1 IN 2
People fear public speaking more than they fear being buried alive.
(Psychology Today)
3,500
Number of daily marketing messages people are exposed to each day.
(The Guardian)
7 SECONDS
The time a potential customer takes to form an opinion about you.
(VirginStartup)
YOUR MESSAGE MATTERS AND YOUR STORY HAS VALUE.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO HAVE AN IMPACT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO FIND YOUR VOICE, SHARE YOUR STORY AND FALL IN LOVE WITH BROADCASTING YOUR MESSAGE WITH CLARITY AND CONFIDENCE TO ENGAGE AND EXCITE YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMERS.
"The Impact Accelerator made me realise I am able to dig deep and persevere even when the odds are stacked against me."
Caroline Syson, Founder of PocketPA
ARE YOU HAVING THE IMPACT YOU WANT?
LET'S FACE IT. As mission driven founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders we all start out with the best intentions to change the world but somewhere along the way we quickly realise that it’s going to take a lot more than just passion and being good at what we do to make it work.
If you really want to FIND YOUR VOICE, BUILD YOUR BRAND AND EXPLODE YOUR BUSINESS you're going to have to fall in love with amplifying your message.
Over the course of 8 weeks, Mark Leruste will personally coach and mentor a small group of like minded impact-driven founders with an important mission or message to share with the world.
We will meet online every Monday afternoon from 2pm to 3:30pm (London time) to learn about the mindset, strategies and tools required to find your voice, share your story and build an audience of raving fans who will pay you for your expertise.
By the end of the programme you will be expected to take ownership of why your story matters, identify who your ideal audience is, craft a clear and compelling message, identify a meaningful problem you can solve, imagine a future worth striving for, and share your ideas powerfully via a broadcasting channel of your choice; i.e. a podcast, a vlog, a blog, webinars or speaking “on stage”.
You will need to host your own live or virtual event to launch your product, service or mission in order to graduate the Impact Accelerator.
If you have a mission and YOU KNOW DEEP DOWN IT CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE, stop being the best kept secret.
Join a strong accountability group of like minded people on a similar path who will challenge you to act on what you know in your heart you must do: to put yourself out there in a big and authentic way so you can have a bigger impact and change people’s lives.
APPLY IN 3-STEPS
#1 APPLY ONLINE
#2 BOOK STRATEGY CALL
#3 JOIN THE TRIBE
“I never thought in a million years that I could fall in love with public speaking!”
Aaron O’Sullivan, Founder of Systems, Culture & Impact
Spotlight on Aaron O’Sullivan, Founder of Systems, Culture & Impact
Back in 2018, Aaron was invited to speak in front of 1,500+ people in Orlando, Florida, which made him feel super anxious, “it was mad, this was only my second time giving a talk in public, ever!”
To give some context Aaron used to visibly shake when he had to speak in front of three people privately, “because I was so self-conscious and had a massive fear of public speaking.”
So Aaron reached out to me to get some help as he was keen to grow his impact and connect with his audience.
What happened next? Here’s what Aaron had to say in his own words:
“After working with Mark I went on using his frameworks, rehearsed like crazy and did exactly what he told me to do. I got up on stage in front of almost 2,000 people, and to my biggest surprised, I smashed it!
I had multiple rounds of applause throughout my talk which gave me bulletproof confidence. And I even had people coming up to me afterwards, telling me that I made them really emotional with my talk (and some almost cried!), which I never, ever, EVER envisioned happening.
In terms of business that came from that? I got 850 email leads in my eco-system and over $84,000 worth of business.
Trust me, it’s literally one of the scariest things I’ve ever done, but it was so much easier and comforting knowing that I had Mark in my corner.”
Want to experience the same transformation as Aaron and become my next case study? Then join the next cohort of The Impact Accelerator by applying today!
HERE'S WHAT YOU'RE IN FOR!
WEEKLY MODULES
Each week, you will get access to a new teaching module with practical and actionable steps to follow, helping you make steady progress.
