The Expert's Journey: Helping Speakers & Authors Succeed!

Dixie Maria Carlton Brad Hauck

The Expert's Journey: How Authors & Speakers Build Profitable Businesses with Books & Marketing Turn your book into a business-building asset. Learn proven strategies to leverage your expertise, get booked as a speaker, and create multiple income streams beyond the page. Are you an author, speaker, or expert who wants to use your book as a powerful marketing tool to book speaking gigs, grow your authority, and build a profitable business? This podcast delivers the strategies you need to transform from writer to sought-after thought leader. Hosted by Brad Hauck (author of AI Powered Profits and international digital marketing expert "Mr Web Marketing") and Dixie Carlton (publisher and author of Start With the Draft), this show provides actionable insights to help experts monetize their knowledge through books, speaking, and smart marketing. Brad: www.proficlix.com.au Dixie: www.indieexpertspublishing.com What You'll Learn:  ✅ Book marketing for speakers – Turn your book into a lead generation machine that attracts high-paying speaking opportunities✅ Author platform building – Create a strong personal brand that positions you as the go-to expert in your industry✅ How to write a book – Practical strategies to plan, write, and publish books that build authority and credibility✅ Speaker marketing strategies – Leverage your published work to get booked for conferences, corporate events, and keynotes✅ AI-powered content creation – Use artificial intelligence to streamline writing, marketing, and audience growth✅ Thought leadership – Establish yourself as an industry influencer who shapes conversations, not just joins them✅ Multiple income streams – Create coaching programs, online courses, membership sites, and subscription models from your expertise✅ Book to business blueprint – Extend your influence beyond book sales into speaking fees, consulting, and digital products✅ Publishing and self-publishing – Navigate the publishing landscape to maximize your book's business impact Perfect for: Published authors looking to monetize their books beyond salesAspiring authors building their expert platformSpeakers who want to write books to boost their speaking careerExperts and consultants ready to establish thought leadershipNon-fiction authors seeking to turn books into business assetsSolopreneurs building authority-based businessesConference speakers positioning themselves for higher fees Each episode features conversations on author success, expert positioning, content marketing, and the intersection of writing, speaking, and entrepreneurship. You'll discover how to use your book as the foundation for a multi-six-figure expert business that generates income through speaking, coaching, digital products, and more. Whether you're writing your first book or scaling your existing author platform, The Expert's Journey provides the roadmap to transform your expertise into influence and income. New episodes weekly. Subscribe now and start your journey from author to authority.

  1. 2H AGO

    Will Workshops Replace Keynotes? The Rise of “Key Shops” in Modern Conferences

    Talk To Us Directly This episode explores whether conferences will increasingly value workshops over traditional keynotes as audiences seek outcomes, not just inspiration, in a world where AI and online content make ideas cheap and abundant.  Brad and Dixie discuss shifting attendee expectations, the emerging “key shop” format that blends presentation with real-time action, and how event design (session length, number of speakers, stages, and virtual vs. physical delivery) affects learning and engagement.  They also examine why conferences can feel overwhelming, how conversations, panels, and fireside chats can surface deeper, more memorable insights, and how pay-to-play speaking and compensation models can distort value. The core question becomes whether speakers will evolve from presenters into facilitators of change who help audiences apply ideas immediately. The Expert’s Journey podcast is dedicated to empowering authors, content creators, experts and professional speakers worldwide. Join hosts Brad Hauck, author of AI Powered Profits: Use AI to Automate & Accelerate Your Business in 90 Days, and Dixie Carlton, author of Start With the Draft: How to Easily Plan and Write a Non-Fiction Book, as they share practical insights to elevate your speaking career. Each episode delivers actionable strategies to grow your audience, sharpen your skills, and increase your impact through speaking, publishing, and smart marketing. Whether you're looking to boost your influence or explore new ways to share your expertise, The Expert’s Journey gives you the tools and direction to succeed. FIND US Brad Hauck Proficlix.com.au Dixie Carlton Indieexpertspublishing.com

