How We Produced Dr. Gertrude Lyons’ Professional Speaker Reel
Creating a speaker reel can feel overwhelming — especially when you’ve done a lot of speaking, but it doesn’t all look the same on paper.
That was exactly where Dr. Gertrude Lyons found herself when we started working together. She had just come off a TEDx talk, a book launch with national media appearances, multiple podcast interviews, and several retreats and live events.
She had the experience. She had the credibility. She had powerful ideas that resonated across every platform she touched.
This case study walks through what Dr. Gertrude Lyons wanted to accomplish, the concerns she had going into the process, how I approached the strategy behind her speaker reel, and how we ultimately built a piece designed to support paid speaking engagements, retreats, and national media opportunities.
If you're sitting on years of content but feeling stuck about how to turn it into something cohesive, this might help.
Speaker Reel Goals: What Dr. Gertrude Lyons Wanted to Accomplish
Dr. Gertrude Lyons and Bernadette Marciniak of Solhaus Media discuss strategy for Gertrude’s professional speaker reel.
At the start of our conversation, Gertrude wasn’t entirely sure how — or even if — a speaker reel fit into her next chapter.
What she did know:
She wanted to move toward paid speaking engagements
She was interested in national media visibility
She was curious about opportunities like retreats, wellness spaces, and experiential venues (Miraval, Esalen, etc.)
Most importantly, she wanted her message to stay intact across every platform
Rather than anchoring the reel to one narrow outcome (only conferences or only keynotes), we aligned on something more durable:
The message is the goal — the platform is flexible.
That decision shaped everything that followed.
Speaker Reel Concerns: “Where Am I Even Getting All This Footage?”
One of Gertrude’s biggest concerns was logistical, not creative.
She asked questions I hear all the time:
Where do I get the footage?
Does this count as speaking if it’s TV or a podcast?
Is it okay that not everything is a formal keynote?
Here's what Gertrude had: a TEDx talk. TV appearances on Good Day LA, NBC Chicago, and Fox NY. Podcast interviews with video components. A book launch conversation.
TV interview clips are a great way to add credibility and range to a speaker reel. Pictured above is a still from a segment Dr. Gertrude Lyons did on Fox5 that we used in her speaker reel to showcase media experience.
What she didn't have was a neat folder on her desktop labeled "Speaker Reel Content" with perfectly lit, professionally shot clips all ready to drop into a timeline.
And honestly? Most speakers don't.
Part of my role here was to normalize the mess and then create a system. Because the truth is, you don't need perfect footage. You need footage that shows who you are, what you believe, and how you communicate those ideas in different environments. That's what builds trust with the people who are deciding whether to book you.
We didn't need everything to look the same. We needed it to feel like it came from the same person with the same conviction.
My Approach to Speaker Reel Strategy (Not Just Editing)
Before touching a timeline, I needed to understand why she speaks.
So instead of jumping straight into clips and transitions, I asked her: What do you want people to walk away believing after they hear you speak? What's the underlying mission across all of these appearances, whether you're on a TEDx stage or sitting across from someone on a podcast? What stays true no matter where you show up?
Gertrude articulated something powerful: She wants to shift the cultural understanding of motherhood from sacrifice to self-realization. That's what drives every talk, every interview, every retreat she leads. It's not just a topic she covers. It's the lens through which she sees the world and invites others to see it too.
Dr. Gertrude Lyons’s message was consistent across all the footage we used in her speaker reel: motherhood is not a sacrifice, it is self-realization.
That throughline became the backbone of the reel.
From there, the strategy was clear:
This would not be a highlight montage
It would be a story-driven speaker reel
Each clip would reinforce message, not just credibility
What Footage We Used for the Speaker Reel
To create both range and cohesion, we agreed on a mix of formats rather than forcing everything into a traditional keynote box.
The final speaker reel pulls from TEDx stage footage, national TV interviews, video podcast conversations, and long-form speaking moments where Gertrude's ideas have room to unfold and land. We didn't try to make the TV segments look like keynotes, or the podcast clips feel like stage work. We leaned into the differences.
