Last month, at two different events, I met folks who would be in my audience who responded, “Oh, you’re our motivational speaker!” I’m frequently not included in the internal PR for the events I’m speaking at, so I don’t know how I was advertised. But it’s a term I...
As a kid, I never got that excited about Halloween. I probably went Trick-or-Treating a few times, and probably attended a community event or two. I loved the candy, to be sure, but dressing up to fool people into giving me stuff never felt… genuine. ...
I was recently an invited breakout speaker to an organizational learning event. They had devoted a full day for their 1500+ people to attend dozens of breakouts across a full day and most of a college campus. I was given two slots for the same speaking topic. Since...
I recently had one of those once-in-a-lifetime, pinch-me moments as a speaker. I was able to give two toasts/speeches in the context of my son’s rehearsal dinner and wedding reception. As my oldest child and only son, the event was a wonderful mix of happiness,...
Pre-COVID, I was given the opportunity to travel to three continents in the span of a year. Those experiences had a profound impact on my view of the world and the people in it. One of the most amazing aspects was my awareness of CULTURE. One of the...
Those who wish to become great at any craft are wise to study those who are already great. Winston Churchill was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953 for his speeches. He makes almost every list Google produces searching for “great orators”. (Interestingly,...