Why I Built Talkadot
Hi, I’m Arel. And I Was SHOULD-ing on My Speaking Business Too.
Growing up in the projects of Brooklyn, NY I learned early on how words can either break you down or build you up.
When I was younger, I got made fun of because I looked different than most kids in my neighborhood. I had a white Jewish Mom, and a Black Jamaican Father. My mixed background got made fun of, a lot.
I’ve gotten so low that I didn’t want to keep going. And in those low moments, I’ve had the right words said at the right time pull me out of the darkest of places, push me to graduate high school, go to college, and change my life.
Because professional speaking is the fastest, most powerful way to change someone’s life.
But figuring out how to get booked and paid to do it? That felt like a black box.
I knew that if I could crack the code, I could impact more people—and that’s what mattered most to me. So I made this my mantra:
"Do what most people won’t, so you can have what most people don’t."
And with that mindset, I built a 7-figure speaking business. I’ve spoken at the White House twice, on the TEDx stage three times, and speaking got me a show for Disney+.