#1 STRATEGY
LIVE VIDEO CALLS
On top of the amazing content, you will get 8 weeks of hands on mentoring from Mark Leruste via a weekly live Zoom Q&A accountability call.
#2 ACCOUNTABILITY
VIP FACEBOOK GROUP
You automatically get access to a private Facebook group to share your ups and down and get support from your peers along the way.
#3 COMMUNITY
"Mark brings so much clarity as to possibilities and next steps."
Greg Wootton, UK #1 ranked Muay Thai Champion
THE IMPACT ACCELERATOR©:
MODULE 1: YOUR IMPACT
If you're going to grow your profile, build a mission driven business and start a movement, you're going to need a solid foundation. In module one we will explore what impact means to you and dive into what success really looks like for you and your business.
MODULE 2: YOUR STORY
One of the biggest tragedies is that most people do not believe their stories matter. And yet your story is one of the most powerful and transformative tools you possess. In this module we'll explore Your Origins Story, to get you crystal clear on why your story matters.
MODULE 3: YOUR VOICE
In today's digital world it's easy to be afraid of standing out of the crowd for what we believe in. And yet, if you want to start a movement you're going to have to speak your truth. In this module we look at what you truly stand for and want to fight for.
MODULE 4: YOUR MESSAGE
Your message has the ability to change someone’s life and sharing it has the ability to change yours. But only if you are willing to own your message and know how to get it into the hands of the people whose lives you have been called to change. In this module you will learn how to share your message in a powerful, clear and authentic way.
MODULE 5: YOUR TRIBE
So you want to share your message and get paid for your expertise by getting your work in front of the people who need it and want it? In order to do so you're going to have to identify who you are called to serve and why. In this module we will explore the concept of niching and how to identify who your people really are. I.e. your Dream Tribe.
MODULE 6: YOUR CAUSE
Now you know who you want to serve, and why, it’s time to think about what meaningful problem you want to help them solve. What transformation do you want your ideal customers to experience? In this module we'll get clear on what is the one problem you become the answer to.
MODULE 7: YOUR CHANNEL
Having a clear message and a compelling purpose is one thing, but cutting through the noise and being heard is another thing all together. In this module we’ll explore how to cut through the noise and build your own Impact Platform. It's the vehicle to scale your impact. We'll identify the optimal broadcasting channel for you.
MODULE 8: YOUR TALK
If you want to amplify and monetise your message you're going to need to create a signature talk. In this module we’ll explore how to structure and prepare a powerful talk to convey your ideas, mission and message. You will learn how to use your words to connect to the hearts and pockets of your ideal customers
live GRADUATION CERemony
If you want to turn your message into a movement, you're going to have to step up and embrace the spotlight. And this starts with hosting your own live or virtual event to share "Your Bigger Game". It's been a highlight of the programme as you get to celebrate your achievements to date and have an impact on the world with your message.
“IF YOU CAN’T CAPTURE YOUR AUDIENCE, IT’S GAME OVER. THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY LEARN HOW TO USE YOUR WORDS TO CAPTIVATE PEOPLE"
I get it, it's scary...
As entrepreneurs and business leaders we live in an age where people’s attention is the most limited and therefore precious resource on the planet. If you can’t capture the attention of your target market you’re out of business. Simply by raising your profile you differentiate yourself from the vast majority of your competitions and as a result it becomes easier to capture the attention of your ideal customer.
Because you become more known, liked and trusted in your industry.
When you know people get bombarded with 3,500+ commercial messages each day, that 340 million tweets and 55 million Facebook updates are posted each day, that on average 60 million photos are shared every day on Instagram, that 60 hours of video are uploaded every minute on YouTube and that it takes less than 7 seconds for a potential customer to make up their mind about doing business with you or not, it becomes clear that standing out from the crowd and grabbing the attention of your customers is no easy task.
Unless of course, you have a plan...
