Posted by
WWSG Staff on Wed, Apr 18, 2012 @ 10:38 AM
Sometimes business inspiration comes from unexpected places. When selecting a keynote speaker for a diverse audience, finding a qualified speaker who can address the needs of business in a multifaceted manner can result in unexpected keynote presenters. One such presenter may not be someone you’d think of, although he was named by USA Today as one of the “Top 25 Influential People of the Past 25 Years”. He’s influenced fashion, music, finance, entertainment, and recently, current affairs when he met with the parents and brother of slain teen Trayvon Martin while they were in New York. 
Russell Simmons is not a stranger to the limelight. His message is one of making your own success, which was the focus of his bestselling book, “Do You! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success”. The book reflects Simmons philosophy of combining business with spirituality and trying to be the best that you can. Since his rise from NYC roots, Russell Simmons has created successful companies, and in his book, he credits his success to his philosophy and belief in a strong set of 12 steps, which he shares as a path to realizing the potential of your dreams, regardless of whether they are personal or professional.
Russell Simmons, perhaps best known for his pioneering of hip-hop culture, has been responsible for finding and promoting talent including Run DMC, Whodini, Beastie Boys, Jay Z, Foxy Brown and Ludacris. He’s the legend behind Baby Phat and co-founder of Def Jam Records.
While the litany of accomplishments goes on, the reality of hiring a terrific keynote speaker may be in finding a non-traditional approach to inspiring as well as entertaining an audience. What could me more important to today’s business audience than a speaker who can discuss the realities of building a business from scratch, sustaining its success and parlaying that into other profitable business endeavors? From his platform in hip hop, Russell Simmons has also utilized his personal and corporate influence for social change. He chairs Rush Community Affairs and the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, an organization dedicated to bridging the gap of religions and ethnicities.
Business success and growth begin with inspiration and dedication. Throughout his career, Simmons has been a stellar example of both.
Selecting the best keynote speaker for a business event may be choosing an unexpected source; one with a message that offers exceptional business acumen and insight paired with passionate inspiration to truly drive personal and professional achievement.
Posted by
WWSG Staff on Wed, Apr 11, 2012 @ 02:11 PM
According to CNN, the economy added an anemic 120,000 jobs last month while the unemployment rate barely wavered. The impact of the economy on the upcoming Presidential campaign is primed to be a challenge for the present administration. Voters may take into consideration the unemployment rate on Election Day, and yet this metric is questionable with regard to whether it is indicative of economic growth or not.
Hosting an event that has a political or financial audience requires an educated and informed keynote presentation.
Any list of keynote speakers able to address the challenging issues of the economy while conveying a message of empowerment must include Carly Fiorina. Most known for her trail blazing role as CEO of Hewlett-Packard (1995 - 2005), Carly Fiorina started as a secretary and diligently worked her way up the corporate ladder. Her political career includes serving as an advisor to the 2008 Republican Presidential nominee Senator John McCain as well as running against Democrat Barbara Boxer for the U.S. Senate in California.
A bestselling author who led the reinvention of HP through the dotcom bust, Ms. Fiorina is no stranger to difficult economic environments. Her visionary leadership at HP included the controversial merger with another technology giant, Compaq, which at the time was criticized but is now heralded as one of the most successful tech mergers in history.
Today, Carly Fiorina is recognized for being the first woman to lead a Fortune 20 company as well as a global influencer of business and public opinion. Her message of success resounds with small businesses, family owned businesses and entrepreneurs as she encourages them to stimulate job creation and save the economy.
Although she is a titan among women business leaders, Carly Fiorina relates to and serves as an inspirational speaker for women entrepreneurs. Her route to success features an unconventional background including a profound change in direction when she decided to drop out of law school. Fiorina has redefined the role of women corporate leaders by example. She is a role model that other women aspire to and an exceptionally astute leader.
Fiorina shares her views on leadership, technology and workplace diversity in her acclaimed memoir Tough Choices. The book has been translated into 12 languages.
As a trusted advisor for government, business and non-profit organizations, Carly Fiorina has significant insight into the role of government and the interdependence of government and business. Her knowledge of both the public and private sector makes her an indisputably solid keynote presenter who can illuminate a wide range of issues important to the business community. There are few individuals who possess the breadth and depth of experience, expertise and insight that Carly Fiorina brings to the podium.
