CTRL the MIC
Open Speaking Opportunities + How to Actually Get Selected
Let’s be clear. If you keep saying you want to speak, but you’re not applying, you don’t want a stage, you want a fantasy.
Speaking is positioning.
Speaking is credibility.
Speaking is how you control the room before you ever walk into it.
Here are real, open Calls for Speakers you should be applying to right now, followed by the rules of engagement.
🎙️ Open Calls for Speakers (Apply Now)
1. SpeakerHub – Rolling Opportunities
Leadership, communications, DEI, entrepreneurship, tech
🔗 email me for this info info@sandandshores.com
This is where organizers actively look for speakers. If your profile is weak, so are your chances.
2. SXSW EDU 2026
Education, innovation, workforce, social impact
🔗 email me for that info: info@sandandshores.com
Big stage, serious audience, long-term credibility play.
3. ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition – Call for Proposals
Audience: Association leaders, executives, communicators, strategists
Topics: Leadership, communications, governance, AI, workforce, DEI, innovation
🔗 https://annual.asaecenter.org/proposals
4. Women Impact Tech
Equity, leadership, innovation, career advancement
🔗 https://womenimpacttech.com/speakers/
Curated rooms. Intentional audiences. Repeat invitations.
🎤 TEDx Opportunities Worth Your Attention
• TEDxCongaree Vista – Feb 14, 2026
Theme: ChangeMakers
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScqqVaYpIbe5pC7PqWBrQOSAfu6xzSabirRUci_klJjDZsdQA/viewform
• TEDxProvo – Feb 21, 2026
Theme: Resonance at Scale
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfgObfnqPkst1bjRqF2oM0diRM_7JFCIHIQkiut0voQ2PYRgQ/viewform
• TEDxCarlsbad – Feb 27, 2026
Theme: Reimagining Our Future: Innovating in the Age of AI
https://www.tedxcarlsbad.com/speak
• TEDxCary – March 1, 2026
Apply via contact form at
🎯 4 Rules for Applying to Speaker Calls
Read this twice.
Lead with the idea, not the bio
Your résumé supports the message. It is not the message.Respect the theme
If you can’t clearly connect your talk to the theme, don’t submit. Period.Show proof of stage presence
A short clip beats a long bio every time. Panels, workshops, podcasts, all count.Local and relevant wins
Many stages prioritize community connection. Read the fine print and pitch accordingly.
Ready to Stop Guessing and Start Getting Booked?
If you want help shaping your talk, tightening your pitch, and building a speaker strategy that actually converts, CTRL the Mic is the play.
👉 Hit the link and get started:
https://share.hsforms.com/1ywYpJLBxQu6u1b5LA1NBAA1hcfc
Closed mouths don’t get stages.
And if you don’t control the narrative, the streets will, and not in your favor.
#CTRLtheNarrative