In 2009 I was laid off from my corporate marketing job. The moment is burned into my memory. It was April 1st, and no, the irony of being laid off on April 1st is not lost to me. I had no job prospects, and we were in the middle of the great recession. It was the worst economy in 50 years.
So I took the leap. I went full time as a motivational keynote speaker.
I had become captivated with public speaking long before, and had fine tuned my abilities thought being an active member of Toastmasters for ten years. It takes time to learn to speak at the level of a real professional speaker. To be a meaningful inspirational speaker looks easy, but involves hundreds of hours perfecting the skills.
Many people ask me about how to become a motivational speaker. My advice is always the same... go speak. Someone once asked Stephen King how to become a writer, and he replied "Go write. Writers write". I think the same thing is true for motivational speakers. Speakers speak.
Motivational speakers are a weird group, but I fit right in. I got involved in the National Speakers Association early in my career, and it was the best decision I ever made. I have learned a lot for their educational events, but the real gold has been in the strong friendships I have created.
While I always want more business, and actively promote my business to meeting planners, I also go out of my way to refer other speakers. I care about live events, and I know that sourcing great keynote speakers is not easy. I watch all the speakers I can and praise the great ones in person and online.
If you are seeking a motivational speaker for your company or association event, let's have a conversation. I am always available to brainstorm ideas.
Have A Great Day
thom singer
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