When selecting a speaker for the financial industry or for an audience who watches every move of the Dow Jones industrial average, Standard & Poor's 500 index and the Nasdaq composite index, selecting an expert can be a challenge. Finding a woman who can competently address these topics may seem to be a difficult task. That speaker must be an expert; she has to understand what a drop in consumer confidence may mean to the economy, including the impact on housing starts, and gas prices. She must also be knowledgeable and able to articulate how the public sector and private sector are interdependent as well as what that interdependence entails when forming public policy.
Financial leaders are embroiled in a tumultuous and polarizing landscape. Banking is facing ongoing challenges to profitability and trust. Wall Street has become a dirty word, and when scheduling a speaker for a summit with a financial sector focus, there are few keynote speakers who have the expertise and background to stand before a crowded room and share insights that have profound wisdom on these complex topics.
Where can you find a female financial services keynote speaker? You do not have to look further than a woman who was twice named by Forbes Magazine as the second most powerful woman in the world: Sheila Bair.
Sheila Bair served as the Chairman of the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) during one of the most turbulent economic eras in our history. As global markets suffer upheaval, trusted financial institutions crumble, and the Occupy Movement protests the economic divide, public policies are being implemented and Sheila Bair has unique insights into the why and how of their impact. Whether it’s presenting a keynote on ending the doctrine of “too big to fail” or describing how public policy will influence the rise and fall of the dollar vis a vis other currencies, Chairman Bair has been a leader and an innovator.
Her fierce and ardent advocacy of the public interest has been the focus of editorials in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, Financial Times, and the New Yorker.
When it comes to keynote addresses, especially financial keynotes or keynotes addressing public policy, not every speaker can knowledgeably share powerful insights as well as someone who has been in the hot seat. Few men or women share her experience and are able to relate to an audience as well as Sheila Bair.
Understanding the impact of a drop in consumer confidence amid higher gas prices is second nature for Sheila Bair, who worked diligently both in front of and behind the scenes to bolster public confidence and financial system stability. With the background and expertise, and a keen awareness of the audience, Chairman Blair is an exceptional keynote speaker, and someone whose words will be remembered long after the event.
As gas prices continue to rise, having an insightful keynote speaker who can intelligently address the political spectrum of challenges regarding oil and energy is a draw for a high powered event. Regardless of political affiliation, the discussion of energy can become quite lively, with pros and cons of utilizing national resources and the cost of renewable energy sources intermingling with world events and politics. It’s a story of natural disasters, warring nations and economic forces that rises deeply from the foundation of our government with far reaching consequences. Especially because this is a topic that everyone can relate to, whether it’s due to pain at the pump or the rising cost of doing business due to increased energy expense, this is a topic of conversation that has many CEO’s and financial C-level executive’s attention.
When selecting a keynote speaker on energy policy, some criteria may be whether the individual held key offices and/or is considered an authority on the subject matter. Keynote speakers who are presenting at industry functions should share factual and informed information, which may be colored or presented from their perspective. After all, the audience is yearning for some great information that may not yet be public, or which represents the perspective of the speaker.
One excellent choice is Daniel Yergin, easily one of the most influential and knowledgeable energy experts. Whether the topic is the implications of war in the mideast or renewable energy solutions, Daniel Yergin has authored seminal books about a wide range of energy issues. His Pulitzer Prize winning bestseller The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power became a PBS mini-series. World events including the disastrous earthquake and nuclear contamination in Japan, the killing of Osama bin Laden and political upheaval in Egypt, Libya, Iran and Iraq are all filtered into Daniel Yergin’s scholarly understanding of energy and oil, and are captured in his latest book, The Quest.
With decades of ground-breaking research and exceptional experience in the energy industry, Dr. Yergin has impeccable credentials, and is a respected lecturer and authority on the international issues of energy and foreign affairs.
Another notable speaker on topics of energy and oil is Governor Dirk Kempthorne. As US 
Secretary of the Interior under George W. Bush administration, Kepthorne is known for his conservative views and strong understanding of the issues. Organizational change occurs at all levels, including the Federal government and managing that change through practical solutions is one of Dirk Kempthorne’s most adept skills. Drawing on his unique perspective as Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, two-time governor, U.S. senator, and mayor, Dirk Kempthorne shares how to use diplomacy and insight when tackling the complex issues involved in industry and public policy. Kempthorne understands the challenges of renewable energy and the need to balance reliable energy sources with environmental protection.