The problem is that not only do most people fail to deliver a compelling and clear message about what they do, why they do it and who they do it for, but most founders, entrepreneurs, and business leaders are afraid of standing out from the crowd and putting themselves out there in a big way.
In fact, some people fear public speaking more than they fear being buried alive.
And this has to stop.
In 2015 I launched The Unconventionalists with the mission to help you make an impact on the world with your message. Since then I've worked with hundreds of clients from around the world who want to punch above their weight and start putting themselves and their message out in a big authentic way so they can have an impact doing what they love.
Some have gone off and launched their own podcast, YouTube channels, blogs, apps or even social enterprises!
Some have even given TEDx talks with over 1 million views, raised £1.5 million for their startup and reached the top of the charts on Apple Podcast. As a result, they have all been able to start sharing their message with the world in a meaningful and impactful way.
In my experience, there are three things that get in the way of this process:
#1 The overwhelming amount of information available online often leads to the infamous state of "analysis paralysis" with questions such as:
Do I need a mailing list? Should I launch my own podcast / YouTube channel / blog? How do you talk about what you do? How do you build a web presence? Do I need a niche? What's content marketing? How do I leverage my online content to grow my business? How do I know if I'm focusing on the right thing? What if I want to work with everyone? How do I turn followers into loyal customers? Etc.
#2 The idea of having to go from the comfort of hiding behind our screens to stepping into the spotlight terrifies a lot of us:
I feel scared, uncomfortable, I feel like a fraud, I don’t feel credible, I feel like I’m boasting, I feel out of integrity, I feel like I’m letting my ego do the talking, I don't feel ready, I hate the sound of my own voice, I don't feel comfortable talking to an audience, what if I bomb? No one will care about what I have to say, I just want to go and hide in a corner...
#3 The thought of having to put yourself out there and raise your profile can feel like a million things that need to be completed. Be it launch a podcast, grow your social media, build an email list, etc and therefore it just never becomes a priority (and never gets done):
I have a 1,001 things to do on my list, I just haven’t made the time to focus on growing my profile, it’s been on my list of things to do but I just can’t quite seem to get around to it…
Feels familiar? You're not alone.
This is the deeper work that I love focusing on, as you can't have one without the other: you can't focus on the tools without simultaneously making sure you're also giving your mindset enough attention and have the accountability you need to get things done.
And that's why this programme is unique.
The Unconventionalists’ Impact Accelerator© will teach you the tools you need to kickstart your online presence, find your voice and share your story and message in a powerful way. But this programme will also provide you with the guidance required to overcome some of your major fears and roadblocks as well as the obstacles that WILL show up along the way.
You will also be part of a new Tribe of like minded mission-driven leaders who will challenge you and support you along the way, keeping you accountable, and who will feel like family by the end of the programme.
My wish is that by the end of this accelerator you will have started your own journey of sharing your message with the world and start seeing the results you so deeply crave. I'm not saying it's going to be easy. You will have to step out of your comfort zone. But I'm saying it will be worth it.
This isn't a quick fix scheme. By the end of this programme you won't be Gary Vaynerchuk, Richard Branson or Oprah... But you will be on your way to creating your own Tribe and be clearer, more confident and committed as to what you're trying to put out into the world, and why.
Question is, are you ready to step up and take on a new and exciting challenge?
Mark Leruste
Founder & CEO of The Unconventionalists© + Creator of The Impact Accelerator©
“This is an amazing time to get a message out there to motivate people, to show people that there’s something positive in not just being inspired but by inspiring others.””
YOU’RE IN GOOD COMPANY
“The Accelerator helped me understand the importance of being clear with my message which has made a massive difference in my business.”
- ARTUR PAULINS -
FOUNDER OF BREATHWORK ACADEMY
"The Accelerator made me realise that my voice matters and that I can really make a difference if I stretch my social media muscles!"
- MARIE ADEYEMI -
FOUNDER OF DREAM NETWORKS
"The Impact Accelerator pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me the confidence I needed to speak up on topics I am truly passionate about.”
