Why I Stopped Comparing My Speaking Fee to Other People’s

For years, I treated a speaking fee as if it were a public score. I would hear what another broadcaster, author or keynote speaker charged and immediately wonder whether I was asking too much, too little or simply getting the whole thing wrong. The number on someone else’s invoice could alter my confidence before I had even understood the brief in front of me.

That habit was particularly unhelpful because speaking is deeply personal work. A keynote may draw on decades of broadcasting, lived experience, research, preparation and emotional energy. It may involve a carefully crafted story about resilience, women’s wellbeing or leadership, followed by conversations with an audience that has trusted me with something real.

The fee is also shaped by circumstances that are invisible from the outside. One person may be delivering a short presentation in their home city, while another is travelling across Australia, tailoring a workshop for a corporate team and staying available for media interviews. Comparing the final numbers without knowing the work behind them creates a misleading picture.

I eventually stopped comparing my speaking fee to other people’s because I realised the comparison was distracting me from the value of my own contribution. Pricing became less about trying to resemble someone else and more about making a clear, sustainable decision about the work I was being asked to do.

The Number Never Tells The Whole Story

A speaker’s fee is rarely a simple payment for sixty minutes on a stage. The visible part may be a keynote, but the work often begins weeks earlier. There are briefing calls, audience research, message development, slide reviews, rehearsals, travel arrangements and conversations about tone. For a sensitive subject, there may be additional care required to ensure the content is responsible and useful.

My background in television and journalism has taught me to prepare thoroughly. I want to understand who will be in the room, what they have experienced and what the organisation hopes people will take away. A leadership event for senior executives needs a different structure from a wellbeing session for a mixed workplace audience. A women’s health conversation may require a very different kind of presence from an awards-night hosting role.

The comparison becomes even less reliable when the event is in Australia. A booking in Sydney may involve a straightforward domestic flight, while an engagement in Perth, Darwin or regional Queensland can require a full day of travel each way. An early-morning event may mean leaving home before most people have started their commute, and a dinner function can affect the following day as well as the event itself.

That does not mean every fee should be inflated. It means the quote should reflect the complete assignment rather than just the time spent holding a microphone. Preparation, judgement, travel and the responsibility of representing a message all belong in the calculation.

Value Is Bigger Than Visibility

Public recognition can make pricing confusing. People often assume that a familiar face automatically commands a particular rate, while a less visible speaker must charge less. Neither assumption accounts for the quality of the work, the relevance of the experience or the outcome the client needs.

I have learned to distinguish between popularity and usefulness. A speaker can be well known yet poorly suited to a particular audience. Another person may have a highly specific insight that changes how a team leads, communicates or supports its people. The strongest engagement is one where the speaker’s perspective connects with the organisation’s purpose.

My own value comes from several strands of experience. Broadcasting taught me how to read a room and make complex ideas accessible. Journalism developed my curiosity and preparation. Writing books demanded discipline and the ability to stay with an idea over time. Personal experience gave me a direct understanding of change, confidence and the moments when a person has to rebuild their sense of direction.

There is also value in the way a speaker handles the unexpected. A difficult question, a change in schedule or a vulnerable audience member can shift the shape of an event. Years of live television have helped me stay calm, listen carefully and respond with warmth without losing structure. Those abilities are part of the service, even though they may never appear in a promotional biography.

Fees Need A Sustainable Foundation

Earlier in my career, I sometimes treated confidence as the ability to say yes quickly. I thought being flexible proved that I was committed and easy to work with. In reality, agreeing to a fee before understanding the scope could create pressure that affected the preparation and the experience of delivering the work.

A sustainable fee has to account for the business behind the speaking. There are administration costs, insurance, professional support, technology, marketing, tax and periods when no paid event is taking place. A speaker may appear busy during one month and have very little income in the next. The rate for a single engagement has to sit within that broader pattern.