As energy and the Obama administration’s position on oil continue to fuel contention and debate, these outstanding experts add the benefit of their public service and personal experience, and deep knowledge to share a perspective on oil, energy and the direction of our government’s policies. Whether gas will hit $5 a gallon or go even higher to $6 in the near term future, these excellent, astute keynote energy speakers present a fascinating view of the power of oil and energy in our US economy and the world economic engine.
Hiring a keynote speaker is challenging. You want to hire a motivational speaker who will share a message that resonates, and who has a message that inspires attendance at the event. Here are 7 tips on how to hire the best keynote speaker for your event:
- Determine the type of keynote speaker you are interested in hiring. For example, you may be interested in hiring someone who will educate the attendees about a certain topic or issue. Or perhaps you wish to entertain the audience. There may be a reason you want to promote a cause, raise funds or even create a shift in behavior. Depending on your goals for the event, the keynote speaker will reflect your strategy. If there is a core group of decision makers or a board who must approve the choice of keynote speaker, ask them for suggestions or their vision.
- Parameters that affect the availability of speakers include location, date and budget. This will narrow the pool of keynote speakers who are available. If you have a particular speaker in mind and are flexible about the other parameters, you can start with speaker selection, then build your event from there. If you have a longstanding date and location, then the speaker selection is the variable.
- The type of presentation and the time of day of the presentation also enters into your selection process. Whether this will be a morning speaker with a rousing and energizing presentation or a midday workshop, some speakers are skilled at one type of presentation more than another. If you are looking for an after-dinner keynote, you may want someone who is more entertaining and humorous. Not all topics and speakers are flexible for all situations.
- If you have had successful keynote presentations in the past, you may be able to catalog what made those speakers more successful than others. If there is a common theme, there may be other speakers who would complement that messaging.
- Asking industry experts for references or recommendation is also a helpful way to narrow the keynote speaker search. If your event is in an industry where there are other similar venues, you may want to see which keynote speakers have been popular for other organizations or trade events.
- The demographics of your audience will be key to determining the best keynote speaker. Do you need a generalist, or someone who can address a particular current issue? Is this a presentation to an audience that is a specific demographic? Having an appealing keynote speaker who can connect with the attendees is obviously an important consideration. The ability of the speaker to identify with the audience makes a keynote presentation much more effective at conveying a message.
- Ask WWSG for assistance and help. Asking a speakers group for their ideas may ultimately be the easiest and least expensive route. With an understanding of the popularity and expertise of each speaker as well as the ability to understand who may be available within an area, time or price range, the advantage of asking the professionals for their ideas is evident.
Whether you agree that healthcare should cover the cost of contraception or not, there is no question that this week, healthcare reform made headline news. A student by the name of Sandra Fluke was criticized by radio host, Rush Limbaugh, for openly discussing her support of having contraception covered by healthcare insurance. Although Mr. Limbaugh issued an apology over his choice of words, which included “slut” and “prostitute”, the sting of his criticism caused a public outcry.
Healthcare keynote speakers should be poised to cover this topic as well as other controversial pieces of healthcare reform legislation, especially during this politically charged election year.
The best leadership speakers for events related to the health care industry are speakers who understand the health reform legislation and how it may impact those who operate hospitals, clinics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices or medical services companies, as well as how it may impact businesses in general. Speakers who can discuss ramifications for new provider networks, accountable-care organizations and the impact of insurance companies are particularly valuable healthcare keynote speakers upon which to rely.
Understanding that the pros and cons of contraception may be best addressed by a woman keynote speaker, there are few women speakers who are at the forefront of medical topics and rival the experience and knowledge of Dr. Holly Atkinson. For over 20 years, Dr. Atkinson has been in the forefront of healthcare topics, including her roles as senior on-air Medical Correspondent and Chief of Medical Affairs for HealthiNation (the leading consumer health video network), Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, and Adjunct Professor of Public Health at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Dr. Atkinson has a unique blend of business experience, medical expertise and award-winning journalism, which she skillfully translates to relate emotionally and factually with audiences of all ages and genders.