- STEPH SLACK -
FOUNDER OF HELLO STEPH SLACK
"I want you to get paid for the things you’re giving out to the world."
FOCUS ON DINNY SMITH
Founder of London by Londoners
How would you describe the IMPACT ACCELERATOR© in your own words?
A course designed to help you find your brand identity, craft your story, find your audience and start connecting to them!
What were you struggling with before joining The programme?
Not being confident enough to get the real me out there, I wasn't clear about what parts of me were relevant to my business or how to get them over to others.
what happened to your confidence level and sense of Clarity as a result of joining the Tribe?
I got so much clearer on what I was doing and why - not just in terms of describing it to other people but also in terms of understanding it myself.
I really felt the accountability pushed me to explore and try things I really wouldn't have wanted to do otherwise and made me really committed to personal growth and doing things outside my comfort zone.
I have discovered I actually quite like live video... who would have thought it!
Any tangible changes OR SHIFTS AS A RESULT OF GRADUATING FROM THE IMPACT ACCELERATOR©?
It made me rethink what I was doing and my values in a way that means I'll probably change aspects of my business - which is a great outcome.
I felt so much clearer in describing to others what I do and why - and used to getting content out there which was really from the heart without the huge levels of anxiety about it that I used to have about what other people would think after I hit publish.
I got amazing feedback from the stuff that I was posting which is really helping me to connect with supporters and grow my message. I also might have a collaboration as a result of the event I did for graduation.
What do you see as special or unique about the IMPACT accelerator©?
Mark genuinely understands and knows what all of us are trying to do and personally connected with each of us as individuals. Because he cares so much it helps us feel supported - he wasn't setting us up for failure - and to trust the process more and therefore do things which seem pretty scary at the time.
I liked the level of engagement we had with each other's work. The accountability buddy system worked amazingly for me - I have a new friend and co-working colleague!
The programme is also very well thought through in terms of how practical it is in relation to everyone's business and how it develops a step change in where we are with developing our message to where we end up.
What would you like to say to someone WHO'S thinking of joining the Impact Accelerator© BUT MIGHT BE HESITATING?
Just do it! I can't think of anyone better placed than Mark to help you grow and develop in a fun supportive way.
MARK LERUSTE is the Founder & Host of The Unconventionalists® and creator of The Impact Accelerator© with 135,000+ downloads on Apple Podcasts and 2 million views on YouTube.
MARK HAS BEEN FEATURED IN
WATCH MARK'S TEDx TALK
"Making a difference in people’s lives is what will cultivate loyalty."
FAQ’s
What's the investment for the Impact Accelerator©?
The tuition fee for the Impact Accelerator© will be announced when it reopens. But you can receive the early bird discount by joining the waiting list.
Is the fee likely to go up?
Yes, for every new cohort the fee goes up.
What are the course dates?
November - December 2020
When do the classes take place and for how long?
Each week you will have a 60min class + a 60min Q&A session
Where do the classes take place?
We will meet online via Zoom each week
How many in a cohort?
We limit any given cohort to 10-15 people as we’ve found that’s about the right amount of people to make transformation happen.
Will there be a reading week?
No, we’ll be covering a new module each week for the duration of the programme. However, Mark does offer one-to-one coaching to support you during the programme for an additional fee. If you are interested in personally working with Mark just say so when you apply!
Do you have a payment plan if we can’t pay upfront?
Yes, there will be a payment plan option.
What's the goal of the Impact Accelerator©?
The goal is simple: to help you find your voice, share your story in a powerful way and clarify your message so you can build a business around your personal brand and establish yourself as an authority in your field. Mark Leruste will personally mentor you through his 8-step signature formula to help you have an impact doing what you love and start building a tribe of raving fans.
Who is this course for?
People who tend to get the most out this course are typically talented and successful mission-driven founders, business leaders, entrepreneurs, coaches and speakers who all want to amplify their impact to grow their business and make a difference, but are afraid to step into the spotlight and aren't sure where to start. If you’d like to become a professional speaker this is also a fantastic programme to get all your foundations right. Warning: You must be willing to step out of your comfort zone and try new things out.