    26 min
  2. 5D AGO

    The Expertise Trap: Why Knowing Too Much Can Hurt Your Marketing

    Talk To Us Directly This episode of Expert’s Journey explores the “expertise trap,” arguing that many experts don’t need better marketing so much as better translation of their knowledge into clear, simple value for beginners.  Brad and Dixie discuss how jargon, frameworks, and the “curse of knowledge” can widen the gap between what experts want to explain and what audiences need to hear, causing confusion, lost sales, and even bad reviews when expectations aren’t set clearly.  They cover practical ways to match content to audience level, use stories and examples, and clarify outcomes before process, including researching FAQs and search intent with tools like Google Trends, Answer the Public, Reddit, and YouTube. The key takeaway: being impressive isn’t the same as being understood, and clarity helps audiences know what to do next. The Expert’s Journey podcast is dedicated to empowering authors, content creators, experts and professional speakers worldwide. Join hosts Brad Hauck, author of AI Powered Profits: Use AI to Automate & Accelerate Your Business in 90 Days, and Dixie Carlton, author of Start With the Draft: How to Easily Plan and Write a Non-Fiction Book, as they share practical insights to elevate your speaking career. Each episode delivers actionable strategies to grow your audience, sharpen your skills, and increase your impact through speaking, publishing, and smart marketing. Whether you're looking to boost your influence or explore new ways to share your expertise, The Expert’s Journey gives you the tools and direction to succeed. FIND US Brad Hauck Proficlix.com.au Dixie Carlton Indieexpertspublishing.com

    25 min
  3. MAY 8

    The Hidden Cost of Over-Explaining

    Talk To Us Directly In this episode of The Expert’s Journey, Dixie and Brad unpack where to draw the line between making ideas clear and thinning them into something shallow. They discuss how experts can lose objectivity, either oversimplifying to be understood or overcomplicating to satisfy ego, and argue that strong communication removes confusion without removing meaning.  The conversation covers using frameworks, gradual testing of new material, and building “bridges” that step audiences up rather than lowering the bar. They highlight tools like real-world stories, looping, comedy, audience participation, and stagecraft to make complex ideas stick while maintaining authority.  They also contrast keynotes versus workshops, emphasize doing pre-event homework, and stress leaving audiences challenged but hopeful, with practical tips on audience understanding, feedback loops, and a clear underlying message. The Expert’s Journey podcast is dedicated to empowering authors, content creators, experts and professional speakers worldwide. Join hosts Brad Hauck, author of AI Powered Profits: Use AI to Automate & Accelerate Your Business in 90 Days, and Dixie Carlton, author of Start With the Draft: How to Easily Plan and Write a Non-Fiction Book, as they share practical insights to elevate your speaking career. Each episode delivers actionable strategies to grow your audience, sharpen your skills, and increase your impact through speaking, publishing, and smart marketing. Whether you're looking to boost your influence or explore new ways to share your expertise, The Expert’s Journey gives you the tools and direction to succeed. FIND US Brad Hauck Proficlix.com.au Dixie Carlton Indieexpertspublishing.com

    21 min
  4. APR 29

    Would Anyone Notice If You Stopped Posting?

    Talk To Us Directly In this Experts Journey podcast episode, Dixie and Brad explore what true influence looks like by asking what your industry would lose if you stopped speaking, writing, or publishing. They discuss the difference between being visible and being valuable, the importance of purpose, legacy, and uniqueness, and why challenging your industry and taking a clear stand can create cut-through.  They argue that real impact is best measured by behavioral change in others—whether one person makes a better decision, raises standards, or changes direction because of your message—and note the ripple effects that can follow.  They also cover tough seasons in business, balancing expert work with employment, having an exit plan in case of forced stoppage, and seeking advice, rest, and perspective rather than quitting. The Expert’s Journey podcast is dedicated to empowering authors, content creators, experts and professional speakers worldwide. Join hosts Brad Hauck, author of AI Powered Profits: Use AI to Automate & Accelerate Your Business in 90 Days, and Dixie Carlton, author of Start With the Draft: How to Easily Plan and Write a Non-Fiction Book, as they share practical insights to elevate your speaking career. Each episode delivers actionable strategies to grow your audience, sharpen your skills, and increase your impact through speaking, publishing, and smart marketing. Whether you're looking to boost your influence or explore new ways to share your expertise, The Expert’s Journey gives you the tools and direction to succeed. FIND US Brad Hauck Proficlix.com.au Dixie Carlton Indieexpertspublishing.com

