The first version won’t be the final version

One thing I think holds a lot of aspiring speakers back is the belief that they need the “perfect” footage before creating a showreel. Huge stages. Massive audiences. Professional recordings from every angle. But honestly, that’s not how most great speaker reels begin.

Mine certainly didn’t.

The very first version of my speaker showreel was incredibly basic by today’s standards. It was largely made up of still images from events alongside testimonials and messaging overlays. At the time, it did exactly what it needed to do. It communicated credibility, personality and momentum. Then, as more opportunities came through, the reel evolved. We added podcast audio, behind-the-scenes footage, live speaking clips and eventually audience interaction and event footage that better reflected the energy I bring to a stage.

That evolution is completely normal. Your speaking career grows in layers, and your showreel should grow alongside it. The important thing is starting the process rather than waiting until you feel “ready enough”. Because often the opportunities you want are the very things that help generate the footage you need next.

I also think buyers are looking for something very different now compared to even a few years ago. They don’t just want polished corporate showreels full of dramatic music and applause shots. They want to connect with the person. They want authenticity, warmth, relatability and evidence that audiences genuinely engage with you. The human side matters more than ever.

That’s why we approach speaker showreels strategically rather than simply compiling footage together. We think about positioning, storytelling, audience perception and how to communicate your expertise in a way that feels natural and compelling.

It’s not about creating a “highlight reel”. It’s about helping the right people immediately understand why you belong on their stage.

Whether you’re building your very first speaker showreel or refining one that no longer reflects where your brand is heading, we can help guide the process from start to finish.

Sometimes all it takes is one strong reel to completely change the conversations landing in your inbox.