Stopping the ‘Referral Loop:’ 10 Women Leaders Launch Strategy to Diversify Global Stages

Launched for Women’s History Month, ‘Speak Your Way to Sales’ provides a systems-based approach to bypass traditional, ‘referral-only’ booking loops

Women now start nearly half of all new U.S. businesses – up from 29% in 2019– yet they hold only 33% of keynote speaking slots at major conferences. As the “referral-only” culture of the speaking industry continues to favor established insiders, a collective of 10 women leaders has teamed up to break the cycle.

Released this Women’s History Month, “Speak Your Way to Sales: Expert Strategies to Turn Speaking into Sales, Clients, and Growth” (Eaton Press) arrives as competition for stages hits an all-time high. With 65% of speakers citing “standing out” as their primary challenge, this collaborative book offers a tactical roadmap to move beyond “speaking for exposure” and into a sustainable business model.

“Women are starting businesses at a historic rate, but a stage appearance without a back-end system doesn’t convert,” says Meredith Eaton, Founder of Eaton Press. “We designed this book to provide high-level infrastructure that turns a 45-minute presentation into a long-term revenue engine. These nine authors are the specialists who build the systems that make speaking work.”

A Full-Funnel Approach to Authority

The book moves beyond “public speaking tips” to focus on the high-leverage business operations required to scale. Led by Eaton, the featured specialists provide a “full-funnel” approach to authority:

• Brand Strategy: Jen Dalton (BrandMirror)
• Legal Protections: Nancy D. Greene, Esq. (N D Greene PC)
• Systems & Delegation: Tracy Walker (TW Creative Design) and Jennifer Crawford (Sparent)
• Social & PR: Karlyn Ankrom (Oh Snap! Social) and Heather McElrath (Sandbox Communications)
• Sales & Lead Management: Katie Nelson (Sales UpRising) and Mary Sue Dahill (Work Smarter Digital)
• Podcasting: Molly Ruland (Heartcast Media)

For additional information, learn more about the authors.

Why It Matters Now

Data from the 2025 Gusto New Business Formation report and the 2024 Wells Fargo Impact of Women-Owned Business report highlight a massive discrepancy: while there are 14 million women-owned firms in the U.S., the “referral loop” – where 70% of bookings flow through existing networks – acts as a glass ceiling.

Speak Your Way to Sales is a direct response to this bottleneck. By pooling their expertise, the authors are demonstrating the very strategy they preach: creating a shared platform to amplify reach rather than competing for the same limited stage.

About Eaton Press, LLC

Eaton Press helps entrepreneurs transform their expertise into books that build credibility, open doors, and move businesses forward.

Media Contact
Meredith Eaton, Founder
meredith@eatonpress.com