    23 min
  5. APR 23

    The Real Reason Some Experts Become Famous

    Talk To Us Directly Brad and Dixie explore who really decides what becomes a “big idea,” contrasting merit with visibility, repetition, timing, and the zeitgeist. They discuss how adoption often takes years despite “overnight success” narratives, using examples like WhatsApp, Slack, QR codes (boosted by pandemic needs and phone camera scanning), and the persistence of PowerPoint due to standards and compatibility.  They note that big ideas don’t always win on quality alone and may succeed within niche audiences, while attention shifts toward short-form content such as YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. In the speaking and publishing industries, they observe changing audience attention, increased reliance on slides, and predict short-form online influence will grow as in-person events become costlier.  The Expert’s Journey podcast is dedicated to empowering authors, content creators, experts and professional speakers worldwide. Join hosts Brad Hauck, author of AI Powered Profits: Use AI to Automate & Accelerate Your Business in 90 Days, and Dixie Carlton, author of Start With the Draft: How to Easily Plan and Write a Non-Fiction Book, as they share practical insights to elevate your speaking career. Each episode delivers actionable strategies to grow your audience, sharpen your skills, and increase your impact through speaking, publishing, and smart marketing. Whether you're looking to boost your influence or explore new ways to share your expertise, The Expert’s Journey gives you the tools and direction to succeed. FIND US Brad Hauck Proficlix.com.au Dixie Carlton Indieexpertspublishing.com

    32 min
  6. APR 15

    Should Experts Clone Themselves With AI?

    Talk To Us Directly In this Experts Journey Podcast episode, Dixie and Brad explore what an “AI version of you” can look like, from a trained assistant or public chatbot to an AI video clone, and why the key question is whether you should use it.  We explain how AI can help you produce high volumes of content by training an assistant on your writing and edits, then pairing it with tools like HeyGen to generate and auto-post short videos, or repurpose articles and transcriptions from older videos.  We discuss risks around audience trust, “AI slop,” and where AI-generated video may be acceptable (short clips) versus problematic (full speeches), plus practical steps to try HeyGen safely. The conversation also covers deepfakes, live cloning scams, and using verified social accounts to help audiences find the real you. The Expert’s Journey podcast is dedicated to empowering authors, content creators, experts and professional speakers worldwide. Join hosts Brad Hauck, author of AI Powered Profits: Use AI to Automate & Accelerate Your Business in 90 Days, and Dixie Carlton, author of Start With the Draft: How to Easily Plan and Write a Non-Fiction Book, as they share practical insights to elevate your speaking career. Each episode delivers actionable strategies to grow your audience, sharpen your skills, and increase your impact through speaking, publishing, and smart marketing. Whether you're looking to boost your influence or explore new ways to share your expertise, The Expert’s Journey gives you the tools and direction to succeed. FIND US Brad Hauck Proficlix.com.au Dixie Carlton Indieexpertspublishing.com

    29 min
  7. APR 8

    Travel Turbulence: How Global Events Shape Our Journeys

    Talk To Us Directly In this Experts Journey podcast episode, Brad and Dixie discuss how events in the Middle East are already affecting travel for speakers and authors through flight cancellations, higher airfares, reduced routes, and rising fuel costs, and what that could mean for conferences and bookings through 2026–2027.  They compare potential knock-on effects to COVID-era supply chain disruption, noting changing travel behavior and economic pressures, and debate when virtual delivery makes sense versus in-person—especially depending on topic and audience expectations.  They explore practical options like improving virtual presentation setups, using hireable studios and advanced backdrops, and expanding into podcasts and online workshops. They also share preparation priorities: be ready to pivot, coordinate contingency plans with event organizers, strengthen technology and self-sufficiency, and consider more local work if travel becomes harder. The Expert’s Journey podcast is dedicated to empowering authors, content creators, experts and professional speakers worldwide. Join hosts Brad Hauck, author of AI Powered Profits: Use AI to Automate & Accelerate Your Business in 90 Days, and Dixie Carlton, author of Start With the Draft: How to Easily Plan and Write a Non-Fiction Book, as they share practical insights to elevate your speaking career. Each episode delivers actionable strategies to grow your audience, sharpen your skills, and increase your impact through speaking, publishing, and smart marketing. Whether you're looking to boost your influence or explore new ways to share your expertise, The Expert’s Journey gives you the tools and direction to succeed. FIND US Brad Hauck Proficlix.com.au Dixie Carlton Indieexpertspublishing.com