Australian businesses also need to be clear about GST. If a speaker’s business reaches the relevant registration threshold of $75,000 in annual turnover, GST registration is generally required, and the standard GST rate is 10 per cent. That needs to be handled transparently in a proposal or invoice. The amount a client sees may include GST, or it may be quoted before GST, so clarity prevents awkward surprises.

Travel is another practical consideration in the local market. A corporate event in Melbourne can involve different costs from one in Brisbane, particularly when flights, accommodation, airport transfers and time away from other commitments are involved. I prefer to separate the speaking fee from agreed travel expenses so the client can see exactly what each part covers.

Confidence Is Built Through Boundaries

A fee conversation can feel personal because a refusal may sound like a judgement on our worth. I have had to learn that a client declining a quote does not mean the work lacks value. It may reflect an internal budget, an event model, a procurement process or a decision to prioritise another part of the programme.

Clear boundaries make those conversations easier. I now want the brief to explain the event format, location, audience size, preparation required, recording arrangements and any additional appearances. If the client wants a keynote, panel contribution, workshop, social media content and interviews bundled together, those elements need to be visible in the scope.

The same principle applies when an organisation asks for a reduced fee. There are times when a cause genuinely matters to me and I choose to support it. That is a considered decision, rather than an automatic discount driven by fear. A community organisation, charity or women’s wellbeing initiative may receive a different arrangement, but I still make sure I understand what I am agreeing to.

I have also discovered that boundaries protect the audience. When a speaker is rushing from an underpriced booking to another obligation, or trying to fit substantial preparation into unpaid hours, the quality of the engagement can suffer. A fair commercial arrangement gives everyone a better chance of receiving thoughtful, focused work.

Comparison Can Feed Imposter Feelings

The urge to compare fees is often connected to something deeper than money. It can be a search for reassurance. If another person charges a certain amount, we may believe their number proves they are more experienced, more credible or more deserving. That belief can quietly turn a business decision into a referendum on identity.

This is particularly common in public speaking, where confidence is visible and uncertainty is private. A speaker can appear polished under stage lights while still worrying about whether the audience will accept them. I have written about imposter syndrome because those feelings can affect even people who have substantial experience and a long record of achievement.

The answer is not to pretend self-doubt never appears. It is to separate the emotion from the evidence. I can look at the brief, the preparation involved, previous results, testimonials, relevant expertise and the practical cost of delivery. Those facts provide a firmer basis for a fee than an anxious glance at another speaker’s website.

I also remind myself that people may be comparing different things. One speaker could be charging for a virtual appearance with no travel, while another is quoting for a full-day conference package. One may retain recording rights, while another includes them. Without the terms, the headline number tells us very little.

A Better Way To Set The Rate

I now begin with the engagement rather than a competitor’s price. I consider the audience, the outcome, the format and the level of customisation required. I ask whether the event is a keynote, a moderated conversation, a workshop or a full hosting role. Each requires a different type of energy and preparation.

I then account for the less visible elements: briefing meetings, content development, travel time, rehearsal, technical checks, follow-up and the rights attached to recordings. If the organisation plans to use the presentation internally, publish it online or create promotional material from it, that usage should be discussed before the agreement is finalised.

There is also a reputational dimension. Choosing an event means associating my name with its purpose, leadership and audience experience. I want to know that the event is thoughtfully organised and that the values are compatible with the message I represent. That is not about being precious; it is about ensuring the partnership makes sense.

Finally, I check whether the proposed fee allows me to show up properly. If the answer is no, the rate needs to change, the scope needs to narrow or the booking needs to be declined. Learning how to recover from a public mistake has reinforced the importance of taking responsibility and preparing well; sensible pricing supports that standard before the event even begins.

I still notice what other speakers charge. I am human, and the market can offer useful information. The difference is that I no longer use someone else’s number as a verdict on my own. My fee is a professional reflection of the work, experience, care and responsibility I bring to the room. That understanding has made pricing calmer, clearer and far more honest.