Live podcast interview events are growing in popularity, right alongside video podcasts. We used footage from a live podcast event Dr. Gertrude Lyons participated in for her speaker reel, not because the footage looked particularly stunning, but because her message would contribute strongly to the story of her speaker reel, which is what matters more.
This mix does two important things:
It shows Gertrude speaking confidently in multiple environments
It allows event organizers and media teams to picture her in their world
That versatility is a feature, not a weakness.
How We Structured the Final Speaker Reel
Rather than organizing the reel chronologically (earliest to latest) or by platform (all the TV stuff, then all the stage stuff), we structured it around message momentum.
The final reel opens with authority and clarity. Within the first fifteen seconds, you know who Gertrude is and what she's here to say. It establishes her voice and perspective quickly, without over-explaining or underselling. From there, it balances conviction with warmth. You see her challenge assumptions, but you also feel the compassion behind the challenge. She's not performing authority. She embodies it naturally.
The reel shows her navigating both large stages and intimate conversations, which is important for anyone who wants to work across different speaking contexts. And it closes with a clear sense of who she is and why her work matters right now.
The pacing was intentional. We gave her ideas enough room to land without losing energy or momentum. We cut moments that felt redundant, even if they were impressive on paper. We prioritized clarity over cleverness.
This is the difference between a reel that looks impressive when you watch it once and a reel that actually gets used by the people who are deciding whether to book you.
Why We Didn’t Overload the Reel With Logos or Press
Gertrude asked a smart question: Should we include press logos or written media mentions?
We decided no. Her media kit would hold that information. The speaker reel would stay focused on her voice, her presence, and her ideas. Unless a quote or logo meaningfully advances the story or reinforces the message, it can actually distract from the main job of the reel, which is helping someone decide to book you.
People don't book speakers because of logos. They book them because of connection, clarity, and confidence. The reel needed to deliver on those three things first.
The Result: A Speaker Reel Built for Longevity
The finished speaker reel is designed to live on Gertrude's website, be shared with publicity teams, support pitches for speaking and media opportunities, and adapt over time as her body of work grows.
And importantly, it's not locked into one outcome. If, down the road, Gertrude wants a keynote-only reel for corporate conferences, a retreat-focused version for wellness spaces, or a media-centric cut for broadcast pitches, the foundation is already there. We didn't paint ourselves into a corner. We built something flexible that can be built upon and expanded in the future.
What This Speaker Reel Case Study Shows
A strong speaker reel isn't about having perfect footage. It's about clarity of message, strategic editing, thoughtful curation, and respecting the speaker's voice.
If you're sitting on years of talks, interviews, panels, or appearances and feeling stuck about how to turn them into something cohesive, that's usually a strategy problem, not a content problem. You probably have more than you think. You just need someone to help you see what actually matters and how to structure it in a way that serves the work you want to be doing next.
And that's exactly what I help speakers solve.
If you are ready to finally get your speaker reel together, learn more about my speaker reel production process here.
Want to see different styles of speaker reels in action?
– A transformational leadership speaker reel for Tracy O’Malley
– A hybrid speaker reel/personal brand video with testimonials for Dr. Liza Marquez
– A guide on what makes a speaker reel actually work
like this post? check out more like it!
MEET BERNADETTE
Hi! I'm Bernadette Marciniak, founder of Solhaus Media, specializing in strategic photo and video production for purpose-driven organizations, brands, and non-profits.
With roots in journalism and marketing, I help mission-focused leaders turn their work into powerful, story-driven media that builds trust, inspires donors, and drives impact. From event coverage to brand storytelling, I bring both a journalist's eye for narrative and a strategist's understanding of how content actually gets used.
When I'm not behind the camera, I'm a cat mom of two who loves good pizza, red wine, and way too many true crime documentaries.
Based in Los Angeles, the SF Bay Area, New York, and New Jersey. Working nationwide.
Discover how this hybrid speaker reel for Dr. Liza Marquez combines stage footage, personal brand messaging, and testimonials to create a powerful marketing video for speaking engagements.