    24 min
  8. APR 1

    How to Speak With Authority When You Doubt Yourself

    Talk To Us Directly In this episode of the Experts Journey podcast, Brad and Dixie unpack imposter syndrome as it shows up for speakers, authors, and anyone in the spotlight, including the fear of being “found out,” comparing yourself to seasoned pros, and worrying you can’t answer every question.  They explain that you don’t need to know everything—just more than your audience—and that your “next step” may be far ahead of late adopters. Practical strategies include naming and externalizing your inner critic, identifying triggers, being kinder to yourself after mistakes, focusing on why the audience is there (your perspective), and remembering that even top speakers struggle or freeze on stage.  The Expert’s Journey podcast is dedicated to empowering authors, content creators, experts and professional speakers worldwide. Join hosts Brad Hauck, author of AI Powered Profits: Use AI to Automate & Accelerate Your Business in 90 Days, and Dixie Carlton, author of Start With the Draft: How to Easily Plan and Write a Non-Fiction Book, as they share practical insights to elevate your speaking career. Each episode delivers actionable strategies to grow your audience, sharpen your skills, and increase your impact through speaking, publishing, and smart marketing. Whether you're looking to boost your influence or explore new ways to share your expertise, The Expert’s Journey gives you the tools and direction to succeed. FIND US Brad Hauck Proficlix.com.au Dixie Carlton Indieexpertspublishing.com

    20 min

About

The Expert's Journey: How Authors & Speakers Build Profitable Businesses with Books & Marketing Turn your book into a business-building asset. Learn proven strategies to leverage your expertise, get booked as a speaker, and create multiple income streams beyond the page. Are you an author, speaker, or expert who wants to use your book as a powerful marketing tool to book speaking gigs, grow your authority, and build a profitable business? This podcast delivers the strategies you need to transform from writer to sought-after thought leader. Hosted by Brad Hauck (author of AI Powered Profits and international digital marketing expert "Mr Web Marketing") and Dixie Carlton (publisher and author of Start With the Draft), this show provides actionable insights to help experts monetize their knowledge through books, speaking, and smart marketing. Brad: www.proficlix.com.au Dixie: www.indieexpertspublishing.com What You'll Learn:  ✅ Book marketing for speakers – Turn your book into a lead generation machine that attracts high-paying speaking opportunities✅ Author platform building – Create a strong personal brand that positions you as the go-to expert in your industry✅ How to write a book – Practical strategies to plan, write, and publish books that build authority and credibility✅ Speaker marketing strategies – Leverage your published work to get booked for conferences, corporate events, and keynotes✅ AI-powered content creation – Use artificial intelligence to streamline writing, marketing, and audience growth✅ Thought leadership – Establish yourself as an industry influencer who shapes conversations, not just joins them✅ Multiple income streams – Create coaching programs, online courses, membership sites, and subscription models from your expertise✅ Book to business blueprint – Extend your influence beyond book sales into speaking fees, consulting, and digital products✅ Publishing and self-publishing – Navigate the publishing landscape to maximize your book's business impact Perfect for: Published authors looking to monetize their books beyond salesAspiring authors building their expert platformSpeakers who want to write books to boost their speaking careerExperts and consultants ready to establish thought leadershipNon-fiction authors seeking to turn books into business assetsSolopreneurs building authority-based businessesConference speakers positioning themselves for higher fees Each episode features conversations on author success, expert positioning, content marketing, and the intersection of writing, speaking, and entrepreneurship. You'll discover how to use your book as the foundation for a multi-six-figure expert business that generates income through speaking, coaching, digital products, and more. Whether you're writing your first book or scaling your existing author platform, The Expert's Journey provides the roadmap to transform your expertise into influence and income. New episodes weekly. Subscribe now and start your journey from author to authority.