I am a freelance speaker for weddings and funerals. I also offer workshops on self-presentation, giving speeches, the so-called elevator pitch and writing.
2023
Marry freely and grieve freely: shape your own joy in life with heart, word and workshops
Dr. Ingrid Rupp is a freelance speaker for weddings and funerals. She also offers workshops on self-presentation, giving speeches, elevator pitches and writing.
The service
The motivation
The first word I spoke was “Self”. This desire to shape my own life runs through my entire life. I became a biologist, did research in the laboratory, worked as an editor at Springer Verlag and finally was the head of the Dietmar Hopp Foundation. Every experience enriched me and took me a little further to the point where I had the courage to become self-employed as a freelance speaker in 2019. Because it combines warm contact with people, writing and presenting on stage – that is the optimal mix for me. My motivation to earn a living as an independent freelancer is the freedom I have: I decide on my working hours, my wages and what I work as. My second motivation is to do work that is meaningful in my eyes, i.e. my work should be needed, people should be happy when I have done it, and I give a part of their happiness and love back to my customers that I feel in my professional freedom.
The idea
10 years ago, there were a lot of weddings in my circle of friends and I attended many Christian ceremonies in churches. With some of them I thought to myself: “This could be made more personal and heartwarming!” So I initially became a part-time speaker, and since 2019 I have been doing so full-time. I gave my first eulogy for my grandmother and felt that I could give a lot to people there too. It doesn't matter what is said at the end of a life. A good speech can heal and connect people with each other: with laughter and tears.
The challenge
As a sole proprietor like me, you have to constantly publish what you have done and what you have worked on and talk about it. The demand for free speeches and workshops is growing, but the number of providers is also increasing. If you have a bad day and wake up with a headache, you have to learn to still perform perfectly and take on a role on stage that doesn't let you know that you would actually rather be lying on the couch. I've learned to deal with that. Other challenges include price pressure from many providers of my services, the corona pandemic and inflation.
The current status
I'm in my fifth year as a freelancer and am fed up with being self-employed. What I mean by this is that I can handle not having my entire calendar fully booked, but rather that I now know that at the end of the year I will have completed enough projects to earn a living. This is my freedom: I don't know what will be in the diary next week, but experience says that it will fill up. Every week and now for five years.
Personal advice for founders
Don't get so much advice. There are simply too many people who can take the wind out of your sails. Listening to criticism is important, but sometimes your own motivation goes flat and then I recommend putting on the blinders according to the motto “Close your eyes and push through”. Also: it's better to do it instead of thinking too much.
freifrauen.de
freitrauern.de
freifrauen.de
freitrauern.de