Super U Podcast | Ask Equalman: Behind the Scenes with Erik Qualman
What really goes through a keynote speaker’s mind before stepping on stage? In this special episode of the Super U Podcast, Kelsey sits down with Erik Qualman to answer questions submitted by listeners and pull back the curtain on the person behind the stage.
Erik shares his pre-stage rituals, how he prepares for vastly different audiences, and why the most important question a speaker can ask is, “What do they care about most?” He also reflects on some of his most unforgettable moments around the world—from speaking alongside Tony Hawk and an Apple co-founder in South Africa to an unexpectedly emotional experience with the educators in his own community.
Along the way, Erik explores the universal desire that connects people across industries and cultures: the pursuit of a happier, more meaningful life—and the challenge of focusing on what’s truly important instead of simply staying busy.
Finally, Erik looks toward the future and reveals one organization he’d love to keynote for, sharing why he believes AI should be viewed not as a competition between countries, but as an opportunity to bring people closer together.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
- The mindset Erik uses to prepare before taking the stage
- How he tailors his message to different audiences
- The surprising moments that have shaped his career as a global keynote speaker
- The universal lesson he’s learned from audiences in more than 60 countries
- Why focusing on “big vs. busy” matters at work and at home
- Erik’s vision for how AI can help create more face-to-face connection
- The organization he’d love to keynote for in the future
Super U Podcast | Ask Equalman: Behind the Scenes with Erik Quaalman
Episode Preview:
“How do you tailor your message for diverse audiences and keep things also fresh for you?”
“Yeah, I mean, most people don’t know when you hit the stage, it’s kind of like Vince Lombardi, the great Green Bay Packers coach, always said that all his work was done during the week. He didn’t coach on Sunday. It was either going to execute on Sunday or not based on their preparation leading up to it. Fortunately, I’ve got amazing people like Kelsey and Maria. So it’s a team effort. Teamwork makes the dream work. We do a lot of work. All the hours are baked in before the hour I’m on stage.
And so you’ve got to do those calls. A lot of speakers won’t do it because it’s time-consuming, a little painful in some aspects as well. But you’ve got to find out who the audience is. What do they care the most about? So a great question to ask is what are the headwinds? What are the tailwinds for the next 12 months? Or another question is, after the keynote or after the event, everyone’s at a cocktail reception or at a dinner. What is the conversation that you want them to be having? So that’s a good question to ask the folks that are putting on the meetings. That could be an executive sponsor. It could be the event planner. So that’s a great question. Again, I’ll repeat it is at that evening after the event’s all said and done, what do you want them to be talking about? So that gives you some insight into what you should be talking about on stage.”
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The Super U Podcast is hosted by #1 bestselling author and AI Keynote Speaker Erik Qualman.
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