
➡ How do you manage visibility without burning out?
➡ Have you ever hit a point where speaking stopped being fun? How did you recover?
➡ What’s your biggest challenge with keeping momentum in the feast-or-famine cycle?

Drop your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear how you navigate this space!🔥