Shifts in the health care marketplace and health reform legislation can also be addressed by an extraordinary leader who is arguably the most knowledgeable person in America on the impact of this dramatic change. Michael Leavitt is a former three-term Governor of Utah and United States Secretary of Health and Human Services. He currently advises states, insurers, companies and health systems on the navigating the most efficient and effective paths for their organizations and constituencies. Prior to his service in government, Leavitt built what is now the nation’s second largest privately held insurance brokerage.
Using stories, metaphors and examples, Leavitt personalizes significant shifts in the health marketplace and provides insights to the strategic questions facing the healthcare industry today.
What does the healthcare reform mean for insurance companies, health care providers, employers and consumers? An expert keynote healthcare speaker can share their thoughts and perspective on the impact of these important changes.
Women leaders come in many shapes and sizes and when hiring a woman speaker for a keynote presentation, the hope is that the message is inspiring and motivating. Few women speakers have the background or depth of life experiences to turn a negative into a positive as Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a relentless champion of free speech, defender of women’s rights and outspoken controversial public figure. She has been the target of death threats, victimized publicly, and yet she is a voice that won’t be silenced.
The best women speakers have a story to tell, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s story is one of overcoming adverse conditions and making the commitment to make a difference. A powerful storyteller with a dynamic presence, this inspiring woman keynote speaker has risen to be a recognized advocate and educator.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. She has been widely honored for her clarity, courage and cogent leadership including being named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in The World,” as well as a “Hero” by Glamour Magazine. Her dynamic story is one of courage, passion and the power of an indomitable spirit.
After a forced ceremonial female circumcision, escape to Kenya to flee political persecution and an arranged marriage to a distant male cousin, Ayaan Hirsi Ali escaped to the Netherlands, where she eventually rose to a position within the Parliament. While in the Netherlands, her life was threatened due to a screenplay she wrote that resulted in a tragedy - the killing of the Dutch filmmaker, Theo Van Gogh. The film, Submission, detailed the issue of violent oppression of women in Islamic society. Van Gogh was murdered by an enraged radical Islamist. The murderer left a note on Van Gogh’s chest that singled out Ayaan Hirsi Ali as his next target.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali is charismatic and powerful. Her intelligent and passionate ability to share details and painful events, and how these experiences fueled her determination to make a difference and be heard resonates within an audience. As Ayaan Hirsi Ali has been able to make a difference, her message is that we all have the power to make a change; a powerful motivational keynote presentation that inspires and challenges us to do more.
Despite the odds, Ayaan Hirsi Ali has steadfastly been the voice of advocacy for women’s rights. Her internationally acclaimed memoir Infidel inspires recognition for the power of determination and hope, and how one person can have the power to change history.
Motivational speakers are people who make a difference. When it comes to changing the world, there may be no better motivation than a promise. Nancy Brinker promised her sister, Susan Komen, that she would raise awareness of and to help find a cure for breast cancer. Unfortunately, Susan passed away in 1982 at age 36. At that time, no one was talking about breast cancer. It was a quiet disease that no one wanted to talk about or share. Yet today, we’ve likely heard of or known someone touched by breast cancer and the whole month of October is now dedicated to its awareness, detection and eventual eradication. Treatment has made many advances, yet breast cancer still is a terrifying diagnosis; thanks to early detection and other improvements, millions of women do survive breast cancer.
In 2012, it is estimated there will be over 225,000 newly reported incidents of women diagnosed with breast cancer within the US -- and that nearly 40,000 of those women diagnosed will not survive.
Nancy Brinker took the initiative after losing her sister to establish the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. The foundation pioneered cause-related marketing initiatives that led to new legislation, greater government research funding and billions of dollars spent on awareness and research. Today, Susan G. Komen foundation is the largest network of breast cancer survivors and activists in the world.
From an inauspicious beginning at a kitchen table to one of Biography Magazine’s “25 Most Powerful Women in America” and Ladies Home Journal’s “100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century”, Nancy Brinker shares an empowering journey which resonates with women executives, entrepreneurs and business leaders. We all have the power, as an individual, to make a difference in our workplace, our community and in our home.
Turning adversity into positive change for the greater good is an important aspect of today’s challenging economy. By motivating and empowering our associates, we create the opportunity for them to add more value to the team, thereby gaining greater confidence and job satisfaction for them and increased productivity and organizational strength for the firm.