What kind of results should I expect?
Previous graduates have used the skills learned through the Impact Accelerator© to land TEDx talks, deliver successful pitches, launch their own top Apple Podcast podcasts or YouTube channels, run their own events, get featured in national media and start connecting with their audience in a much more powerful way. But the biggest shift we've witnessed to date is the level of confidence, clarity and commitment to their bigger purpose that graduates experience as a result of joining the programme.
Does it work?
Yes, it does. The Impact Accelerator© is based on 8+ years of experience working and coaching 200+ client and speaking to thousands of people like you, who know deep down they want to build a purpose-driven business based around a powerful message and live life on their own terms. You will also benefit from Mark’s four years of experience as Country Manager of the Movember Foundation, where he helped engage 110,000 fundraisers, raising €2.8 million for men's health and winning multiple awards along the way. As well as what Mark has learned from publishing 140+ episodes of his podcast The Unconventionalists, where Mark’s interviewed world-class entrepreneurs, unconventional leaders, World-Record breakers, best-selling authors and disruptive influencers.
What makes this accelerator so unique?
The accelerator combines practical business tools, leadership skills and deeper coaching principles. That's what makes it so special. But let it be said, it won't be a walk in the park. It's going to involve some heavy lifting on your behalf. Trust me, you will thank me for it come the end of the programme!
But I could do that on my own, right?
Sure. If you're one of those people who can be disciplined, committed, super-focused and you're crystal clear on what to do, I'm sure you can make it. Eventually that is. Because one thing I know is that if you go about it on your own, things will take 10x longer than if someone can show you a road map. But the truth is, the beauty of joining the Impact Accelerator© isn't just the content you'll learn, or the mentoring you'll get from me. It’s the community you'll join who will keep you accountable and champion you as you step out of your comfort zone to help you start seeing positive results. Because with community comes accountability, and with accountability comes results.
How much of a commitment is this course? In other words, how much work do I have to put in?
If you want to grow your business, build your brand and accelerate your impact, you're going to have to commit to the process. That being said, this is a part-time programme with a weekly live class. So on top of the class, 2-3 hours a week should get you through the programme. But obviously, the more you can commit, the better, as you will get out what you put in.
How many modules are there on the Impact Accelerator©?
There are 8 modules on the Impact Accelerator© and each module is followed by a Q&A session to deepen the learning and trouble shoot any issues you've come up against.
What does each module include?
Each module covers that week's content with a challenge, enquiry or piece of homework to complete. To see the list of modules covered in the programme, please see the curriculum above.
What if I’m unable to attend one of the classes?
Don't sweat it. It’s OK to miss a class if you have to as we record each session and your classmate can help you catch up too. But please note that if you miss more than two modules you will need to re-take the programme in order to graduate.
Will there be an online community to interact on?
Yes, all successful applicants will be part of a private Facebook group, curated by Mark and his team during the programme. This creates a powerful community in which members hold each other accountable, share the ups and downs of the journey and who support each other along the way.
Will the Facebook group be active once the programme is finished?
Yes, but once the accelerator is complete, it will be your responsibility to keep it alive and kicking.
Does Mark also offer one-to-one coaching?
There is a premium option that allows you to get access to three hours of one-to-one support with Mark to help you make the most of the programme. Those sessions are scheduled for right before, during and just after the programme ends. Please let us know if you’d like to find out more about the premium option when you apply.
And if I don’t like it?
If you attend each module, do all the homework and still aren't satisfied, there is a 14-day money back guarantee. But we’re confident you won't need it :)
WANT MORE CASE STUDIES?
“Mark helped me understand the importance of being clear with my message which has made a massive difference in my business!”
ARTUR PAULINS, FOUNDER OF THE BREATHWORK ACADEMY
I no longer have that annoying little voice that had been holding me back from doing so many things.”