Selecting a speaker with a story that transcends the status quo and resonates with an audience is important. Whether your event is related to health care initiatives or business motivation, having a powerful woman leader such as Nancy Brinker will make a lasting impression on your audience.
Women business leaders and successful women in business have overcome hurdles which both business women and men can relate to, and therefore make excellent motivational speakers or keynote speakers. Especially when overcoming gender bias roles, women business leaders can exemplify the leadership traits and qualities that propel them to become industry leaders.
Differentiating “women” as leaders is compelling because there are some industries that are traditionally male-dominated, and notable women leaders have overcome remarkable odds in reaching the top of their organizations. Especially within technology, financial or defense sectors, women are the minority, so the experience of those exceptional women is a powerful statement that resonates.
Creating a leadership style for a woman has different characteristics than a man’s leadership style, in fact there have been studies that share that:
- Women leaders have to be more persuasive
- Women overcome adversity by adopting an “I’ll show you” approach as opposed to the traditional “I’ll tell you”
- Women typically demonstrate higher team building styles
- Women take risks and “draw outside the lines” to create a new rulebook
Notable women leaders such as Carly Fiorina, Sheila Bair, and Marty Evans are excellent representations of powerful women leaders.
- Carly Fiorina started her career as a secretary and became the first woman to lead a Fortune 20 company - Hewlett Packard. Rising to the top of a technology company is not a simple feat for a woman in the male-dominated technology sector.
- Sheila Bair, former Chairman of the FDIC, is another powerful woman who can attract a diverse audience. Bair led the FDIC through the stormy economy of the Great Recession, and as a speaker she clearly demonstrates that ‘can do’ attitude. Not only is she a recognized authority on the financial industry in crisis, she is a woman leader who rose to a position of leadership within our national financial system, another male-dominated environment.
- Marty Evans, the first female to command a U.S. naval station, is another excellent example of a powerful women leader in a male dominated environment. At the time of her retirement, she was the highest ranking woman in the Navy. Marty Evans also had leadership roles at the Girl Scouts of America, the American Red Cross and was instrumental in the national response to hurricane Katrina.
Each of these exceptional women business leaders has a message that inspires an audience to overcome gender barriers or bias and to be a leader in every sense of the word.
Selecting a keynote speaker is one of the most critical aspects of planning a meeting. Certainly, it’s fundamental to book the venue, schedule the sessions, plan the catering and think through the agenda, yet from the perspective of the attendee, the power of a keynote sets the tone for the entire event.
There are many ways to select a speaker and many categories of speakers from which to choose. For example, you can have a business keynote speaker who is a sports celebrity who focuses on motivation and the importance of training. Or you could have a newscaster who discusses the tenacity needed to get the scoop under pressure and relates that to sales motivation, organizational inspiration or team performance.
The trick to having the best keynote speaker is to take a comprehensive approach to your event and examine all the factors that will create a successful meeting. Here are the 5 steps to setting an effective tone with a speaker’s keynote:
1. Thoroughly Explore Your Industry and Organization
What will appeal to your industry? What is the latest news within your industry or organization? What are the hot button issues? Who would be able to address the goals, people, culture, clients and competitive landscape?
2. Understand Your Audience.
Who is in your audience? What are the demographics, the mindset, and the expectations? Most important, what do you want the ‘take away’ from the event to be? This will set the tone for the type of speaker and the message you want delivered.
3. Identify the Message and Messenger.
Even within a specific subject area, there are a myriad of speakers addressing different aspects of that topic and one that handle the same aspects but in dramatically different ways. There may be several business keynote speakers who could suit your audience – and many who would not. The trick is to distill these speakers into a strategic business rationale and topic that will effectively deliver your message and fulfill your meeting objectives.
4. Consider Touchpoints Outside the Keynote.
Are there opportunities to have the speaker interact with the audience? Would a cocktail reception with key sponsors be helpful, or small roundtable session with the speaker and your leadership? Creatively interjecting the keynote speaker into a pre-event newsletter or post event article may also strategically reinforce the event’s messaging.
5. Speaker Management/Event Coordination.
When you work with a speaker, it’s important that all parties are on the same page and have shared expectations. Clarity regarding time/place, roles and responsibilities is critical to a smoothly flowing keynote event. Having all parties clear on what is to be presented in the keynote speech will assure that your speaker will deliver a powerful message to your audience and set the tone for a successful event.